《Let's Divorce As Agreed》


 Chapter 1: A Blow

    <h4>Chapter 1: A Blow</h4>


    Unexpectedly, autumn arrived, as if out of nowhere. Yesterday was filled with radiant summer light, but today the feeling of autumn lingered in the air. Fallen leaves scattered across the ground, creating a deste scene in Bin City during autumn.


    In the hospital, Shu Pan''s face was pale as she tightly held the test results that she just received, feeling a sense of disappointment in her heart.


    Her menstrual period was dyed, and she anxiously waited for a week before finally unable to resist and came to the hospital for an examination to see if she was pregnant.


    Although she was not an expert, she could tell from the results that she was not pregnant.


    She had been anticipating it for so long, and now suddenly discovering that she was not pregnant, her hope shattered, and she felt as if she was in an ice cer.


    The doctor who showed her the results was a middle-aged woman with a kind andpassionate appearance. When she smiled, she resembled the Bodhisattva of Childbirth.


    "Doctor, I''m not pregnant, right?" Shu Pan anxiously asked.


    The doctor was already used to such situations. She looked at Shu Pan carefully. "Judging from the results, you''re not pregnant, but you''re only in your twenties. You''re still very young. Rx, you''ll have a child soon."


    Shu Pan pursed her lips. "But why is my period sote?"


    "It''s because you are too nervous, too anxious, and under a lot of stress. These can also affect your menstrual cycle," the doctor exined.


    After saying that, the doctor looked at her other test results.


    Suddenly, the doctor frowned and said with a serious expression, "Miss, are you joking with me? You''re taking birth control pills now. Why do you think you''re pregnant?"


    "Doctor, is there a mistake? I haven''t taken any birth control pills," Shu Pan said excitedly.


    "Yourb report shows otherwise," the doctor asserted firmly. "Don''t you know if you are taking them or not?"


    Shu Pan suddenly remembered something and froze. Every time they had intimate moments, Gu Shaoting never used protection, but he always made her take a vitamin afterward. Could it be a birth control pill? They often discussed having a child, and he would always agree. So why would he ask her to take birth control pills now?


    Leaving the consultation room and seeing pregnant womening and going in the corridor, she envied them greatly. They had big bellies, supported by their husbands,ing for check-ups. Shu Pan yearned for that.


    She walked out of the hospital in a daze.


    At this moment, she didn''t want to go back to her studio, let alone go home.


    She was wandering aimlessly on the street, and she didn''t even feel anything when people bumped into her.


    Shu Pan was puzzled. Why would her loving husband not want a child? He knew how much she loved children, and she was already 26 years old, mentally prepared to be a mother. A child wouldplete their family. Why...


    Actually, she didn''t dare to delve deeper into her thoughts. The person who hurt you the most was often the one you loved the most.


    Shu Pan slowly walked home. She didn''t know how long she had walked, but she was in so much pain that she couldn''t feel anything. The tears on her face were like broken beads, falling down one by one.


    Her phone rang, ying the song "Meeting" by Stefanie Sun. Shu Pan nced at it and silenced the call, not wanting to answer. After the call disconnected automatically, a message arrived, "I won''te home for dinner tonight." It was from Gu Shaoting, her husband of three years.


    Shu Pan ignored him. She walked home. At this moment, she just wanted to be alone.


    In the evening, the setting sun''s afterglow bathed the entire city, creating a serene and exquisite painting.


    Shu Pan and Gu Shaoting lived in a new residential area called Shuimu Qinghua. The developer had gotten dozens of hundred-year-old trees from God knows where.


    Each tree was densely nted and robust. The oldest one was an osmanthus tree. Every flowering season, the neighborhood was filled with the fragrance of osmanthus, which permeated the air.


    In the center of the residential area, there was arge pond nted with numerous water lilies, adding a touch of color to the neighborhood. The developer used thebination of trees and water as a gimmick to attract buyers. During the opening, it attracted arge number of people despite its high price tag, which was among the highest in the city, and it quickly sold out.


    This development was owned by apany under the Gu Group. Gu Shaoting was the current CEO. With his unique vision, the Gu Group was involved in various fields such as real estate, luxury hotels, and chain department stores, making it a leading enterprise in Bin City.


    Before the opening of Shuimu Qinghua, Gu Shaoting reserved a duplex penthouse with an excellent view on the top floor. After the interior decoration waspleted, Shu Pan and Gu Shaoting moved out of Gu Family''s ancestral mansion to create their own world of two.


    If it weren''t for today''s visit to the hospital and the results, Shu Pan would still believe that they were a loving couple.

 Chapter 2: Best Friend Is Getting Married

    <h4>Chapter 2: Best Friend Is Getting Married</h4>


    Upon returning home, the interior was silent, appearing even more deste. The hourly worker, Sister Zhang, had already left, leaving Shu Pan feeling uneasy. Seeing the meal on the table, she had no appetite.


    The more Shu Pan thought, the more her mood plummeted. Suddenly, a phone ring shattered the tranquility. She picked up the phone, and her college ssmate and best friend, Ye Xiaomeng''s voice came from the other end. "Hey girl, I''m getting married!!"


    "Congrattions! Finally agreed, huh?" Shu Pan asked.


    "No choice. He proposed, and my family is also urging us," Ye Xiaomeng replied. Ye Xiaomeng and Cheng Yang had been together since college. At that time, Cheng Yang was a star yer on the school''s basketball team, and Ye Xiaomeng pursued him for two years before finally winning him over. They had been together for almost seven years.


    "When are you nning to have the wedding reception?" Shu Pan inquired.


    "We haven''t decided yet. We n to register first and then have the reception. But we should hurry, or it won''t look good wearing a wedding dress with a big belly," Ye Xiaomeng said shyly.


    "Oh wow, Mengmeng, you''re pregnant! Double happiness," Shu Pan suddenly raised her voice. Ye Xiaomeng already had a child without even being married, while Shu Pan herself... Her mood instantly dimmed.


    "Hey, don''t get so excited, I''m pregnant, remember?" Ye Xiaomeng "scolded" her.


    "Xiaomeng, what do you think could be the reason if a couple doesn''t want to have children?" Shu Pan asked casually, feeling a pang in her heart.


    "If it''s not because the man hasn''t had enough fun and doesn''t want to be tied down, it could be that he doesn''t love the woman. Because a child is the crystallization of the love between two people," Ye Xiaomeng answered.


    Shu Pan stood still under the light, gripping her bag tightly. In fact, she already knew the answer. It was just another confirmation from someone else. Apparently, Gu Shaoting''s attitude towards her was likely the second possibility.


    Her thoughts were in disarray as Shu Pan walked into the study, intending to sketch something.


    Shu Pan was an interior designer for apany. Recently, she took on a project with a tight deadline. She wanted to focus and make progress, but she found it difficult. She put down the pen and drawings in her hands in frustration and pressed her temples with both hands as she leaned back in her chair.


    Suddenly, Shu Pan remembered her first encounter with Gu Shaoting. It was quite dramatic. She had arranged to meet a client at the Left Bank Caf¨¦ to discuss business, but she was dyed due to traffic. When she arrived at the caf¨¦, she saw a man sitting alone. She walked over and sat across from him, handing him her business card before picking up the design drawings and starting to talk.


    Ten minutester, a deep and maic voice came from across the table, "Miss, are you sure you arranged to meet me?" Shu Pan froze upon hearing the voice. Only then did she realize that she had made a big mistake. She quickly stood up and apologized. It turned out that she had rushed to the wrong branch of the Left Bank Caf¨¦. And that man was Gu Shaoting. In her haste, she had left something on the table, and he contacted her through the phone number on her business card. After a few meetings, Gu Shaoting suddenly proposed to her.


    She had always believed that their meeting was a heavenly arrangement, that heaven favored her. But now, it seemed that she had asked for too much.


    She had been living in her own dream all along. Shouldn''t she wake up from the dream now?


    But what puzzled her the most was why Gu Shaoting treated her this way. If he didn''t like her, why would he marry her? Marriage wasn''t child''s y, so why would he act so childish?


    Outside the window, darkness fell, mirroring her mood. When would ritye?

 Chapter 3: Going Home

    <h4>Chapter 3: Going Home</h4>


    Suddenly, the sound of keys opening the door echoed in the entrance. The man who walked in had a tall and sturdy figure, dressed in a well-fitted ck three-piece suit, highlighting his broad shoulders, narrow waist, and long legs. Upon closer inspection, his facial features were wless, a clear indication of being heaven''s favorite. His narrow eyes were extremely deep, and his jet-ck pupils carried a profound and alluring charm that could captivate anyone. The words "handsome" alone couldn''t fully describe the man in front of her, although he was undoubtedly handsome. With his thick ck hair, prominent nose, and slightly pursed lips, he exuded a hint of seriousness.


    Shu Pan opened the door and stepped into the living room just as Gu Shaoting walked in.


    "What''s wrong? Are you feeling unwell? The food is still intact," Gu Shaoting approached her with concern, and Shu Pan felt an inexplicable nervousness.


    "No, I just don''t have much of an appetite today."


    "What kept you busy today?" Gu Shaoting asked as he took off his coat.


    Suddenly, Gu Shaoting noticed a bag on the sofa with its zipper open. Inside was a medical record book, and he looked at her with confusion.


    "It''s nothing. I had a slight headache in the afternoon, so I went to the hospital for a check-up," Shu Pan said softly.


    Gu Shaoting furrowed his brows. "Why didn''t you tell me and let me apany you? What did the doctor say?"


    "It''s nothing. Maybe I haven''t been sleeping welltely due to rushing with the design drawings. Resting will be fine."


    "Come and have something to eat with me. I had a few drinks during a business engagement."


    Shu Pan walked into the kitchen and prepared a cup of honey water for him, then served him a bowl of rice. She also took a small portion for herself, sat across from him, and quietly ate.


    Usually, Shu Pan would chat with Gu Shaoting about what happened during the day while they ate. Today, she suddenly fell silent, which Gu Shaoting found unusual. However, he assumed it was because she wasn''t feeling well and didn''t pay much attention to it.


    "After eating, go rest quickly. Don''t rush with the design drawings tonight. Sister Zhang can handle the dishes tomorrow," Gu Shaoting said.


    "Okay." After finishing their meal, Shu Pan entered the master bedroom, took her pajamas, and headed to the bathroom. She undressed and stood beneath the showerhead, letting the water flow down from above, washing away her muddled thoughts. Shu Pan thought to herself that Gu Shaoting probably had his own ns, and she should be more understanding. After all, they had been together for a long time, and it hadn''t been easy.


    Shu Pan spent a long time in the bathroom. Gu Shaoting had already finished showering and knocked on the door. It was then that Shu Pan came out, her whole body flushed from the hot steam.


    In fact, Shu Pan wasn''t bad-looking herself. She had fair skin and unadorned long hair tied simply in a ponytail at the back of her head, showcasing her full forehead. She wore no makeup, and her lips were naturally red and her teeth white. Herrge eyes were clear and distinct, with a rity that revealed her innermost thoughts. With her slender waist, she evoked a sense of tenderness.


    Inside the room, Gu Shaoting stood in the middle with his back to her, wearing only a towel around his waist. It was evident that he had just finished bathing, as droplets of water even clung to the tips of his hair.


    Gu Shaoting grabbed a towel and wiped his hair before reaching out to Shu Pan, helping her dry herself.


    "Tomorrow night, the eldest son of the Lu family is getting married. I''ll pick you up at 6 o''clock, so get ready. Mom will also be going," Gu Shaoting whispered in her ear.


    In fact, Shu Pan was not ustomed to such asions. She preferred to stay in the study, quietly drawing. Usually, her secretary handled social engagements on her behalf. However, this time it was a private banquet, so she had no choice but to attend.


    Soon after, Shu Pany on the right side of the bed. The bedsidemp emitted a soft yellow light, creating a serene and radiant atmosphere.


    Gu Shaoting uncovered the nket beside him andy down. Out of habit, he ced his hand on Shu Pan''s waist, holding her as they slept. In the past, Shu Pan would have found it sweet, but at this moment, her mind was filled with thoughts.


    She really wanted to ask Gu Shaoting why he had given her birth control pills and why he didn''t want children. If he didn''t want to have children, he could have told her. Why did he choose this approach? However, it felt as if something was blocking her throat, preventing her from uttering a single word.

 Chapter 4: Disheartened

    <h4>Chapter 4: Disheartened</h4>


    As he pressed against her, getting closer and closer, the air felt thin. Shu Pan pushed him away.


    "Stay away from me," Shu Pan whispered softly.


    "Not tired, huh?" Gu Shaoting raised his eyebrows, questioning.


    Shu Pan hesitated for a moment but remained silent.


    However, Gu Shaoting''s kiss had already left its mark.


    The gentle bedroom light illuminated the bed, and moonlight seeped through the room with a tender breeze. The fine patterns on the curtains came to life, and he gazed at her with tenderness. The atmosphere in the air felt different.


    The moon in the sky, the gentle breeze, and the fragrance of flowers made for an enchanting night.


    After a while, Gu Shaoting felt refreshed, as if all his meridians had been unblocked. He got out of bed, walked into the bathroom, and grabbed a towel to wipe off his sweat. His back was also covered in a thinyer of sweat. After cleaning up, hey back down and pulled Shu Pan into his embrace, his other hand encircling her waist.


    Shu Pan seemed genuinely tired. With her eyes closed, she slept deeply, undisturbed by Gu Shaoting''s actions.


    The next morning, it was already 8:30 am, but Gu Shaoting hadn''t gone to the office yet. Shu Pan informed her boss and decided to work on her drawings at home since she had more flexible working hours.


    When Gu Shaoting saw that Shu Pan was awake, he took out a bottle from the bedside table, which wasbeled "vitamins," and handed her a pill. "Take it."


    Usually, Shu Pan would take it without hesitation, but now she knew what it was, and she felt repulsed by it.


    "Leave it. I haven''t brushed my teeth yet, and it would make me nauseous. Besides, I''m in my safe period. Skipping one vitamin won''t make a difference." Shu Pan suddenly remembered that he always made her take a pill after being intimate and told her it was a vitamin to help regte her body and be beneficial to her health.


    Gu Shaoting reached up and tidied her messy hair. "Be good. I''ll make a phone call."


    Why was he treating her like this? If he didn''t like her, he could have told her directly without resorting to these actions that hurt her.


    Shu Pan was disheartened at this moment. She realized that she was increasingly unable to understand him. After he left, Shu Pan quickly threw the pill into the toilet and flushed it away. Looking at the water forming a huge whirlpool, she could not calm down for a long time.


    Her heart felt like it had been hollowed out, empty. She appeared absent-minded. This matter weighed heavily on her heart, almost suffocating her.


    After finishing his call and returning to the bedroom, Gu Shaoting saw the empty bedside table but didn''t say anything. He greeted Shu Pan. It was around 9 o''clock when Gu Shaoting''s driver arrived because he had an important meeting in the morning rted to the five-year development of the group. He hurriedly left.


    Gu Shaoting remainedposed, truly exhibiting the skills of an Oscar-winning actor. She felt somewhat blinded, wondering why she had never seen through his true nature.


    Shu Pan couldn''t think about it too much. She tidied herself up and realized it had been a long time since she had visited her parents'' house. Her father had called a few days ago, speaking hesitantly, and she didn''t know what had happened. She decided to go back for a visit. Carrying her bag, she locked the door and left.


    Her remaining loved ones were the only ones she had left. Even her husband could treat her this way. What else could she feel but a deep chill in her heart?

 Chapter 5: Returning to Her Own Home

    <h4>Chapter 5: Returning to Her Own Home</h4>


    Shu Pan started the car and drove towards her parents'' house.


    The Shu Family lived in the outskirts of Bin City in their own small two-story house.


    Shu Pan''s father, Shu Laide, was in charge of a medium-sized enterprise that mainly dealt with building materials. A few years ago, during the real estate boom, he made a substantial profit. However, in recent years, thepetition intensified, and the business suffered a downturn.


    Shu Pan''s mother passed away a long time ago, and his current wife, Lu Lifen, was Shu Laide''s second wife. Since she didn''t have children of her own, she treated Shu Pan as her own.


    "Panpan,e on, have a seat. Auntie Lu made breakfast for you. Where''s Shaoting?" Lu Lifen warmly greeted her.


    "Auntie Lu, don''t bother. I''m not hungry. Shaoting has already gone to work." In fact, in the few years since their marriage, Gu Shaoting rarely visited Shu Family. He always seemed disinterested, so Shu Pan usually came back alone. "Where''s Dad?"


    "Your dad is in the study making a phone call. He knew you wereing back today, so he didn''t go to thepany." Lu Lifen nced at her, a smile ying on her lips.


    "Panpan is here?" Shu Laide''s voice could be heard through the study door.


    Shu Pan looked and realized that she hadn''t visited her father in just half a month, and his sideburns had suddenly turned white.


    "Dad, what''s wrong? You look so tired." Shu Pan asked with concern.


    "I''m fine. How are you and Shaoting recently?" Shu Laide had only one daughter, and he usually doted on her. He was afraid she would suffer.


    "We''re doing well, don''t worry." Shu Pan quickly replied.


    "Ah, I''m getting old. I was nning to leave you some family property, but business has been toughtely. We''re having some cash flow problems, and the banks won''t approve our loans. I want you to talk to Shaoting and see if he can help." Shu Laide was truly at his wit''s end. They couldn''t collect payments from clients, suppliers were pressuring them for payments, and their cash flow was in a dire situation.


    "Dad, take care of your health. I don''t want any family property. I have a job, and I can take care of myself. Don''t worry, I''ll talk to Shaoting when I go back." Shu Pan reassured him and took out a bank card from her wallet.


    "Dad, here''s some money. Take it for now, and we''ll figure out the rest slowly."


    Shu Laide hesitated and refused a few times before reluctantly epting it.


    After having lunch, Shu Pan left the Shu Family. She felt a heavy burden in her chest, and now she really wanted to talk to someone.


    She took out her phone and called Ye Xiaomeng. The call connected quickly, and she heard Ye Xiaomeng suddenly speaking in broken English. The intonation was prolonged and somewhat unsuitable for her sweet young age. She always seemed to be in a good mood, cheerful and lively like a little sun. Shu Pan felt a bit envious and jealous.


    "What are you saying?" Shu Pan said impatiently.


    "I''ve been studying English intensively recently. I n to go on a honeymoon with my Cheng to Hawaii." Lin Xiaomeng said happily.


    "There are so many beautiful foreign girls there. Be careful that your Cheng doesn''t get stolen." Shu Pan said mischievously.


    "Get lost! My Cheng has always been loyal to me. He doesn''t have a wandering eye." Lin Xiaomeng replied and then asked beside her, "Right, Cheng?"


    Shu Pan could vaguely hear Cheng Yang''s response. Lin Xiaomeng proudly said, "See, did you hear that?"


    "I heard it. Your Cheng is devoted to you." Shu Pan replied with a yful tone.


    Seeing her good friend so happy, Shu Pan felt much better. She wasn''t as frustrated anymore.


    But when she thought about the banquet tonight, Shu Pan felt a headacheing on. She quickly hung up the phone and started preparing.

 Chapter 6: Attending the Wedding

    <h4>Chapter 6: Attending the Wedding</h4>


    At 6 o''clock, thendline in the living room suddenly rang, and Shu Pan was sitting nearby. She picked up the phone without reaching it to her ear, and she heard Gu Shaoting''s voice on the other end.


    "Are you ready? I''lle to pick you up in a moment."


    "Okay." Shu Pan put on a dress, off-shoulder with a waistband, a light apricot color that was close to white, perfectly showcasing her long legs and arms. Because there was a hint of autumn in the air, she added a small shawl.


    Just the thought of her having to dress like this, wearing a dress, putting on light makeup, with a smile on her face, and listening to unfamiliar conversations and topics with a group of elegantly dressed women, Shu Pan felt her stomach knotting.


    Shu Pan had also eaten a little something to fill her stomach so that she wouldn''t get too hungry and lose herposureter.


    The time was almost up, and Shu Pan grabbed a handbag in the same color as her dress and headed out.


    Not far away, Gu Shaoting sat in the car with one hand resting on the car window and the other on the steering wheel. Shu Pan approached the car, raised her hand, and lightly tapped on the window to let him know that she had arrived.


    Hearing the sound, Gu Shaoting turned his head and briefly nced at Shu Pan before shifting his gaze back to the road ahead. Shu Pan opened the car door and bent down to get in. She looked at his side profile, which was exceptionally graceful. The evening sun cast its glow through the window, highlighting his resilient and smooth skin, handsome eyebrows, straight nose, thin lips, and flowing contour lines that were criminally attractive.


    Shu Pan withdrew her admiring gaze and looked out the window.


    When they arrived at Bin City Grand Hotel, Gu Shaoting said, "You go up first. Mom is probably already here. I need to talk to He Ming and Shaohuai about something."


    "Okay." Shu Pan walked into the banquet hall and saw her mother-inw, Song Can, and several elegantdies sitting at the central round table, like stars surrounding the moon.


    Shu Pan walked over and greeted them.


    "Who is this?" one of the nobledies present asked. Song Can quickly nced at Shu Pan, who stood there with a smile and didn''t say a word like a sensible little girl, and said weakly, "This is Shu Pan, Shaoting''s partner."


    The nobledy''s smile seemed somewhat forced. "Oh, I haven''t heard of you. Quite young."


    The guests arrived one after another, and the band started ying. Richard''s "Wedding in a Dream" filled the air. Although the melody was simple, it was very fitting. The emcee came out and asked everyone to take their seats. The wedding was about to begin.


    Because the banquet hall wasrge, Shu Pan didn''t know where Gu Shaoting and his friends were sitting, so she found a seat and sat down.


    As soon as she sat down, she heard the people at her table gossiping.


    "Have you heard? Tong Fei ising back." A woman next to her raised her voice, instantly capturing the attention of most people.


    "You mean the international supermodel Tong Fei? She has been so sessful in her career abroad. Why would shee back?" a voice questioned with doubt.


    "The entertainment news said it, and she confirmed it herself. She said there is someone very important here."


    "I heard she was previously engaged to Gu Shaoting, the CEO of Gu Corporation, but for some unknown reason, they broke up. Do you think she came back this time to rekindle the old me?"


    Shu Pan''s heart trembled when she heard Gu Shaoting''s name. She never expected him to have such a past. Ah, who could guess the arrangements of fate? Shu Pan closed her eyes, swallowed a sip of her drink, but felt a lingering difort in her throat.

 Chapter 7: The Discovered Truth

    <h4>Chapter 7: The Discovered Truth</h4>


    The music continued ying, and the doors on the side of the hall opened. The bridesmaids started walking forward, and the groom and the officiant were already standing on the stage.


    The bride appeared, trailing a long wedding dress, and the bouquet on her chest was pure and radiant.


    Shu Pan''s heart was filled with excitement and envy because Gu Shaoting''s proposal was simple and he had mentioned that thepany had just started to take off, so he was busy. Moreover, her mother-inw had some reservations about her, considering her to be a simple girl from a modest background, not a high society socialite. Therefore, they had only registered their marriage and didn''t have a wedding banquet.


    However, Shu Pan felt a bit overwhelmed by the situation. The bride had to smile at every guest, and she could see the exhaustion on her face.


    The banquet had just begun, and Shu Pan felt the need to use the restroom. She went around on the first floor, and a waiter told her that it was crowded there and she could go to the second floor.


    Indeed, there were fewer people on the second floor. The hotel''s corridor was covered with thick carpets, and there was no sound when she walked on it. As Shu Pan was about to open the door, she suddenly heard Gu Shaoting''s voice from inside. It turned out that they hadn''te down to the banquet hall yet.


    "Do you have the other medication? Sometimes she feels nauseous after taking this one, and I''m worried that she won''t take it on time, which might affect its effectiveness. I want to make sure there are no mistakes," Gu Shaoting''s voicecked any emotion.


    "Aren''t you afraid that Shu Pan will find out?" He Ming''s deep voice sounded, "She has always been innocent. Actually, Shaoting, you''ve been married for three years now. After all these years, shouldn''t you let go of the resentment in your heart? Or are you still thinking about Tong Fei?"


    Shu Pan didn''t know what resentment Gu Shaoting had, but she had heard Tong Fei''s name multiple times tonight.


    Shu Pan withdrew her hand, her nerves suddenly jumping, and took a step back, pressing her body tightly against the wall, as if all the blood in her body was about to congeal.


    "Every medicine has its side effects. If you don''t want it, then take precautions yourself," He Ming continued persuading.


    "Stop talking nonsense. Give me the medicine," Gu Shaoting said coldly.


    "Alright then, but don''t regret it in the future. The wedding is about to begin, and Shaohuai is probably dyed by something. Let''s go down and wait."


    When Shu Pan heard that they were leaving, she quickly walked to the corridor beside them. Then, she found the toilet and went in. However, at this moment, her heart was still beating rapidly and she could not calm down.


    As Shu Pan reflected on the three years of her marriage with Gu Shaoting, she could only feel his passion when they were in bed. Otherwise, he always had a cold demeanor. She thought it was just his personality, but it turned out that he harbored resentment toward her. He resented her to the point of not wanting to have children with her. Then why did he marry her? Shu Pan truly felt like her soul was leaving her body. Suddenly, all her beliefs copsed.


    When Shu Pan returned to her seat, everyone was focused on eating with their heads down. No one noticed her. When Gu Shaoting entered the banquet hall earlier, he didn''t spot Shu Pan. His gaze wandered several times, and only when he saw her sitting back at her seat did he turn his head and start talking to the person next to him.


    Shu Pan had no appetite as she watched the banquet draw to a close. She sent a message to Gu Shaoting, "I''m feeling a bit unwell. I''m leaving."


    By the time Gu Shaoting saw the message, she had already left the hotel.


    Gu Shaoting called her, but no one answered. He felt inexplicably agitated.


    Shu Pan didn''t know how to face Gu Shaoting right now. She needed some time to calm down.

 Chapter 8: Mysterious Phone Call

    <h4>Chapter 8: Mysterious Phone Call</h4>


    Shu Pan walked out of the hotel, and a chill wind swept over her, causing her to shiver.


    The moon cast a hazy shadow, and the streetlights illuminated the ground, but the sky remained dark. There was no one on the deserted road at thiste hour, only a few passing vehicles with their ring headlights.


    Shu Pan walked almost absentmindedly, step by step, her footprints fragmented. The road seemed endless, and Shu Pan didn''t even know how tired she was.


    Finally, she stopped and saw a taxiing. She waved and got in.


    After telling the driver to go to the Shuimu Qinghua residential area, she leaned against the car door and looked at the streetlights, lost in thought.


    It was so painful to like someone to the point of losing oneself. It seemed ridiculous when one person was investing all their emotions while the other didn''t reciprocate. Shu Pan felt her eyes bing sore, and her inner turmoil felt like an army of ants crawling, causing great difort.


    Upon arriving home, she put down her bag and nned to change intofortable home clothes before going to the study to work. Lately, her work progress had been slow, and her clients were her bread and butter. In fact, since their marriage, she had been responsible for all the household expenses. Gu Shaoting gave her a card, but she hadn''t used it. She didn''t want to give the impression of being materialistic. When she agreed to marry him, it was because she felt he was the right person, and being with him wasfortable. His charm was enough to captivate anyone.


    After changing her clothes, she heard the phone ringing in the living room. Shu Pan casually picked it up and said, "Hello, who is it?"


    There was no answer on the other end, but she could tell that someone was there because she could hear the person''s breath, which seemed a bit hurried. It seemed like that person''s emotions might be unstable.


    Seeing no response, just silence, Shu Pan asked again, "Hello, who''s on the phone?"


    Only a long sigh came from the other end, followed by a soft female voice. "I''m looking for Shaoting. Is he there?" "He has an engagement tonight. Where are you calling from, and is there something I can help you with? If it''s convenient, I can ry your message."


    There was a moment of silence on the phone, followed by a lightugh. The woman said, "My surname is Tong. Please tell him that I''ve returned." Upon hearing this, Shu Pan was momentarily stunned, then nodded quietly. After nodding, she realized that she was holding the phone, and the other person couldn''t see her. She quickly added, "Okay, is there anything else you''d like me to pass on?" There was another moment of silence on the phone before the woman said, "No, that''s all. Just tell him I want to see him."


    The words felt a bit awkward, creating an indescribable feeling. Nevertheless, Shu Pan nodded and said, "Alright, I''ll let him know when he returns." She didn''t know who it was, so she couldn''t give Tong Fei Gu Shaoting''s phone number.


    After hanging up the phone, Shu Pan sat on the sofa. The female protagonist of tonight''s conversation had appeared, and it seemed like she had suddenly learned so many secrets. It was a bit difficult for her to digest it all. Was her three-year marriage with Gu Shaotinging to an end? Now that the female protagonist had returned, should she step aside as the supporting role?


    She still didn''t know how to face Gu Shaoting, whether to act as if she knew nothing or to confront him directly. And if he admitted to everything, what should she do?


    After sitting for a while, Shu Pan went back to the study and closed the door. Sitting at the desk, she spread out the blueprints and immersed herself in her work, trying to forget all her unhappiness.

 Chapter 9: Feeling Helpless

    <h4>Chapter 9: Feeling Helpless</h4>


    All was quiet, and Shu Pan had been drawing for a while, noticing that it was already 11 o''clock ording to the clock on the wall. Gu Shaoting hadn''te back yet. She absentmindedly gazed out the window, where the ink-blue sky seemed endless, enveloping the entire city in darkness. The moon hung overhead, but its radiance was obscured by clouds, leaving only a faint glimpse of silver.


    Suddenly, the sound of unlocking the front door reached her ears, apanied by the scent of alcohol. Gu Shaoting entered, and the foyer was dimly lit by a smallmp. He paused for a moment, then slowly curved his lips into a smile. Before they were married, the apartment used to be pitch ck when he returned. Now, he knew there would be a smallmp at the entrance, emitting a dim yellow glow, indicating that someone was waiting for him at home. Since marrying Shu Pan, no matter howte he came back, she would leave a light on for him. It was a pleasant feeling.


    "You''re back?" Shu Pan came out while Gu Shaoting was changing his shoes. As she approached, she caught a whiff of the strong smell of alcohol. Shu Pan turned and went into the kitchen, swiftly pouring a ss of lightly sweetened honey water. Gu Shaoting epted the water and drank it in one gulp.


    "Why did you leave so early tonight? Why didn''t you wait for me? Are you feeling unwell anywhere?" Gu Shaoting handed the ss back to Shu Pan, asking.


    "I''m fine. Oh, a woman called just now, asking me to pass on a few words to you," Shu Pan suddenly remembered the phone call.


    "A woman? What did she want me to know?" If it was a friend, they would usually call his mobile phone. How did they know his home phone number? Gu Shaoting was puzzled.


    "She said her surname is Tong and that she wanted me to tell you she''s back and wants to see you," Shu Pan replied, realizing that Gu Shaoting remained silent. She wondered what he was thinking.


    "Shaoting, what''s wrong?"


    "It''s nothing. She must be an old friend from before. I guess we haven''t been in touch for so long, so she doesn''t have my mobile number," Gu Shaoting said as he walked toward the bedroom.


    Shu Pan noticed hisck of desire to talk. She had initially wanted to discuss her father''spany''s issues, but she decided against it. Now that she knew he had asked her to take medication to prevent pregnancy, this matter felt like a thorn stuck in her throat, making her feel extremely ufortable.


    Seeing Gu Shaoting enter the master bedroom, Shu Pan followed him in.


    Whether due to the lighting or her difort, Shu Pan''splexion didn''t look good. Gu Shaoting observed her for a moment and said, "Are you sure you''re okay? You don''t look well."


    Shu Pan stuck out her tongue and said, "Maybe it''s because I''ve been rushing to meet a deadline recently, and my sleep has been insufficient."


    "Then go to bed earlier," Gu Shaoting said, holding his sleepwear and entering the bathroom.


    Shu Pany on the bed, staring at the ceiling above, while memories of the past three years of her life with Gu Shaoting constantly reyed in her mind. Their rtionship had progressed from meeting to marriage in the blink of an eye, following the trend of a fashionable sh marriage. After getting married, their life had been calm and uneventful, without any arguments. Now, it felt like their lives were suddenly being engulfed by a storm.


    When Gu Shaoting stepped out of the bathroom, Shu Pan quickly closed her eyes, tensing up her body. Soon, she felt the bed sink beside her, but Gu Shaoting didn''t embrace her as he usually did. Shu Pany there, her body weary, her eyes closed, but her mind remained clear.


    Images of her journey with Gu Shaoting, from their first meeting to their marriage, shed through her mind. The little traces of sweetness that remained from their past were now in turmoil, no longer within reach.

 Chapter 10: Father Is In The Hospital

    <h4>Chapter 10: Father Is In The Hospital</h4>


    The next morning, Gu Shaoting went to thepany while Shu Pan was preparing to organize her drawings, nning to go to thepany. Suddenly, her phone rang, shattering the tranquility of the room. It was Lu Lifen calling, her voice filled with panic and tears. "Panpan, something happened. Your father had a heart attack and is now in the hospital for emergency treatment."


    Shu Pan immediately panicked, her face turning pale. "Auntie Lu, what happened? He was fine just a few days ago."


    Lu Lifen stammered, "I''m not sure of the details. He''s at the People''s Hospital now. Panpan, pleasee quickly."


    "Okay, I''lle right away." Shu Pan grabbed her bag and hurriedly left.


    When she arrived at the hospital, Lu Lifen was pacing in front of the operating room. As soon as she saw Shu Pan, tears welled up in her eyes. She held Shu Pan''s hand and choked out, "Panpan, what should we do? I heard that several suppliers havee to thepany in the past few days demanding payment, but your father couldn''te up with the funds. This morning, he received a phone call that suddenly triggered his condition. He has been clutching his heart, and I felt something was wrong, so I called 120. It''s been over an hour, and he hasn''te out yet."


    "Don''t worry, Dad will be fine," Shu Pan reassured her, although she had little confidence herself.


    "Ask Shaoting for help. Maybe he can assist," Lu Lifen whispered.


    Thinking about the rtionship between her father and Gu Shaoting, Shu Pan''s throat tightened. Gu Shaoting had never shown much interest in Shu Laide and had always felt that he was unreliable and careless. As a result, the rtionship between her husband and father had always been lukewarm. Now that such a situation had urred, Shu Pan estimated that Gu Shaoting would remain indifferent.


    "I''ll talk to him tonight. Don''t worry and take care of yourself," Shu Pan hurriedlyforted her.


    Suddenly, the lights in the operating room went out, and the doctor emerged. Shu Pan and Lu Lifen approached him.


    "Doctor, how is my father?" Shu Pan asked anxiously.


    "The patient has just stabilized and is out of danger, but he must avoid any further stimuli. The heart attack was triggered by stress before arriving at the hospital. He''s now stable, but we need to continue monitoring him," the doctor, dressed in a white coat, exined after removing his mask.


    "Okay, thank you, doctor," Shu Pan expressed her gratitude.


    "Auntie Lu, please go home and pack a few things. It looks like Dad will need to stay in the hospital for some time. I''ll stay here and keep an eye on things."


    After Lu Lifen left, Shu Pan sat down on a chair in the corridor. She took out her phone and dialed Gu Shaoting''s number. At this moment, she needed hisfort and support. However, the phone rang for a long time without anyone answering. Just as Shu Pan was about to hang up, the call connected.


    "I''m dealing with something right now. We''ll talk when I get home tonight," Gu Shaoting''s voice sounded low on the other end before he hung up.


    "Okay." Shu Pan heard themotion in the background and didn''t want to disturb him further.


    With her father still in the intensive care unit, where he would remain for some time before being transferred to a regr ward, Shu Pan decided to handle the hospitalization procedures downstairs first.

 Chapter 11: A Matching Pair

    <h4>Chapter 11: A Matching Pair</h4>


    The hospital was bustling with people. The waiting hall on the first floor was crowded, and the payment windows had long lines. Shu Pan quickly joined the queue.


    Keeping her head down, Shu Pan suddenly heard a conversation nearby.


    "Wow, look at that couple by the entrance. The man is handsome and elegant, and the woman is beautiful and charming. They make a perfect match."


    As soon as the words were spoken, the speaker''spanions also expressed their admiration.


    Curiosity got the better of Shu Pan, and she followed their gazes. The sight that met her eyes was a familiar figure¡ªher husband, with whom she had shared a bed for three years. In that moment, her mind went nk.


    Indeed, they were a handsome man and a beautiful woman. The man had a tall stature, deep-set features, a high nose bridge, thin lips, and a stylish and clean business hairstyle. His facial features were exquisite and wless, exuding the charm of a mature man. The woman nestled in his embrace was captivating. Wearingrge sunsses, her fair little face evoked tenderness, and her graceful figure was entuated by a khaki-colored windbreaker. She had long, ck hair that naturally cascaded around her waist. As she leaned her face against the man''s chest, it was difficult to see her clearly.


    They seemed to be in a hurry and didn''t pay attention to their surroundings. However, this attractive couple had already captivated the attention of onlookers. Two doctors in white coats were also apanying them, indicating that they were there to receive them.


    At this moment, Shu Pan couldn''t think straight. Her husband, with whom she had shared a bed justst night, was now with another woman. When she had called him earlier, he said he was busy, but it turned out he was busy with another woman. Suddenly, she remembered the phone call fromst night. Could this woman be Tong Fei, the international supermodel and Gu Shaoting''s ex-girlfriend?


    Shu Pan felt a pang of bitterness. If this was his ex-girlfriend, then she, as theterer, could be considered the third party.


    Finally, it was Shu Pan''s turn. She quickly submitted the required documents,pleted the procedures, and returned to the entrance of her father''s intensive care unit, waiting. It was estimated that he would be transferred to a regr ward in the afternoon.


    Shu Pan guessed that Gu Shaoting would be busy and decided to talk to him tonight when she returned home.


    In the afternoon, Lu Lifen brought some daily necessities to the hospital, and Shu Laide had just been transferred to a regr ward. Seeing that her father was out of danger, Shu Pan finally felt relieved.


    "Panpan, you go back home. I''ll stay and take care of things tonight. It''s a good opportunity for you to talk to Shaoting," Lu Lifen suggested.


    "Okay, then I''lle to relieve you tomorrow. If there''s anything, press the call button to summon the doctor and then call me," Shu Pan instructed. She then walked out of the hospital, her pace quick as she worried about running into Gu Shaoting.


    Upon arriving home, the house was empty. Gu Shaoting had not returned yet. Knowing that Sister Zhang couldn''te today, Shu Pan decided to cook by herself.


    She calmly arranged the cooking order and began her actions. She skillfully peeled the bamboo shoots and sliced them thinly, arranging them in a white porcin bowl. She then took out the cooked pig''s trotters and let them cool. Afterward, she poured oil into the wok and slowly stir-fried the garlic and green chili that she had prepared in advance with a low me. Once it became fragrant, she added salt and transferred the mixture onto the pig''s trotters.


    The other dishes were quickly cooked as well. There was a simple stir-fried vegetable dish, tomato scrambled eggs, and a nourishing soup made with pork ribs and chestnuts. Despite the limited ingredients in the house, Shu Pan managed to prepare a meal with three dishes and one soup. The table was filled with homely dishes that were both visually appealing and delicious.


    With the dishes ready, Shu Pan felt the smell of grease on herself and decided to take a shower.

 Chapter 12: A Showdown

    <h4>Chapter 12: A Showdown</h4>


    Just as Shu Pan was taking a shower, Gu Shaoting came back and was talking to someone on the phone.


    "How did things go? I want him to lose everything," Gu Shaoting spoke coldly, but a trace of ruthlessness flickered in his eyes.


    "Shaoting, don''t you reconsider? After all, he is Shu Pan''s father. You two are married. Don''t go too far. Otherwise, you will regret it," came He Ming''s voice from the other end of the line, earnestly advising him.


    "I have been waiting for this moment for too long. Shu Laide brought this upon himself. If I spare him, then who spares my father? When he forced my father back then, did he consider leaving him a way out? He thought he had covered his tracks, but there are no imprable walls in this world. Now, it''s his retribution," Gu Shaoting wished to make him pay with his life.


    In the bathroom, Shu Pan heard snippets of the conversation from the living room. Suddenly, she heard her father''s name and stood there stunned. What was happening? Did her father drive his father to death?


    Shu Pan quickly got dressed and rushed out of the bathroom. She felt her whole body trembling, her voice trembling as well.


    "Shaoting, what''s going on? Did you do something to my father? Did you arrange for the suppliers toe after him for debts?" Shu Pan urgently asked, unable to believe it all. On one side was her beloved father, and on the other was her deeply loved husband.


    Gu Shaoting raised an eyebrow slightly, and hung up the phone, clearly not expecting her to be home.


    But he quickly felt relieved. This day was bound toe sooner orter.


    "I''m just giving him a taste of his own medicine," Gu Shaoting flicked the cigarette ash in his hand. He only smoked when he was annoyed.


    "If I''m the enemy''s daughter, then why did you marry me? Was it to seek revenge on my father?" Shu Pan''s eyes turned red, tears welling up, causing her vision to blur.


    "That was just an ident. I only found out you were his daughter after we got married. I can''t ept it. Seeing him living a happy and prosperous life, I feel uneasy. Why should scum like him get to be happy?" Gu Shaoting''s face remained as cold as ever, his tone ruthless.


    Shu Pan''s face immediately turned pale as a sheet of paper. She closed her eyes, unable to believe it all. So, that was the reason he didn''t want her to have children. She was the daughter of an enemy, and he had long nned their inevitable end.


    His words hit her like a bucket of icy water, mercilessly drenching her.


    Her body trembled violently, and her mind went nk. She thought that their meeting three years ago was a blessing from above. No one knew how deeply she hade to love Gu Shaoting.


    She could clearly feel a pain in her chest, her heart growing incredibly heavy.


    "Let''s get a divorce, Gu Shaoting. Spare me, and spare yourself," Shu Pan said, her soul feeling as if it had left her body.


    "Don''t even think about it. I''ll decide when we divorce. Consider it repayment for the debt," Gu Shaoting said as he walked toward the entrance. After changing his shoes and preparing to leave, he suddenly remembered something and paused. His tone was indifferent, devoid of any emotional color, as he spoke, "This game can only be ended by me."


    Then he closed the door behind him. When Shu Pan snapped out of her daze, the room was already cold and empty. She looked at her disheveled state and hurriedly turned to the dining table, dumping the carefully prepared dinner into the trash bin. Everything had lost its meaning. The two people who were once so respectful to each other were now on the path to destruction.


    Shu Pan then went back to the second bedroom, closed the door, and sought a moment of peace.

 Chapter 13: Got Drunk

    <h4>Chapter 13: Got Drunk</h4>


    After leaving, Gu Shaoting called He Ming and asked him to bring Fu Shaohuai to Shining Gold for drinks.


    He drove recklessly and arrived at the destination. A private room had been reserved for them.


    He opened a bottle of imported liquor, poured a ss, and downed it, but it couldn''t alleviate the frustration in his heart. ording to reason, seeing Shu Laide in his current state should bring him great satisfaction, but the image of Shu Pan sobbing and looking pitiful kept bothering him.


    Soon, both He Ming and Fu Shaohuai arrived.


    "Brother Ting, what''s going on? You have time to invite your brothers for a drink. Isn''t Tong Fei back? She asked me for your number. Weren''t you two together today?" Fu Shaohuai teased.


    When Gu Shaoting was still with Tong Fei, they often hung out together. For some reason, the two broke up, and Gu Shaoting married Shu Pan. They didn''t dare to mention Tong Fei''s name in front of her. However, based on Gu Shaoting''s attitude towards Tong Fei before and now his attitude towards Shu Pan, there was a clear difference. Subconsciously, Fu Shaohuai felt that Gu Shaoting still couldn''t let go of Tong Fei. After all, they weren''t even on the same level in terms of appearance.


    "Get lost," Gu Shaoting nced coldly, scaring Fu Shaohuai''s heart to race.


    "He''s in a bad mood, don''t provoke him," He Ming, seeing Gu Shaoting''s expression, guessed part of the situation. "Did you have a confrontation with Shu Pan?"


    "Shu Laide deserves it. Come, let''s toast." Gu Shaoting''s tone was low, but his words were sharp and emotionless. They all understood the entanglement between them and didn''t say a word. They filled their sses with wine and drank.


    Suddenly, Fu Shaohuai''s phone rang. "Tong Fei, we''re here at Shining Gold, Room 302. Come over." After hanging up, Fu Shaohuai informed them that Tong Fei wasing.


    "Brother Ting, I heard you went to the hospital with Tong Fei today. What''s the situation?" Fu Shaohuai was gossiping.


    "She wasn''t feeling well. I know the doctors there, so I took her." Gu Shaoting remained in his initial position on the sofa, smoking.


    Twenty minutester, the reddish-brown door of the private room was pushed open, revealing a tall figure and a stunning face. "Are you all here?" Tong Fei''s voice was soft as she sat beside Gu Shaoting. At that moment, Gu Shaoting exuded charm, with two of his shirt buttons undone, revealing his sexy corbone.


    Tong Fei was instantly captivated. She thought, "In this world, there''s probably no one else who can perfectly blend elegance and unruliness like him."


    She suddenly regretted her impulsive decision. If she had epted Gu Shaoting''s proposal back then, perhaps they would already have children now. She made him wait three years for her career to stabilize before going abroad. But after just one month, she heard the news of Gu Shaoting''s marriage. However, she thought he was just trying to spite her, so she nned to return to him once her career was stable. But it was toote. Gu Shaoting had already married.


    Today, feeling unwell, she called him for help. In the past, he would have been very concerned, but this time, he only took her to the hospital, introduced her to a doctor, and left in a hurry.


    She started to panic. She had been convinced that he hadn''t changed, but now she was uncertain. So, when she learned that he was at Shining Gold tonight, she didn''t want to miss this opportunity. She wanted to win him back at any cost.


    Tong Fei pushed her long hair behind her ears, disying a charming demeanor.


    "Shaoting, drink less. Alcohol is harmful to your body." She lightly touched his arm with her hand. Her whispering voice and gentle tone were hard to ignore.


    "It''s fine, keep drinking. Bottoms up." Watching Gu Shaoting''s rogue behavior, Fu Shaohuai and He Ming could only reluctantly apany him.


    Later, Fu Shaohuai and He Ming had to leave for something. Tong Fei took the initiative to take care of Gu Shaoting. The two observant individuals understood Tong Fei''s intentions and bid their farewells.


    Gu Shaoting had drunk quite a bit, and his consciousness was a bit unclear. He staggered as he walked. Tong Fei supported him, opened the car door, and drove to her own home.

 Chapter 14: Gossip Everywhere

    <h4>Chapter 14: Gossip Everywhere</h4>


    The next day, when Shu Pan came out, she noticed that the master bedroom door was open and the bed was unchanged from yesterday. Gu Shaoting hadn''te home. She went into the bathroom, freshened up, changed into clean clothes, and then left.


    Shu Pan hurriedly rushed to the hospital, carrying the breakfast she had just bought. In the ward, Shu Laide had regained consciousness but was still very weak.


    "Pan... Pan," Shu Laide weakly called out to Shu Pan, extending his hand towards her.


    "Dad, don''t talk. Rest well. I''ll take care of everything else." Shu Pan tightly held his hand,forting him. Her once strong and reliable father was now lying in a hospital bed, looking so helpless. Shu Pan couldn''t help but shed tears.


    "Auntie Lu, please keep an eye on Dad. I''ll go back to thepany to handle some matters ande back in the afternoon." Shu Pan turned her head, pretending to check the time, not wanting her father to see the tears in her eyes. After instructing Lu Lifen, she went back to thepany.


    Shu Pan''spany was located in the center of the business district on the 18th floor of Xinshang Building. It covered an area of over 500 square meters and had more than 30 employees. When she arrived at thepany, her assistant, Lu Xiaoran, handed her a set of drawings to confirm.


    Shu Pan briefly discussed the recent work arrangements with her. "I have some family matters to attend to. I will ask the boss for leaveter. If you have any questions, you can talk to Designer He."


    "Okay. By the way, Sister Shu, someone sent flowers for you yesterday. They''re blue roses. I arranged them and put them on your desk. Go take a look." Lu Xiaoran''s tone was filled with envy, as expected of a young girl.


    "Could it be an admirer? I didn''t see a card, but this person sent the Blue Beauty for the first time present. It shows good taste." Lu Xiaoran continued to chatter, and Shu Pan smiled. However, she was also puzzled. Who could have sent her flowers? It couldn''t be Gu Shaoting. In their three years of marriage, she had never received flowers from him, and he wasn''t the kind of person who was thoughtful and romantic. Moreover, their rtionship was so strained now, so why would he send her flowers?


    Suddenly, Shu Pan''s attention was drawn to a newspaper on Lu Xiaoran''s desk. It was an entertainment newspaper, which had high sales in Bin City.


    The headline read, "Supermodel and Mysterious Gentleman Go on a Date and Enter the Pce of Love." The photo showed a morous woman, but the man''s face was only captured in profile. The way she leaned on him and cuddled up to him indicated a close rtionship.


    Shu Pan immediately recognized the man as Gu Shaoting. Though it was only a side view, his deep features and straight nose were etched deep in her memory.


    Shu Pan couldn''t help but freeze, feeling a suffocating pressure on her chest. She found it difficult to breathe.


    Following her gaze, Lu Xiaoran picked up the newspaper excitedly. "Wow, they make a perfect couple. Tong Fei said she came back this time for an important person. Could it be this man? He looks like a tall, handsome, and rich guy. Oh, the newspaper says it''s the CEO of the Gu Group, Gu Shaoting. It''s a perfect match, and Tong Fei has a good temperament too."


    Shu Pan shifted her gaze back and calmly said, "Probably. Don''t act like a fangirl. Remember to focus on your work."


    Though Shu Pan maintained a calm facade, her heart was bleeding. She never expected that such a day woulde. Because their marriage was kept low-key, people outside didn''t know that Gu Shaoting was already married.


    After delegating the work tasks, Shu Pan walked out of thepany with a heavy heart. Xiaomeng was pregnant, and she didn''t want to burden her with these matters. She nned to go home, pack her things, and move back to her parents'' house for a while.

 Chapter 15: You’re Not Allowed to Leave

    <h4>Chapter 15: You''re Not Allowed to Leave</h4>


    Shu Pan returned home in a daze. She looked around the house, feeling reluctant after living there for three years.


    Suddenly, she vaguely saw a figure moving on the balcony through the floor-to-ceiling curtains in the living room. It was Gu Shaoting. She didn''t expect him to be home at this time and felt a bit lost. However, considering their current situation, it would be better to remain strangers.


    She crossed the living room and opened the door to the master bedroom. She took out arge pink suitcase from the closet and began to pack her things.


    Gu Shaoting stood on the balcony, holding a half-smoked cigarette in his hand, exhaling puffs of smoke. His hair was disheveled, and his clothes were wrinkled. He had drunk too muchst night and wasn''tpletely clear-headed. Tong Fei had brought him home. He had initially nned to ask the driver to take him back, but he gave up on the idea.


    He wanted to see Shu Pan''s reaction. He remembered He Ming saying he couldn''t quite understand him. He clearly wanted to retaliate, but he couldn''t let go of her. He chuckled at the thought.


    The sound of the front door opening indicated her return. He watched as she wordlessly walked toward the bedroom. Gu Shaoting flicked the cigarette butt away and strode into the room. Seeing Shu Pan packing clothes in the suitcase, he suddenly became furious.


    "What are you doing? When did I say you could leave? A daughter must bear the debts of her father. Have you heard of that?" Gu Shaoting snatched the clothes from her hand and threw them forcefully to the ground.


    "What exactly do you want? Isn''t it annoying to have the daughter of an enemy constantly in your sight?" Shu Pan red at him and continued packing her things.


    Gu Shaoting suddenly pulled her up and pushed her onto the bed. He squinted his eyes, ignoring her words. Without even looking at her, he quickly undressed and pressed himself onto her.


    "I still find your body quite appealing..." Gu Shaoting whispered in her ear. Shu Pan felt a rush of heat to her forehead.


    The man''s body was scorching hot, causing a slight panic to well up in Shu Pan''s heart. She didn''t expect him to still treat her this way. Instinctively, she began to resist and tried to escape.


    Gu Shaoting chuckled lightly, as if he had heard a particrly funny joke. He easily suppressed her, gripping her chin and forcefully lifting her face. With a deliberately biting tone, he uttered the most disdainful words.


    "Why pretend? We''ve done it before. You better not struggle in vain. Think more about your father."


    Shu Pan was stunned by his mocking words. Before she could recover, he rudely tore off her clothes. His reaction was violent, as if he wanted to tear her apart.


    Gu Shaoting was like a ferocious beast, roughly dominating her. With each thrust, his movements were forceful, akin to a sharp knife mercilessly torturing her body.


    Shu Pan clenched her teeth, her face expressionless, silently enduring.


    Finally, Shu Pan couldn''t bear it any longer and fell into a deep sleep.


    As soon as it was over, Gu Shaoting withdrew from the bed and entered the bathroom.


    After a while, the bathroom door opened, and Gu Shaoting, now cleaned up and wearing clean clothes, walked out looking neat and elegant.


    He buttoned his shirt while walking, giving off an air of refinement. When he passed by the bed, he nced briefly at Shu Pan before leaving calmly and refreshed.

 Chapter 16: The Old Love Is Back

    <h4>Chapter 16: The Old Love Is Back</h4>


    When Shu Pan woke up, it was already 1 PM. There was no one beside her, and Gu Shaoting was nowhere to be found.


    If it weren''t for the soreness in her body and the scattered clothes on the floor, Shu Pan would have thought that it was just a nightmare she had fabricated.


    Dragging her body, she freshened up, changed clothes, and prepared to go to the hospital in the afternoon to visit her father. She also had to deal with the mess at her father''spany.


    Shu Pan checked the time and was about to leave when her phone, which was in her bag, started ringing. It was Ye Xiaomeng.


    She picked up the phone and answered it.


    "Hey, what are you up to? Are you okay? Did you see the entertainment news?" Ye Xiaomeng spoke cautiously.


    "I''m fine. I''m just nning to go to the hospital to see my father. Don''t pay attention to those uninformative news articles. Focus on your prenatal education," Shu Pan pretended to speak nonchntly.


    "If Uncle Shu is in the hospital, let me know if there''s anything I can do to help. Don''t hesitate to ask," Ye Xiaomengforted her. In fact, she had been infuriated after seeing the newspaper in the morning. If it weren''t for Cheng Yang persuading her that it was a matter between a husband and wife, she would have rushed to confront Gu Shaoting.


    In truth, Ye Xiaomeng had never been particrly fond of Gu Shaoting. It was mainly because of how he treated Shu Pan, always distant and not particrly affectionate. Even as Shu Pan''s best friend, Ye Xiaomeng had herints. However, seeing how much Shu Pan cared about her marriage, she knew that Shu Pan liked Gu Shaoting. Otherwise, with her personality, she wouldn''t have impulsively gotten married.


    However, after seeing the news this morning, she couldn''t help but feel resentful. If a man truly loved his family and respected his wife, would he still be entangled with his ex-girlfriend and spend the night with her? But apart from being frustrated, there was nothing she could do.


    Suddenly, Ye Xiaomeng remembered another matter.


    "Hey, I heard from Cheng Yang yesterday, it seems... um..." Ye Xiaomeng''s usual carefree and lively tone suddenly changed, and she hesitated as she spoke.


    "Um?" Shu Pan responded, sensing something off about Ye Xiaomeng today and asked, "What did Cheng Yang say?"


    Ye Xiaomeng seemed to be contemting and finally, with determination, she quickly said, "Cheng Yang said that Su Yuan has returned."


    Her words were spoken so fast that Shu Pan almost couldn''t catch them, but she understood in the end.


    Shu Pan fell silent, her grip on the phone unintentionally tightening, a gesture she didn''t even notice herself.


    "Hey? Are you okay?" Ye Xiaomeng couldn''t hear Shu Pan''s response and couldn''t help but worry. Maybe she shouldn''t have told her. Now she regretted it. She knew how deeply that man had hurt her. It was her own fault for being impulsive and not being able to keep things to herself.


    "I''m fine. I''ve been busytely," Shu Pan pretended to have a rxed tone. "It''s all in the past now. Everyone has their own lives. How is he?"


    "I won''t bother with someone who is so selfish, forgetful, and vain. That''s just an insult to my character," Ye Xiaomeng said indignantly.


    Shu Pan smiled bitterly. The world was small. After Su Yuan graduated, he went abroad to study, and they were in different countries, so they hadn''t seen each other for six years. But now that he had returned to Bin City and could run into Cheng Yang, he would probably run into her as well. She was mentally prepared, but even if they did meet, it didn''t matter anymore. She was already married, and she had let go of the past.


    Looking at the gray sky outside, Shu Pan sighed and said, "Alright, don''t worry. It''s gettingte. I''ll go to the hospital first and take over for Auntie. We can meet up when we have time."


    After hanging up the phone, Shu Pan left.

 Chapter 17: Revenge

    <h4>Chapter 17: Revenge</h4>


    It seemed that the winter in Bin Cheng hade earlier this year, and it was colder than usual. The wind blew into her cor. It was bone-chilling. The few leaves on the branches rustled and fell, and the streets were deserted.


    Shu Pan arrived at the hospital and saw that her father''s condition had improved significantly. He spoke more clearly and forcefully than before, finally putting Shu Pan''s mind at ease.


    "Dad, recently you''ve been facing consecutive cases of unpaid debts, causing ack of liquidity. Don''t you find it strange? Is it Gu Shaoting''s doing?" Shu Pan went straight to the point.


    "Panpan, it seems like there''s no way for Dad''spany to continue operating. The bank can''t provide a loan, and we owe so much money to the suppliers. Dad ns to close down thepany. Don''t me Shaoting, everything is Dad''s fault. I''ve only caused trouble for you," Shu Laide said before copsing. He received a call just before, learning the ins and outs of the situation. At that moment, he truly regretted it, as if he had aged ten years in an instant.


    In fact, they were once impoverished, and it was only by stumbling upon good fortune that they achieved their current life. Gu Shaoting''s father''s incident was an ident, and they never expected him to be driven to suicide.


    "Is it true? Is it true that you killed Gu Shaoting''s father?" Shu Pan felt a suffocating sensation at that moment. She bit her lip, realizing that everything was indeed true.


    "It was a moment of confusion..." Shu Laide''s face turned pale, filled with pain.


    "Dad, focus on your recovery. Don''t think too much. When you''re discharged, we''ll sell the house to repay the debts and rent a ce to live," Shu Pan poured a ss of water for him, her tone firm.


    "That''s the only thing Dad can leave for you. I''ll think of another solution." Shu Laide was reluctant. He thought about how hard he had worked all these years, hoping for a better life for his wife and daughter. Who would have thought that people''s ns are not as reliable as fate?


    "Dad, as long as our family is safe and sound, I don''t care about anything else. Promise me you''ll take care of yourself, okay?" Shu Pan pleaded. It was her greatest wish now.


    "They want money. Once we repay the money, it''ll be fine. I''ll think of a solution." Though Shu Pan felt as if the sky was falling, she couldn''t copse.


    In the past, she could rely on her father, but now she had to rely on herself.


    Hastily leaving the hospital, she returned to her father''s residence to see if there was anything they could sell to repay the debts.


    "Get Shu Laide out!" Near the entrance to her home, a dozen or so people were gathered, shouting and even pounding on the door.


    "Who are you? What are you doing?" Shu Pan''s expression turned cold.


    "Shu Laide, open the door." The burly man at the front shouted loudly.


    "I recognize her. She''s Shu Laide''s daughter," someone in the crowd suddenly said.


    Shu Pan was scared, beads of cold sweat forming on her back. Immediately, she spoke calmly, "He''s not here. If you cause trouble again, I''ll call the police."


    "Debts must be repaid, it''s only right. Since Shu Laide isn''t here, we''lle to you, it''s the father''s debt, so the daughter must repay it." The voices grew louder.


    Shu Pan clenched her fist. There was a hint of fear in her heart. But her words were resolute, "If you want money, give us some time to raise the funds. Otherwise, if you push us too hard, we won''t give you a single cent, and we''ll all go down together."


    "You little brat, won''t you learn your lesson unless you suffer a bit?" One person stepped forward and grabbed Shu Pan''s shoulder, exerting so much force that she felt her shoulder might dislocate.


    "Let go! If it''s my father''s debt, we''ll repay it. Come back in seven days," Shu Pan endured the pain, her face pale, a thinyer of sweat on her forehead.


    "Why should we believe you?"


    "Just because my husband is Gu Shaoting, the CEO of Gu Group." Shu Pan took a deep breath, coldlyughing inside. She usually wouldn''t mention his identity.


    The crowd looked at each other, and in the end, they agreed toe back in seven days.


    Shu Pan nodded, pursing her lips.


    After the people dispersed, Shu Pan walked into the yard, dragging her exhausted body. She looked around, reminiscing about her childhood memories associated with every de of grass and tree here.


    Shu Pan closed her eyes for a moment, and the gray sky mirrored her dim mood.

 Chapter 18: One Hit After Another

    <h4>Chapter 18: One Hit After Another</h4>


    Shu Pan opened the door, feeling a wave of soreness in her shoulders. She endured the pain and found her father''s safe. Inside were some real estate properties, deeds, and jewelry. She put them in a document bag, intending to have them assessed and sold.


    "Shaoting, Shu Pan is looking for someone to sell the properties and repay the debts. What should we do next?" He Ming received the news and immediately informed Gu Shaoting.


    At this moment, Gu Shaoting sat in front of his office, looking at He Mingzily leaning on the sofa across from him. His deep gaze carried a sharpness, and his fingertips rhythmically tapped on the desk.


    "No rush. Shu Laide is still in the hospital. Games are more fun when yed slowly," Gu Shaoting said indifferently, his eyes dim and unfocused.


    He lost his father when he was in his teens, and his mother raised him alone. Fortunately, his grandfather managed thepany after his father''s death. Otherwise, with his uncle Gu Feng''s ambitious eyes, Gu Group would have been in his grasp long ago. After he graduated, his grandfather handed over thepany to him after two years of training.


    Back then, due to his youth, the shareholders were dissatisfied, and it took him some time to put thepany on track. Afterward, the shareholders kept quiet.


    Now, Gu Shaoting couldn''t bear to look back on that time.


    And the culprit behind all of this was Shu Laide. He rarely thought about his father''s affairs, afraid that his hatred would cloud his judgment. However, after marrying Shu Pan, he saw howfortable Shu Laide''s life was, and he felt discontented. But he was also conflicted because Shu Pan was innocent and knew nothing.


    In fact, these past three years, apart from Shu Laide, who felt like a thorn in his life, everything was pleasant when he was with Shu Pan.


    Shu Pan lived a simple life and never defied him. Especially in bed, she always had a shy expression and silently cooperated with him. He was satisfied in that aspect.


    Recently, he felt that he cared more and more about Shu Pan, but he also thought about her father being Shu Laide. He worried about getting too involved and decided to take decisive action.


    "You find someone to keep an eye on Shu Pan. Don''t let her make any deals. When the timees, she will naturallye to me," Gu Shaoting''s eyes were deep as he spoke slowly.


    He Ming couldn''t understand what he intended to do.


    When Shu Pan left her parents'' house, she held the document bag to her chest, feeling its weight. Her legs felt as heavy as lead. Looking at the road ahead, she felt a vast expanse of whiteness. She appeared dazed, and the words Gu Shaoting said echoed in her ears. Unless he let go, he wouldn''t agree to a divorce.


    These past few days, Shu Pan had sought advice from friends and consulted with real estate agents. But the properties she wanted to sell received no interest. The deadline was approaching, and if she couldn''t repay the debts, the suppliers would file awsuit, and the properties would be seized by the court. Thinking about all this, Shu Pan felt as restless as an ant on a hot pan, spinning in circles.


    Suddenly, Shu Pan remembered what the real estate agent had said, "Miss Shu, did you offend someone? Every time a buyer wants to finalize the deal, they change their minds shortly after. In fact, your plot ofnd is in the outskirts, in a good location. Development is underway there, and it''s a hot property."


    In an instant, Shu Pan understood. She was stunned, ayer of tears shimmering in her eyes. She felt darkness looming overhead, unable to see the sunlight.


    Perhaps this was his scheme, and he had the ability to do it. Shu Pan felt that ahead of her was an abyss, and she had already fallen into it.

 Chapter 19: Begging

    <h4>Chapter 19: Begging</h4>


    Shu Pan took a taxi to Gu Shaoting''spany building. She looked up at the towering and fashionable skyscraper with the shining words "Gu Group" on it. There were a few times she passed by the entrance but never went inside, just hurriedly walked away. She felt out of ce in this ce.


    Taking a deep breath, Shu Pan walked into the lobby. It was grand and luxurious, and her high heels made a crisp sound on the smooth floor tiles. The receptionist stood up and politely asked, "Miss, do you have an appointment?"


    "No, I want to see your CEO, Mr. Gu. Please inform him," Shu Pan didn''t expect it to be so difficult to meet Gu Shaoting face to face. She pursed her lips, her expression cold.


    "Sorry, without an appointment, you can''t go up. It''spany policy," the receptionist nced at Shu Pan and spoke firmly.


    It was her first timeing here, so it was no wonder thepany employees didn''t recognize her. Moreover, she was wearing a slightly worn-out coat and had no makeup on her face, appearing in and unadorned. It was also understandable that the receptionist looked at her with a biased eye.


    Initially, Shu Pan didn''t want toe to thepany. She felt their rtionship hadn''t reached that stage yet and was afraid of awkwardness. Besides, there was nothing specific she needed toe to thepany for. Even the employees didn''t know that Gu Shaoting was already married.


    "Is he in his office?" Shu Pan''s expression remained unchanged.


    "He is, but he''s probably busy," the receptionist replied.


    Helpless, Shu Pan decided to go home and wait for Gu Shaoting.


    Just as she was about to turn around and leave, He Ming suddenly emerged from the nearby elevator and was surprised to see Shu Pan.


    He Ming approached her, a little afraid to meet her eyes directly.


    "Sister Shu, are you looking for Brother Ting?" He Ming asked knowingly. In his eyes, Shu Pan was innocent. In the eyes of others, the couple had always been harmonious. But he also knew that it was difficult to change Gu Shaoting''s decisions. He had earnestly advised Gu Shaoting, but it ultimately depended on Shu Pan''s own fate.


    "Yes, he''s in his office on the top floor. You can go directly to him," He Ming opened the elevator door for her.


    "Thank you," Shu Pan entered the elevator and saw her reflection in the mirrored walls. She couldn''t help but feel nervous.


    Stepping out of the elevator, she saw a desk beside the door with the words "CEO''s Office" written on it. A young man with sses and a gentle appearance stood up. It was Assistant Zhang, who hade to their house a few times to collect documents. He was one of the few people who knew they were married.


    "Hello, Madam."


    "Hello, I want to see Mr. Gu," Shu Pan felt relieved when she saw a familiar face.


    Assistant Zhang knocked on the office door and then opened it.


    "Pleasee in."


    Shu Pan clenched her palm and walked in.


    This was the first time Shu Pan saw such arge office. There was a row of floor-to-ceiling windows with an endless view outside. Arge and elegant wooden desk had a ssical color that immediately stood out.


    Gu Shaoting sat expressionlessly in front of the desk, looking up at the person entering.


    "Gu Shaoting, what do you really want? How can you let go of my father?" Shu Pan stared at him intently, her ck eyes shimmering with moisture. She spoke directly, unable to hold back her words.


    "I''m just returning the favor in kind. Shu Pan, your father has enjoyed a good life all these years, but what about my father? He died with unfinished business, and Shu Laide can never repay it even if he dies ten times," Gu Shaoting pursed his lips and clenched his fist.


    Gu Shaoting was handsome with attractive features. His eyebrows were deep-set, and the words he spoke now were chilling and devoid of warmth. Before they had torn off their facades, she never thought he could be such a cold and ruthless person. Although he didn''t have a smile on his face, it was not as chilling as at this moment.


    "He''s currently sick and hospitalized. We only want to sell our property to repay the debts and then stay far away from you. He has already received the punishment he deserved. He knows his mistakes. I beg you, please let him go," Shu Pan pleaded.

 Chapter 20: Let’s Get a Divorce

    <h4>Chapter 20: Let''s Get a Divorce</h4>


    "He knows his mistakes?" Gu Shaoting sneered at the corners of his mouth. "If he knew his mistakes, he wouldn''t have been so insatiable. He brought this upon himself."


    "Are you going to force him to death? Do you want to force me to death too?" Shu Pan pleaded with a glimmer of hope. Perhaps due to her agitation, she suddenly felt a dull pain in her lower abdomen.


    "He has given up years of hard work willingly. Isn''t that punishment enough? He''s just a sick old man now. Can''t you give him a chance?" Shu Pan pleaded repeatedly. At this point, she had no other options left.


    Gu Shaoting remained silent, stood up, and looked down coldly from his elevated position.


    Shu Pan gave up hope, her expression dazed. She rubbed her aching forehead and choked, "Gu Shaoting, let''s get a divorce."


    Gu Shaoting was taken aback, seemingly not expecting her to say those words. His face turned frosty. "I thought I made it clear enough. The debts of the father must be repaid by the daughter."


    "Is it worthwhile to go to such extremes? I beg you, Gu Shaoting, spare us," Shu Pan pleaded, her eyes filled with sorrow.


    "Depending on your behavior, maybe one day I''ll get tired and stop ying this game," Gu Shaoting said, feeling stifled. It seemed like there were some things he didn''t want to say, but they slipped out nheless.


    Shu Pan''s heart was in her throat, her expression unchanged, as if she had already anticipated this oue. After a moment of vacancy, she slowly said, "You deliberately made me take birth control pills so that you could take revenge on my family today, without any concerns."


    Gu Shaoting didn''t expect her to know. "Yes, I was waiting for this day."


    "Your ex-girlfriend has returned, and I happened to make room for her. Is it fun for us to drag this on?" A faint smile appeared on Shu Pan''s face, but it was empty and weak. Although she had known the truth for a while, hearing him say it like this felt like a knife in her heart.


    "That''s my business. You just mind your own business. Perhaps I''ll be merciful and spare Shu Laide," Gu Shaoting believed she had read the newspaper, but he didn''t intend to hide it from her. Although nothing had happened when he was drunk, he wanted her to misunderstand and suffer. That made him feel good.


    With a two-meter distance between them, their eyes locked, freezing the scene in time.


    Shu Pan curved her lips but didn''t say anything. She silently turned her face away, tears welling up in the corners of her eyes. Stepping out of the office with heavy footsteps, everything in front of her became blurred.


    Outside of Gu Group, a cold wind blew. This winter was truly cold.


    Shu Pan pulled up her cor, her nose turning red from the wind.


    Having stayed outside for a while, it was already past 7 p.m. when she returned home. Upon entering, the house was dark. Shu Pan realized that she hadn''t eaten anything the whole day, and her stomach growled. She went into the kitchen and quickly cooked a bowl of noodles, forcing herself to eat something.


    Feeling dazed and lethargic all day, Shu Pan finished her noodles, tidied up, and took her pajamas to the guest room. When she came out to get a drink of water, she happened to encounter Gu Shaoting returning home. Shu Pan''s lips moved but she didn''t say anything.


    The study''s light remained on all night as Gu Shaoting stayed there.


    Shu Pan also tossed and turned in the guest room throughout the night. Having not slept a wink, herplexion was very poor.

 Chapter 21: Have You Ever Loved Me?

    <h4>Chapter 21: Have You Ever Loved Me?</h4>


    When the morning sun shone into the living room, Shu Pan emerged from the guest room, and Gu Shaoting also stepped out from the study. The two inevitably crossed paths.


    Shu Pan couldn''t help it and finally spoke, "Gu Shaoting, I truly love you. Have you ever loved me?"


    This confession without dignity was truly humble, but Shu Pan just wanted an answer.


    "No," Gu Shaoting paused, finally uttering these two words. Those two simple wordspletely crushed Shu Pan. Deep down, she had already guessed the answer, but she couldn''t help but seek a glimmer of hope for herself.


    "I like you so much, why can''t you like me?" she naively murmured. The humility in her tone brought tears to her own eyes.


    But it was fine this way. At least she wouldn''t be tormented by uncertainty anymore.


    Shu Pan lowered her head, quickly walked into the living room, grabbed her bag, and left.


    Her father would be discharged from the hospital in a couple of days. They nned to sell the house and couldn''t return to live there. She intended to find a two-bedroom apartment in the city, where her father and aunt could stay until the debt issues were resolved.


    Busy all day, but she didn''t feel like going back to that home.


    "Brother Ting, what''s the situation now? How will Shu Laide''s properties be handled? If you don''t want to divorce Shu Pan, then don''t go to such extremes. At least, it would be better to have some interaction in the future. Otherwise, I''ll arrange someone to buy their properties," In a luxurious private room, He Ming suggested, looking at Gu Shaoting on the sofa, swaying a wine ss in his hand.


    Gu Shaoting stared at the swirling red wine in his ss, images of Shu Pan''s sorrowful face kept appearing in his mind. He felt increasingly annoyed and raised his ss, drinking it all in one gulp.


    "Fine, we''ll do as you say, but lower the price. I want Shu Laide to live in constant fear," Gu Shaoting tightened his grip on the ss, his slightly pursed lips revealing a hint of anger.


    He Ming knew that Gu Shaoting wasn''t someone who easily changed his mind. He could only go along with his instructions.


    It wasn''t untilte at night that Gu Shaoting returned home.


    Upon entering, the room was silent. Having consumed some alcohol, his steps were unsteady. He sat on the sofa, closed his eyes, and gradually felt the effects of the alcohol.


    Suddenly, he heard a noise from the guest room. Drowsily, he opened his eyes and stumbled toward the guest room.


    Before Shu Pan could turn around, a force suddenly wrapped around her waist. Her legs involuntarily took a few steps back, and she found herself enveloped by the solid chest of a man, with a faint smell of alcohol.


    "What... what do you want?" Shu Pan saw the hidden danger in his eyes.


    "What do you think?" Gu Shaoting touched her soft earlobe.


    "You''re drunk. Go back to your room and sleep," Shu Pan attempted to free herself, but he held her tightly, exerting force that she couldn''t break.


    "I''m going to sleep here tonight," Gu Shaoting, under the influence of alcohol, acted crazy. He didn''t know what hade over him.


    With a sudden force, the two of them fell onto the bed. Gu Shaoting raised Shu Pan''s hands and his lips unhesitatingly moved toward her neck.


    Shu Pan struggled, her body writhing. The friction between their bodies ignited Gu Shaoting''s desire.


    Through their clothes, Shu Pan could clearly feel the surging desire emanating from the man. She couldn''t help but shiver, and then the man''s lips descended upon her neck, lightly biting her earlobe.


    Shu Pan''s body instinctively stiffened, followed by a cascade of shivers that spread throughout her body from his teeth.


    Shu Pan''s heartbeat went out of control for a while. It was only then that she realized what Gu Shaoting intended to do next.


    "Please... let me go..." Shu Pan struggled, her heart filled with an indescribable bitterness.

 Chapter 22: Disappointment

    <h4>Chapter 22: Disappointment</h4>


    Suddenly, Shu Pan raised her hand and began pushing him haphazardly.


    Caught off guard, he nearly toppled off her body.


    Gu Shaoting was a little annoyed. What happened? Had she really gotten bold?


    She struggled even harder.


    Gu Shaoting cursed under his breath, fueled by the alcohol, he grew even more infuriated.


    "Let go of me, Gu Shaoting..."


    Gu Shaoting didn''t pay any attention to what she was saying.


    But just as their lips touched, before he could even slip his tongue into her mouth, she suddenly went crazy. She opened her mouth wide and bit down hard on his tongue. She bit down with such force, as if she wanted to tear his tongue off.


    A sharp pain shot through Gu Shaoting''s back, causing him to instinctively reach out and firmly grip her jaw.


    The pain brought him back to his senses instantly. Frustrated and filled with anger, he couldn''t help but yell at her, "Why did you bite me? Are you out of your mind?"


    What was wrong with this woman? Had she gone nuts?


    The sharp pain from his tongue made Gu Shaoting involuntarily take a sharp breath.


    Then it finally dawned on him just how excruciatingly painful it was. He felt a numbness in his tongue, apanied by a prickling sensation.


    Gu Shaoting furrowed his brows slightly and slowly shifted his gaze to the woman beside him.


    Her lips, which he had just kissed, were unusually red, like a blossoming and vibrant flower. She looked pitiful, like an abandoned kitten.


    Gu Shaoting felt somewhat at a loss, and there was also an indescribable twinge of heartache.


    He couldn''t make sense of his conflicting emotions.


    He thought her voice would be choked with tears, but to his surprise, it carried a very calm andposed tone. "I''m a bit tired tonight and want to rest. Can you leave?"


    Gu Shaoting''s body trembled intensely, and he was somewhat stunned, unable to react to her calmness. In her face, he seemed to detect a trace of despair.


    "Can you?" she asked again after he remained unresponsive for a while, her voice trembling slightly, unable to control the wavering emotions.


    That barely noticeable tremor caused a sharp pang in Gu Shaoting''s heart. He tightly pursed his lips, said nothing, and simply rolled off the bed, opened the door, and walked out.


    The room immediately fell into silence.


    Shu Pan pulled the nket with her hand, curled up her body, and her trembling eyshes were moistened with a few tears.


    How did ite to this? What did she do wrong? Why did he treat her like this?


    Was it wrong to love someone? She truly felt exhausted, questioning the significance of enduring silently like this.


    Not long after, she heard a loud door m from the adjacent bedroom. It must be because he was in a foul mood.


    Gu Shaoting was undoubtedly unhappy. That woman was bing more and more unbearable.


    Gu Shaoting was nowpletely sober, and as he entered the bedroom, he swiftly went into the bathroom.


    He took a cold shower, wrapped a towel around his body, and emerged from the bathroom into the bedroom. In the end, he irritably lifted the nket and covered his eyes with it.


    At this moment, he couldn''t calm down. Was he under some sort of spell? Why did he lose control every time he faced Shu Pan? In reality, countless women would throw themselves at him if he wanted, but it was only Shu Pan who evoked different emotions in him.


    When did he start feeling this way?


    Gu Shaoting''s mind was currently in turmoil, unable to fall asleep. He regretted his actions.

 Chapter 23: Pregnant

    <h4>Chapter 23: Pregnant</h4>


    Shu Pan was awakened by the pain. The dull ache in her lower abdomen escted to a sharp twisting sensation, making it impossible for her to sleep. She broke into a cold sweat, soaking the sheets.


    Hunching over, Shu Pan clutched her stomach tightly. She had intended to endure the pain, but as time passed, the agony intensified...


    She struggled to get up, stumbling into the living room and gazing at the open door to the master bedroom. Gu Shaoting had already left, and she wasn''t sure when.


    Suppressing her difort, she hailed a taxi and headed to the nearest hospital.


    In the emergency room, after the female doctor examined Shu Pan, her expression immediately turned serious. "You''re five weeks pregnant with slight signs of miscarriage..."


    Upon hearing the word "miscarriage," Shu Pan was dumbfounded. "I... I''m pregnant?" She could hardly believe her ears.


    "You didn''t know you were pregnant?" The doctor frowned. She had never seen such a careless expectant mother before, and her tone inadvertently became stern. "You''re five weeks pregnant, but the fetus is unstable, showing slight signs of miscarriage. I''ve administered a progesterone shot to help support the pregnancy, but you must be careful. Avoid exhaustion and refrain from sexual intercourse for now. Get plenty of rest."


    "Thank you, doctor," Shu Pan expressed her deep gratitude. Although Gu Shaoting didn''t anticipate the arrival of a child, Shu Pan loved children, and she loved Gu Shaoting so much. She had always wanted to have a child who resembled him, and now her wish hade true. It gave her a renewed sense of hope in life.


    Shu Pan gently touched her belly, her eyes filled with tender affection.


    "Come in for a regr check-up when you are pregnant for three months. Next time, you can bring your husband along. If you experience any difort,e to the hospital immediately. Your condition is rather unique," the doctor reiterated repeatedly.


    "Alright, thank you, doctor," Shu Pan expressed her immense gratitude. She packed her things carefully and walked out of the hospital with utmost caution.


    Thezy sunlight enveloped her figure, casting a gentle glow.


    When her phone rang, Shu Pan felt a bit annoyed. At this moment, she just wanted to be left alone and found it inconvenient for someone to contact her. She picked up her phone and nced at it. It was an unfamiliar number. Slightly puzzled, she answered the call.


    "Is this Shu Pan?" A soft but cold voice sounded in her ear.


    "Yes, who is this?" Shu Pan replied calmly, though she was quite perplexed. Her mind was constantly trying to recall if she had heard this voice before.


    After a brief silence on the phone, the person spoke again.


    "Shu Pan, it''s Tong Fei. Are you genuinely unaware or pretending to be?" The tone suddenly turned somewhat forceful.


    Shu Pan fell silent, her gaze fixed ahead, somewhat lost.


    "Don''t tell me you have no idea about the past between me and Shaoting? Don''t you mind? Do you really think Shaoting loves you? Our affair is all over the media, making headlines. You don''t have any thoughts about it?" Tong Fei finally shed her usual elegance and nobility, confronting Shu Pan with a cold tone.


    Shu Pan gazed at the tall phoenix trees by the roadside, their leaves all fallen, leaving only bare branches, a sense of destion pervading. She ced her right hand on her belly, gently stroking it, gathering her courage.


    "Miss Tong, I am Gu Shaoting''s legal wife."


    "Oh... Aren''t you curious why Gu Shaoting married you?" Tong Fei could really strike at someone, hitting the nail on the head with every word. Even over the phone, one could sense the chill in her voice.


    Tong Fei''s nonchnt tone frustrated Shu Pan. Why should she care? "Because Shaoting hated your father. It was your father who drove Uncle Gu to his death. He married you to seek revenge on your father!" Each word she spoke felt like a malicious curse.


    Although she had known the answer for a long time, having it revealed once again felt like rubbing salt on a wound.


    A chilling breeze seemed to engulf Shu Pan, and she felt a coldness seeping in.


    Silence lingered for a long time.


    "Do you think there''s a need for your marriage to continue?" Tong Fei continued.


    Shu Pan''s face turned pale, and she bit her lip. "This is a matter between us as a married couple. If I want a divorce, I need Gu Shaoting''s agreement. Why don''t you talk to him about it?"


    There was a moment of silence on the other end of the phone. Tong Fei hadn''t expected Shu Pan to respond this way.


    Suddenly feeling stifled, Shu Pan hung up the phone.

 Chapter 24: Borrowing Money

    <h4>Chapter 24: Borrowing Money</h4>


    Shu Pan arrived home and suddenly remembered what the real estate agent had said about someone already buying the house at a lower price than expected. But she couldn''t dwell on it now because the deadline was approaching.


    She immediately called Auntie Lu and informed her about the situation, saying that they could proceed with the paperwork once her dad was discharged from the hospital tomorrow. However, they still needed some more money. She nned to ask her friends if they could help, taking it step by step.


    But she kept the news of her pregnancy to herself. It wasn''t the right time to reveal it, given the circumstances.


    Sitting down on the sofa, Shu Pan took out her phone and hesitated for a while before texting a few friends, asking for a loan.


    She waited for half an hour, but only Ye Xiaomeng called back.


    "Hey, did you send those messages?" Ye Xiaomeng sounded confused.


    "Yeah, it was me," Shu Pan confirmed.


    "I thought I was being targeted by a scammer. Why do you need to borrow money?" Ye Xiaomeng asked with bewilderment.


    Taking a deep breath, Shu Pan felt a chill in her chest. "It''s for my dad, he''s in urgent need."


    Ye Xiaomeng chuckled lightly. "Girl, if I hadn''t recognized your voice, I would have thought your phone got stolen and someone else was texting me. You have a rich husband and a wealthy dad. Why do you need to borrow money?"


    "Xiaomeng, it''s true. We need the money urgently, and I''m about to divorce Gu Shaoting," Shu Pan''s voice carried a heavy weight.


    Ye Xiaomeng paused for a moment, suddenly realizing the seriousness of the situation. "Girl?" She was taken aback.


    Closing her eyes, Shu Pan replied, "Xiaomeng, I''m dead serious. My dad went bankrupt and has umted a lot of debt. We''re selling the house, but we still need more money."


    "How did that happen? Isn''t Gu Shaoting helping out? Just because your dad went bankrupt, he wants a divorce?" Ye Xiaomeng''s voice expressed her anger.


    "This matter is partly rted to him too. I guess he wants to see my dad in this state. Our marriage was a mistake," Shu Pan''s voice choked with emotion. "Xiaomeng, I know you''re getting married soon and you need money, but do you have any spare cash?"


    "You know me, I''m always splurging. My fianc¨¦''s family has bought the house, and my family is responsible for the renovations. We haven''t set a wedding date yet, but I have a hundred thousand now. I can transfer it to you to help in this emergency," Ye Xiaomeng offered.


    Shu Pan ran her hand through her hair. "Borrow me for now, but I don''t know when I''ll be able to pay it back."


    "No worries, I''ll transfer the money to your ount right away."


    "Thank you, Xiaomeng," Shu Pan expressed her gratitude.


    "By the way... um, have you considered asking Su Yuan for help?" Ye Xiaomeng cautiously suggested. "ording to Cheng Yang, he''s now the regional manager of a major international corporation in Asia, and he''s quite well-off financially. And he still has feelings for you. He left his number with Cheng Yang."


    "Xiaomeng, are you out of your mind? Why would you think of that? What happened between him and me is in the past. Besides, I''m already married. Regardless of the situation between me and Gu Shaoting, I am currently Mrs. Gu," Shu Pan never even considered seeking help from Su Yuan. That was all in the past, and now everyone had their own lives to live.


    Although Ye Xiaomeng''s loan wasn''t a substantial amount, it could alleviate the immediate pressure.


    Shu Pan prepared a small meal and nned to rest early. She wasn''t alone now. She had her precious baby. Gu Shaoting hadn''t returned yet, and there were swirling rumors about him and Tong Fei. Shu Pan chose to ignore them.


    Tomorrow would be a fresh start. Shu Pany in bed, watching the curtains dance in the breeze, her mind filled with turbulence. She needed to settle her father''s and Auntie Lu''s affairs first, and then figure out how to repay her debts.


    Unable to resist, she ced her hand on her belly, silently pledging, "Sweetie, you have to be good. Even though you won''t have your father''s love, I''ll shower you with all of mine."


    Soon, ovee by exhaustion, she drifted into a deep sleep.

 Chapter 25: Meeting an Old Love in a Sorry State

    <h4>Chapter 25: Meeting an Old Love in a Sorry State</h4>


    The next morning, Shu Pan got up early and left. She went to the hospital to help her father with the discharge procedures and then took them to the house she previously rented.


    Knowing that Shu Pan had sold all their properties to repay the debt, Auntie Lu couldn''t stop crying.


    Lu Lifen, too, treated Shu Pan well. She didn''t have any children of her own, so she cherished Shu Pan like her own.


    Shu Pan looked at her and pursed her lips, taking out a card from her wallet. "Auntie Lu, there''s still some money in this card, please take it."


    Lu Lifen didn''t decline and epted it. "Panpan, listen to us. Don''t worry about the money your father owes. We are already old and ready to struggle. At most, we''ll fight with all our might. But you''re still young. Even if you divorce Gu Shaoting, you can still find a more suitable person. Don''t let this situation hold you back." After living together for more than ten years, it was impossible for her not to care about Shu Pan.


    Shu Pan sighed, "If I just leave like that, what will happen to those people?"


    "Oh, you''re so foolish," Lu Lifen said without saying much. "Things have changed. Now, you and Gu Shaoting havee to the point of divorce. Your sry is barely enough to get by, so how can you repay the debt?"


    "Yeah, Panpan, Auntie is right. Forget about me. I can even go to jail. It''s just a wretched life," Shu Laide chimed in. He couldn''t bear to see his beloved daughter burdened with these debts.


    "Father, please don''t say that. I''ll figure something out. Take care of your health," Shu Panforted her father, worried that he would me himself.


    After settling everything, Shu Pan went to her father''spany. There was a security guard at the entrance, and inside, it was empty and deserted. Most of the employees had already left after receiving their sries. Shu Pan took a deep breath. She spent the afternoon arranging the money to pay off the debt collectors. There were still a few left, but she had no other options.


    "Get Shu Laide out here!" suddenly came a loud voice from outside the office.


    Shu Pan came out and saw that it was those few people who still hadn''t received their money. She acknowledged her fault and spoke politely, "Can you give me a few more days?"


    She didn''t expect them to find out so quickly.


    "Don''t y tricks with us. If you don''t repay the money today, you won''t be able to leave," one of the men said menacingly.


    Shu Pan took a step back, feeling scared, but she pretended to remain calm and said, "I will definitely repay the debt. Please rest assured."


    "Last time, you said you would repay, but now you''re not. Do you think you can deceive us?" one of the men approached aggressively.


    Feeling helpless, Shu Pan suddenly saw a ck Mercedes stop by the roadside. A handsome man stepped out of the car and shouted, "Stop."


    Then he approached and called out, "Pan."


    Shu Pan snapped back to reality, realizing that among the people she knew, only Su Yuan would call her Pan. Looking at Su Yuan standing before her, she was stunned, feeling a bit overwhelmed. Although she had repeatedly assured herself that she had let go and could face him calmly if they met again, she was still a bit confused and didn''t know how to react.


    Su Yuan walked towards her, looking at the face that had been absent from his life for six years but had appeared in his dreams countless times. His emotion was not as calm as it seemed on the surface. He was excited and wanted to tightly embrace her, but he couldn''t, because he wasn''t allowed to.


    In fact, when he returned to China, he had already found out about her workce and couldn''t help but send flowers to her there. He even secretly watched her leave work and go home, but he didn''t have the courage to approach her. He was afraid that she hadn''t forgiven him.


    Shu Pan felt that her life was full of melodrama. She didn''t expect to encounter Su Yuan in such a sorry state, and she felt a bit embarrassed.


    "What are you guys doing? A few grown men bullying a woman?" Su Yuan''s sharp gaze seemed to prate through them.


    "Repaying debts is only natural. Who are you? It''s none of your business," one of the strong men retorted fiercely to Su Yuan.


    "If she owes money, I''ll repay it for her. You all step back for now," Su Yuan spoke with a powerful and steady aura, tall and imposing in his expensive suit, giving an unapproachable impression. The men immediately took two steps back.


    "Fine, keep your word. Repay the money now, and we won''t bother Miss Shu," one of the men seized the opportunity and quickly stated their objective.


    Up until now, Shu Pan still felt a bit bewildered. How did things turn out like this?


    "Su Yuan, I''ll find a way to solve this. I don''t need to trouble you," Shu Pan didn''t want to have any rtionship or owe any favors to Su Yuan.


    "It''s alright. You can repay me when you have the money. Let''s first resolve the immediate problem," Su Yuan understood what was in Shu Pan''s mind.


    Shu Pan knew that Su Yuan was true to his words, so she let him help resolve the situation. Looking at Su Yuan''s tall figure and his calm demeanor, the young face from her memories had be a bit blurry.

 Chapter 26: Meeting Again

    <h4>Chapter 26: Meeting Again</h4>


    Money isn''t everything, but without money, there''s a lot you can''t do. For Shu Pan, it was a troublesome matter that had her worried and stressed. But for Su Yuan, it was easily resolved.


    When Shu Pan snapped back to reality, she sighed. When she looked up, she noticed that Su Yuan''s gaze had never left her. She suddenly felt a bit awkward.


    "Su Yuan, thank you for today. If it weren''t for you, I don''t know what would have happened. I''ll repay you as soon as I have the money," she said gratefully, even though the feeling of being watched made her a bit ufortable.


    "I''m not in a rush. Take care of your father. If you want to thank me, invite me for a meal. I happen to be hungry," Su Yuan winked at her and pretended to be rxed.


    In truth, he was quite nervous and worried that she might refuse. Ever since he found out about Shu Laide''s situation from Cheng Yang, he had been restless, unable to find an excuse to get close to her. Now, he finally had one.


    Su Yuan wanted to catch up with Shu Pan. He had heard from Cheng Yang recently that she was already married, but it was a hasty marriage. He wondered if she had forgotten him, or if her feelings for him were still the same, unable to let go of their past. He assumed that she had rushed to marry someone without a foundation of love.


    That was why he couldn''t control his own heart and couldn''t resisting to see her. Seeing her in such a difficult situation today, without her husband by her side, he couldn''t believe it. What would the oue have been if he hadn''te? The consequences would have been unimaginable.


    "Alright, what do you feel like eating?" Shu Pan readily agreed. She treated him as a friend.


    "You decide. I haven''t been back to Bin City in years, so I don''t know where the good food is anymore," Su Yuan said with relief when he heard her eptance. His tone was like that of a long-lost friend, casual and natural.


    "Then let''s go to the Gathered Dragon. They have a milder vor. I remember you didn''t like strong vors," Shu Pan said, but then she paused. Why did she bring up the past?


    "Sure. Then I''ll eat more," Su Yuan smiled with his eyes narrowed.


    The two of them left thepany together. Su Yuan considerately opened the car door for Shu Pan, closed it after she got in, then walked around the front of the car and got in from the other side. He started the car and drove away, leaving behind the indistinct dust swirling in the air.


    Inside the car, Su Yuan turned on some soft piano music.


    "Pan," Su Yuan focused on driving and called out softly.


    Shu Pan turned her head and looked at him, waiting for him to say what he wanted to say.


    "Are you doing well?" Su Yuan couldn''t help but blurt out because he believed that any man who loved his wife wouldn''t let her fall into such a predicament.


    "Yeah, I''m doing fine," Shu Pan pursed her lips and replied softly.


    The car fell into silence. Fortunately, the restaurant wasn''t far, and they soon arrived at Gathered Dragon.


    Su Yuan got out of the car directly, then walked around and opened the door for Shu Pan, disying the epitome of gentlemanly manners, making her feel a bit embarrassed.


    Gathered Dragon was quite crowded, but they managed to find a ce in the lobby. Shu Pan held the menu and asked Su Yuan to order. Su Yuan rxedly leaned back in his chair and said, "You''re treating today, so you can order."


    Shu Pan nodded helplessly.


    Shu Pan flipped through the menu with her slender fingers as Su Yuan nced at her from the side. Her profile had a soft contour, and a few strands of hair yfully fell down, creating a beautiful image that was hard to look away from.


    She called the waiter over and ordered Kung Pao Chicken, steamed fish, a te of sizzling beef, a te of boiled Chinese cabbage, and duck soup. She thought that it should be enough.


    "I''ve ordered these dishes. If you want anything else, let me know," Shu Pan turned to Su Yuan and asked.


    "Sounds good. I love everything you ordered. We can order moreter if it''s not enough," Su Yuan''s mind was elsewhere. He took the menu and put it aside.


    "Pan, don''t worry too much about your father''s situation. If you need any help, just let me know," Su Yuanforted her. Seeing her small shoulders carry such a heavy burden made him feel pity.


    "Thank you, Su Yuan." Shu Pan couldn''t express her gratitude with any other words besides thanking him.

 Chapter 27: A Chance Encounter

    <h4>Chapter 27: A Chance Encounter</h4>


    Although the restaurant was bustling with customers, the dishes were served quickly. te after te of delicious and fragrant food arrived at the table.


    Su Yuan helped Shu Pan serve the soup and pick the dishes.


    With everything going ontely, Shu Pan hadn''t had a rxed meal like this in a long time. She savored the soup, feeling a sense of warmth in her heart.


    Meanwhile, Gu Shaoting happened to be at Gathered Dragon discussing a business partnership. He was in one of the VIP rooms, which was spacious, luxurious, and had excellent soundproofing. It was perfect for conducting business.


    "Mr. Gu, you are truly remarkable. To achieve such sess in your thirties and expand the prospects of the Gu Group is truly impressive." The middle-aged man at the same tableplimented. It was true, not only was he sessful in business, but he also had a thriving personal life. There were even rumors about him and a famous female model in magazines recently.


    "I am ttered by your kind words, Mr. Li," Gu Shaoting replied with a charming smile, his eyes sparkling.


    "After finalizing the contract, let''s have a drink to celebrate our sessful coboration," Mr. Li suggested, holding the contract in his hand. The opportunity to partner with the city''s top enterprise was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for theirpany.


    "Sure, let''s drink to that!" Gu Shaoting cheerfully raised his ss and finished it in one gulp.


    With the business matters settled, the dinner wasing to an end. One by one, the colleagues and business partners started leaving. Since He Ming had something to discuss with Gu Shaoting, he decided to stay in the private room and wait for him instead of finding another ce.


    "Brother Ting, Shu Pan is also dining outside. Did you two n to meet here?" He Ming''s voice could be heard before he entered the room. When he opened the door and came in, he looked puzzled.


    "Who? Shu Pan? With whom?" Gu Shaoting furrowed his brows.


    It seemed he was unaware, and seeing Gu Shaoting sitting in his chair with a perplexed expression, He Ming shrugged and raised his hands, saying, "I don''t know him, but judging by his extraordinary temperament, I guess he''s an admirer of Shu Pan."


    Gu Shaoting''s gaze shot at him like a sharp sword. If looks could kill, He Ming would have died several times over.


    "What nonsense! She''s married, so how can she have an admirer?" Gu Shaoting''s brows furrowed even tighter.


    "She''s probably still here. You can go outside and check," He Ming suggested. Although they were as close as brothers, and they had grown up together, He Ming couldn''t understand Gu Shaoting. Normally, he didn''t seem too concerned about Shu Pan, but the mention of an admirer suddenly seemed to bother him. The hearts of men were truly unfathomable.


    As Su Yuan finished eating, Shu Pan noticed that she was full as well. She put down her chopsticks and since they were sitting close to each other, she could observe him more closely. His face hadn''t changed much, still handsome and charming, but his aura had transformed. The youthful and sunny young man she once knew now exuded maturity, stability, and a hint of profoundness in his eyes that she couldn''t quiteprehend.


    Su Yuan also gazed back at her, his lips slightly pursed. She had changed, he couldn''t quite put his finger on what exactly had changed, but she was different now. The Shu Pan of today was no longer the same Shu Pan who used to lean against him andugh happily.


    "Pan, I''m sorry," he finally spoke softly after a long pause. This apology was six yearste, and he had been indebted for six years.


    Shu Pan''s heart ached, but she shook her head, "It''s all in the past. We should both look forward."


    She now had a family, a loved one. Although her rtionship with Gu Shaoting seemed to go nowhere, she had a baby, her secret. So, she could find sce and let go of the past.

 Chapter 28: Jealous

    <h4>Chapter 28: Jealous</h4>


    When Gu Shaoting walked out of the private room and entered the lobby, he happened to see the two people by the window, seemingly gazing affectionately at each other. Suddenly, an unnamed anger ignited within him.


    He approached with long strides and said, "Honey, why didn''t you tell me you were having a meal with a friend?"


    Gu Shaoting walked over, slightly bending down, and ced his hand on Shu Pan''s shoulder.


    Shu Pan was startled by his sudden appearance. The unexpected address of "honey" made her feel uneasy and anxious.


    It had been a long time since he called her that. Lately, their rtionship had be even more strained due to her father''s situation.


    However, she didn''t want to embarrass him in front of Su Yuan. After all, they were still married.


    "Su Yuan, this is my husband, Gu Shaoting. Shaoting, this is my friend Su Yuan. We haven''t seen each other in a long time," Shu Pan introduced, and the two of them exchanged perfunctory greetings.


    "Are you both full? Let''s go back," Gu Shaoting said, eager to leave this ce and take Shu Pan home.


    "We''re full," Shu Pan replied. Then she turned to Su Yuan and said, "Thank you, we''ll get together again when we have the chance."


    "Sure, let me know if you need any help," Su Yuan advised.


    Gu Shaoting couldn''t help but roll his eyes internally. Did he really think he was invisible?


    He Ming looked at the three of them, feeling somewhat confused and unable to fullyprehend Gu Shaoting''s behavior. How could he treat Shu Pan with indifference before but show concern today? It was like Trump''s face-changing technique¡ªever-changing and unpredictable.


    At night, as cars whizzed past, Shu Pan and Su Yuan waved goodbye. A ck Mercedes-Benz parked in front of her, and after getting in, she turned her face to look out the window. The person in the car had a frosty expression, his face full of anger.


    Suddenly, Shu Pan''s mind wandered to Gu Shaoting''s previous cold and indifferent attitude towards her, especially during her father''s situation. But just now, he had shown such warmth. Now, he wore a face of a stranger, resembling a magic trick of changing faces, unpredictable and capricious.


    She had intended to take the opportunity to discuss divorce with him, but seeing him like this, she had to give up. Fortunately, her pregnancy wasn''t noticeable yet. She could keep it a secret for a while longer.


    Back at home, Gu Shaoting finally exploded.


    "Shu Pan, is this your strategy? Did you seduce a lover to help you repay the debt?" Gu Shaoting''s voice was cold and eerie, sending shivers down Shu Pan''s spine.


    "And..." Gu Shaoting suddenly grabbed her chin, forcing her to meet his gaze. "Mrs. Gu, I''m telling you seriously now, don''t test my bottom line. Don''t let me find out that you''re not faithful. If you disgrace me, you''ll regret it. Understand?"


    "I... I understand!" Gu Shaoting''s fierce demeanor frightened Shu Pan, and he released his grip.


    Shu Pan slumped onto the sofa, still looking up, forcefully holding back her tears. Tears would only make her appear more pathetic.


    She should have anticipated this oue. Gu Shaoting nced at her, then thought about He Ming waiting downstairs to discuss business. He took a step forward and paused at the doorway.


    A beam of light shone on Shu Pan, blinding her.


    The door was heartlessly closed, and Shu Pan covered her mouth, stubbornly refusing to let her tears flow. She ced her hand on her belly and whispered, "Baby, be good. You''re myst support."


    After descending the stairs, Gu Shaoting was pulled into a bar by He Ming. Seeing his gloomy expression, He Ming didn''t dare to say a word, afraid of touching a raw nerve. He suggested having a drink.


    Gu Shaoting was currently conflicted. He didn''t want to treat Shu Pan this way, but whenever he thought of his deceased father and Shu Laide living well, he couldn''t ept it.

 Chapter 29: Returning to the Gu Family’s Mansion

    <h4>Chapter 29: Returning to the Gu Family''s Mansion</h4>


    After settling her father and Auntie Lu, Shu Pan remembered the doctor''s advice to rest, so she nned to stay at home during this period.


    At noon, Gu Shaoting''s secretary called and asked Shu Pan to get ready. Gu Shaoting would apany her to the Gu Family''s mansion that evening to visit his grandfather.


    Shu Pan suddenly realized that it had been a long time since shest visited the Gu Family''s mansion. She had seen her mother-inw at the wedding, but they rarely met since they didn''t live together. Besides, her mother-inw had her own social circle, ying mahjong and shopping with wealthydies, showing very little concern for her. Shu Pan was fine with that.


    The only person in the Gu family that Shu Pan worried about was Grandpa Gu. She realized that she had been busytely and hadn''t visited him for a long time, which made her feel unfilial.


    She quickly tidied up, and in the afternoon when Gu Shaoting came to pick her up, Shu Pan casually nced at his profile with the corner of her eye. His expression had be much colder.


    Shu Pan felt as if she were frozen and the thought of greeting him disappeared instantly.


    Gu Shaoting drove the car without initiating any conversation. He took out cigarettes during the idle time and lit them one by one. Except for asional sounds from the lighter, there was no other sound in the car.


    The smell of smoke wafted through the air and reached Shu Pan''s nose. She felt a suffocating sensation in her chest, a feeling that made her want to vomit. But she suppressed it, not wanting to provoke Gu Shaoting''s anger.


    Finally, they arrived at the Gu Family''s mansion. It was an independent vi where Grandpa Gu, Gu Shaoting''s mother Song Can, and Auntie Wang usually stayed. asionally, Gu Shaoting''s second uncle and other family members woulde to stay for a while.


    When Gu Shaoting turned off the engine, he quickly extinguished his cigarette, then nced at Shu Pan before pushing open the car door and getting out first.


    Gu Shaoting stood beside the car and didn''t rush to leave. He waited for Shu Pan to get out of the car before starting to walk towards the entrance together.


    As they approached the front of the house, Gu Shaoting suddenly reached out and grabbed Shu Pan''s hand. His action came without warning, causing Shu Pan to stiffen. She instinctively wanted to pull her hand back, but Gu Shaoting seemed to sense her reaction. He tightened his grip and exerted more force while raising his other hand to ring the doorbell.


    Unable to free herself, Shu Pan discreetly lifted her eyelids and nced at Gu Shaoting, who was ringing the doorbell. His palm was warm, but his expression seemed icy. Shu Pan didn''t dare to say a word.


    Before she could react, the door opened.


    Auntie Wang opened the door and joyfully greeted Gu Shaoting and Shu Pan. She enthusiastically ushered them inside while bringing them slippers. Then she hurriedly went upstairs to inform Grandpa Gu, saying, "Master, Young Master and Young Madam have arrived."


    After changing their shoes, Gu Shaoting and Shu Pan entered the living room, where they saw Grandpa Guing downstairs from upstairs.


    Suddenly, Gu Shaoting turned to the side, lowered his head, and whispered something in Shu Pan''s ear.


    To outsiders, it seemed like Gu Shaoting and Shu Pan were having a whispered conversation. However, as long as Shu Pan knew, he didn''t say anything at all.


    But with his proximity, his breath sprayed on her neck, gentle and warm, causing her heartbeat to inexplicably elerate, making her appear nervous and unsure.


    Shu Pan looked at him, feeling the air around her be thin. She noticed her breathing quicken. She couldn''t help but despise herself. Why did she panic whenever she encountered him? How could she not see the reality of their current situation?

 Chapter 30: Grandpa Gu

    <h4>Chapter 30: Grandpa Gu</h4>


    "What are you daydreaming about?" Gu Shaoting suddenly squeezed Shu Pan''s palm firmly. She snapped back to reality and instinctively turned to look at Gu Shaoting. At that moment, he seemed like apletely different person. The coldness on his face had disappeared, reced by a gentle gaze filled with doting. He continued speaking with a deep and maic voice, like ying the violin, "Why don''t you greet our Grandfather?"


    Upon hearing the word "Grandfather," Shu Pan instantly understood.


    The reason he appeared to be two different people was because he was acting. The person he cherished the most was Grandpa Gu, and for the sake of his grandfather, he was willing to put on an act.


    And she foolishly became absent-minded and at a loss in his presence.


    Shu Pan forcefully suppressed her self-ridicule and, facing Grandpa Gu, managed to squeeze out a serene smile and sweetly greeted, "Hello, Grandfather."


    Grandpa Gu had already observed everything that happened after they entered the living room. Seeing them so affectionate with each other, he felt pleased. He asked them to take a seat while Auntie Wang brewed tea.


    "Panpan, what have you been busy withtely? It''s been a long time since youst came here to have a meal with me." Grandpa Gu liked Shu Pan a lot. He found her obedient and well-behaved. Previously, he had some reservations when Shaoting wanted to marry Tong Fei, feeling that a model who appeared in public was inappropriate and not in line with the values of the Gu family. Moreover, the constant appearance of their names in entertainment news was a source of amusement for everyone.


    Moreover, every time Gu Shaoting brought her to the Gu Family''s mansion, she would make a great effort to please everyone, with a strong sense of purpose.


    On the other hand, Gu Shaoting''s mother, Song Can, got along well with Tong Fei since they were both involved in the fashion industry. Song Can was also interested in this field and often received firsthand information from Tong Fei, which she could show off to her friends.


    "I''m sorry, Grandfather. I''ve been busytely, but I promise to visit you more often in the future." Grandpa Gu was very concerned about her, and Shu Pan suddenly felt a sense of guilt.


    "You know what I want. Have a child, and I won''t be so bored. You two have been married for several years. Don''t make me wait any longer for that day." Grandpa Gu''s greatest wish was to have a great-grandchild, and this issue had been a topic of discussion for a long time.


    "I understand, Grandfather," Shu Pan responded softly. But in her heart, she felt sorry for the old man. In the current situation, Gu Shaoting had no intention of having a child with her. They were currently in an adversarial rtionship, so how could they possibly have a child? Even if the child in her womb were to be born, they would bear the Shu surname.


    Shu Pan silently apologized countless times in her heart, feeling guilty for the care and attention the old man had shown her.


    "Grandfather, there''s no rush." Gu Shaoting raised his legs and spoke in a perfunctory tone.


    Shu Pan felt a bit awkward sitting there and got up to help Auntie Wang in the kitchen.


    Just a few minutes after Gu Shaoting and Shu Pan arrived at the mansion, Auntie Wang began preparing dinner.


    Grandpa Gu''s expression changed when he saw Shu Pan walk away. He wore a stern face and scolded Gu Shaoting, "Don''t think that I''m old and my eyes and ears are failing. The news and newspapers are filled with your scandalous news. You already have a wife at home, so don''t get involved with unrted people."


    "Grandfather, don''t be rmed. She''s just a friend. I know my boundaries," Gu Shaoting quickly reassured him, concerned about Grandfather''s high blood pressure.


    Before long, the meal was ready. Four dishes and a soup were served, and everyone sat down to eat. The atmosphere was harmonious, and Gu Shaoting asionally picked up food for Shu Pan. The old man nodded in approval and finally started eating contentedly. Perhaps it was because there were many people and it was lively, he ate almost two bowls of rice.


    After dinner, they chatted with Grandpa Gu for a while before leaving the mansion.

 Chapter 31: Be Abandoned

    <h4>Chapter 31: Be Abandoned</h4>


    Just as the car drove out of the gates of the Gu Family''s ancestral mansion, Gu Shaoting''s face, which had appeared calm when bidding farewell to Grandpa Gu a moment ago, suddenly lost all expression.


    Watching his cold face, he drove the car at high speed, then abruptly mmed on the brakes after making a turn. The screeching sound of the wheels rubbing against the ground apanied his sudden stop. These actions happened too quickly, and Shu Pan struggled to keep up with the pace. With wide, dark eyes, she looked at him.


    Seeing him silent, Shu Pan finally gathered the courage to speak up, "If it''s inconvenient, I can take a taxi home by myself."


    "What? Don''t you know that I was just putting on an act in front of Grandfather? Do you actually believe it? Did you think I would especially drive you home?" Gu Shaoting''s tone carried a hint of mocking sarcasm in hisst sentence.


    "I didn''t believe it. If it''s so painful to be around each other every day, why don''t we get a divorce?" Shu Pan''s eyshes trembled slightly, and she instinctively tightened her grip on her bag strap.


    She didn''t dare to move, afraid that tears would start falling if she did.


    "Don''t even think about it. Whether you find a new partner or not, I won''t agree to a divorce. Let me tell you the truth, it''s out of the question!" Gu Shaoting''s voice resounded again, sharp and harsh.


    Because of Shu Pan''s words, Gu Shaoting took a deep breath. How could this woman have such naive thoughts? Didn''t she know that he felt happy seeing her and her father in pain, suffering?


    "I have something to doter. I made ns with a friend. You can take a taxi home by yourself." At this moment, he just wanted to have a drink to calm his anger.


    Silently, Shu Pan tried to open the car door, but she couldn''t find the handle after feeling around for a while. Seeing her struggle, Gu Shaoting''s patience ran out. He got out of the car directly, walked around to the passenger side, pulled open the door, and after Shu Pan got out of the car, he forcefully closed the door. He swiftly circled around the front of the car, returned to his seat without any hesitation or pause, stepped on the elerator, and the car sped away like an arrow released from a bowstring.


    Shu Pan stood by the roadside, trembling in the cold wind. This ce was in the suburbs, with few pedestrians and even fewer cars. She took a few deep breaths, and Gu Shaoting''s car was no longer in sight. Only a variety of different vehicles shed by with their red lights, passing in front of her intermittently.


    After waiting for a while, a taxi finally arrived. Shu Pan hailed it like she had found a savior, and the car finally stopped.


    "Driver, to Shuimu Qinghua residential area." Shu Pan''s anxious heart finally rxed. Fortunately, a car came. She ced her hand on her stomach and couldn''t help but silently criticize Gu Shaoting in her heart, "Baby, you have a bad father."


    Because of her father''s situation, even if Gu Shaoting treated her this way, she would willingly endure it. She felt that she owed him.


    Somehow, Shu Pan suddenly thought of the scene at the Gu Family''s ancestral mansion during dinner. Gu Shaoting, acting like a gentleman, pulled out her chair, personally served her favorite soup, and picked the dishes she liked. That indulgent tone truly made Shu Pan unable to distinguish between reality and falsehood.


    He behaved impably, just like the image of a loving husband who dotes on his wife. It delighted Grandfather, who dreamed of seeing them live happily together. Seeing Master''s delight, the servants in the Gu Family''s ancestral mansion were also happy, and she maintained a smile, appearing happy and satisfied. But no one knew how much she was suffering inside.


    Because she knew he was only acting.


    But even though she knew it was just an act, her heart couldn''t help but tremble.


    Because she loved him, loved him dearly.

 Chapter 32: Meeting a Bestie

    <h4>Chapter 32: Meeting a Bestie</h4>


    After returning home, it was almost 9 o''clock. Shu Pan quickly took a hot shower.


    When she came out, seeing that it wasn''t toote, she went to the study and retrieved a thick sketchbook from under the cab where she kept her materials. As she picked up the album, a dull pain pricked her fingertips.


    The sketchbook titled "Mr. Gu" was filled with drawings of him, capturing various moments and expressions.


    Shu Pan randomly flipped open a page and saw a sketch of Gu Shaoting sitting on the terrace, engrossed in reading documents. Every detail was so captivating. She particrly loved seeing him at work. Although she hadn''t witnessed him working in the office, every scene at home was deeply etched in her mind.


    Whenever she felt tired orcked inspiration for drawing, she would take out the sketchbook and create a drawing. She imagined showing them to her future child, proudly telling them, "Your dad is very dedicated to his work. You should learn from him."


    But now everything was just a dream. It was unlikely that they would ever achieve a harmonious family.


    Before going to bed, her thoughts were interrupted by the ringing of her phone. Who could be calling at such ate hour? She checked and saw that it was Ye Xiaomeng, who wanted to meet tomorrow. Shu Pan agreed immediately after they decided on the time and ce. They hung up their phones.


    Although the doctor had advised her to rest and avoid exhaustion, she thought it wouldn''t hurt to go out once in a while. It had been a long time since shest saw Xiaomeng. She wondered how Xiaomeng had been recently. Judging from Xiaomeng''s tone, Shu Pan had no idea what had happened, but she guessed that Xiaomeng had some conflict with Cheng Yang. However, based on Xiaomeng''s current attitude, the situation seemed to be more serious than she had imagined.


    After graduating, Ye Xiaomeng went directly to a real estatepany to work in sales. Normally, she had no ambitions or desires and didn''t care much about work, especially since Cheng Yang earned a high ie. While her colleagues who joined thepany at the same time had already be department managers, she remained a salesperson, with average performance that didn''t stand out.


    Now that she was pregnant and feeling unwell, she had taken a long leave to rest at home.


    In the afternoon, they agreed to meet at the Left Bank Caf¨¦. Soft, melodious background music flowed gently in the quiet atmosphere.


    Shu Pan looked at Ye Xiaomeng sitting across from her, noticing her troubled expression. She pretended to be rxed and said, "Your Highness, what would you like to drink?"


    "I''ll have a ss of fresh juice," Ye Xiaomeng replied indignantly.


    Shu Pan called the waiter over and ordered two sses of fresh juice, along with two slices of cake for their afternoon tea.


    She then instructed the waiter to serve them as quickly as possible.


    The waiter nodded repeatedly and brought them their tea.


    Looking at Ye Xiaomeng''s displeased face, Shu Pan tried to ask in a casual tone, "What happened? Which servant upset her grace?"


    "Hmph, some people really have no shame. Who does he think he is? Did he think I wanted to work under him? Look at himself first, relying on women for personal gain and climbing thedder through vanity. It''s embarrassing to even talk about it."


    Shu Pan listened with confusion, not understanding what Ye Xiaomeng was saying. "What''s the situation? Can you exin?"


    Ye Xiaomeng looked at Shu Pan seriously and said, "Thank goodness you didn''t end up with that heartless and despicable guy. He''s simply not a decent person."


    After saying that, Ye Xiaomeng was filled with indignation. Seeing the person in question, she would probably spit in disgust.


    "Are you talking about Su Yuan?" Shu Pan cautiously asked.


    "It''s not just him. There''s more to it!" Ye Xiaomeng was getting angrier just thinking about it. Initially, she didn''t even know who the new boss of thepany was. But then she received a personnel letter that stated she was negligent in her work,cked initiative, and couldn''t create value for thepany. The letter informed her that thepany would no longer employ her.

 Chapter 33: Anger

    <h4>Chapter 33: Anger</h4>


    Because when Ye Xiaomeng took leave, she only mentioned feeling unwell and didn''t tell anyone about her pregnancy. After all, she was unmarried and pregnant, worried about her reputation and colleagues gossiping. She didn''t want people to think she had a shotgun wedding.


    Since she was a long-standing employee, the manager turned a blind eye and approved her leave. But now that there was a new boss, the first thing he did was target her.


    "What exactly happened?" Shu Pan was getting confused. She didn''t understand how Su Yuan was involved with Ye Xiaomeng and their work rtionship.


    It felt like these two individuals were worlds apart and had nothing to do with each other.


    Ye Xiaomeng took a sip of water before slowly exining. Recently, Ye Xiaomeng''spany was acquired by arge American conglomerate. After the new boss took over, he acted swiftly to restructure thepany, causing everyone to feel insecure about their jobs. Since Ye Xiaomeng was on leave, when a colleague discreetly informed her of this news, she had already received her dismissal letter from thepany.


    The HR department even called Ye Xiaomeng directly, urging her toe back andplete the necessary procedures. When Ye Xiaomeng went to the HR department yesterday, the manager stated that it was thepany''s decision to terminate her employment due to herck of dedication and initiative at work. They also mentioned discussingpensation with her.


    "I''m pregnant now, and thepany has no right to terminate me. I''m protected byborws. I know you guys can''t do anything, I''ll talk to the boss myself."


    Without hesitation, Ye Xiaomeng went straight to the CEO''s office and, upon entering, began berating the person sitting at the desk. As she approached, she realized it was Su Yuan and was taken aback. It was unexpected.


    Su Yuan, who was equally surprised, recognized Ye Xiaomeng at first nce. She was Shu Pan''s best friend and Cheng Yang''s fianc¨¦e. That alone deserved some respect.


    But when the HR manager showed him the list of terminated employees, Su Yuan did see Ye Xiaomeng''s name, but he thought there were many people with the same name in the world and didn''t think much of it. Moreover, they hadn''t seen each other in six years, and many things had be hazy in his memory.


    Now seeing Ye Xiaomeng causing a scene in the office, he finally understood.


    "So, it''s you, Ye Xiaomeng. Weren''t you about to marry Cheng Yang? When I met Cheng Yangst time, he said you were on leave and not working. I didn''t expect you to be in thispany." Su Yuan asked in confusion.


    "I''m pregnant, and the fetus is not stable. I took leave to rest at home, and I''ll be back to workter. How can thepany dismiss me?" Ye Xiaomeng didn''t care about being a pregnant woman and raised her voice. She had never been treated like this before, and her anger surged inside her.


    "That must be a misunderstanding. You''re still pregnant, so take care and go back to rest. Come back to work when you''re feeling better." Su Yuan quickly tried to persuade her. The well-being of a pregnant woman was of utmost importance, and if anything happened, it would be hard to exin.


    Ye Xiaomeng wanted to say a few more words, but seeing him respond this way, she decided not to argue further. After all, it was better to let it go.


    "Fine, let''s call it even this time. Consider it a minor inconvenience. But who knows what will happen next time." Ye Xiaomeng grumbled a couple more sentences under her breath.


    "When you have time, let''s all meet up. It''s been a long time since west saw each other," Su Yuan suggested opportunistically.


    "We''ll see then." Ye Xiaomeng knew he wanted to see Shu Pan, but she didn''t want to fulfill his wish, especially since she was annoyed with him.


    Then Ye Xiaomeng left, feeling somewhat uneasy. Afterward, she called Shu Pan to meet and vent about her frustrations.

 Chapter 34: Hypocrite

    <h4>Chapter 34: Hypocrite</h4>


    "Don''t be angry anymore. It''s not like they actually fired you, right? Getting angry isn''t good for the baby when you''re pregnant." Shu Pan, upon understanding the situation, felt a bit short of breath, especially when she realized that Su Yuan had also helped her in the past. She took a sip of juice, contemting whether or not to tell Xiaomeng about this matter.


    "What a hypocrite, a true viin, not even worth a thing." Ye Xiaomeng angrily expressed her feelings while continuing to eat. She picked up a fork and took a big bite of cake, then spoke to Shu Pan, "Luckily, you didn''t end up with him. He''s just a wolf in sheep''s clothing. Looks decent on the surface, but he''s worse than a pig or a dog. He even bullies a pregnant woman."


    Shu Pan smiled helplessly, secretly thinking, "Well, he has no clue you''re pregnant, does he?"


    She watched Ye Xiaomeng without any rebuttal, refraining from exposing her friend''s past dorm room conversations where she endlessly praised Su Yuan and Cheng Yang as the epitome of perfection at T University. They were with top-notch grades, striking looks, and impable character. She had exhausted nearly every adjective to describe them, painting an enchanting picture.


    Perhaps in the past, Shu Pan would have never believed that Su Yuan possessed such maniptive tactics. He had always been refined and courteous. However, after six years, she learned a valuable lesson. Time changed everything, especially people. Those once intimately known now left only a sense of unfamiliarity upon reunion.


    Six years were enough to turn a small innocent rabbit into a cunning wolf.


    Ye Xiaomeng took a sip of water, swallowed her food, and cautiously asked, "Hey, how''s it going between you and Gu Shaoting these days?"


    Ye Xiaomeng felt that fate hadn''t been kind to Shu Pan, delivering a series of blows. As a good friend, she couldn''t help but feel heartbroken for her.


    Shu Pan was taken aback by the question and replied, "It''s still the same. He refuses to divorce, so we''re just stuck in this situation." Her tone sounded nonchnt, but deep down, she felt the heaviness. The person she loved had be her enemy.


    Ye Xiaomeng paused with her cake fork in mid-air, overwhelmed by a sense of helplessness. She couldn''t do much to assist her friend, so all she could do was silently pray and hope that everything would turn out fine. Then, she resumed eating, devouring her second piece of cake.


    Shu Pan rolled her eyes, feeling defeated and powerless in the face of Ye Xiaomeng''s eating prowess.


    "Xiaomeng, cakes are high in calories. Don''t eat too much. You still have dinner tonight," Shu Pan advised, trying to intervene.


    "It''s alright. I can still eat two bowls of rice tonight. Ever since I got pregnant, I''ve been feeling hungry every day. Sometimes I can''t sleep at night due to hunger, so I ask Cheng Yang to go out and buy food," Ye Xiaomeng nonchntly replied. She didn''t think she was eating excessively and believed that one person eating for two was normal.


    As Shu Pan watched her friend''s growing belly, she felt embarrassed. She poured herself a ss of water and took a big gulp before reminding Ye Xiaomeng, "You''ve gained weight now, and it''s not easy to give birth or recover after delivery. Aren''t you worried that Cheng Yang will lose his appetite seeing you like this?"


    Shu Pan administered a strong dose of reality, knowing that Cheng Yang was what mattered most to her.


    Ye Xiaomeng was momentarily stunned, suddenly realizing that she had been indulging herselftely. She used to have a healthy appetite, but it had intensified since bing pregnant. Shu Pan had barely touched her cake, leaving Ye Xiaomeng to finish it all by herself.


    "Am I really gaining a lot of weight? Do I look bloated now?" Ye Xiaomeng was rmed by Shu Pan''s words, realizing that she needed to exercise more restraint.


    "Not yet, but be mindful of your diet," Shu Pan quickly reassured her. ncing at the time, she realized they had been chatting for quite a while. Indeed, joyful moments passed by quickly.

 Chapter 35: Buy Underwear

    <h4>Chapter 35: Buy Underwear</h4>


    Shu Pan got up and went to the restroom. When she returned, she saw Ye Xiaomeng blushing and talking on the phone with Cheng Yang. It made Shu Pan realize that, despite Ye Xiaomeng''s straightforward and tough personality, she too could be a shy and charming woman. People could change when they met the right person.


    As Shu Pan approached, Ye Xiaomeng exchanged a few words with Cheng Yang before hanging up. She turned to Shu Pan and said, "Cheng won''t have any engagements tonight. He''lle to pick me up for shopping and then take me out for dinner. Do you want to join us to avoid going back home to eat?"


    "I don''t want to be a third wheel and spoil your time together. You two go ahead. Just take it easy and don''t overeat. Take care of my godchild," Shu Pan reminded her once again.


    "Forget it. My baby has a strong stomach just like me," Ye Xiaomeng proudly replied, giving Shu Pan a nce.


    Shu Pan smiled wryly and sat for a while before they both left Left Bank Caf¨¦.


    Shortly after, Cheng Yang arrived in his car. After greeting Shu Pan, he left with Ye Xiaomeng.


    Watching the car drive away, Shu Pan felt a sense of mncholy. Sometimes she truly envied Ye Xiaomeng for her carefree nature. It seemed easier for her to find happiness by being simple and carefree.


    She used to believe she was the happiest person, simply because she was able to marry the person she loved. But now? She didn''t dare to expect anything. Everything she had once dreamed of had be distant.


    She was pregnant, and she couldn''t even tell Xiaomeng about it. Because she didn''t know how it would end. If Gu Shaoting refused to divorce, and her belly grewrger, how would she hide it? What would she do?


    She had to carry this secret on her own. Pregnancy was supposed to be the happiest thing between a couple, but now she was the only one experiencing joy. However, she would give her child all the love in the world.


    Her thoughts were interrupted, and she realized there was still plenty of time. Instead of going home to a quiet room, she decided to take a leisurely stroll outside.


    Not far away, she noticed a shopping mall, so she walked there slowly.


    As she passed a sleepwear store, she remembered that a few of her bras had be deformed. So she went straight to the lingerie section and picked a few of her usual styles. They were simple designs, and she didn''t bother trying them on. With tight finances, she couldn''t afford to buy anything that wasn''t essential.


    She took out a bank card from her wallet and handed it to the salesperson without paying much attention. After the transaction, the card was returned to her. As she put it back in her wallet, her heart skipped a beat. It was the credit card Gu Shaoting had given her, which she had never used before. Now she had mistakenly used it for payment, and for buying lingerie of all things. She felt overwhelmed.


    Shu Pan forced a bitter smile, deciding to act as if nothing had happened. If he confronted her, she would simply repay him the money.


    On the other end, Gu Shaoting was at a social gathering when he heard a notification sound from his phone. ncing at it, he saw the words "lingerie store purchase" and couldn''t remain calm. He had given that card to Shu Pan, and she had never used it before. However, he wasn''t a stingy person, and even though he despised Shu Laide, he didn''t extend that attitude toward Shu Pan. So, upon receiving the message, he was only slightly surprised.


    He was always efficient and decisive in his actions, never hesitating or procrastinating. Except when it came to Shu Pan. He didn''t know what he was thinking, but every time he considered divorcing her, he felt a heavy heart and struggled to breathe. But when it came to Shu Laide, he harbored deep hatred. He often wondered why Shu Pan had to be Shu Laide''s daughter.

 Chapter 36: Still Care

    <h4>Chapter 36: Still Care</h4>


    When Shu Pan returned to the residential area, it was already 8 PM. The dim streetlights illuminated the area, but their floor was devoid of any light.


    Shu Pan''s brows rxed, realizing that Gu Shaoting hadn''t returned yet. She was alone at home, so she went straight to the bedroom and took a hot bath, which made her feel much morefortable.


    Compared to the chilly outdoors, the warmth inside her home was weing. Shu Pan read a book for a while and was about to go to sleep when she suddenly heard a knocking sound at the door. She furrowed her brows in confusion and instinctively got up.


    Who could be visiting at this hour? Gu Shaoting had his own key and wouldn''t bother knocking.


    "Mr. Gu, be careful and don''t trip," came the voice of their driver, Wang, from outside the tightly shut door.


    "I''m fine. Come on, let''s have another drink," Gu Shaoting replied, clearly intoxicated.


    Shu Pan opened the door and saw two people standing at the entrance. Wang was supporting Gu Shaoting, who emitted a strong smell of alcohol. His face was flushed, and he leaned on the driver for support.


    "Madam, Mr. Gu had a few drinks at a business gathering tonight. Please take care of him," Wang respectfully exined.


    "Alright. Thank you. Please help me guide him to the bedroom," Shu Pan requested, making way for them. Wang assisted Gu Shaoting into the room.


    After settling Gu Shaoting on the bed, Wang turned to Shu Pan and said, "Madam, I''ll take my leave now. If you need anything, feel free to call me anytime."


    "Okay, thank you. Take care on your way back," Shu Pan replied, expressing her gratitude.


    Once Wang left, Shu Pan walked over to help Gu Shaoting take off his shoes so he could sleep morefortably. However, he suddenly stood up and stumbled with unsteady steps toward the direction of the bathroom. As he passed by the door, Shu Pan saw him bump into it.


    He seemed unfazed by the impact and made no sound. He paused for a moment before entering the bathroom.


    The bathroom door remained open, and the sound of flowing water could be heard.


    Was Gu Shaoting nning to take a bath?


    Concerned about him potentially drowning due to his intoxication, Shu Pan decided to stay near the doorway and keep an eye on the situation. Suddenly, she noticed his clothes scattered on the floor. She tidied them up and blushed at the thought of what was happening inside.


    After a while, she heard the sound of the water shut off. Shu Pan trembled in fear and quickly returned to the bedroom.


    Gu Shaoting emerged from the room, still in his pajamas. He closed his eyes andy down on the bed.


    He was quiet, not making any snoring sounds. Shu Pan couldn''t be sure if he had fallen asleep or not, so she stared at him for a while, observing his movements. Once he remained still, she quietly made her way out.


    Just as Shu Pan was about to close the door, she heard a muffled sounding from the bed behind her¡ªGu Shaoting''s voice.


    Shu Pan was startled, thinking that Gu Shaoting had woken up.


    She nced back and realized he was still asleep, but after a while, she heard his voice again.


    This time, Gu Shaoting muttered several words in session. Shu Pan listened attentively and finally distinguished a word from Gu Shaoting''s mouth, "Water."


    Water?


    Did he want water?


    As Shu Pan''s mind slowly processed the situation, Gu Shaoting repeated his plea twice more: "Water... water..."


    He seemed thirsty, and the room was filled with a pungent smell of alcohol.


    It seemed like he was about to vomit as his head hung outside the edge of the bed, eyes closed, emitting a suppressed groan.


    Shu Pan hesitantly called out to him, "Gu Shaoting?"


    Gu Shaoting didn''t respond as if he hadn''t heard anything.


    Unable to bear seeing him in such distress, Shu Pan turned back and approached the bed. Only then did she notice that hisplexion had turned pale, in stark contrast to the flushed face he had when he entered.


    Seeing him in this vulnerable state, so different from his usual coldness, Shu Pan couldn''t ignore it.


    "...water..." Gu Shaoting muttered the word again, softly and indistinctly.

 Chapter 37: Taking Care of Him

    <h4>Chapter 37: Taking Care of Him</h4>


    Shu Pan immediately snapped back to reality. Without any hesitation, she hurried to the living room and poured a ss of warm water from the coffee table. She carried it back to the bedroom.


    In his drunken state, Gu Shaoting appeared much more docile than when he was sober. He was as obedient as a child.


    As Shu Pan helped him sit up and drink the water, he showed no resistance. He followed her guidance and sat up, opening his mouth obediently to drink. With a few gulps, he finished the water. The furrow between his brows rxed significantly.


    Once Shu Panid him back down on the bed, he immediately closed his eyes and fell asleep.


    Shu Pan covered him with the nket. However, noticing him continuously rubbing his forehead, she couldn''t bear it. She gently reached out and started massaging his temples with a gentle and soothing touch. Perhaps her actions were effective, as he gradually grew calmer, and his breathing became more even.


    Shu Pan continued the massage until Gu Shaoting had fallen into a deep sleep. Only then did she stop, feeling her hand slightly sore and numb. She shook her wrist and her gaze involuntarily fell upon Gu Shaoting''s sleeping face.


    Asleep, Gu Shaoting looked truly harmless¡ªa dignified and captivating face that rivaled that of a celebrity, effortlessly drawing people''s attention.


    Until now, Shu Pan struggled to find an adjective to describe him.


    The best she coulde up with was "handsome and elegant."


    His refined eyebrows, straight nose, thin lips, and graceful facial contours¡ªGu Shaoting''s face was captivating from any angle.


    Although Shu Pan hadn''t been drinking, just looking at Gu Shaoting''s face made her feel intoxicated, as if it was never enough.


    Because there was a lingering smell of alcohol in the room, Shu Pan slightly opened a window to let in a gentle breeze. His short hair fluttered in the air.


    "Water... I want water..." Not long after, Gu Shaoting''s indistinct words echoed once again. Shu Pan bent down and listened carefully. It seemed he still wanted water.


    Quietly, Shu Pan walked out and poured a ss of warm water. She then attended to the heavily intoxicated Gu Shaoting, helping him drink. ncing at the time, it was already around midnight. Considering that staying upte was not good for the baby, and Gu Shaoting seemed to be sleeping more peacefully, Shu Pan gently closed the door and made her way to the adjacent guest bedroom. Shey down on the bed, her thoughts swirling.


    She and he had gone from being the most familiar to bingplete strangers. Or perhaps they were never truly familiar with each other. Throughout their marriage, it seemed like she had invested the most, and sometimes she considered extricating herself. However, she was already deeply entangled, and at times, it felt impossible to break free.


    As Shu Pan pondered, her eyes gradually grew heavy, and she drifted off to sleep.


    Around 6 o''clock in the morning, Shu Pan woke up. Groggily, she quietly approached Gu Shaoting''s bedside and nced at him. He was sleeping soundly.


    Considering that he had consumed alcohol the previous night, she guessed he might wake up with an upset stomach.


    Housekeeper Sister Zhang wouldn''t arrive so early. He would probably be awake by the time breakfast was prepared. It would be best to prepare something for him.


    Shu Pan walked to the kitchen and opened the refrigerator. There were plenty of ingredients prepared by Sister Zhang. Shu Pan took out some lean meat and vegetables, intending to make minced pork congee for him.


    First, she cleaned the meat and chopped it into small pieces. Then, she rinsed the rice and put it in the y pot. She brought it to a boil over high heat. Once it started boiling, she added the lean meat and reduced the heat to a simmer.


    When the porridge was almost done, she added some vegetables and stirred before turning off the heat.

 Chapter 38: Making Congee for Him

    <h4>Chapter 38: Making Congee for Him</h4>


    She ced the cooked congee on the dining table, admiring the creamy grains of rice with hints of green vegetables, making it look truly delicious.


    Shu Pan nced outside and noticed that the sky was starting to brighten.


    After a moment of contemtion, she remembered that today she had to visit her father and Auntie Lu in the rented house.


    There was also an important matter at hand¡ªshe had to go to work. With the baby gradually stabilizing, she needed to work to pay off debts and save money for the baby''s arrival.


    Shu Pan was also worried that Gu Shaoting would wake up and see her. She hastily returned to the bedroom, changed her clothes, and quickly left.


    She bumped into Sister Zhang at the elevator moments ago and greeted her, "Mr. Gu is still asleep. I cooked porridge. When he wakes up, please make sure to tell him to eat."


    Sister Zhang looked at her hurrying out and paused for a moment before responding, "Okay, Madam."


    Although she didn''t understand why Shu Pan was leaving so early, it was a private matter and not her ce to ask. Looking at Shu Pan''s slightly paleplexion, Sister Zhang couldn''t help but say, "Madam, are you okay? You don''t look well."


    "I''m fine. But Mr. Gu drankst night, and hangovers can be quite ufortable. He''ll likely have a headache. Please make him a cup of honey waterter. It might make him feel better."


    "Understood, Madam. I''ll remember." After Sister Zhang replied, she couldn''t help but ask one more question, "Madam, are you going out early because of work?"


    It wasn''t because of work. She just didn''t want to face Gu Shaoting. Shu Pan didn''t tell Sister Zhang the truth, simply nodding her head and saying, "Yes."


    Sister Zhang believed it and quickly said, "Madam, go ahead. Is there anything else you want me to do?"


    Shu Pan thought for a moment, shook her head, and still somewhat concerned, said, "Take good care of him. Thank you."


    "Don''t worry, Madam."


    Shu Pan lowered her head and remained silent.


    Sister Zhang gestured toward the house and said, "I''ll go in then."


    "Okay," Shu Pan responded. Just as Sister Zhang was about to open the door and go inside, Shu Pan called her back. "Don''t tell him that I cooked the congee."


    Sister Zhang was quite surprised and blurted out, "Why?"


    Shu Pan suddenly felt a bit embarrassed. She tried hard to hide her hidden sadness and loneliness, maintaining a calm tone as if speaking about something unrted to herself. She casually replied, "Because if he knows, he might not want to eat it. Besides, I''m not a good cook."


    Sister Zhang was momentarily stunned. She thought to herself that it was difficult to meddle in household affairs. Rather than saying anything else, she observed Shu Pan''sposed demeanor. After a simple "thank you," Shu Pan turned and left.


    Not long after Shu Pan left, Gu Shaoting woke up.


    Hangovers were truly ufortable. His headache was intense. He opened his eyes, forced himself to sit up on the bed, and remained there for a moment before finally getting out of bed and heading to the bathroom to freshen up.


    After taking a hot shower, Gu Shaoting felt refreshed. He grabbed a set of casual home clothes from the dressing room and put them on before leaving the bedroom.


    He couldn''t quite remember how he had made it home. Lately, he had been acting out of character. Normally, he knew his limits when it came to drinking and rarely allowed himself to get drunk. What had happened recently? Whenever he felt frustrated, he ended up drinking more.


    He scanned the room, finding the bedsheets and carpet clean and tidy, without a trace of disorder.


    Was his alcohol tolerance really that good? He started to doubt it. How did he even get home? Could he have made it back to his room on his own?


    Furrowing his brows, he retracted his gaze, opened the door, and walked into the living room.

 Chapter 39: Enticing Congee

    <h4>Chapter 39: Enticing Congee</h4>


    As he stepped into the living room, he saw Sister Zhang busy cleaning.


    "Mr. Gu, you''re awake." Sister Zhang looked up and immediately stopped her work.


    Gu Shaoting didn''t say anything, he just nodded slightly, indicating that he was awake, and then he walked towards the dining table.


    Sister Zhang followed him and, as instructed by Shu Pan, first brought a cup of warm honey water and ced it in front of him. Then she went to the kitchen, brought out the congee that Shu Pan had cooked in a y pot, and served it in a porcin bowl.


    Gu Shaoting had just woken up and had consumed alcohol the previous night, so he felt dry and parched. He drank more than half of the honey water in one breath before cing the cup down. Then he picked up the congee and slowly brought it to his mouth, stirring it a couple of times with the spoon before savoring it.


    The congee, cooked for a long time, was fragrant, smooth, and delicious.


    As soon as it touched his tongue, Gu Shaoting''s brow furrowed slightly, and he continued to take spoonfuls, savoring the warm and tasty congee that soothed his stomach. It was so delicious.


    In no time, the bowl of congee was empty.


    Sister Zhang, who was watching, tactfully asked, "Mr. Gu, would you like another bowl?"


    The congee obviously suited his taste, and he nodded slightly, indicating that he wanted another bowl.


    After finishing the congee, Gu Shaoting''s stomach felt much better, and he was in a better mood. While eating the second bowl, he couldn''t help but ask Sister Zhang, "The congee is cooked perfectly."


    Sister Zhang was taken aback for a moment but then remembered what Shu Pan had told her, not to reveal that she had cooked the congee. The words that Shu Pan had said before leaving echoed in her mind. It seemed that the couple had been having some conflicts, as it ismon for married couples to argue and be reconciled.


    But she couldn''t help but say, "Mr. Gu, Madam prepared this congee for you early this morning before she went out."


    She thought that if Mr. Gu knew about Madam''s efforts, he would be deeply moved.


    Gu Shaoting paused for a moment upon hearing this and casually responded, "Oh." He continued to spoon the congee into his mouth, this time savoring each spoonful slowly. Perhaps because he was ustomed to indulging in extravagant delicacies, asionally enjoying a simple congee was not bad at all.


    Seeing him enjoying the congee, Sister Zhang felt a sense of satisfaction. She believed that she had done the right thing, as Mr. Gu still cared for Madam. Madam''s intentions were not in vain.


    After finishing the congee, Gu Shaoting''s empty stomach was filled, and he felt much morefortable.


    After breakfast, Gu Shaoting returned to the bedroom to pack his luggage. He had to go on a business trip for a few days, a task that Shu Pan usually took care of, but now he had to handle it himself.


    As he looked at the bed, a scene suddenly shed through his mind. Last night, when he was drunkenly half-conscious, it seemed that someone had brought him water.


    He couldn''t recall whether his hand was too weak to lift the cup or if he hadn''t raised it at all. But that person had carefully supported his upper body and fed him water. She had even massaged his head, her gentle touch bringing greatfort.


    Besides Shu Pan, who could it be?


    "Have you heard from Madam about where she went?" Gu Shaoting asked as he saw Sister Zhang passing by the bedroom door, suddenly throwing out the question.


    Sister Zhang shook her head, indicating that she wasn''t sure.


    "It''s alright," Gu Shaoting continued with his task.


    When he was done, he picked up his phone from the bedside table and left.

 Chapter 40: Back to the Old House

    <h4>Chapter 40: Back to the Old House</h4>


    Shu Pan returned to her father''s rental house and saw his increasingly white hair. She couldn''t help but feel a surge of sadness, knowing that her father was worried about debt and feeling guilty for burdening herself.


    No matter how much Shu Pan tried to console him, she still med herself.


    "Panpan, we need to discuss something with you," Auntie Lu suddenly said with a serious expression.


    "What is it, Auntie Lu?" Shu Pan asked nervously, thinking that something significant had happened.


    "Your father and I have discussed it. We n to return to our hometown. The scenery there is beautiful, and it''s quieter. It''s suitable for your father''s recovery, and we won''t need to rent a house, which saves money. The old house is still there, just needs some tidying up before we can live in it. Besides, the transportation is convenient."


    "How can that be? If something happens to you, what am I supposed to do? Renting a house here doesn''t cost much, so you don''t need to worry about money," Shu Pan became anxious. She couldn''t leave them right now as she needed to take care of them, and she couldn''t immediately go back with them due to her work and other responsibilities.


    "It''s alright, we will take care of ourselves. Don''t worry. I just need to focus on recovering my health, and Auntie Lu will take care of me. You cane back to visit us whenever you have time. It''s just a three-hour drive," her father added. He felt that staying here was a burden to Shu Pan, and he also wanted a change of environment as he was easily recognized by acquaintances when he went out. He wanted to start fresh.


    Shu Pan''s hometown was a small town near Bin City, about a three-hour drive away. It had beautiful scenery and was a famous tourist destination, which had developed even more in recent years.


    When Shu Pan''s grandmother was alive, they used to go back frequently. After her grandmother passed away, they stayed in Bin City.


    Seeing that her father and Auntie Lu had already made up their minds, Shu Pan reluctantly agreed but insisted that she would apany them on a trip back. She couldn''t leave without ensuring their well-being.


    Finally, they nodded in agreement. After having dinner at home, Shu Pan went back to her own house.


    When she arrived home, it was only 2 p.m., so Gu Shaoting wouldn''t be there. As expected, there was food prepared on the dining table, probably Sister Zhang assuming she woulde home for lunch.


    As she passed by the bedroom door, she noticed a branded suitcase ced next to the dressing room. Shu Pan suddenly felt mncholic, thinking about the times when they were on good terms, and she used to help him pack his luggage before every trip. Now? They were practically strangers.


    Suddenly, the doorbell interrupted Shu Pan''s thoughts. She walked over and opened the door, only to see Gu Shaoting''s secretary, Zhang, standing outside.


    "Madam, I''m here to help Mr. Gu with his luggage. He''s going on a business trip," Zhang stated the purpose without waiting for Shu Pan to speak.


    "Alright,e in. It''s in the dressing room," Shu Pan opened the door and let Zhang in to retrieve the luggage.


    She turned and poured herself a ss of water in the kitchen, gazing at the warm sunlight outside, which alleviated some of her gloom. Now she could only go with the flow. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn''t change her rtionship with Gu Shaoting.


    Her only focus now was taking good care of herself, protecting her child, and looking after her family.


    After Zhang left, she remained standing there, her thoughts in disarray.


    Shu Pan walked into the study, prepared her professional books and some drawing tools, and decided to end her leave and return to work. Her current goal was to work, earn money, and support her family. The once carefree princess now had to face reality, deal with the necessities of life, and embrace the mundane aspects of everyday living.

 Chapter 41 - 41: Business Trip Scandal

    Chapter 41: Business Trip Scandal


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    These days, with Gu Shaoting not at home, Shu Pan also found herself in a rxed state. She was busy taking care of her father and Auntie Lu, escorting them back to their hometown. Indeed, the scenery of their hometown was beautiful, with picturesque mountains and rivers. After returning, her father¡¯s mood became much brighter. It was truly a good ce for recuperation. Her father even jokingly suggested that she shoulde back and live there in the future, to which she just smiled in response.


    Meanwhile, the River International Airport was bustling with activity. Reporters crowded the entrance, all seemingly waiting for someone¡¯s arrival. In the midst of the bustling crowd, Tong Fei stood out in her white knitted dress. The form-fitting dress highlighted her figure, showcasing her envy-inducing long legs. She possessed a tall and beautiful stature, with wless porcin-like skin that radiated a charming and innocent aura. Behind herrge sunsses, her star-like aura was undeniable.


    The reporters had their cameras and microphones ready, prepared to capture thetest gossip news. Many had received information that Tong Fei and her ex-fianc¨¦, Gu Shaoting, were abroad together, supposedly for a work-rted meetup. Today, upon their return, the news was perfectly timed. Additionally, Tong Fei was attending an anniversary event for an international brand she endorsed, which was also the reason for her appearance.


    Sure enough, Tong Fei emerged from the airport. ¡°Miss Tong, is this trip for endorsements? We heard that you and Mr. Gu came together.¡±


    ¡°Noment. Thank you, everyone.¡± Tong Fei¡¯s assistant, Zhou, quickly stepped in to fend off the reporters¡¯ questions.


    Tong Fei smiled and said, ¡°Thank you for your concern. Please give us some space. ¡±


    With that, she hurriedly left.


    ¡°Mr. Gu, why did you choose this flight today?¡± Wearing ck-framed sses and a deep blue suit, Zhang, the fair-faced secretary, watched the approaching reporters with a headache.


    Ever since encountering Tong Fei in the U.S., his temples had been throbbing. It was just such a coincidence that on the second day of Mr. Gu¡¯s business trip, he bumped into Tong Fei, who was endorsing a brand in the U.S. Due to her longer time in the industry and her increasing international recognition, Tong Fei¡¯s fame had grown significantly. Coupled with their past rtionship, she was like an octopus, always finding opportunities to get close to Mr. Gu, dining together, having coffee together. Upon learning that they were on the same flight today, she had secured her own ticket without hesitation. Now, the two of them were leaving one after the other.


    The man in front of him was none other than the boss, Gu Shaoting. Wearing a ck suit, a hint of intriguing smile tugged at his lips as he remarked, ¡°I¡¯m evaluating your abilities.¡± After speaking, he strode towards the bustling crowd.


    With drooping shoulders, Zhang looked helplessly at his boss. This assessment was truly a headache, especially with these entertainment reporters who were more persistent than flies. Businessmen usually didn¡¯t attract the attention of entertainment reporters, but unfortunately, his boss was irresistibly charming. After a rumor with the self-proimed ¡°number one beauty in the entertainment industry,¡± supermodel Tong Fei, he had been swept into the entertainment world.


    Actually, his boss did indeed share a deep connection with Tong Fei.


    Seeing Tong Fei getting into the car arranged by her agency and driving away, he noticed more and more reporters flocking around him. He quickly approached them and tried to shield them away, a miserable task indeed!


    Finally making it outside the airport, a ck luxury car was waiting by the entrance. The driver respectfully bowed to the iing individual, opened the back door, and incidentally blocked the approaching reporters. Realizing that they wouldn¡¯t get an interview, the reporters shifted their attention to Zhang, who was left behind. With a mournful expression, he watched himself being left behind and cornered by reporters, while his boss, expressionless, got into the car and provided the paparazzi with a perfect side profile shot. What an evil boss. The one who would suffer would always be his secretary..

 Chapter 42 - 42: Self-staged Drama

    Chapter 42: Self-staged Drama


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Gu Shaoting opened hisptop in the car and nced over the recent projects thepany had signed. He was seated in the passenger seat while He Ming, beside him, suddenly turned and said, ¡°Tong Fei¡¯s calling, for you.¡±


    Gu Shaoting raised his eyes slightly, but his gaze remained fixed on theputer screen. Then he extended a hand to take the phone.


    ¡°Hello, Tong Fei, what¡¯s up?¡± he answered.


    ¡°Shaoting, are you in the car? I got a bit startled by all those reporters at the airport just now. Sorry for causing you trouble,¡± Tong Fei¡¯s voice sounded gentle and tender, evoking a sense of pity.


    ¡°It¡¯s alright, I¡¯m a grown man, what¡¯s there to be afraid of? Just be cautious when you¡¯re out.¡± Gu Shaoting¡¯s deep and maic voice came from the other end of the phone.


    ¡°I heard from Auntie that Grandpa¡¯s birthday is in a few days. I¡¯ll go and visit him then.¡±


    ¡°Alright, that sounds good,¡± Gu Shaoting replied casually before ending the call and handing the phone to He Ming.


    After that, Gu Shaoting closed hisptop, rubbed his forehead, and leaned back on the rear seat, closing his eyes to rest. He Ming wisely remained silent and turned his attention to the driver.


    Meanwhile, in thepany¡¯s chauffeured car, Tong Fei¡¯s assistant, Zhou, couldn¡¯t help but ask with confusion, ¡°Miss Fei, why did you instruct me to notify so many reporters toe to the airport? Gu Shaoting isn¡¯t divorced yet, and you¡¯re stirring up a scandal with him. It could be a big problem if the reporters find out.¡±


    Tong Fei replied nonchntly, ¡°What¡¯s there to worry about? They¡¯ll definitely get divorced eventually. Besides, Shaoting¡¯s attitude toward me is lukewarm. If I don¡¯t ignite a spark, it won¡¯t catch fire. This will make his wife back off.¡±


    Zhou said, ¡°Oh, I see. That¡¯s why.¡±


    Tong Fei gazed out of the window, her mood far from calm. During their time in the US, she had actively approached him and dropped many hints, but Gu Shaoting remained unmoved.


    Despite having such a seductive figure in his presence, he acted like a fool and remained indifferent to her advances.


    So, she staged this whole situation herself, having her assistant spread rumors to let everyone know she was with Gu Shaoting.


    She was certain that the entertainment headlines would explode sooner orter, and she didn¡¯t believe Shu Pan wouldn¡¯t notice.


    If she did notice, she surely would have thoughts. Could she really not divorce Gu Shaoting?


    She was always full of confidence in getting what she wanted.


    After spending so long in the entertainment industry, her heart was weary, and she longed for a home and a support system. Without a doubt, Gu Shaoting was the best choice.


    Rather than going straight home, Gu Shaoting had the driver take him and He Ming to a restaurant. He intended to have a good meal. He wasn¡¯t ustomed to the foreign cuisine.


    Now it would be best to have a pot of sticky congee, just like the one he had that day. Somehow, Gu Shaoting suddenly remembered and felt a nostalgic aftertaste.


    He Ming began teasing as soon as they sat down, ¡°Not bad, my man. You¡¯re on a business trip with a beauty by your side. You¡¯re living the good life, huh?¡±


    ¡°Get lost, it¡¯s just a coincidence we ran into each other in the US. Nothing happened, ¡± Gu Shaoting exined, a rare urrence.


    He Ming had always found Gu Shaoting¡¯s rtionship with Tong Fei to be confusing, like trying to see flowers through the fog. He couldn¡¯t fathom what attracted Gu Shaoting to Tong Fei, as his socialite friends were far more suitable in terms of background and education.


    Due to Gu Shaoting¡¯s previous rtionship with Tong Fei, their friends were acquainted with her, making them more amicable toward her.


    ¡°Oh, by the way, Shu Laide has returned to his hometown. He¡¯s no longer in Bin City,¡± He Ming suddenly mentioned.


    Gu Shaoting was taken aback, clearly surprised by why Shu Laide would return to such a remote ce. Of course, Shu Pan wouldn¡¯t tell him. ¡°Well, he¡¯s wise, quick on his feet. He¡¯s no longer under my nose,¡± Gu


    Shaoting¡¯s thin lips uttered a chilling sentence..

 Chapter 43 - 43: Grandpa’s Birthday

    Chapter 43: Grandpa¡¯s Birthday


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    After dinner, Gu Shaoting returned home.


    Upon his return, Shu Pan was probably in the midst of taking a shower as the sound of rushing water emanated from the bathroom. He suddenly felt a surge of warmth within himself. He hadn¡¯t been drinking tonight, so what was going


    Before long, Shu Pan emerged from the bathroom, d in a soft pink sleepwear ensemble. Though it was modestly covered, the fabric entuated her alluring figure with its graceful contours.


    Seeing her, Gu Shaoting felt even more parched in his throat. He briskly walked to the kitchen, poured a ss of cold water, and guzzled it down, feeling much relieved afterward.


    ¡°Grandpa¡¯s birthday is on Saturday. Get ready for it,¡± Gu Shaoting suddenly spoke, startling Shu Pan.


    However, since they were the only ones in the house, Shu Pan knew he was addressing her.


    ¡°Sure, I know.¡± She definitely wouldn¡¯t forget Grandpa¡¯s birthday. She pondered what kind of gift she should get for him.


    The Gu family in Bin City was a prominent and well-connected lineage.


    Grandpa Gu¡¯s birthday wasn¡¯t initially nned to be grand, given his advanced age and preference for tranquility. He simply wanted to invite close family and friends for a cozy reunion dinner.


    However, on that Saturday, quite a few people with intentions to connect with the Gu family showed up, bearing expensive gifts and offering birthday wishes without any invitation.


    Birthdays were meant to be festive asions, and since the guests were already there, they couldn¡¯t be turned away. Byte afternoon, the living of the Gu familys ancestral mansion was already filled with guests.


    The guests continued to arrive gradually, and Shu Pan came rtivelyte due to waiting for Gu Shaoting.


    She wore a simple sweater dress with a coat over it, paired with low-heeled t boots. She looked poised and yful at the same time.


    Because so many guests were present at home, Grandpa Gu was busy attending to them, unlikest time when he focused all his attention on Gu Shaoting and Shu Pan.


    So, after parking the car, Gu Shaoting didn¡¯t wait for Shu Pan and headed into the house on his own.


    Shu Pan carried a gift, one that she had picked herself. She had chosen a cozy branded sweater for Grandpa Gu. It was a light gift with deep sentiment, as Grandpa Gucked nothing, and caring for him was the best gift she could give as a junior.


    When Shu Pan entered, she saw that Gu Shaoting was already in conversation with Grandpa Gu.


    Though they were separated by a distance and the crowd was noisy, Shu Pan could still hear their conversation.


    ¡°Where¡¯s Pan? Why didn¡¯t shee with you?¡± Grandpa Gu asked with confusion.


    ¡°She¡¯sing right behind me. She met some friends on the way,¡± Gu Shaoting exined.


    Afterward, he spotted familiar friends and walked away.


    Seeing this, Shu Pan approached Grandpa Gu to wish him a happy birthday and offered her gift.


    Grandpa chuckled with a wide smile that he couldn¡¯t quite close his mouth. Then, he joyfully held her and bombarded her with questions. It wasn¡¯t until one of his old friends approached to exchange pleasantries with him that Shu Pan could finally take her leave.


    Shu Pan always felt that such asions weren¡¯t suitable for her. Every time she encountered such gatherings, she was cautious, fearing making a mistake and bing the subject of ridicule.


    Not far away, Gu Shaoting was engaged in conversation with his friends, while Song Can, the hostess of the event, dressed elegantly, exuded charm, and seemedpletely at ease in social situations. She appeared to be a natural when it came to socializing.


    Observing Song Can busily moving around, Shu Pan hesitated about whether to approach and greet her..

 Chapter 44 - 44: The Appearance of the Supporting Actress

    Chapter 44: The Appearance of the Supporting Actress


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    As Shu Pan hesitated, a graceful figure entered the room with the crowd. Upon closer inspection, she recognized it as Tong Fei, though she hadn¡¯t actually met her in person before. She had only seen her in newspaper articles.


    The news of her secret meetings with Gu Shaoting had been spreading like wildfire these past couple of days. It was hard to ignore, but Shu Pan had gradually managed to remain calm. Even though asional ripples of pain still washed over her, most of the time she simply ignored these reports.


    Wherever the beautiful woman went, she couldn¡¯t be ignored. Tong Fei was dressed in a ck cashmere skirt and wore a beret. Her overall demeanor was elegant and refined, and she possessed a natural grace that made any attire look stunning.


    Shu Pan couldn¡¯t help but mock herself internally. She and Tong Fei were like the difference between an ugly duckling and a swan. Even without the matter of her father, any discerning person could tell who was the wise choice for Gu Shaoting.


    Tong Fei walked in with arge gift box in her hand, making her way toward Grandpa. She affectionately called him ¡°Grandpa¡± and handed over the gift, along with some auspicious words.


    Standing nearby, Shu Pan watched as Grandpa epted the gift with a casual


    ¡°Thank you.¡± He then turned to address others


    After all, guests hade to celebrate, so he couldn¡¯t be overly critical. He politely added, ¡°Please help yourselves.¡±


    Tong Fei realized that her presence wasn¡¯t being well received, recognizing Grandpa¡¯s attitude. She forced a smile and said, ¡°I¡¯ll leave you to chat, Grandpa.


    I¡¯ll go find Auntie.¡±


    With a simple ¡°Hmm¡± from Grandpa, she walked away.


    Not far away, Song Can noticed her and approached, cing her hand affectionately on Tong Fei¡¯s arm. Their intimate interaction might have led an unaware observer to believe they were mother and daughter.


    Song Can led Tong Fei over to her circle of close friends andpanions.


    Meanwhile, not too far from Shu Pan, a group of women were discussing their husbands. Because they were close by, Shu Pan could hear their conversation quite clearly.


    ¡°My husband went to France a few days ago and brought back a bag like this. It¡¯s hideous, just look at this one in my hand. Can you believe it? It¡¯s the new limited edition this month. Men¡¯s taste is so different, right?¡± One slightly plump woman, who was closest to Shu Pan, pointed to the recently released limited edition bag, seemingly expressing disdain while actually boasting.


    ¡°I thought it was just our husbands whose taste wasn¡¯t great. So, men are like this? Look at my ne. The pendant is this huge diamond, totally mismatched. It feels like nouveau riche, no elegance at all¡­¡± A slightly older woman raised her hand and touched the sparkling pink diamond pendant around her neck, lingering slightly on the radiant gem.


    Following suit, the woman beside her, with a somewhat troubled expression, chimed in, ¡°Exactly, who doesn¡¯t agree? My husband is the same way. Every time hees back from a business trip, he brings me a gift. Like these shoes on my feet, they¡¯re thetest model, globally limited. They cost six figures. It¡¯s a shame to leave them untouched. However, they¡¯re hard to match with outfits, so it¡¯s quite frustrating sometimes¡­¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s exactly how it is in our household too.¡±


    Shu Pan found the conversation incredibly dull. She didn¡¯t know these women and had no interest in their topics, so she couldn¡¯t join the conversation.


    As it was Grandpa¡¯s birthday celebration, she endured the situation.


    In truth, she looked like an outsider now,pletely out of ce. Everyone else seemed to have found their roles and positions in such an asion, while she remained lost, unable to fit in..

 Chapter 45 - 45: Provoke

    Chapter 45: Provoke


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    For men, young and beautiful women can bring them vanity. Simrly, for women, a loving husband was their capital for showing off, making others envious.


    In a group of women gathered together, the atmosphere seemed harmonious and cheerful, but in reality, they were subtly praising while belittling each other in theirpetition.


    Only Shu Pan maintained a faint smile on her face and stayed silent on the sidelines.


    The husband she loved not only didn¡¯t love her back, but also hated her. What could be more tragic than that? She had nothing to show off about.


    Initially, it was bearable, but as time passed, Shu Pan started feeling increasingly ufortable. She looked around, hoping to find a ce to escape. Suddenly, a voice called out to her, ¡°You¡¯re Shu Pan, right? I¡¯ve heard Shaoting mention you.¡± The voice was soft and gentle, making her involuntarily turn her head.


    Though she couldn¡¯t see the person, she could sense that the voice belonged to an attractive woman.


    Shu Pan¡¯s body tensed, a bad feeling rising within her heart. She turned around to find Tong Fei indeed standing there.


    Shu Pan thought, if Xiaomeng were here, she¡¯d definitely mock Tong Fei mercilessly. But Shu Pan had never been able to be confrontational, and in this kind of situation, she truly wanted to keep her distance. Yet, here she was, approaching Shu Pan. It was truly helpless.


    Tong Fei faced Shu Pan and giggled sweetly, ¡°Ms. Shu, I¡¯ve long heard of your reputation. A few days ago, I happened to meet Shaoting in the US. I wonder how Miss Shu feels about the news in the newspapers?¡±


    Shu Pan¡¯s fingertips trembled slightly, but her face remained emotionless, still disying that calm demeanor.


    Tong Fei¡¯s impact was like a fist striking cotton. Then she whispered in Shu Pan¡¯s ear, ¡°What¡¯s the point of clinging to Mrs. Gu¡¯s position? Shaoting doesn¡¯t love you. He was only ying a role with you before. If you¡¯re sensible, it¡¯s best to get a divorce as soon as possible.¡±


    ¡°Ms. Tong, isn¡¯t it? Thank you for your concern, but this is a matter between my husband and me. I¡¯d appreciate it if an outsider like you wouldn¡¯t get involved. After all, crossing boundaries wouldn¡¯t be good for Ms. Tong¡¯s reputation or career.¡± Shu Pan couldn¡¯t help but retort sarcastically, her anger rising. She wanted to say aloud, if Tong Fei could make Gu Shaoting divorce her, she might actually thank her!


    ¡°Oh my, isn¡¯t that the famous model Tong Fei? She¡¯s here too. It seems her rtionship with Gu Shaoting is quite something. Look at her, even women are moved by her allure. It¡¯s no wonder Gu Shaoting fell for her seductive charm.¡± The slightly plump woman who was unting her limited edition bag suddenly spoke up, her voice slightly lowered but sharp enough to be heard.


    ¡°That¡¯s right, Mr. Gu is handsome and wealthy. It¡¯s only natural for so many women to be drawn to him. Who wouldn¡¯t be tempted?¡±


    Shu Pan saw that Tong Fei waspletelyposed, and not at all embarrassed. She couldn¡¯t help but inwardly criticize her, thinking that people truly have no shame. In the eyes of women, Gu Shaoting was like a delicious treat.


    As Gu Shaoting and Shu Pan¡¯s marriage had been low-key without extravagant celebrations, and only a few people knew about it, many were unfamiliar with Shu Pan. Shu Pan was fine with that.


    Seeing that Shu Pan was out of her element, Tong Fei also lost interest. She turned and approached Song Can, leaving behind a faint fragrance that made Shu Pan feel nauseous.


    By around 6 0¡¯clock, most of the guests had arrived. The food and pastries were ready, and the minor disturbances had passed. The guests enjoyed themselves.


    Throughout the evening, Gu Shaoting was busy greeting friends, family, and business partners. Shu Pan felt like an outsider,pletely excluded. Neither Gu Shaoting nor Song Can seemed interested in introducing her. This was for the best, as gradually, she would withdraw from their circle..

 Chapter 46 - 46: Burning with Anger

    Chapter 46: Burning with Anger


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    After the banquet concluded, Shu Pan saw Tong Fei pulling Gu Shaoting aside, not sure what they were discussing. Tong Fei¡¯s coquettish demeanor made it hard for anyone to refuse her requests.


    Sure enough, she saw Gu Shaoting nodding and leaving with Tong Fei.


    Thinking that she might need to take a ride back, Shu Pan decided to greet the grandpa first. With many of his old friends and former business partners attending the birthday party, he was busy socializing, leaving no chance for Shu Pan to exchange a few words with him.


    After exchanging a few heartfelt words with the grandpa and letting him know that Gu Shaoting had left for something, Shu Pan returned home around 9 o¡¯clock. Since she hadn¡¯t eaten much at the birthday banquet, she made herself a bowl of soup noodles for the night and then went to her room to take a shower.


    Not long after, she heard a noise in the living room, indicating that Gu Shaoting had returned. Shu Pan didn¡¯t intend to go out and greeted him. Since her father¡¯s incident, they had started sleeping in separate rooms. In a daze, Shu Pan woke up feeling thirsty. She got up and walked out of the room, nning to go to the kitchen to get some water.


    ¡°Bang!¡±


    She heard something falling in the living room. As she turned towards the living room, she realized that Gu Shaoting had returned without her noticing. He was sitting on the couch, his eyebrows furrowed tightly. One hand was clutching his stomach, while the other reached for a medicine bottle on the coffee table. His forehead was covered in a thinyer of sweat, and he looked in a lot of pain.


    Seeing this, Shu Pan was startled and hurried over. ¡°Gu Shaoting, what¡¯s wrong?¡± She noticed broken ss on the floor and water spilled around. It seemed he had identally knocked over a ss.


    ¡°Gu Shaoting, what happened to you?¡± Shu Pan was taken aback by his pale and bloodless face. She half-supported him and helped him retrieve the medicine bottle from the coffee table. However, the bottle was empty, not a single pill left.


    Seeing him pale and in obvious pain, Shu Pan was genuinely scared. Her voice began to tremble as she said, ¡°There¡¯s none left, what should we do? Do you have backup medication? Let me check the medicine box.¡±


    Shu Pan searched through the medicine box, turning it upside down, but couldn¡¯t find the medicine she needed. She panicked.


    Gu Shaoting shook his head slightly, his hand still clutching his stomach. He looked like he was in agony.


    ¡°So, what do we do?¡± Shu Pan was frantic, like an ant on a hot pan. Seeing him in so much pain, she didn¡¯t know what to do.


    Gu Shaoting, enduring the pain, managed to say, ¡°Don¡¯t worry too much. It¡¯s an old problem. Fetch me a jacket and take me to the hospital.¡¯


    Shu Pan nodded in a hurry and went back to the room to get a jacket for him. Then she helped him out with her keys.


    Due to the pain, Gu Shaoting was almost leaning entirely on Shu Pan¡¯s side. At that moment, no one paid attention to their usual distance and detachment. Shu Pan struggled to help him into the car. He clenched his teeth, gripping his stomach, and leaning against the passenger seat. Shu Pan looked at his agonized expression and felt worried. She bent down and adjusted his seat a little lower, helping him bnce. Then she started the car and drove toward thergest hospital in Bin City.


    As it was gettingte, there weren¡¯t many cars on the road. Shu Pan encountered a red light and felt anxious. Seeing Gu Shaoting¡¯s pale face, her inner turmoil increased. Fortunately, nothing unexpected happened, and they


    soon arrived at the hospital..

 Chapter 47 - 47: Hospitalized (1)

    Chapter 47: Hospitalized (1)


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Gu Shaoting was quickly taken to the emergency room, where he received an injection and medication. Hisplexion improved slightly, and while his eyebrows were still furrowed, he no longer looked as pale as before.


    During the time he was receiving an IV, Shu Pan was concerned and asked the doctor. They exined that his gastric ulcer had recurred, probably due to alcohol or spicy food stimtion. Although it wasn¡¯t too severe and didn¡¯t require surgery, he needed to stay in the hospital for observation.


    Shu Pan couldn¡¯t help but sigh. She guessed that he had been drinking too much recently. She had seen him intoxicated several times recently. She thought about saying something but ultimately decided against it. Considering their recent situation, she kept her concerned words to herself.


    Hearing the doctor¡¯s exnation, Shu Pan felt relieved. She looked at Gu Shaoting, who was now asleep on the bed. Although he still had a furrowed brow, he appeared less fragile than before. At that moment, he seemed vulnerable, like a child. His sickness had stripped away the cold and distant facade he usually wore. Shu Pan stood up, gathered the necessary documents, and went toplete the hospital admission procedures on his behalf.


    When she returned, Gu Shaoting had regained consciousness in a dazed state. He nced at Shu Pan, who was sitting beside him, then closed his eyes again, appearing confused.


    Since she had left in a hurry, she hadn¡¯t brought any daily necessities. She knew there was a supermarket near the hospital entrance, so while he was sleeping, she nned to buy some towels, a toothbrush, and a basin.


    Before leaving the hospital, Shu Pan specifically asked the doctor about his condition. They advised him to take care of his stomach during this period, reduce alcohol consumption, and try to eat lighter foods, especially avoiding excessive drinking.


    Worried that he might wake up hungry in the middle of the night, Shu Pan bought a bowl of congee for him.


    In the middle of the night, Gu Shaoting did wake up, but due to thirst. Lying in the hospital bed, he hazily recognized that he was in a hospital, not at home. His throat felt incredibly dry. He reached out to grab the cup on the bedside table but found it out of reach.


    Rolling slightly, he saw Shu Pan sleeping at the bedside, her hand resting on his leg. For some reason, a warm feeling flowed through his heart. Afraid of waking her, he moved as carefully as he could.


    Although he was being cautious and his movements were slight, he still managed to wake the lightly sleeping Shu Pan. Seeing him awake, she hurriedly asked, ¡°Are you awake? Are you still feeling ufortable? Is your stomach still hurting? Are you hungry? Would you like some congee?¡±


    As she spoke, she reached out and touched the package of congee, which was still slightly warm.


    Gu Shaoting looked at her, shook his head slightly, and realized that she had been startled by him yesterday. He wanted to reassure her that he was fine now, but when he tried to speak, he found his voice stuck in his throat. ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± he managed to rasp out, his voice hoarse and dry.


    Seeing this, Shu Pan quickly poured a ss of water and handed it to him. Half-supporting him, she held the cup and helped him drink.


    Gu Shaoting practically downed half the ss of water in one breath. His parched throat finally felt a bit relieved.


    Shu Pan ced the nket back on the cab beside the bed and then asked him, ¡°Are you hungry? I bought some congee just now, and it¡¯s still a bit warm.¡±


    Gu Shaoting shook his head. He had no appetite at the moment. Lying on the bed, he was drowsy and closed his eyes again.


    Images of Shu Pan bustling around kept shing in his mind. The way she had taken care of him and shown concern for his illness made him feel something unusual in his heart, especially considering the way he had been treating her


    recently..

 Chapter 48 - 48: Hospitalized (2)

    Chapter 48: Hospitalized (2)


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    The next day, Gu Shaoting woke up in a daze, faintly hearing Shu Pan on the phone with Sister Zhang. She asked Sister Zhang to buy some fresh lean meat and make congee, and she said she would pick it upter.


    By the time he fully woke up, she had already hung up and returned to his bedside. Seeing him awake, she told him that she would pick up the congee for himter.


    Gu Shaoting looked at her for a while before nodding. ¡°Go back and cook it. Make the same congee as before.¡±


    He was indeed hungry. At his grandfather¡¯s birthday banquet the day before, he hadn¡¯t consumed much alcohol, but he had hardly eaten anything. He had drunk on an empty stomach, mixing different types of alcohol altogether. When he sent Tong Fei back, he felt a little ufortable. Although the driver was driving, the car was bumpy, so his stomach felt even worse.


    He knew it was a recurrence of his gastric ulcer, but he had insisted on having his driver take him home, thinking that a few pills would solve the issue. However, even the heavens seemed to be against him. The medicine bottle was empty. He had taken all the medicine long ago, but because he hadn¡¯t been socializing much and hadn¡¯t been drinking heavily, he had forgotten to restock his medicine at home.


    While Shu Pan went home to get the congee, Gu Shaoting called his secretary to inform him that he wouldn¡¯t being to the office today. If there were any urgent contracts, he could send them directly to the hospital.


    Secretary Zhang was startled by Gu Shaoting¡¯s hoarse voice and hastily asked what had happened. Gu Shaoting exined the situation, but before he could finish, Secretary Zhang asked for the address and said he woulde over.


    Shu Pan arrived with the congee from home and also prepared a few light dishes for him.


    A nurse came to take his temperature. Fortunately, he didn¡¯t have a high fever, but he still needed to continue receiving IV fluids. The nurse reminded him to be cautious with his diet during this time, especially avoiding spicy food and alcohol. Shu Pan noted down all the instructions.


    Gu Shaoting received a call from He Ming when Secretary Zhang arrived. At that moment, Gu Shaoting and Secretary Zhang were discussing work matters. The phone was nearby, and when it rang, Gu Shaoting nced at it and picked it up.


    ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± Gu Shaoting couldn¡¯t help but roll his eyes. It was early morning, and everyone was calling to check on him.


    ¡°Hey, what are you doing? Still lost in sweet dreams?¡± He Ming¡¯s teasing voice sounded from the other end of the line.


    ¡°I had a gastric ulcer attackst night. The doctor says I need to stay in the hospital for a few days.¡± Gu Shaoting didn¡¯t want to say much.


    ¡°You mixed several types of alcohol again, didn¡¯t you? You¡¯re prone to illness when you drink like that,¡± He Ming muttered.


    He had already suffered from drinking like that in the past. There was one time it got really serious, and he ended up vomiting blood due to severe gastric bleeding, which frightened everyone. He had probably drunk too much the previous night.


    ¡°Which hospital are you in? I¡¯lle to see you.¡± Gu Shaoting gave He Ming the hospital¡¯s name and address before hanging up. He thought he could rest peacefully and recover, but it seemed like one by one, people wereing to visit. There was no chance for a quiet recovery.


    After that, he finished talking with Secretary Zhang. Secretary Zhang looked at


    Shu Pan and nodded with a smile. Then he turned to Gu Shaoting and said, ¡°Mr. Gu, take care of yourself. I¡¯ll go back to thepany and make sure everything you¡¯ve assigned gets taken care of.¡±


    Gu Shaoting nodded without objection.


    As Secretary Zhang left, Shu Pan got up to see him off. When she returned, Gu Shaoting was leaning against the bedside. Although hisplexion was a little worn, it didn¡¯t diminish his handsomeness and charm. Despite the morning rounds, IV, and medication, every time a different nurse attended to him. Even when there wasn¡¯t much to do, nurses would oftene to check the medical records at the bedside. It was clear how many people were captivated by his charm..

 Chapter 49 - 49: Mother-in-law’s Scolding

    Chapter 49: Mother-inw¡¯s Scolding


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    After Secretary Zhang left, the room fell silent. As Shu Pan was about to tidy up the desk, the phone rang again. Gu Shaoting picked it up and nced at it. It was Song Can. He handed the phone to Shu Pan, signaling her to answer it.


    Shu Pan took the phone with confusion, looking at the disy showing ¡°Mom.¡± She hesitated for a moment before putting it to her ear.


    Before Shu Pan could even greet her mother, Song Can had already started talking about her conversation with Tong Feist night. She mentioned that Tong Fei still liked Gu Shaoting and was trying to please her. Shu Pan listened quietly, unable to interject. Once Song Can finished speaking, she noticed that Gu Shaoting hadn¡¯t responded. She tried tentatively, ¡°Shaoting, are you listening? React, please.¡±


    This gave Shu Pan a chance to speak. She exined, ¡°Um, Mom, it¡¯s Shu Pan. Last night, Shaoting wasn¡¯t feeling well due to stomach issues, and he¡¯s currently under observation at the hospital. It¡¯s not very convenient for him to answer calls.¡±


    There seemed to be a hint of surprise from the other end of the line, but it only took a few seconds for Song Can to grasp the situation. She realized that it was Shu Pan who picked up the phone, and she didn¡¯t find it awkward at all. She didn¡¯t take what she had just said on the call seriously.


    ¡°What? Hospitalized? Is he alright?¡± Song Can asked excitedly. She hadn¡¯t expected that someone who was finest night would end up in the hospital today.


    Although it wasn¡¯t a major issue, the fact that he needed to stay in the hospital for observation did warrant an exnation to Song Can.


    ¡°He has a gastric ulcer and needs to stay in the hospital for observation,¡± Shu Pan replied truthfully.


    ¡°Ah! How did this happen? He¡¯s okay, right?¡± Song Can¡¯s voice raised a pitch in surprise.


    ¡°Last night, I think he drank too much,¡± Shu Pan exined.


    ¡°Shu Pan, honestly, I don¡¯t expect you to help withpany matters, but you should at least take care of him. Look at what kind of life you two are leading! You¡¯ve even ended up in the hospital!¡± Song Can¡¯s voice was filled with reproach.


    Shu Pan couldn¡¯t argue. It was true. The current situation was less than ideal. She had always known that Song Can didn¡¯t like her. Inparison, Tong Fei seemed more like the daughter-inw she desired.


    ¡°Mom, I¡¯ll pay more attention from now on,¡± Shu Pan¡¯s eyes suddenly welled up with tears. As she had her back to Gu Shaoting, he didn¡¯t see the expression on her face.


    ¡°As a wife, you should always care about your husband¡¯s health,¡± Song Can scolded while asking, ¡°Where is he now? I¡¯lle over.¡±


    Shu Pan provided the name and address of the hospital, and then Song Can hung up the phone.


    Shu Pan adjusted her emotions and turned to Gu Shaoting, informing him, ¡°Mom knows about your illness. She¡¯lle overter.¡±


    Gu Shaoting furrowed his brows slightly, ¡°Why did you tell her about this?


    She¡¯s bound to nag.¡±


    Shu Pan poured a ss of warm water for Gu Shaoting. After talking for a while, his throat had be quite dry. He didn¡¯t refuse and took the ss, drinking a sip.


    After a moment of silence, Shu Pan said, ¡°Since your stomach isn¡¯t well, try to drink less in the future.¡±


    She wasn¡¯t sure about his recent binge drinking. Could it be for Tong Fei?


    Gu Shaoting remained silent, staring at her intently. He reached out and held her hand. His hand was a bit warm, and the tight grip made his hand slightly sweaty. She didn¡¯t pull her hand away, afraid of disturbing the needle in his hand.


    In truth, she had been genuinely scaredst night. Anyone would have been startled, considering how he looked when she saw him¡ªpale, clutching his stomach in silence. Luckily, he was fine now..

 Chapter 50 - 50: Leave Quietly

    Chapter 50: Leave Quietly


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Only to see that Gu Shaoting was still holding her hand, Shu Pan felt a bit awkward, not knowing whether to retract it or not. She also noticed that he was lightly rubbing the palm of her hand with his thumb, causing a sudden electric sensation that seemed to go straight to her brain.


    Seeing him in this dazed state, not speaking, she thought he might not have heard her. After a while, she whispered again, ¡°You should still drink less in the future.¡±


    At this moment, Gu Shaoting really appeared as if he had taken off his usual armor, his entire demeanor gentle and harmless.


    Feeling a bit embarrassed by his gaze, her face slightly reddened. She then pulled her hand back and said, excusing herself to the restroom.


    In truth, Shu Pan had no intention of going to the restroom. She had used that as an excuse to escape the awkward situation. As she walked down the hallway, she was just about to turn back when she realized she did actually need to use the restroom. So, she headed in that direction.


    As she returned and was about to open the door, she suddenly heard Song Can¡¯s voice from the single-patient room where Gu Shaoting was, ¡°Shaoting, what¡¯s going on? You were finest night. Where¡¯s Shu Pan? Where did she run off to? Is this how a wife should behave?¡±


    Her mother-inw¡¯s string of reproachful words shot out like bullets from a machine gun.


    Shu Pan¡¯s hand on the doorknob paused for a moment, hesitating whether to open it or not.


    ¡°She just stepped out for a moment, everything¡¯s fine. I¡¯ll be more careful in the future,¡± Gu Shaoting responded to Song Can¡¯s questions. Somehow, he felt a bit ufortable after hearing Song Can¡¯s words.


    ¡°Shaoting, you scared me to death. When Auntie told me, I couldn¡¯t believe it. You shouldn¡¯t scare people like that in the future,¡± a tender and sweet voice followed, obviously belonging to Tong Fei. She held Gu Shaoting¡¯s hand and shook it. Since she was facing the door, she vaguely saw a figure outside. Could it be Shu Pan?


    ¡°Shaoting, look, Feifei is genuinely concerned about you. She was going to call me to go shopping, but when I told her you weren¡¯t feeling well, she immediately came over. Don¡¯t you feel her genuine care for you?¡± Song Can¡¯s words felt like needles piercing into Shu Pan¡¯s heart, stinging and painful.


    Standing by the door, witnessing the scene inside, her eyes slightly dimmed, and a trace of bitterness spread from her heart to her throat.


    It turned out that both of them came to visit. Inside that room, they seemed more like a family. Shu Pan snapped back to her senses, but she didn¡¯t dare to take another step forward.


    Gu Shaoting listened to these two women, their words volleying back and forth, and his head started to throb unusually. He pressed his temples hard, ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡±


    Tong Fei¡¯s radiant face appeared in his eyes. Despite her worried expression, it seemed like she hadn¡¯t triggered any emotions in him.


    He quietly withdrew his hand, avoiding contact with Tong Fei. This obvious action made her feel as if a bucket of cold water had been poured over her, stiffening her entire body.


    Gu Shaoting didn¡¯t notice the figure at the door. He was just wondering where Shu Pan had gone.


    Shu Pan quietly released her grip on the doorknob, gently closed the door, her mind in disarray. She walked quickly, her footsteps not stopping.


    Before long, Tong Fei saw the door closing and used an excuse toe out as well.


    Shu Pan didn¡¯t know where she was going, but she could hear a conversation between a man and a woman behind the emergency room door.


    Before she could even realize what was happening, a slender, fair finger appeared in front of her. It suddenly grabbed her arm and pulled her over without a word.


    ¡°Ah!¡± Shu Pan eximed in surprise.


    ¡°Darling, am I that scary?¡± Thezy voice of a man sounded with a hint of affection.


    Startled, Shu Pan¡¯s eyes flew open and she saw the man embracing her.


    A handsome face, slightly tilted almond eyes, a charming smile, and dressed in a white coat¡ªhe was a doctor.


    Looking across from him, there was a woman with delicate features, her eyes resembling pear blossoms after the rain¡ªpitiful and helpless..

 Chapter 51 - 51: She’s My Girlfriend

    Chapter 51: She¡¯s My Girlfriend


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Shu Pan was a bit confused. What was happening now? She turned her head to look at the unfamiliar man, about to speak, but he beat her to it. ¡°Did you see that? This is my girlfriend. So, we¡¯re not a good match, and besides, you¡¯re not my type. ¡±


    ¡°But¡­ I really like you. Nobody likes you more than I do,¡± the girl cried with teary eyes, evoking a sense of pity.


    Shu Pan was taken aback, ncing around, trying to figure out how to exin.


    ¡®You like me, but I can¡¯t do anything about it. I was born with this charm. I can¡¯t like every person who likes me, otherwise, I¡¯d be too busy. And I already have a girlfriend, so you don¡¯t need to like me anymore!¡± The manzily smiled, not a hint of remorse in his expression.


    Shu Pan turned her head to look at the man, his face seemingly capable of causing chaos. He appeared to be a womanizer.


    She looked at the girl with a touch of sympathy, momentarily forgetting that she was caught in the crossfire.


    Now she was just being used as a shield by the man.


    The girl cried even harder, ncing at Shu Pan with reddened eyes, then turned and ran out.


    Suddenly, silence settled in. Shu Pan was a beat behind, realizing that the leadingdy had left. She didn¡¯t know what to exin now.


    ¡°Thank you!¡± The man continued to hold her hand, still not letting go, then he winked at her with a smile, ¡°You know, with a face like mine, this kind of situation happens a few times every day. Sometimes, being handsome is just troublesome.¡±


    Suddenly, Shu Pan found herself speechless in the face of this thick-skinned man. Her previous sadness was diluted quite a bit.


    Could there be anyone more self-absorbed than this person?


    Shu Pan had probably figured out what had just happened. She calmly said,


    ¡°Since nothing is going on now, can you let go and let me leave?¡±


    Wen Chi was momentarily stunned, as if he hadn¡¯t expected a woman who saw him would want to leave so quickly. Did his charm decline? Or was this woman ying hard to get?


    A hint of yfulness shed in his almond-shaped eyes. Instead of letting go, he grinned slyly, ¡°Miss, are you single?¡±


    Shu Pan frowned, looking at him with a puzzled expression. Her gaze seemed to be scrutinizing someone who might be mentally unstable, ¡°Why does it matter to you whether I¡¯m single or not?¡±


    Could this narcissist have escaped from a psychiatric ward? Was he wearing a white coat and pretending to be a doctor here?


    Just as she was contemting whether to call for help, there was suddenly movement at the door. Then, the partially open door was forcefully pushed open.


    Tong Fei, d in designer clothes, entered Shu Pan¡¯s line of sight.


    Watching their intimate interaction, Tong Fei¡¯s smile was full of meaning. But Shu Pan felt as if she had fallen into an icy abyss, shivering with cold.


    Their eyes met, and in Tong Fei¡¯s gaze, Shu Pan saw a sense of schadenfreude. Shu Pan¡¯s heart trembled slightly. She was about to open her mouth to exin, but she hesitated. What was there to exin? She wasn¡¯t anything to her anyway.


    ¡°Shu Pan, we¡¯re meeting again so soon, and in this situation no less. You¡¯re quite impressive, getting to know such a suave and extraordinary young talent. I must truly admire you,¡± Tong Fei said with a smile, her eyes gleaming with amusement.


    A me of anger ignited in Shu Pan¡¯s heart, her hands clenched tightly, struggling to endure.


    Wen Chi, carefree as he was, detected an unusual tension between the two women. His long, narrow eyes squinted, and a hint of interest swiftly flickered.


    He suddenly pulled Shu Pan closer, his big hand resting on her waist, and he smiled tenderly, ¡°Darling? Your friend?¡±

 Chapter 52 - 52: Please Stay Away From My Son

    Chapter 52: Please Stay Away From My Son


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Shu Pan¡¯s gaze trembled, but she remained silent. She was too tired to exin and managed to free herself from Wen Chi¡¯s embrace.


    Upon hearing Wen Chi address Shu Pan that way, Tong Fei couldn¡¯t help but smile, saving, ¡°Haha, I didn¡¯t expect you and Dr. Wen to be so close. I had no idea. We must get to know each other better another day. You two can chat, and


    I won¡¯t disturb you.¡±


    Satisfied with the answer, Tong Fei hastily turned to Gu Shaoting¡¯s ward.


    As Tong Fei left, Shu Pan turned around to leave as well.


    ¡°Hey, are you just going to leave like that?¡± Wen Chi looked at her, furrowing his eyebrows slightly.


    Shu Pan didn¡¯t look back, and calmly said, ¡°Sir, we¡¯re strangers. We didn¡¯t know each other before, and we won¡¯t know each other in the future. I¡¯m leaving.¡±


    Wen Chi stepped in front of her, his tone light andzy, ¡°You helped me once, so I owe you a favor. If you need help, just say it. After all, acquaintances are fate. How about bing friends?¡±


    He lowered his gaze slightly, capturing the delicate features of her face, a yful smile flickering in his eyes.


    ¡°No need, let¡¯s just treat each other as strangers if we meet again,¡± Shu Pan said lightly, pushed his hand away, opened the door, and walked out. Her slim figure carried a heavy sense of loneliness.


    Wen Chi didn¡¯t chase after her, withdrawing his hand, tapping the table with a deep interest, his handsome face adorned with a deeper smile. He muttered softly, ¡°Such an interesting woman.¡±


    Back in Gu Shaoting¡¯s ward, Tong Fei was still smiling, casually saying, ¡°I really didn¡¯t expect Shu Pan to be so familiar with Dr. Wen. Dr. Wen is a well-known obstetrician and gynecologist in this hospital. They really seem like a perfect match, a handsome man and a beautiful woman.¡±


    She spoke nonchntly, but her gaze lingered on the man¡¯s face, not shifting for a moment.


    Gu Shaoting sat on the bed, his expression unreadable. His pitch-ck eyes appeared calm yet profound, concealing his inner turmoil. Upon hearing Tong Fei¡¯s words, his heart had already been thrown into chaos.


    Since when did Shu Pan know Dr. Wen? Among the people she knew, there seemed to be no one with the surname Wen, let alone a doctor. Could they have just met?


    There were many doubts in his heart, but he kept them concealed. d in a hospital gown, his tall and lean figure remained unparalleled in its handsomeness.


    ¡°What Dr. Wen?¡± Song Can couldn¡¯t help but ask.


    ¡°I saw Shu Pan hugging a doctor when I went out. I asked, and it turns out he¡¯s Dr. Wen Chi, the head of the Obstetrics and Gynecology department in this hospital,¡± Tong Fei added, her tone exaggerating the situation.


    ¡°What? Hugging?¡± Song Can eximed.


    ¡°Mom, why don¡¯t you both leave for now?¡± Gu Shaoting¡¯s voice was heavy as he addressed Song Can and Tong Fei. Their constant surprises were giving him a headache.


    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go, Feifei,¡± Song Can huffed, pulling open the door.


    As they walked out of the room, they saw Shu Pan at the corner and Song Can quickly approached her without a word. With a swift motion, her hand pped Shu Pan¡¯s face, who was caught off guard and stumbled back a step, covering her stinging cheek with her hand. It wasn¡¯t until she noticed Tong Fei behind Song Can that she finally understood what had happened.


    ¡°Mom, it was a misunderstanding,¡± Shu Pan couldn¡¯t help but exin.


    ¡°Don¡¯t call me mom. Stay away from my son. I don¡¯t have a daughter-inw like you. Shu Pan, why are you still clinging to him?¡± Song Can raised her voice in excitement.


    Shu Pan stood as if she hadn¡¯t heard, her gaze lost in thought. Her delicate figure appeared even more slender, and her disheveled hair added to her disarray.


    ¡°The Gu family has a reputation to uphold. It can¡¯t be tarnished by a woman like you who flirts around. Shu Pan, I hope when Shaoting gets discharged, I¡¯ll see you two divorced instead of you clinging to him. Take care of yourself.¡± After leaving these harsh words, Song Can left.


    As Shu Pan watched her retreating figure, she absentmindedly touched her stomach, ¡°Baby, what should Mom do?¡±

 Chapter 53 - 53: Questioning

    Chapter 53: Questioning


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    When Shu Pan returned to the hospital room, Gu Shaoting was resting with closed eyes. She walked over quietly, but even her slightest movements seemed to disturb Gu Shaoting. His brows furrowed, and his eyelids slowly opened.


    ¡°Where did you just go?¡± Gu Shaoting¡¯s tone wasn¡¯t very pleasant. It was as if he was interrogating a wife who had stayed out all night.


    ¡°Nowhere special, just wandered around outside,¡± Shu Pan answered while looking at him. She wasn¡¯t sure if Tong Fei had been stirring up trouble in front of him.


    ¡°Did you meet someone?¡± Gu Shaoting asked again, his expression growing darker.


    ¡°Met a crazy doctor,¡± Shu Pan sighed helplessly. She knew Gu Shaoting had misunderstood, but she was too tired to exin. The innocent could clear themselves.


    Moreover, the words that Song Can left her with when she departed still lingered in her ears. She decided to go with the flow. Exiting from the upper echelons of society would be a kind of liberation. After being married for so long, she never truly fit in. It turned out that the saying ¡°One needs to marry into an appropriate family¡± held some truth.


    Her only reliance now was her unborn child, the precious baby she cared deeply for. Thankfully, the baby seemed to care for her as well. She was over three months pregnant, but her symptoms were rtively mild. Her appetite was slightly affected, but everything else was fine.


    Gu Shaoting suspected she was hiding something and wasn¡¯t willing to say more. His expression grew even darker.


    Seeing his gloomy face, Shu Pan decided to stay silent as well.


    ¡°Shu Pan, I hope you always remember that I¡¯m still your husband. We haven¡¯t divorced yet, so it¡¯s best for you to watch your words and actions. I don¡¯t want to end up being cuckolded someday and be aughingstock without even Imowing it,¡± Gu Shaoting¡¯s words felt like a dagger piercing her heart. Her expression instantly turned somewhat unpleasant, and she almost bit her lip in frustration.


    It turned out he believed Tong Fei¡¯s side of the story, never truly believing her from the bottom of his heart.


    Thinking about it, it was truly pitiful. After being married to him for several years, this was the image of her that he held in his mind.


    Shu Pan was about to exin but stopped herself mid-sentence. The words got caught in her throat. She didn¡¯t want to defend herself¡ªthe more she said, the more mistakes she might make.


    She quietly changed the topic, ¡°What would you like to eatter? I¡¯ll prepare something for you. ¡±


    Gu Shaoting looked at her as if she was just enduring everything. Suddenly, he felt somewhat annoyed. He didn¡¯t speak, and the atmosphere in the room turned a bit colder.


    The room fell silent for a moment, carrying a touch of destion.


    Gu Shaoting stayed in the hospital for four days before being discharged. Shu Pan had been busy taking care of everything, and now she finally had a chance to rest.


    Recently, she saw pregnant womening in and out of the hospital. It reminded her that she was pregnant too and that she needed to schedule her regr checkups, as advised by the doctor.


    She couldn¡¯t help but ce her hand on her belly and murmur apologetically,


    ¡°Baby, I¡¯m sorry, Mom neglected you.¡±


    On that day, after Gu Shaoting left the house, she went to the hospital for her prenatal checkup.


    People came and went in the hospital, especially in the obstetrics and gynecology department. All the pregnant women wore smiles on their faces, emitting happiness from the bottom of their hearts. They were apanied by their husbands or family members for the checkups.


    But Shu Pan was alone. A happy pregnant woman next to her asked, ¡°How far along are you? Why are you alone? Don¡¯t you have anyone to apany you?¡±


    ¡°About four months. My family is quite busy, and I can manage on my own, ¡± Shu Pan replied, her lips pursed.


    ¡°However, next time you can bring your husband along. At four months, you can see the baby clearly. After all, it¡¯s the product of your love. Watching the baby grow day by day is truly a happy thing. ¡±


    Looking at the expectant mother beside her with a rosyplexion and her husband attentively caring for her, Shu Pan was really envious..

 Chapter 54 - 54: So It’s You

    Chapter 54: So It¡¯s You


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Shu Pan nodded in agreement. Soon, theputer system announced Shu Pan¡¯s name. She knocked on the door and a voice inside said, ¡°Come in.¡± She entered the room, and the male doctor inside closed the medical records, looking up to reveal a handsome and charming face. Just as he was about to say something, he caught sight of the familiar figure entering, his eyes slightly brightening, and his smile deepening.


    ¡°Hello, beautiful youngdy. How did you know I¡¯m here? But it¡¯s working hours now, so we¡¯ll have to chat after work,¡± the male doctor said.


    ¡°It¡¯s you?¡± Shu Pan eximed in surprise.


    As Shu Pan entered the room, she heard the familiar voice and saw those peach blossom eyes. She froze in her steps. It was really a twist of fate to encounter him like this. She could hardly believe he was the head of the Obstetrics and Gynecology department.


    ¡°Why, you¡¯re not here to find me, then what are you here for?¡± Wen Chi asked with a hint of confusion.


    ¡°I¡¯m Shu Pan. They called my number outside. I¡¯m here for a prenatal checkup, but it seems like I¡¯m on your list,¡± Shu Pan replied, her tone slightly dark. Wen Chi¡¯s jaw almost dropped to the floor. ¡°You¡­ you¡¯re married?¡±


    ¡°Why? Can¡¯t I get married?¡± Shu Pan¡¯s face grew a bit darker.


    He didn¡¯t look like a doctor at all, more like a flirtatious guy. She didn¡¯t even


    Imow his name, and they had only met once. Yet, he was acting overly familiar. Especially with those charming peach blossom eyes that seemed capable of casting spells.


    ¡°No, please, have a seat. Where¡¯s your husband? Didn¡¯t hee with you?¡± Wen Chi pretended to cough, covering up his earlier surprise.


    ¡°I came alone,¡± Shu Pan replied calmly, treating him as an unfamiliar doctor. She had seen male doctors before during her fertility preparations, so it wasn¡¯t that awkwvard now.


    She handed over her registration form and medical card. Wen Chi asked her a few questions, then issued her some orders for tests and gave her a few instructions.


    At that moment, Shu Pan finally felt like he was a doctor, discussing professional matters confidently.


    Looking at the test results, he confirmed everything was normal, finally putting Shu Pan¡¯s mind at ease.


    As she was about to leave, Wen Chi raised an eyebrow, his hands casually in the pockets of his white coat as he stood upzily. ¡°I thought we were friends by now?¡±


    ¡°Dr. Wen, thank you,¡± Shu Pan turned her graceful figure toward him, looking at him with politeness and distance in her smile. After saying that, she turned around again and left gracefully.


    Wen Chi stood still, a deep and meaningful smile on his face, making him enigmatic. However, he was certain in his own mind that he felt a unique sentiment towards this young woman. Every time he saw her, he had an urge to embrace her infort.


    At Gu Family¡¯s ancestral mansion, Gu Shaoting was urged to return by a phone call from Song Can. As he looked at Tong Fei appearing in the living room, he slightly furrowed his brows and spoke with a cold tone, ¡°Mom, what¡¯s the matter that you had to call me back? Couldn¡¯t it be discussed over the phone?¡±


    Song Can expressed her dissatisfaction, ¡°Shaoting, you just returned from the hospital. Why are you in such a hurry to go back to work? Can¡¯t you take a few more days to rest and spend time with Tong Fei? You used to be inseparable.¡±


    Tong Fei lowered her head and blushed, ¡°Auntie, Shaoting is also working.


    Although I¡¯m concerned about his health, I can¡¯t dy his work.¡±


    With a stern expression, Song Can gave Gu Shaoting a sideways nce and spoke with a low tone, ¡°Look at how sensible Tong Fei is. A good woman should know how to cherish. I don¡¯t understand what you¡¯re thinking. How can Shu Panpare to Tong Fei?¡±


    The man stood straight, his handsome profile exuding a cold andposed air. Without saying a word, he turned and headed upstairs.


    Song Can¡¯s expression darkened, a hint of anger shing through her eyes, ¡°Didn¡¯t you see Feifei here? Where are you going?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going upstairs to check on Grandfather,¡± the man¡¯s voice was clear and cold, devoid of any fluctuations..

 Chapter 55 - 55: The Farce of the Gu Family

    Chapter 55: The Farce of the Gu Family


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Song Can¡¯s face showed a hint of urgency as she quickly said, ¡°Shaoting, I need to talk to you about something. Could youe down for a moment?¡±


    Tong Fei looked at Gu Shaoting with nervousness, her eyes fixed on his face, worried he might just leave. ¡°Shaoting, are we having some kind of misunderstanding? Why do you seem like a totally different person now?¡± Tong Fei¡¯s tone tugged at the heartstrings, making it hard to ignore.


    Gu Shaoting lowered his gaze, his expression slightly aloof and maybe a bit impatient. He looked into the distance as if lost in thought.


    Back in the day, he really had feelings for Tong Fei. Otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t have been engaged to her. But after she chose her career over him, it took time to adjust. However, ever since he married Shu Pan, he gradually let go of those feelings.


    Now that she was back, she was constantly trying to assert herself in his life, and honestly, it was getting on his nerves.


    At this point, he saw her as a friend at best. He would agree to reasonable requests, but she and Song Can had repeatedly pushed his limits.


    ¡°There¡¯s not much to discuss,¡± Gu Shaoting¡¯s expression remained calm, with little emotion as he nced at both of them. ¡°I don¡¯t have any ns to get a divorce for now. What you do is up to you!¡±


    With a swift movement of his long legs, he turned around and headed upstairs. His grandfather was awake now, so he could have a conversation with him.


    ¡°Shaoting, wait!¡± Song Can¡¯s frustration was evident as she shook with anger, the tension in the room palpable.


    Tong Fei, being a young woman, felt hurt by those words in front of her. It was really ufortable.


    ¡°Feifei, I¡¯m sorry. Maybe Shaoting¡¯s in a bad mood today. Don¡¯t take his words too seriously. As long as Auntie is here, I¡¯ll make sure things are fair for you,¡± Song Can tried to console her.


    Tong Fei¡¯s expression disyed a touch of sadness, but she still spoke softly, ¡°Auntie, it¡¯s okay. Please don¡¯t be upset. Shaoting is just like this temporarily. I think he¡¯s still bothered by the fact that I left impulsively three years ago.¡±


    She was genuinely concerned that the rtionship between mother and son would get even more strained due to this. Their rtionship wasn¡¯t that great to begin with, and now things were more tense than ever.


    Now was her moment to shine. She needed to manage Song Can, the tough mother-inw. This way, she would be stepping into the Gu family more solidly.


    With that thought in mind, she was even more enthusiastic. She grabbed a ss of water and handed it to Song Can with a forced smile, ¡°Auntie, calm down. I¡¯ll find an opportunity to exin things to him properly. I guess he¡¯s still holding onto some grudge for my sudden departure.¡±


    Seeing her suppress her teelings and put on a brave smile, Song Can¡¯s irritation toward Gu Shaoting intensified, and her distaste for Shu Pan grew stronger.


    ¡°Feifei¡­¡± Song Can looked at her with a twinge of guilt.


    Tong Fei patted her hand, reassuring her that she was okay.


    But in an instant, she clenched her hands together tightly, almost drawing blood. ¡°Gu Shaoting, is your heart truly so cold? Weren¡¯t you different before? Even though I left for three years, you can¡¯t have changed that drastically, can you? Shu Pan, I won¡¯t let you have your way. I won¡¯t.¡±


    As Gu Shaoting made his way downstairs, Tong Fei was still there.


    ¡°Shaoting, why don¡¯t you drive Tong Fei back? It¡¯s not out of your way,¡± Song Can humbled herself. She was genuinely afraid of pushing Gu Shaoting¡¯s buttons too much. After all, he was her only son.


    Gu Shaoting remained silent the whole time, his lips forming a straight line.


    With his hands casually in his pockets, he stood there quietly, his handsome face devoid of expression, but there was an unmistakable chill in the air.


    After a moment of silence, Gu Shaoting¡¯s voice turned cold and low, ¡°I prefer you not to meddle too much in my life. As for Shu Pan¡¯s affairs, I know where I stand.¡±


    With those words, he walked out directly.


    ¡°Shaoting, I truly apologize. It wasn¡¯t my intention. From now on, I¡¯ll follow your lead,¡± Tong Fei said as she saw Gu Shaoting leaving. She quickly followed him, acting like a submissive daughter-inw. She knew that this was a strategy that worked on Gu Shaoting.


    Gu Shaoting remained silent throughout the journey.


    After escorting Tong Fei back home, Gu Shaoting went straight back to Shuimu


    Qinghua..

 Chapter 56 - 56: It Seemed to Have Changed

    Chapter 56: It Seemed to Have Changed


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    He entered the room and found the living room quiet, with the sound of running watering from the bathroom.


    Shu Pan was in the middle of a shower. After finishing, she realized with dismay that she had forgotten to bring her nightgown. Fortunately, Gu


    Shaoting hadn¡¯t returned yet. Otherwise, things could have gotten awkward.


    She hastily wrapped herself in a bathrobe and stepped out, clutching the robe¡¯s front. Just as she was about to enter the room, she froze. Gu Shaoting had returned, and he was staring at her!


    In front of him stood Shu Pan, an enchanting sight. Her rosy face gleamed in the light, and her slender legs were smooth and well-proportioned. The low-cut bathrobe revealed a hint of her inner allure.


    For some reason, Gu Shaoting found the contours in front of Shu Pan even more captivating. The softness he once held in his hands seemed fuller and more upright.


    Gu Shaoting felt like a cat that hadn¡¯t eaten fish in a long time, excited by the scent of it. At this moment, his mind went nk, and a surge of heat rushed through him.


    She was his wife, and he had countless reasons, ones that could withstand legal, moral, and gossipy scrutiny. At this very moment, he wanted to fiercely embrace her, to lose himself in her.


    Simultaneously, he acted upon this urge. He strode forward, suddenly pulling


    Shu Pan into his embrace. But he found that his two hands weren¡¯t enough. Her shoulders were too narrow. He pressed closer, wanting to envelop Shu Pan within himself.


    His hands lifted Shu Pan¡¯s bathrobe, finding her breasts with precision. He teased and caressed them, his touch skillful.


    Shu Pan hadn¡¯t even had time to react when a strange electric current surged through her limbs and body.


    Her muscles tensed throughout, and though she wanted to push away Gu Shaoting¡¯s hands, he only held her tighter.


    His hands wererge and powerful, radiating heat, as if he were restraining something. Shu Pan worried he might harm the baby, yet she also feared he¡¯d discover her pregnancy. Being slender, her mid-term pregnancy wasn¡¯t very noticeable.


    Although books said that the mid-term was rtively stable, Shu Pan remained anxious. But when she saw the lustful desire in Gu Shaoting¡¯s eyes, she knew he wouldn¡¯t back down.


    At this moment, an intense and rapid response surged between them, sparking a current back and forth.


    Gu Shaoting closed his eyes, a stifled groan escaping his lips. He lifted Shu Pan, carrying her into the bedroom without hesitation.


    ¡°Gu Shaoting¡­¡± Shu Pan helplessly called out, a hint of panic in her voice.


    Suddenly, Gu Shaoting¡¯s lips met her breasts, dampening them slightly, his touch exploratory like that of a curious infant.


    The man delighted in the discovery that her breasts had grown considerablyrger. He couldn¡¯t grasp them with just one hand. Her entire body turned to mush.


    Then Shu Pan felt his kisses traveling, from her ears to her neck. Each touch ignited a me.


    His hand moved upward, caressing her abdomen. Suddenly, he lingered at her belly, and Shu Pan worried he¡¯d catch on.


    She hooked her arms around his neck, pressing their bodies together without any barriers. His hardness met her softness.


    ¡°Slow down, be gentle,¡± Shu Pan said softly, her voice a bewitching spell.


    Gu Shaoting responded with a low murmur. The next moment, he filled her gently and slowly. It had been a long time since he¡¯d felt so at ease, as if every pore on his body had opened up.


    Shu Pan couldn¡¯t help but moan softly, her breathy cries escaping as she closed her eyes, surrendering to Gu Shaoting¡¯s desires.


    With his fiery lips, passionate neck kisses, and teasing whispers, he washed wave after wave of pleasure over her, soothing her once-empty heart.


    Only at this moment did they forget the indifference, hatred, and separation that had been between them.


    Shu Pan wished time could freeze at this instant.


    Outside the window, the wind carried dancing snowkes, a perfect night. Inside, the air was thick with a scene of blossoms and a full moon..

 Chapter 57 - 57: Lost Happiness (1)

    Chapter 57: Lost Happiness (1)


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    He entered the room and found the living room quiet, with the sound of running watering from the bathroom.


    Shu Pan was in the middle of a shower. After finishing, she realized with dismay that she had forgotten to bring her nightgown. Fortunately, Gu Shaoting hadn¡¯t left yet; otherwise, things could have gotten awkward. sne nastily wrapped nerselt In a DatnroDe ana stepped out, clutcmng tne roDe?s front. Just as she was about to enter the room, she froze. Gu Shaoting had returned, and he was staring at her!


    In front of him stood Shu Pan, an enchanting sight. Her rosy face gleamed in the light, and her slender legs were smooth and well-proportioned. The low-cut bathrobe revealed a hint of her inner allure.


    For some reason, Gu Shaoting found the contours in front of Shu Pan even more captivating. The softness he once held in his hands seemed fuller and more upright.


    Gu Shaoting felt like a cat that hadn¡¯t eaten fish in a long time, excited by the scent of it. At this moment, his mind went nk, and a surge of heat rushed through him.


    She was his wife, and he had countless reasons, ones that could withstand legal, moral, and gossipy scrutiny. At this very moment, he wanted to fiercely embrace her, to lose himself in her.


    Simultaneously, he acted upon this urge. He strode forward, suddenly pulling Shu Pan into his embrace. But he found that his two hands weren¡¯t enough; her shoulders were too narrow. He pressed closer, wanting to envelop Shu Pan within himself.


    And so, he acted upon it, taking big strides forward and suddenly embracing


    Shu Pan.


    Outside, the first light of dawn began to seep through. Shu Pan was still sleeping soundly, her small hand clutching the nket tightly.


    Gu Shaoting looked at the sleeping Shu Pan. This woman had been constantly igniting the fire within him, and it seemed that only she could drive him to be unable to control his desires.


    Using the faint indoor light, he looked at the peaceful sleeping figure of the woman. Her cheeks were flushed, and her deep eyes held a hint of something different, an indescribable feeling in his heart.


    In reality, under the current circumstances, there was always a sense of estrangement between him and her. Shu Laide¡¯s presence was a constant reminder, a thorn reminding him of his father¡¯s death.


    This thorn was lodged in his throat now, unable to be pulled out. He wanted to ignore it, but it would asionally sting him, making it difficult to forget.


    He knew she wanted a divorce. Actually, given his personality, he would usually cut through such matters decisively. Yet, in this particr issue, he remained indecisive.


    Every time he saw her, his desire burned strongly.


    Feeling conflicted, he stood by the window, lost in thought.


    After daybreak, he left.


    By the time Shu Pan woke up, it was already quitete. She closed her eyes, gave her head a slight pat, and tried to retrieve memories of yesterday from her mind.


    The scenes slowly reyed before her, and she sat on the bed in confusion, her gaze vacant, unresponsive for a long time.


    Warm sunlight streamed in through the gaps in the curtains, illuminating her eyes and reflecting a hint of glistening radiance.


    She slowly got out of bed and took a leisurely bath.


    Amidst the steam, she also felt a sense of relief. Thankfully, Gu Shaoting had been gentle the previous night, not harming their precious baby. However, such a situation couldn¡¯t happen again.


    What should she do? Even if she left, he could find her anywhere, across the ends of the earth.


    Moreover, her family and friends were all here. Where else could she go?


    Her thoughts were interrupted by the vibrations of her phone.


    ¡°Hello!¡± Her voice sounded somewhat hoarse.


    ¡°Hey, what¡¯s wrong? Are you sick?¡± Ye Xiaomeng¡¯s voice came through the phone.


    ¡°Hey, if you¡¯re okay, would you apany me to the mall for a bit? I¡¯m practically growing mold here. Cheng Yang is away on a business trip, and I¡¯m bored out of my mind. I want to buy some loose maternity clothes. I won¡¯t have anything to wear once my belly gets bigger.¡± Ye Xiaomeng vented over the phone.


    ¡°Sure, see youter.¡± Shu Pan agreed readily.


    Before long, Shu Pan, dressed warmly, hurriedly left the house.


    Outside, the world was wrapped in a silvery glow, and several children were ying by the side of the street.


    In various shopping malls, banners advertising discounts were hanging everywhere, and various promotions were ongoing.


    Ye Xiaomeng seemed to be buying things as if they were free. She bought a discounted bag, a coat, and seeing the sweater she had liked before was now half-priced, she excitedly bought it. Then, she saw a scarf from the same brand that she liked and included that as well.


    ¡°Xiaomeng, isn¡¯t that enough? Watch your wallet,¡± Shu Pan said, seeing her friend buying things without hesitation.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. Cheng Yang got promoted, and he¡¯s earning more now, so I want to help spend a bit,¡± Ye Xiaomeng said proudly.


    ¡°Well, now you¡¯re a wealthydy. I¡¯ll have to tter you,¡± Shu Panughed, feeling envious of Xiaomeng at times.


    Indeed, happiness was simple. Having a man who loved you was stronger than anything else.


    Xiaomeng had quite a haul and was in high spirits.


    ¡°Hey, let¡¯s go eat something. We¡¯ve been wandering around for so long, and my son is getting hungry,¡± Xiaomeng said, rubbing her stomach. She felt like she could eat a whole cow.


    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go to the second floor of the mall and have a bowl of noodles,¡±


    Shu Pan suggested, looking for a ce closer by since her friend seemed tired..

 Chapter 58 - 58: Lost Happiness (2)

    Chapter 58: Lost Happiness (2)


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    It should have been after the busiest time around noon, so the noodles were quickly brought out.


    Looking at the slender noodles, mixed with minced meat, garnished with chopped scallions, it truly opened up one¡¯s appetite.


    ¡°Hey, how are things between you and Gu Shaoting?¡± Ye Xiaomeng finally remembered this question after taking a bite of noodles.


    Shu Pan took a sip of soup and then put down her spoon. ¡°Same as usual.¡± She didn¡¯t want her friend to worry about her.


    ¡°So what¡¯s his stance now? He doesn¡¯t want a divorce, but he doesn¡¯t care about you either. He takes care of your needs when he feels like it, and then he pretends nothing happened afterward. Who does he think he is? Does he think the world revolves around him? I couldn¡¯t have imagined he¡¯d be such a shameless person!¡± Ye Xiaomeng got more animated as she spoke.


    ¡°What¡¯s the difference between his behavior now and that of a patron? No, wait, even patrons have to pay, right? He justes back to sleep with you whenever he wants and ignores you when he doesn¡¯t?¡±


    ¡°Mind your prenatal education, Xiaomeng,¡± Shu Pan said, looking at Ye Xiaomeng¡¯s impassioned state, both amused and exasperated.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m fine,¡± Shu Pan quickly reassured her. ¡°By the way, how about you and Cheng Yang?¡±


    ¡°He got promoted. He¡¯s a department manager now, but he¡¯s also busier. He¡¯s been going on business trips frequently recently,¡± Ye Xiaomeng stirred her noodles with chopsticks and then began eating enthusiastically.


    ¡°That¡¯s not bad. With a higher sry, there will be less pressure raising a kid,¡± Shu Pan reflected.


    ¡°Hey,¡± Ye Xiaomeng held Shu Pan¡¯s hand and smiled slightly, ¡°there¡¯s no challenge you can¡¯t ovee. When one door closes, another one will surely open for you.¡±


    ¡°Well, I hope so. I suddenly need to use the restroom. Wait for me here,¡± Shu Pan suddenly said.


    ¡°Sure, be careful,¡± Xiaomeng cautioned.


    As she walked down the corridor, nearing the corner where the restroom was located, Shu Pan noticed a man standing at the entrance of the women¡¯s restroom. She assumed he was waiting for his wife or girlfriend. Not paying much attention, she was about to enter when she nced over and was utterly shocked by what she saw.


    It was truly unbelievable. Standing at the door, waiting for someone, was none other than Cheng Yang, who was supposed to be away on a business trip. Of course, he couldn¡¯t be waiting for Xiaomeng because they had just been together.


    Clearly, Cheng Yang was as dumbfounded as she was, but his expression was more panicked.


    Shu Pan fixed her gaze on him, her eyebrows furrowing.


    ¡°Why are you here? Who are you waiting for?¡± Shu Pan couldn¡¯t help asking.


    ¡°I¡¯m waiting for a friend, a childhood neighbor. We grew up together. She¡¯s divorced now and alone here, so I¡¯m helping her,¡± Cheng Yang quickly exined.


    He knew that Shu Pan and Ye Xiaomeng were close friends, and if Xiaomeng found out about this, it would definitely blow up.


    Just as Shu Pan was about to speak again, a woman came out of the restroom. She had a petite face, flowing long hair, delicate features, and was dressed in a knee-length belted khaki coat with knee-high boots. Her elegance and charm were evident in every move.


    Such a beauty would tug at the hearts of women, not to mention men.


    A woman as captivating as this, with a hint of vulnerability, would make anyone instinctively want to protect her.


    The woman passed by Shu Pan and linked arms with Cheng Yang, giving a slight smile as she said, ¡°Let¡¯s go. I want to have some Western food. I¡¯m feeling a bit hungry.¡±


    Cheng Yang cast a quick nce at Shu Pan, his lips parting slightly before nodding. There was aplex expression in his eyes that Shu Pan couldn¡¯t decipher.


    ¡°Today, Xiaomeng and I are shopping here too. She¡¯s waiting for me at the noodle shop over there,¡± Shu Pan couldn¡¯t help but tell him..

 Chapter 59 - 59: Lost Happiness (3)

    Chapter 59: Lost Happiness (3)


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    In fact, there was something Shu Pan didn¡¯t want to tell him, but when she thought of Xiaomeng, she couldn¡¯t help feeling a pang of heartache. They had known each other for almost 10 years, from school until now, and their rtionship was closer than that of sisters.


    Shu Pan understood Xiaomeng the best. Despite her carefree and outgoing appearance, Xiaomeng was emotionally fragile, especially when it came to matters of rtionships. She wasn¡¯t as carefree as she appeared.


    So, Shu Pan didn¡¯t want her good friend to get hurt. She hoped they could avoid that.


    Cheng Yang nodded in gratitude, but Shu Pan gave him a cold look, hoping he would do what was right.


    When Shu Pan returned to the noodle shop, Ye Xiaomeng had finished eating as well.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go back. I¡¯m a bit tired,¡± Shu Pan feigned exhaustion.


    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go. Cheng Yang is returning tonight, and I¡¯m waiting for him at home,¡± Ye Xiaomeng said a bit sheepishly.


    At this moment, Shu Pan felt relieved that she hadn¡¯t told her the truth. If Xiaomeng knew that Cheng Yang had lied, that he hadn¡¯t gone on a business trip and was instead with his childhood friend, she probably wouldn¡¯t be able to handle such a blow.


    ¡°Then go back quickly. Is he treating you well these days?¡± Shu Pan couldn¡¯t help but ask.


    ¡°Morning, noon, and night, he calls me three times a day. He¡¯s treating me even better than before. Probably because of his son,¡± Ye Xiaomeng¡¯s tone sounded somewhat sour.


    ¡°Caring for you is a way of treating you well. That¡¯s good.¡± Shu Pan heaved a sigh of relief, hoping it was just her imagination, that there were no issues between them.


    ¡°Hey, what¡¯s wrong? You seem a bit off,¡± Ye Xiaomeng, while usually carefree, wasn¡¯t naive. She sensed that something was amiss with Shu Pan¡¯s sudden change in behavior.


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing. Go back safely,¡± Shu Pan smiled and pretended to speak casually.


    After parting ways, as evening approached, Shu Pan went to the market to buy groceries. Sister Zhang had been unavabletely due to personal matters.


    Shu Pan skillfully prepared rice and cooked dishes, making two dishes and a soup.


    She actually couldn¡¯t eat so much, as her appetite had been poortely, and she was eating even less. Nevertheless, she prepared portions for two people.


    Yes, portions for two people, because she didn¡¯t know whether he would return or not.


    After preparing the meal, Shu Pan washed a pair of bowls and chopsticks. Just as she was about to eat, Gu Shaoting returned home. He hade back early today, whereas he usually came backte.


    He sat directly across from Shu Pan, who felt fortunate that she had cooked extra.


    ¡°I¡¯m hungry,¡± Gu Shaoting told Shu Pan.


    Shu Pan served him his meal and then silently started to eat herself, lowering her head to sip the soup.


    Neither of them spoke, yet the atmosphere was unusually pleasant. Gu Shaoting suddenly found himself enjoying this feeling.


    The sense of being home, after a hard day¡¯s work outside, all he wanted was to drink a bowl of soup and have some home-cooked food.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be back for dinner tomorrow,¡± Gu Shaoting said while picking up a piece of food.


    ¡°Um¡­ I¡¯ll be returning to work at thepany tomorrow. I don¡¯t know what time I¡¯ll be back. I might not have time to cook, ¡± Shu Pan looked at him and cautiously said.


    Gu Shaoting frowned slightly. ¡°This is how you take care of a patient? I¡¯m still recovering.¡±


    ¡°You can have dinner at your old house. Auntie Wang cooks there every day, and you can also spend time with your grandfather,¡± Shu Pan persistently suggested. If he frequently came back for meals, and she was returning to work, overtime was bound to happen, and she wouldn¡¯t have time to cook.


    ¡°I just want to have dinner here,¡± Gu Shaoting stubbornly said. The previously cold andposed him hadtely been acting like a willful child, his temperament also bing unpredictable.


    ¡°I¡¯ll do my best,¡± Shu Pan replied helplessly, feeling like she had been caught in a difficult situation..

 Chapter 60 - 60: Unexpected

    Chapter 60: Unexpected


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    On Monday, Shu Pan arrived at work on time. When she returned to thepany, she felt a sense of unfamiliarity, but she was in urgent need of work at this moment.


    The workce was like this. After leaving for a period of time, she felt that she could not keep up with the pace.


    ¡°Sister Shu, you¡¯re finally back. That¡¯s great,¡± the assistant Lu Xiaoran eximed joyfully when she saw Shu Pan.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Shu Pan was puzzled by her reaction.


    ¡°Sister Shu, you don¡¯t know. During the time you were on leave, a new designer joined thepany named MO Qing. She has a flirtatious appearance, and she caused a sensation in the entirepany on her first day. Now, she¡¯s on the same level as you, and it seems like the boss values her a lot. She¡¯s been entrusted with all the important projects. I heard she came back after studying abroad,¡± Lu Xiaoran said, sounding a bit indignant.


    Why was that? She just couldn¡¯t stand MO Qing¡¯s hypocritical behavior ¨C all soft and charming in front of male colleagues, showing off her charms, but always bossy and domineering towards her, acting like she¡¯s superior.


    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s good then. It shows she¡¯s capable, which is why she¡¯s given important tasks,¡± Shu Pan said with a puzzled look. There are manypetent people in thepany, and having them demonstrates thepany¡¯s growth and ability to attract talent.


    ¡°Sister Shu, the key point is that you¡¯re about to be reced, and you act like you don¡¯t care at all,¡± Lu Xiaoran said indignantly.


    ¡°Well, what can I do? It¡¯s not like I can control the fact that I¡¯m not as skilled as her,¡± Shu Pan replied, feeling that this wasn¡¯t something she could change.


    ¡°Ah, I knew you would say that. Right now, she¡¯s in the boss¡¯s office. Later, she¡¯ll be meeting an important client. You¡¯ll see then,¡± Lu Xiaoran said with a touch of frustration.


    Shu Pan smiled and returned to her seat.


    After a while, a figure surrounded by severalpany executives entered. It was a tall and straight figure, dressed in a suit, with a confident stride.


    As he came closer, Shu Pan was stunned. It was actually Su Yuan. Since theirst encounter, they hadn¡¯t been in touch due to an unspoken understanding. Shu Panforted herself that she owed him money and favors, and she would gradually repay them. She hadn¡¯t expected to see him again so soon, and in thepany of all ces.


    Shu Pan had always known that Su Yuan was an exceptionally handsome individual. She had learned that during her university days, otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t have monopolized the title of ¡°campus heartthrob¡± for all four years.


    Shu Pan had been captivated by his handsome face for a long time; she never tired of looking at it.


    However, this face had also brought her the most painful hurt.


    Now their situation was that they had broken up, but they were still friends. Actually, she used to find such a situationughable, but the fact was Su Yuan had helped her during her most difficult times. She couldn¡¯t be ungrateful and deny their past.


    She took a deep breath, smiled ahead, and looked straight ahead. Obviously, Su Yuan had already spotted her and was heading in her direction.


    ¡°Pan, it¡¯s been a while,¡± Su Yuan couldn¡¯t help but greet her.


    ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s been good,¡± Shu Pan nodded.


    ¡°Mr. Su, I didn¡¯t realize you know Shu Pan,¡± the director He Guoping said with surprise.


    ¡°Yeah, Shu Pan and I were ssmates,¡± Su Yuan exined.


    ¡°That¡¯s great. I didn¡¯t expect the world to be so small. It¡¯s nice to run into each other like this,¡± He Guoping thought to himself with satisfaction. With this rtionship, this cooperation seemed even more hopeful.


    ¡°You go ahead, we¡¯ll talkter,¡± Su Yuan said, noticing that it was work hours and not the right setting for an extended conversation.


    ¡°Okay,¡± Shu Pan nodded.


    Shu Pan returned to her seat, but in her heart, she hoped that she wouldn¡¯t have to workte tonight and that she wouldn¡¯te home toote. Otherwise, it would be troublesome if Gu Shaoting came home and there was no food for him..

 Chapter 61 - 61: An Inexplicable Phone Call

    Chapter 61: An Inexplicable Phone Call


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    ¡°I¡¯ve seen the previous works of yourpany¡¯s designers, which are very suitable for our theme this time. The feeling of home, the most original vor:


    warmth. Our luxury rooms this time are meant to evoke that kind of feeling,¡± Su Yuan opened the meeting by getting straight to the point.


    ¡°Mr. Su, rest assured, we will wholeheartedly meet your requirements. Our designers have a good reputation in the industry. This is MO Qing, in charge of this design,¡± He Guoping confidently replied while introducing a woman standing beside him.


    ¡°Mr. Su, nice to meet you. Your name is well-known,¡± the woman¡¯s voice was soft and melodious, her appearance striking. She stood up gracefully and shook hands with Su Yuan.


    ¡°Director He, I hope we can have more than one option. As far as I know, Ms. Shu¡¯s designs are very good¡­¡± Su Yuan hinted.


    ¡°Of course, we¡¯ll definitely have the designerspete internally before making a decision,¡± He Guoping, who had climbed up thedder to his current position, had seen all sorts of people, and he couldn¡¯t help but knock his head, wondering why he hadn¡¯t seen through their connection.


    As Su Yuan¡¯s current project was quite important, everyone was fullymitted, and Shu Pan was no exception.


    Initially, Su Yuan thought he could have dinner with Shu Pan, but she politely declined, saying ¡°Another time¡±.


    After work, Shu Pan hurriedly rushed home to cook.


    ¡°Brother Ting, do we have any ns tonight? Why are you leaving so early? Something going on?¡± He Ming was a bit puzzled. He hadn¡¯t seen him leave this early before.


    ¡°Going home to have dinner, ¡± Gu Shaoting said firmly.


    ¡°Going back to your old house?¡±


    ¡°No, back to Shuimu Qinghua.¡± Gu Shaoting packed his things and answered while leaving.


    ¡°Haven¡¯t you had enough of Auntie¡¯s food? How about we go out?¡± He Ming suggested.


    ¡°Not going, I¡¯m leaving.¡± With that, he waved his hand and walked away without looking back, leaving He Ming deep in thought.


    Gu Shaoting didn¡¯t quite understand why he felt so eager to return to Shuimu


    Qinghua, his heart racing with unexinable excitement.


    A simple home-cooked meal was enough to satisfy him.


    Lately, Shu Pan was busy preparing for the designpetition for Su Yuan¡¯spany. Suddenly, her phone on the desk rang without warning, startling her while she was engrossed in drawing.


    Picking up the phone, she saw an unfamiliar number. After a moment¡¯s hesitation, she answered the call.


    ¡°Hello? Who¡¯s this? What do you want?¡± Shu Pan bnced the phone between her head and shoulder, continuing to draw with her hands. It was Wednesday, and the design submission was due on Friday. She really needed to catch up on her work.


    ¡°Is this Ms. Shu?¡± A sweet and gentle voice came from the other end, soothing and pleasant to hear.


    Shu Pan put down the pen, straightened up, and nced at her phone again, confirming that the number was unknown. ¡°Who is this?¡±


    A softughter came from the other end of the phone. ¡°Ms. Shu, you may not know me, but I know you. Would you like to have a cup of coffee sometime?¡±


    Shu Pan furrowed her brow slightly. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m quite busy right now, and I don¡¯t have a habit of having coffee with strangers.¡±


    ¡°Ms. Shu, please don¡¯t make a decision so quickly. You may not know me, but you know my husband,¡± the voice on the other end said.


    Shu Pan was getting confused, the conversation sounding enigmatic. ¡°I¡¯m not quite sure what you mean.¡±


    ¡°Su Yuan.¡± The voice on the phone softly uttered those two words, followed by a yfulugh. ¡°I¡¯m Su Yuan¡¯s wife, Zhou Jie.¡±


    Shu Pan¡¯s hand stiffened. She found this situation inexplicable. She and Su Yuan had been separated for so long, and there was no connection between them now.. Why would his wife be calling her?

 Chapter 62 - 62: The Past

    Chapter 62: The Past


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Shu Pan knew about Zhou Jie. During their university days, Zhou Jie was a beauty, the campus belle, majoring in foreignnguages. She was gentle and kind, often seen in long dresses that exuded an ethereal aura, as if she were not part of the mundane world. Due to her beauty and prestigious background, she was never short of admirers.


    However, there were no reports about her being in a rtionship with anyone. Shu Pan had never met her.


    It was onlyter that rumors spread about Zhou Jie being close to a male student from the architecture department, someone handsome and charming. It was then that Shu Pan learned that the person Zhou Jie was with was Su Yuan. By the time she checked, they were already together, and Su Yuan hadn¡¯t exined anything, only offered apologies.


    Never had she imagined that after four years of being in love, they would break up like this, without any warning. Shu Pan still remembered how utterly devastated she had felt.


    After the breakup, they never met again. Before graduation, she heard that both Su Yuan and Zhou Jie had gone abroad for further studies. Later on, she gradually understood Su Yuan. He had dreams, aspirations for sess, and although he imed not to love Zhou Jie, she could offer him everything he desired.


    Being with her would have been his first step towards sess. Shu Pan admitted to herself that shecked that capability. Therefore, besides feeling heartbroken, she could do nothing else. Reality was just that cruel. ¡°Ms. Shu, are you there? I¡¯m waiting for you at the caf¨¦ across from your


    Only then did Shu Pan snap out of her reverie. She tightened her grip on the phone and said, ¡°Alright.¡±


    Judging from Zhou Jie¡¯s demeanor, Shu Pan guessed that if she didn¡¯t see her, she mighte to thepany.


    ¡°Then let¡¯s meet at 6 pm tonight, after I finish work.¡± Shu Pan rubbed her forehead and reluctantly agreed. She actually wanted to know what Zhou Jie wanted.


    Well, getting entangled with an ex-boyfriend did bring about a lot of trouble.


    When Shu Pan arrived at the caf¨¦ after work, Zhou Jie was already there. Indeed, a beauty. She had been favored by fate, leaving no traces of time on her. She looked exactly the same as before. Her simple makeup entuated her delicate features, and her elegant white dress showcased her graceful figure. Her ethereal charm was so captivating that it was hard to look away.


    ¡°Ms. Shu, please have a seat.¡± Zhou Jie smiled gently. Her smile was light,cking any sincerity.


    ¡°Ms. Zhou, I don¡¯t understand why you¡¯re in such a hurry to meet me. What¡¯s the matter?¡± Shu Pan didn¡¯t beat around the bush. She went straight to the point.


    ¡°In fact, you are more senior than me. After all, we attended the same school. I owe you an apology, right? Back then, Su Yuan and I got together, causing your rtionship to end. I¡¯m truly sorry for that.¡± Although she was apologizing with her words, her sincerity was hardly felt.


    ¡°It¡¯s really unnecessary. We all have our own lives now, Ms. Zhou, you don¡¯t have to care so much about it.¡± Shu Pan rejected her apology outright. She didn¡¯t want anything to do with them.


    ¡°Then please, Ms. Shu, do as you said. After all, Su Yuan is now my husband. I hope you won¡¯t have any other ideas. You probably don¡¯t know this, but Su Yuan chose to cooperate with yourpany for you. There are so manypanies in the industry, so why did he choose yourpany? This way, he has a reason to get close to you. Are you feeling proud of that? Do you think I¡¯m facing retribution now?¡± Zhou Jie¡¯s tone was assertive.


    ¡°Ms. Zhou, you¡¯re overthinking things. I have no interest in other people¡¯s husbands.¡± Shu Pan replied straightforwardly.


    ¡°Heh heh.¡± Zhou Jie chuckled lightly. ¡°It¡¯s nothing, really. I wanted to tell you that I won¡¯t let go of Su Yuan. It¡¯s best if you don¡¯t have any other thoughts. I¡¯ve heard you¡¯re married too. You should cherish your marriage, or don¡¯t me me for not being polite.¡± Zhou Jie¡¯s threat sounded cold.


    Shu Pan didn¡¯t want to continue the conversation. Her stance had always been clear. ¡°Your marriage doesn¡¯t require anyments from me.¡±


    ¡°Heh, I hope you remember what I said today.¡± Compared to her previous tone, her current one was much colder.


    Afterward, Zhou Jie picked up her bag and left gracefully.


    Shu Pan watched her leave, furrowing her brow. She found this situation truly bewildering. She decided to keep her distance from Su Yuan in the future and prioritize paying back the money she owed him..

 Chapter 63 - 63: The Design Sketches Was Destroyed

    Chapter 63: The Design Sketches Was Destroyed


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Shu Pan has been busy with her work recently, leaving her with little time to think too much about other matters.


    Finally, she finished her designs, letting out a sigh of relief. As she was about to head home, the office door was knocked. She looked up and saw MO Qing, someone she wasn¡¯t particrly familiar with. She couldn¡¯t understand why MO Qing hade to her.


    ¡°Is there something you need?¡± Shu Pan asked. She was quite perceptive, and she always felt an unexinable hostility from MO Qing, especially during meetings, where MO Qing often contradicted her.


    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s nothing.¡± MO Qing shrugged and entered the office, taking a seat.


    Shu Pan nced at her and continued packing her things. She said in a calm tone, ¡°I¡¯m leaving.¡±


    MO Qing wasn¡¯t angered by her attitude. She sat on the chair, looking at her newly manicured nails, and casually asked, ¡°Have you finished your design sketches?¡±


    ¡°Yes, didn¡¯t you finish yours too?¡± Shu Pan didn¡¯t believe that MO Qing was just concerned about her design sketches.


    ¡°Of course. Sister Shu, do you know Mr. Su? Are you close with him?¡± MO Qing asked, probing.


    ¡°Not very familiar. Why?¡± Shu Pan replied simply.


    ¡°Never mind. Let¡¯s wait and see tomorrow, Sister Shu.¡± MO Qing stood up, swaying her graceful figure as she left.


    Not long after Shu Pan left, a figure swiftly entered her office.


    Thepany¡¯s meeting room was filled with engineering and technical staff. Su Yuan sat at the main seat, with Director He Guoping sitting next to him.


    ¡°We can begin,¡± Su Yuan nodded.


    ¡°Sure.¡± MO Qing was the first to present.


    Her design sketches had delicate lines and harmonious colors, offering a fresh perspective and capturing the concept of home perfectly.


    As she spoke about her designs, He Guoping nodded repeatedly.


    Then it was Shu Pan¡¯s turn. She opened herputer, inserted a USB drive, but on the projection screen, there was nothing. Shu Pan furrowed her brows slightly and murmured to herself, ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, please wait a moment.¡± After a while, Shu Pan¡¯s expression became anxious, her voice slightly trembling. Her fingers were searching rapidly for something.


    She felt that something was off, but she genuinely couldn¡¯t find the design sketches. She apologized to the people present, saying, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, the design sketches¡­ are missing.¡±


    Meanwhile, she persisted, staring at theputer screen in a mix of desperation and panic. No matter how she searched, she couldn¡¯t find the design sketches. She had scanned them into theputer afterpleting the initial drafts. But now, there wasn¡¯t enough time to deal with this, especially considering the tight project schedule.


    ¡°How could they be missing?¡± Su Yuan, seeing her anxious state, couldn¡¯t help but ask. The people present felt that something was off and started discussing in low voices, but nobody dared to question too loudly with Su Yuan present.


    Such incidents had never urred before. Every time Shu Pan finished a design, she would scan it into theputer and make backups. But now, they were gone.


    Her mind was in chaos at the moment. She bit her lip. All she could do was speak with a strained voice, ¡°I¡¯m not sure what happened. I checked thoroughly before leavingst night.¡±


    ¡°Sister Shu, could it be that you didn¡¯t finish the design, or youck inspiration? How could such important design sketches just vanish? Fortunately, we¡¯re still in the proposal phase, not in the final draft or construction stage. Otherwise, how much time would be wasted?¡± MO Qing had been waiting for an opportunity to speak, and now she finally could.


    Ever since she joined thepany, everyone considered Shu Pan a prodigy, and her designs were well-received by clients. No matter how hard she tried, she always came up short inparison.


    Shu Pan took a deep breath and steadied her emotions. Then, she returned to the front of the projection screen, facing the audience, and bowed slightly. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, my design sketches are missing. I can¡¯t show them to you.¡±


    Her voice had just fallen, and the meeting room was already buzzing with discussions..

 Chapter 64 - 64: The Ugly Truth

    Chapter 64: The Ugly Truth


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Su Yuan¡¯s face didn¡¯t show much surprise, but he witnessed Shu Pan¡¯s recent situation and felt concerned for her. He couldn¡¯t show too much emotion, though, as the cooperation was based on thepany¡¯s interests, and he couldn¡¯t give the impression of mixing personal matters with business.


    He didn¡¯t know what had happened, but he was aware that Shu Pan must be very disappointed to lose this opportunity. After all, their current project had a significant impact, and their design could potentially make them famous.


    ¡°It¡¯s a pity. Shu Pan¡¯s designs have always been favored. Mr. Su, you see, Shu Pan¡¯s design sketches are missing. Actually, MO Qing¡¯s design also fits thepany¡¯s requirements very well. She can provide a few more design concepts of different styles for your consideration.¡± Director He Guoping took the opportunity to suggest. He had favored MO Qing from the start, and now it was even more appropriate. Fate seemed to be on her side.


    ¡°Alright. Miss MO, please provide a few design concepts for now, ¡± Su Yuan reluctantly said. Originally, he gave them the opportunity because of Shu Pan. Now that this had happened, without the design sketches, he couldn¡¯t say much more. He could only console her privately, as the matter of coboration was urgent.


    With the matter settled, everyone dispersed.


    Shu Pan returned to her office with a sense of loss. She couldn¡¯t figure it out. Everything seemed fine when she leftst night, so how could it have turned out this way?


    Suddenly, she stood up and headed towards Director He¡¯s office. Just as she was about to knock on the door, she heard He Guoping¡¯s reprimanding voice from inside.


    ¡°Did you do it? Did you delete Shu Pan¡¯s design drafts?¡± His voice held certainty. He could think of no one else but her.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? What did I do? Didn¡¯t you promise that I¡¯m responsible for this design? I just didn¡¯t want any extra trouble,¡± MO Qing pouted and acted coquettishly towards him.


    ¡°But you shouldn¡¯t have deleted them. What if her design sketches were better? What you did damages thepany¡¯s interests.¡± He Guoping said meaningfully, with a hint of reluctance in his tone.


    ¡°Alright, I understand.¡± MO Qing sat on hisp and whispered softly. She knew how to get to him. After all, she had risen to her current position in thepany by using simr tactics.


    ¡°Darling, you can rest assured, I¡¯m always thinking of you. How about we go out to celebrate tonight? What do you think? Mmm¡­


    Shu Pan stood by the door, her hand hesitating over the knock. She felt a bit nauseated. This was the truth. It was truly nauseating.


    Not long after, MO Qing came out. Her hair was slightly disheveled, her face a bit flushed, and her lip gloss had smeared.


    Shu Pan pretended not to notice, but her stomach churned in waves.


    As she packed her belongings, she thought that she truly hadn¡¯t understood the unwritten rules of the workce. She had been working for so long, yet still, these things were beyond herprehension.


    At the end of the workday, Su Yuan called her. Shu Pan hesitated for a moment, unsure whether to answer or not. The scene of meeting Zhou Jie was still fresh m ner mina.


    After the call ended, the phone rang again. Shu Pan frowned slightly. She picked up the call. ¡°Su Yuan? What¡¯s the matter?¡±


    ¡°Are you done with work? I¡¯m waiting for you outside yourpany.¡± Su Yuan¡¯s tone carried an implied expectation that couldn¡¯t be refused.


    ¡°Alright.¡± It was unavoidable. Shu Pan also wanted to rify things with him.


    When Shu Pan left thepany, Su Yuan had just stepped out of his Mercedes-Benz. He exuded elegance as he opened the car door and gestured for her to sit.


    After Shu Pan got in the car, he closed the door, started the engine, and in a moment, the car disappeared into the night and the flow of traffic.


    Not far away, MO Qing held her phone, a half-smile tugging at her lips as she watched Su Yuan¡¯s car disappear around the corner. She then nced at the photo she had just taken on her phone, her smile growing even more pronounced.


    ¡°Shu Pan, you pride yourself on being upright and moral, but now you¡¯re with a married man. I wonder what would happen if Mrs. Su found out?¡± She couldn¡¯t help but be eager to see a spectacle..

 Chapter 65 - 65: I Don’t Love Her

    Chapter 65: I Don¡¯t Love Her


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    In the car, Shu Pan sat quietly without saying a word.


    The ride was smooth, and Shu Pan gazed out the window.


    ¡°Pan, what would you like to eat?¡± Su Yuan asked.


    ¡°Anything is fine. Let¡¯s find a ce nearby since it¡¯s gettingte.¡± Actually, Shu Pan wanted to finish the conversation quickly and head home. She wasn¡¯t sure if Gu Shaoting would be back for dinner. Lately, she had been busy with work, and there was one evening when she wasn¡¯t able to prepare anything. Fortunately, he had his ownmitments that day, so he didn¡¯tin.


    ¡°That won¡¯t do. Choose something you like. I want to treat you.¡± Su Yuan said seriously.


    ¡°Then let¡¯s go to the Western restaurant ahead.¡± Shu Pan thought the environment there was more serene, making conversation easier.


    ¡°Alright, your choice.¡± The car slowly pulled up outside the Western restaurant.


    Closing the menu, Su Yuan gazed steadily at Shu Pan. He felt like he could never get enough of looking at her.


    He used to think that sess was the only goal worth pursuing. However, when he truly seeded, he realized that if his sess wasn¡¯t shared with a loved one, it was all meaningless.


    Especially when he looked at Shu Pan, this thought became even stronger.


    Knowing that he wasn¡¯t free yet, he had been restraining himself from seeing Shu Pan. But because of theirpany¡¯s coboration, he was secretly delighted. Finally, he had a legitimate reason to see her.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry too much about the design sketches. There will be many more opportunities in the future. If you face any difficulties, you can talk to me.¡± Su Yuanforted her.


    ¡°It¡¯s alright, it¡¯s my own fault. I just owe you money. I¡¯ll repay you as soon as possible.¡± Shu Pan seemed a bit uneasy.


    ¡°That¡¯s not urgent.¡± In his heart, if this small sum of money made her remember his favor, then so be it.


    ¡°Su Yuan, don¡¯t treat me too well. We are in the past now. Treat the person by your side well. Being together is fate. Cherish it.¡± Shu Pan hinted, hoping he would understand the meaning behind her words.


    ¡°Pan, I¡¯ve already said that I don¡¯t love her. I¡¯m with her just to achieve sess faster. We have a mutually beneficial rtionship, without any emotional basis.¡± Suddenly, a hint of gloom appeared in Su Yuan¡¯s eyes, his tone bing icy.


    Shu Pan looked at Su Yuan before her and felt like he was a stranger.


    The old him had been gentle with a touch of sunshine. Every time she saw him, he wore a smile, even when he left initially. Though his smile carried an apology, he was still smiling. But now, although he treated her gently, the asional malicious expression he revealed caught her off guard.


    She had never seen that side of him before.


    Time truly was a knife that stripped away a person¡¯s initial appearance. Seeing each other again, they werepletely different.


    Some scars, even when healed, still hurt, and one must learn to forget.


    ¡°But marriage is sacred. It can¡¯t be taken lightly. Since you¡¯re married, treat your wife well.¡± Shu Pan advised.


    ¡°Pan, you don¡¯t understand. For the past six years, I¡¯ve lived in conflict. I longed for sess that could bring you happiness, but my marriage has held me back. I can¡¯t rightfully possess you. Now, I can finally break free from all of this. Give me time, wait for me, alright?¡± Suddenly, Su Yuan held Shu Pan¡¯s hand.


    Shu Pan was startled and quickly pulled her hand away.


    ¡°Su Yuan, calm down. We really can¡¯t go back. I¡¯m grateful for your help during my difficult times. I¡¯ll remember it for a lifetime. But our past is truly gone. I hope you can find peace as well.¡± Shu Pan thought of Zhou Jie¡¯s words and let out a sigh.


    ¡°Pan, I won¡¯t let go. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll handle everything.¡± Su Yuan thought she was concerned about Zhou Jie, so he consoled her.


    Shu Pan looked at him, unable to do anything in the face of his stubbornness..

 Chapter 66 - 66: Let’s Divorce

    Chapter 66: Let¡¯s Divorce


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    When Shu Pan returned home, it was close to 9 0¡¯clock. The living room was dim, with only scattered spots of light.


    Shu Pan was startled and quickly turned on the lights. She saw Gu Shaoting sitting on the sofa, his face gloomy and dark. He was smoking, something he usually did when he was troubled.


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you turn on the lights? Have you eaten?¡± Shu Pan asked cautiously. His expression of keeping his distance startled her a bit.


    ¡°Why did youe back sote?¡± Gu Shaoting took a drag of his cigarette and then asked Shu Pan.


    ¡°Working on a project. These past few days have been busy.¡± Shu Pan told a little lie, looking at him with some unease.


    ¡°Shu Pan, I underestimated you. Turns out you¡¯re quite capable. How can working on a project require you to go to a restaurant with a man? What else have you done?¡± Gu Shaoting suddenly stood up, his hand gripping Shu Pan¡¯s chin. His tone was heavy,ced with anger.


    ¡°You¡¯ve misunderstood. He¡¯s just a friend. That¡¯s why I didn¡¯t mention it to you.¡± The pain from having her chin held in his grip spread through Shu Pan.


    ¡°Look at this. What¡¯s this?¡± Gu Shaoting threw his phone in front of Shu Pan.


    Shu Pan nced at it. The people in the photo were her and Su Yuan. They were leaving in a car, and at the restaurant, Su Yuan suddenly held her hand without any warning. The photo had captured their interaction in an ambiguous way.


    From the angle of the photo, it appeared as though they were deeply in love,pletely understanding each other. It looked like they were a couple. Could it be that Gu Shaoting was furious?


    ¡°It¡¯s not what you think. We¡¯re just friends. I didn¡¯t expect him to act like that out of nowhere.¡±


    Shu Pan herself felt her exnation was feeble and weak. She sank onto the sofa, feeling a mist forming in her eyes.


    ¡°Shu Pan, I¡¯ve said it before. Don¡¯t make me wear a cuckold¡¯s hat, or else the consequences won¡¯t be something you can bear. It seems you¡¯ve treated my words as if they were nothing.¡± He spoke with determination.


    ¡°What do you want then?¡± Shu Pan looked at him, resigned to whatever terrible oue mighte.


    ¡°In fact, I¡¯ve grown tired of you too. Honestly, you¡¯re like a tasteless dish, neither enjoyable nor worth discarding. But you know I have a cleanliness obsession. I don¡¯t like using what others have touched. Since you and that guy are so affectionate, I¡¯ll make it happen for you. From now on, don¡¯t appear before me.¡± He ignored the strange emotions in his heart and said these cruel words.


    Seeing the photos sent by an unknown number, Gu Shaoting truly exploded in anger. He couldn¡¯t believe Shu Pan had betrayed him. Even though he had mistreated herter, she had endured it silently. Who would¡¯ve thought she would secretly go on a date with another man behind his back?


    What was so great about that pretty boy? With just a wave from him, so many women woulde flocking. He could get women based on his looks or talents. Anyone was better than Shu Pan. There was no need to be tied to her.


    Tonight, he had contemted in the darkness for a long time. Their rtionship had be meaningless. There was a threshold in his heart that he couldn¡¯t cross. With this triggering event, he decided to get a divorce. He didn¡¯t believe that without Shu Pan, he couldn¡¯t go on.


    ¡°I¡¯ll have thewyer contact you tomorrow for the paperwork. Then you can leave and be together with your little pretty boy.¡± Gu Shaoting¡¯s tone brooked no argument. The coldness in his words once again wounded Shu Pan¡¯s heart.


    Shu Pan hadn¡¯t expected things to end like this. After the incident before, he had been unwilling to forgive her no matter what she said. And now, based on unfounded suspicions, he was demanding a divorce.


    She thought that himing home recently to eat the meals she cooked was a good start. It turned out she had overthought it.


    He had never genuinely cared for her. He had just been ying around. Well, fortunately, she hadn¡¯t told him about the pregnancy. Getting a divorce was also fine. She would leave with her precious child.


    ¡°Fine. Gu Shaoting, let¡¯s get a divorce.¡± Shu Pan¡¯s heart had finally died. Her face was pale, and her chin bore the marks of his grip. But her tears fell like broken beads, whether from pain or bidding farewell to her three-year marriage, she wasn¡¯t sure.


    Shu Pan didn¡¯t utter another word of exnation or rebuttal. Perhaps this was the best ending. In the future, they would go their separate ways, having no more connection to each other..

 Chapter 67 - 67: She Finally Lost Him

    Chapter 67: She Finally Lost Him


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Shu Pan wiped away her tears with her hand, and her heart gradually calmed down.


    A faint smile appeared on her face, hollow and feeble.


    ¡°Tomorrow, I¡¯ll have thewyer bring the divorce agreement. Sign it as soon as possible,¡± Gu Shaoting¡¯s tone was impatient.


    ¡°What about the property distribution?¡± Shu Pan bit her lip and said in a rather pragmatic tone.


    ¡°What do you think? Do you think you¡¯re entitled to bring that up?¡± Gu Shaoting suddenly found her like this repulsive.


    Shu Pan¡¯s expression remained nk. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, anything that shouldn¡¯t be mine, I won¡¯t take. But what¡¯s rightfully mine, I¡¯ll im.¡±


    ¡°Your father forced my father to his death back then. Now you have the audacity to ask me for money to help him clear his debts? Do you still have the face to mention property?¡± Gu Shaoting¡¯s lips curled with irony.


    It was as if Shu Pan had been pped hard across the face. Once again, she was humiliated by her own actions.


    There was a hint of unwillingness in her, a desire to test whether she held any ce in his heart. But she had overestimated him. Just as he had said, he was only ying with her.


    Haha, wisdom came from self-awareness. She was a fool, naive and foolish.


    Shu Pan¡¯s expression remained unchanged. She stared nkly for a moment, then spoke slowly, ¡°So I¡¯ve slept with you in vain, haven¡¯t I?¡±


    Upon hearing this, Gu Shaoting continued, ¡°The divorce agreement will be very clear. If you want to threaten me, demanding money to sign it, go ahead. But don¡¯t challenge my bottom line.¡±


    Shu Pan looked at him, feeling somewhat distant. How could he think of her like this? It turned out he didn¡¯t understand her at all. Well, let him think whatever he wanted.


    Gu Shaoting stood up, his gaze cold and condescending. Shu Pan was indifferent. The room was chilly, but Shu Pan¡¯s heart was not icy.


    There had been so much anticipation, and now there was so much disappointment.


    ¡°Baby, don¡¯t pay attention to what your dad and mom were talking about just now. Mom will love you very much in the future.¡±


    Gu Shaoting¡¯s mood felt a bit suppressed. He walked out onto the balcony, took out another cigarette, lit it, and began to smoke slowly.


    As the cigarette burned out, Gu Shaoting leaned against the railing, looking at the grayish night for a moment. Then he withdrew his gaze, took out his phone, and called He Ming.


    ¡°Brother Ting? It¡¯s sote, what¡¯s up?¡± He Ming couldn¡¯t believe it because Gu Shaoting hadn¡¯t called him thiste for a long time. After he fell ill and was hospitalized, he had almost stopped drinking. He didn¡¯t understand what could be so important to make Gu Shaoting call sote.


    ¡°Shu Pan and I are getting a divorce. I¡¯ll have Lawyer Chen bring the divorce agreement for her to sign tomorrow,¡± Gu Shaoting¡¯s words were like a bombshell, shocking He Ming.


    ¡°Why so sudden? Weren¡¯t you saying you didn¡¯t want a divorce before?¡± He Ming asked in confusion.


    ¡°Got tired of it. Spare me the chatter. Remember the things I asked you to take care of.¡± Gu Shaoting hung up hastily, not wanting He Ming to inquire further. He himself couldn¡¯t even understand what he was feeling.


    He Ming looked bewildered, not understanding the situation. Still, he went to handle the things Gu Shaoting had asked him to do.


    Shu Pan remained sitting on the sofa. She hadn¡¯t gone anywhere.


    The most important part of this home was him, and now she had lost him.


    Three years, not long but not short. Yet it had made her love him to the bone.


    She hadn¡¯t really slept all night, and herplexion had be even paler. She looked outside and saw the morning light had already illuminated the living room.


    Shu Pan slowly got up, freshened up, and thought that once thewyer was here and this matter was settled, she would submit her resignation letter and leave.


    There was nothing worth staying for here anymore, whether it was the marriage or the job, she had failed.


    As Shu Pan was about to go into the bedroom to pack her things, Gu Shaoting actually came out. They almost bumped into each other.


    ¡°I¡¯m packing up now. Do you need to take a look?¡± Shu Pan lowered her head, looking at the floor, and murmured.


    Gu Shaoting frowned slightly, didn¡¯t say anything, and walked past her.


    Shu Pan couldn¡¯t hold back, and her nose began to feel sour again. She realized that she had be overly sentimental since bing pregnant..

 Chapter 68 - 68: Sign

    Chapter 68: Sign


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Shu Pan opened a small suitcase, packing her clothes and documents with simplicity. Just as she had moved in, now she was leaving, and things were as they had been.


    She didn¡¯t take a single thing they had bought after getting married, because nothing belonged to her.


    Stepping out of the bedroom, she barely had time to close the door before the doorbell rang.


    Shu Pan opened the door to find Lavvyer Chen standing there, wearing sses and holding a briefcase.


    ¡°Pleasee in, Lawyer Chen. You¡¯ve gone through the trouble,¡± Shu Pan stepped aside, allowing Lawyer Chen to enter.


    ¡°Mrs. Gu, you¡¯re too polite,¡± Lawyer Chen was slightly ufortable. After all, he was here to bring the divorce agreement for her to sign, and it was quite a demanding agreement.


    ¡°Lawyer Chen, you can just call me Shu Pan. I won¡¯t be Mrs. Gu much longer, ¡± Shu Pan smiled bitterly.


    Lawyer Chen took a seat on the sofa, opened the briefcase, and took out a few sheets of paper. ¡°Ms. Shu, take a look at this agreement. Is there anything that needs to be modified?¡±


    Shu Pan scanned the agreement briefly. There were dozens of uses in all, and without hesitation, she picked up a pen and carefully signed her name.


    ¡°Ms. Shu, aren¡¯t you going to look through it carefully? If there¡¯s anything unreasonable, you can raise it, and we can discuss it,¡± Lawyer Chen, who had been awyer for a long time, had never tried to persuade someone like this before. It was as if he was worried she might be taken advantage of.


    He wasn¡¯t worried about his client being taken advantage of because the agreement was quite harsh on the female party. He had also been working with Gu Shaoting for a long time, and he knew Gu wasn¡¯t usually this stingy. However, now he was drafting such a strict agreement for his former wife, which was truly beyond belief.


    He found it hard to bear.


    ¡°No need, it¡¯s fine,¡± Shu Pan exerted all her strength to sign each letter of her name, as if she wanted to poke a hole in the paper.


    Her fingers tightened slowly, and her long eyshes fluttered like the wings of a butterfly. ¡°Lawyer Chen, thank you for your kindness. I have no objections to the agreement. I¡¯ve signed it. Please take a look.¡±


    Lawyer Chen took the agreement, feeling like it weighed a thousand pounds. He felt like he was doing something wicked.


    Suddenly, the sound of a ringing phone shattered the silence.


    ¡°Hello, Mr. Gu, how are you¡­ Oh, I see. She signed it already¡­ No,¡± Gu Shaoting, worried that Shu Pan wouldn¡¯t sign, had called her specially.


    Shu Pan acted as if she hadn¡¯t heard. It was all over.


    Numbness came from prolonged pain. The three-year marriage finally came to an end.


    After Lawyer Chen left, Shu Pan also left.


    Back in the office, she was alreadyte.


    ¡°Designers are truly different. You don¡¯t even need to announce yourself when you¡¯rete,¡± MO Qing remarked sarcastically upon seeing Shu Pan.


    Shu Pan ignored her, opened herputer, and began to draft her resignation letter.


    She had lost her enthusiasm for this job, and after stumbling upon those two¡¯s affair, she couldn¡¯t pretend it didn¡¯t matter.


    Looking at MO Qing¡¯s perfectly made-up face, with wavy hair that had been styled, Shu Pan couldn¡¯t help but wonder why, in the same position, doing the same job, MO Qing had so much time to primp herself.


    ¡°So, how was it? The other day, I saw you getting into Mr. Su¡¯s car. Where did you go? I heard Mr. Su got married. And his wife is a stunning beauty, right?¡± MO Qing looked at her with a strange smile.


    ¡°Just ordinary friends. Our rtionship isn¡¯t as deep as yours with the director,¡± Shu Pan hinted.


    MO Qing¡¯s face suddenly turned red and then white. She red at Shu Pan, then turned on her heels and walked away.


    After finishing the resignation letter, Shu Pan walked into the boss¡¯s office.


    The boss initially thought she was resigning because of the failed designpetition, but upon learning about her situation, approved her resignation. However, he made it clear that thepany¡¯s doors would always be open for her. These words moved Shu Pan deeply..

 Chapter 69 - 69: Visiting Grandfather

    Chapter 69: Visiting Grandfather


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Shu Pan walked out of thepany¡¯s gate, looked back with mixed feelings, and couldn¡¯t help but feel reluctant. She had started working here right after graduation, and now she was leaving like this. She truly couldn¡¯t bear it.


    It was still early, and Shu Pan didn¡¯t want to go back yet, not to that ce that could no longer be called home. She had decided to pack her things tomorrow and return to her hometown. There, she could have her child. After all, with her father and Auntie Lu there, they could help each other.


    For now, she didn¡¯t want to tell Xiaomeng about her divorce, so as not to worry her. She would contact her once she was settled.


    People were bustling on the streets, hurriedly walking by, but Shu Pan felt like a lifeless doll, aimlessly wandering the streets. She wanted to take in everything, because it might be a long time before she returned to Bin City.


    There was a saying that one fell in love with a city because of a person.


    Now that her love was gone, the meaning of staying in this city was gone too.


    When she returned home, Gu Shaoting was already there, standing on the balcony exhaling smoke. For some reason, he seemed a bit lonely. She thought he would be happy, finally rid of her, able to let go of the burdens in his heart and not live in guilt and hatred anymore.


    Seeing Shu Pan return, Gu Shaoting casually stubbed out his cigarette. Lately, he had a tendency to unconsciously reach for a cigarette when he felt annoyed.


    He would smoke when he was irritated.


    As Gu Shaoting approached, Shu Pan spoke softly, ¡°I¡¯ll be leaving tomorrow morning. I¡¯ll leave the keys on the coffee table. I¡¯m only taking my own things. The rest, things I¡¯ve used and you don¡¯t want, you can throw away.¡±


    ¡°Whatever. We¡¯ll finalize the divorce procedures this afternoon. After that, we¡¯ll have no debts to each other,¡± Gu Shaoting¡¯s expression was cold, devoid of much emotion.


    ¡°Alright, I understand.¡±


    In the afternoon, afterpleting the procedures, they finally became the most familiar strangers. There were no more ties or connections between them.


    ¡°Can I go see Grandpa? I won¡¯t tell him about our divorce. I just want to see him before leaving,¡± Shu Pan asked Gu Shaoting with a pleading look.


    ¡°I happen to have some free time. I¡¯ll go with you,¡± Gu Shaoting walked to the car and backed it out.


    Shu Pan reluctantly got into the car. On the way, no one spoke, and the atmosphere was a bit awkward.


    Shu Pan hadn¡¯t expected that after the divorce, they would still visit Grandpa together.


    When they arrived at the Gu Family¡¯s mansion, Auntie Wang came to open the door, her face full of joy.


    ¡°You¡¯re back. Master will definitely be overjoyed,¡± Auntie Wang opened the door and then headed to the kitchen, probably preparing some delicious food.


    ¡°Panpan, you¡¯re here? Have you been busytely? It¡¯s been a long time since you visited the old estate,¡± Grandpa Gu said, his tone carrying some resentment. Hepletely ignored Gu Shaoting in his words.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Grandpa. I¡¯ve been busytely. How have you been?¡± Shu Pan looked guilty. It was indeed wrong. When elderly people grow old, they long to have their children and grandchildren around.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m still in good health. I was hoping to see my great-grandchild born,¡± Grandpa Gu¡¯s words made Shu Pan¡¯s eyes slightly red. She secretly thought that she might disappoint him.


    ¡°Take care of yourself, Grandpa,¡± Shu Pan¡¯s voice choked.


    Gu Shaoting stood on the side like an unnecessary presence, unable to join in the conversation, watching the tender interactions between the two generations.


    He really couldn¡¯t let Grandpa know that they had divorced. Otherwise, he might not even let him inside the house. Besides, Grandpa¡¯s health wasn¡¯t that great. If he could put it off for a day, he would.


    ¡°Shaoting, have you been busy at worktely? Spend more time with Panpan. Money can¡¯t buy everything, family is the most important,¡± Grandpa Gu faced him directly.


    ¡°Thepany is fine, I know. Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll go see if there¡¯s anything to eat,¡± Gu Shaoting changed the topic and headed toward the kitchen.


    ¡°This naughty kid,¡± Grandpa Gu chuckled and scolded.


    ¡°If he bullies you, you must tell me,¡± Grandpa Gu reminded.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Grandpa,¡± Shu Pan was deeply moved inside, but even more filled with guilt..

 Chapter 70 - 70: Leaving

    Chapter 70: Leaving


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    After returning from the old estate, it was alreadyte. The two individuals returned to their respective bedrooms.


    Shu Pan couldn¡¯t fall asleep for a long time, staring nkly at the ceiling. Everything in this room was meticulously arranged by her. Initially, she had decorated this home with anticipation for a new life and the love in her heart, making it so cozy.


    Now, in retrospect, it felt a bit ironic. Eventually, when this home had a new mistress, it would probably undergo significant changes.


    Gu Shaoting was unusually quiet tonight. He didn¡¯t turn on the light and walked into his bedroom. The light from outside and the moonzily illuminated the room.


    The room was dimly lit, and there was silence all around.


    He copsed onto the bed, staring coldly at the ceiling, his eyes fixed, seemingly empty, his gaze unfocused, as if lost in thought. But at some point, his eyebrows furrowed slightly, clearly deep in thought, yet it was unclear about what.


    Suddenly, he felt restless, stood up all of a sudden, pacing around the room, appearing uneasy.


    Was this divorce-induced restlessness?


    Divorce was nothing. He didn¡¯t believe he couldn¡¯t find someone better, more suitable for him.


    Finally, he took a deep breath and sat back on the edge of the bed. Hey down, trying to make himself fall asleep. However, involuntarily, an image of Shu Pan¡¯s blushing and shy expression emerged in his mind. He felt a burning sensation in his heart, as if a fire was zing.


    Finally, it was dawn. When Gu Shaoting opened the door to leave, he saw that the door to the adjacent guest room was open. He nced inside and saw that the bed was neatly made, everything was in order, as if no one had ever stayed there.


    He walked out to the living room and caught sight of a bunch of keys on the coffee table. He understood that Shu Pan had already left. The house seemed even emptier now, devoid of any vitality.


    He pursed his lips, then headed to thepany.


    In the office, he stared at the pedestrians outside, the cars hurrying by, lost in thought.


    ¡°Brother Ting, congrattions on getting a fresh start,¡± He Ming entered without knocking.


    ¡°How did things go?¡± Gu Shaoting asked abruptly.


    ¡°Well, don¡¯t worry. Everything¡¯s taken care of. Shu Pan is now penniless. The card you gave her has also been suspended. I checked the records. It was used for one transaction,¡± He Ming really didn¡¯t understand Gu Shaoting. Was it necessary to be so ruthless? Even if there was deep-seated resentment, there was no need to treat a woman like this.


    Gu Shaoting remembered that thest transaction seemed to be for buying lingerie. He remembered it so clearly because it was the only transaction. It was for buying lingerie.


    ¡°Brother Ting, actually, you¡¯re divorced now too. Even if Shu Pan¡¯s father was wrong, it¡¯s in the past. She¡¯s having a hard time now. I heard she quit her job too, left with nothing after the divorce. You two have no rtionship now. You should open up your heart. You were depressed before the divorce. Now that it¡¯s done, you should be happy,¡± He Ming earnestly advised.


    What do you think?¡± He Ming suggested when he saw Gu Shaoting didn¡¯t speak.


    ¡°We¡¯ll see,¡± Gu Shaoting responded absentmindedly. He was also contemting that he should move on and live a good life.


    ¡°Alright, you go ahead. I have something to attend to as well,¡± He Ming said and left, closing the door behind him.


    Gu Shaoting sat for a while, immersing himself in his work. There was a holiday resort project under discussiontely. He had to get busy. Next, he would work hard and lead thepany to new peaks..

 Chapter 71 - 71: Encounter with Doctor Wen

    Chapter 71: Encounter with Doctor Wen


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    On this side, Shu Pan woke up early, picked up her luggage, and quietly opened the door, stepping out of the living room, She nced around, sighed, and realized that there might never be another chance for her to step into this ce again. Reluctantly, she ced the keys on the coffee table.


    Then, she quietly opened the door and took the elevator down to the ground floor. She dragged her suitcase and slowly walked outside the residential area.


    When she reached the entrance of the residential area, the friendly security guard smiled at her, ¡°Madam, you¡¯re leaving so early?¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Shu Pan mustered a smile in response.


    The security guard, a young man, opened the gate for her and said, ¡°You¡¯re leaving quite early today. It¡¯s not easy to catch a cab at this hour. Why don¡¯t you let Mr. Gu give you a ride?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s still asleep, and I have something to do,¡± Shu Pan absentmindedly responded, bidding farewell to the guard.


    Indeed, it was too early. There were hardly any people on the road, and there was no sign of any cars.


    Shu Pan sighed helplessly, walking down the road with her head down.


    Suddenly, there was a screech, and Shu Pan heard the sound of tires on the road. A ck car stopped next to her, and a smiling face appeared from inside, his peach blossom eyes unforgettable.


    ¡°Ms. Shu, why are you here? Where are you taking your luggage?¡± Shu Pan recognized him as Wen Chi from the moment he spoke.


    ¡°Why are you here?¡± Shu Pan asked him in return. Unlucky things happened every year, but this year, there were especially many. She met someone who knew her in such a miserable appearance.


    I live nearby. I was on night dutyst night and now I¡¯m going home,¡± Wen Chi exined.


    ¡°Where are you going? It¡¯s hard to find a car now. Let me give you a ride,¡± Wen Chi offered.


    ¡°Well¡­ there¡¯s no need, Dr. Wen. Please go back and rest. I can wait a bit longer,¡± Shu Pan replied, hearing that he had worked a night shift, she didn¡¯t want to trouble him, and she wasn¡¯t familiar with him either.


    ¡°Call me Wen Chi, and I¡¯ll call you Shu Pan. How about that? Meeting each other is fate. Get in the car, don¡¯t let it dy your trip,¡± Wen Chi said as he got out of the car and opened the trunk, lifting Shu Pan¡¯s suitcase into the car.


    Shu Pan was stunned, then realized it didn¡¯t matter and opened the car door to get in.


    ¡°So early, on a business trip?¡± Wen Chi steered the wheel, and the car smoothly moved forward.


    ¡°Where¡¯s your hometown?¡± Wen Chi took the opportunity to ask.


    ¡°Lotus Town. It¡¯s not far from here. It¡¯s a three-hour drive.¡±


    ¡°Just hearing the name makes me think it must be a beautiful ce. I¡¯ll visit next time I have time off. Will you wee me?¡± Wen Chi smiled and said, not knowing why, it just came out naturally.


    Seeing her downcast tone and weakened speech, he didn¡¯t press on about what had happened.


    ¡°Sure, next time youe, I¡¯ll be your tour guide.¡± Feeling indebted to him today, she readily agreed upon hearing his suggestion.


    At a red light, Wen Chi handed her his phone. Shu Pan was puzzled, not understanding what he meant.


    ¡°Enter your phone number so that you can be my tour guideter, ¡± Shu Pan realized after a moment.


    Indeed, she was a divorced pregnant woman. Her intelligence and memory weren¡¯t on the same level as an ordinary person¡¯s.


    Self-mockingly, she put her hand to her forehead, took the phone, lowered her head, and diligently entered the eleven-digit number.


    The morning sunlight shone on her face, a bit pale, but her facial features were like a painting. Her brows and eyes were delicate, and her features were gentle. Her pair of eyes glittered like stars in the dawn sky, as if countless fragments of starlight were mixed in, shining brightly. Her long eyshes yfully blinked, like a small fan.


    Wen Chi was a bit dumbfounded. Even someone who was used to seeing various beautiful women like him was astonished for a moment. Her beauty wasn¡¯t shy or arrogant. It was simply elegant. He inexplicably felt a trace of unusual sentiment in his heart.


    ¡°Dr. Wen, what¡¯s the matter?¡± Shu Pan called out, seeing him lost in thought.


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing, just thinking about something,¡± Wen Chi coughed lightly, covering up his moment of distraction.


    ¡°You can stop right here. I¡¯ll get out and walk in. It¡¯s hard to find parking inside.¡± The car was about to reach the station, so Shu Pan spoke up.


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll pull over. Take care,¡± Wen Chi said, pulling over at the side of the road.


    ¡°Okay, thank you, Dr. Wen.¡± With that, Shu Pan got out of the car, carrying her luggage, waved at Wen Chi, and turned to leave.


    Wen Chi stared at her receding figure for quite a while, lost in thought..

 Chapter 72 - 72: Lotus Town

    Chapter 72: Lotus Town


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    After a three-hour drive, Shu Pan finally returned to Lotus Town.


    As the name suggested, Lotus Town was famous for its lotus flowers, attracting many tourists for viewing every year.


    In the summer, the tranquilke was covered with lush and dripping lotus leaves, resembling a dense array of emerald umbres that securely nket the surface.


    Amidst the lush green lotus leaves, the graceful lotus flowers stood tall like fairies bathing on theke, delicate and shy, with tender petals like pearls emitting a gentle fragrance that soothes the soul.


    Although Shu Pan didn¡¯t visit often, stepping onto thisnd feels particrly familiar.


    She pushed her suitcase along the path, feeling the cool breeze mixed with the scent of earth, making her feel right at home.


    As she neared her doorstep, Shu Pan suddenly felt a bit nervous, unsure how to face her family. Her father and Auntie Lu would surely be upset about her recent experiences.


    After some thought, Shu Pan touched her belly and gathered her courage. She opened the courtyard gate.


    ¡°Dad, Auntie Lu, I¡¯m back.¡±


    Upon hearing Shu Pan¡¯s voice, Auntie Lu walked out, saying, ¡°I thought I was having a hallucination. Your dad just said he hadn¡¯t heard from you in a long time.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve been quite busy recently, but I can be home with you every day from now on. Just don¡¯t find me annoying,¡± Shu Pan forced a rxed smile.


    Auntie Lu furrowed her brows in response to this, a bit unsure of what was going on. Since Shu Pan had already entered the house, she didn¡¯t inquire further.


    Seeing Shu pan, Shu Laide was very happy and advised her to stay longer. He also asked Auntie Lu to prepare more delicious food.


    Back home, Shu Pan felt a warm heart as she watched her family bustling around, caring for her and asking after her.


    During dinner, Shu Pan couldn¡¯t help but bring up the topic of her divorce.


    ¡°Dad, Auntie Lu, I¡­ I got divorced from Gu Shaoting.¡± After speaking, she lowered her head to eat.


    The two people sitting across from her exchanged nces, bewildered, struggling to digest this sudden news.


    ¡°Why so sudden? What happened?¡± Auntie Lu, Lu Lifen, was the first to react, anxiously asking. ¡°Wasn¡¯t he against it before?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing. Don¡¯t worry, I guess he got tired of it as well. Isn¡¯t it better this way?¡± Shu Pan offered a reason.


    ¡°Although that¡¯s true, divorce still affects your reputation,¡± Auntie Lu muttered, feeling somewhat concerned.


    Shu Laide remained silent, his eyes filled with suppressed emotions. Unable to hold back any longer, he sighed, ¡°Panpan, it¡¯s all your dad¡¯s fault. If I knew it would end up like this, I wouldn¡¯t have done what I did back then. Ah, what a tragedy.¡±


    ¡°Dad, you¡¯re overthinking it. This is something between him and me. We didn¡¯t know each other well, and if we were together, we would have separated sooner orter.¡±


    ¡°As long as you¡¯re happy, take some time to rest at home for now. Your Auntie Lu is out working, and I¡¯ll also look for suitable workter. Don¡¯t worry about your life,¡± Shu Laide understood that saying more wouldn¡¯t help, so he had to ept the situation.


    ¡°Um¡­ Dad¡­ Auntie Lu, there¡¯s something else¡­ I¡¯m pregnant, and I n to keep the baby.¡± Shu Pan dropped another bombshell, leaving the two elders internally flustered.


    ¡°Whose child is it? Could it be the reason Gu Shaoting wanted a divorce?¡± Lu Lifen¡¯s first reaction was that the child wasn¡¯t Gu Shaoting¡¯s. But then she thought, Shu Pan wasn¡¯t that kind of person.


    ¡°It¡¯s his child, but he never wanted it. It¡¯s an ident,¡± Shu Pan¡¯s tone was low, with a hint of sadness that was palpable..

 Chapter 73 - 73: Then Keep the Baby

    Chapter 73: Then Keep the Baby


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Shu Laide listened to Shu Pan¡¯s words and let out a sigh. ¡°Since you¡¯ve made up your mind, then go ahead and keep the baby. We¡¯ll raise her together.¡±


    ¡°Panpan, have you really thought this through? You¡¯re still so young. If you have a child by your side, who will be with you in the future? Others might find it burdensome,¡± Lu Lifen, thinking she was the most rational and level-headed among them, tried to persuade her.


    She was worried that Shu Pan was being impulsive. A child was a life, not something to be taken lightly. It was a lifetimemitment.


    ¡°Auntie Lu, I¡¯ve thought it through. I don¡¯t n on marrying again in the future. I¡¯ll just have a child to keep mepany. I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯ve been selfish,¡± Shu Pan felt guilty for causing her family to worry.


    ¡°Silly child, if you¡¯ve really made up your mind, we¡¯ll support you. Just be prepared for the challenges ahead. Taking care of a child on your own won¡¯t be easy, ¡± Lu Lifen patted Shu Pan¡¯s hand, expressing her concern.


    ¡°After dinner, go rest in your room. We don¡¯t know when you¡¯ll be back, but I¡¯ve already prepared your room for you.¡±


    Shu Pan felt touched by their words.


    As she opened the door to her room and saw everything inside, she was moved.


    She didn¡¯t likeplicated things, so the simple decor in the room suited her perfectly. The bedroom had light-colored wallpaper, pale blue curtains, and floral bed sheets. Everything was simple and unadorned, yet she loved it.


    ¡°Baby, this will be our home from now on. You have to grow up well,¡± Shu Pan said gently, her head lowered.


    At this moment, Gu Shaoting returned home from outside. The house was silent, devoid of any sound, pitch-ck. He turned on the light, and the dim glow enveloped him, making his figure appear lonely and deste.


    Suddenly, he became a bit restless, unbuttoning the top buttons of his shirt. He walked slowly to the sofa and sat down, leaning against the backrest. He closed his eyes, and various images yed in his mind.


    Shu Pan preparing honey water for him, taking care of him in the hospital, and the many moments they had shared¡­


    Sometimes, it was the loss that made you realize the value.


    He opened his eyes, unwilling to dwell on those thoughts. He took out his phone from his pocket and went to the balcony. ¡°Let¡¯s go out for a drink.¡± After the call was connected, he stated without much exnation.


    On the other end of the line, He Ming was taken aback, thinking he must have misheard.


    No, it was indeed Gu Shaoting¡¯s call. However, when he had invited him out before, Gu Shaoting seemed uninterested. So why now¡­


    ¡°Sure, I¡¯ll apany you to hell.¡± He Ming agreed readily.


    ¡°Brother Ting, take it easy. You were just in the hospital not long ago, and it took you a while to recover. Let¡¯s stick to red wine. Slow down. Don¡¯t chug it like that. You¡¯ll get drunk,¡± He Ming, startled by Gu Shaoting¡¯s heavy drinking, quickly advised.


    Gu Shaoting¡¯s mind echoed with Shu Pan¡¯s words about not drinking too much. It left a bittersweet feeling.


    He picked up the wine ss and emptied it in one gulp.


    ¡°Brother Ting, do you want me to call some girls in to keep youpany and chat?¡± He Ming looked at him, inquiring. After his divorce with Shu Pan, he had be like this, so maybe spending time with a woman could ease his mind.


    ¡°No, women are too noisy. I want some peace and quiet. Don¡¯t talk nonsense. Just drink up,¡± Gu Shaoting immediately declined. He had a cleanliness issue and didn¡¯t have a yer¡¯s tendencies.


    He Ming nodded helplessly, unable to figure out what he was thinking.


    Then, he poured himself a ss and started to sip slowly.


    Gu Shaoting gazed at the swirling red wine in his ss through narrowed eyes. His thoughts were spinning as well..

 Chapter 74 - 74: Drunken Talk

    Chapter 74: Drunken Talk


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Gu Shaoting finished a ss and then poured another one. Seeing that he couldn¡¯t dissuade him, He Ming just let him be. As long as he didn¡¯t mix his drinks, his stomach wouldn¡¯t ache.


    Before long, He Ming noticed that Gu Shaoting looked absent-minded, his eyes distant, and his face flushed. He quickly grabbed his hand to stop him from drinking more.


    Gu Shaoting shook off his hand and wanted to continue drinking.


    ¡°Brother Ting, that¡¯s enough. Stop drinking. You¡¯re already getting drunk. Be mindful of your stomach,¡± He Ming cautioned.


    ¡°Don¡¯t babble. Just let me drink!¡± Gu Shaoting¡¯s face was red as he spoke loudly.


    ¡°It¡¯ste, let¡¯s go. We cane again another time, okay?¡± He Ming just wanted to take him back as quickly as possible.


    Gu Shaoting stumbled out of the private room, and He Ming rushed forward to support him.


    With great effort, He Ming managed to get Gu Shaoting back to Shuimu


    Qinghua. He helped him sit on the bed, and when hey down, he groaned.


    He Ming left the room to get a ss of water. As he entered with the water, he heard Gu Shaoting muttering to himself.


    ¡°Shu Pan¡­ Bring water¡­ I¡¯m thirsty.¡± Gu Shaoting waved his hand.


    ¡°Where are you?¡± He murmured.


    After listening for a moment, He Ming sighed internally. So, he couldn¡¯t let go of her. Now he was using alcohol to drown his sorrows, but how did he decide on a divorce in the first ce? Moreover, with such a heartless way of ending the marriage, there probably wasn¡¯t any chance of reconciliation.


    He Ming approached and helped him take a sip of water. Seeing that Gu Shaoting was getting sleepy, he closed the door and rubbed his own arm, pondering that he wouldn¡¯t invite him for drinks again in the future. It was a self-inflicted hardship.


    Lying in bed, Gu Shaoting tossed and turned. Suddenly, he sat up, saw his phone on the bedside table, and picked it up. After ncing at it, he dialed a number.


    Shu Pan, who was about to go to sleep, was startled. She wondered who would call her at thiste hour.


    Looking at the screen, her heart raced. How could it be him? She then realized that it waste, so perhaps something had happened.


    Biting her lip, she hurriedly brought the phone to her ear. ¡°Shu Pan¡­ Who do you think you are? My life is better without you¡­ happier¡­ just get lost¡­ go far away, and don¡¯te back¡­¡±


    From the other end of the phone, Gu Shaoting¡¯s voice sounded fragmented and intermittent, quite different from his usual cold and deep voice. It was evident that he was drunk, but alcohol often brought out the truth.


    It turned out that he hated her to this extent. Even when he was drunk, he didn¡¯t forget. Thinking about it, Shu Pan¡¯s eyes turned red.


    Gu Shaoting kept on rambling, but Shu Pan suddenly hung up the call.


    Then she added his number to the blocklist. After the divorce, there was no need for continued involvement. At this point, Gu Shaoting, with his fuzzy mind, still held his phone, clueless about what had happened, already slipping into a deep sleep.


    If he had known what would happen in the future, he would definitely regret drinking tonight, as it had led toplications.


    Now he was probably just a detested ex-husband in Shu Pan¡¯s heart, and any remaining affection would gradually fade away with each sessive disappointment.


    Shu Pan had a sleepless night, and whenever she thought about Gu Shaoting¡¯s words, her heart ached.


    The morning sun had already filled the room, and Gu Shaoting woke up. Lying in bed, he rubbed his head. He only remembered He Ming helping him leave. After that, everything was a blur. He hadn¡¯t been this drunk in a long time.


    Sitting up, he felt that the room was cold and devoid of warmth.


    Walking out to the living room and taking in his surroundings, nothing had changed. Everything was in its ce, but many feelings had shifted.


    Gu Shaoting stared nkly at the kitchen for a moment before going to freshen up. Then he called a driver to pick him up and take him back to thepany..

 Chapter 75 - 75: The Brand Spokeperson

    Chapter 75: The Brand Spokeperson


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    When Gu Shaoting came out, the driver was already there. Through the windshield, the driver could see his stern face as he walked over.


    Who did he upset again? Lately, he had been exuding an air of ¡°stay away from me¡±. The driver was taken aback and instinctively turned off the car¡¯s music, then hurriedly went to open the door.


    On the way to thepany, He Ming called.


    ¡°Are you awake? You seemed to be sleeping peacefullyst night, so I left too. Everything alright?¡± He Ming asked.


    ¡°What could be wrong? I don¡¯t even remember. I¡¯m heading to the office now. You should hurry too. There¡¯s an important meeting today,¡± Gu Shaoting¡¯s expression was gloomy, making him look a bit intimidating.


    ¡°Alright, I understand,¡± He Ming responded. Hearing the tone, he guessed that his mood wasn¡¯t great. He couldn¡¯t help but wonder if this was a manifestation of pent-up desires. A divorced man¡¯s heart was empty. This was the time when he needed a woman¡¯s warmth the most.


    At that time, he would probably not be so sarcastic, and the best candidate would undoubtedly be Tong Fei. Because there were only a few women around mm.


    He Ming mentally patted himself on the back for his astuteness, thinking that actions shouldn¡¯tg behind. He took out his phone, found the contact, and dialed the number.


    The driver stole a nce at Gu Shaoting through the rearview mirror and saw him staring absentmindedly out of the window.


    When the car reached thepany¡¯s underground parking lot, Gu Shaoting¡¯s aura was so low that he nodded in greeting to everyone and quickly left.


    Since it was almost time for the morning meeting, Gu Shaoting headed directly to the conference room.


    The conference room, which had been quite lively, immediately fell into an eerie silence upon Gu Shaoting¡¯s entrance. Everyone pretended to be busy with their tasks.


    At this moment, He Ming also arrived. People kept sending him looks that said, ¡°What¡¯s wrong with Gu Shaoting?¡± He Ming waved his hand, signaling them not to gossip.


    Perhaps everyone was afraid of getting involved, so everyone was speaking cautiously during the meeting.


    The topic of this meeting was about finding a spokesperson for the group, and this brand spokesperson had to be famous and influential to raise the group¡¯s visibility.


    Different opinions were raised, and discussions were in full swing.


    ¡°Usually, hiring celebrities as spokespeople is more effective, ¡± someone proposed during the meeting.


    ¡°Yes, and they should have a positive image, without any negative news,¡± someone else chimed in.


    ¡°Celebrities like Guan Xintong, who just won the Best Actress award, and Sun Yue, the movie queen, are both good choices.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s also the famous model Tong Fei. She has good development both domestically and internationally, and her image is positive with international influence,¡± suddenly the head of the advertising department suggested.


    ¡°That¡¯s right. What¡¯s more, she was rumored to be involved with Mr. Gu. The media loves to specte. If she bes a spokesperson, it will surely generate a lot of attention and heat¡­¡± another manager chimed in with increasing enthusiasm.


    Gu Shaoting¡¯s gaze suddenly turned sharp like a sword, directed at the person who was speaking with more fervor.


    ¡°What do you think of this suggestion?¡± He Ming asked.


    ¡°What do you think? Have I stooped so low as to use myself for publicity?¡± Gu Shaoting said darkly.


    ¡°What do you mean by using yourself for publicity? You two have been photographed together before, rumors are just rumors. It¡¯s just indulging everyone¡¯s curiosity. You being together is a topic, and it brings poprity. This can quickly raise the project¡¯s visibility. Especially now that our leisure resort in Lotus Town is in the preparation stage, we need people¡¯s attention,¡± He Ming¡¯s words were sharp and on point.


    Gu Shaoting pondered for a moment, feeling less resistant. He realized he was single now and had nothing to worry about. There was nothing much to care about regarding these rumors. What was important now was thepany¡¯s development..

 Chapter 76 - 76: A New Life

    Chapter 76: A New Life


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi- Bo Studio


    After some thought, Gu Shaoting spoke up, ¡°Then write up a proposal as you all suggested and give it to me. If there¡¯s nothing else, the meeting is adjourned.¡±


    As his words fell, everyone breathed a sigh of relief. The matter had a resolution, and they were finally spared the mental torment.


    Recently Mr. Gu had been prone to anger. Two days ago, he berated a manager so badly that the scene was chaotic.


    So everyone had been on edgetely, working with heightened vignce. People left one by one. Only Gu Shaoting and He Ming remained in the conference room.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on? You¡¯ve been gloomy since the divorce,¡± He Ming, unafraid to touch on the topic, said, ¡°You haven¡¯t let go, have you?¡±


    ¡°Get lost. Who hasn¡¯t let go? Now I¡¯m feeling carefree andfortable. Look at Shu Laide¡¯s current state. He¡¯s reaping what he sowed. It¡¯s just that I¡¯m still not used to it,¡± Gu Shaoting¡¯s words seemed to have an underlying meaning.


    He Ming nodded, ¡°That¡¯s good then. Start your new life quickly. The world is full of wonders. Don¡¯t give up the entire forest for a single tree.¡± After saying this, he got up and left the conference room.


    In the spacious and bright office, only Gu Shaoting remained. He walked to the floor-to-ceiling window and looked at the bustling crowd below, couldn¡¯t help but wonder, was she among them?


    After the divorce, he suddenly felt ufortable with her absence. This wasn¡¯t a good sign.


    Back at home, Shu Pan couldn¡¯t help but sneeze. Seeing the brilliant sunshine outside, she decided to head to the market in town.


    Not far from home, the streets were a bit crowded, but no one was in a hurry, and the pace was slow. She strolled leisurely and suddenly saw a flower shop not far away that was hiring.


    Shu Pan walked in, and the owner of the flower shop was a girl about her age named Lan Lan.


    The two hit it off instantly, and Shu Pan honestly told Lan Lan about her pregnancy. Lan Lan didn¡¯t mind. She didn¡¯t have much work for her to do and sometimes needed someone to watch the shop when she went to purchase more flowers.


    Shu Pan was ecstatic. Although the money wasn¡¯t much, it could at least cover the expenses before giving birth.


    After the child was born, she could make ns to return to her professional work.


    When Shu Pan returned home, she told the elderly couple about this. Both of them objected, wondering why she would work when she was pregnant, and worried that her body couldn¡¯t handle it.


    Shu Pan exined that the work was easy, and they were financially tight right now.


    The two reluctantly agreed. Other people had their husbands to take care of them when they were pregnant, but Pan Pan had to work for a living. The two of them revealed distressed expressions at the same time.


    Shu Pan didn¡¯t have the energy to think about anything else. For now, her child was the most important thing to her.


    She felt that this kind of life was not bad for her.


    A new life, a new beginning.


    After a while, Shu Pan finally remembered that she hadn¡¯t informed Xiaomeng about leaving Bin City. She also didn¡¯t know how Xiaomeng was doing.


    Thinking about it, she took out her phone and dialed her number. A pleasant song yed on the other end of the phone, but no one answered for a long time.


    Shu Pan became a bit anxious. She thought, ¡°Could something have happened?¡±


    The call ended automatically. Shu Pan dialed again, but once again, there was no answer on the other end.


    Worried and helpless, Shu Pan was getting more and more anxious. Just as she was bing frantic, the phone finally rang. It was Xiaomeng.


    Shu Pan immediately put the phone to her ear, ¡°Xiaomeng, are you okay?


    Normally, you answer the phone within three seconds. What¡¯s going on today?¡±


    ¡°Hey girl, I¡¯m at the hospital. There are too many people, and I didn¡¯t notice the call,¡± Xiaomeng¡¯s tone was calm, and it was hard to discern her emotions..

 Chapter 77 - 77: I Believe Him

    Chapter 77: I Believe Him


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    ¡°Xiaomeng, has something happened?¡± Shu Pan asked worriedly, also regretting not being with her.


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing, babe. I¡¯m just being paranoid. No matter what happens, I believe in him.¡± Ye Xiaomeng¡¯s words were a bit cryptic, but Shu Pan knew she was referring to Cheng Yang.


    ¡°Babe, it¡¯s my turn now. I¡¯m at a prenatal checkup. We¡¯ll talkter.¡± ¡°Sure, remember to call me if there¡¯s anything.¡± Shu Pan instructed.


    ¡°Yeah, don¡¯t worry.¡± Shu Pan felt that Ye Xiaomeng seemed a bit different from usual, as if she had lost her previous cheerfulness and carefreeness.


    In truth, Shu Pan was conflicted. She didn¡¯t know whether to tell her friend about what she had seen. Although Cheng Yang kept insisting that the girl was his sister, who would have such ambiguous behavior with their sister?


    Ye Xiaomeng loved Cheng Yang so much, for almost ten years. She was carrying his child now and they were going to have a wedding soon. If Shu Pan told her now, how could she handle it?


    But not telling her, keeping it from her, the truth woulde out sooner orter. Even if Ye Xiaomeng were thick-headed, she would eventually notice the hints of their close rtionship.


    To tell or not to tell, it seemed like both options would eventually lead to hurt. That was something Shu Pan didn¡¯t want to see. She didn¡¯t want her best friend to be hurt.


    People wereing and going in the hospital. After her prenatal checkup, Ye Xiaomeng was nning to go home when a heart-wrenching scene appeared before her eyes.


    She saw Cheng Yang, who had told her he was going on a business trip yesterday, now holding a woman in his arms. They were walking towards the registration counter, the woman in his arms appearing delicate and pitiable. Ye Xiaomeng could hardly believe her eyes.


    Yet some things were hard to doubt when seen with one¡¯s own eyes. In fact, she had sensed something was amiss vaguely, but she had been deceiving herself.


    Tears streamed down Ye Xiaomeng¡¯s face.


    Lately, she had felt that something was off, but she didn¡¯t dare to delve deeper.


    He used to apany her to prenatal checkups no matter how busy he was.


    Whatever she wanted to eat, he would bring it to her immediately.


    And now? He was always saying he had to travel for work, that he was busy. She was a fool. She thought his promotion had really made him that busy. It turned out he had someone else now!


    She had just confidently told Shu Pan that she believed in him, and now it felt so ironic.


    In fact, she was saying it to herself. For ten years, her world had revolved around him. He was her everything, her sky. Her love for him had even taken away her sense of self.


    The scene before herpletely shattered her. Afraid of being seen, she stepped aside, feeling pathetic for herself. Even in this state, she still didn¡¯t want to confront the situation head-on.


    She waited until they were far away before heading towards the exit, wandering aimlessly. She didn¡¯t want to go home now, didn¡¯t want to face the lies one after another.


    She had stayed in the innocent world Cheng Yang had built for her for too long. She didn¡¯t understand theplexity of human hearts. The world outside was so colorful, so tempting. How many could resist its allure?


    By the afternoon, Cheng Yang finally called, ¡°Honey, how was the checkup? Is our son doing well?¡±


    Upon hearing this, Ye Xiaomeng¡¯s heart felt sour. If not for what had happened earlier, maybe she would still think of herself as the happiest woman in the world. But now she really wanted to ask Cheng Yang, what was going on with that woman? How could he hold another woman and still care about her and their child?


    But Ye Xiaomeng held back. She pretended as if nothing had happened, ¡°Everything¡¯s fine. When are youing back? I want to eat the tomato and egg noodles you make.¡±


    Cheng Yang on the other end of the line chuckled softly and called her a little glutton. Then, a voice came through the phone very clearly, ¡°Brother Cheng, who are you talking to?¡±


    The call was hastily disconnected right after that..

 Chapter 78 - 78: Pretend to Be Happy

    Chapter 78: Pretend to Be Happy


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Ye Xiaomeng finally couldn¡¯t hold back anymore. She turned off her phone and then squatted down, hugging herself. Tears flowed uncontrobly. She felt like a coward, unable to face the facts that she vaguely knew were there.


    In reality, she had always been afraid that Cheng Yang might suddenly break up with her. So, she turned off her phone. As long as she didn¡¯t confront it directly, she could still pretend to be happy.


    After calming down for a while, she stood up and started walking on the street, not wanting to go home.


    Night fell, and she finally turned on her phone. There were dozens of missed call notifications from Cheng Yang and Shu Pan.


    She frowned and called back. Soon, Shu Pan¡¯s anxious voice came through,


    ¡°Xiaomeng, where are you? Why was your phone off?¡±


    ¡°Maybe my phone was in my bag and identally hit the power button. What¡¯s wrong?¡± Ye Xiaomeng tried to keep her tone light.


    ¡°Did you go for your prenatal checkup? Wasn¡¯t Cheng Yang with you? Has he been busytely?¡± Shu Pan couldn¡¯t help but ask.


    ¡°How do you know?¡± Ye Xiaomeng was a bit puzzled. She hadn¡¯t told her about it.


    ¡°He called me and said he couldn¡¯t reach you. Did something happen between you two?¡± Shu Pan wondered if Xiaomeng had found out about Cheng Yang and the other woman.


    ¡°No, everything¡¯s fine.¡± Ye Xiaomeng didn¡¯t want Shu Pan to worry, and she couldn¡¯t bear to be apart from Cheng Yang either. So, she chose to y dumb.


    ¡°Xiaomeng, be cautious. After all, there are a lot of mistresses out there in society nowadays¡­¡± Shu Pan hinted.


    ¡°He won¡¯t, after all, we¡¯re about to get married, and we have a child together.¡± While persuading Shu Pan, Ye Xiaomeng was also trying to persuade herself.


    ¡°That¡¯s good. You better head home quickly. Maybe he¡¯s waiting for you.¡± Shu Pan was mostly concerned, hoping Cheng Yang wouldn¡¯t disappoint her.


    ¡°Yeah, okay, I¡¯ll hang up.¡± Ye Xiaomeng quickly ended the call, worried that Shu Pan might detect the vulnerability in her voice.


    As she walked home, the night had fallenpletely, and a slight breeze made her feel a bit chilly.


    As Xiaomeng reached the entrance of the house, she saw the lights inside and suddenly felt a twinge of sadness. She used to think that home was the warmest ce, but now? It was quite ironic.


    When she arrived at the doorstep, the door swung open abruptly, and Cheng Yang looked at Xiaomeng with surprise. The heart that had been hanging in midair finally found its ce.


    When he called her in the morning, Snow suddenly spoke up, scaring him into quickly hanging up. When he called backter, it said her phone was off.


    His heart had been restless the whole time, unsure whether she had turned off her phone after hearing Snow¡¯s words.


    He had been frantically calling her, like a headless fly, but without any results. It was only when Shu Pan told him that Xiaomeng was on her way back that he felt a bit relieved.


    ¡°My dear, where were you? Why was your phone off? Come on, sit down quickly. I¡¯ll make you your favorite tomato and egg noodles.¡± Cheng Yang¡¯s performance could easily earn him a score of 100 as a devoted husband.


    ¡°Probably identally hit the power button. I¡¯m fine, just wandering around aimlessly.¡± Ye Xiaomeng pretended to beposed, although she really wanted to ask him about the situation between him and that woman. However, at this moment, she couldn¡¯t bring herself to ask.


    ¡°I¡¯ll make you noodles first. I¡¯ll talk to you about somethingter.¡± Cheng Yang said and headed towards the kitchen.


    A little whileter, a bowl of tomato and egg noodles was brought over. It smelled delicious. Normally, Ye Xiaomeng would have started devouring it, but now she had no appetite.


    She used her chopsticks to pick out a few strands of noodles. The steam from the bowl reddened her eyes, and a tear unconsciously rolled down from the corner of her eye..

 Chapter 79 - 79: Just Ordinary Friends

    Chapter 79: Just Ordinary Friends


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Cheng Yang finally noticed the strangeness in Ye Xiaomeng¡¯s demeanor. His heart tightened, and he murmured, ¡°My dear, what¡¯s wrong with you?¡±


    ¡°Cheng Yang, you mentioned earlier that you had something to tell me?¡± Ye Xiaomeng lifted her head to look at him, wondering if he was going to talk about the situation with that woman.


    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s just that our wedding day is approaching, and I thought we could go pick out wedding dresses in our free time.¡± Cheng Yang¡¯s intended words faltered on his lips, and he ended up saying this instead.


    Ye Xiaomeng felt a bit disappointed. Honesty was the best policy. If things were transparent, why couldn¡¯t he tell her? If he honestly exined that the woman was just a friend, she might believe him.


    But seeing that he wasn¡¯t going to bring it up, she decided to act like she didn¡¯t know. However, somewhere in her heart, cracks had already started forming.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been a bit tired these days. Let¡¯s go another day. Maybe we should set an appointment with the bridal shop first.¡± Ye Xiaomeng wasn¡¯t feeling enthusiastic at the moment. Without this issue, she would probably be overjoyed and unable to sleep.


    ¡°Alright, enjoy your noodles while they¡¯re hot, then take a shower. You¡¯ve been out all day and must be tired.¡± Cheng Yang gently patted her back as he spoke.


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Ye Xiaomeng nodded.


    When Ye Xiaomeng emerged from her shower, she didn¡¯t see Cheng Yang in the living room or bedroom. She was puzzled. Had he gone out?


    While she was lost in thought, she suddenly heard voicesing from the balcony. The conversation was deliberately hushed, making it difficult for her to hear clearly.


    She walked closer and saw Cheng Yang talking on the phone with his back turned. His tone was gentle, ¡°Sweetie, tomorrow I¡¯ll take you to¡­¡±


    To someone unaware, it sounded like a conversation between lovers. Ye Xiaomeng¡¯s heart ached to the point of numbness. She pretended to make some noise and saw Cheng Yang quickly hang up the call.


    As he walked into the living room, there was a trace of unease on his face. ¡°Done with your shower?¡± He approached her, trying to hide his flustered demeanor.


    ¡°Yeah, it¡¯ste. Who were you on the phone with?¡± Ye Xiaomeng deliberately asked, already knowing the answer.


    ¡°Oh, just an ordinary friend.¡± Cheng Yang exined.


    ¡°Well, you should get some rest too.¡± Ye Xiaomeng replied expressionlessly and then went back to the bedroom.


    Cheng Yang nodded with a guilty conscience.


    Shu Pan also struggled to fall asleep. Xiaomeng¡¯s strange behavior today bothered her, but she remembered that they had a 10-year foundation of feelings, which wasn¡¯t easily shaken.


    Thinking about her own situation with Gu Shaoting, they had essentially had a sh marriage. Even if no one else interfered, it was still hard to maintain.


    Love was a two-way street, singing a monologue wouldn¡¯t sustain it.


    Shu Pan decided to look forward to the future and treat the past as chalk marks that could be easily erased.


    The gentle morning sun warmed the earth. Shu Pan woke up early, wearing a cotton dress that slightly revealed her growing belly. She strolled towards the flower shop.


    Inside the flower shop, the owner Lan Lan had just returned from getting supplies. Shu Pan quickly went over to help categorize and organize the flowers.


    Buds of flowers that were about to bloom emitted a delicate fragrance.


    The fully bloomed flowerspeted in their brilliant colors, bringing joy to anyone who looked at them.


    Facing these beautiful flowers every day, Shu Pan felt that she would be much happier.


    She carefully wrapped the flowers. Her five-month pregnancy was now showing, with a noticeable bump. asionally, she could even feel faint movements from the baby.


    Shu Pan found this feeling quite subtle. Although she didn¡¯t have her husband¡¯s care or various nutritional supplements and had to make do with simple meals, she was determined to provide endless love for her child and ensure the child¡¯s healthy and joyful growth.

 Chapter 80 - 80: Set Visit

    Chapter 80: Set Visit


    Transl ator: Nvni-Ro Stl Idio Fditor: Nvoi- Ro Stl Idio


    Shu Pan felt more and more ustomed to her new life, but Gu Shaoting began to feel uneasy, as if something was missing.


    Thepany¡¯s projects were in full swing, and the spokesperson had been confirmed to be Tong Fei.


    When Assistant Zhang contacted Tong Fei, she told her everything. Without hesitation, Tong Fei agreed. To be precise, she had been waiting for this opportunity for a long time.


    Ever since He Ming told her about Gu Shaoting¡¯s divorce, she had been itching to get closer to him. She had been searching for a chance to approach him, and now, the opportunity hade. Moreover, the offer from the Gu Group was quite tempting.


    After signing the contract, the next step was to shoot the promotional advertisements.


    On this day, they were scheduled for a photo shoot in the studio. Apanied by her assistant Zhou, Tong Fei entered the dressing room.


    ¡°Later, you call a few reporters you know and have them report on my coboration with Gu Group. I heard that Mr. Gu will also be here for the shoot. Tell them what to do,¡± Tong Fei instructed her assistant Xiao Zhou.


    Zhou nodded in understanding and went to make the arrangements.


    Looking at herself in the mirror, Tong Fei saw her silky ck hair cascading down her shoulders, delicate arched eyebrows, eyes as bright as stars and moons, a graceful nose, blushing cheeks, cherry-like lips, wless skin, a tall and slender figure, and an extraordinary temperament.


    Tong Fei thought to herself that with her looks, Gu Shaoting would definitely fall at her feet again.


    Once Zhou came in and confirmed everything was ready, Tong Fei gracefully walked towards the studio.


    Everyone was prepared and waiting for the leading actress to appear.


    Given the importance that the Gu Group attached to this endorsement, the production team was top-notch and treated the supermodel with utmost respect.


    For Tong Fei, the photo shoot was a piece of cake. She effortlessly transitioned between innocent charm and captivating allure in front of the camera.


    Soon, the photo shoot wasing to an end, and someone in the crowd uttered, ¡°Mr. Gu brought some delicious food to visit the set.¡±


    All eyes turned towards the entrance. A man entered wearing a ck suit and a diagonal-striped tie. His sharp eyebrows framed deep, enigmatic eyes, his thin lips rarely curved into a smile, and his expression was as cold as stars. The contours of his profile were sharp and defined, yet carried a subtle softness, enough to make all the girls scream.


    The man who entered was none other than Gu Shaoting. Seeing that everyone¡¯s attention was on him, he furrowed his brow slightly.


    People pretended to look elsewhere.


    ¡°Shaoting, you¡¯re here? Not busy today?¡± Tong Fei¡¯s eyes sparkled upon seeing Gu Shaoting.


    ¡°Just finished, is the shoot going well on your end?¡± Gu Shaoting asked casually.


    ¡°Almost done. I¡¯ve been in great form today, and many shots were done in one take,¡± Tong Fei¡¯s gentle voice sounded again.


    ¡°That¡¯s great. I brought some food for everyone. Let¡¯s eat first and then continue shooting,¡± Gu Shaoting said.


    ¡°We¡¯re almost done, and today¡¯s outfits are quite fitted, so I won¡¯t eat for now. How about we have a meal after we finish shooting? Is that alright?¡± Tong Fei looked at him with watery eyes, asking earnestly.


    ¡°Sure.¡± Gu Shaoting readily agreed. Her request was reasonable, and now that she was thepany¡¯s spokesperson, it was important for him to embrace new beginnings as well.


    With happiness in her heart, Tong Fei stepped into the frame. Perhaps due to Gu Shaoting¡¯s presence, she performed even more outstandingly, with every movement and expression wless..

 Chapter 81 - 81: An Accident Happened

    Chapter 81: An ident Happened


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Not long after, the shoot came to an end. Tong Fei returned to the dressing room to change clothes. Suddenly, she whispered something to her assistant Zhou. Zhou frowned in disagreement. Tong Fei looked at her, nodding with certainty. Zhou sighed and walked away.


    As Tong Fei stepped out, Gu Shaoting was reviewing the just-shot scenes. Tong


    Fei approached him with a smile.


    Seeing hering out, Gu Shaoting greeted her and prepared to leave.


    Suddenly, a rack behind Gu Shaoting started wobbling and tilted toward him.


    ¡°Shaoting, be careful!¡±


    Tong Fei¡¯s face changed dramatically. She quickly lunged forward and pushed Gu Shaoting aside.


    With a loud crash, the rack fell to the ground, and another part of it hit Tong Fei¡¯s back.


    ¡°Tong Fei, are you okay?¡± Gu Shaoting hastily moved the rack away, and people around rushed to help.


    Tong Fei dared not move recklessly, feeling a burning pain in her back. She endured the pain and slowly stood up.


    Gu Shaoting approached and lifted Tong Fei into his arms. He carried her outside carefully, cing her in the back seat of the car, and then drove to the nearest hospital.


    At the hospital, the doctor conducted a thorough examination. Fortunately, there were no serious injuries, but her back was bruised extensively. Tong Fei winced in pain, and the doctor suggested that she stay in the hospital for observation for a couple of days.


    Gu Shaoting quickly handled the admission procedures and had Tong Fei¡¯s assistant apany her.


    Tong Fei was ced in the most luxurious ward. When no one was around, Zhou whispered, ¡°Miss Fei, you scared me. Luckily, the injury isn¡¯t too severe, but you took quite a risk.¡±


    Because of the back injury, Tong Fei had to lie on the bed.


    .They say it¡¯s not serious, but in fact, it¡¯s quite bad. Your back is all bruised¡­¡± Zhou muttered to himself as he looked at Tong Fei¡¯s injured back.


    ¡°Fearing the tiger¡¯sir, how could I catch the tiger¡¯s cub? If I didn¡¯t do this,


    Shaoting would never have taken a second look at me. Even if he¡¯s not attracted to me anymore, this ident will make him feel guilty about my existence. What Ick now is just an opportunity. As we spend more time together, he¡¯ll discover my virtues and eventually fall in love with me.¡±


    Tong Fei¡¯s analysis was thorough and convincing, with her words oozing confidence.


    Zhou couldn¡¯t help but sigh inwardly. She had thought things through thoroughly, but the price seemed quite high.


    Before long, Gu Shaoting returned to the ward. Zhou intended to create a chance for the two to be alone, so she left.


    ¡°How are you feeling? Is it still painful?¡± Gu Shaoting was astonished. He hadn¡¯t expected such bravery from such a delicate woman in the face of danger. It required immense courage.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, it¡¯s not too serious. It¡¯s just a little painful. It¡¯ll be better in a couple of days. I¡¯m just d you¡¯re okay. That¡¯s great,¡± Tong Fei said thankfully.


    Gu Shaoting looked at Tong Fei, his heart a mixture of emotions.


    ¡°Just focus on getting well. I¡¯ll inform thepany. I have some other matters to attend to now, but I¡¯lle back to see youter.¡±


    After he closed the door to the ward, he left.


    Outside the door, he suddenly felt regretful. How could hepensate her? After all, she got injured for his sake.


    Inside the hospital room, Tong Fei watched Gu Shaoting¡¯s departing figure, her heart blooming with joy. Thepassion that Gu Shaoting had shown just now was worth her sacrifice.


    Next, as long as she showed weakness from time to time, Gu Shaoting would definitely not ignore her.


    The position of Mrs. Gu seemed to be beckoning her. Shu Pan had made the wise decision to leave, or she would have faced many hardships. In Tong Fei¡¯s dictionary, there were still no unattainable things, including love..

 Chapter 82 - 82: Passing by

    Chapter 82: Passing by


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Tong Fei stayed in the hospital for two days and was then discharged. During that time, Gu Shaoting also visited her a few times.


    On the day Tong Fei was leaving the hospital, reporters from nowhere appeared. She wore sunsses, and Gu Shaoting had his arm around her. Suddenly, several microphones were thrust in front of them, ¡°Mr. Gu, there have been many reports recently about you and Miss Tong Fei being in a rtionship. Miss Tong had an ident, and we see how you¡¯ve been taking care of her. Could this be a sign of a forting good news?¡±


    ¡°Sorry, I¡¯ve never bothered exining rumors. We¡¯re in a hurry, please step aside,¡± Gu Shaoting¡¯s demeanor remained unchanged from start to finish, his voice was calm, though his slightly furrowed brows showed a hint of impatience.


    Pushing through the crowd, they returned to their car.


    ¡°Sorry, Shaoting, because I¡¯m a public figure, it brings attention to you as well. I¡¯m disturbing your life,¡± Tong Fei¡¯s words were filled with guilt.


    ¡°It¡¯s not your fault. It¡¯s those reporters being too annoying,¡± Gu Shaoting looked ahead and started the car.


    After dropping Tong Fei off at home, Gu Shaoting returned to thepany.


    ¡°Mr. Gu, you¡¯re finally back. The construction director from the Lotus Town resort just called to say they¡¯re ready to start construction. If you¡¯re avable, would you like to go and take a look?¡± Assistant Zhang seemed relieved to see Gu Shaoting, who had been elusive for the past two days. The Lotus Town resort project was currently a significant focus for thepany.


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll go tomorrow. You can apany me to take a look,¡± Gu Shaoting immediately agreed. It was time to see the site in person. He had been relying solely on blueprints and renderings.


    The next day, by the time they reached Lotus Town, it was already noon. Unfortunately, the weather wasn¡¯t cooperating. It had started drizzling.


    Gu Shaoting felt cold droplets of water on his face. Looking up, he realized raindrops were falling from the sky.


    He hurried to the entrance of the hotel where he was staying. As the revolving door of the hotel opened, someone wasing out. He didn¡¯t pay much attention and quickly walked inside.


    Shu Pan had just stepped out of the revolving door and was dismayed to see that it had started drizzling. She hade to the hotel to deliver some flowers, but she hadn¡¯t anticipated rain.


    Thankfully, it was just a light rain. She used her bag to shield her head and walked toward a nearby flower shop.


    Coincidentally, Assistant Zhang parked the car and was about to enter the hotel when he saw Shil Pan¡¯s figure in the distance. He stopped in his tracks.


    watching her walk away. He muttered to himself, ¡°Isn¡¯t that Madam? What¡¯s she doing here?¡±


    Was he seeing things, or had his nearsightedness gotten worse?


    Lost in thought for a moment, he shook his head and then strode into the hotel.


    They had lunch at the hotel, rested for a while, and then left.


    Assistant Zhang took the driver¡¯s seat and started the car. The rain was still light. As they drove away from the hotel, he stole nces at his boss in the rearview mirror.


    He saw Gu Shaoting leaning back in the rear seat, resting with his eyes closed. Assistant Zhang couldn¡¯t suppress his curiosity and broke the silence.


    ¡°Mr. Gu, is Madam also in Lotus Town?¡±


    ¡°What Madam?¡± Gu Shaoting opened his eyes and furrowed his brows slightly.


    ¡°Your wife, Mr. Gu. Don¡¯t you have only one Mrs.?¡± Assistant Zhang couldn¡¯t help but think in his mind.


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m not sure. Why do you ask?¡± Gu Shaoting sounded a bit puzzled.


    ¡°I thought I saw a figure that looked like Madam just now, so I wanted to confirm with you,¡± Assistant Zhang exined.


    ¡°It¡¯s unlikely. This ce is far less appealing than Bin City. It¡¯s suitable for a short vacation, but not very convenient for daily life.¡±


    Assistant Zhang nodded..

 Chapter 83 - 83: Su Yuan’s Entanglement

    Chapter 83: Su Yuan¡¯s Entanglement


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    The car moved slowly towards its destination, and Gu Shaoting stared absentmindedly at the scenery outside Lotus Town. He couldn¡¯t help but ponder Assistant Zhang¡¯s words. Could it be her? She always seemed to appear in his life when he was on the brink of forgetting her.


    Gu Shaoting rubbed his forehead and closed his eyes again, choosing not to dwell on this matter.


    When Shu Pan returned to the flower shop, Lan Lan was trimming flower branches. She looked at the drizzling rain outside and scolded, ¡°I said I will do the delivering. Look at the rain. If you catch a cold from getting wet, what will you do?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine, Lan Lan. I¡¯m not that delicate. I¡¯ll be careful. A little drizzle like this won¡¯t affect me.¡± Shu Pan smiled. Normally, Lan Lan did most of the heavy lifting while she appeared more like the boss. She felt a bit embarrassed.


    ¡°You, youck the awareness of a pregnant woman.¡± Lan Lan shook her head, her concern evident in her tone.


    ¡°Since it¡¯s raining today and I¡¯m probably not that busy, you can go home early. Make sure to change into dry clothes when you get there.¡± Lan Lan gave her an order.


    ¡°Alright, got it.¡± Shu Pan could onlyply reluctantly.


    When she arrived home, her father and Auntie Lu were both out. She changed her clothes and decided to cook.


    Suddenly, her bag emitted an urgent ringing. Shu Pan was a bit puzzled. Who would be calling her at this hour?


    ¡°Hello.¡± Before Shu Pan could finish speaking, she heard Su Yuan¡¯s anxious voice on the other end.


    ¡°Pan, where have you been? I went to yourpany to look for you, and they said you resigned a while ago. What¡¯s going on? What happened?¡± Su Yuan rushed to speak, leaving Shu Pan at a loss for words.


    ¡°Su Yuan, I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t mean to worry you. I¡¯m fine. I left Bin City,¡± Shu Pan exined.


    ¡°Why did you leave Bin City? Your home¡­ Did you get a divorce?¡± Su Yuan asked uncertainly.


    ¡°Yes. I got a divorce¡­ But I¡¯m pregnant. I left Bin City to start a new life,¡± Shu Pan said. She thought that this way of putting it should finally put an end to Su Yuan¡¯s hopes!


    ¡°Why did you do something so foolish? Why didn¡¯t you tell me when something like this happened?¡± Su Yuan scolded her.


    ¡°I really am fine. I can handle things on my own. You have your own family now. Treasure it, Su Yuan.¡± Shu Pan advised. She hadn¡¯t intended to ruin anyone¡¯s family, and she and Su Yuan were impossible, even if he were single.


    Sometimes, missing the right timing could affect things for a lifetime.


    She couldn¡¯t help but sigh. Many things developed beyond our control, especially when it came to rtionships.


    ¡°Pan, you know, I don¡¯t love her. The person I¡¯ve always loved is you. I¡¯ll get a divorce. Just wait for me¡­¡± Su Yuan refused to listen, lost in his own delusions.


    ¡°Su Yuan, you don¡¯t need to carry this burden. Liking me is one thing, but you don¡¯t like me anymore. I¡¯ve changed a lot during our time apart. Perhaps you owe me, and you think that you hurt me in the past. Su Yuan, listen to me. Treat your wife well.¡± Shu Pan spoke earnestly and resolutely, trying to make him understand.


    ¡°Pan, you don¡¯t have to worry. My feelings for you are one thing. Even if you don¡¯t love me anymore, I¡¯ll work hard to make you fall for me again. But you shouldn¡¯t try to push me away. Even if I divorce, it¡¯s not your concern. It¡¯s that I don¡¯t love her and don¡¯t want to be with her.¡± Su Yuan seemed unwavering in his beliefs.


    ¡°Pan, I won¡¯t bother you for now. I¡¯ll take care of things first beforeing to see you.¡± Then he hung up..

 Chapter 84 - 84: Helpless

    Chapter 84: Helpless


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Shu Pan looked at the disconnected phone call and let out a bitter smile. She truly had no way to deal with him.


    Afterward, she thought that as long as she didn¡¯t tell him her location, there was nothing he could do. Once she gave birth to the child, she would slowly repay the money she owed him.


    To bring some liveliness to her home, Shu Pan turned on the TV and then hurried to the kitchen to wash rice and cook. When she returned to the living room, she heard a familiar name from the TV.


    The entertainment news headlines were reporting on Gu Shaoting and Tong Fei. Shu Pan hesitated for a moment before turning her attention to the television.


    Gu Shaoting appeared on the screen, dressed in a ck suit and white shirt, with his arm around Tong Fei. Tong Fei wore a pair of sunsses, exuding a captivating aura as she nestled in his arms. They were truly a perfect match, and anyone who saw them would say the same.


    The man was handsome, but the word ¡°handsome¡± seemed insufficient to describe his beauty. No matter how long you stared, you wouldn¡¯t tire of it. The woman was tall and slender, with outstanding looks. They were simply a match made in heaven.


    Unconsciously, Shu Pan clenched her hand. Even she couldn¡¯t help but exim at how perfectly suited they were. It was no wonder Gu Shaoting was so


    resolute in getting a divorce.


    Watching Gu Shaoting calmly handle the reporters, skillfully avoiding their questions, and protecting Tong Fei, Shu Pan couldn¡¯t help but feel impressed.


    The TV suddenly switched to another scene. Shu Pan pressed her lips together and shifted her gaze away. She no longer watched the TV and returned to the kitchen to continue what she was doing.


    Only she knew the pain and numbness in her heart. ¡°Shu Pan, you¡¯re just a coward,¡± she silently chastised herself.


    In the evening, Shu Laide and Lu Lifen returned home, and the family enjoyed dinner together. ¡°Panpan, can your body handle working during your pregnancy?¡± Lu Lifen asked worriedly. Although she had never been pregnant, she knew that doing tasks with a big belly would be tiring.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. I don¡¯t feel tired. I¡¯m just arranging flowers, not doing anything heavy. Besides, I read that pregnant women should move around more for a better delivery.¡± Shu Pan smiled knowingly.


    Hearing her response, Shu Laide and Lu Lifen felt much relieved.


    After dinner, Shu Pan returned to her room. Unconsciously, she took out an album she hadn¡¯t looked at for a long time. She touched the portraits with a


    misty gaze, feeling a bit sentimental tonight.


    Time flowed like water, slowly passing by. In the blink of an eye, over a month had gone by, and it was now early summer.


    Shu Pan was almost six months pregnant, firmly in the mid-term of her pregnancy. ording to what she had read, the mid-term was the mostfortable phase, and everything tasted good.


    However, Shu Pan was an exception. Her early pregnancy had been mild, causing her little trouble, but as she entered the mid-term, she began to suffer.


    With summer arriving and no air conditioning at home, pregnant women were more sensitive to heat. Shu Pan found it hard to sleep through the night, and even during the day, she felt constant sweat on her brow.


    The worst part was her poor appetite. She would vomit after eating anything, and sometimes, she would even vomit stomach acid when there was nothing left. As a result, Shu Pan lost a lot of weight in a short period, and her belly grew significantlyrger.


    Family and friends were concerned when they saw her. Lan Lan advised, ¡®You might as well rest at home. This isn¡¯t good for the baby.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. I feel worse just idling at home. Maybe I¡¯m not used to the sudden change in weather. ¡± After vomiting, Shu Pan¡¯s face turned a bit pale.


    ¡°In that case, take care of yourself. If you¡¯re ufortable, remember to see a doctor.¡± Lan Lan reminded her. She had learned that Shu Pan had gotten a divorce, but since Shu Pan didn¡¯t want to talk about the past, Lan Lan didn¡¯t press further. Everyone had their own secrets.


    ¡°Sure.¡± Shu Pan readily agreed.


    If it weren¡¯t for the incident with Xiaomeng, Shu Pan¡¯s summer would have been rtively peaceful..

 Chapter 85 - 85: You Are A Fool

    Chapter 85: You Are A Fool


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    When Shu Pan received the call from Xiaomeng, she had just finished vomiting, rinsed her mouth, and saw that the caller ID disyed Ye Xiaomeng¡¯s name. Without hesitation, she answered.


    ¡°Xiaomeng, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Shu Pan asked uncertainly.


    ¡°Mmm.¡± On the other end, Ye Xiaomeng replied, her voice sounding faint and devoid of vitality.


    ¡°Hey, I¡¯m getting married next Monday. Will youe to the wedding?¡± Although she was talking about her wedding, Shu Pan couldn¡¯t sense any joy in her tone.


    ¡°Xiaomeng, do you know about Cheng Yang and his childhood friend?¡± Shu Pan felt that there was no need to conceal it anymore.


    Ye Xiaomeng¡¯splexion changed on the other side of the phone. ¡°Girl, how do you know?¡±


    ¡°Last time, when we went to the mall for noodles, I ran into them. But Cheng Yang only introduced her as a sister. However, their interactions seemed quite intimate. So, I warned Cheng Yang. I didn¡¯t expect him to escte things further. Judging from your reaction now, I assume you already know,¡± Shu Pan said, feeling that she wasn¡¯t good atforting others, but now that Xiaomeng knew, would she still hurriedly decide to get married? Was that the right choice?


    ¡°He told me she¡¯s his sister, a friend. Because she doesn¡¯t have any other family in Bin City, he¡¯s taking care of her. Girl, you don¡¯t understand. We¡¯ve been together for ten years¡­¡± Xiaomeng¡¯s voice choked up, making it difficult for her to continue.


    ¡°Xiaomeng, I understand. There aren¡¯t many decades in a person¡¯s life, but


    Cheng Yang has made his stance clear. Does he really just see her as a sister? Aren¡¯t they still connected by their childhood memories?¡± Shu Pan was worried that Xiaomeng might suffer even more in the future.


    ¡°Girl, I can¡¯t worry about that anymore. Besides, we have a child now. No matter what, I have to give us a chance.¡± Xiaomeng¡¯s voice sounded somewhat ethereal, as if she were talking to herself.


    ¡°Xiaomeng, you¡¯re really a fool. But promise me, don¡¯t sacrifice yourself.¡± Shu Pan suddenly felt a surge ofpassion for Xiaomeng. Reality was indeed cruel.


    In fairy tales, the prince and Cindere overcame numerous obstacles to be together and live happily ever after. But Xiaomeng and Cheng Yang had been together for ten years. How many people had envied and admired them during those ten years? Yet in the end, there was no fairy tale ending.


    ¡°Stop talking about me. Girl, how are you?¡± Xiaomeng suddenly changed the topic.


    ¡°Well¡­ Xiaomeng, actually, I got a divorce, and I¡¯m pregnant.¡± Shu Pan said in a hushed tone.


    ¡°What? When did this happen? Why didn¡¯t you tell me? Is the child Gu Shaoting¡¯s?¡± Ye Xiaomeng eximed, feeling a bit overwhelmed by Shu Pan¡¯s words.


    ¡°Don¡¯t get excited, be careful of the child. Yes, the child is Gu Shaoting¡¯s, but I don¡¯t intend to let him know. I will raise the child on my own.¡± Shu Pan¡¯s tone was resolute.


    ¡°Girl, do you think you¡¯re the Virgin Mary? Doing something so noble. Raising a child isn¡¯t the same as raising a cat or a dog. Aren¡¯t you adding unnecessary pressure to yourself?¡± Ye Xiaomeng¡¯s tone was strikingly simr to Auntie Lu¡¯s. ¡°I¡¯m very lonely. I want a child as apany. I don¡¯t regret my choice.¡±


    ¡°Sigh, you¡¯re even more foolish than me.¡± Xiaomeng knew that Shu Pan¡¯s decision wouldn¡¯t easily change.


    ¡°This year hasn¡¯t been favorable for the two of us sisters.¡± Xiaomeng forced a smile, feeling like they were having a streak of bad luck.


    ¡°Xiaomeng, everything will get better. You have to stay strong. There¡¯s no obstacle that can¡¯t be ovee. Oh, by the way, I¡¯m in Lotus Town now, my hometown. I¡¯m no longer in Bin City. If you have some free time,e over and unwind. The air here is fresh, and the scenery is beautiful.¡± Shu Pan finally remembered to inform Ye Xiaomeng about this.


    ¡°What else are you keeping from me?¡± Ye Xiaomeng couldn¡¯t help but roll her eyes, unable to contain her curiosity..

 Chapter 86 - 86: Meeting the Rival

    Chapter 86: Meeting the Rival


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    ¡°Nothing more. You also have your own worries, so I don¡¯t want to burden you with more troubles,¡± Shu Pan said.


    ¡°After your wedding, let¡¯s talk more.¡±


    ¡°Alright, you¡¯re pregnant too. Take care of yourself,¡± Ye Xiaomeng advised her.


    Not long after Ye Xiaomeng hung up the phone, Cheng Yang returned. His hair seemed a bit damp.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Did it rain outside?¡± Ye Xiao Meng frowned.


    ¡°No, it¡¯s just¡­ hot¡­ I¡¯m sweating,¡± Cheng Yang stammered.


    ¡°Then go take a shower first. We¡¯ll need to work on the invitations to notify our friends and familyter,¡± Ye Xiaomeng said, ncing at him before heading back to the bedroom.


    Cheng Yang entered the bathroom with his clothes, quickly finishing his shower. When he came out, Ye Xiaomeng was looking at the invitations.


    Without looking up at him, Ye Xiaomeng continued working. Cheng Yang stood by awkwardly, wanting to say something but not knowing where to start.


    After a while, Ye Xiaomeng called him over to help. He seemed absent-minded and distant, which annoyed Ye Xiaomeng a bit, but she held back considering her pregnancy.


    Once they were done, and realized it was gettingte, Ye Xiao Meng went to the bathroom. While putting clothes into theundry basket, she froze. Cheng Yang¡¯s underwear wasn¡¯t the same as the one he wore this morning.


    Normally, she bought him solid-colored underwear, not like the leopard-print one she was holding now. He wasn¡¯t fond of shy patterns. He had worn dark blue ones this morning. Why the change?


    Clutching the underwear tightly, Ye Xiaomeng¡¯s fingers turned white due to her grip. Was her patience and concessions met with betrayal over and over again? Did she still have the courage to keep going?


    Ye Xiaomeng crouched down, her hands gripping her arms, tears involuntarily streaming down her face.


    ¡°Honey, are you okay? You¡¯ve been in there for a while,¡± Cheng Yang¡¯s knocking could be heard from outside.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine. I¡¯ll be out soon.¡± In a while, Ye Xiaomeng opened the door, her eyes red from crying.


    It was another sleepless night. Ye Xiaomeng tossed and turned for most of the night, looking at Cheng Yang sleeping soundly beside her. Sleep evaded her.


    In the morning, after Cheng Yang left, she finally got up. Shortly after, her phone rang. She thought it might be Cheng Yang, but it was an unfamiliar number.


    ¡°May I ask who¡¯s calling?¡± Ye Xiaomeng answered, breaking the silence.


    ¡°Ms. Ye, let¡¯s cut to the chase. We share amon man, Cheng. Can we meet and talk? Convenient for you?¡± The voice on the other end sounded arrogant.


    ¡°Sure, let¡¯s meet at the caf¨¦ across from my house. I believe you know the ce.¡± Ye Xiao Meng marveled at her ownposure. Subconsciously, she already knew she¡¯d have to face this someday. It was just a matter of time.


    When Ye Xiaomeng arrived, she saw a long-haired, graceful woman sitting by the window. Even from her back, Xiaomeng knew it was her. She had caught a fleeting glimpse of her at the hospital, but it had left a deep impression.


    Approaching her, she sat down across from her.


    ¡°Ye Xiaomeng, right? I¡¯m Ling Snow. Has Cheng mentioned me to you? We


    grew up togetner. It¡¯S all my rault, young ana Ignorant DaCK tnen. 1 let go or Cheng. He treats me so well¡­¡± Ling Snow bragged.


    ¡°No, he told me you were his sister, just a friend,¡± Ye Xiaomeng said expressionlessly.


    ¡°Huh, men¡¯s words are often far from their hearts.. Can sisters do what lovers do? What do you think of Cheng wearing leopard-print underwear? Isn¡¯t it sexy?¡±

 Chapter 87 - 87: Demonstration

    Chapter 87: Demonstration


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Ye Xiaomeng suddenly heard the sound of her heart copsing within, although she had already anticipated such a possibility, hearing it from the person involved was another kind of blow.


    Although she felt like she was already battered and bruised, Ye Xiaomeng didn¡¯t show weakness. She pretended to be strong and said, ¡°So what? We have a child between us, and our wedding is alsoing up soon.¡±


    ¡°There won¡¯t be a groom at the wedding. Do you want to bet with me? And if Cheng wants a child, I can give him a baby.¡± Ling Snow, full of pride, said.


    ¡°Why should I bet with you? Love isn¡¯t won through gambling.¡± Ye Xiaomeng truly thought this woman was crazy and seriously ill.


    ¡°In fact, youck confidence too. Don¡¯t you see that we have some simrities? Look, we both have a beautiful head of jet-ck hair. Cheng loved me looking like this the most. He even used to help me with my hair.¡± Ling Snow¡¯s every word felt like a dagger stabbing into Ye Xiaomeng¡¯s heart.


    Ye Xiaomeng felt like her heart was already a mess of flesh and blood. She stared at her in a daze.


    ¡°Don¡¯t doubt it, I even know that Cheng has a mole on his buttock. I¡¯m telling you now, hoping you¡¯d give up, don¡¯t be aughingstock at the wedding.¡± Ling Snow¡¯s expression appeared as if she was offering helpful advice.


    Ye Xiaomeng¡¯s face shed a look of pain, but she quickly masked it.


    ¡°Well, let¡¯s wait and see Cheng Yang¡¯s choice. If he chooses you, I¡¯llpletely let go. If he chooses me, I hope you can let go too.¡± Ye Xiaomeng wasn¡¯t one to back down easily. She gave herself onest chance.


    ¡°You won¡¯t have that chance. Soon you¡¯ll know who Cheng really loves. Then you¡¯ll see who¡¯s by his side.¡± Ling Snow confidently dered.


    ¡°Then we¡¯ll wait and see.¡± As Ye Xiaomeng spoke, she stood up, took out 100 yuan from her wallet, and ced it on the table, ready to leave.


    Ling Snow chuckled lightly, ¡°No need to go through the trouble. Cheng gave me a card. I¡¯ll settle the billter, it¡¯s the same.¡±


    Ye Xiaomeng¡¯s face immediately darkened. After leaving the words ¡°No trouble,¡± she lifted her head high and strode out of the cafe, heading back home.


    Returning home, she sat on the couch, slowly shedding her pretense. She copsed against it, her expression distant.


    Her heart was in pain, but she couldn¡¯t tell anyone. The path she had chosen, even if it was full of thorns, she would crawl through it on her knees.


    The wedding day arrived as scheduled. The summer sun was so bright that it was hard to open one¡¯s eyes.


    The spacious hotel was adorned with white veils and roses, creating a dreamy and enchanting atmosphere. Rose petals were scattered everywvhere, creating a beautiful and romantic scene.


    Ye Xiaomeng was currently in the hotel¡¯s deluxe suite. Early in the morning, Cheng Yang hade to pick her up, and they visited the ancestral hall to pay respects to their ancestors and serve tea to their parents. Afterward, they would arrive at the hotel in the main wedding car.


    Due to the distance of her home from the hotel, she would leave from the hotel for the wedding. Her father would apany her down the aisle.


    Shu Pan had also arrived early, and to conceal her pregnancy, she wore a cute doll-like outfit that made her look pure and beautiful.


    After not seeing each other for a long time, the two were both excited, but considering the busy day ahead, they held back. Shu Pan gently patted Ye Xiaomeng¡¯s hand, signaling her to stay calm.


    The dress had an off-the-shoulder design, revealing Xiaomeng¡¯s elegant corbone. The slightly cinched waist design didn¡¯t press against her stomach, but it highlighted the bride¡¯s curves even better..

 Chapter 88 - 88: An Unpleasant Premonition

    Chapter 88: An Unpleasant Premonition


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Shu Pan was amazed and couldn¡¯t help but exim, ¡°Xiaomeng, you look so beautiful.¡±


    While she admired her, there was a bittersweet feeling in her heart. She had skipped the process of wearing a wedding dress and had married Gu Shaoting directly.


    That thin wedding dress carried the dreams and hopes of so many women. It was the warmest dream deep within a woman¡¯s heart, quietly nestled there, waiting for a gust of wind to stir it, until it fluttered and swayed like the hem of a wedding dress.


    Shu Pan pushed away her mncholy and genuinely felt happy for Ye Xiaomeng. There was no happier moment for a woman than this.


    ¡°How do you feel, girl?¡± Ye Xiaomeng asked nervously.


    ¡°Rest assured, you look stunning. You are the most beautiful bride today. Quickly show Cheng Yang and mesmerize him.¡± Shu Pan looked at Xiaomeng¡¯s shy and nervous appearance, and her heart calmed a bit. She hoped everything would go smoothly, and Xiaomeng could remain this happy.


    Perhaps, as the saying went, only the wearer knew if the shoes fit.


    ¡°Hey, where¡¯s Cheng Yang? I just saw him a moment ago.¡± Ye Xiaomeng asked.


    ¡°He¡¯s probably attending to something outside. Get ready quickly, and I¡¯ll go check.¡± Shu Pan said, then headed toward the door.


    Turning the corner in the corridor, Shu Pan heard Cheng Yang speaking on the phone, ¡°Snow, stop it. Today is my wedding day. Whatever you have to say, wait until after the ceremony.¡±


    She didn¡¯t know what was said on the other end of the line, but she heard Cheng Yang¡¯s nervous voice saying, ¡°Don¡¯t do anything foolish, Snow.¡± Followed by a series of coaxing.


    Shu Pan had a bad premonition. She was infuriated to the extreme, feeling that Cheng Yang was a jerk. They were about to hold the wedding, and he was still entangled with other women.


    But for the sake of Ye Xiaomeng¡¯s dignity, Shu Pan held back and returned to the room. ¡°Cheng Yang is busy. He¡¯ll probably be here soon. Xiaomeng, are you sure you want to go through with the wedding? Are you sure Cheng Yang will love you forever without wavering?


    Shu Pan couldn¡¯t help but ask. Although the wedding was about to take ce, they could still back out at this point.


    ¡°Girl, I¡¯ve never been more certain. Even if I know there are abysses ahead, I¡¯ve already fallen into them.¡± Ye Xiaomeng¡¯s gaze was resolute.


    Shu Pan could only pray that Cheng Yang wouldn¡¯t let down such a wonderful woman.


    Soon, Cheng Yang walked in. He saw Ye Xiaomeng and was stunned. The Xiaomeng in front of him was so beautiful that words couldn¡¯t describe it. He couldn¡¯t help but say, ¡°Honey, you¡¯re truly stunning.¡±


    Not wanting to be a third wheel, Shu Pan quietly closed the door and left.


    The wedding was about to begin The svmnhony music had already started


    ying at the wedding venue, and the guests gradually quieted down. Ye Xiaomeng, holding onto her father¡¯s arm, walked out. The spotlight shone on her, making her the center of attention. Everyone¡¯s gaze was fixed on her.


    Everyone seemed to have ignored the groom, otherwise, they would have seen a pale-faced groom, his phone continuously receiving messages from his pocket. Unable to resist, he took a nce, and his whole body stiffened.


    He was anxious and uneasy in his heart. He wanted to dy the ceremony with the officiant. However, when he looked up, Ye Xiaomeng and her father were already in front of him. Distractedly, he took Xiaomeng¡¯s hand.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Xiaomeng felt his hand was icy cold, and she felt dazed.


    ¡°Xiaomeng, I have an urgent matter now. Can we postpone our wedding ceremony?¡± Cheng Yang finally mustered up the courage to speak.


    Ye Xiaomeng¡¯s heart sank. ¡°What could be more important than our wedding right now? Can¡¯t it wait?¡±


    Ye Xiaomeng already had a vague idea of what was going on. Her heart felt like it was being torn apart..

 Chapter 89 - 89: Something Happened

    Chapter 89: Something Happened


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    ¡°Xiaomeng, just wait for me a moment, I¡¯ll be back soon,¡± he said and quickly headed out. The first to react was Xiaomeng¡¯s father, Mr. Cheng, ¡°Cheng Yang, where are you going? Come back quickly, it¡¯s time for the ceremony.¡±


    ¡°Dad, I have something urgent. Wait for me.¡±


    Shu Pan felt a sense of impending doom. The thing she had been most worried about was finally happening. She watched Cheng Yang hurry away and anxiously looked at Ye Xiaomeng.


    At that moment, Ye Xiaomeng stood alone on the wedding tform, her face filled with sorrow. She pulled off the veil covering her head and shouted to Cheng Yang, ¡°Cheng Yang, if you step out of here today, we¡¯ll be strangers in the future. There won¡¯t be a wedding.¡±


    Cheng Yang hesitated for a moment upon hearing her words. He was torn and conflicted. He was afraid that Ye Xiaomeng would follow through with her words. But he was also worried about Ling Snow¡¯s state. After all, a life was at stake. If something happened to her and he didn¡¯t help, he would feel guilty for a lifetime.


    He nced at Ye Xiaomeng, about to say something, when his phone in his pocket buzzed urgently. He had to apologize to Xiaomeng, ¡°Sorry, wait for me a moment,¡± and then walked quickly toward the door.


    ¡°Cheng Yang¡­¡± Ye Xiaomeng felt her heart copsing, tears falling like broken beads.


    The guests looked at each other, unaware of what was happening, and whispered among themselves.


    Watching Cheng Yang¡¯s retreating figure, Ye Xiaomeng suddenly lifted her wedding dress and rushed outside. Fortunately, due to her pregnancy, she was wearing low-heeled shoes.


    Shu Pan was rmed, afraid that something would happen to Ye Xiaomeng. She left her position and followed her out of the hotel¡¯s entrance. As she reached the door, she saw Cheng Yang intercepting a passing car, intending to leave. Ye Xiaomeng was chasing after him.


    Just as she was about to call out to Ye Xiaomeng, a car from behind couldn¡¯t brake in time and hit Ye Xiaomeng. Ye Xiaomeng was thrown from the front of the car and fell not far away.


    ¡°No¡­ Xiaomeng¡­¡± Shu Pan¡¯s voice seemed to pierce the sky.


    The driver of the car turned pale with fear. He trembled as he got out of the car and said fearfully, ¡°She ran over from the side on her own. It¡¯s not my fault¡­¡±


    Shu Pan ran closer and saw that Ye Xiaomeng had lost consciousness. Her white wedding dress was stained with blood, ringly red. As she cried, she called for an ambnce from the nearest hospital¡­


    On the other side, Cheng Yang arrived at Ling Snow¡¯s residence. He was familiar with the ce since he had helped her find it.


    Cheng Yang rang the doorbell desperately, still panting heavily. Finally, the door opened. Ling Snow stood there, wearing a pink silkce strap dress, smiling at Cheng Yang.


    She wasn¡¯t wearing anything under the dress, and it clung to her skin, entuating her curves, very tempting.


    Cheng Yang seemed not to notice the beauty before him. He looked at her and said in surprise, ¡°Are you okay?¡±


    ¡°Cheng, what are you talking about? Do you think something happened to me?¡±


    ¡°But today is my wedding day. How can you make such jokes? I left Xiaomeng and my friends and family toe here.¡± Cheng Yang reproached, his tone a bit harsh.


    Just as Cheng Yang was about to turn and leave, Ling Xuerou suddenly hugged him from behind. She then seemed to sob as she said, ¡°Brother Cheng, I love you. Please don¡¯t marry someone else. Otherwise, it will break my heart..¡±

 Chapter 90 - 90: Miscarriage

    Chapter 90: Miscarriage


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Cheng Yang parted her arms from around him, then turned his face to Ling Snow and said, ¡°Snow, your behavior today was way out of line. You deceived me! You¡¯ve put me in a difficult position, and Xiaomeng is still all alone at the wedding.¡±


    ¡°Cheng, I know you don¡¯t genuinely like her. Didn¡¯t you once say that I was the one you liked the most?¡±


    ¡°Snow, that was in the past. Now Xiaomeng is carrying my child. Don¡¯t worry about our past. If you encounter any difficulties in the future, you cane to me. I¡¯ll do my best to help you.¡±


    As Cheng Yang finished speaking, suddenly his phone in his pocket began ringing. He brought it to his ear, but before he could say anything, he heard his father¡¯s furious voice on the other end.


    ¡°You b*stard, where did you go? Xiaomeng followed you and got into an ident. She¡¯s in People¡¯s Hospital undergoing emergency treatment. Hurry over.¡±


    Before Cheng Yang could respond, his father hung up the phone.


    Cheng Yang panicked upon hearing this and rushed outside without hesitation, hurrying to the hospital.


    Outside the operating room, Mother Ye sat by Father Ye, her face filled with sorrow, but she kept repeating, ¡°Nothing will happen¡­ surely nothing will happen¡­¡±


    Shu Pan¡¯s eyes were red. She crouched down and held Ye¡¯s mother¡¯s hand,forting her, ¡°Xiaomeng is a good person. Nothing will happen to her.¡± She muttered these words softly, though deep down, she had no confidence whatsoever.


    The image of Xiaomeng lying on the ground, blood slowly seeping out, staining her pristine wedding dress, was still vivid in her mind.


    Knowing it was their son¡¯s fault, Cheng¡¯s parents had heavy expressions, not daring to say much, silently praying instead.


    When Cheng Yang arrived, he anxiously asked, ¡°Where¡¯s Xiaomeng? How is


    Father Ye suddenly stood up, mustered his strength, and pped Cheng Yang hard on the face. An instant red mark appeared on Cheng Yang¡¯s cheek.


    Cheng Yang wiped his face and continued to inquire. Father Ye couldn¡¯t hold back, ¡°Xiaomeng deserves a better husband than you. Even if she agreed, we wouldn¡¯t have.¡±


    Shu Pan also reproached him, ¡°You¡¯re so disappointing, Cheng Yang. Xiaomeng loved you wholeheartedly for ten years. Even after you betrayed her, she still gave you a chance. But look at how you¡¯ve treated her, making her aughingstock at her own wedding.¡±


    Cheng Yang remained silent, looking like a criminal awaiting sentencing. His parents saw their son being pped, but they couldn¡¯t show sympathy. After all, someone else¡¯s daughter was still being treated inside due to their son¡¯s actions.


    Under everyone¡¯s gaze, the lights outside the operating room finally dimmed. Before long, the doors to the operating room swung open. A doctor in a white coat emerged, and everyone hurried over.


    The doctor removed the mask and said regretfully, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, we couldn¡¯t save the child. The adult is temporarily out of danger now, but we¡¯re concerned about potential after-effects from the ident, so she¡¯ll need to stay for observation.¡±


    Once the doctor left, Cheng Yang stood there stiffly, motionless. It was as if he had been deeply shocked. Suddenly, he punched the wall with his fist until his knuckles bled.


    Then he crouched down, grabbed his hair, and couldn¡¯t help but burst into loud sobs.


    He knew it was over between him and Xiaomeng. She would never forgive him.


    Why did he make such a mistake? He had ruined a once promising family.


    Xiaomeng was wheeled out, quietly lying there, her face pale. Shu Pan couldn¡¯t help but cover her mouth, crying out in pain.


    How could Xiaomeng endure such a blow? Why would fate treat such a kind woman so harshly?

 Chapter 91 - 91: Nostalgia

    Chapter 91: Nostalgia


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    After returning to the hospital room, Ye Xiaomeng slowly regained consciousness. She opened her eyes and blinked, trying to remember where she was and what had happened.


    She hurriedly touched her belly with her hand, then gazed at the ceiling of the hospital room, silent. Tears involuntarily welled up and trickled down from the corners of her eyes.


    Seeing that she was awake, Father Ye and Mother Ye excitedly called out, ¡°Mengmeng, how are you feeling?


    Looking at her parents, who suddenly seemed to have aged ten years, Ye Xiaomeng¡¯s heart ached.


    She called out to them, her voice hoarse.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine, sorry for worrying you.¡± Ye Xiaomeng touched her belly again, her expression dimming. She knew she had lost the baby.


    The feeling of being separated from her own flesh and blood caused immense pain to Ye Xiaomeng. He hadn¡¯t even had a chance to take a good look at this world before turned into a pool of blood.


    ¡°Xiaomeng, don¡¯t think too much. You¡¯re still young, and everything will be alright in the future.¡± Shu Pan watched her friend and tried to console her.


    ¡°Girl¡­¡± Ye Xiaomeng¡¯s voice choked.


    ¡°Xiaomeng, Cheng Yang and his parents are being held back by Uncle Ye outside. Do you want to see him?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to see him for now. Whether I see him or not, the oue is the same.¡± Xiaomeng stared nkly ahead, her gaze unfocused.


    ¡°Uncle and Auntie will be here with you. I¡¯ll go get them something to eat.¡± Shu Pan said and walked away.


    As she opened the door, Cheng Yang hurriedly approached and asked, ¡°How¡¯s


    Xiaomeng? I want to go in and see her.¡±


    Shu Pan blocked him and shook her head, saying, ¡°She doesn¡¯t want to see you for now. Let her rest. Given what¡¯s happened, she needs time to calm down.¡± After saying that, she walked away.


    Just as she reached the entrance, two people came toward her. It was Gu Shaoting and Tong Fei.


    Seeing their close interaction, it seemed that good news was on the way. Entertainment news often covered their affairs, and it was hard not to know about them.


    Shu Pan thought it was quite a coincidence, so she quickly stepped aside to avoid them.


    Aftering out, she looked at the bright sunshine outside and couldn¡¯t help but sigh. Some people, no matter how hard one tried to forget them, always would reappear when one least expected it.


    After buying the items, she returned to find Cheng Yang still at the door. Cheng¡¯s parents had already left.


    She walked up to him and said, ¡°Xiaomeng doesn¡¯t want to see you. You should go back. Staying here won¡¯t help.¡±


    Cheng Yang¡¯s face was haggard, his expression filled with pain.


    After Shu Pan went inside, Cheng Yang¡¯s phone in his pocket started ringing. He nced at it, then decisively hung up.


    But the phone was persistent. It rang again shortly after he hung up. He pursed his lips, then numbly answered. On the other end was Ling Snow¡¯s coquettish voice.


    ¡°Cheng, why aren¡¯t you answering my calls? What happened?¡±


    ¡°If there¡¯s nothing urgent, I¡¯ll hang up now.¡± Cheng Yang said coldly, devoid of his previous warmth.


    ¡°Cheng¡­¡± Ling Snow stomped her foot on the other end of the line, but the call was already ended.


    Gu Shaoting apanied Tong Fei for a follow-up check at the hospital. After being hit by a shelfst time, fortunately, everything had healed now and there were no major issues. He finally felt relieved.


    As they left the hospital, Gu Shaoting didn¡¯t know if he was seeing things, but he caught a glimpse of a familiar figure. He wanted to approach and take a closer look, but the person had already left in a car.


    Feeling somewhat mncholic, Gu Shaoting wondered what was going on with his thoughtstely.


    Every day, He returned home and found the house empty and devoid of warmth.


    Aftering back, there was the same old Auntie serving the same routine dishes,cking any creativity. He really missed the delicious and warm porridge that only Shu Pan seemed to be able to make..

 Chapter 92 - 92: Meet Doctor Wen Again

    Chapter 92: Meet Doctor Wen Again


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Shu Pan left the hospital and got into her car, heading to a nearby shopping mall. She realized that her belly was getting bigger, and she didn¡¯t have many clothes that fit anymore. She decided to take this opportunity while in Bin City to buy some new clothes.


    After all, Bin City had more optionspared to Lotus Town, and she nned to return to Lotus Town once Xiaomeng recovered.


    However, she didn¡¯t know when she woulde back again.


    This city used to hold deep affection for her, but now it was just associated with pain. All he needed was an excuse, and he could achieve his goal of divorce.


    As she looked out of the car window at the scenery, her mood turned somewhat mncholic.


    Upon arriving, she purposefully went to a Maternal & Child store.


    After shopping, she returned to the ce where Xiaomeng used to stay and put down the items. She nned to rece Uncle Ye and Auntieter so that they coulde back and rest.


    The next day was still sunny. Shu Pan arrived at the hospital early and realized that it had been a while since her prenatal checkup. Coincidentally, the hospital she was in now was the one where Dr. Wen Chi practiced.


    She asked around and found out that Dr. Wen was on duty today. She registered for a checkup.


    Since she arrived early, there weren¡¯t many people, and she was seen quite quickly.


    As she entered, Dr. Wen Chi happened to look up at her. He seemed surprised and asked as he stood up, ¡°Why did youe? Weren¡¯t you in Lotus Town? Did something happen?¡±


    ¡°Dr. Wen, I happened to be in Bin City, so I thought I¡¯de in for a prenatal checkup. Nothing¡¯s wrong.¡± Shu Pan smiled gently.


    ¡°I just happen to have a business trip to study in Lotus Town. I was nning to visit you then.¡± Wen Chi said.


    He always felt something unusual around Shu Pan. Even though there were so many charming women around him, none of them caught his eye. Yet, he found himself interested in a divorced, pregnant woman. He couldn¡¯t help but wonder if his taste had be a bit unconventional.


    ¡°You¡¯re wee anytime.¡± Shu Pan handed the registration form to Dr. Wen Chi.


    ¡°You¡¯ve lost a lot of weight. What¡¯s going on?¡± Dr. Wen Chi noticed she was thinner than thest time he saw her. Most women gain weight during the middle of pregnancy, but she had lost a lot.


    ¡°It¡¯s hot weather, and my appetite hasn¡¯t been great. But everything else is fine.¡± Shu Pan¡¯s belly was quite pronounced now.


    Dr. Wen Chi performed the checkup and found no issues, advising her to take care of herself and her diet.


    After Shu Pan left, Dr. Wen Chi contemted for a moment and decided to visit her when he had the chance.


    On the day before her discharge, Ye Xiaomeng finally agreed to see Cheng Yang. She stared at him resolutely and said, ¡°I¡¯ve thought a lot these past few days. Last night, I came to a decision. I¡¯ve loved you for 10 years. I thought we would have a good ending, but given the current situation, there¡¯s no need to continue. What I said at the wedding was true. From now on, let¡¯s treat each other as strangers.¡±


    ¡°Xiaomeng, we¡¯ve been together for so long. Please give me a chance


    ¡°Cheng Yang, it¡¯s toote. I gave you a chance, but now I can¡¯t love anymore, and I don¡¯t want to.¡±


    ¡°Then let me love you from now on. Can I do that?¡± Cheng Yang held Xiaomeng¡¯s hand, pleading.


    Ye Xiaomeng pulled her hand away, her eyes reddened, and she choked, ¡°Let go of me. Let¡¯s part ways like this. Now that there¡¯s no child to bind us, I hope we can separate amicably.¡±


    ¡°Mengmeng, we will have children in the future. Please don¡¯t let go of me. Let¡¯s start over, okay?¡± Cheng Yang said anxiously.


    ¡°Cheng Yang, it¡¯s truly toote. Take care of yourselves.¡± After saying that, Ye


    Xiaomengy down on the bed, turned to the side, and tears soaked her pillow..

 Chapter 93 - 93: Waiting for Childbirth

    Chapter 93: Waiting for Childbirth


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    After confirming that Ye Xiaomeng had no furtherplications, she was discharged from the hospital. While her physical injuries were healing, the wounds in her heart would take much longer to mend.


    Ye Xiaomeng returned to her hometown with her parents. Concerned that being there might trigger painful memories, her parents persuaded her to leave that ce. Moreover, her work didn¡¯t hold any sentimental value either.


    As she looked at the ce where she had spent ten years, all that remained were pain and regret. She left with a heavy heart.


    Because she needed to rest for a while and post-miscarriage recovery also required postpartum confinement, she promised to visit Shu Pan after she gave birth. She even joked about being the child¡¯s godmother. Shu Pan nodded tearfully.


    Cheng Yang knew that Ye Xiaomeng was leaving and had been persistently trying to change her mind. Finally, he reluctantly agreed but also expressed his determination to win Xiaomeng¡¯s heart back.


    After watching Ye Xiaomeng and her family leave, Shu Pan was reluctant to part, but eventually she left Bin City and returned to Lotus Town. The events that transpired in Bin City felt like a dream to her now.


    Time passed as swiftly as a white steed. It was now early autumn, and Shu Pan was already at home awaiting childbirth. Her due date was approaching, which made her parents and Auntie Lu extremely nervous.


    Shu Pan now resembled a clumsy penguin with herrge belly and swollen feet. Sometimes she would even self-deprecatinglypare her feet to pig trotters.


    Being pregnant was a wonderful thing for a couple. They looked forward to the birth of the fruit of love together, but she could only rely on herself when she was pregnant. She had no lover to share her joy and no one to share her hardships.


    Yet, Shu Pan merely smiled and didn¡¯tin. She had made her own choices, and she had no regrets.


    A few white clouds drifted across the sky on an early autumn day as the weather began to cool down.


    Shu Pan had already prepared her bag for the delivery and was ready to go at any moment.


    On this day, after finishing her meal and intending to take a walk, she suddenly realized that her water had broken. Nervously, she called her father and Auntie Lu. Since this was her first time giving birth, she was in a state of panic.


    She tossed and turned on the hospital bed. The doctor informed her that she was only dted two centimeters and advised her to conserve her energy for the delivery.


    Observing the attentive care the husband in the adjacent bed was providing, Shu Pan couldn¡¯t help but envy them.


    She was alone in this struggle.


    Finally, when Shu Pan was almost in despair, she was wheeled into the delivery room. Shu Laide and Auntie Lu paced nervously outside.


    Ignoring her appearance, Shu Pan screamed loudly, using it as a way to alleviate her pain.


    ¡°Push harder! Oh no, the baby¡¯s position is a bit off.¡± Shu Pan immediately grew anxious upon hearing this and forgot about her pain. The doctor encouraged her to give it her all.


    Finally, just before Shu Pan fell unconscious, she heard the doctor saying that it was a baby girl. She breathed a sigh of relief and was too exhausted to keep her eyes open, slipping into unconsciousness.


    When she woke up, she was already in the delivery room, and her gaze wandered around the pink curtains. As she regained her senses, she saw her father and Auntie Lu looking intently at the little bundle in the small crib. They were both seriously studying her.


    ¡°Look at her eyes, they¡¯re just like Panpan¡¯s.¡± Shu Laide grew more fond of the baby girl the more he looked at her.


    ¡°No, look at her mouth.¡± The two of them argued.


    In reality, it was hard to tell who a baby that small resembles. However, everyone seemed to reach a consensus to not mention the child¡¯s father.


    Shu Pan smiled gently, her face radiating contentment. She looked at the two and said, ¡°Honestly, how can we tell at this age?¡±


    ¡°Panpan, she looks like you, a beauty in the making,¡± Auntie Lu said joyfully..

 Chapter 94 - 94: Your Name Is Shu Joy

    Chapter 94: Your Name Is Shu Joy


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Shu Pan shook her head helplessly, thinking how they were bragging about this child.


    ¡°Panpan, why don¡¯t you hold your daughter?¡±


    Auntie Lu ced the baby in Shu Pan¡¯s arms. Shu Pan looked at the tiny little person, all rosy and resembling a little monkey.


    This was the little baby she had gone through hardships to bring into the world, so small yet so adorable.


    ¡°Baby, thank you foring into my life, for being with Mom. Mom doesn¡¯t expect you to achieve great things, as long as you grow up healthy.¡±


    Shu Pan gently held the baby¡¯s hand, feeling like it was never enough. She softly said, ¡°Baby, from now on, your name is Shu Joy, Joy for short. Do you like your name? I hope you will always be happy and healthy, growing up under Mom¡¯s surname.¡±


    Ye Xiaomeng found out that Shu Pan had given birth to a daughter and rushed over immediately.


    At first sight of Ye Xiaomeng, Shu Pan couldn¡¯t recognize her for a moment. Ye Xiaomeng¡¯s once long, shiny ck hair was now cut into a stylish short hair, dyed a light golden color.


    ¡°Girl, can you recognize me? Do I look good?¡± Ye Xiaomeng teased, a bit self-absorbed.


    Shu Pan noticed that Ye Xiaomeng seemed much brighter and happier than before, and she was genuinely pleased for her. Indeed, time was the best remedy.


    ¡°Yes, you look stunning, ¡± Shu Pan thought that the new hairstyle really suited Ye Xiaomeng.


    ¡°Changed my hairstyle, changed my mood,¡± exined Ye Xiaomeng with a smile.


    Then she saw the little beauty, eximed, ¡°Girl, your daughter is definitely going to be a beauty. Look at those delicate features.¡±


    While Ye Xiaomeng praised the baby, she couldn¡¯t help feeling a bit down, thinking about her own child, who should have been a bit older than this little girl if things hadn¡¯t turned out the way they did. It was a heartbreaking thought.


    ¡°Xiaomeng, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Shu Pan noticed Ye Xiaomeng lost in thought and called out to her.


    Ye Xiaomeng snapped back to reality. She bent down and picked up Shu Pan¡¯s little princess, then said affectionately, ¡°Sweetie, I¡¯m your mom¡¯s best friend and your godmother. Remember me, okay?¡±


    Watching this scene, Shu Pan felt warm inside. She sincerely hoped that Ye Xiaomeng could find happiness. Such a kind and lovely woman deserved to be treated well.


    ¡°Girl, I might go to S City for work,¡± Ye Xiaomeng suddenly changed the topic.


    ¡°Why did you decide so hastily? You¡¯re not familiar with the ce, how will you manage there? You¡¯ve been in Cheng Yang¡¯s ivory tower for too long, a whole decade. Are you prepared to deal with theplexities of society and human rtionships?¡± Shu Pan was genuinely concerned.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m not a child anymore. I want to work outside, but I don¡¯t want to return to Bin City,¡± Ye Xiaomeng replied, feeling prepared. Cheng Yang had been constantly visiting her hometowntely, and no matter what she said or did, he silently endured it. Ye Xiaomeng was getting increasingly annoyed by Cheng Yang¡¯s persistence, and she didn¡¯t feel any attraction to him anymore.


    She realized that when she truly let go of someone, this was how it felt.


    ¡°Then please take care of yourself, especially when you¡¯re alone. It would be even better if you had a romantic encounter,¡± Shu Pan jokingly said.


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll take your advice,¡± Ye Xiaomeng nodded.


    But in truth, she thought she might not be interested in romance for a while. Once bitten, twice shy. The wounds from her previous rtionship ran too deep, and this time, she wanted to let fate take its course.


    Ye Xiaomeng spent a few days in Lotus Town, continuing to amuse little Joy. Shu Pan watched her friend gradually emerge from the shadows, and she was very happy for her. Finally, Ye Xiaomeng left Lotus Town..

 Chapter 95 - 95: Poor Life

    Chapter 95: Poor Life


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Spring had returned, and with it, the revival of all living things. Year by year, everything was changing.


    Three yearster, Bin City had be more bustling than ever, with peopleing and going, bustling streets, and skyscrapers rising into the sky, creating a lively atmosphere.


    Shu Pan stood by the roadside, waiting for the traffic lights to change, watching the lights shift from red to green and back again, lost in thought.


    She hadn¡¯t expected to return to Bin City, especially so soon.


    After the birth of Joy, every expense weighed heavily on Shu Pan, and at times, she questioned if she was being too selfish. Due to her own desires, she had concealed Joy¡¯s birth from Gu Shaoting, but her financial situation couldn¡¯t provide the child with a good life.


    Joy had only been breastfed for half a year because Shu Pan couldn¡¯t keep up with the nutritional demands, resulting in a low milk supply. Even during her postpartum confinement, she didn¡¯t have the luxury of the nutritious meals that others enjoyed.


    After weaning Joy, she could only afford to make rice soup for her, sometimes struggling to save enough money to buy a can of discounted milk powder, as long as it wasn¡¯t expired. Shu Pan wished she could stretch every yuan. Sometimes, she wondered if Joy would have a more carefree life if she had stayed with Gu Shaoting.


    However, such thoughts only arose in moments of despair because she knew that Joy was not a cherished child to Gu Shaoting. Joy¡¯s mother was her, and she couldn¡¯t forget that. She sighed and carried on, determined to endure.


    Perhaps due to malnutrition, Joy appeared much smaller and thinner than children her age. This worried Shu Pan deeply. Fortunately, Joy was healthy and very well-behaved. Despite being only three years old, she was mature beyond her years and had a way of saying things that warmed Shu Pan¡¯s heart. Joy was the family¡¯s little bundle of joy, a source of happiness that made all the hardships worthwhile.


    Thinking of her daughter, Shu Pan forgot all about her own difficulties.


    When Joy turned two, Shu Pan left for Bin City to work. Her father¡¯s health was poor, making it impossible for him to work, and Auntie Lu was getting older and struggled to continue working. So, they stayed in Lotus Town to take care of Joy, while Shu Pan had to bear all the expenses herself.


    Her current job was with a reputablepany specializing in interior decoration. Having left this field for a few years, Shu Pan had to spend a lot of time relearning the ropes. She knew how crucial this job was for her and her daughter. Despite being demanding, the ie was goodpared to other opportunities.


    As she gradually settled into her work, everything outside of it felt unfamiliar. She asionally heard about Gu Shaoting and Tong Fei in entertainment news, but she simply shrugged it off. All of that had nothing to do with her.


    Every time the media reported that they were getting closer to tying the Imot, with pictures of them holding hands and going out, the parties involved never came out to rify, so it was probably true.


    Life continued this way for Shu Pan. For her, basic necessities like food and clothing took precedence, and she couldn¡¯t afford to indulge in romance or luxury anymore.


    The traffic lights changed several times, and Shu Pan finally snapped out of her thoughts.


    She was on her way to buy some delicious treats for Joy. Joy had grown a bit taller recently and needed new clothes. Shu Pan hadn¡¯t bought her any new clothes or treats in almost a year. Every time Joy saw other kids with new clothes, she looked at them with envy, and those expressions pierced Shu Pan¡¯s heart.


    So this time, she decided to be generous and satisfy her daughter¡¯s wishes..

 Chapter 96 - 96: A Narrow Path for Enemies

    Chapter 96: A Narrow Path for Enemies


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Shu Pan seized the opportunity after work and hurried to the mall. Red discount banners were hanging everywhere inside the mall. Shu Pan headed for the store with the best deals and the highest discounts.


    Since all the items werest year¡¯s leftovers and odd sizes, they were rtively cheap. Shu Pan didn¡¯t even dare to look at the newly arrived items, as her sry, after covering her normal expenses, lett her with very little.


    She carefully checked her wallet and, despite the pain, bought two dresses and a pair of shoes for Joy. The dresses were in odd sizes, and she guessed that they might make Joy look a little bigger when she wore them. However, children grow quickly, so having something a bitrger was a good idea.


    After paying, Shu Pan nned to head back. The ce she was renting was a bit far from the mall, but Shu Pan noticed it was still early, so, to save money, she decided to walk back.


    She took the esctor down from the third floor to the second floor. On the second floor, there were high-end designer brands everywhere. As she stepped off the elevator, she hastened her pace, nning to head down to the first floor.


    Just then, she saw Tong Fei and another woman heading in her direction. Shu Pan couldn¡¯t help but sigh. It really was a small world. She had just been thinking about how she hadn¡¯t run into Gu Shaoting and Tong Fei in over a year sinceing to Bin City. But now, here they were.


    It seemed that they wereing straight towards her. Shu Pan could have simply minded her own business and walked past them, but she thought about her current destitute appearance. She didn¡¯t know how Tong Fei might ridicule her. Sometimes, it was better to avoid unnecessary trouble.


    Thinking this, Shu Pan quickly slipped into a nearby store. She watched as Tong Fei and herpanion headed directly for the GV counter in front of the store, as if they hade specifically for this store.


    GV was the most sought-after luxury brand by young people today, and their products were all priced above five figures.


    Once inside the store, a salesperson quickly approached them. ¡°Miss Tong, hello. Please have a seat, and we¡¯ll show you ourtest arrivals right away.¡± Obviously, Tong Fei was a VIP here, and the staff knew her well.


    Shu Pan watched as they entered the store. Even though she was somewhat ignorant of these matters, she knew the approximate price range of this brand¡¯s products. She could imagine how expensive they were.


    She observed Tong Fei pick up a handbag, which had an orange silk scarf tied to it, from the disy cab. The woman apanying Tong Fei eximed excitedly, ¡°GV¡¯s limited edition is finally out. I heard there aren¡¯t many of them released, and it¡¯s a worldwide limited edition. It¡¯s so hard to get one!¡±


    The way the woman was expressing herself was quite exaggerated, but Tong Fei just smiled gently and said to the salesperson, ¡°Please wrap it up for me.¡± She handed the bag she had just picked to the salesperson to be packaged.


    Then, she took out a ck card from her wallet and handed it directly to the salesperson. A bag that cost over 200,000 yuan, and she decided to buy it without any hesitation.


    The woman apanying Tong Fei was left stunned. She knew Tong Fei was wealthy, but to be so rich that she didn¡¯t even need to think about buying such an expensive item, that really opened her eyes.


    Shu Pan was also shocked. She had forgotten to leave the store. She watched Tong Fei, dressed in a white shirt and ck wide-leg pants, tall and slim, with an aura of celebrity elegance. When had she be a model-like figure? Even with just a slight smile, she exuded charm that ordinary people couldn¡¯t imitate.


    Perhaps this was why she could work as a model! Even with just a slight smile, she was captivating, with an unattainable elegance.


    Shu Pan looked back at herself, wearing a worn-out pair of jeans, a half-used T-shirt, a pair of white, washed-out sneakers, carrying a cheap handbag. She looked poor and out of ce in this environment.


    ¡°Miss, may I help you with anything?¡± Suddenly, a salesperson in the store


    asked her..

 Chapter 97 - 97: Being Looked Down Upon

    Chapter 97: Being Looked Down Upon


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    The salesperson looked Shu Pan up and down and said, furrowing their brow, ¡°Miss, which item are you interested in? I can show it to you, but our products start at over ten thousand yuan.¡± Their expression clearly conveyed a sense of disdain.


    Under the scrutinizing gaze of the salesperson, Shu Pan felt somewhat embarrassed. However, she quickly reminded herself, why should she let someone look down on her? She hadn¡¯t stolen or done anything wrong. Having experienced the judgmental eyes of others, Shu Pan deeply understood that society often judged people by appearances.


    With her modest clothing and appearance, anyone could tell that she couldn¡¯t afford the products here. Shu Pan looked apologetically at the salesperson and, somewhat timidly, said, ¡°I¡¯m just looking.¡±


    Then, under the clerk¡¯s puzzled gaze, she walked out of the store, as if she were being pursued by some fierce predator.


    After leaving the mall, she finally slowed down her pace and gazed at the dark gray sky outside. Night had fallen, and the world was gradually growing darker. On the main road, rows of streetlights illuminated the night, dispelling the darkness. Cars zoomed down the road, making the night less lonely. Shu Pan faced the cool breeze, slowly walking back home.


    No matter how tough or tiring it got, she would endure it. Since the day she divorced Gu Shaoting, she no longer had the right to say she was tired.


    Her only goal now was to work hard and make money, to provide a better life for her family. Joy was her motivation. Because life was challenging, Shu Pan usually returned to Lotus Town only once a month. But now, she suddenly felt a strong desire to see her child. Knowing that tomorrow was the weekend and that she had bought clothes and shoes for Joy, she decided to go home and see her.


    Shu Pan walked for about an hour before arriving home. When she got back, she felt physically and mentally exhausted. She lived in a small rented room, which was quite old and therefore inexpensive. The neighborhood¡¯s safety was rtively poor, but Shu Pan had no other choice.


    After returning, she felt both hungry and tired, so she quickly made herself a bowl of egg noodles. She added two vegetables and an egg to it. She felt that this dinner was quite rich.


    After finishing her meal, shey down on her bed. As she looked outside, she thought about how she would see Joy tomorrow. She couldn¡¯t believe how excited this thought made her. She kept imagining her daughter¡¯s smiling face. When Joy was born, everyone said she looked like her, but now that she was growing up, her features were starting to resemble Gu Shaoting, especially her mouth and nose. It was like a mini version of him.


    Now, neither her dad nor Auntie Lu would say that Joy looked like her anymore. asionally, when they saw Joy like this, they would wearplex expressions.


    Once, Auntie Lu couldn¡¯t help but say, ¡°If Gu Shaoting sees that Joy looks so much like him, would he want to recognize her? After all, she¡¯s his own flesh and blood.¡±


    Shu Pan was immediately frightened and urged Auntie Lu never to say such things again. Joy was her child alone, her flesh and blood.


    Meanwhile, Tong Fei, after buying the GV handbag, immediately headed to a clothing store. During her shopping spree, she made a phone call to Gu Shaoting.


    ¡°Shaoting, are you still busy? Have you eaten? I¡¯m shopping at the mall.¡± Her words clearly marked her as the epitome of the perfect Chinese girlfriend.


    ¡°Alright, I won¡¯t bother you anymore. You go ahead and work. I¡¯lle see you tomorrow.¡±


    After hanging up, Tong Fei was still immersed in the phone call that had just taken ce..

 Chapter 98 - 98: Sweetheart

    Chapter 98: Sweetheart


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    ¡°Oh my, that¡¯s so sweet! You guys are practically throwing rtionship hints around, and here I am, a single soul, feeling like a stray dog,¡± Tong Fei¡¯s friend yfully remarked.


    Tong Fei blushed and joked, ¡°You¡¯re asking for trouble.¡±


    ¡°You and Mr. Gu seem to be getting cozy. He¡¯s the total package, handsome and loaded. He¡¯s like the dream catch for countless women. You better seize this opportunity. Once it¡¯s gone, there won¡¯t be another chance like this,¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d love to, you know? But, as you¡¯re aware, I¡¯m in the public eye. If I make a move that looks like I¡¯m pushing for marriage and it hits the headlines, it¡¯ll tarnish my image,¡± Tong Fei replied, her tone a mix of frustration and resignation.


    She always felt that although Gu Shaoting seemed to ept their rtionship, there was an underlying sense of detachment. Since she helped him out that one time, he had been different. He showered her with gifts and she briefly got carried away, thinking it was his way of showing affection.


    After all, why would a man spend sovishly on a woman if he didn¡¯t care for her? Yet, Tong Fei seemed to miss the other possibility. He might be trying topensate for something.


    Nheless, Tong Fei was convinced that Gu Shaoting loved her, and that reassured her.


    ¡°Anyway, it¡¯s just a matter of time. When the momentes, Mr. Gu will propose with all the grandeur, like a scene from a movie,¡± her friend analyzed. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s not waste any more time. We¡¯ve got more shopping to do.¡±


    ¡°What are we waiting for then? Let¡¯s hit the stores.¡±


    Receiving the call, Gu Shaoting rubbed his temple, feeling somewhat stuck in a difficult situation.


    Earlier, because of Tong Fei saving him, his attitude toward her had changed somewhat. Sometimes, he felt quite lonely, and having apanion seemed like a good idea.


    That was why he had epted this sort of rtionship, but after spending some time together, he noticed that Tong Fei was bing somewhat clingy, always wanting to control his ns.


    Suddenly, he found himself thinking about Shu Pan, a name that asionally popped into his mind. She had apletely different personality. She wasn¡¯t clingy at all and was quite independent. He found himself missing her.


    Shu Pan got up early, preparing for the day. She caught the earliest bus back to Lotus Town.


    As soon as she entered her home, a little bundle of joy rushed into her arms.


    ¡°Joy, be careful. Did you hurt yourself running into Mommy? Did I bump you?¡± Shu Pan asked, sounding worried.


    ¡°No, Mommy. I missed you so much. It feels like you¡¯ve been away for ages. Don¡¯t you miss me?¡± Joy, small in stature but big in spirit, said yfully.


    ¡°Mommy missed you terribly. That¡¯s why I hurried back, and guess what?


    Mommy brought you something special!¡± Shu Pan¡¯s heart ached hearing her daughter¡¯s words.


    ¡°What did Mommy buy for Joy?¡± the little sweetheart asked in her adorable voice.


    ¡°Look, Mommy got you two dresses and a pair of shoes. Try them on quickly!¡± Shu Pan said, taking the items out of her bag.


    ¡°Mommy, did you spend a lot of money? We don¡¯t have much. Mommy, you just need to spend more time with me. I already have other dresses,¡± Joy¡¯s words brought tears to Shu Pan¡¯s eyes.


    Joy might be young, but she was thoughtful, a true sweetheart.


    ¡°Mommy earned some money, that¡¯s why I bought these for you. Hurry and try them on. Let Mommy see my beautiful and adorable little princess, okay?¡± Shu Pan said with a tearful smile.


    ¡°Okay,¡± Joy replied, a bit shy but eager to put on her new clothes..

 Chapter 99 - 99: Worry

    Chapter 99: Worry


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Shu Pan picked up the new dress and shoes, helping Joy put them on.


    The little girl before her had shining eyes, pure and clear like a starry night. Her dark hair was tied up in a little ponytail, bobbing up and down like a swallow in flight. Below her small nose was a tiny mouth, with a slight upturn at the corners.


    As she put on the new dress, Joy¡¯s excitement shone through. Her eyes curved like crescent moons, radiating the happiness that came so naturally to her.


    Watching her daughter so content, Shu Pan felt a mix of relief and mncholy. She had once believed that simply bringing a child into the world was enough, but she had underestimated the importance of raising them.


    ¡°Mommy, do I look pretty?¡± Joy asked, pulling at the sides of her dress, a happy grin on her face.


    ¡°Yes, Joy, you look just like a little princess,¡± Shu Pan replied, adjusting the slightly oversized dress on her slim frame.


    Joy, basking in thepliment, said, ¡°I want to show Grandpa and Grandma.¡±


    ¡°What do you want to show Grandma?¡± Shu Pan knew that her arrival had already been discovered, but she wanted her mother and daughter to spend some quality time together.


    ¡°Grandma, look, Mommy bought me a new dress. Isn¡¯t it pretty?¡± Joy proudly disyed her new attire.


    ¡°Wow, it¡¯s gorgeous! Joy looks like a little angel,¡± Lu Lifen chimed in, ying along with the act.


    ¡°I¡¯ll go show Grandpa then,¡± Joy announced, fluttering into the house like a little butterfly.


    Lu Lifen watched her leave, and then turned to Shu Pan. ¡°Panpan, Joy is almost three years old now. She¡¯ll need to start kindergarten soon. We should be more thrifty with our spending, save some money to send her to kindergarten.¡±


    Shu Pan thought about it. In September, she should have saved up enough for the tuition. ¡°Auntie Lu, I know, I¡¯ve been nning for it. I intend to enroll her in kindergarten in Bin City this September.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve got a n. That¡¯s wonderful. We mustn¡¯t dy her education,¡± Lu Lifen said with a relieved smile.


    ¡°Hurry inside. I¡¯ll prepare something for you to eat. You¡¯ve gotten even thinner. A gust of wind could blow you away,¡± Lu Lifen expressed her concern.


    At her age, Shu Pan should have been enjoying a loving husband and a happy family, not weighed down by all these responsibilities. Lu Lifen sighed, feeling helpless.


    ¡°Auntie Lu, don¡¯t you know that dieting is in fashion nowadays? Many people dream of having a figure like mine,¡± Shu Pan teased, looking at Lu Lifen¡¯s concerned expression.


    ¡°You¡¯re the only one who would say that, you little scamp,¡± Lu Lifenughed and headed into the kitchen.


    ¡°Auntie Lu, I¡¯m craving your famous braised fish,¡± Shu Pan admitted, her mouth watering.


    ¡°Alright, your dad caught two fish yesterday, and they¡¯re still in the bucket,¡± Lotus Town was never short of fish, and Shu Pan had missed it during her time in Bin City.


    Lu Lifen said, happily preparing the meal for Shu Pan.


    As Shu Pan thought about it, she realized that home was the warmest ce. She suddenly remembered Auntie Lu¡¯s suggestion earlier. She had already made up her mind. She would take Joy to kindergarten in Bin Cityter.


    She didn¡¯t need to worry about running into Gu Shaoting. It had been so long since their divorce, and they had no contact with each other. Even if they did meet, he wouldn¡¯t suspect that Joy was his daughter..

 Chapter 100 - 100: Marrying You Is A Great Blessing

    Chapter 100: Marrying You Is A Great Blessing


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    During dinner, Joy sat beside Shu Pan, chattering away like a little sparrow.


    ¡°Mom, try the fish. It¡¯s so delicious! Grandpa caught it from the pond. Look, eating this fish made me grow so tall!¡± Joy said, gesturing with her hand while speaking.


    ¡°Wow, really? You¡¯ve grown so much taller! That¡¯s amazing!¡± Shu Pan exaggeratedly agreed, and Joy giggled in response.


    ¡°Joy is such a good child. After dinner, you can go y with your dolls,¡± Lu Lifen patted Joy¡¯s head.


    Shu Pan knew that Auntie Lu probably had something to discuss, so she diverted Joy¡¯s attention.


    ¡°Alright, Mom, eat quickly, and then you can y with meter,¡± Joy pleaded.


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll y with you after I finish my meal,¡± Shu Pan promised.


    As Joy moved away, Lu Lifen looked at Shu Pan with a serious expression and said, ¡°Panpan, you¡¯ve been divorced for almost four years now, and you¡¯re approaching your thirties. You should start thinking about your own life. Tell me, how do you feel about Dr. Wen, who visited our housest time? Do you think he¡¯s interested in you?¡±


    ¡°Auntie Lu, you¡¯re overthinking it. Dr. Wen is just a friend. Besides, I have Joy to take care of, and we need to think about our next meal. I don¡¯t think it¡¯s necessary to pursue a rtionship right now. Love is also a matter of fate,¡± Shu Pan replied sincerely.


    ¡°Ah, my dear, why do you make it so difficult for yourself? It¡¯s all because of your father.¡± Shu Laide said, feeling genuinely remorseful. He had always believed that Shu Pan¡¯s current situation was partly his fault, as Gu Shaoting had treated his daughter this way because of him.


    ¡°Dad, you¡¯re talking nonsense again. It¡¯s an issue between the two of us, and it¡¯s not about anyone else,¡± Shu Pan hurriedly reassured him.


    In recent years, her father¡¯s health had declined, and he often felt down because of this matter.


    After spending two days in Lotus Town, Shu Pan returned to Bin City and received a call from Dr. Wen. Over the past few years, Dr. Wen had visited Lotus Town twice and had be tamiliar With Shu Pan¡¯s tamily.


    ¡°Shu Pan, where are you?¡± Dr. Wen¡¯s voice came through the phone.


    ¡°I just returned from Lotus Town. Is there something you need?¡± Shu Pan asked as she entered her house with her belongings.


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me you were going to Lotus Town? I could have driven you there. I haven¡¯t seen little Joy in a long time,¡± Dr. Wen scolded.


    ¡°It was ast-minute decision. I¡¯ll let you know next time,¡± Shu Pan replied dismissively. In truth, she wanted to maintain some distance from Dr. Wen. It was impossible, and she didn¡¯t want to hold him back.


    ¡°How about having dinner together tonight? We haven¡¯t seen each other in a long time. Are you free?¡± Dr. Wen asked Shu Pan.


    ¡°I just got back, and I¡¯m a bit tired. If you don¡¯t mind, you cane to my ce for dinner tonight. I happen to have brought back some fish that my dad caught,¡± Shu Pan said, not wanting to disappoint him.


    ¡°That¡¯s great! I don¡¯t mind at all. I¡¯m not picky. I¡¯ll eat anything,¡± Dr. Wen happily eximed.


    ¡°Okay, then. Let me freshen up, and you cane overter.¡±


    ¡°Sounds good. See you in a bit.¡±


    After hanging up the phone, Dr. Wen prepared to buy two boxes of choctes to bring to Shu Pan. He had heard from hospital nurses that choctes were the most romantic gift to give to a loved one.


    When Dr. Wen arrived, Shu Pan had already prepared a meal with three dishes and a soup. The braised fish, in particr, looked incredibly appetizing.


    Dr. Wen sat at the dining table and, without caring about his appearance, began to eat with his chopsticks. Shu Pan shook her head and smiled.


    Finally, Dr. Wen looked up and said, ¡°Shu Pan, anyone who marries you is incredibly lucky.¡± As he spoke, he cast a sideways nce at Shu Pan with his eyes..

 Chapter 101 - 101: A Date

    Chapter 101: A Date


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Shu Pan pretended not to hear and continued eating.


    To avoid awkwardness, Wen Chi changed the topic. ¡°Shu Pan, how about bringing Joy to Bin City next time for a visit?¡±


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m nning to bring her here to studyter.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s great. If you ever face any difficulties, remember to tell me. We¡¯re friends. Don¡¯t hesitate,¡± Wen Chi emphasized.


    ¡°Okay,¡± Shu Pan nodded in response.


    Later, Wen Chi finished his meal and left. However, Shu Pan couldn¡¯t help but feel that there was something more to Wen Chi¡¯s hints, and even the most obtuse person would have sensed it.


    Shu Pan¡¯s mind was in turmoil, but she felt she didn¡¯t deserve someone as good as Dr. Wen, especially as a divorced woman.


    Tong Fei was about to go abroad for a photoshoot, so she nned to meet with Gu Shaoting at thepany since they would be separated for some time.


    Tong Fei wore a tasteful and elegant knee-length dress, exuding grace and elegance. Whenever she appeared in front of others, she was in her best state, leaving asting impression.


    Tong Fei walked into Gu Shaoting¡¯spany in high heels, her slender and pointed heels making a ¡°ck, ck¡± sound on the office floor. Everyone in thepany was aware of their rtionship, so no one stopped her. She wanted to surprise Gu Shaoting, so she didn¡¯t want anyone to inform him.


    Firstly, their rtionship had been rumored, and secondly, Tong Fei had previously been a spokesperson for the Gu family. It was nearly impossible for such a high-profile couple to keep their rtionship secret.


    Tong Fei quietly entered Gu Shaoting¡¯s office.


    ¡°Shaoting¡­¡± Tong Fei¡¯s voice was sweet as she affectionately called Gu Shaoting.


    ¡°Why do you have time toe over?¡± Gu Shaoting raised his head from his documents.


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m leaving for an overseas photoshoot tomorrow, and I won¡¯t be able to see you for quite a few days. I¡¯ll miss you, so I came to have a meal with you. Are you free?¡± Tong Fei moved closer, sat on the armrest of Gu Shaoting¡¯s chair, and then embraced his neck, lightly brushing his forehead with her lips.


    Gu Shaoting was somewhat unustomed to her intimate actions and furrowed his brows.


    He stood up as an excuse, walked over to the water dispenser, and took a sip of water.


    ¡°You¡¯ll be gone for a few days? When are you leaving? Do you need me to have a driver take you?¡± Gu Shaoting concealed his inner difort and asked Tong Fei.


    ¡°I have an early morning flight, and my agency will send a car. Thanks for offering though,¡± Tong Fei replied. When she heard Gu Shaoting offer to have a driver take her, her heart ached slightly.


    It seemed that every time, a driver was arranged to pick her up, but he had never personally gone to the airport to see her off.


    Tong Fei looked into his eyes, and even though they were close, she found that she couldn¡¯t understand him anymore.


    ¡°That¡¯s fine. If you need any help, feel free to ask,¡± Gu Shaoting said after taking a sip of water, and he walked back.


    ¡°Is there anything you¡¯d like to eat? You can choose,¡± Gu Shaoting continued.


    ¡°Is sushi okay?¡± Tong Fei asked cautiously.


    ¡°That¡¯s fine. Whatever you like. Just wait a moment, I¡¯ll tidy up, and we can go,¡± Gu Shaoting replied casually.


    The two of them closed the door and left together, Tong Fei quickly hooking her arm around Gu Shaoting¡¯s. The employees in thepany saw them greet each other and then lowered their heads to work.


    Tong Fei raised her head, swaying her graceful waist, appearing extremely proud, like a triumphant rooster.


    Assistant Zhang, on the other hand, felt secretly ufortable. Tong Fei always liked to boss people around whenever she came, whereas he knew the former Madam to be gentle and low-profile. They were twopletely different people..

 Chapter 102 - 102: Grandpa’s Ununderstanding

    Chapter 102: Grandpa¡¯s Ununderstanding


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Zhang shook his head sadly. Although he had been with Gu Shaoting for a long time, he still couldn¡¯t figure out what was on his mind.


    He knew that Gu Shaoting wasn¡¯t the type to be swayed by beauty. Over the years, countless young and beautiful women had thrown themselves at him, but he had never shown any interest.


    However, the sudden news of his divorce from Madam had taken him by surprise. For a while, Mr. Gu had been frequently visiting home for meals, and Zhang had thought that their rtionship was improving. Little did he know that he would hear about their divorce.


    Zhang gazed at their departing figures, feeling a mixture of emotions.


    After their meal, the two of them returned to the Gu Family¡¯s mansion. Gu Shaoting hadn¡¯t visited his grandfather in a long time. When his grandfather learned about his divorce from Shu Pan, he had actually thrown a teacup at him, luckily the tea inside wasn¡¯t scalding hot.


    It was clear that his grandfather was extremely upset. Although more than three years had passed since then, his grandfather still asionally held a grudge against him, giving him the cold shoulder.


    ording to Auntie Wang, Grandpa Gu often sighed and felt that Gu Shaoting had lost his senses by divorcing Shu Pan, who was such a great wife.


    Back at the Gu Family¡¯s mansion, Auntie Wang informed them that Grandpa Gu was in his room. Gu Shaoting, knowing that his grandfather didn¡¯t have a good impression of Tong Fei, decided to go upstairs alone to avoid causing any trouble.


    ¡°Grandpa, how are you feeling today?¡± Gu Shaoting squatted beside his grandfather and asked.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine as long as you don¡¯t upset me,¡± Grandpa Gu replied, still harboring resentment about Gu Shaoting¡¯s divorce from Shu Pan.


    ¡°Grandpa, that¡¯s all in the past now. You should try to let it go. Tong Fei and I are doing well, and she¡¯s famous internationally,¡± Gu Shaoting said, though he wasn¡¯t sure if he was trying to convince his grandfather or himself.


    ¡°I wanted a daughter-inw who was low-key, humble, and not scheming. I¡¯ve seen more of the world than you ever could. If you don¡¯t listen to your elders, you¡¯ll suffer,¡± Grandpa Gu brought this sentence up every time he saw Gu Shaoting.


    ¡°Alright, Grandpa, I understand. Actually, Tong Fei is a good person. You¡¯ll get to know her better with time,¡± Gu Shaoting continued to exin.


    ¡°Ah, I¡¯m old and useless, can¡¯t manage so many things anymore,¡± Grandpa Gu shook his head, feeling mncholic.


    ¡°Okay, Grandpa, take care of yourself and rest more. Don¡¯t dwell on other things too much. Let everything happen naturally, okay?¡±


    Grandpa Gu raised his hand and waved, signaling him to leave.


    As Gu Shaoting descended the stairs, he saw Tong Fei chatting with Song Can.


    ¡°Mom, you didn¡¯t go out today?¡± Gu Shaoting greeted them.


    Then, he sat down across from them.


    ¡°Shaoting, that¡¯s great. I was just talking to Tong Fei about you. You¡¯ve been together for so long. Maybe it¡¯s time to consider getting engaged. Girls are shy, so you should take the initiative,¡± Song Can advised Gu Shaoting.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been quite busytely, so I¡¯m not considering this for now. We¡¯ll talk about itter,¡± Gu Shaoting quickly declined.


    Tong Fei¡¯s expression darkened, and Song Can noticed it. She continued, ¡°I can help you with that.¡±


    Gu Shaoting didn¡¯t respond, and the atmosphere became a bit tense. Tong Fei


    quickly added, ¡°Auntie, I¡¯ve also been very busytely, and I¡¯m about to go abroad for a photoshoot. We don¡¯t need to rush this. We¡¯re doing well, so let¡¯s discuss itter.¡±


    Song Can looked at Tong Fei¡¯s aggrieved expression and patted her hand.


    ¡°Alright then, once you both have some free time, we¡¯ll proceed..¡±

 Chapter 103 - 103: Portrait

    Chapter 103: Portrait


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Exiting from the Gu Family¡¯s ancestral mansion, Gu Shaoting intended to drive Tong Fei back home.


    At Tong Fei¡¯s doorstep, she looked at Gu Shaoting with a hint of shyness and extended an invitation, ¡°Shaoting, it¡¯s still early. Would you like toe up for a cup of coffee?¡±


    Her gaze carried anticipation, and her coy demeanor was quite alluring.


    Gu Shaoting pursed his lips and replied with a gentle refusal, ¡°I¡¯m a bit tired tonight. Let¡¯s do it another time. You have an early flight tomorrow. You should rest.¡±


    ¡°Okay, then. Please drive safely,¡± Tong Fei responded with disappointment. She was genuinely finding it more and more difficult to understand Gu Shaoting. Over the years, she had put in a lot of effort to get close to him, and sometimes, no matter how obvious she made her intentions, he seemed uninterested. asionally, she couldn¡¯t help but question her own charm, but the number of people pursuing her was evidence that the issuey with Gu Shaoting.


    In the beginning, she thought it was because he had just divorced Shu Pan that he wasn¡¯t used to it. However, now that it had been such a long time, he should have adapted. She nned to think of a way to figure this out when she returned from her overseas advertising shoot.


    Gu Shaoting watched Tong Fei for a moment as she fell into thought, then bid her goodbye. He stepped on the elerator, and the car sped away.


    While waiting at a traffic light, Gu Shaoting suddenly thought that it had been a long time since he had been to Shuimu Qinghua. After some contemtion, he decided to drive there.


    After his divorce, he had seldom visited the ce. He had a small apartment not far from thepany where he usually rested.


    Upon returning home, the room was silent and pristine. Sister Zhang took care of it, so everything was neat. He gazed at the spacious interior, feeling a sense of emptiness. There was no liveliness.


    He nced at the bedroom, where the bed was neatly made with the pillows arranged perfectly. Then, he walked into the study, where Shu Pan¡¯s reference books had once been ced. Now, the space was empty.


    He noticed a corner of paper sticking out from the bottom of the cab. When he pulled it out, he was stunned. The portrait on the paper was incredibly familiar¡ªit was a portrait of himself.


    Evidently, it was a painting by Shu Pan, as it was apanied by English writing that read, ¡®My husband.¡±


    The portrait was astonishingly lifelike, capturing his deep-set eyes, high nose, and intense gaze. It was clear that the artist had poured a lot of emotion into this work.


    Gu Shaoting touched the portrait with his hand, feeling an indescribable emotion. He ced it in a drawer and lit a cigarette.


    Sitting at the desk, he exhaled smoke, lost in thought. He wasn¡¯t sure what he was contemting, and the cigarette burned down to his fingers without him realizing.


    The next day, when he returned to the office, He Ming walked in. ¡°Brother Ting, what can I do for you?¡±


    He had received a phone call from Gu Shaoting early in the morning, so he rushed over, thinking it was something urgent.


    ¡°Oh, I want to renovate the vi in Tongyuan. Can you help me find a renovationpany? It needs to be done as soon as possible.¡±


    ¡°Is this sudden? You¡¯ve owned it for quite some time now. Don¡¯t you have


    several ces to stay already?¡± He Ming marveled at the world of the wealthy. Although he considered himself middle-ss,pared to Gu Shaoting, he felt like a small fish in a big pond.


    ¡°Regardless, it¡¯s always needed to be renovated. The environment in Tongyuan is excellent, and it¡¯s a key project for the Gu Group. Now it has been developed well.¡± Gu Shaoting had kept one of the best properties for himself.


    ¡°Why? Are you nning to get married to Tong Fei? Thinking of renovating it as your new home?¡± He Ming couldn¡¯t think of any other reason..

 Chapter 104 - 104: Renovating the Villa

    Chapter 104: Renovating the Vi


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi- Bo Studio


    Gu Shaoting looked at him and said, ¡°Put away your curiosity, you¡¯ll find out in due time.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s easy for me to find a designer, but it¡¯s your house we¡¯re renovating. What style do you want?¡± He Ming had to remind him. What if the renovation didn¡¯t turn out as he wanted?


    ¡°Well, you can renovate it ording to the style of Shuimu Qinghua,¡± Gu Shaoting thought for a moment, then replied.


    ¡°But that was something Shu Pan was involved in, and many of the ideas were hers. Now you¡¯re getting married to Tong Fei, don¡¯t you think you should ask for her input?¡± He Ming rarely brought up Shu Pan in front of Gu Shaoting, as it could be a sensitive topic.


    ¡°Let¡¯s start by getting the designers to produce some concept sketches, and we can decide from there,¡± Gu Shaoting said as he looked at some documents.


    ¡°Heh, Brother Ting, are you really nning to step into the marriage pit again?¡± He Ming¡¯s motto was not to hang all one¡¯s hopes on a single tree.


    The world outside was so exciting. There was really no need to rush into the pit of marriage so quickly. At least that¡¯s how He Ming felt now, but in the future, he would understand that even if you want to hang on a single tree, you still need the tree¡¯s permission.


    ¡°My family keeps urging me, and I have to give them an answer,¡± Gu Shaoting had thought all nightst night. Whenever he saw or thought about things rted to Shu Pan, he would get deeply entangled and couldn¡¯t let go.


    After all, yesterday is already in the past, and now he should look forward to the future. Continually reminiscing and thinking about his ex-wife didn¡¯t seem like a good sign.


    If he married Tong Fei, perhaps he could put an end to this phenomenon.


    ¡°Alright, I know a reputable renovationpany. They renovated my house, have you heard of ¡®Sunrise Architecture¡¯?¡± He Ming figured that anyone in the industry should be familiar with them.


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ve heard of them. Then please contact them for me. Thanks,¡± Gu Shaoting handed He Ming the vi keys.


    ¡°Okay, don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll make sure you bring the beauty back home,¡± He Ming teased.


    Gu Shaoting couldn¡¯t help but roll his eyes at him.


    Shu Pan arrived at the office early because her residence was rtively far from thepany, so she took the bus to work.


    A busy day of work would make her forget all her troubles.


    Shortly after, the director walked in, pping his hands to get everyone¡¯s attention. He signaled for quiet and then instructed everyone to gather in the conference room for a meeting.


    During the meeting, the director assigned work tasks. Since it was the peak


    ¡°Now, everyone has tight schedules with their ongoing projects, and I appreciate your hard work. Yesterday, an old client called and said they have a vi that needs renovation. Price is not an issue. The most important thing is to create a design that satisfies them,¡± the director¡¯s words motivated the team.


    In the current market, many clients expected the best results at the lowest cost. Clients with no budget constraints were truly rare.


    ¡°Director, I don¡¯t have any ongoing projects at the moment. Myst project waspleted in thest couple of days. Let me take this one,¡± designer Chen Xiang immediately spoke up. He knew this was a lucrative opportunity.


    No one else said anything after hearing Chen Xiang¡¯s request. Shu Pan¡¯s current project was nearingpletion as well, but since Chen Xiang had already spoken, she had to remain silent.


    Seeing that no one else had spoken up, the director assigned the project to Chen Xiang.


    After the meeting ended, Shu Pan packed her things and left the conference room.


    She nned to finish her current project and then ask the director for further assignments because, after all, their sry was tied to their performance.


    Shu Pan¡¯s current goal was to make money because Joy would soon start school..

 Chapter 105 - 105: Encounter

    Chapter 105: Encounter


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Chen Xiang¡¯s efficiency at work was remarkable. After receiving the job, he immediately contacted Mr. He, the client. Mr. He informed him that the vi requiring renovation was located in Tongyuan.


    They agreed on a meeting time at the vi in Tongyuan for an on-site inspection and measurements.


    As Chen Xiang entered Tongyuan, he could hardly believe his eyes. Despite having designed many houses in upscale residential areas before, Tongyuan surpassed them all.


    Tongyuan was vast in size, with extensive greenery. The entire residential area was designed with abination of stripndscaping and courtyardndscaping, blending the characteristics of a southern river town with modern urban styles.


    After finally locating the vi the customer mentioned, Chen Xiang met Mr. He, only to find out that he was actually Mr. He Ming.


    The two of them quickly got to the point and discussed the project.


    As Chen Xiang measured the site, he exined to Mr. He Ming, ¡°Let¡¯s get the design sketches done as soon as possible. After all, it¡¯s for my good friend, and he will have the final say. He prefers a warm and homely feeling.¡±


    ¡°Sure, thank you, Mr. He,¡± Chen Xiang replied, and he left after inspecting the site.


    A few dayster, Chen Xiang came up with a rough design sketch and nned to show it to Mr. He Ming for an initial review before proceeding with the detailed drawings.


    To his surprise, when Mr. He Ming showed it to Gu Shaoting, he immediately vetoed the design, stating that he didn¡¯t want to live in a cold and soulless house with no personality despite its luxury.


    Mr. He Ming conveyed Gu Shaoting¡¯s message tactfully and informed the director at Sunrise, hoping to find a more sensitive designer.


    Regrettably. the director had no choice hilt to make the switch. and


    conveniently, Shu Pan was avable to take over the project. When Chen Xiang handed over the work to her, she expressed her apologies, but Chen Xiang reassured her that as long as the customer was satisfied, it didn¡¯t matter who did the job.


    Every customer had different requirements and preferences, and it was impossible to please everyone.


    Chen Xiang then briefed Shu Pan on the internal design of the vi and the measurements he had taken. This way, Shu Pan could create initial sketches to show the client, saving time before another on-site inspection.


    Based on her experience and the client¡¯s requests, Shu Pan worked diligently to create the design sketches. When she sent the design sketches to the client, she felt anxious throughout the day.


    Finally, in the afternoon, good news arrived. The client was very satisfied with the initial draft. Shu Pan could finally rx and made ns to meet the client on-site the next day to discuss the details.


    The following day, Shu Pan dressed slightly more formally because of the client meeting. It was one of the few outfits in her wardrobe that she could confidently wear.


    She looked at herself in the mirror¡ªher lustrous ck hair was tied into a ponytail, a light green top with a frill cor, and white cropped jeans. She wore medium-heeled pumps, giving her a somewhat innocent yet sexy look.


    Satisfied with her appearance, Shu Pan grabbed a small leather bag and carried arge fabric bag as she left.


    Arriving at the vi¡¯s entrance, she rang the doorbell, and the person who opened the door inside was taken aback.


    To her surprise, it was Mr. He Ming, and Shu Pan was equally astonished, unable to close her mouth.


    ¡°Shu Pan, why are you here? ¡­ Are you the designer responsible for decorating this vi?¡± Mr. He Ming spoke with a loss of his usualposure.


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s me. What a coincidence! Long time no see, how have you been?¡± Shu Pan greeted him like an old friend..

 Chapter 106 - 106: View of One’s Back

    Chapter 106: View of One¡¯s Back


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    ¡°I¡¯m doing well. When did you return to Bin City?¡± He Ming looked at Shu Pan, who appeared even thinner than before, giving off a pitiful vibe.


    It seemed they were well aware of her departure. He just hadn¡¯t been paying attentiontely, so he didn¡¯t know when she had returned.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been back for a while. I¡¯ve been working at Sunrise Architecture,¡± Shu Pan replied, cooperative in her responses.


    ¡°You may not know, but this vi belongs to Shaoting. He ns to marry Tong Fei, so he¡¯s preparing to renovate the vi,¡± He Ming felt it necessary to tell her the truth to prevent any potential issuester.


    ¡°Oh, congrattions to them,¡± Shu Pan replied politely upon hearing their names, her expression indifferent, and her demeanor distant, as if it had nothing to do with her.


    He Ming furrowed his brow, finding Shu Pan¡¯s behavior somewhat unbelievable. ¡°Thank you on their behalf,¡± He Ming initiated, realizing that this was the only option at the moment.


    ¡°Do you need to consult Mr. Gu¡¯s opinion first? Should I let him know that I am the designer? If he doesn¡¯t agree, we can still consider changing the designer,¡± Shu Pan offered a suggestion, concerned that Gu Shaoting might change his mind once he realized it was her working on the project.


    ¡°I¡¯ll talk to him. Come in and take the measurements you need,¡± He Ming opened the door and invited Shu Pan inside.


    Shu Pan observed that the vi was located in the most beautiful part of Tongyuan and had at least 300 square meters,rger than Shuimu Qinghua. She silently reproached herself for thinking about the past again.


    Efficiently, she recorded the necessary data and then said her goodbyes to He Ming.


    After she left, He Ming couldn¡¯t help but reflect on the twists and turns of life.


    Just as she exited Tongyuan, a ck Mercedes suddenly passed by. Gu Shaoting was sitting in the back seat, and in a momentary nce outside, he waspletely stunned.


    ¡°Wait¡­¡± Gu Shaoting called out, and the driver quickly pulled over to the side of the road.


    Gu Shaoting¡¯s eyes were fixed firmly on the figure in the light green top who had just emerged from Tongyuan. She had taken himpletely by surprise. That figure was one he couldn¡¯t be more familiar with. He had resolved to forget the pastpletely, but this figure had created ripples in his heart once again.


    In a hazy moment, her light green top seemed refreshingly vivid, her hair tied in a ponytail swaying gently as she walked.


    Gu Shaoting couldn¡¯t discern her expression, but he could always imagine her face in his mind.


    He couldn¡¯t help but furrow his brow.


    He had once asked himself what his feelings were for Shu Pan, but in the end, he had found no answer.


    Gu Shaoting remained standing there, unmoving.


    Not far away, Shu Pan anxiously waited for her ride. Since this was a high-end residential area, most residents had private cars, and the wait for a bus was quite long.


    Fortunately, the bus arrived, and Shu Pan hurriedly got in. It wasn¡¯t until Shu Pan had left that Gu Shaoting finally returned to his car.


    The driver noticed him lost in thought, unsure of what he was contemting, and didn¡¯t dare to disturb him. Only when Gu Shaoting snapped back to reality did he instruct the driver to start the car.


    Upon reaching his designated parking spot, Gu Shaoting got out of the car and headed towards the vi.


    He had seen a design sketch that seemed oddly familiar, so he decided toe and take a look. The warmth depicted in the drawings was precisely what he needed.


    Shortly, He Ming came over and opened the door for him..

 Chapter 107 - 107: Unexpected Results

    Chapter 107: Unexpected Results


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    As soon as He Ming saw that it was Gu Shaoting, he was a bit surprised and asked, ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you didn¡¯t have time toe over?¡±


    ¡°Just passing by, so I thought I¡¯d take a look. Has the designer arrived?¡± Gu Shaoting walked around the vi.


    ¡°Just left a moment ago. Did you happen to see someone you know on your way here?¡± He Ming asked tentatively.


    ¡°Who? I didn¡¯t see anyone,¡± Gu Shaoting replied absentmindedly.


    ¡°In fact, I just found out recently that the effect sketch you liked was drawn by Shu Pan,¡± He Ming said discreetly, ncing at Gu Shaoting from the corner of


    his eye.


    Gu Shaoting was momentarily stunned and remained silent for a long time. To conceal his surprise, he eventually asked, ¡°Who? Shu Pan?¡±


    ¡°Yes, how about it? Do you mind?¡± He Ming was uncertain about what Gu Shaoting was thinking.


    ¡°What¡¯s there to mind? It doesn¡¯t matter who does it, as long as they do a good job,¡± Gu Shaoting pretended to be nonchnt.


    ¡°That¡¯s good then.¡± He Ming breathed a sigh of relief. He was worried that Gu Shaoting would object.


    ¡°That¡¯s good then.¡± He Ming breathed a sigh of relief. He was worried that Gu Shaoting would object.


    To meet his standards might seem simple, but it was not easy at all. However, based on his personality, He Ming believed that Gu Shaoting did not want to see Shu Pan, so he was genuinely surprised by his response.


    ¡°Great, then please follow up on this. I¡¯lle by when I have the time,¡± Gu Shaoting, unusually invested in the matter, said.


    He Ming gave him a strange look.


    He Ming informed Shu Pan and conveyed Gu Shaoting¡¯s intentions, which also surprised Shu Pan.


    She had assumed that Gu Shaoting would be thest person to want to see her, especially since she was encroaching on his territory. However, she was not one to hold grudges unnecessarily, and to her, he was now a stranger.


    So she promised He Ming that she would do her best with the design to put Mr. Guts mind at ease.


    After days of continuous discussions with He Ming on the design sketches, they mostly reached a consensus. All that remained was to proceed with construction ording to the drawings.


    Fortunately, Shu Pan was not worried about Gu Shaoting ultimately disapproving of the design sketches, because He Ming would always ensure that Gu Shaoting had the final say during their discussions.


    Once the drawings were approved, construction began in earnest.


    As a designer, Shu Pan had to constantly exin some details to the construction workers to achieve the best results.


    However, luckily for her, Gu Shaoting never showed up on-site during her visits, avoiding any awkward encounters.


    After another busy day at the vi construction site and her office, Shu Pan looked exhausted. Her face appeared even more slender.


    Finally, it was time to go home. At noon, Wen Chi called her to arrange dinner ns, and she figured he must be waiting outside by now.


    She quickly packed her things and clocked out on time.


    ¡°Shu Pan, why the rush? Are you going on a date?¡± Some colleagues teased her because she was usually thest to leave. Her behavior today was indeed unusual.


    ¡°Don¡¯t make things up.¡± Shu Pan replied casually as she headed towards the exit.


    Sure enough, she spotted Wen Chi¡¯s car parked on the opposite side of thepany¡¯s street from a distance. She maneuvered past the passing vehicles and lightly tapped on the car window.


    Wen Chi understood and opened the car door. As soon as Shu Pan got in, Wen Chi fixed his gaze on her, as if there was something dirty on her face.


    Shu Pan couldn¡¯t help but touch her face. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    Wen Chi finally snapped out of it, somewhat incredulous, and replied, ¡°Is yourpany mistreating its employees? Howe I haven¡¯t seen you for just a few days, and you¡¯ve be so thin? Are you pushing yourself too hard? Is yourpany down to just one employee?¡±

 Chapter 108 - 108: Meeting

    Chapter 108: Meeting


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Shu Pan couldn¡¯t help but roll her eyes at him and said in resignation, ¡°You¡¯re exaggerating too much. I¡¯ve just been a bit busytely.¡±


    ¡°Tonight, I¡¯ll take you to eat something good to replenish your energy.¡± As soon as Wen Chi finished speaking, the car moved forward.


    Shu Pan was too tired to respond, so Wen Chi looked at her and said, ¡°Shu Pan, if you have any difficulties, you can talk to me. You don¡¯t have to exhaust yourself like this. Can a young girl like you handle all this?¡±


    Shu Pan looked at him and replied, ¡°Who has an easy job? You¡¯re even busier, performing surgeries all day, requiring you to stand for long hours with intense concentration. What I do is nothingpared to that.¡±


    Wen Chi smiled and said, ¡°I¡¯m a man, I can handle it.¡±


    Shu Pan couldn¡¯t help but snort and said with a grin, ¡°Male chauvinism.¡±


    The two of them chatted andughed, and soon the car stopped at the entrance of a Western restaurant.


    ¡°You don¡¯t really want to eat at this Western restaurant, do you? Are you crazy? Just look at the ambiance, how much will it cost?¡± Shu Pan quickly tried to stop him.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, just once in a while.¡± Wen Chi said nonchntly.


    Shu Pan looked at him with a concerned expression, and Wen Chi jokingly added, ¡°If you run out of moneyter, you can stay and wash dishes, okay?¡±


    Shu Pan red at him and then said fiercely, ¡°I¡¯ll eat extravagantlyter, bankrupting you.¡±


    Wen Chi looked at her exaggerated expression and nodded, saying, ¡°Good resolution, I¡¯ll be watching.¡±


    The two of them entered the Western restaurant side by side. As they pushed open the heavy door, they were greeted by a luxurious, spacious interior. Splendid crystal chandeliers cast a soft light, creating an elegant and serene atmosphere throughout the restaurant. The gentle saxophone music filled the air, like an invisible mist spreading and calming the soul, making everyone feel at ease. Polite waiters, quiet guests, asional softughter¡ªthe environment was tranquil and beautiful.


    Guided by the waiter, Wen Chi and Shu Pan took their seats by the window.


    Shu Pan looked at the menu handed to her by the waiter and was slightly startled because it only had pictures of the dishes without prices.


    She flipped through it and then said to Wen Chi, ¡°You go ahead and order, I¡¯m fine with anything.¡± She also reminded him to order sparingly.


    While they were busy ordering, a strikingly attractive couple entered the restaurant. The man was tall and handsome, and the woman was tall and slender.


    They sat at a nearby table.


    ¡°Do you see that? Isn¡¯t that Tong Fei?¡± someone at the neighboring table whispered to theirpanion.


    ¡°Yes, her figure is amazing, not a trace of excess fat, huh?¡± Thepanion replied with envy in their tone.


    Shu Pan heard the name Tong Fei and couldn¡¯t help but be curious. She turned her head slightly to nce at their table.


    It was Gu Shaoting and Tong Fei. Shu Pan once again marveled at how small the world was. Despite not crossing paths for such a long time, they had recently started to have some contact due to the design and renovation project, and now they bumped into each other while having dinner.


    Shu Pan turned her head back, and at that moment, the waiter served their food.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Do you know them?¡± Wen Chi asked in confusion when he


    noticed Shu Pan looking in that direction.


    ¡°No, that¡¯s the supermodel Tong Fei. You¡¯ve probably seen her on TV or in magazines, right?¡± Shu Pan said quietly.


    ¡°I don¡¯t really pay attention to that. I¡¯m not interested in these things. Let¡¯s hurry up and eat while it¡¯s hot,¡± Wen Chi said as he spooned some soup for her.


    Shu Pan nodded and quietly savored the delicious dishes. Knowing that it was expensive, she savored every bite of her food, with everything else fading into the background for the moment..

 Chapter 109 - 109: Jealousy

    Chapter 109: Jealousy


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    The French escargot and cream of mushroom soup at the restaurant were exceptionally delicious, considered signature dishes.


    Shu Pan enjoyed her meal thoroughly, and watching her eat so enthusiastically, Wen Chi also found his appetite increasing.


    As for Gu Shaoting, who was not far away, he had actually noticed Shu Pan since they entered the restaurant. Of course, he also saw the man sitting across from Shu Pan. Seeing the man¡¯s handsome appearance and refined demeanor, he felt a mix of emotions and difort.


    ¡°Shaoting, what¡¯s wrong? You seem a bit distracted,¡± Tong Fei¡¯s gentle voice filled with concern.


    She had also noticed Shu Pan and was somewhat annoyed by the choice of this restaurant. Annoying people always seemed to appear in your life at the most unexpected moments, causing disruptions.


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing, just thinking about work,¡± Gu Shaoting replied casually, not wanting to engage in further conversation.


    Tong Fei lowered her head obediently and continued eating, refraining from asking more questions, as she knew that pressing further wouldn¡¯t yield any answers.


    Tong Fei ate slowly, taking small spoonfuls, as models needed to maintain their figures and couldn¡¯t indulge inrge meals. Her stomach had be ustomed to small portions, and she would feel full after just a little.


    Seeing her eating like a bird, Gu Shaoting lost his appetite as well, especially after the scene he witnessed earlier. He put down his spoon.


    ¡°Shaoting, I heard from Auntie that your vi in Tongyuan is under renovation. Can I visit it sometime when you¡¯re free? I also enjoy reading about interior design,¡± Tong Fei tentatively inquired.


    She had heard from Auntie that Gu Shaoting was renovating the vi, probably preparing a new home. She felt delighted, thinking that Gu Shaoting hadn¡¯t told her about it to give her a surprise.


    But she couldn¡¯t help mentioning it, as she thought about bing the mistress of the vi in the future. She wanted to see if the interior design matched her taste.


    ¡°Oh, you can visit when you have time. I¡¯ve entrusted the renovation to apany,¡± Gu Shaoting replied casually, downying it.


    ¡°Okay,¡± Tong Fei replied softly.


    After Wen Chi and Shu Pan finished their meal, Wen Chi signaled the waiter to pay the bill, and then they left.


    Gu Shaoting looked at the empty seats, feeling like something was missing, an emptiness in his heart.


    He couldn¡¯t help but wonder if all men had this kind of feeling, that even if they didn¡¯t want a woman, they still didn¡¯t want to see her with someone else?


    Was that man Shu Pan¡¯s boyfriend or suitor? He saw the affection in Wen Chi¡¯s eyes, a gaze that a man directed at a woman, so passionate and affectionate. Before long, Gu Shaoting also settled the bill and then drove Tong Fei home.


    Tonight, he felt particrly restless and couldn¡¯t find relief.


    ¡°Ming,e out for a drink now, at our usual ce,¡± Gu Shaoting didn¡¯t want to go back to his empty home.


    ¡°Sure, I¡¯ll be there in a moment.¡± For He Ming, whose nightlife was quite active, this kind of request was easy to fulfill.


    When He Ming arrived, Gu Shaoting was sitting on the sofa, legs crossed, and a cigarette in his mouth.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Brother Ting? You look troubled. Tell your brother what¡¯s bothering you, and I¡¯ll analyze it for you, ¡± He Ming said nonchntly.


    ¡°Am I supposed to feel happy that you find my troubles amusing? Are you trying to make fun of me?¡± Gu Shaoting¡¯s gaze pierced like an arrow.


    He Ming quickly raised his hands in a surrendering gesture and said,


    ¡°Misunderstanding! I wouldn¡¯t dare. I just can¡¯t figure it out. The corporation is thriving, you have a beautiful woman, and you¡¯re on the path to settling down..


    What could be bothering you?¡±

 Chapter 110 - 110: Picking up Joy

    Chapter 110: Picking up Joy


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Gu Shaoting nced at him but didn¡¯t say anything. In truth, what He Ming said was correct. Indeed, he had everything that others dreamed of, and there was nothing for him to be dissatisfied with.


    Feeling down just because he saw his ex-wife being pursued by someone else would be ridiculous to admit to anyone, wouldn¡¯t it?


    ¡°Have you been in contact with Shu Pan recently? Did she mention anything about her boyfriend?¡± Gu Shaoting couldn¡¯t help but ask.


    ¡°No, we¡¯ve only talked about work. Why, does Shu Pan have a boyfriend now? Well, it¡¯s normal. After all, it¡¯s been a long time since your divorce. Even if she remarries, it¡¯s just a part of life,¡± He Ming said, adding a pinch of salt to his wounds.


    Gu Shaoting began to doubt whether inviting He Ming for a drink was the right decision.


    Everything He Ming said was, in fact, true, but he had a way of delivering unwee truths.


    Gu Shaoting poured himself a ss of wine and downed it in a few gulps, hoping that alcohol could help numb his lingering unease.


    Days always slipped through one¡¯s fingers like fine sand, quietly and unnoticed. It was alreadyte August, and the scorching sun was gradually reced by cooler winds.


    With only ten days left until September, Shu Pan calcted the days and realized it was time to prepare for Joy¡¯s enrollment in a kindergarten in Bin City.


    Taking advantage of the weekend, Shu Pan returned to Lotus Town. She had informed Auntie Lu in advance, so Joy¡¯s belongings were already packed and ready.


    Shu Pan stayed in Lotus Town for one night and, the next day, she took Joy on a car ride back to Bin City.


    Initially, Auntie Lu wanted toe along to help for a few days to ensure a smooth transition for Joy and give Shu Pan some support. However, due to Shu Laide¡¯s poor health, he needed someone to care for him, so Auntie Lu had to postpone her ns.


    Joy, on her first outing, sat in the car, gazing in wonder at everything around her. She looked excited, examining this and that. Shu Pan watched her innocent face and felt guilty that such a small thing could bring her so much happiness.


    ¡°Mom, this car is so big! Aren¡¯t Grandpa and Grandmaing with us?¡± Joy was reluctant to leave them behind.


    ¡°Joy, you¡¯re going to school. Grandma has to stay home to take care of Grandpa, so it¡¯s just us going out. We¡¯ll bring them along another time, okay?¡± Shu Panforted her.


    ¡°Okay, but I¡¯ll miss them a lot.¡± Joy¡¯s tone was still downcast, and Shu Pan affectionately touched her head, feeling her pain.


    However, children¡¯s natures were usually quite simple, and soon Joy was captivated by the scenery outside and the new things she encountered, gradually forgetting the earlier topic.


    ¡°Mom, look, the buildings here are so tall, and there are so many flowers.¡± When they entered the city, Joy made another discovery.


    ¡°Yes, do you like it? We¡¯ll be living here with Mommy from now on,¡± Shu Pan smiled at Joy¡¯s excitement.


    ¡°I like it,¡± Joy nodded. Back at home, after unpacking their things, Shu Pan began preparing a delicious meal for Joy.


    ¡®Mom, are we going to live here from now on?¡± Joy spoke with childlike innocence.


    ¡°Yes, sweetheart, do you like it? Mommy bought you your favorite Hello Kitty and ced it by your bedside,¡± Shu Pan wanted to provide the best for Joy.


    ¡°That¡¯s awesome, Mommy! Thank you! I love you so much!¡± Joy eximed and gave Shu Pan a hug and a kiss.

 Chapter 111 - 111: Going to Kindergarten

    Chapter 111: Going to Kindergarten


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Because she had to take Joy for a kindergarten interview, Shu Pan had to take a day off from work. This was the first time she had requested a day off since joining ¡°Sunrise Architecture, ¡± but her manager quickly approved it.


    Early the next morning, Shu Pan dressed Joy and they left home ahead of schedule. Joy was wearing a neat dress and carrying a small backpack, bouncing with excitement.


    For convenience in drop-off and pick- up, Shu Pan had chosen kindergartens in their neighborhood. Due to her limited financial situation, she couldn¡¯t afford a public kindergarten, so Joy was enrolled in a simple private kindergarten called ¡°Qiming Star.¡±


    However, Shu Pan had secretly observed the kindergarten several times, and it had good teachers and a nice environment. Other parents¡¯ reviews of it were also favorable.


    When they arrived at Qiming Star Kindergarten, the principal weed them. Since it was summer school, there weren¡¯t many children around.


    ¡°Hello, little one, what¡¯s your name?¡± The principal squatted down to ask Joy. ¡°I¡¯m Shu Joy, and I¡¯m over three years old,¡± Joy replied, her voice clear and loud.


    The principal patted her head.


    Seeing the slide in the kindergarten, Joy seemed eager to try it out. She asked


    Shu Pan in a soft voice, ¡°Mom, can I go y on the slide?¡±


    ¡°Of course, sweetheart. You can go y, and I¡¯ll have a chat with your mom.¡± The principal said kindly.


    ¡°Go ahead, Joy.¡± Shu Pan encouraged her.


    Joy ran toward the slide like a happy little bird.


    ¡°Ms. Shu, if I may ask, where is Joy¡¯s dad? Why isn¡¯t he here together? Parents are the best teachers for children,¡± the principal inquired.


    ¡°Principal, Joy¡¯s dad and I are divorced, and now Joy stays with me,¡± Shu Pan replied, feeling a bit embarrassed as divorce wasn¡¯t something to be proud of.


    ¡°I see. Well, it must be challenging for you. We not only focus on the children¡¯s physical health but also pay attention to their psychological well-being. However, it¡¯s clear that Joy is an optimistic and cheerful child, and you¡¯ve done a great job in raising her,¡± the principal¡¯s words made Shu Pan feel somewhat relieved.


    ¡°Principal, since I work during the day, I¡¯d like to start bringing Joy here from tomorrow to let her adapt for a few days. Then she can officially start in September,¡± Shu Pan thought this arrangement would be best because she had no one to care for Joy during the day.


    ¡°That¡¯s perfectly fine. Don¡¯t worry. We treat all the children here as if they were our own,¡± the principal reassured Shu Pan.


    After leaving the kindergarten, Shu Pan held Joy¡¯s hand and took her to the mall. She nned to spend her free time with Joy, making up for any previous regrets.


    ¡°Mom, where are we going now?¡± Joy asked, holding Shu Pan¡¯s hand and wearing a naive and cheerful smile.


    ¡°Mommy will take you to a big mall, and if we find something suitable, I¡¯d like to buy you a couple of dresses,¡± Shu Pan patiently answered her question.


    ¡°Mommy, will that cost a lot of money?¡± Joy probably had been influenced by Auntie Lu¡¯s frequent teachings about the family¡¯s financial situation, so at a young age, she was already very thrifty.


    It was often said that girls should be raised in affluence, but Shu Pan knew that with her current financial situation, she couldn¡¯t fully provide for Joy¡¯s needs. Still, she didn¡¯t want her daughter to worry about money at such a young age.


    ¡°No, sweetheart, Mommy has a job now, so we have money. We won¡¯t buy a lot, and we won¡¯t buy expensive things,¡± Shu Pan reassured her and patted her head.


    The mall was filled with a dazzling array of products, overwhelming to the eye.


    Shu Pan tightly held Joy¡¯s hand, afraid of being separated in the crowded space.


    They explored the mall, looking here and there, both of them enjoying the experience..

 Chapter 112 - 112: One More Child i s Room

    Chapter 112: One More Child i s Room


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    After dropping Joy off at kindergarten, Shu Pan rushed to thepany. Fortunately, Joy was understanding and didn¡¯t cry or make a fuss.


    Around noon, Shu Pan received a call from the construction foreman at the Tongyuan Vi project. He exined that the client was not satisfied with some of the designs and requested modifications.


    Upon hearing this, Shu Pan furrowed her brows. Weren¡¯t these designs already confirmed? Modifying them now would not only increase costs but also dy the project. She tried to reassure the foreman and then promptly headed to the construction site.


    When she arrived, to her surprise, she saw Gu Shaoting and Tong Fei standing together as if thev were a couDle.


    ¡°Mr. Gu, Ms. Tong, hello. I¡¯m the designer for the vi renovation. May I ask which part of the ns needs to be modified?¡± Shu Pan acted as if she didn¡¯t know them, maintaining a professional demeanor.


    When Gu Shaoting heard Shu Pan address him as ¡°Mr. Gu¡± andpletely ignored him like a stranger, he felt a surge of anger. His face suddenly darkened, but he remained silent, like a statue.


    Tong Fei, upon seeing Shu Pan, was even more dumbfounded. She looked at her in astonishment, unable to close her mouth.


    Then, she couldn¡¯t help but think that Shu Pan was truly persistent, showing up everywhere. Why did it seem that the more she disliked someone, the more often she encountered them?


    The calmest of the three was Shu Pan herself because she had already pictured this scenario in her mind.


    ¡°No wonder, I thought the design looked too mediocre. It pales inparison to those designs by renowned designers,¡± Tong Fei remarked with a mocking tone.


    She then turned to Gu Shaoting and said, ¡°Shaoting, for such a well-renovated house, why did you just randomly hire a designer? I know many famous designers. Do you need me to introduce them to you?¡±


    Tong Fei acted as if she hadn¡¯t seen Shu Pan and made the suggestion directly to Gu Shaoting.


    ¡°No need. I think it¡¯s pretty good, and changing designers would be troublesome. We just need to make a minor adjustment.¡± Gu Shaoting politely declined her proposal.


    Tong Fei, who had initially been smiling, froze upon hearing Gu Shaoting¡¯s response. She didn¡¯t know what to say anymore.


    ¡°Mr. Gu, do you know which part of the ns you want to modify? Because we have already signed an agreement based on the approved ns. If we make changes ording to the reviewed ns, any additional costs will be your responsibility,¡± Shu Pan confidently addressed the situation.


    ¡®Money isn¡¯t an issue. I just want to add one more room for the children. The initial design only had one,¡± Gu Shaoting pointed to the design sketches.


    ¡°Are you nning to decorate two children¡¯s rooms?¡± Shu Pan asked in surprise, as most people typically only had one.


    It seemed that Gu Shaoting was nning to have two children. Shu Pan couldn¡¯t help but imagine that he must not dislike children in general. He just disliked the idea of having children with her.


    Unwittingly, this matter had be a psychological obstacle for her that she couldn¡¯t ovee.


    ¡°Yes, with such a spacious vi, it¡¯s definitely for more than one child. I¡¯ll cover the additional costs,¡± Gu Shaoting said, deliberately keeping the conversation on this topic.


    Shu Pan felt like her heart was being pricked with needles. She forced a smile and said, ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll go back and make the changes for your review.¡±


    Tong Fei, standing on the sidelines, finally revealed a knowing smile.


    It turned out that Gu Shaoting had nned this far ahead. However, when she thought about it further, she realized she was a model. If she had children, wouldn¡¯t it ruin her career? And two children? She started to feel a bit unsettled..

 Chapter 113 - 113: Where Is My Father?

    Chapter 113: Where Is My Father?


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Gu Shaoting looked at Shu Pan and merely nodded without saying much. His expression was difficult to decipher, showing a hint ofplexity. Seeing this, Tong Fei was worried that there might be some underlying connection between them. She stepped forward, gently taking Gu Shaoting¡¯s hand, and coquettishly said, ¡°Shaoting, I¡¯m hungry. Let¡¯s go.¡±


    Tong Fei didn¡¯t want to give Gu Shaoting and Shu Pan too much opportunity to talk. She had noticed that every time they met, Gu Shaoting seemed to change in some way.


    She was concerned that everything she had carefully nned would go to waste.


    Gu Shaoting remained silent and allowed Tong Fei to lead him away. Only he knew that when he saw Shu Pan, his heart was beating rapidly.


    He had only used the excuse of changing the ns to see her. After all, the initial design had been fine. However, not long after Tong Fei called him and expressed her intention to visit, he had no choice but to agree. He also genuinely wanted to hear her input.


    But who could have foreseen that she woulde and criticize everything, making him feel slightly upset, as if others were criticizing his work? He couldn¡¯t understand why he had such thoughts.


    After Gu Shaoting and Tong Fei left, Shu Pan focused on discussing the project details with the construction workers, aiming for the best results.


    After finishing work, Shu Pan hurriedly rushed to the kindergarten to pick up Joy. On the way, Joy seemed a bit subdued, unlike her usual self, full of questions and chatter. Shu Pan was puzzled. Wasn¡¯t Joy excited to go to school today?


    Shu Pan couldn¡¯t help but ask Joy, ¡°What¡¯s wrong, my little princess? You seem really unhappy today.¡±


    ¡°Is everyone supposed to have a dad, Mom?¡± Joy asked curiously.


    ¡°Of course, everyone has a mom and a dad,¡± Shu Pan replied. However, as soon as she said that, Joy burst into tears.


    Shu Pan was taken aback. What had happened at kindergarten today to suddenly bring up the topic of ¡°dads¡±? She hadn¡¯t nned to tell Joy about this until she was older. Children¡¯s worlds were so simple, and Shu Pan didn¡¯t want adultplications to affect her.


    ¡°But Zhang Zihan and Wang Keke have dads, right? Why don¡¯t I have one? They said kids without dads are adopted,¡± Joy said.


    Joy¡¯s words left Shu Pan speechless.


    She hesitated for a moment before exining, ¡®Well, you do have a dad. It¡¯s just that your dad is working in a faraway ce.¡±


    ¡°When will hee back? Does Dad know about me?¡± Joy¡¯s eyes were filled with longing.


    ¡°I believe he¡¯ll be back soon. You just have to be a good girl,¡± Shu Pan replied, feeling a pang of sadness. She suddenly realized that Joy needed a father figure in her life.


    The role of a father was of paramount importance, and she had been neglecting this issue all along, assuming that Joy was still too young to understand. However, with the environment she was now exposed to, Joy would graduallye to understand it.


    Shu Pan thought to herself that she had been too self-centered and hadn¡¯t considered everything carefully when she decided to bring Joy into the world..

 Chapter 114 - 114: Like a Family

    Chapter 114: Like a Family


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    After returning home, Shu Pan settled Joy, and after they had eaten, she sat down at theputer to modify the day¡¯s drawings.


    She nned to convert one of the rooms on the second floor of the vi into a children¡¯s room. This room was not far from the master bedroom on the second floor.


    Since Gu Shaoting hadn¡¯t specifically instructed which room to convert, she had to consider practicality and aesthetics.


    As she worked on the drawings, she nced at Joy, who was happily ying on the bed. A sense of guilt washed over her. ¡°My child, you¡¯re a child who wasn¡¯t eagerly anticipated by your father, so you have to be strong.¡±


    The next day happened to be Saturday, and Wen Chi called Shu Pan early in the morning. ¡°Did you bring Joy to Binjiang?


    ¡°Yeah, how did you know?¡± Shu Pan was a bit surprised.


    ¡°I called Auntie, and she told me. Why didn¡¯t you tell me?¡± Wen Chi reproached her.


    ¡°I just brought her back to Bin City.¡± Shu Pan replied helplessly.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to work today, right? It¡¯s Saturday.¡± Wen Chi suddenly changed the topic.


    ¡°Yeah, what¡¯s up?¡± Shu Pan had to ask.


    ¡°Nothing, can¡¯t I just call you?¡± Wen Chi said, a bit irritably. ¡°The weather is great today, how about we take Joy to the amusement park?¡±


    Wen Chi¡¯s suggestion caught Shu Pan off guard, but she thought it was indeed a good idea.


    ¡°Sure, but aren¡¯t you supposed to be working today? The hospital is always busy.¡± Shu Pan asked, concerned about his schedule.


    ¡°I¡¯m human too, and I need rest. I¡¯ve always believed in work-life bnce, unlike some people.¡± Wen Chi¡¯s voice hinted at something, and he was referring to someone specific.


    Shu Pan sighed silently.


    ¡°Okay, then get ready, and we¡¯ll meet at the intersection with Joy in a while.¡± Wen Chi instructed.


    ¡°Alright, thank you.¡± Shu Pan had spent the night thinking about it, and she believed she needed to consider herself and give herself a chance.


    When Wen Chi arrived at the intersection, he saw Shu Pan and Joy wearing matching parent-child outfits. Both of them were dressed in white shirts and overalls, looking very cute.


    His heart warmed at the sight, and he couldn¡¯t help but sigh with emotion.


    ¡°How fortunate would one be to have a wife and daughter like this?¡±


    He got lost in his thoughts for a moment beforeing back to reality.


    ¡°Hello, beauties, please get in the car.¡± Wen Chi stepped out of the car and opened the door, making a gentlemanly invitation.


    ¡°Hello, Uncle Wen.¡± Joy¡¯s voice was sweet, as if she had just eaten candy.


    ¡°Hello, little beauty. Please sit down, and we¡¯re off.¡± Wen Chi focused on driving, being cautious with the traffic around them.


    Soon, they arrived at Binjiang¡¯srgest amusement park.


    ¡°Wow, there are so many fun things here! ¡± It was Joy¡¯s first time, and she was jumping with excitement.


    ¡°Come on,¡± Wen Chi said as he lifted Joy onto his shoulders.


    Joy giggled happily, her smile as bright as a blooming flower.


    ¡°Wen Chi, please put her down and let her walk. She¡¯s quite heavy, and you must be tired,¡± Shu Pan suggested when she noticed.


    ¡°It¡¯s alright, I can handle it,¡± Wen Chi continued walking.


    Wen Chi bought many tickets, and he apanied Joy on the mini-train, bumper cars, and other rides.


    Shu Pan couldn¡¯t help but feel her eyes moisten as she watched them.


    To outsiders, they appeared to be a loving family.


    She was aware of Wen Chi¡¯s feelings, but she had chosen to ignore them,


    fearing she would be a hindrance.


    However, today¡¯s scene truly touched her heart. She saw him patiently teaching and entertaining Joy. He must be a good father.


    Perhaps she should follow her instincts and give Wen Chi and herself a chance.


    That was what she thought, but reality often had its own ns, contrary to one¡¯s wishes..

 Chapter 115 - 115: True Confession

    Chapter 115: True Confession


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Wen Chi was having a st with Joy. It seemed like Joy had never been this happy before.


    Everywhere they went, Joy was pulling her ¡°Uncle Wen¡± along. Shu Pan couldn¡¯t help but feel a bit helpless and felt that she was redundant. She simply didn¡¯t have the energy to be as wild as they were.


    Finally, around noon, they took a break, and everyone was starving. Wen Chi suggested taking Joy to KFC. Shu Pan frowned slightly, showing some disapproval.


    Wen Chi convinced her by saying that it was something kids loved and that it was okay to indulge asionally. Joy pped her hands in delight upon hearing this because she had seen it on TV.


    Since it was two against one, with the majority in favor, Shu Pan reluctantly agreed.


    As it was a weekend, KFC was crowded, and they had to wait for a table. Shu Pan was about to go and order when Wen Chi quickly stopped her. ¡°It¡¯s crowded, I¡¯ll go. You watch Joy.¡±


    Wen Chi walked away gracefully, leaving Shu Pan looking at him standing in the queue, where he seemed to shine brightly, outshining those around him.


    Finally, it was Wen Chi¡¯s turn to order. He spoke softly to the cashier, ordering a family bucket and an additional serving of fries that Joy had been wanting for a while.


    Shu Pan was defeated once again by him. It seemed like he was spoiling the little girl beyond measure. Perhaps, in the future, Joy¡¯s favorite person would be Uncle Wen.


    Shu Pan couldn¡¯t help but admonish Wen Chi. ¡°Why did you buy so much? You¡¯ve made her idolize you.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re out for fun, don¡¯t be a spoilsport. Joy, let¡¯s dig in!¡± With those words, Joy started enjoying her fries with gusto, rotating her shiny little eyes.


    After Joy had eaten her fill, she noticed a small amusement park inside KFC. It was right next to their table, and she looked at it eagerly. Then she asked Shu Pan, ¡°Mom, can I go y for a while?¡±


    ¡°You can, but be careful, and stay inside. Don¡¯t go too far,¡± Shu Pan patted her head and watched as Joy entered the y area.


    ¡°Shu Pan, we¡¯ve known each other for a few years now, right? What do you think of me?¡± Wen Chi suddenly asked Shu Pan, taking her by surprise as she sipped her juice. She almost choked on it before swallowing hard, then responded seriously, ¡°You¡¯re great, your medical skills are superb, and you¡¯re kind to your patients. When we first met, you were so helpful to me.¡±


    Wen Chi looked intently at her and continued, ¡°Don¡¯t give me too much credit. Do you think I would be suitable to be your boyfriend?¡±


    Wen Chi¡¯s unexpected confession startled Shu Pan. Although she had mentioned giving him and herself a chance, she hadn¡¯t fully considered it yet. Now, faced with Wen Chi¡¯s confession, she didn¡¯t know how to react.


    ¡°Wen Chi, you have a great profession, a good personality, and you¡¯re handsome. You deserve someone better. Look at me, I¡¯m a divorced woman with a daughter¡­¡± Shu Pan spoke candidly to Wen Chi, hoping that his confession wasn¡¯t out of pity or a sudden impulse.


    ¡°Shu Pan, I¡¯m a man with rational thinking. My profession requires careful consideration, and it¡¯s not just hormones acting up. Let me take care of you, alright?¡± Wen Chi said seriously. Although he sometimes seemed carefree, he approached serious matters with deep thought.


    Looking at his expression, which didn¡¯t seem like a joke, Shu Pan finally spoke slowly, ¡°Wen Chi, it¡¯s too sudden.. Let me think about it, okay?¡±

 Chapter 116 - 116: Force Marriage

    Chapter 116: Force Marriage


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Wen Chi heard Shu Pan¡¯s response about considering it instead of an immediate rejection, and a smile appeared on his face. ¡°I may have been impulsive. Alright, take your time to think, but I won¡¯t ept a refusal.¡±


    Shu Pan couldn¡¯t help but find his domineering response somewhat amusing.


    Since it was gettingte, Joy had worn herself out from ying and fell asleep on Shu Pan¡¯sp once they were back in the car.


    Wen Chi dropped them off at their doorstep. ¡°Wen Chi, thank you for spending the day with Joy. It¡¯s clear she had a great time,¡± Shu Pan sincerely thanked him.


    ¡°What nonsense are you talking about? I really like Joy. I¡¯ll treat her as my own,¡± Wen Chi understood what mattered to Shu Pan, and he made amitment.


    Indeed, when Shu Pan heard this, she was deeply moved. At this moment, she didn¡¯t know how to respond. She pretended to reach for the car door with her hand, but Wen Chi had already stepped out of the car to open the door for her.


    Bending down, he reached out to take Joy from Shu Pan¡¯s arms. Although Joy was still small, holding her for a while had made Shu Pan¡¯s hands feel a bit numb.


    After cing Joy on the bed, Wen Chi checked the time. He told Shu Pan that he had some matters to attend to and would contact herter.


    Once he left, Shu Pan slumped onto the sofa. Her thoughts returned to Wen Chi¡¯s sudden confession, and even now, she found it hard to believe.


    She was grateful to Wen Chi and felt a certain fondness for him, but it wasn¡¯t love. She didn¡¯t immediately ept Wen Chi because of this. It wouldn¡¯t be fair to him either.


    She felt overwhelmed with confusion and decided to go with the flow for now.


    Gu Shaoting had been bombarded with calls from Song Can, urging him to return home. He had been quite busy at worktely, but he couldn¡¯t withstand her relentless phone calls.


    As soon as he arrived at the Gu family¡¯s mansion, he saw Song Can sitting in the living room. ¡°Mom, couldn¡¯t you have discussed whatever it is over the phone?¡± Gu Shaoting asked, seeing her rxed demeanor and sensing that it wasn¡¯t an urgent matter.


    ¡°Do you remember that I¡¯m your mother? You¡¯re so busy that you don¡¯t have time toe home,¡± Song Can said, slightly irritated.


    ¡°Are you more concerned about making money or your lifelongmitment?¡± Song Can became increasingly frustrated with his seemingly nonchnt attitude toward marriage.


    ¡°Mom, there¡¯s no rush. Marriage is something that should happen naturally,¡± Gu Shaoting replied, feeling a headacheing on. His mother took this matter very seriously.


    ¡°Shaoting, you agreed to date Tong Fei of your own ord. No one forced you. You¡¯ve been together for several years now, and it¡¯s not going anywhere. That girl can¡¯t afford to wait forever,¡± Song Can grew increasingly agitated as she spoke.


    ¡°Are you still thinking about Shu pan? Is that why you keep procrastinating?¡± Song Can believed this was highly likely, as Gu Shaoting had spent the past few years with only Shu Pan or Tong Fei.


    Gu Shaoting remained silent, neither confirming nor exining. His demeanor made Song Can even more frustrated. She had a kind of exasperated resentment, feeling that he was being very uncooperative.


    ¡°As the president of the Gu Group, do you really need to obsess over a lower-ss woman like her, or the one you abandoned?¡± Song Can didn¡¯t like


    Shu Pan at all, finding her petty and not fit for the role of her son¡¯s wife.


    ¡°Mom, you¡¯re going too far with your words. What do you want from me?¡± Gu Shaoting was truly at a loss with Song Can. His thoughts were now a tangled mess, and he could no longer understand his own heart..

 Chapter 117 - 117: Ye Xiaomeng Came Back

    Chapter 117: Ye Xiaomeng Came Back


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    ¡°My point is, you should get engaged to Tong Fei as soon as possible. She¡¯s the spokesperson for the group, and your marriage to her would make a great story,¡± Song Can had been talking about various things, but this was her real purpose.


    ¡°Well, I have ns for it. You don¡¯t need to worry too much,¡± Gu Shaoting sat down next to Song Can, half-hugging her.


    ¡°Last time, you said you wanted to go abroad with some aunties for a trip. How¡¯s the arrangement going? Do you want my help?¡± Now, Gu Shaoting just wanted some peace and quiet. He had already experienced his mother¡¯s crying, nagging, and emotional ckmail.


    ¡°You find me annoying, don¡¯t you? Your lifelongmitment isn¡¯t settled yet, and you expect me to have the mood for a vacation?¡± Song Can persisted until the end, refusing topromise.


    ¡°Can we talk about it when youe back from your trip? Your Highness,¡± Gu Shaoting finally gave in. After all, it was just a matter of time.


    Time was often the best medicine for healing wounds. This was especially true for Ye Xiaomeng, who had relocated to S City to escape Cheng Yang and her past in Bin City.


    Now, with thepany expanding its operations, they needed someone to be based in Bin City. Ye Xiaomeng had volunteered to return.


    Several years had passed, and many of the painful memories had faded. It was time for her to face everything, especially since her friends were still in Bin City. She didn¡¯t need to punish herself for someone else¡¯s mistakes.


    Ye Xiaomeng knew that Shu Pan and Joy were in Bin City. She hadn¡¯t returned since leaving, so this time, she nned to surprise them.


    After handling everything in S City, Ye Xiaomeng eagerly packed her bags and took a car back to Bin City.


    When she set foot in Bin City, she felt a bit apprehensive. Everything here was both familiar and unfamiliar.


    Pushing her suitcase, she nned to go to Shu Pan¡¯s home. She had kept the address Shu Pan had given her when she first arrived in Bin City.


    Bin City had changed a lot over the past few years. Ye Xiaomeng watched the bustling city with people and traffic everywhere.


    As she waited for a car, she didn¡¯t notice a ck car pulling up suddenly. Ye Xiaomeng was startled and, because she was wearing high heels, twisted her ankle while stepping back.


    The car came to a halt not far away, the tires screeching loudly against the ground. A handsome man in a well-fitted suit stepped out of the car, looking like a businessman.


    ¡°Sir, do you even know how to drive? Didn¡¯t you see someone standing here before you charged over?¡± Ye Xiaomeng tried to take the initiative because she had experienced simr situations before, and now she had a bit of aplex about it.


    ¡°Lady, let¡¯s be reasonable. This is a drivingne, and you¡¯re standing here waiting for a car?¡± He Ming, the man who had just gotten out of the car, was truly irritated. He had encountered some unfortunate incidents early in the morning.


    ¡°No one was using thisne, and you just rushed over,¡± Ye Xiaomeng said loudly to conceal her guilt.


    ¡°No wonder Confucius said, ¡®Only children and women are difficult to raise, ¡°¡® He Ming had no experience dealing with feisty women, so he believed that remaining silent was the wisest choice.


    ¡°Ouch, my foot hurts!¡± Suddenly, Ye Xiaomeng cried out in pain as her ankle throbbed.


    ¡°Did you twist it?¡± He had to squat down and take a look at Ye Xiaomeng¡¯s injured foot. He had only now noticed her attractive appearance, her well-shaped figure, and her long, fair legs. Her twisted ankle was slightly swollen.


    ¡°Can you endure the pain while I reset it?¡± He said before gently twisting her ankle back into ce, producing a sharp snap..

 Chapter 118 - 118: Happy Reunion

    Chapter 118: Happy Reunion


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Ye Xiaomeng was in tears from the pain.


    ¡°Alright, just be careful,¡± He Ming stood up and said to Ye Xiaomeng.


    ¡°You¡¯re leaving just like that?¡± Ye Xiaomeng heard his words and realized he intended to leave.


    ¡°Then what else should I do? Your foot isn¡¯t seriously injured. Let me give you some honest advice: don¡¯t wear such high heels with such thin heels in the future. They¡¯re trouble waiting to happen,¡± He Ming thought women were nothing but trouble, always causing issues wherever they went.


    ¡°You¡¯re the one who caused me to twist my ankle, so you should be responsible for taking me home,¡± Ye Xiaomeng was a bit unreasonable, but she had waited for a long time without a car in sight. She didn¡¯t want to wait any longer, so she decided to rely on this man to take her home.


    ¡°Is your name Rogue?¡± He Ming found this situation inexplicable. ¡°Forget it, I don¡¯t have anything important to do anyway. Get in the car.¡±


    ¡°Please put my luggage in the trunk, thank you,¡± Ye Xiaomeng instructed He Ming.


    Is there anyone more shameless than her? He Ming silently thought to himself. But he didn¡¯t say much and just ced her suitcase in the trunk before starting the car.


    ¡°Please take me to this address,¡± Ye Xiaomeng showed He Ming the address Shu Pan had given her.


    He Ming helplessly nced at it. It was quite far, but he sighed and epted his fate.


    During the journey, neither of them spoke, and the atmosphere was a bit awkward.


    Finally, the car stopped at the designated location. He Ming quickly opened the trunk, ced the luggage on the ground, and Ye Xiaomeng got out of the car.


    As she said, ¡°Thank you,¡± He Ming had already driven away. She remarked to herself that he was quite impolite, not realizing that He Ming just wanted to get away from her to avoid any further trouble.


    Arriving at Shu Pan¡¯s house, it was the weekend, and Ye Xiaomeng knew that both Shu Pan and Joy would be at home. She knocked on the door, and Shu Pan came over to open it.


    Shu Pan couldn¡¯t believe her eyes and had to rub them again until Ye Xiaomeng spoke, ¡°Surprised, huh?¡±


    ¡°Xiaomeng, why didn¡¯t you tell us in advance? We could have picked you up,¡±


    ¡°I wanted to give you a surprise. How¡¯s my goddaughter?¡± Ye Xiaomeng tousled her short hair.


    ¡°Godmother, I¡¯m here!¡± Joy heard Ye Xiaomeng¡¯s voice and quickly came out.


    ¡°Wow, my sweet Joy, godmother missed you so much.¡±


    Ye Xiaomeng picked up Joy, and Shu Pan watched their exaggerated performance, feeling both amused and touched.


    ¡°Oh,¡± Ye Xiaomeng winced again as her ankle still hurt.


    ¡°What happened?¡± Shu Pan leaned in and asked.


    ¡°I just ran into a lunatic who scared me with his car and twisted my ankle,¡± Ye Xiaomeng said as she looked at her foot. It still hurt a bit, but it shouldn¡¯t be a major issue.


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s a relief. Come inside. I¡¯ll cook. You should rest for a bit,¡± Shu Pan reassured her.


    During dinner, Ye Xiaomeng told Shu Pan that she had transferred to Bin City for work. Seeing Ye Xiaomeng confidently talking about her life, Shu Pan knew that she had transformed and be a different person.


    In the past, due to Cheng Yang, Ye Xiaomeng had simply coasted through her job. Now, she could make her own way in the world.


    The world was changing, and so were the people in it.


    ¡°After dinner, let¡¯s go out for a walk. It¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve strolled around Bin City. It feels like I¡¯ve been away for ages,¡± Ye Xiaomeng suggested.


    ¡°Sure, I¡¯ll follow your lead,¡± Shu Pan smiled and nodded..

 Chapter 119 - 119: Deja Vu

    Chapter 119: Deja Vu


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Because Ye Xiaomeng had returned, Shu Pan felt that life had be much more exciting.


    Ye Xiaomeng stayed in apany-provided single apartment, and whenever she had free time, she woulde to Shu Pan¡¯s house to spend time with Joy.


    On this particr weekend, Shu Pan was supposed to have a day off, but due to some unfinished work that had tight deadlines, she needed to go back to the office to do overtime.


    Ye Xiaomeng happened to have free time. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, today I¡¯ll take care of


    Joy for you. You can focus on your work.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s great. If you weren¡¯t here, I was thinking of enrolling her in full-day kindergarten,¡± Shu Pan finally felt relieved. asionally, one day of overtime work was enough to make her feel overwhelmed.


    ¡°Joy, sweetheart, godmother will take you to enjoy some good food and have fun today. Are you excited?¡± Ye Xiaomeng turned to Joy, hugging her and giving her kisses.


    ¡°But Mommy¡¯s noting?¡± Joy seemed a bit unwilling and had a hint of moodiness on her face.


    ¡°Mommy has to work, so you¡¯ll go out and have fun with godmother first.


    Mommy wille to find you both after work, okay?¡± Shu Pan coaxed Joy.


    ¡°Okay,¡± the little one finally agreed.


    Ye Xiaomeng had never taken care of children before and wasn¡¯t very confident, but she thought of taking Joy to the mall, which kids should enjoy since it¡¯s crowded and lively. She also wanted to buy a couple of outfits for Joy since she knew her friend Shu Pan was usually frugal and reluctant to spend As expected, the weekend mall was bustling with people. Ye Xiaomeng tightly held Joy¡¯s little hand. ¡°Sweetie, hold onto godmother¡¯s hand tightly, so you don¡¯t get lost.¡±


    ¡°Okay, godmother,¡± Joy¡¯s tender voice melted hearts.


    Ye Xiaomeng took Joy from one shop to another. In a children¡¯s clothing store, she bought two new outfits for her.


    ¡°Godmother, I already have many pretty clothes. You don¡¯t need to buy more,¡± Joy held Ye Xiaomeng¡¯s hand and stopped her from paying.


    ¡°Sweetie, it¡¯s fine. These are gifts from godmother. Godmother wants to dress you up like a beautiful little princess,¡± Ye Xiaomeng inexplicably felt like crying. Her voice trembled, and she felt sorry for Shu Pan¡¯s hardships and for Joy, who had to be so mature at such a young age.


    It was an age when children should be carefree and cherished by their parents, but because of her father¡¯s heartlessness, she and her daughter had suffered.


    Ye Xiaomeng held the shopping bags in one hand and Joy¡¯s hand in the other. Just around the corner, Joy was pushed from behind, making her lose her bnce and bump into the person in front.


    Song Can felt like she had chosen the wrong day to go ring shopping with Tong Fei. The mall was crowded today, and just like that, she got bumped from behind.


    She turned around and saw that she had been bumped into by a little girl. Perhaps because she had collided with someone, the little girl looked frightened, likely worried about being scolded.


    With a face filled with fear, she looked at Song Can. Her dark, innocent eyes made it hard to scold her. She kept apologizing, ¡°Granny, I¡¯m sorry, I identally bumped into you.¡±


    Before she could say anything, Tong Fei had already spoken harshly, ¡°Whose child is this, rushing around and bumping into people like that?¡±


    Because of Tong Fei¡¯s stern words, the little girl¡¯s eyes started to well up.


    Song Can¡¯s brows furrowed slightly as she looked at the child¡¯s features.. She had a strange feeling of familiarity, but they had just met today, hadn¡¯t they? Where could she have seen her before?

 Chapter 120 - 120: Bewitched

    Chapter 120: Bewitched


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    ¡°The child has already apologized, and it¡¯s crowded here today, she was bumped into from behind. What do you want, anyway?¡± Ye Xiaomeng, seeing the distressed look on Joy¡¯s face, immediately raised her head and red at Tong Fei fiercely.


    Tong Fei, in her stylish outfit and sunsses, looked like a fashionable woman. She wore a serious expression and said, ¡°You¡¯re her mother? Children need to be educated from a young age. Your parenting seems to have failed miserably.¡±


    ¡°Look at you all dressed up and yet speaking so harshly?¡± Ye Xiaomeng appeared unwilling to back down. She hadn¡¯t expected this person, who looked so polished, to be so unreasonable.


    Seeing that Song Can didn¡¯t say anything on the side, Tong Fei couldn¡¯t continue acting unreasonably.


    ¡°Auntie, are you okay?¡± Tong Fei observed Song Can carefully.


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m fine. I was lost in thought just now.¡± Song Can shook her head while looking at Tong Fei, and suddenly, she remembered. The girl¡¯s eyebrows and eyes resembled Shaoting¡¯s. No wonder she looked so familiar.


    She felt like she was going a bit crazy, how could the girl resemble Shaoting?


    Well, maybe she was just imagining things, wishing for a grandchild so much that she was seeing things.


    They should get married soon and have children.


    ¡°Little girl, Granny is fine. Be more careful next time,¡± Song Can, who usually had a serious demeanor, rarely showed such kindness to a child.


    Seeing how Song Can spoke, Tong Fei didn¡¯t say much more.


    She held Song Can¡¯s hand and urged, ¡°Auntie, let¡¯s go. It¡¯s time for our appointment, and we shouldn¡¯t bete.¡±


    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go.¡± As they left, Song Can couldn¡¯t help but cast one more nce at Joy.


    Once they were gone, Ye Xiaomeng squatted down to check on Joy. ¡°Joy, don¡¯t be afraid. It wasn¡¯t your fault, and thatdy said it¡¯s okay, right? Let¡¯s go. Your mommy is probably on her way to find us.¡±


    ¡°Okay, let¡¯s go quickly, so mommy can find us easily.¡± The little girl brightened up when she talked about her mom.


    ¡°Tong Fei, Shaoting is usually very busy, and I guess you¡¯re the one handling a lot of the engagement preparations,¡± Song Can said apologetically. Although Gu Shaoting had agreed to the engagement, he was always indecisive when it came to wedding nning. He imed to be busy and let them make decisions themselves.


    That was why they were here today picking out the engagement ring, and when she mentioned it to him this morning, he seemed indifferent.


    ¡°Let them choose themselves. As long as they like it, price isn¡¯t an issue.¡± He thought.


    He just didn¡¯t understand the significance of an engagement ring for women and for marriage.


    This morning, Tong Fei knew that Gu Shaoting was too busy to apany her to choose the ring, and she looked disappointed all day. Song Can couldn¡¯t bear to see her like this, so she spent the day with her.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, Auntie. I understand that Shaoting is busy. It¡¯s the same if we choose it ourselves. Sometimes, men¡¯s tastes are unreliable,¡± Tong Fei showed an understanding smile.


    ¡°If you can understand, that¡¯s good. Later, I¡¯ll have the manager bring over the best, shiniest, and biggest diamond ring for you to choose from,¡± Song Can patted Tong Fei¡¯s hand and said confidently.


    ¡°Great,¡± Tong Fei smiled and nodded.


    When Shu Pan finally arrived, both Ye Xiaomeng and Joy were exhausted from shopping. Ye Xiaomeng suggested finding a ce to have a drink and rest their feet.


    Shu Pan said with a touch of annoyance, ¡°I told you not to go through so much trouble, spending all this money.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing. The most important thing is that we ran into someone who thinks too highly of herself. She really ruined the mood,¡± Ye Xiaomeng grumbled, still frustrated..

 Chapter 121 - 121: Encouragement for Each Other

    Chapter 121: Encouragement for Each Other


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    After listening to what Ye Xiaomeng said, Shu Pan fell silent for a moment. Then, she gently patted Joy¡¯s head and said, ¡°Sweetie, you did a great job. When you make a mistake, it¡¯s important to admit it and apologize. But thedy this morning was probably in a bad mood, so don¡¯t take her words to heart.¡±


    ¡°Okay, I understand, Mom. Can I have a piece of cake now?¡± Joy¡¯s eyes lit up as


    she saw the assortment of cakes in the kitchen.


    Children¡¯s minds were indeed simple, and their moods changed quickly.


    ¡°Sure, you can have one.¡± Shu Pan asionally indulged her daughter¡¯s small requests, as long as it made her happy.


    ¡°Mom, have you ever regretted it?¡± Ye Xiaomeng suddenly asked.


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t regret it. Joy is my everything. You don¡¯t know, all these years, she has been my motivation,¡± Shu Pan replied firmly.


    ¡°Every time I ask you, your answer is always the same. Are you being naive?¡± Ye Xiaomeng shook her head.


    ¡°What about you, Xiaomeng? Are you and Cheng Yang really impossible?¡± Shu Pan took the opportunity to ask. Even though time had passed, some wounds, even if they had scabbed over, would still bleed and hurt if torn open.


    ¡°It¡¯s impossible. I gave up on that the moment our child was gone. The love we had for so many years vanished at that moment,¡± Ye Xiaomeng replied with a calm expression, but only she knew the pain she felt.


    ¡°Sweetie, if you meet someone suitable, don¡¯t give up. Being alone is too hard, especially with Joy,¡± Ye Xiaomeng said, feeling deeply for her friend¡¯s situation.


    ¡°Well, there is someone, but he makes me feel a bit guilty. I don¡¯t want to burden him,¡± Shu Pan said, thinking about Wen Chi with a heavy heart. ¡°Girl, you need to bravely pursue your own happiness. After all, he knows your situation now, and if he¡¯s pursuing you, it means he doesn¡¯t mind,¡± Ye Xiaomeng encouraged her friend not to miss out on a chance for happiness.


    ¡°I know, I¡¯ll think about it. And don¡¯t give up if you meet someone good,¡± Shu Pan replied, worried that her friend might miss out on love.


    ¡°Actually, Cheng Yang hase to my house several times, begging for my forgiveness. He was very sincere, and even my parents were moved by him. To say I¡¯m not moved would be a lie, but when I think about the scene at the wedding, I can¡¯t get past it,¡± Ye Xiaomeng said, her voice tinged with pain.


    ¡°Xiaomeng, don¡¯t dwell on it. Take it slow,¡± Shu Panforted her, believing that there would be a rainbow after the rain.


    Song Can and Tong Fei hade to ¡°Eternal¡± to choose a diamond ring. Just as the name ¡°Eternal¡± implied, they hoped for eternal love.


    This was a well-known jewelry store in Bin City, and its name attracted many people to shop for engagement rings.


    Since Song Can and Tong Fei were VIP customers at the store, the manager weed them and led them to the VIP room.


    They were shown thetest designs to choose from.


    Tong Fei, being a former model with a keen sense of fashion, quickly found the one she liked. She took out her phone and dialed Gu Shaoting¡¯s number. ¡°Shaoting, are you busy? I¡¯ve chosen the ring.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s great! The most important thing is that you like it,¡± Gu Shaoting replied.


    ¡°But because it¡¯s thetest design, it¡¯s a bit expensive,¡± Tong Fei said. In reality, given her financial situation, she could easily afford the ring. However, because it was an engagement ring, what mattered most to her was Gu Shaoting¡¯s unlimited love and care.


    As expected, Gu Shaoting said, ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter if it¡¯s expensive. What¡¯s important is that it suits your taste. You decide.¡± Gu Shaoting wanted topensate her for everything..

 Chapter 122 - 122: Do You Have Children?

    Chapter 122: Do You Have Children?


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Tong Fei hung up the phone with a satisfied smile, and Song Can noticed her slightly upturned lips, knowing that she was pleased with Gu Shaoting¡¯s response.


    ¡°Auntie, what do you think of these wedding rings?¡± Tong Fei immediately showed them to Song Can.


    ¡°They¡¯re lovely. Your taste is the best, and you don¡¯t need my opinion,¡± Song Can replied cheerfully. ¡°After you two get married, make sure to give me a cute grandson.¡±


    Tong Fei blushed, but at the same time, she felt conflicted. What if she had a child and her figure changed? She needed to think carefully about this matter.


    After buying the rings, Song Can and Tong Fei spent a long time shopping around before Song Can finally returned home.


    Not long after she had sat down, Gu Shaoting surprisingly returned from outside. It seemed the sun was about to rise from the west.


    ¡°I can¡¯t be mistaken, can I? You¡¯vee back so early? Have you finished everything?¡± Song Can sarcastically remarked.


    Gu Shaoting turned a deaf ear and said, ¡°I¡¯ve finished. Thank you for your hard work today. ¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not hard, I¡¯m just worried that Tong Fei might have some thoughts,¡± Song Can sighed, feeling anxious about her son¡¯s wedding.


    ¡°I¡¯ll exin it to her,¡± Gu Shaoting replied indifferently.


    ¡°Shaoting, I want to ask you something. Have you left any ¡®seeds¡¯ outside in recent years? Could there be children born to you that you don¡¯t know about?¡± Song Can asked with uncertainty.


    ¡°Why would you say that? Mom, what are you thinking? I can count the number of women who have been intimate with me using one hand. How could there be children I don¡¯t know about?¡± Gu Shaoting was somewhat exasperated and couldn¡¯t fathom where Song Can was getting these notions.


    ¡°Today, I met a little girl at the mall. She had a ponytail, those bright ck eyes, and a straight little nose. She looked like she was made from the same mold as you,¡± Song Can exined vividly.


    Gu Shaoting immediately refuted, ¡°It couldn¡¯t be my daughter; my daughter hasn¡¯t been born yet.¡± He thought about it and realized that if he did have a daughter, it would only be with Shu Pan. However, he quickly dismissed the thought because he made sure she took birth control pills every time, so there was no chance.


    ¡°After you get married, remember to try harder with Tong Fei,¡± Song Can said, looking disappointed. The girl had called her ¡°Grandma¡± in such a soft and tender voice that it melted her heart.


    ¡°Alright, don¡¯t overthink it. Let things take their course,¡± Gu Shaoting suggested, thinking perhaps Song Can had too much time on her hands.


    Hearing Song Can¡¯s words, Gu Shaoting suddenly thought that if he hadn¡¯t divorced Shu Pan and gone through all those ups and downs, he might have children old enough to y around by now.


    But in life, how many things could you really predict in advance?


    Since theirst encounter during the vi renovation, he hadn¡¯t run into her again. He had tried a few times to coincidentally meet her but had no luck, and it left him feeling a bit down.


    Now that he was engaged to Tong Fei, he nned to settle down with her. Still, his heart seemed increasingly difficult to manage, as thoughts of Shu Pan, her shy face, and her perfectly proportioned body kepting to mind.


    At home, Shu Pan sneezed several times, feeling as if someone was talking about her. She suddenly remembered that it had been a long time since she had taken Joy to visit her father and Auntie Lu in Lotus Town.


    She nned to take Joy there this weekend because her father¡¯s health was not good, and that was her greatest concern. She also wanted Joy to bring some happiness to them.


    Watching the tired but happy Joy, Shu Pan felt a sense of peace in her heart. Everything would be okay, and she seriously contemted her own life


    olces..

 Chapter 123 - 123: First Encounter

    Chapter 123: First Encounter


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Shu Pan followed through with her n. When the weekend arrived, she packed their belongings and took Joy to Lotus Town.


    Joy held her doll, asking questions along the way, clearly enjoying herself.


    ¡°Mom, are we going to see Grandpa and Grandma? Will wee back to our current home?¡± Joy asked innocently.


    ¡°Of course, we¡¯lle back. You have school, and I have work. You can invite


    Grandpa and Grandma to our current home,¡± Shu Pan replied in a gentle tone.


    ¡°Okay, if I don¡¯t go back, my kindergarten friends will miss me,¡± Joy said confidently.


    Shu Pan couldn¡¯t help butugh. This child¡¯s self-love knew no bounds.


    ¡°Brother Ting, what¡¯s going on? You sounded like you were in a hurry early in the morning,¡± He Ming, who rarely had the chance to sleep in on weekends,ined. He had initially been ready to vent his frustration to the other side until he saw it was Gu Shaoting calling. At that moment, he managed to suppress his irritation.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Not getting enoughidtely? You seem quite agitated,¡± Gu Shaoting teased him for once.


    ¡°Get lost! You think I¡¯m you?¡± He Ming hit the nail on the head, knowing that Gu Shaoting had been leading a simple and ascetic life since his divorce from


    Shu Pan.


    Indeed, on the other end of the phone call, Gu Shaoting¡¯s face darkened upon hearing the truth. Even though He Ming couldn¡¯t see his expression, he could guess what was going on in Gu Shaoting¡¯s mind.


    ¡°Hehe, Brother Ting, just kidding. You haven¡¯t told me what¡¯s going on yet,¡± He Ming quickly changed the subject, eager to steer clear of any more of Gu Shaoting¡¯sndmines.


    ¡°Hurry up and get ready. Apany me on a trip to Lotus Town,¡± Gu Shaoting¡¯s voice returned to its usual cold tone.


    ¡°Why go to Lotus Town? Is it for an inspection? Isn¡¯t everything fine at the resort?¡± He Ming asked in confusion.


    ¡°There¡¯s something I need to deal with, and I also want to clear my mind. I¡¯ve been feeling quite restlesstely,¡± Gu Shaoting said in a gloomy tone.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you getting married to Tong Fei? Do you have pre-wedding jitters?¡± He Ming found it strange that Gu Shaoting didn¡¯t seem to have any excitement about being the groom.


    Gu Shaoting didn¡¯t respond. He simply urged He Ming to get ready quickly.


    When they arrived in Lotus Town, it was already noon. They had a meal at a local restaurant and then strolled along a riverbank.


    Joy, who had apanied Shu Pan to the market, couldn¡¯t help but be drawn to a stall selling rabbits.


    ¡°Mom, look, these rabbits are so cute!¡± Joy yed with the rabbits.


    ¡°Alright, Joy, we¡¯ll only look for a while, and then we have to go back. Otherwise, Grandpa and Grandma will worry,¡± Shu Pan said, watching her daughter¡¯s enthusiasm and going along with it.


    ¡°He Ming, look over there. Isn¡¯t that Shu Pan? Why does this woman look so much like her?¡± He Ming suddenly pointed to someone not far away.


    As soon as Gu Shaoting heard Shu Pan¡¯s name, he immediately looked in the direction He Ming was pointing. In the blurry distance, he saw a woman with a slender figure, holding a little girl¡¯s hand, walking in the opposite direction.


    Gu Shaoting furrowed his brow slightly. Because they were a bit far away, he couldn¡¯t see clearly. He quickened his pace to catch up and take a closer look, but when they reached a bend in the road, he lost sight of them.


    He felt a bit frustrated, thinking he had been too slow. However, he was also puzzled. Why was Shu Pan here? Wasn¡¯t she working in Bin City? And who was the little girl with her? A friend¡¯s child, perhaps?


    ¡°How was it? Was it Shu pan?¡± He Ming asked as he caught up.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure. I couldn¡¯t see her face clearly,¡± Gu Shaoting sighed, looking somewhat helpless..

 Chapter 124 - 124: Be My Girlfriend

    Chapter 124: Be My Girlfriend


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    He Ming suddenly looked at Gu Shaoting with a strange expression. ¡°Brother Ting, do you think your behavior is normal? It seems like whenever Shu Pan is mentioned, you tend to lose control. Do you like Shu Pan?¡±


    He Ming asked cautiously.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure. Probably, whenever I see Shu Pan now or anything rted to her is mentioned, I feel my heart racing, and I seem to lose control,¡± Gu Shaoting sounded somewhat lost, his handsome face disying a hint of confusion.


    ¡°But aren¡¯t you engaged to Tong Fei? This¡­¡± He Ming found the whole situation quite messy.


    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s drop it. Let¡¯s go,¡± Gu Shaoting said and started walking ahead, ignoring He Ming. He Ming felt somewhat puzzled and had to quicken his pace to catch up.


    Shu Pan and Joy returned reluctantly from Lotus Town to Bin City in the afternoon, where the warm sunlightzily bathed the surroundings.


    Shu Pan was about to go out to buy groceries when Wen Chi¡¯s call came in. ¡°Pan, what are you up to? Have you made up your mind? Can you give me an answer?¡±


    Wen Chi had been feeling restless these past few days, not contacting Shu Pan and hoping to give her time to think. Today, unable to endure any longer and seeing that Shu Pan hadn¡¯t contacted him either, he started to feel anxious and quickly made the call.


    ¡°Do you have time tonight? Come over for dinner,¡± Shu Pan didn¡¯t provide a direct response.


    ¡°I¡¯m free. It¡¯s been a while since I had your home-cooked meal. I want to have your braised fish,¡± he wasn¡¯t being shy about it at all.


    ¡°Alright, see you tonight,¡± she hung up the phone, and Shu Pan couldn¡¯t help but breathe a sigh of relief.


    She had made up her mind, decided to give herself and Wen Chi a chance. Regardless of what might happen in the future, she wanted to make the most of the present.


    With a clear decision in mind, she felt much lighter and didn¡¯t need to be constantly entangled in this matter.


    In the evening, Wen Chi arrived. He was wearing a checkered shirt with a beige cardigan over it, paired with khaki-colored casual pants. He looked refined and cultured. His fair and smooth skin, captivating peach-blossom eyes, straight nose, and charming curves made him quite eye-catching.


    Shu Pan once again marveled at how fortunate she was to have earned his affection. She couldn¡¯t help but wonder about the good karma she must have umted over several lifetimes.


    ¡°Joy, look at what Uncle Wen brought for you,¡± Wen Chi, after entering the house, put down the bag he was carrying and took out a set of Peppa Pig plush toys from one of the bags.


    Seeing them, Joy¡¯s face lit up with joy. ¡°Uncle Wen, thank you! I love them. I¡¯ll sleep with them tonight.¡¯


    ¡°Why do you keep buying her toys? She already has so many. You¡¯re spoiling her,¡± Shu Pan yfully scolded Wen Chi while smiling.


    ¡°It¡¯s alright, girls need to be pampered, to be spoiled like little princesses,¡± Wen Chi looked at Joy indulgently.


    Shu Pan shook her head, helpless against him. She knew that saying more wouldn¡¯t make a difference.


    With the toys in hand, Joy happily went back to her room to y. Wen Chi, with his charming peach-blossom eyes, looked directly at Shu Pan, saying, ¡°Be my girlfriend, Pan.¡±


    Wen Chi¡¯s tone was gentle yet firm.


    ¡°Are you sure? I¡¯m not really deserving of¡­¡± Shu Pan hadn¡¯t finished her sentence when Wen Chi covered her mouth with his hand.


    ¡°I¡¯m absolutely sure. Promise me, let me take care of you and Joy, Pan,¡± Wen Chi¡¯s words seemed to carry a magical force that made it impossible to refuse.


    ¡°Okay,¡± Shu Pan nodded shyly.


    With a joyful expression, Wen Chi lifted Shu Pan into his arms and twirled her around.


    ¡°Put me down, quickly. I¡¯ll cook for you both,¡± Shu Pan¡¯s cheeks were flushed with embarrassment..

 Chapter 125 - 125: Warm Escort

    Chapter 125: Warm Escort


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Wen Chi gazed at Shu Pan as if his eyes could melt at the view of her, holding


    Shu Pan¡¯s hand. ¡°I¡¯ll help you with cooking.¡±


    Amidst a rather leisurely and unhurried meal, itsted until 8 0¡¯clock. Later, he received a phone call regarding some urgent matters at the hospital where he worked, which forced him to leave.


    As he departed, his reluctant expression was genuinely endearing.


    ¡°I¡¯ve just be someone¡¯s boyfriend, and I don¡¯t want to go back to work,¡± he yfullyined, resembling a mischievous child.


    ¡°Quickly go back to work. Otherwise, you¡¯ll bete, ¡± Shu Pan persuaded him.


    Finally, Wen Chi left the house. Shu Pan patted her cheeks with both hands, feeling a lingering warmth.


    The next day, Shu Pan opened the door and, hand in hand with Joy, walked downstairs, only to spot a ck car parked by the roadside.


    As they approached, the car window slowly rolled down, revealing Wen Chi¡¯s weary face.


    ¡°Why are you here so early?¡± Shu Pan was a bit surprised.


    ¡°I just got off work, thought I¡¯d drop you both off and then catch up on some sleep,¡± Wen Chi said with a cheerful smile. Even though he had stayed upte, all his fatigue seemed to dissipate when he saw them.


    ¡°Quit messing around, go back and get some rest. I¡¯ll send Joy to school and then take the bus to work; it¡¯s very convenient,¡± Shu Pan looked at him with a mixture of gratitude and concern.


    ¡°Hurry, get in. You¡¯re runningte,¡± Wen Chi got out of the car and lifted Joy inside.


    Resignedly, Shu Pan joined them in the car.


    When they reached the entrance of Shu Pan¡¯s workce, she got out of the car. After some parting words and admonishments from her, Wen Chi reluctantly turned away.


    ¡°How about dinner with you and Joy tonight?¡± Wen Chi suggested.


    ¡°Let¡¯s talk about itter. You might have other ns or work to attend to,¡± Shu Pan waved her hand as she walked toward her workce.


    ¡°Girl, I¡¯ming to your ce for dinner tonight,¡± Ye Xiaomeng, who had just returned from a business trip, immediately wanted to visit Shu Pan¡¯s house.


    ¡°You just got back from your business trip?¡± Shu Pan could hear the exhaustion in her voice.


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m done with these trips to godforsaken ces where even basic necessities are hard toe by. I¡¯ll talk to you tonight,¡± Ye Xiaomeng hung up the phone in a hurry.


    In the afternoon, Wen Chi sent a message saying he had to attend a meeting at the hospital and wouldn¡¯t be free in the evening.


    This worked out well because Xiaomeng wasing over, and Shu Pan wasn¡¯t mentally prepared to introduce them.


    After finishing her work, buying groceries, and preparing dinner, Xiaomeng arrived right around dinner time.


    ¡°I¡¯m starving¡­¡± Xiaomeng began eating as soon as she sat down.


    After a few more bites, she finally had some energy and put down her chopsticks.


    ¡°Girl, you¡¯re too good. You¡¯re a model wife and mother. If I were a guy, I¡¯d definitely marry you,¡± Xiaomeng eximed with emotion.


    ¡°You¡¯re just talking nonsense. One meal is no big deal.¡± Shu Pan smiled at her.


    ¡°Men have no taste. Look at Su Yuan, he gave up on you and married his current wife. I heard they¡¯re having rtionship issues and might get a divorce.¡± Shu Pan was a bit stunned when she heard what Xiaomeng said. When Su Yuan mentioned divorce, she didn¡¯t take it seriously and thought he was joking. She didn¡¯t expect him to actually consider it.


    She owed Su Yuan money, and she had been repaying him little by little every month, promptly depositing it into his ount. He initially had reservations but eventually epted her persistence.


    In fact, Su Yuan didn¡¯t want her to repay the debt, and it seemed like their contact would dwindle after she repaid it.


    ¡°And then there¡¯s Gu Shaoting, not knowing how to cherish. Girl, you deserve better. You must find happiness,¡± Xiaomeng grew angrier the more she spoke. Why did she keep running into these lousy men?


    Shu Pan looked at Xiaomeng, baffled. They hadn¡¯t even had any alcohol, yet she was talking nonsense.. Why bring up the past like this?

 Chapter 126 - 126: Mrs. Wen’s Objection

    Chapter 126: Mrs. Wen¡¯s Objection


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Shu Pan had actuallye to terms with things. If it was not meant to be, one couldn¡¯t force it.


    ¡°Xiaomeng, didn¡¯t I mention to you that there¡¯s someone? He¡¯s a doctor, and I¡¯ve agreed to give dating him a try, ¡± Shu Pan looked at her friend, who was so concerned about her, and couldn¡¯t bear to keep it from her.


    She decided to see how things would unfold in the future.


    ¡°Really? Girl, if you feel good about it, that¡¯s what matters. Next time, let me meet him and I¡¯ll assess him,¡± Ye Xiaomeng worried that Shu Pan might get hurt again.


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid you might scare him away,¡± Shu Pan joked.


    ¡°I¡¯ll talk to him nicely, I won¡¯t scare him off,¡± Ye Xiaomeng yfully winked at Shu Pan.


    ¡°Don¡¯t talk about me, you should also put in some effort. If you find someone good, make sure to seize the opportunity,¡± Shu Pan said. As soon as she finished speaking, Ye Xiaomeng couldn¡¯t resist rolling her eyes at her.


    ¡°All right, Shu, I got it,¡± Ye Xiaomeng teased.


    Lately, Wen Chi had been spending very little time at home, only returning to sleep for a few hours before leaving again. Finally, his behavior caught the attention of his mother.


    ¡°Son, what¡¯s been going on with youtely? Why haven¡¯t you been eating at home except foring back from work to sleep for a few hours?¡± Wen Chi¡¯s mother frowned, unable to hold back her questions.


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing special, just busy chasing after a girl,¡± Wen Chi didn¡¯t want to reveal too much, and he nned to leave soon.


    ¡°Don¡¯t leave, I haven¡¯t finished talking,¡± Wen Chi¡¯s mother knew his intentions and firmly called him back.


    ¡°What does the girl do for a living? What kind of family does shee from? What¡¯s her background?¡± These were the aspects parents were most concerned about, and Wen Chi¡¯s mother was no exception.


    ¡°Mom, I¡¯m interested in the person, not her family background. What does her family have to do with anything?¡± Wen Chi felt overwhelmed by his mother¡¯s questioning.


    He simply liked Shu Pan for who she was.


    ¡°Son, in today¡¯s marriages, it¡¯s important to marry a wife with an appropriate family background. Don¡¯t think love is all that matters. You¡¯ll understand after you get married. I¡¯ve been through it all. I¡¯m telling you now to help you avoid taking the wrong path,¡± Wen Chi¡¯s mother spoke with genuine concern, hoping Wen Chi would listen.


    ¡°Mom, trust me, Shu Pan is not like that. She¡¯s kind-hearted and virtuous. Once you spend time with her, you¡¯ll like her too,¡± Wen Chi tried to reassure his mother, feeling she was overthinking things.


    ¡°Bring her home for me to meet when you have a chance,¡± Wen Chi¡¯s mother decided that no matter what her son said, she needed to see for herself what the girl was like.


    ¡°Mom, it¡¯s too early for that. We¡¯ve only just started, and it took me a long time to win her over,¡± Wen Chi quickly stopped her, afraid his mother would mess things up.


    ¡°Chi¡­¡± Wen Chi¡¯s mother wanted to continue, but Wen Chi had already left.


    Frustrated, she called Wen Chi¡¯s father.


    ¡°What kind of father are you? Your son has a girlfriend, do you know?¡± Wen Chi¡¯s mother was furious.


    ¡°When did this happen? I haven¡¯t heard anything about it at the hospital. I guess it¡¯s not a girl from there,¡± Wen Chi¡¯s father spoke calmly, quite different from his wife.


    ¡°I don¡¯t care. I won¡¯t ept a daughter-in w who doesn¡¯t meet my standards,¡± Wen Chi¡¯s mother said firmly.


    ¡°Our son is grown up and has his own ideas. Why interfere and make yourself unpleasant?¡± Wen Chi¡¯s father tried to persuade her.


    ¡°No, this matter can¡¯t be ignored,¡± Wen Chi¡¯s mother said and hung up, leaving Wen Chi¡¯s father on the other end of the line uncertain of how to respond..

 Chapter 127 - 127: The Engagement

    Chapter 127: The Engagement


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Wen Chi¡¯s father shook his head, sighing, ¡°Ah, children have their own choices.¡± Mrs. Wen was usually more amodating on other matters, but when it came to her son Wen Chi¡¯s lifelong decisions, she was not easily swayed.


    After hanging up the phone, Mrs. Wen felt a smoldering frustration inside her.


    In theory, she hadn¡¯t met the girl yet and shouldn¡¯t be preconceived, but Wen Chi¡¯s attitude had annoyed her.


    ording to his words, the girl he was interested in was probably quite ordinary, but she was someone he highly valued, as evidenced by his defense of her.


    ¡°Adult son is hard to discipline!¡± It seemed like she would have to find a way to see what kind of girl the girlfriend was.


    Time passed quickly, and in the blink of an eye, a month had gone by. The day of Gu Shaoting and Tong Fei¡¯s engagement was fast approaching.


    Song Can had been busy with the preparations for their engagement, notifying rtives and friends and booking the hotel.


    Gu Shaoting, as usual, was not concerned at all about the engagement preparations.


    Song Can was anxious. She was worried that Tong Fei might not feelfortable. So, she took it upon herself to handle many things.


    With only a few days left, Gu Shaoting¡¯s suit had not been chosen. Originally, they had nned for a simple engagement ceremony with a grand weddingter. However, Song Can didn¡¯t want to make Tong Fei feel ufortable and wanted a more significant ceremony.


    In her heart, this was her first daughter-inw truly marrying into the family. When Gu Shaoting married Shu Pan, it was low-key, and many people didn¡¯t even know about it.


    She wanted the engagement to be well-known and respectable.


    She couldn¡¯t handle the task of selecting the suit, and this had made her increasingly frustrated.


    ¡°Shaoting, do you even realize that your engagement is this weekend?¡± As soon as the call was connected, Song Can said anxiously.


    ¡°Mom, I know. Haven¡¯t you already made all the arrangements?¡± Gu Shaoting had been at the office recently.


    ¡°Have you not chosen your suit yet? Pay more attention and take it seriously.¡± Song Can was a bit puzzled, wondering why it seemed like she was pushing him into marriage.


    ¡°I know, Mom, I have something to attend to.¡± Gu Shaoting hurriedly hung up the phone.


    Standing in his office, Gu Shaoting gazed out of the window with his deep-set eyes. He felt a bit restless, questioning whether getting engaged was the right decision. Recently, he often found himself reminiscing about the moments he had shared with Shu Pan.


    However, he also couldn¡¯t let Tong Fei down, considering their years-long rtionship.


    If he were to say he didn¡¯t want to get engaged now, where would that leave Tong Fei?


    It seemed like there was no turning back now. He picked up his phone and contacted He Ming, instructing him to handle the suit selection.


    The day of the engagement arrived as scheduled, and the news spread quickly. Media outlets had gathered outside, and by noon, the hotel waspletely crowded


    Before long, the guests started arriving, and the atmosphere was lively.


    Song Can wore a smiling face as she weed rtives and friends, while He Ming helped entertain business associates.


    The time for the evening banquet arrived. Suddenly, the massive crystal chandelier in the center of the hall dimmed. Before the guests could understand what was happening, a spotlight shone brightly on the entrance. A delicate foot stepped into the hall, and under the contrast of golden high heels, it emitted a radiant glow, leaving everyone breathless.


    Tong Fei, with a charming smile, held Gu Shaoting¡¯s arm as they entered the venue. Her bare shoulders were half exposed, and long gemstone earrings swayed with her graceful steps. Her pale yellow dress highlighted her perfect curves, and the fine pleats at the hem of her gown fluttered delicately, captivating everyone¡¯s hearts.


    In contrast, the future groom, dressed in a tasteful suit, looked dashing and charismatic. However, his expression was serious, and the joy of a typical groom was absent..

 Chapter 128 - 128: Meeting the Parents

    Chapter 128: Meeting the Parents


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Gu Shaoting couldn¡¯t make himself genuinely happy. He felt like a puppet and just wanted everything to end quickly.


    The guests couldn¡¯t help but praise the soon-to-be-wed couple for their looks and talents. Nearby, Song Can, hearing this, felt even more delighted.


    Grandpa Gu did not attend the engagement. Firstly, his health had deteriorated, and secondly, he had no desire to attend. Although Gu Shaoting was his only grandson, his only granddaughter-inw in his heart was Shu Pan. He couldn¡¯t warm up to Tong Fei, so he used excuses to stay away.


    Gu Shaoting understood his grandfather¡¯s thoughts and didn¡¯t say anything. But Tong Fei felt ufortable. She couldn¡¯t help but think, ¡°We¡¯re already engaged, who is Grandpa Gu trying to show this to?¡±


    The engagement banquet brought joy to some and frustration to others. The next day, media outlets were flooded with reports about the couple¡¯s union.


    Of course, Shu Pan saw the news but simply smiled and let the gossip pass.


    Wen Chi and Shu Pan had been together for nearly two months. Wen Chi had always been polite and respectful to Shu Pan.


    After dinner one evening, Wen Chi suddenly looked up at Shu Pan and said, ¡°Pan, are you free this weekend? I want to take you to meet my parents, okay?¡±


    Shu Pan, who was in the middle of clearing the dishes, paused when she heard this. Honestly, she was not mentally prepared for this.


    ¡°Um¡­ Have you told your parents about us? Do they know about Joy?¡± She asked nervously.


    ¡°I mentioned our rtionship to them, but I haven¡¯t told them about Joy. That¡¯s our thing between us. We like each other, and that¡¯s what matters. Don¡¯t worry.¡± Wen Chi reassured her with a smile.


    Wen Chi had been bothered by his mother¡¯s inquiriestely, so he decided to take Shu Pan to meet his parents. He had a feeling that his mother had some reservations, but he hoped that meeting Shu Pan in person would change her mind. Regardless, he had no intention of letting go of Shu Pan, unless she decided to leave him.


    Shu Pan forced a smile, although she felt very nervous. She had the example of Song Can as a mother-inw, and now she was afraid of meeting elders.


    However, she knew that Wen Chi cared about her, and she didn¡¯t want to disappoint him. It was something that had to happen sooner orter.


    ¡°I¡¯m free this weekend. I¡¯ll have Xiaomeng take care of Joy. What does your mother like? I¡¯ll prepare a gift for her.¡±


    ¡°The best gift is having you there.¡±


    Wen Chi was delighted that Shu Pan was taking this step for him.


    Shu Pan couldn¡¯t sleep all night because she was nervous about meeting Wen Chi¡¯s parents.


    The next day, she called Ye Xiaomeng and told her about the uing meeting. ¡°Girl, things are moving fast, huh? Meeting the parents already?¡±


    Ye Xiaomeng was both surprised and happy for her friend. Meeting the parents indicated that the man was serious about the rtionship and not just ying around.


    ¡°I¡¯m so nervous and you¡¯re joking around like this,¡± Shu Pan chided.


    ¡°Silly, every daughter-inw has to meet her inws sooner orter. Don¡¯t be so nervous. With Wen Chi by your side, you¡¯ll be fine,¡± Ye Xiaomeng reassured her.


    ¡°Can you make it this Saturday? Can you help take care of Joy? It wouldn¡¯t be convenient to bring her for the first time, ¡± Shu Pan asked with difficulty.


    ¡°I¡¯m free, don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll take care of Joy for you,¡± Ye Xiaomeng readily agreed.


    ¡°Xiaomeng, do you have any suggestions for a suitable gift for the first meeting?


    ¡°Health supplements. You can also get a brand-name scarf for his mother,¡± Ye Xiaomeng suggested.


    ¡°Okay, okay, I¡¯ll go shopping at the mall during lunch break,¡± Shu Pan replied, feeling more confident about the situation..

 Chapter 129 - 129: Frustrated and Furious

    Chapter 129: Frustrated and Furious


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Shu Pan finally had the day to meet Wen Chi¡¯s parents. She had dropped off Joy at Ye Xiaomeng¡¯s apartment early in the morning. Joy was initially unwilling, but Shu Pan used a mix of persuasion and coercion to get her to agree.


    Shu Pan squatted down, patted Joy¡¯s head, and promised that if she behaved, they would go to the zoo next time. Joy had been looking forward to that, so she reluctantly agreed.


    Seeing Joy¡¯s unhappy expression, Shu Pan couldn¡¯t help but feel uneasy. She wondered if what she was doing was right. But if she took Joy with her on their first visit and Wen¡¯s parents had objections, it could be embarrassing for her. At least this way, the child wouldn¡¯t witness any potential awkwardness.


    Before long, Wen Chi arrived to pick her up. She carried the prepared gift and got into the car. During the drive, she remained silent, and Wen Chi finally noticed something was amiss.


    ¡°Pan, what¡¯s wrong?¡± he asked.


    Shu Pan nced at him and smiled, ¡°Nothing, just a little nervous.¡±


    In reality, Shu Pan was so nervous that she felt her stomach tightening into knots. As they got closer to the Wen family¡¯s home, her anxiety only increased.


    The car finally came to a stop in front of a small two-story vi. After getting out of the car, Wen Chi held Shu Pan¡¯s hand and carried the gift as they walked toward the house.


    As they entered the front door, they saw Wen¡¯s mother waiting for them in the living room. Wen Chi introduced them to each other.


    ¡°Mom, this is just a little something from Shu Pan,¡± Wen Chi handed over the ¡°Just a small token of appreciation. Hope you like it, Auntie,¡± Shu Pan said with a touch of nerves.


    ¡°Why go all out? Your presence is enough. I¡¯m not missing anything,¡± Mrs. Wen replied and casually set the gift on the coffee table.


    ¡°Dad¡¯s got somemitments tonight and won¡¯t be joining us for dinner. Let¡¯s dig in,¡± Mrs. Wen led them to the dining room.


    Over dinner, Mrs. Wen asked casually, ¡°Shu Pan, how¡¯s your parents? What¡¯s the situation in your family?¡±


    Shu Pan answered honestly, and Mrs. Wen¡¯s hand paused briefly before she continued serving dishes.


    ¡°Why bring up all these topics during dinner?¡± Wen Chi interrupted, piling more food onto Shu Pan¡¯s te.


    ¡°Just curious, that¡¯s all,¡± Mrs. Wen said nonchntly, feeling a tad uneasy when she saw Wen Chi sticking up for Shu Pan.


    ¡°In fact, Auntie, I¡¯ve been married before, and I¡¯ve got a daughter named Joy,¡± Shu Pan didn¡¯t want to keep it a secret and blurted it out.


    ¡°What¡­ married before, and you¡¯ve got a kid? Wen Chi, you trying, to give me a heart attack?¡± Mrs. Wen was livid.


    ¡°Auntie¡­?¡± Shu Pan was taken aback.


    ¡°Mom, chill out. Let¡¯s have a talk,¡± Wen Chi reassured her, patting her back.


    ¡°Honestly, I didn¡¯t mention it earlier because I was worried you¡¯d judge. It¡¯s not Pan¡¯s fault. I hope you¡¯ll understand.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t wanna see you both right now,¡± Mrs. Wen pointed toward the door.


    ¡°Shu Pan, I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯ll exin things to my momter. Let me take you home first,¡± Wen Chi apologized with a heavy heart. He realized he hadn¡¯t thought about the possibility of such a strong reaction from his mom.


    ¡°No worries. I¡¯ll head back. Take care of Auntie. You don¡¯t need to escort me, it was my bad. I didn¡¯t think about Auntie¡¯s feelings,¡± Shu Pan said with deep regret.


    Shu Pan walked out of the vi, feeling heartbroken. She had thought that things were finally looking up, but it seemed like luck wasn¡¯t on her side after all.


    In fact, when she saw the Wen Chi family¡¯s fancy vi, she couldn¡¯t help but feel a sense of unease. As a divorced woman with a child, she couldn¡¯t fathom how she¡¯d be weed into such a well-off family.


    She walked along the roadside lost in thought, tears streaming down her face..

 Chapter 130 - 130: A Child Without a Father

    Chapter 130: A Child Without a Father


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Shu Pan mourned her budding love with Wen Chi in her heart. It seemed like it was about to be smothered before it even began.


    When she went to pick up Joy, Ye Xiaomeng noticed something was amiss with her. After inquiring, she understood the reason. She patted Shu Pan on the shoulder, conveying understanding without words.


    She empathized deeply, knowing that a rtionship involved not just two people but two families.


    ¡°Xiaomeng, do you think I¡¯ll never find happiness?¡± Shu Pan said with teary eyes.


    ¡°Girl, don¡¯t talk like that. Maybe Wen Chi will convince his parents? You¡¯re a catch, he knows that. If he misses you, it¡¯s his loss,¡± Ye Xiaomeng hugged her, providingfort.


    ¡°Wen Chi, if you still consider me your mother, you¡¯ll break up with Shu Pan,¡± Mrs. Wen threatened Wen Chi.


    ¡°Mom, it¡¯s not Shu Pan¡¯s fault. I love her for who she is. She¡¯s diligent, caring. If you spend more time with her, you¡¯ll see her true character, and you might grow fond of her,¡± Wen Chi¡¯s face showed pain due to his mother¡¯s disapproval.


    He ran his hand through his hair, and his once sparkling eyes now appeared dull.


    ¡°With her background, I just can¡¯t bring myself to like her. There are so many well-bred girls who adore you. Why her?¡± Mrs. Wenmented her son¡¯s disregard for her advice.


    ¡°Mom, you have to think rationally. It¡¯s the modern age. We don¡¯t need to stick to traditional values like ¡®marrying into an appropriate family,¡±¡® Wen Chi felt that his mother was stuck in the past.


    ¡°Well, I just won¡¯t approve¡­¡± Mrs. Wen remained resolute.


    Wen Chi nced at his mother, then walked out in big strides.


    He drove around aimlessly, not knowing how to face Shu Pan. He hadn¡¯t anticipated such a strong reaction from his mother.


    What should he do?


    Since their visit to the Wen family, Shu Pan and Wen Chi had silently refrained from contacting each other.


    Both needed time to deal with this issue.


    Joy had been attending kindergarten for several months, and every day she was as happy as a little bird. Shu Pan was grateful that her daughter had such a cheerful and optimistic personality, unlike herself, who tended to keep things to herself.


    One day, while Shu Pan was at work, she received a call from Joy¡¯s kindergarten teacher. Her heart skipped a beat. Receiving a call from the teacher during work hours usually meant something had gone wrong.


    As expected, as soon as she answered the call, she heard the teacher¡¯s urgent voice on the other end. ¡°Joy¡¯s mom, we need you toe to the kindergarten. Joy had a fight with one of her ssmates.¡±


    ¡°What? I¡¯ll be there right away,¡± Shu Pan quickly informed her manager and rushed to the kindergarten.


    The other child involved in the fight was a boy named Wang Zihang, and his parents had also been called.


    At the moment, the two children were sitting by the window, heads down, not uttering a word.


    ¡°Oh my, my son Zihang, how could he end up like this?¡± Wang Zihang¡¯s mother anxiously pulled her son to her side, inspecting him closely. She noticed two red scratch marks on Prince Hang¡¯s face.


    ¡°Mom, it¡¯s Joy who scratched me,¡± Wang Zihang immediatelyined as soon as he saw his mother.


    ¡°It¡¯s because he said I¡¯m a wild child with no dad!¡± Joy, feeling wrongly used, protested.


    ¡°Joy, what happened?¡± Shu Pan saw that Joy¡¯s morning braids were all unraveled.


    ¡°Mom, Wang Zihang called me a wild child with no dad. I didn¡¯t do anything, and he started it,¡± Joy felt extremely aggrieved.


    ¡°Teacher, does this kindergarten enroll just anyone? It seems we need to consider transferring to another school,¡± Wang Zihang¡¯s mother criticized, implying something else..

 Chapter 131 - 131: Apologize

    Chapter 131: Apologize


    ¡°Mrs. Wang, I¡¯m sorry, but this is just kids being kids. I hope you don¡¯t mind,¡± Shu Pan apologized, though her concern for her daughter was evident.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t say anything wrong. Shu Joy really doesn¡¯t have a dad. Her dad has nevere to pick her up,¡± Wang Zihang chimed in, as if he was worried about being misunderstood.


    ¡°It¡¯s not true! I do have a dad. My mom says everyone has a dad. It¡¯s just that my dad works in a faraway ce,¡± Joy, despite her small stature, held this belief deeply and defended herself like a little wildcat, which probably helped her in the fight against the taller Wang Zihang.


    ¡°Joy, be good. You can¡¯t fight with your ssmates. Apologize to Wang Zihang, ¡±


    Shu Pan crouched down and stroked Joy¡¯s head, though Joy wasn¡¯t very willing.


    ¡°People these days haveplicated rtionships. I bet nobody even knows who the child¡¯s father is anymore,¡± Wang Zihang¡¯s mother sarcastically remarked.


    ¡°Madam Wang, please watch your words.¡± Shu Pan¡¯s tone was very stern.


    Wang Zihang¡¯s mother reluctantly kept quiet.


    ¡°Wang Zihang, don¡¯t say such things to Joy again. Everyone has a dad, okay?¡± The teacher, who had informed the parents, stood nearby, worried about Wang Zihang¡¯s education as his mother continued to cross the line.


    ¡°I understand, Madam,¡± Wang Zihang replied with his head lowered, nodding.


    ¡°I hope you¡¯ll be more careful in the future. We send our children to kindergarten because we don¡¯t want them to get hurt, ¡± Wang Zihang¡¯s mother continued to scold the teacher.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Madam Wang. We¡¯ll be more careful in the future,¡± the teacher apologized, feeling that she had failed to supervise the children properly.


    With that, the incident came to a close.


    On the way home, Shu Pan remained silent. Joy cast a timid nce at her mother and said softly, ¡°Mom, I¡¯m sorry, I won¡¯t do it again.¡±


    Joy had always been sensitive and could tell when her mother was upset.


    Shu Pan stopped in her tracks, turned around, crouched down, and spoke sternly, ¡°Joy, you must never use fighting to solve problems.¡±


    Shu Pan was genuinely surprised by what happened today. She found it hard to believe that Joy, who was so small and timid, could get into a fight just because someone said she didn¡¯t have a father. She was deeply shocked.


    She realized she had underestimated the importance of a ¡°father¡± in Joy¡¯s eyes.


    Shu Pan suddenly felt selfish. She had given birth to Joy, and even though she could provide her with plenty of love, she couldn¡¯t rece the love of a father. ¡°Wu¡­¡± Perhaps because of Shu Pan¡¯s stern tone, Joy burst into tears.


    Shu Pan hugged her daughter, her eyes also misting up.


    ¡°Sweetie, I¡¯m sorry. Mommy wasn¡¯t good enough to give you aplete family,plete love, but you were born, and I hope you can forgive Mommy!¡± Shu Pan reproached herself silently.


    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go home. Mommy will make you some c chicken wings, okay?¡± Shu Panforted her, shifting her attention.


    ¡°Okay, Mommy, you¡¯re the best. I love you,¡± Joy suddenly stopped crying and smiled, her mouth as sweet as if she had just had honey.


    Hand in hand, the two of them happily went to buy groceries.


    Wen Chi parked the car downstairs from Shu Pan¡¯s ce. He sat in the car, staring in the direction of Shu Pan¡¯s home, torn about whether to go up.


    He really missed them, but the thought of his mother¡¯s attitude made him unsure of how to face Shu Pan. He wanted to find a foolproof solution, not wanting to inconvenience them..

 Chapter 132 - 132: Clean Break

    Chapter 132: Clean Break


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Not long after, he saw Shu Pan and her daughter, hand in hand, returning.


    Without hesitation, he opened the car door and walked towards them.


    ¡°Joy, did you miss Uncle Wen?¡± Wen Chi hugged Joy tightly, lifting her.


    ¡°Hehe, I missed you, Uncle Wen. How abouting to our ce for dinner tonight? My mom is making c chicken wings for me.¡± Joy said, her mouth practically watering.


    ¡°Sure, I¡¯d love to. I also want to see if they¡¯re as delicious as you say.¡± Wen Chi spoke while gazing affectionately at Shu Pan, as if waiting for her approval.


    Shu Pan patted Joy¡¯s little hand and said, ¡°Come down and walk by yourself. Uncle Wen will get tired if you keep carrying you. Let¡¯s go.¡± Shu Pan took the lead, and the two quickly followed.


    After dinner, Joy went off to y on her own, giving Wen Chi a chance to talk to Shu Pan alone.


    ¡°Xiaopan, I want to apologize on behalf of my mother for making you feel ufortable,¡± Wen Chi said sincerely, abandoning his usual carefree demeanor.


    ¡°Chi, don¡¯t me Auntie. She¡¯s also thinking about you. Indeed, it¡¯s hard for someone to ept me like this, and I can understand it,¡± Shu Panforted him, speaking the truth.


    ¡°Pan, I¡¯m sorry for putting you through this. I¡¯ll talk to my mother again, and I hope you won¡¯t give up,¡± Wen Chi felt sorry for her, seeing how much she was suffering.


    Ye Xiaomeng had initially nned to go see Shu Pan andfort her, but as she was about to leave, she received a call from her mother.


    ¡°Mengmeng, Cheng Yang came to our house again today. What exactly are you thinking? If you don¡¯t want to give him a chance, just make it clear. Every time he brings over gifts, it¡¯s inappropriate for the neighbors to see. Don¡¯t drag it out,¡± Mother Ye earnestly advised.


    ¡°Mom, it¡¯s impossible between him and me. I¡¯ll talk to him clearly,¡± Ye Xiaomeng replied, feeling uneasy.


    ¡°Alright, that¡¯s good. It¡¯s been a long time since this happened. Everyone should forget about it and live well. Look around and see if there¡¯s anyone better for you. Seize the opportunity,¡± Mother Ye was genuinely concerned about her daughter¡¯s future.


    ¡°I understand, Mom. Don¡¯t worry,¡± Ye Xiaomeng felt she hadn¡¯t been a good daughter.


    After hanging up, she felt it was time to have a clear conversation with Cheng


    Yang.


    As she was contemting, she immediately called Cheng Yang.


    ¡°Xiaomeng, this is great! You finally called me,¡± Cheng Yang sounded ecstatic as soon as he heard Xiaomeng¡¯s voice.


    ¡°Do you have time tomorrow? Let¡¯s meet after work and talk,¡± Ye Xiaomeng said calmly.


    ¡°Sure, how about Gathered Dragon? Can we meet there?¡± Cheng Yang¡¯s voice trembled with excitement.


    ¡°Okay.¡± Ye Xiaomeng hung up the phone.


    On the other end, Cheng Yang continued to hold the phone for a long time without putting it down.


    After ending the call, Ye Xiaomeng fell into deep thought. This time, she had to make a clean break. She had been single for a long time, and Cheng Yang might have thought she couldn¡¯t let go, so things had remained unresolved. It was better to cut the ties and move on with their lives.


    When Ye Xiaomeng arrived at Gathered Dragon, Cheng Yang had been waiting for her for a while.


    ¡°Xiaomeng, take a look at the menu. What would you like to eat?¡± Cheng Yang handed the menu to Ye Xiaomeng warmly.


    ¡°Anything is fine. You can order,¡± Ye Xiaomeng said indifferently.


    Cheng Yang smiled awkwardly and said, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll decide then.¡±


    He ordered dishes that he knew Ye Xiaomeng liked. During the meal, neither of them spoke.


    Finally, Ye Xiaomeng broke the silence. ¡°Cheng Yang, please don¡¯te to my house anymore. It¡¯s impossible between us..¡±

 Chapter 133 - 133: Drunk

    Chapter 133: Drunk


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    ¡°Mengmeng, can¡¯t you give me another chance? It¡¯s been such a long time,¡± Cheng Yang¡¯s eyes welled up with tears upon hearing Ye Xiaomeng¡¯s words. How could he just abandon years of feelings like that?


    ¡°Cheng Yang, precisely because it¡¯s been so long, many feelings have changed. I¡¯ve fallen for someone else¡­¡± Ye Xiaomeng delivered a heavy blow.


    ¡°You¡¯re lying to me, Xiaomeng. You can¡¯t possibly fall for someone else so quickly?¡± Cheng Yang couldn¡¯t believe it.


    ¡°This is the truth, Cheng Yang. Please take care of yourself. I wish you well, and I hope we won¡¯t be entangled anymore, ¡± Ye Xiaomeng said sincerely. She no longer held any grudges and wished for their respective happiness.


    After saying that, Ye Xiaomeng left without eating her meal, as she had no appetite.


    Leaving Cheng Yang sitting there deep in thought.


    As night fell, Ye Xiaomeng wandered the streets aimlessly, not heading to Shu Pan¡¯s house to avoid causing her any worry.


    She spotted a well-known bar ahead and entered without hesitation. She ordered a bottle of alcohol and started drinking it one ss at a time without much thought.


    He Ming felt that life had be incredibly boringtely. He had thought that once Brother Ting got engaged, he would be content, but it was the opposite. Brother Ting had been moodytely, and his temper red unexpectedly.


    Tonight, he had invited Gu Shaoting out for a drink, but Shaoting said he wasn¡¯t in the mood and returned to Shuimu Qinghua. That had be his favorite cetely. When He Ming asked him what was wrong, he remained silent, lost in thought.


    He Ming ordered a bottle of alcohol, intending to drink until he couldn¡¯t anymore tonight.


    Just as He Ming was getting into his drinking, someone suddenly bumped into him from the side. It was unmistakably a woman who had clearly had too much to drink, unable to stand steadily. Her body emitted a strong alcohol odor, and she crashed into He Ming¡¯s arms.


    He Ming cursed under his breath and tried to pull the woman away, but she clung to him like an octopus, refusing to let go. However, at this moment, He Ming couldn¡¯t help feeling reluctant to release her, with her soft and fragrant body in his arms.


    He Ming nced down at the woman in his arms, seeing her short and stylishly dressed with fashionable short hair.


    . He Ming was still very rational and wouldn¡¯t take advantage of someone in a vulnerable state. He helped steady the woman, and at this moment, he finally got a clear look at her face.


    The world was indeed small, and He Ming couldn¡¯t help but sigh. The woman who bumped into him was the same woman he had encountered in his car that day.


    ¡°Drink, have another ss,¡± this woman was none other than Ye Xiaomeng, who had consumed quite a bit of alcohol. She seemed to be using the alcohol to mourn her lost love, as everything had be a thing of the past.


    ¡°You¡¯ve had enough. Please don¡¯t drink anymore,¡± He Ming pressed down her hand as she attempted to lift her ss.


    He Ming genuinely felt like a pitiable man. He had gone out to rx, but now he had to take care of a drunken woman.


    ¡°In the future, you walk your sunny path, and I¡¯ll walk my solitary bridge,¡± Ye Xiaomeng said something unexpected.


    At this point, He Ming had likely figured out Ye Xiaomeng¡¯s intentions. She was seeking sce in alcohol.


    ¡°Alright, that¡¯s enough. Where do you live? I¡¯ll take you home,¡± He Ming patiently coaxed her.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to go home, I want to drink¡­ Ugh¡­¡± Ye Xiaomeng threw up, feeling terrible..

 Chapter 134 - 134: Sleeping Together

    Chapter 134: Sleeping Together


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    After vomiting, Ye Xiaomeng pulled He Ming to continue drinking. He Ming found her behavior annoying but eventually stopped caring.


    The two had only met twice, yet now they sat face to face like old friends, ordering a few more bottles of alcohol and drinking them one after another.


    Finally, both of them werepletely drunk. They supported each other and staggered outside.


    The morning sun illuminated the earth as if it had been gilded.


    Ye Xiaomeng woke up groggily from her bed, stretchingzily.


    Her head was heavy from a hangover, and it almost felt like she wasn¡¯t in her own body.


    The bedsheets she touched weren¡¯t the light blue ones from her own apartment, and the overhead light was dazzling and magnificent, not the flickering bulb from her ce.


    Her throat felt like it was on fire, and her body ached as if something had torn through it recently. She raised her hand and noticed some bruises on her wrist.


    This couldn¡¯t be a dream¡­


    Ye Xiaomeng covered her mouth, not wanting to make any noise. She lifted the nket and saw herself underneath, naked. She almost screamed.


    Ye Xiaomeng decisively threw back the nket, picked up her scattered underwear and coat from the floor, and quickly dressed.


    As she opened the door to rush out, it happened to be opened from the other side, and the personing in was him?


    Yesterday, she remembered drinking and getting drunk, then bumping into a man, and afterward, they drank together.


    After that, everything that happened, the time it took ce, all seemed hazy to her.


    But they were both adults, and they wouldn¡¯t make a big deal out of it. She was just embarrassed and didn¡¯t know how to face this man.


    ¡°I¡¯m He Ming, remember that?¡± He Ming said when he sawye Xiaomeng not speaking.


    Ye Xiaomeng finally looked at the man in front of her and saw his deep eyes, high nose, and fair skin that made women envy him. Ifpared to Cheng Yang, he would certainly pale inparison.


    However, what did he mean by that? Why did she have to remember it? Afterst night, they were practically strangers again, and this was just inexplicable.


    ¡°Do you have to introduce yourself?¡± Ye Xiaomeng red at him.


    ¡°What, are you using me and nning to leave after sleeping with me?¡± This guy was really pushing it.


    ¡°What do you want then?¡± Saying this, Ye Xiaomeng took out a 100 yuan bill from her bag and threw it at him. ¡°Consider itpensation.¡±


    He Ming was dumbfounded. He had never expected Ye Xiaomeng to react this way.


    Ye Xiaomeng wanted to leave, but He Ming stopped her. ¡°Let¡¯s be friends.¡±


    He Ming didn¡¯t know what had happened, but he could have stopped everythingst night. He hadn¡¯t been so drunk that he couldn¡¯t think clearly.


    Originally, he wanted to take her home, but she had kept clinging to him, and even after he had pushed her away, she still wanted to get closer. So, they had spent a wonderful night together.


    However, when she woke up, she acted like she didn¡¯t know him.


    ¡°Tell me your name. We keep meeting like this. It must be fate,¡± He Ming persisted.


    ¡°Do I get to leave if I tell you? My name is Ye Xiaomeng, is that enough? We¡¯re all adults here. I hope we can treatst night as a dream,¡± Ye Xiaomeng replied, clearly irritated by He Ming¡¯s persistence.


    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go. I¡¯ll take you home.¡± He Ming got the answer he wanted, so he picked up his car keys and walked out..

 Chapter 135 - 135: Shocked

    Chapter 135: Shocked


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    ¡°I don¡¯t need it. I¡¯ll take a taxi myself,¡± Ye Xiaomeng stopped him, not wanting any further involvement with him.


    ¡°Keep wasting time here, or let me give you a ride. It¡¯s up to you,¡± He Ming spoke with an unyielding tone.


    ¡°Fine,¡± Ye Xiaomeng red at him fiercely and then turned to walk outside.


    Ye Xiaomeng didn¡¯t want He Ming to know where she lived to avoid potential harassment. So, she told He Ming to drive her to Shu Pan¡¯s house.


    When they reached Shu Pan¡¯s building, Ye Xiaomeng got out of the car and said goodbye to He Ming.


    He Ming watched Ye Xiaomeng walk towards the stairwell. He intended to reverse and leave, but at that moment, he vaguely saw a figure holding a childing from a distance. He didn¡¯t pay much attention at first, but as the two figures approached, he realized who they were.


    It was Shu Pan. What shocked him even more was that the child looked so much like Gu Shaoting, especially the eyes and nose. It was like a miniaturized version of him.


    He felt as though he had been struck by lightning and couldn¡¯t move. He couldn¡¯t help but wonder, could this child be Gu Shaoting¡¯s


    He knew about it because he was one of the aplices, and he had felt guilty about it.


    He Ming had disagreed with Gu Shaoting¡¯s decision, but he couldn¡¯t persuade him.


    Looking at the little girl in front of him, although she was small, her features were delicate, like a beautiful doll. If he had a daughter like that, he would probably dote on her to the core.


    He Ming felt a pang of envy. He was even tempted to call Gu Shaoting and ask if he had made Shu Pan take any medication afterward and if this little girl was his daughter.


    However, his rational side stopped him. Gu Shaoting had just gotten engaged to Tong Fei. If he found out about a daughter now, what would he do?


    He looked at them in a daze as they entered the stairwell. Wait! They lived in the same building as Ye Xiaomeng, and they used the same stairwell?


    He was stunned for a moment, then slowly started the car and drove away.


    Back at the office, he went straight to Gu Shaotings office without knocking.


    ¡°Is my office some kind of public ce? You just walk in without knocking,¡± Gu Shaoting said without raising his head, knowing it was He Ming since he was the only one who entered without knocking.


    ¡°Brother Ting, guess who I ran into today?¡± He Ming started to tease. Gu Shaoting could tell from his tone that he was up to something annoying.


    ¡°Who?¡± Gu Shaoting asked absentmindedly, seemingly not very curious about anything at the moment.


    ¡°Shu Pan,¡± He Ming paused for a moment and then continued, ¡°and a little girl.¡±


    Gu Shaoting listened and fell into a brief reverie. His fingers unconsciously tapped on his desk.


    He Ming felt that by mentioning this, if Gu Shaoting decided to investigate, it would be proof of their fate. But if he chose to ignore it, that was fine too.


    Given the current situation, Shu Pan had concealed everything well. She probably didn¡¯t want Gu Shaoting to find out.


    ¡°Oh, her matters have nothing to do with me anymore,¡± Gu Shaoting concealed any unusual emotions and said indifferently.


    ¡°True, you¡¯re engaged now, and it doesn¡¯t seem right to care about your ex-wife. Forget I mentioned it,¡± He Ming went along with his words, then made a zipper motion near his mouth with his hand. ¡°Get lost¡­¡± Gu Shaoting looked at him, tempted to kick him..

 Chapter 136 - 136: Concealing

    Chapter 136: Concealing


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    He Ming looked at Gu Shaoting¡¯s expression, which seemed a mix of annoyance and embarrassment, and he had a vague feeling that something was amiss.


    ¡°Where did you run into her?¡± Gu Shaoting asked further.


    ¡°On the roadside¡­¡± He Ming deliberately tried to irritate him. It was rare for Gu Shaoting to ask for a favor.


    Gu Shaoting, with a stoic expression, gave him the address.


    Gu Shaoting made a mental note of the address.


    Shu Pan looked at Ye Xiaomeng with some surprise. It was a miracle to see her so early in the morning at her ce.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on? Why did youe over so early?¡± Shu Pan looked puzzled, seeing Ye Xiaomeng in crumpled clothes.


    ¡°Just avoiding bad luck,¡± Ye Xiaomeng¡¯s words left Shu Pan puzzled.


    ¡°Where did you and Joy go so early?¡± Ye Xiaomeng quickly changed the subject, afraid that Shu Pan might continue to ask about her own situation.


    ¡°We went out to buy breakfast. Joy wanted to have some pancakes. Why don¡¯t you join us?¡± Shu Pan turned to the kitchen to get some utensils.


    ¡°Joy, can you share some pancakes with your godmother?¡± Ye Xiaomeng pretended to be pitiful and asked Joy.


    ¡°Sure, Joy will share with godmother,¡± Joy generously agreed.


    ¡°Thank you, sweetheart. Godmother will take you out for a big meal this weekend,¡± Ye Xiaomeng kissed Joy and made the promise.


    ¡°Don¡¯t spoil her,¡± Shu Pan teased when she heard that.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, I want to spoil little Princess Joy,¡± Ye Xiaomeng had some regrets in her heart. She wanted to pamper Joy to the fullest.


    Suddenly, she remembered something and hastily said goodbye to Shu Pan.


    Then she quickly found the nearest pharmacy and bought an emergency contraceptive pill. Without water, she swallowed it, feeling the bitterness of the pill from her mouth to her throat, making her almost want to vomit.


    But she had learned from her experience and knew she wouldn¡¯t make the same mistake again.


    He Ming had been trying to contact Ye Xiaomeng for the past few days, but his calls were always rejected, and his messages went unanswered.


    He Ming was getting frustrated, pacing back and forth in Gu Shaoting¡¯s office.


    ¡°Can you stop? You¡¯re making my head spin,¡± Gu Shaoting rubbed his forehead. He felt that He Ming had been acting like a restless animaltely, a bit manic. ¡°No, I get even more frustrated when I stop,¡± He Ming refused directly.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on? Where¡¯s your forest now?¡± Gu Shaoting teased.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been interested in a girltely, but she won¡¯t answer my calls,¡± He Ming was getting irritated.


    ¡°You know where she lives, right? Wait for her like a patient hunter,¡± Gu Shaoting suggested. He was an impartial observer in this matter.


    ¡°Right, that¡¯s a good idea. It¡¯s the weekend tomorrow, she doesn¡¯t have to work. I¡¯ll wait downstairs in her building. I don¡¯t believe she won¡¯t leave the house,¡± He Ming thought this was a brilliant n.


    ¡°Finally, I won¡¯t have to deal with you hovering around me,¡± Gu Shaoting sighed in relief.


    But what about his own problems? Since he had found out where Shu Pan lived, he had been hesitating. He wanted to see her, but what would he say to her? And Tong Fei was clinging to him.


    He felt like he was sick. All he could think of now was Shu Pan. He had no interest in that aspect with Tong Fei, no matter how much she tried to seduce him. He felt a strong aversion inside.


    The more he thought about it, the more depressed he became¡­


    With Gu Shaoting¡¯s guidance, He Ming got up the next day and drove to Shu Pan¡¯s building.


    He first tried calling Ye Xiaomeng, but as usual, there was no answer.


    He was at a loss, so he decided to wait downstairs and try his luck.


    In theory, there were plenty of young and beautiful women out there, but that one night had left a deep impression on him. Ye Xiaomeng had a unique charm that just happened to suit his taste perfectly. He could never win her..

 Chapter 137 - 137: Waiting

    Chapter 137: Waiting


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    He Ming sat in the car, patiently waiting. He had never done anything like this before.


    After a while, while he was debating whether to continue waiting, he saw Ye Xiaomeng with a little girl, who happily bounced out.


    Ye Xiaomeng said something to the little girl, and the little oneughed heartily.


    Seeing Ye Xiaomeng¡¯s expression, so gentle and different from her attitude toward him, he quickly started the car and caught up with them.


    ¡°Hey, prettydies, where are you heading? Get in, I¡¯ll be your driver,¡± He Ming was casually friendly, with a yful smile.


    Ye Xiaomeng ignored him and continued walking with Joy.


    But He Ming wasn¡¯t discouraged. He slowly followed them.


    Finally, when Ye Xiaomeng noticed the curious nces from passersby, she had to stop and angrily asked He Ming, ¡°What are you doing now? Didn¡¯t we agree that that night was just a dream? As a grown man, why are you still so persistent?¡±


    Ye Xiaomeng had said enough to make him understand her intentions.


    ¡°What do you mean, ¡®just a dream¡¯? That night, you wed my back until it turned red, and it still hurts now. I was¡­¡± He Ming had a somewhat submissive expression, making Ye Xiaomeng want to stomp her foot.


    ¡°Can you be any more shameless?¡± Ye Xiaomeng red at him. ¡°What do you want?¡±


    Ye Xiaomeng really didn¡¯t want to get involved in a new rtionship. After being betrayed by Cheng Yang, the pain was deeply ingrained in her heart, and it still ached to this day.


    ¡°Get in, I¡¯ll take you both out for a big meal,¡± He Ming said sincerely, looking at them with pitiful eyes.


    ¡°Alright, why not? If someone wants to treat us, why would I refuse?¡± Ye Xiaomeng replied straightforwardly.


    ¡°Little Princess Joy, this uncle will take us out for a big meal,¡± Ye Xiaomeng lifted Joy into the car.


    ¡°Godmother¡­¡± Joy was a bit scared when she saw a stranger.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid, Joy. He¡¯s a friend of godmother¡¯s,¡± Ye Xiaomengforted her, then got into the car herself.


    ¡°Hello, little beauty. I¡¯m Uncle He. Let¡¯s be friends,¡± He Ming extended a friendly hand to Joy.


    He Ming was already convinced that Joy was Gu Shaoting¡¯s daughter because she had been with Shu Pan that day and bore a striking resemnce to Gu


    Shaoting. Now, up close, she looked even more like him. Suddenly, he envied Gu Shaoting. If Joy really was Shu Pan¡¯s child, how would Gu Shaoting react?


    ¡°You¡¯re godmother¡¯s friend, so you¡¯re my friend too,¡± Joy¡¯s words made He Mingugh.


    As it turned out, Ye Xiaomeng was a good friend of Shu Pan¡¯s. Otherwise, her daughter wouldn¡¯t call Ye Xiaomeng ¡°godmother.¡± The world was indeed small, and they had crossed paths in this unexpected way.


    However, He Ming found himself in a dilemma. In the future, when it came to important matters, should he support Gu Shaoting or Shu Pan?


    The car arrived at a well-known restaurant in Bin City. While they were eating, He Ming noticed Ye Xiaomeng arranging food for Joy. He strangely found himself yearning for this kind of life¡ªa happy family eating together, so warm and cozy.


    ¡°Xiaomeng, let¡¯s consider ourselves friends. Why didn¡¯t you answer my calls?¡± He Ming took the opportunity to ask.


    ¡°I don¡¯t pick up calls from strangers,¡± Ye Xiaomeng replied. She actually recognized his messages, but she didn¡¯t want to engage with him.


    Seeing his handsome appearance and suave demeanor, she knew that such a man had no shortage of beautiful women. After her experience with Cheng Yang, who had cheated on her despite their long rtionship, she had lost trust in men. Therefore, she intended to keep her distance from him..

 Chapter 138 - 138: The Picture

    Chapter 138: The Picture


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    ¡°I¡¯m really sincere. Is there something I did wrong?¡± He Ming couldn¡¯t understand why Ye Xiaomeng was so averse to him.


    ¡°No, it¡¯s my issue,¡± Ye Xiaomeng¡¯s words finally reassured him. It wasn¡¯t that she was averse to him specifically. It was her attitude toward all men.


    Watching Joy eat with relish, He Ming¡¯s heart softened.


    Taking advantage of their inattention, he took a photo of Joy with his phone.


    Having spent some time with Joy, he now understood how challenging Shu Pan¡¯s life must be. Taking care of a child was truly not easy.


    ¡°Joy is your friend¡¯s daughter, right? She¡¯s so cute, and she looks like her mom,¡± He Ming pretended to ask Ye Xiaomeng.


    ¡°Yes, and only that fool Shu Pan wouldn¡¯t care about anything. She couldn¡¯t even take care of herself, yet she had Joy. There was a time when she was really pushed to the brink. Even now, she lives frugally and often works overtime on weekends to earn money. But Joy looks just like her dad. They say having a daughter who looks like her dad is good fortune. Well, I haven¡¯t seen any of that ¡®good fortune¡¯ yet,¡± Ye Xiaomeng fumed whenever Gu Shaoting was mentioned.


    He Ming didn¡¯t dare to say anything. He acted as if he knew nothing because he hadn¡¯t gained Ye Xiaomeng¡¯s trust yet. Mentioning Gu Shaoting would likely onlyplicate things further.


    During a lull, He Ming sent the photo to Gu Shaoting, informing him that this was Shu Pan¡¯s daughter. He didn¡¯t know how Gu Shaoting would react, but he believed that Joy needed her father, and Shu Pan wouldn¡¯t be too burdened then.


    For a long time, there was no response from Gu Shaoting.


    In fact, Gu Shaoting wasn¡¯t ignoring the message. From the moment he received the photo, he was stunned. He never expected Shu Pan to have a child. Had she remarried?


    He stared at the photo, almost as if he could see something through it. The more he looked at it, the more familiar it became. Eventually, he realized that the child resembled him.


    At that moment, he couldn¡¯t sit still. He took a deep breath and immediately called Secretary Zhang. Secretary Zhang answered quickly, ¡°Mr. Gu, what can I help you with?¡±


    ¡°Find out about Shu Pan and her daughter. Send me their detailed information tomorrow,¡± Gu Shaoting said and hung up the phone.


    Secretary Zhang was perplexed, holding the phone, unable to regain hisposure. He had no idea what Gu Shaoting was up to. Shu Pan was his former wife, right? Weren¡¯t they divorced already? Now Mr. Gu was asking him to investigate Shu Pan and her daughter? Had she remarried and had another child?


    He was confused by the intricate rtionships. Did Mr. Gu still have lingering feelings for his former wife? No matter how hard Secretary Zhang thought, he couldn¡¯t figure it out.


    Finally, he sighed and epted his fate, going to handle the task Mr. Gu had assigned.


    Gu Shaoting sat in his office chair, his posture unchanged. He silently looked at the photo of the child. Was this really his daughter with Shu Pan?


    Back then, he had definitely given Shu Pan birth control pills. Why had she still be pregnant?


    He touched the photo of the child, his fingers tracing her eyes, nose, and mouth, and his heart softened.


    The next afternoon, he got the answer he had anticipated. Just as he suspected, the child was indeed his daughter with Shu Pan. He felt a mixture of excitement and anger.


    He immediately dialed Shu Pan¡¯s phone number.


    When Shu Pan saw the iing call, the number seemed somewhat familiar yet unfamiliar. Without thinking much, she answered the call. But when Gu Shaoting introduced himself, an inexplicable nervousness welled up in her heart..

 Chapter 139 - 139: Meeting

    Chapter 139: Meeting


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    ¡°Miss Shu, I have something I need to discuss with you. Please choose a ce,¡± Gu Shaoting said, and for some reason, he felt quite excited when saying this. However, he deliberately lowered his voice to maintain a cold and stern appearance.


    ¡°What is it? We don¡¯t have much to talk about,¡± Shu Pan became alert.


    ¡°Are you sure? Let¡¯s meet first. Choose a location,¡± Gu Shaoting insisted, and it was clear that this meeting was non-negotiable.


    Shu Pan knew that when Gu Shaoting had decided on something, there was no room for refusal. She reluctantly chose a nearby caf¨¦, thinking that this environment would be conducive to a conversation.


    Being close by, Shu Pan arrived at the caf¨¦ first. She took a seat by the window, pondering what Gu Shaoting might want to discuss. Soon after, Gu Shaoting entered.


    He had a poker face but walked with a confident stride, exuding an aura of severity.


    Gu Shaoting walked directly to the seat opposite Shu Pan. He was a man of efficiency and didn¡¯t waste any words. He pushed his phone toward Shu Pan without saying anything.


    ¡°Exin this. What¡¯s going on?¡± Gu Shaoting demanded.


    Shu Pan was initially taken aback, but she asked, ¡°What are you talking about? I don¡¯t understand.¡±


    Gu Shaoting pointed to the photo of the little girl on his phone and said, ¡°You recognize this little girl, right? There¡¯s no need for further exnation. She¡¯s also my daughter.¡±


    Shu Pan red at him, picked up her phone from the table, and tried to delete it.


    ¡°Miss Shu, do you think doing this will change the facts?¡± Gu Shaoting¡¯s words were like a bucket of cold water sshed onto Shu Pan.


    Shu Pan¡¯s lips turned pale, and she forced a smile. ¡°Mr. Gu, this child is mine.¡±


    ¡°Are you certain she¡¯s solely your child? Do we need to see a DNA test report? I can overlook your act of secretly having a child, but the child must be under my custody,¡± Gu Shaoting¡¯s words were as icy as his tone.


    ¡°Don¡¯t forget, you once told me to take birth control pills. You didn¡¯t want to have a child with me. Why do you want the child now?¡± Shu Pan¡¯s lips trembled in anger.


    ¡°That was then, this is now. The offspring of the Gu family must not remain outside,¡± Gu Shaoting¡¯s tone remained cold and indifferent.


    ¡°You have a fianc¨¦e now, and you can have children with her. I only have Joy.


    She¡¯s my precious one,¡± Shu Pan said, her voice quivering with tears.


    ¡°Considering you know thew, as long as I provide a DNA test report to the judge, although you have the right to contest custody, don¡¯t forget that you currently have a low ie and debts to repay. I don¡¯t believe someone who can barely support themselves financially can provide our child with a good upbringing and educational resources,¡± Gu Shaoting struck at the heart of the matter.


    ¡°Gu Shaoting.¡±


    ¡°If you agree to give me custody of the child, I willpensate you financially,¡± Gu Shaoting said generously.


    Shu Pan, although financially struggling, didn¡¯t have the confidence to utter such wealthy-sounding words. She took a deep breath and said, ¡°I don¡¯t need your money. I can¡¯t be separated from my daughter.¡±


    ¡°I also don¡¯t want my child to call someone else ¡®dad,¡¯¡± Gu Shaoting maintained his emotionless expression.


    Shu Pan gazed steadily at Gu Shaoting, as if seeking a glimmer of hope in his eyes. However, it seemed that she would be disappointed..

 Chapter 140 - 140: Uncompromising

    Chapter 140: Upromising


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Shu Pan couldn¡¯t imagine how she would go on if she lost Joy.


    ¡°Gu Shaoting, you will have other children in the future, but I only have this one precious child. I beg you, please don¡¯t fight for custody based on our past three years of marriage. If you want to see her, you can have more children at any time,¡± she pleaded, tears welling up in her eyes.


    Gu Shaoting¡¯s lips trembled for a moment, as if he wanted to say something.


    Then, he suddenly looked up at Shu Pan, who had just blurted out those words. ¡°All my hopes are pinned on Joy. Please don¡¯t be so cruel.¡±


    At this moment, her eyes were filled with tears, and for the first time, the usually stubborn Shu Pan yielded to Gu Shaoting.


    Gu Shaoting gazed silently at her, feeling like a mix of emotions had been stirred up within him.


    He looked at her tears and found it difficult to continue the conversation. It seemed too heartless.


    He didn¡¯t want to treat her this way in his heart, but he couldn¡¯tpromise on the custody of his daughter.


    She was his flesh and blood, and he couldn¡¯t just stand by. He wanted to give her the best life.


    He feared that if he continued talking, he might give in when he saw her tears.


    ¡°Consider this carefully. You¡¯re single, and if you were the judge, who would you grant custody to? Can you provide the child with a stable home?¡± Gu Shaoting softened his tone considerably.


    ¡°Then if I remarry and provide a stable home, would you give up custody?¡± Shu Pan asked, tears in her eyes, forgetting herself.


    ¡°I hope you¡¯re not saying something foolish. I won¡¯t give up,¡± Gu Shaoting stood up, sounding uneasy at the mention of her remarrying.


    Shu Pan wanted to say more, but Gu Shaoting interrupted with a final, ¡°Think about it,¡± and left his seat.


    Shu Pan watched his retreating figure, feeling like he was running away.


    Gu Shaoting didn¡¯t go straight home. Instead, he drove to Joy¡¯s kindergarten.


    When he arrived, the kindergarten children were ying on the yground.


    He carefully observed, and as if by telepathy, Joy happened to look in his direction at that moment. He was overwhelmed with excitement, a feeling that couldn¡¯t bepared even to signing a major contract.


    His daughter was tall and slim, with outstanding facial features. Her eyes were bright and lively, her nose petite, and she had two small braids. When she smiled, her eyes narrowed into thin lines. The only drawback was the slightly worn-out dress she was wearing.


    Yet, no matter how he looked at her, Joy was the most beautiful child in the kindergarten.


    He believed that his daughter deserved the best, and this conviction only grew stronger.


    With reluctance, he tore his gaze away from Joy and left the kindergarten.


    Back at the office, he immediately called He Ming.


    ¡°I want custody of Joy. I can¡¯t let my child live in that kind of environment,¡± Gu Shaoting went straight to the point.


    ¡°But the child has been living with Shu Pan for so long, and she can¡¯t be separated from her mother. Also, you¡¯re married to Tong Fei now. Are you sure Tong Fei won¡¯t mind when she finds out about Shu Pan¡¯s daughter? Women can be quite sensitive, and not many would ept such a situation,¡± He Ming thought Gu Shaoting might be overlooking this aspect.


    If Tong Fei knew that Shu Pan had a daughter with Gu Shaoting, who knew what would happen?


    ¡°Joy is my daughter, and she should learn to ept it,¡± Gu Shaoting nned to meet with Tong Feiter to exin everything..

 Chapter 141 - 141: Surprise

    Chapter 141: Surprise


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Shu Pan picked up Joy from kindergarten and on their way home, Joy excitedly shared her day at school, but Shu Pan seemed somewhat distracted. She wanted to ask Joy if she wanted to see her dad. If she could only choose one person, would it be her dad or her mom? But she couldn¡¯t bring herself to ask.


    When they got back home, Wen Chi called Shu Pan. ¡°Pan, you didn¡¯t answer my call earlier. Is everything okay?¡±


    Shu Pan¡¯s voice was subdued as she replied, ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry, I didn¡¯t hear it. What¡¯s up?¡± Wen Chi could tell something was wrong.


    ¡°Don¡¯t say it¡¯s nothing. I can hear it in your voice,¡± Wen Chi said, sensing Shu


    Pan¡¯s unease.


    After a moment of hesitation, Shu Pan finally revealed the truth to Wen Chi, ¡°Joy¡¯s dad knows about her now, and he wants custody of Joy.¡±


    ¡°What gives him the right? Just because he contributed a sperm? How can he have the audacity to say such things?¡± Wen Chi couldn¡¯t believe the audacity of Joy¡¯s father.


    ¡°He might take legal action to fight for custody, Chi, what should I do?¡± Shu Pan felt helpless.


    ¡°Pan, why don¡¯t we get married? That way, we can give Joy aplete family, and even if it goes to court, the judge might be on your side. I¡¯ll treat Joy as my own,¡± Wen Chi suggested, and his deepest wish was to marry Shu Pan.


    ¡°Don¡¯t talk nonsense. Auntie hasn¡¯t fully epted our rtionship yet, and if something like this happens, it will be even harder for her to understand,¡± Shu


    Pan rejected the idea.


    ¡°I¡¯ll try to persuade my mom and give her some time.¡±


    ¡°Okay, Chi. Thank you.¡±


    One evening, Gu Shaoting picked up Tong Fei for dinner. Tong Fei was thrilled because Gu Shaoting hadn¡¯t asked her out for a long time.


    She had just finished a magazine shoot, and Gu Shaoting was already waiting for her in the car. As soon as she settled in, the car was already in motion.


    During the meal, Gu Shaoting ordered a variety of dishes. ¡°Take a look and see what you like.¡±


    ¡°Enough, you know my stomach is tiny,¡± Tong Fei stopped him.


    ¡°Tong Fei, Shu Pan and I have a three-year-old daughter named Joy. I want custody of her,¡± Gu Shaoting dropped the bombshell on Tong Fei without warning.


    ¡°What? A child?¡± Tong Fei asked in astonishment.


    ¡°You have a daughter?¡± Tong Fei repeated, finding it hard to ept.


    ¡°Shaoting, if you like kids, we can have our own after we get married. Let Shu Pan raise this child, can¡¯t we?¡± Tong Fei didn¡¯t think Gu Shaoting cared much for children.


    ¡°That¡¯s my daughter, and I want to give her the best. If we get married, I hope you¡¯ll treat her as your own,¡± Gu Shaoting told Tong Fei.


    Tong Fei still couldn¡¯t believe what she was hearing and struggled toe to terms with the news.


    She had to wonder about Shu Pan¡¯s motives. Why did she secretly have a child, and why did Gu Shaoting only discover it now? Did she want to reunite her family?


    Their rtionship with Gu Shaoting was already on shaky ground, and this new revtion only added to the instability.


    However, she couldn¡¯t show her true feelings. She forced a smile and nodded politely, but deep down, she was seething with anger.


    Why did this unexpected turn of events happen when she thought she had found happiness?


    She thought, ¡°Shu Pan, you won¡¯t make me suffer without consequences. Just you wait.¡±


    Gu Shaoting observed Tong Fei¡¯s expression and knew that she was trying to hide her true feelings. His expression turned serious..

 Chapter 142 - 142: Showdown

    Chapter 142: Showdown


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Gu Shaoting and Tong Fei each had their thoughts, and they both fell silent, focusing on their meal. Gu Shaoting¡¯s mind often wandered to the adorable little Joy and Shu Pan.


    Tong Fei¡¯s face seemed somewhat blurry.


    After dinner, Gu Shaoting dropped Tong Fei off at her home. He felt troubled and decided to call He Ming to go for a drink.


    ¡°Where are you? Come out for a drink,¡± Gu Shaoting assumed He Ming would agree.


    To his surprise, He Ming declined, his voice fluctuating over the phone. ¡°Ting, it¡¯s not a good time right now. We¡¯ll talkter.¡±


    He Ming hung up after speaking.


    Gu Shaoting looked at the disconnected call, feeling puzzled. He pondered for a moment and unconsciously drove to Shu Pan¡¯s building. As he looked at the location, his heart softened.


    Wen Chi returned home to find his mother busy. He went over to help, and Mrs. Wen gave him a strange look.


    She thought, ¡°What¡¯s going on today? Being so attentive for no apparent reason.¡±


    In her puzzlement, Wen Chi cautiously began, ¡°Mom, Shu Pan is really a good girl. I want to date her with the intention of marriage.¡±


    Upon hearing this, Mrs. Wen dropped the cloth she was holding onto the table heavily.


    She thought that by not mentioning it recently, Wen Chi had understood her stance and wouldn¡¯t bring it up again. But his feelings had remained unchanged all along.


    If Wen Chi were to marry Shu Pan, how would others see him, how would they view their family?


    Mrs. Wen didn¡¯t speak, and Wen Chi, noticing her solemn expression, continued, ¡°Mom, I hope you understand. I truly like Shu Pan, and her daughter Joy is really adorable.¡±


    ¡°What did she feed you, a love potion that¡¯s made you infatuated with her day in and day out?¡± Mrs. Wen¡¯s anger grew at the thought.


    ¡°In any case, I don¡¯t agree.¡±


    Wen Chi, worried about her high blood pressure, didn¡¯t want to upset her further. He hugged her and said, ¡°Okay, okay, I won¡¯t say anything more.¡± Mrs. Wen looked at Wen Chi and felt that he had be obsessed.


    The next day at noon, Mrs. Wen brought a handbag to Shu Pan¡¯spany building just as work was ending. She called Shu Pan, hoping to have a conversation with her.


    The moment Shu Pan received the call, her heart skipped a beat. She didn¡¯t expect Mrs. Wen to reach out to her.


    She quickly packed her things and came out. They sat down at a restaurant to the left of thepany¡¯s entrance.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. I came to see you this time, and I think you know why. I hope you can break up with Wen Chi. You two aren¡¯t a good match,¡± Mrs. Wen got straight to the point. She didn¡¯t want to beat around the bush.


    ¡°Auntie, is this about Joy, my daughter?¡± Shu Pan responded calmly.


    ¡°That¡¯s one reason. Besides, we hope that Wen Chi can marry someone from an appropriate family. Shu Pan, this society is very practical, and we live under the scrutiny of others.¡±


    ¡°Wen Chi has been outstanding since childhood, and he doesn¡¯t need my worry. His father and I have high hopes for him. Auntie, I hope you can understand and consider separating from him.¡±


    Mrs. Wen¡¯s words pierced Shu Pan¡¯s heart like needles. She knew this oue was expected, and she truly appreciated his efforts, but she couldn¡¯t ignore his mother¡¯s feelings.


    A love that wasn¡¯t blessed was not happiness.


    ¡°Auntie, I understand,¡± Shu Pan replied softly..

 Chapter 143 - 143: Jealousy

    Chapter 143: Jealousy


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    ¡°Pan, Auntie knows you¡¯re a good girl, but you and Wen Chi really aren¡¯t a good match. Auntie hopes you can understand my motherly love,¡± Mrs. Wen spoke in a gentler tone.


    Shu Pan nodded but felt a deep sense of difort.


    Back at home, Wen Chi happened to arrive.


    ¡°Pan, get Joy ready. I¡¯m taking you both out for dinner at a friend¡¯s restaurant,¡± Wen Chi announced with a cheerful smile.


    Pretending like everything was normal, Shu Pan looked at Wen Chi, feeling torn inside. She knew she was about to disappoint him.


    Wen Chi and Shu Pan came out with Joy, appearing to be a lovely and harmonious family in the eyes of outsiders.


    This was particrly true for Gu Shaoting, who had been spending time near


    Shu Pan¡¯s building, observing them from a distance whenever he had a chance.


    Today was no exception, and he intended to take a quick look and then leave. However, to his surprise, he saw Shu Paning out with another man, holding hands with Joy. The man was the same person he had encountered at the caf¨¦.


    Gu Shaoting frowned deeply, his expression stormy as if a tempest was approaching.


    He watched them get into a car and followed their direction, his heart feeling like it was crawling with thousands of ants. He was ufortable.


    Seeing the three of them entering a restaurant, the man holding Joy, and Joy hugging him, whispering something in his ear, both of themughing, Gu Shaoting was consumed with jealousy. That was his privilege, and he couldn¡¯t understand why someone else was taking his ce. Seeing them so happy, he felt a burning difort.


    He knew this difort was jealousy. He wanted to rece that man.


    Late that night, unable to resist, Gu Shaoting called Shu Pan.


    When the call was picked up, he remained silent, his ears perking up to listen for any other sounds or movements on the other end of the line.


    Seeing that it was his call, Shu Pan¡¯s initial reaction was to hang up. However, she knew he was the type who wouldn¡¯t give up easily, so reluctantly, she pressed the answer button.


    ¡°What is it, Mr. Gu?¡± Shu Pan¡¯s tone was as calm as water, as if the person on the other end was a stranger.


    Mr. Gu¡ªthe address stung Gu Shaoting¡¯s nerves.


    ¡°Shu Pan, you¡¯re just the same as before, skilled at pursuing men, aren¡¯t you?


    Found a new man so quickly, thinking of finding a father for my daughter?¡± Gu Shaoting¡¯s words dripped with sarcasm.


    ¡°Gu Shaoting, are you insane? We¡¯ve already divorced. What I do is none of your business.¡± Shu Pan had heard much worse words, faced much greater hardships, so these words meant nothing to her.


    ¡°Shu Pan, you better think carefully. I won¡¯t give up Joy¡¯s custody. Don¡¯t do something foolish; the consequences are something you can¡¯t bear,¡± Gu Shaoting¡¯s voice turned frosty.


    Shu Pan ¡°hehe¡± chuckled twice on her end, as if she had heard a joke.


    What consequences could she not bear? She had already endured the worst. ¡°Then you go ahead and see if I can bear it or not. If you push too far, we can all go down together,¡± Shu Pan suddenly said ruthlessly. She had nothing left to lose, and she would go all the way, even if it meant risking her life.


    Gu Shaoting was taken aback by her harsh words. In his memory, Shu Pan had always been gentle and wouldn¡¯t be this cold now.


    He didn¡¯t realize that a cornered dog would jump over the wall. The current Shu Pan felt like she had nothing left to lose. If he insisted, she would go down with him, even if it cost her life..

 Chapter 144 - 144: Dare Not Admit It

    Chapter 144: Dare Not Admit It


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Gu Shaoting¡¯s face instantly darkened.


    He thought Shu Pan now had a strong backing and was speaking with confidence.


    He pictured herughing and chatting with that man, her eyes filled with a light-hearted smile while treating him coldly.


    ¡°I¡¯d like to meet Joy. Please arrange a time whenever it¡¯s convenient,¡± Gu Shaoting¡¯s tone shifted as he expressed his desire to see Joy.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know how to exin it to her yet. Gu Shaoting, our life is quite peaceful now. Why do you want to disrupt it?¡± Shu Pan took a deep breath.


    ¡°She¡¯s my daughter, and you should¡¯ve known she¡¯d bear my name when you gave birth to her,¡± Gu Shaoting¡¯s words were devoid of warmth.


    ¡°Are you sure you genuinely want a child? Don¡¯t forget you had me take birth control pills. Do you know those pills have side effects? Where were you when I was pregnant, or when our child was sick? Now you suddenly want a child?¡± Shu Pan grew more and more furious. She found his behavior utterly unreasonable.


    Gu Shaoting¡¯s grip on his phone tightened. ¡°You didn¡¯t tell me you were pregnant¡­¡±


    ¡°If I tell you, and there¡¯ll be no Joy. You can pretend not to know. If you still have a conscience, please spare us,¡± Shu Pan said with no energy left to argue.


    ¡°Never.¡± Gu Shaoting¡¯s words had just fallen when he hung up the phone.


    Gu Shaoting was left panting angrily. He was furious, as he had never realized that Shu Pan could be so outspoken.


    Shu Pany on her bed, pondering their past, sighing repeatedly. She wondered how she could have fallen for such a despicable person.


    In fact, she knew that when Joy followed him, their life was morefortable, unlike their current situation. However, would Tong Fei treat Joy well? Certainly not, she knew how deep Tong Fei¡¯s hatred for her ran.


    Shu Pan eventually drifted off to sleep in a daze.


    Lately, Ye Xiaomeng had been pestered by He Ming. No matter how much she scowled at him, he acted as if he couldn¡¯t see it. She had never encountered someone with such thick skin.


    ¡°Where¡¯s Little Princess Joy? Haven¡¯t seen her aroundtely,¡± He Ming had been secretly envious of Gu Shaoting. Joy had appeared out of nowhere, while he wondered why he wasn¡¯t that fortunate.


    ¡°She¡¯s at school. Lately, Shu Pan¡¯s been looking after her. She was suddenly bitten by her deadbeat father,¡± the disgust in Ye Xiaomeng¡¯s tone was palpable.


    He Ming¡¯s heart sank. He didn¡¯t dare reveal that he knew Joy¡¯s ¡°deadbeat father.¡±


    ¡°Oh, what happened between Shu Pan and Joy¡¯s dad?¡± He Ming pretended not to know Gu Shaoting.


    ¡°He¡¯s a jerk, that¡¯s the verdict. Seeing someone like him makes me want to punch them. Always.¡± Ye Xiaomeng spoke through gritted teeth.


    He Ming silently cursed Gu Shaoting for dragging him into this situation. If Ye Xiaomeng ever found out he was friends with Gu Shaoting¡­


    He Ming massaged his temples with his hand, feeling a headacheing on.


    ¡°Hey, don¡¯t you have work? Why do you keeping over here?¡± Ye Xiaomeng gave He Ming a puzzled look.


    ¡°Work isn¡¯t as important as you. I¡¯m not busy.¡± He Ming quickly assured her.


    ¡°Smooth talker. Just get to work,¡± Ye Xiaomeng was exasperated. He Ming¡¯s shamelessness surpassed all bounds.


    ¡°I¡¯d rather keep youpany,¡± He Ming insisted.


    Ye Xiaomeng couldn¡¯t help but roll her eyes. However, because of He Ming¡¯s relentless pursuit, her pain over cutting ties with Cheng Yang had been reduced somewhat, though it was unintentional.


    Cheng Yang still called asionally, but Ye Xiaomeng had already blocked him. If they couldn¡¯t be together, it was better to let go and start new lives, finally leaving the past behind..

 Chapter 145 - 145: A Long-term Plan

    Chapter 145: A Long-term n


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Gu Shaoting had been feeling overwhelmed recently. He was at a loss, both anxious and frustrated with Shu Pan. However, he couldn¡¯t resort to legal action, as it might escte the situation and leave no room forpromise.


    He had to consider He Ming¡¯s advice. After all, outsiders often had a clearer perspective.


    ¡°What should I do? No matter what I say, Shu Pan remains unresponsive. I haven¡¯t even formally met Joy yet. It¡¯s as if Shu Pan is guarding against me like a thief. Should I really send a demand letter?¡± Gu Shaoting was troubled.


    ¡°No, Brother Ting, if you genuinely want to establish a connection with Joy, don¡¯t offend Shu Pan. The little girl has been with her mother all her life. If you mistreat her mother, she won¡¯t give you a warm wee either,¡± He Ming exined the intricacies of the situation.


    He Ming had his own reasons for this advice; he was worried that if Gu Shaoting offended Shu Pan, Ye Xiaomeng would be upset once she found out about their rtionship.


    ¡°Just keep engaging with them. Over time, she will be moved, but the key is to maintain a good and sincere attitude,¡± He Ming earnestly advised.


    ¡°Alright, it¡¯s gettingte. I¡¯ll head back to the Gu Family¡¯s mansion today,¡± Gu


    When Gu Shaoting returned to the Gu Family¡¯s mansion, the living room was brightly lit. Song Can was watching TV in the living room, and Tong Fei had juste out of the kitchen when she heard themotion.


    ¡°Wee back, have you had dinner?¡± Tong Fei inquired, but Gu Shaoting didn¡¯t respond and went straight to his bedroom to take a shower.


    Tong Fei felt uneasy, not knowing what had happened. She looked at Song Can, hoping to get some information from her. However, Song Can shrugged her shoulders, indicating that she didn¡¯t know what was going on either.


    The two women exchanged nces, and Tong Fei silently sat down next to Song Can. Since the day Gu Shaoting had told her about his daughter with Shu Pan, she had been restless.


    ¡°Feifei, what¡¯s wrong? You seem lost in thought,¡± Song Can noticed that Tong Fei seemed off and asked with concern.


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing, I¡¯m just thinking about work. Auntie, there are many new arrivalstely. We should find some time to check them out,¡± Tong Fei managed a weak smile.


    ¡°Is Shaoting very busy these days? Have you two been meeting frequently recently?¡± Song Can raised an eyebrow as Tong Fei changed the topic.


    ¡°Not muchtely. We¡¯re both busy,¡± Tong Fei replied. In reality, they hadn¡¯t met since the day they had talked, and Gu Shaoting had revealed that he had a daughter. The more she thought about it, the more anxious she became. So, she hade to the Gu Family¡¯s mansion today to see Song Can¡¯s reaction. Based on her expression, Gu Shaoting likely hadn¡¯t told her yet.


    She decided not to say anything. ording to Song Can¡¯s thinking, she wouldn¡¯t allow the Gu family¡¯s flesh and blood to be left outside.


    As she was lost in thought, Gu Shaoting came out in casual clothing, his hair still wet. Grandpa Gu had been sulking for a while due to Gu Shaoting¡¯s divorce. Recently, he had gone to stay at his uncle¡¯s house to avoid seeing them. Gu Shaoting had no choice but to let him be, asionally visiting when he had the time.


    Gu Shaoting sat down on the sofa, nced at Song Can and Tong Fei, and then spoke with determination, ¡°I want custody of Joy. I hope you both understand that she is my daughter.¡±


    ¡°Joy? Your daughter? What daughter?¡± Song Can was bewildered and couldn¡¯t grasp the situation.


    ¡°Shu Pan was pregnant at the time, andter, after our divorce, she gave birth to a daughter,¡± Gu Shaoting exined to Song Can..

 Chapter 146 - 146: So It’s Your Daughter

    Chapter 146: So It¡¯s Your Daughter


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Song Can was genuinely stunned by Gu Shaoting¡¯s words and took a long time to regain herposure.


    ¡°You have a daughter with Shu Pan? It¡¯s unbelievable. Where is the child?¡± Song Can eagerly asked, wanting to see the child as soon as possible.


    ¡°Along with her mother,¡± Gu Shaoting said matter-of-factly.


    Song Can¡¯s frown deepened, and she eximed, ¡°How can we leave the care of a child from the Gu family to an outsider?¡±


    At the same time, while saying this, she noticed Tong Fei sitting next to her. Tong Fei had a heavy expression and didn¡¯t utter a word. Song Can thought, ¡°This is not good. In front of Tong Fei, who would want to be a stepmother?¡±


    ¡°Mom, she¡¯s the child¡¯s mother after all. Let¡¯s take it slowly, you mustn¡¯t act recklesslv,¡± Gu Shaotinq worried that Sonq Can might mess evervthinq up.


    Given Song Can¡¯s personality, she was capable of anything.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I understand. Do you have any pictures of the child? I¡¯d like to see,¡± Song Can said, not letting go of the topic about the child.


    Gu Shaoting opened his phone¡¯s gallery, selected a photo, and handed it to Song Can.


    Taking the photo, Song Can examined it closely. ¡°Oh, isn¡¯t this the little girl I bumped into at the mall that day? At the time, I thought she looked a lot like you. It turns out she¡¯s your daughter. What a remarkable coincidence,¡± Song Can couldn¡¯t help but marvel at destiny¡¯s arrangement.


    She was extremely happy inside, but she maintained a calm demeanor.


    Tong Fei, seeing their reactions, felt a wave of fear in her heart. She was worried that all her previous efforts would be in vain.


    After a long pause, she spoke in despair, ¡°Shaoting, let¡¯s recognize Joy a bitter, alright?¡± She suddenly grabbed Gu Shaoting¡¯s hand tightly and continued, ¡°Let¡¯s get married.¡±


    She didn¡¯t even dare to ask if he had fallen in love with Shu Pan or why he was so concerned about the child. She had never seen him care so much about a child.


    Gu Shaoting looked at her, furrowing his brow, and his eyes turned icy.


    ¡°Let¡¯s discuss marriageter,¡± Gu Shaoting¡¯s tone was cold. He had no mental capacity for discussing marriage at the moment. More importantly, he seemed to genuinely reject the idea of marrying Tong Fei.


    Tong Fei was taken aback, but she had anticipated this response. She sat there like a statue, unmoving.


    Song Can was a woman of action. The next day, she quietly went to the kindergarten where Joy was enrolled. She ignored Gu Shaoting¡¯s advice. She wanted to see Joy as soon as possible.


    At the kindergarten¡¯s entrance, she stood on her tiptoes and strained to see inside.


    Because it was morning, the children were doing exercises on the yground. She nced multiple times and finally spotted Joy bouncing around in the middle. Her heart melted.


    She truly wanted to tell Joy, ¡°I¡¯m your grandmother,¡± but she held back to avoid scaring the child.


    Standing at the entrance, she couldn¡¯t get enough of watching Joy.


    Once back home, she immediately called Gu Shaoting. ¡°You should quickly contact Shu Pan and have Joy recognize her roots. Our Gu family¡¯s descendants shouldn¡¯t be left suffering outside.¡±


    She had a determined tone, and Gu Shaoting felt a headacheing on. ¡°Mom, didn¡¯t I tell you not to act recklessly?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with that? Joy is already a Gu by name. You need to handle this matter as soon as possible,¡± Song Can felt she couldn¡¯t wait any longer.


    She thanked her lucky stars that she finally had a granddaughter. She had been waiting for this day for too long. Originally, she had reservations about Shu Pan, but now, seeing Joy, she felt a sense of gratitude. She was thankful that Shu Pan had given birth to Joy..

 Chapter 147 - 147: Sick

    Chapter 147: Sick


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Shu Pan had been extra cautioustely because Gu Shaoting had learned about


    Joy¡¯s existence. She was afraid that Gu Shaoting might suddenly take Joy away. So, from going to school toing back home, she took matters into her own hands and couldn¡¯t rx.


    In Bin City, October already brought a cool autumn breeze, with fallen leaves lightly dancing in the wind, making a soft ¡°crunch¡± under pedestrians¡¯ footsteps.


    Shu Pan was under pressure due to her busy work schedule and the stress had taken a toll on her. Eventually, she fell ill.


    One morning, she felt light-headed and her body felt weightless. Luckily, it was the weekend, so she didn¡¯t need to take Joy to kindergarten. She prepared some milk and boiled eggs for Joy in a daze.


    Then she told Joy to eat her breakfast and y with her toys, not to touch anything in the house, and not to open the door. If anything happened, she should call her.


    Seeing her mother¡¯s difort, Joy obediently nodded, and then let her mother rest in bed.


    Shu Pan was very unwell. She searched her medicine box for a packet of cold medicine, mixed it, and drank it. Afterward, shey in bed, feeling dizzy. Joy stood by the bed, holding her mother¡¯s hand, constantly calling her.


    Wen Chi was away for a two-month study program in another city, and Ye Xiaomeng had returned to her hometown to visit her parents. With no one to help take care of the child, Shu Pan had to rely on herself, struggling to manage everything.


    Lying in bed, Shu Pan felt alternately cold and hot, with no strength left in her body. She squinted her eyes, looked at Joy, and a wave of heartache washed over her. Then she drifted back to sleep.


    Suddenly, her mobile phone inside her bag rang. Shu Pan was still half-asleep, and Joy heard it. She opened her mother¡¯s bag, took out the phone, nced at her mother, who was still asleep, and tried not to wake her.


    Then she pressed the answer button on the phone, and her childish voice sounded, ¡°Hello, who are you looking for?¡±


    On the other end of the phone, Gu Shaoting paused. Why was there a child¡¯s voice, and looking at the phone, he confirmed that it was Shu Pan¡¯s number.


    Gu Shaoting raised an eyebrow, ¡°Is this Joy?¡±


    Gu Shaoting¡¯s voice was tender, unlike any time before.


    ¡°Uh-uh-uh¡­ my mom¡­ is sick, sleeping¡­¡± Joy spoke incoherently, but Gu Shaoting could roughly understand. Shu Pan was ill and asleep.


    ¡°Joy, don¡¯t be scared. Uncle is on his way now. Uncle will take your mom to see a doctor. Don¡¯t be afraid; stay at home and wait for Uncle.¡± After hanging up the phone, Gu Shaoting hurriedly drove to Shu Pan. All the way there, he was anxious at every red light.


    In her drowsy state, Shu Pan woke up briefly, feeling disoriented. She thought she heard the doorbell ring and felt puzzled about who could be ringing the doorbell.


    She struggled to sit up and unsteadily made her way to the door, opened it, and immediately felt her body go limp as the visitor swiftly caught her.


    ¡°Shu Pan, how are you?¡± Gu Shaoting held her, checking her forehead with his hand. It was burning hot. Shu Pan squinted and recognized him as Gu Shaoting before copsing.


    ¡°Mom, how are you?¡± Joy came out from her room, tugging at Shu Pan¡¯s clothes, crying.


    ¡°Joy, don¡¯t be afraid. Uncle is here. You stay with Uncle, and I¡¯ll take your mom to see the doctor.¡± Gu Shaotingforted Joy, watching her in tears. He felt a pang of sadness.


    He held Shu Pan, and with Joy by his side, he reached the car. He called He Ming to ask him toe and look after Joy. Shu Pan was sick..

 Chapter 148 - 148: Hospital

    Chapter 148: Hospital


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    After giving his instructions, Gu Shaoting drove to the nearest hospital. Upon arrival, he carried Shu Pan into the emergency room where a doctor examined her.


    When Shu Pan woke up, her mind was still in a foggy state. She opened her eyes and found herself surrounded by white walls. She was lying on a bed, and she could faintly smell the scent of medicines and disinfectants. Was this a hospital?


    She sat up abruptly, confirming that it was a hospital room. Her heart skipped a beat as she wondered about Joy¡¯s whereabouts. She scanned the room and saw a tall figure standing near the window with his back to her.


    As she hesitated about what to say, the figure turned around, and she was surprised to see that it was Gu Shaoting.


    Before she could express her concerns, Gu Shaoting had already approached her bedside and inquired, ¡°How are you feeling? Is there anything still bothering you?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m much better now. But where¡¯s Joy? Where is she?¡± Shu Pan asked anxiously.


    ¡°He Ming has taken her out. Hospitals are full of germs, you Imow. Today was quite dangerous. If I hadn¡¯t called, no one would have Imown you fell ill at home,¡± Gu Shaoting shivered at the thought.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been very busytely and exhausted. This has never happened before,¡± Shu Pan admitted, her voice subdued.


    ¡°Living as a single mother with a child is not easy. You can¡¯t provide her with a good living environment,¡± Gu Shaoting now had a lingering sense of concern.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, this won¡¯t happen again in the future,¡± Shu Pan retorted, shutting down any further argument.


    ¡°Are you hungry? I¡¯ll go buy you something to eat. Is there anything specific you¡¯d like?¡± Gu Shaoting changed the topic, deciding that she needed to rest now.


    Shu Pan shook her head, ¡°I¡¯m not in big trouble anymore. I can go hometer and pick up Joy.¡±


    Gu Shaoting furrowed his brow but remained silent. He left the room and returned shortly after, holding a bag. From the bag, he took out a bowl of in congee and ced it on a tray by the bedside.


    ¡°Hurry up and finish this bowl of congee, and then I¡¯ll take care of your discharge. If you don¡¯t listen to me, I won¡¯t bring Joy back,¡± Gu Shaoting warned.


    Shu Pan couldn¡¯t help but re at him for a moment but then obediently started eating the congee. Maybe it was because she hadn¡¯t eaten for a while, but she found it particrly delicious. As she ate, her stomach felt warm.


    One spoonful after another, she finished the bowl quickly. Watching Shu Pan¡¯s head bowing low over the empty bowl, Gu Shaoting couldn¡¯t help but smile with satisfaction.


    After finishing the congee, Shu Pan looked up at Gu Shaoting to signal that she had finished, expecting him to keep his promise.


    Gu Shaoting nced at her and then left the room. Shu Pan felt something unusual about Gu Shaoting¡¯s behavior today.


    Gu Shaotingpleted the discharge procedures and intended to pick her up. ¡°I can walk by myself,¡± Shu Pan told him, feeling embarrassed.


    ¡°Are you sure you can walk by yourself?¡± Gu Shaoting looked skeptical.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be fine,¡± Shu Pan replied. Although she was still somewhat unsteady on her feet, she was determined to walk.


    Gu Shaoting followed her, supporting Shu Pan as they made their way to the car. ¡°What about Joy? Did you have He Ming take her back home?¡± Shu Pan couldn¡¯t stop worrying about this.


    ¡°He Ming has already taken her back home. Don¡¯t worry.¡± Gu Shaoting


    reassured her. He could tell that her mind was solely focused on Joy..

 Chapter 149 - 149: You Are An Uncle

    Chapter 149: You Are An Uncle


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    When Gu Shaoting brought Shu Pan back home, they coincidentally met Joy downstairs.


    ¡°Mom, are you feeling better now? Please don¡¯t get sick. I got so scared,¡± Joy, upon seeing Shu Pan, rushed to embrace her. She had been greatly frightened today.


    ¡°Sweetie, don¡¯t be scared. Mommy is all better now,¡± Shu Pan held her daughter and silently vowed to be more careful and look after herself in the future.


    ¡°Mom, today, the uncle brought you to the hospital¡­¡± Joy began to say. ¡°Mom knows, my love. Let¡¯s go back home,¡± Shu Pan said and led Joy inside.


    Gu Shaoting followed them into the apartment.


    ¡°Uncle, are you one of Mommy¡¯s good friends?¡± Once they were inside, Joy¡¯s innocent voice filled the room.


    ¡°Yes, I am, darling,¡± Gu Shaoting crouched down and replied.


    ¡°Oh, then you¡¯re my good friend too,¡± Joy dered earnestly.


    Shu Pan was in the kitchen, and although she hadn¡¯t wanted to let him in earlier, she felt a sense of gratitude since he had helped her. So, she allowed him to stay.


    ¡°Shu Pan, when will you tell Joy that I am her dad? It¡¯s really about time. I¡¯m introducing myself as an uncle when I should be her dad,¡± Gu Shaoting felt that this was bing urgent. After all, he was Joy¡¯s father.


    ¡°We need to give her some time to adapt. We told her a while back that her dad went to work far away,¡± Shu Pan exined. She believed that one day they would recognize each other, but perhaps it wasn¡¯t the right time just yet. Joy had seen on TV that other kids¡¯ parents lived together, and she wondered why her parents weren¡¯t.


    ¡°Okay, we can take it slow for now.¡± Gu Shaoting agreed.


    Suddenly, both of them fell silent, creating an awkward atmosphere in the kitchen.


    Gu Shaoting walked out of the kitchen.


    ¡°Joy, is there anything you¡¯d like? Uncle can buy it for you.¡± Joy was his precious little girl, and he wanted to pamper her.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want anything. I already have everything, and I¡¯m a big girl now. My mommy says I shouldn¡¯t let other uncles buy things for me anymore,¡± Joy said seriously, lowering her voice to say something in Gu Shaoting¡¯s ear.


    ¡°In fact, Uncle Wen has already bought me many toys,¡± she whispered.


    Hearing Joy mention Uncle Wen, Gu Shaoting guessed that this was the refined man who had been frequently seen around Shu Pan. His face instantly turned sour.


    In Joy¡¯s heart, Uncle Wen was apparently held in high regard.


    Gu Shaoting was taken aback. ¡°Oh, Uncle Wen is pretty awesome. How about we go out to y next time?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll go if my mom goes,¡± Joy said with determination.


    ¡°Joy, do you miss your dad?¡± Gu Shaoting suddenly asked.


    ¡°Yes, I do. My dad works far away, ¡± Joy replied, her mood turning a bit somber. Gu Shaoting quickly embraced her.


    When it was time for dinner, Gu Shaoting, feeling a bit shameless, sat at the dining table. Shu Pan reluctantly gave him an extra bowl and chopsticks.


    Like someone who hadn¡¯t had a homemade meal in a long time, Gu Shaoting wolfed down his food.


    At that moment, Gu Shaoting thoroughly enjoyed the atmosphere. He wished he could freeze time in this moment.


    He gazed at the mother and daughter eating dinner and smiled contentedly..

 Chapter 150 - 150: Encounter with Cheng Yang

    Chapter 150: Encounter with Cheng Yang


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Gu Shaoting spent a long time at Shu Pan¡¯s house. In the end, he had no more excuses to stay, so he left.


    When he stepped outside, it was already dark, and he didn¡¯t want to return to his empty house. He called He Ming.


    ¡°Where are you? Come out for a drink,¡± Gu Shaoting invited him.


    ¡°Um¡­ Brother Ting, I can¡¯t tonight, I have something to do,¡± He Ming quickly declined. Most importantly, Ye Xiaomeng didn¡¯t like people who drank, not even beer. He had tried a few times, and every time, Ye Xiaomeng would show a disgusted expression.


    ¡°Has the sun risen from the west?¡± Gu Shaoting pondered for a moment. Had He Ming undergone a transformation?


    ¡°Hehe, Brother Ting, you¡¯d better not drink either. It¡¯s not good for your health,¡± He Ming said. At this moment, Gu Shaoting believed that He Ming had been brainwashed. Who had influenced him so much? Gu Shaoting really wanted to find out.


    ¡°Why do you have so much free time? You¡¯re always around,¡± Ye Xiaomeng couldn¡¯t figure out why He Ming was clinging to her.


    ¡°I¡¯m keeping youpany for a little shopping. You¡¯ve been away in your hometown for two days, and it felt like an eternity. I missed you,¡± He Ming pitifully replied.


    ¡°Fine, but no impulsive shopping. If you buy anything unnecessary, I won¡¯t go, ¡± Ye Xiaomeng rified, well aware of He Ming¡¯s nature.


    ¡°Alright, I get it. Let¡¯s go,¡± He Ming urged her.


    Ye Xiaomeng wasn¡¯t quite sure about her rtionship with He Ming now. They were constantly bickering and had no formal status. Since her breakup with Cheng Yang, she had been afraid of loneliness and wanted someone to keep herpany. She hadn¡¯t taken the initiative to define her rtionship with He Ming, so they were just taking things day by day.


    Arriving at the shopping mall, it was still early, and there were many people around. Ye Xiaomeng didn¡¯t have anything specific to buy, so she strolled around while He Ming followed her, pointing out stores and offering opinions on different items.


    Ye Xiaomeng had never seen a man talk so much.


    ¡°I¡¯ll just walk around. You don¡¯t need to keep talking in my ear,¡± Ye Xiaomeng finally lost her patience.


    ¡°I¡¯m just giving you some advice. Have you found anything you like? How about we check out the clothing section?¡± He Ming suggested.


    ¡°Let¡¯s just walk around, ¡± Ye Xiaomeng replied absentmindedly.


    As they were discussing where to go next, they encountered another couple walking towards them. The man was handsome, and the woman was attractive.


    When Ye Xiaomeng looked ahead, her gaze met with Cheng Yang¡¯s. The scene felt familiar but was now irrelevant to her.


    Cheng Yang was a little embarrassed. He looked away awkwardly, but when he saw He Ming beside Ye Xiaomeng, he froze and his eyes dimmed.


    In reality, the world kept turning every day. Breaking up with someone didn¡¯t mean the end of the world. The old went, the new came, and everyone knew this. So, one shouldn¡¯t say one couldn¡¯t live without someone. The world would keep on going.


    Ye Xiaomeng nced at them but pretended not to recognize them. She continued walking past Cheng Yang and hispanion with He Ming.


    It seemed that He Ming also picked up on something, but he acted like he didn¡¯t know and held Ye Xiaomeng¡¯s hand as they walked on.


    Two people who had once separated passed each other.


    Ye Xiaomeng seemed to forget this brief encounter and continued to stroll around happily.


    Seeing that he had found a new destination, she was happy for him. Everyone should move forward, not dwell on the past. There was no obstacle that couldn¡¯t be ovee, especially in love. Time was the best medicine.


    He Ming had probably guessed something, but he pretended not to know. Everyone had their own secrets. He didn¡¯t want to pour salt on the healing scars. If the day came when she opened up, she would tell him. He waited for that day to arrive..

 Chapter 151 - 151: Mrs. Gu Came

    Chapter 151: Mrs. Gu Came


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Shu Pan had finally recovered from her illness, and during these days, Gu Shaoting had been visiting. She considered his role as Joy¡¯s father and didn¡¯t object to his visits.


    However, he was bing a bit too persistent. Every time he came, he would linger and insist on staying for dinner. He even made specific requests for dishes. Shu Pan ignored him and he shut up for good, leaving Shu Pan perplexed, wondering if he was the same Gu Shaoting as before.


    Shu Pan was busy in the kitchen when Gu Shaoting arrived again. During dinner, she said, ¡°I¡¯m all better now. You don¡¯t have toe over anymore.¡± Gu Shaoting pretended not to hear and continued to eat.


    ¡°Joy, be a good girl and eat these meatballs. Eating more will help you grow taller,¡± Shu Pan coaxed Joy.


    ¡°Mom, I don¡¯t want to eat so much meat. I¡¯ll get fat,¡± Joy replied.


    Gu Shaoting was left speechless, she was just a child, after all.


    ¡°Nonsense, it¡¯s your growing phase now. You¡¯re as small as a bean sprout. You need to eat more to grow properly,¡± Shu Pan replied, feeling defeated by her daughter¡¯s argument. Life had improved a little, and Joy had grown a bit taller. Shu Pan was content with her progress.


    ¡°Wang Zihang, that boy, said eating too much will turn you into a pig,¡± Joy¡¯s innocent remark amused everyone.


    ¡°Don¡¯t listen to him. Uncle is a boy too, and I know that eating more will make you grow tall and beautiful,¡± Gu Shaoting quickly chimed in.


    Once Joy finished eating, she left the table.


    Gu Shaoting finally spoke, ¡°What kindergarten is Joy attending, and what has she learned?¡±


    Shu Pan didn¡¯t want to answer his question. She changed the subject, ¡°Are you done eating? I¡¯m clearing the table. Also, I¡¯ll be returning to work tomorrow, so you don¡¯t need toe over.¡±


    ¡°Um¡­ I cane after you finish work,¡± Gu Shaoting mumbled.


    ¡°Gu Shaoting, I appreciate your help when I was sick, but now I¡¯ve recovered.


    Besides, you have a fianc¨¦e, and I don¡¯t want you constantlying over,¡± Shu Pan didn¡¯t want any more trouble.


    ¡°I¡¯m here to see Joy. She¡¯s my daughter, too, and I¡¯ve promised to wait for the right time for us to reunite. You can¡¯t deprive me of the right to visit her,¡± Gu Shaoting argued reasonably.


    Ignoring him, Shu Pan went straight to the kitchen to clean up.


    Gu Shaoting watched her in frustration, wondering what excuse he could use to stay longer.


    Gu Shaoting hadn¡¯te up with an excuse yet when Song Can found his way to their house.


    Song Can got straight to the point, and her first words were, ¡°When will Joy recognize her roots?¡±


    Seeing Song Can once again, Shu Pan was surprisingly not as timid as before.


    ¡°Joy is my child, Mrs. Gu,¡± Shu Pan replied calmly.


    ¡°Shu Pan, our Gu family¡¯s descendants cannot remain outside. You¡¯re a divorced single woman with a child, and it¡¯s not easy to find someone,¡± Song Can exined earnestly.


    ¡°My affairs are not your concern. But right now, Joy¡¯sst name is Shu, not Gu,¡± Shu Pan asserted as a protective mother.


    Normally, she seemed quite approachable, but when it came to matters involving her child, she became like a fierce mother bear, fiercely defending against any threats.


    ¡°Shu Pan, turning down a drink when it¡¯s offered means you¡¯ve got to take a penalty shot¡­¡± Song Can threatened.


    Indeed, it was like mother, like son. Their way of speaking was quite simr.


    ¡°Huh, Mrs. Gu, you can have as many grandsons as you like through your son and his future wife,¡± Shu Pan smiled lightly. ¡°You¡­¡± Song Can was left seething with anger..

 Chapter 152 - 152: Anger

    Chapter 152: Anger


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    ¡°Don¡¯t get too cocky. Let¡¯s see what you¡¯ve got topete with us,¡± Song Can said in extreme anger.


    After saying that, she walked away.


    Shu Pan stared at her retreating figure, lost in thought for a moment. She truly regretteding to Bin City. She shouldn¡¯t havee in the first ce. If she hadn¡¯t, they wouldn¡¯t have discovered Joy¡¯s existence.


    However, given her current situation, she could only go with the flow.


    Lately, Gu Shaoting had softened his stance and hadn¡¯t pushed for Joy¡¯s custody. She didn¡¯t know what he was really thinking, as he was always inscrutable.


    She had promised Mrs. Wen that she wouldn¡¯t have any connection with Wen Chi, and she couldn¡¯t break her word.


    When would fate truly favor her?


    Back at the Gu family¡¯s mansion, Song Can was so angry that she threw her bag on the sofa, and Gu Shaoting raised an eyebrow.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Who made you so angry?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Who else? It¡¯s your ex-wife! You said Joy is my granddaughter, so why can¡¯t we acknowledge her? What¡¯s wrong with you?¡± Song Can eximed.


    ¡°Did you go see Shu Pan?¡± Gu Shaoting asked hastily.


    ¡°Mom, I¡¯ll handle this matter. Please don¡¯t get involved anymore,¡± Gu Shaoting sighed, fearing that his mother had messed things up.


    He had worked hard to improve his rtionship with Shu Pan. While he could insist on iming Joy, he realized, as He Ming had pointed out, that it might not be in Joy¡¯s best interest, and he didn¡¯t want to hurt Shu Pan.


    Every time he saw Shu Pan unhappy, it made him feel ufortable, but he couldn¡¯t understand what was happening to him.


    ¡°I was about to talk to you too. We haven¡¯t seen you aroundtely. Tong Fei hase a few times and hasn¡¯t seen you. She¡¯s your fianc¨¦e. Can¡¯t you be more attentive?¡± Song Can suddenly remembered that she hadn¡¯t seen Gu Shaoting much recently, despite the fact that thepany was doing well and there wasn¡¯t much for him to do.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been busy with some things,¡± Gu Shaoting replied vaguely.


    ¡°Anyway, I don¡¯t care. You need to make Joy acknowledge her roots soon.


    You¡¯ve been engaged to Tong Fei for a while now. When are you nning to get married?¡± Song Can looked around and realized that everyone else had grandchildren while she was still alone. She was getting impatient.


    Now that she finally found out that she had a granddaughter. How could she not be anxious.


    Now that she had finally found out about her granddaughter, was she not in a hurry?


    ¡°Mom, it¡¯s not urgent. We¡¯ll take our time with this matter. I need to think about my marriage with Tong Fei,¡± Gu Shaoting increasingly felt the need to carefully consider his marriage to Tong Fei. He was bing more and more averse to the idea.


    Initially, after his separation from Shu Pan, he had been indifferent to everything, and Tong Fei happened to be around, so they got engaged. He had probably lost his feelings for her long ago. When she had left for abroad to pursue her career, he had stopped feeling the same way about her, and when she returned, his initial affection had faded.


    However, now, when he saw Shu Pan, he experienced a strange feeling.


    Seeing Shu Pan and Joy now brought him a sense of peace. He longed to be with Shu Pan and Joy, and he couldn¡¯t afford to make Shu Pan angry.


    Now he found all sorts of excuses to get closer to them every day.


    Unfortunately, the person Joy loved the most now was someone called Uncle Wen. He was consumed by jealousy.


    Now when Shu Pan saw him, she was cold and distant, and with this move from his mother, he was probably going to be ced on her blocklist. She might think he and his mother were in cahoots, and all his previous efforts would go to waste.


    With these thoughts, he immediately dialed Shu Pan¡¯s number. It rang for a long time, but no one answered. In the end, he had no choice but to hang up, deciding he needed to visit in person to exin..

 Chapter 153 - 153: An Explanation

    Chapter 153: An Exnation


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Gu Shaoting thought for a moment, then immediately grabbed his car keys and headed to Shu Pan¡¯s house.


    ¡°Where are you going, Shaoting? I just told Tong Fei you¡¯re at home,¡± Song Can called after him.


    He halted his steps, paused for a moment, and then said, ¡°I have something to do and won¡¯t be back here tonight.¡±


    Song Can stomped her foot in frustration, finding her son increasingly


    Not long after Gu Shaoting left, Tong Fei arrived. She was dressed in thetest autumn fashion, wearing high heels, and exuding elegance.


    ¡°Auntie, look at what I brought you!¡± Tong Fei raised the paper bag in her hand and cheerfully said, the bag bearing the logo of a certain clothing brand.


    ¡°Why spend so much? I have everything she needs,¡± Song Can took the bag, smiling. Tong Fei was very skilled at making her happy.


    ¡°What are you talking about? I picked this out for you when I was abroad shooting advertisements. It¡¯s thetest model, not yet avable in China,¡± Tong Fei knew that Song Can had a special liking for this brand of clothing, especially the limited editions, so she always knew how to cater to her preferences, making her beam with joy.


    ¡°Let me see.¡± After speaking, she opened the paper bag, took out the clothes inside, andpared them to herself, her face filled with a satisfied smile.


    ¡°Hey, Auntie, where¡¯s Shaoting? Is he not at home?¡± Tong Fei had been here for a while but hadn¡¯t seen Gu Shaoting.


    ¡°Oh, he just had to step out,¡± Song Can said somewhat apologetically. She couldn¡¯t fathom what Gu Shaoting was thinking. He knew Tong Fei wasing, yet he left.


    Tong Fei¡¯s expression suddenly darkened. She pretended not to care and said, ¡°Shaoting has been very busytely, I haven¡¯t seen him in a while.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, he¡¯s probably busy withpany matters,¡± Song Can replied, noticing Tong Fei¡¯s displeased expression. She felt somewhat at a loss.


    Seeing Song Can¡¯s guilty look, Tong Fei didn¡¯t say anything further.


    However, Tong Fei already harbored suspicions. Since Gu Shaoting had revealed to her that he had a daughter with Shu Pan, they had been meeting less frequently. What bothered her the most was his growing impatience with her.


    She had actually visited hispany, but he was always elusive, so the excuse of a busypany seemed dubious.


    She didn¡¯t dare to confront Gu Shaoting for fear of upsetting him, so she had to endure it. She felt truly humbled in her love for him.


    After leaving Gu Family¡¯s mansion, she quickly took out her phone and called her assistant, Zhou.


    ¡°Zhou, find someone to help us investigate what Shaoting has been busy withtely,¡± Tong Fei instructed.


    ¡°Alright, Miss Fei, ¡± Xiao Zhou replied before hanging up to arrange it.


    Gu Shaoting arrived at Shu Pan¡¯s house, and indeed, Shu Pan stopped him at the door.


    ¡°Don¡¯te over so often. Your mother just left,¡± Shu Pan said, visibly annoyed and feeling restless.


    ¡°Shu Pan, please open the door. Let me exin. I didn¡¯t know my mom wasing to see you, and her attitude doesn¡¯t represent my stance,¡± Gu Shaoting shouted from the staircase.


    Worried about disturbing the neighbors, Shu Pan reluctantly opened the door to let him in.


    ¡°Regardless, you¡¯re not taking Joy away. I won¡¯t let go,¡± Shu Pan made her stance clear to Gu Shaoting.


    ¡°I promised I would give Joy time to adjust, and I will also handle my own matters. Please give me some time,¡± Gu Shaoting assured.


    Shu Pan was utterly confused, wondering what he meant by ¡°his matters.¡± What did his personal affairs have to do with her? She found the whole situation perplexing.


    ¡°In any case, just handle your own affairs. We don¡¯t want to be involved,¡± Shu Pan retorted with a displeased expression..

 Chapter 154 - 154: A Warning

    Chapter 154: A Warning


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    ¡°I understand. Please don¡¯t be angry. I¡¯ll handle it,¡± Gu Shaoting quickly responded.


    The next day, Zhou brought news to Tong Fei, confirming her suspicions. Gu Shaoting had been spending most of his free time at Shu Pan¡¯s ce, officially to visit his daughter, but who knew what was going on behind the scenes?


    Tong Fei¡¯s heart turned as cold as ice when she learned of this development. She Imew Gu Shaoting had a different kind of affection for Shu Pan. They had been together for so long but had never fullymitted to each other, always stopping short when things got serious.


    She had been bothered by this for a long time, and now, with Shu Pan reentering his life, she was worried they might rekindle their rtionship. Tong Fei couldn¡¯t control Gu Shaoting¡¯s actions, but she could reach out to Shu


    Pan.


    Around noon, Tong Fei called Shu Pan. Shu Pan didn¡¯t pick up initially, but Tong Fei persisted and kept calling.


    Thest time, Shu Pan finally answered. Before she could speak, the other party did, ¡°Shu Pan, let¡¯s meet.¡±


    Shu Pan hesitated momentarily, unsure of the caller¡¯s identity. Just as she was contemting, the voice continued, ¡°I¡¯m Tong Fei, let¡¯s meet.¡±


    Themanding tone made Shu Pan ufortable. She initially intended to hang up but reconsidered when Tong Fei added, ¡°If you don¡¯t meet, I will personallye to your workce.¡±


    Fearing that her presence might cause trouble, Shu Pan agreed to meet Tong Fei at a designated time to find out what she wanted.


    Tong Fei still exuded a strong aura, no matter when.


    ¡°Miss Tong, I don¡¯t know what you want to discuss. Do we have to meet?¡± Shu Pan¡¯s tone was cold, although deep inside, she couldn¡¯t help but wonder why she seemed to attract troubletely.


    ¡°Miss Shu, I thought someone as clever as you would already know why I¡¯m looking for you,¡± Tong Fei responded, her wordsced with sarcasm and an air of arrogance, causing bystanders to raise an eyebrow.


    ¡°Miss Tong, if you have something to say, please be straightforward. I don¡¯t understand your cryptic messages,¡± Shu Pan remarked, genuinely thinking of herself as quite patient.


    ¡°Miss Shu, I¡¯m aware that you and Shaoting have a daughter. If I marry him, I will treat her as my own. I hope you won¡¯t misunderstand Shaoting¡¯s intentions. His frequent visits to your house are for the sake of the child,¡± Tong Fei said, disying a sense of magnanimity. She quickly changed the subject, ¡°I hope you don¡¯t misconstrue Shaoting¡¯s actions.¡±


    Shu Pan stared at her, feeling like she hadn¡¯t fully grasped what Tong Fei meant.


    ¡°Miss Shu, you don¡¯t have to worry about my daughter. The sooner you marry Mr. Gu, the better. I wish you two a future with many children,¡± Shu Pan said, thinking that Tong Fei must be out of her mind. What was she thinking?


    ¡°Miss Shu, you¡¯re better off not using the child as an excuse to cling to Shaoting,¡± Tong Fei bluntly stated her true intentions today.


    ¡°Miss Shu, if you¡¯re so concerned, you should tie down Mr. Gu yourself. In fact, he¡¯s been frequently visiting my house, and I find it quite troubling,¡± Shu Pan said, sounding casual.


    ¡°Don¡¯t think you¡¯re so triumphant just because you have a daughter. Shaoting treats you well because of your daughter,¡± Tong Fei remarked, feeling that Shu Pan had be a bit too self-assured, and she wondered where this confidence came from.


    ¡°Shu Pan, I¡¯m warning you again, don¡¯t hope for anything with Shaoting. Give up on that thought sooner rather thanter, or bear the consequences,¡± Tong Fei said fiercely, her beautiful face appearing somewhat fierce. Shu Pan was truly at a loss, wondering why all of this was on her..

 Chapter 155 - 155: Breaking Off the Engagement

    Chapter 155: Breaking Off the Engagement


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    ¡°Miss Tong, as I¡¯ve said, please take care of your fianc¨¦. I¡¯m rather busy, so I won¡¯t keep youpany any longer,¡± Shu Pan stated before getting up and leaving.


    Tong Fei watched her walk away, biting her lip. Her hand gripping her handbag was turning white, and internally, she was consumed with anger.


    She abruptly stood up and headed out, her graceful posture hiding the fact that she was on the verge of a breakdown.


    Starting her car, she drove in the direction of Gu Group.


    At Gu Group, everyone knew that Tong Fei was Mr. Gu¡¯s fianc¨¦e, so they would greet her when they saw her. Tong Fei relished in the honor this status brought her.


    Upon reaching the CEO¡¯s office, Tong Fei knocked and entered. Gu Shaoting was working on something and didn¡¯t immediately notice her.


    ¡°Shaoting, are you busy?¡± Tong Fei was the first to speak.


    Gu Shaoting finally looked at her seriously, his dark and sweeping eyshes revealing a hint of unease.


    Tong Fei¡¯s heart raced, feeling somewhat guilty, thinking that Gu Shaoting might know about her visit to Shu Pan.


    ¡°Oh, you¡¯re here. Please, take a seat. I also have something to discuss with you,¡± Gu Shaoting said as he stood up and took a seat opposite her.


    ¡°Tong Fei, we¡¯ve been together for a few years now. How do you feel about it?¡± Gu Shaoting¡¯s mellifluous voice had a noticeable tinge of coldness.


    Tong Fei¡¯s heart skipped a beat. She didn¡¯t know what Gu Shaoting wanted to talk about, and her heart raced as she cautiously replied, ¡°Shaoting, what do you want to say?


    ¡°Let¡¯s break off the engagement,¡± Gu Shaoting stated straightforwardly. He felt relieved after saying it.


    ¡°I don¡¯t agree,¡± Tong Fei vehemently opposed. ¡°I don¡¯t want to break off the engagement. Please, Shaoting, don¡¯t be so cruel to me.¡±


    ¡°Tong Fei, during the time we¡¯ve been together, you must have noticed that our rtionship has always been quite in. I haven¡¯t been able to develop feelings for anyone else, and I¡¯ve always felt indifferent. But now, I have a daughter with Shu Pan, and I want to provide her with aplete family.¡±


    ¡°When we get married, I¡¯ll treat the child as my own, and we can also give her a warm home. Or have you discovered that you¡¯ve fallen in love with Shu Pan and you¡¯re looking for reasons to break up with me?¡±


    Tong Fei¡¯s concern for Gu Shaoting had reached an almost obsessive and irrational level.


    ¡°Tong Fei, it¡¯s a waste of time for both of us to continue like this. Why make things difficult? I¡¯m sorry for what I¡¯ve done to you. If you have any requests, feel free to ask, and I¡¯ll do my best to fulfill them, minimizing the damage.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want anything. I just want you, Shaoting. I¡¯ll listen to you from now on and won¡¯t do anything you don¡¯t like. Can you please not mention breaking off the engagement again?¡± Tong Fei pleaded.


    She couldn¡¯t break off the engagement with Gu Shaoting, or she would be the subject of ridicule in high society, and her job would be affected. Now she carried the title of Gu Shaoting¡¯s fianc¨¦e on her shoulders, and many people were giving her extra credit for that. Her work wasing in constantly. If they broke off the engagement¡­ she really didn¡¯t dare to think about the consequences.


    ¡°Tong Fei¡­¡± Gu Shaoting wanted to snap her out of it. He felt that she had fallen into a pathological state.


    ¡°Breaking off the engagement would be good for you too. You can find someone who loves you and takes good care of you. You¡¯re a good girl, and if you face any difficulties in the future, I¡¯ll help you. Your job won¡¯t be affected either,¡± Gu Shaoting also understood her concerns..

 Chapter 156 - 156: Thick Skin

    Chapter 156: Thick Skin


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi- Bo Studio


    Upon hearing Gu Shaoting¡¯s words, Tong Fei clenched her fists, unaware that her fingernails had pierced her palms deeply.


    ¡°Shaoting, please don¡¯t say such things again. You¡¯re still busy, so I won¡¯t bother you. I¡¯ll leave now,¡± Tong Fei said, hastily picking up her bag.


    She had a stern expression, and the employees in thepany automatically avoided her. She left behind an angry silhouette.


    Gu Shaoting, feeling helpless, ran his hand through his hair. How could he minimize the damage?


    Suddenly, he felt overwhelmed.


    After sitting for a while, he thought for a moment and called Shu Pan. ¡°Panpan, are you free tonight? I¡¯d like to take you and Joy out for dinner.¡±


    Shu Pan was startled by his address, and goosebumps formed all over her body.


    ¡°No need, Joy and I will have dinner at home tonight. I¡¯ve already bought the groceries, and Joy wants to eat c chicken wings,¡± Shu Pan promptly declined.


    Gu Shaoting, upon hearing Shu Pan¡¯s voice, felt much calmer.


    ¡°I like c chicken wings too. Make a bit more, and I¡¯ll join you for dinner tonight,¡± Gu Shaoting chatted with her as if he were discussing household matters with his wife.


    Shu Pan furrowed her brows. This person acted so familiar, as if they had a very close rtionship.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I bought a small portion. How about next time?¡± Shu Pan¡¯s refusal was quite clear.


    ¡°In that case, I¡¯ll stop by the supermarket after work to get more. You carry on with your tasks, and we¡¯ll see each other tonight,¡± Gu Shaoting said before Shu Pan could respond and promptly hung up.


    He was actually worried that Shu Pan might reject him again.


    Shu Pan looked bewildered, staring at the disconnected phone call.


    Did this person not understand innguage? Shu Pan helplessly put her phone away and decided to finish her work quickly before going home to cook dinner.


    It wasn¡¯t yet time to finish work when Gu Shaoting left his office. His colleagues were all puzzled, as the overtime enthusiast, Mr. Gu, had left unusually early today.


    Gu Shaoting drove to the supermarket and filled tworge bags with groceries.


    When he arrived at Shu Pan¡¯s house, they were both at home, and Shu Pan, who knew it was him, reluctantly opened the door.


    ¡°You shoulde here less. You have a fianc¨¦e, and it¡¯s not appropriate for people to see youing here. Besides, we¡¯ve already divorced, so it doesn¡¯t matter,¡± she said, feeling ufortable at the thought of Tong Fei¡¯s tone.


    Gu Shaoting handed her the items he had bought and replied with frustration, ¡°I¡¯m here to see Joy. Who says anything else?¡±


    Then, he walked past Shu Pan and straight into the house. ¡°Joy, my little princess, Uncle Gu is here¡­¡±


    Before long, Joy came bouncing out, saying, ¡°Hello, Uncle Gu.¡±


    As soon as she finished speaking, she turned to Shu Pan and asked, ¡°Mom, when is Uncle Wening back? He promised to take me to the zoo to see peacocks.¡±


    ¡°Uncle Wen will be back soon, be a good girl,¡± Shu Panforted her.


    Gu Shaoting stood to the side, feeling like an invisible man. He couldn¡¯t participate in the conversation and found himself entirely superfluous.


    He had heard Joy mention this Uncle Wen too many times, and this person seemed to seriously threaten his position.


    ¡°Joy, it¡¯s the weekend, and you don¡¯t have to go to school. How about Uncle Gu takes you to the zoo?¡± Gu Shaoting tried to please her.


    ¡°No, I¡¯ve already made ns with Uncle Wen. We¡¯ll go when hees back,¡± Joy said, infuriating Gu Shaoting.


    ¡°I¡¯ll go cook dinner,¡± Shu Pan, checking the time, realized it was gettingte. She walked into the kitchen, watching her busy figure. Gu Shaoting, standing at the door, unconsciously smiled with a hint of indulgence..

 Chapter 157 - 157: Are You Crazy?

    Chapter 157: Are You Crazy?


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    After having a hearty meal at Shu Pan¡¯s house, Gu Shaoting reluctantly left and returned to the Gu Family¡¯s mansion. Lately, he had been spending most of his time at the Gu Family mansion, rarely going back to his own ce.


    His grandfather was still staying with his uncle¡¯s family, and he nned to bring his grandfather back home after formally recognizing Joy as his family. The old man would be overjoyed for sure.


    As he entered the living room, he saw Song Can sitting on the sofa, her face pale. The room was dimly lit, and Song Can sat in silence.


    ¡°Mom, why are you sitting here like this?¡± Gu Shaoting sat down beside her.


    ¡°Shaoting, have you gone mad? You want to break off the engagement with Tong Fei? Aren¡¯t our family¡¯s scandals enough for you?¡± Song Can scolded loudly.


    ¡°Mom, please calm down and listen to me. I really have no feelings for Tong Fei. Even if we get married, we¡¯d just be strangers. Ending the engagement now is in everyone¡¯s best interest. And with Joy in the picture, I owe her so much. I want to give her a warm family,¡± Gu Shaoting calmly exined, hoping for his mother¡¯s support.


    ¡°Joy is our Gu family¡¯s descendant, and we must acknowledge her. But there¡¯s no conflict between that and your marriage to Tong Fei. Son, we can¡¯t act like this. Where will you leave her reputation?¡± Song Can strongly argued. She was furious when Tong Fei called her this afternoon to inform her of this situation. ¡°Mom, I know I made a mistake, but I can¡¯t keep owing her and her daughter. I


    genuinely messed up before, and now I have a chance to make amends. Actually, if I marry Tong Fei like this, it wouldn¡¯t be fair to her either. She deserves better,¡± Gu Shaoting kept persuading, but he was resolute in his decision.


    ¡°Shaoting, the way you¡¯re handling this¡­, ¡± Song Can shook her head with a mix of anger and helplessness, unsure how to face Tong Fei herself.


    Shu Pan¡¯s attitude towards him was subtle, sometimes ignoring him. Even if it wasn¡¯t for Joy, he wanted to win back Shu Pan. Recent interactions had made him increasingly sure of his feelings for her. He only experienced that heart-pounding feeling when he saw her.


    He still held some resentment towards Shu Laide, but that animosity gradually faded as time passed.


    Given the current situation, he realized that winning back Shu Pan might be a long and challenging journey, but he was mentally prepared for it.


    Despite the deepening twilight, Gu Shaoting felt no drowsiness.


    Gu Shaoting thought he had reached an understanding with Tong Fei, but in reality, he hadn¡¯t. Tong Fei directed her resentment towards Shu Pan due to Gu Shaoting¡¯s decision to end the engagement.


    ¡°Shu Pan, I won¡¯t let you off the hook,¡± Tong Fei said with determination.


    She knew that Gu Shaoting intended to follow through with ending the engagement. Even though she mentioned it to Song Can, she doubted it would make any difference. A growing sense of frustration was building inside her.


    If she and Gu Shaoting ended their engagement, it was likely that her endorsements and advertisements would decrease significantly. Not only would she be aughingstock, but her career would also take a nosedive. She absolutely refused to let this happen.


    She sat on the sofa, not moving a muscle, holding her phone in her hand, torn between emotions and rationality.


    In the end, her resentment triumphed over reason. She picked up her phone, dialed a number, and after a while, the call was answered. She gently addressed the person on the other end, ¡°Lord Long¡­.¡±

 Chapter 158 - 158: Lord Long

    Chapter 158: Lord Long


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi- Bo Studio


    Lord Long, also known as Long Sanwei, was a well-known underworld figure who was notorious for his ruthless and brutal methods. He often helped people resolve troublesome matters.


    Tong Fei¡¯s acquaintance with Lord Long had a history of its own.


    When Tong Fei was just starting her career and working in a nightclub, she met Lord Long. She even spent some time with him. However, Lord Long had peculiar tastes that Tong Fei couldn¡¯t handle, which frightened her. Fortunately, he eventually shifted his attention elsewhere, gradually letting her go. He even lent her a helping hand, allowing her to establish herself in the modeling industry.


    In reality, this was her deep, dark secret, buried at the bottom of her heart. Whenever she thought about it, she was filled with fear and didn¡¯t want to revisit those memories.


    However, this time, she felt trapped with no way out, so she took a desperate step and contacted Lord Long, hoping he could help her get out of her troubles.


    At the moment, there was only one thing on her mind, and that was to seek revenge against Shu Pan. Tong Fei¡¯s beautiful eyes seemed to be filled with zing fury. Only by dealing with Shu Pan could she find some peace and relieve her deep-seated hatred.


    But at the same time, she was aware that she had to pay a price. For a woman of her beauty, the only thing she had to offer was her own self. However, the current Tong Fei didn¡¯t seem to care.


    She was determined to make Shu Pan pay a heavy price.


    In the upscale hotel suite, Tong Fei held a ss of red wine, sitting alone by the window, silently savoring it.


    The room was as warm as spring, and she wore a wine-red silkce dress thatplemented her snowy whiteplexion.


    At this moment, she was a bit nervous, and her hand holding the red wine ss trembled slightly. But her gaze was firm, cold, with a piercing rity, and a faint, eerie smile yed on her lips.


    To gather her courage, she downed the wine in her ss, the wine as red as blood, flowing down her throat.


    She had no way back now, and she kept murmuring to herself, ¡°Shu Pan, you deserve this¡­¡±


    As she whispered to herself, the door to the luxurious suite swung open. A man in his fifties entered, with a fierce and intimidating demeanor. There were faint tattoos visible on his arms.


    ¡°Lord Long,¡± Tong Fei approached him, pressing close to Long Sanwei.


    ¡°Haha¡­ Beauty, it¡¯s been a long time. Lord Long missed you terribly,¡± Long Sanwei embraced her and then pulled down the strap of her dress. The two of them tumbled onto the bed.


    ¡°Lord Long, you must do the thing I asked you for¡­¡± Tong Fei cooed. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, it¡¯s not the time to talk about that now. Let me enjoy myself first,¡± Long Sanwei was eager.


    Before long, the room was filled with the sounds of a woman¡¯s moans and a man¡¯s heavy breathing.


    Soon, the room was filled with a passionate atmosphere.


    Torn nightwear and scattered underwear were strewn across the floor.


    When Tong Fei woke up, she was alone in the room. Lord Long had already left. She looked at the bruises on her body, thinking of what was about to happen to Shu Pan. She began to smile, chuckling softly, and as sheughed, tears started falling one by one involuntarily.


    She slowly stood up, donned the hotel suite¡¯s bathrobe. Suddenly, she angrily threw the wine ss in her hand, and it hit the floor, producing a crisp sound as ss shards scattered all over.


    Looking out the room¡¯s window, she saw people below, small as ants, working diligently for their daily meals. Yet, with just a bit of feminine charm, she could secure wealth and prosperity. Her heart found bnce again.. What was there to be unhappy about?

 Chapter 159 - 159: The Past

    Chapter 159: The Past


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Ye Xiaomeng had been shuttling between the headquarters and the branch office recently, tirelessly back and forth.


    ¡°Xiaomeng, can your body handle this? Working so hard every day, you seem like a man. It worries me,¡± He Ming¡¯s tone sounded like that of a nagging spouse. He hadn¡¯t seen Ye Xiaomeng in quite a while, and today was a rare opportunity to meet.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine. I find it quite fulfilling. I used to think that having a man¡¯s love meant I didn¡¯t need to work so hard. But I was wrong,¡± Ye Xiaomeng spoke thoughtfully.


    ¡°Xiaomeng, let me take care of you,¡± He Ming held her hand, saying earnestly.


    ¡°He Ming, you really don¡¯t need to have any psychological burden. That night was an ident, and you don¡¯t need to take responsibility for me. And you know what? I almost got married once, and I even had a miscarriage. I have a painful past,¡± as she spoke, tears started flowing from Ye Xiaomeng¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°Xiaomeng, you know I don¡¯t mind¡­¡± He Ming hastily said.


    ¡°But I do,¡± Ye Xiaomeng couldn¡¯t ovee the fear in her heart.


    ¡°I won¡¯t pressure you, but you can¡¯t avoid me either. Let¡¯s go with the flow,¡± He Ming¡¯s eyes seemed like they could shed tears.


    Ye Xiaomeng nced at him and didn¡¯t say anything more.


    The next day, Ye Xiaomeng arrived carrying bags big and small to visit Joy.


    ¡°Sweetie, do you miss your godmother?¡± Ye Xiaomeng pretended to speak in a child¡¯s voice.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Joy happily hugged her.


    ¡°You love children so much. It¡¯s time for you to have one of your own,¡± Shu Pan felt that it had been a long time, and it was time to face it.


    ¡°Spare me, please. I don¡¯t even have a partner. This timeing back home is just to be tortured by my parents. They¡¯ve tried everything, from crying to throwing tantrums. Honestly, I¡¯m quite content now,¡± Ye Xiaomeng said nonchntly.


    ¡°You, I don¡¯t know how to talk to you,¡± Shu Pan looked at her, shaking her head helplessly.


    ¡°Girl, do you know? Su Yuan got divorced, and I heard it was quite a scandal. I also heard that it affected his career, and he had to go abroad,¡± Ye Xiaomeng spoke mysteriously.


    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s their business. Marriage requires effort from both people. Sigh!¡± Shu Pan sighed. She had been sending money to him every month, and she never thought it had been so much.


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid you might soften up. Remember, don¡¯t trust any remorseful man,¡± Ye Xiaomeng had turned into something of a love expert.


    ¡°You take care of yourself, and quickly find me a brother-inw.¡± ¡°Enough, you bossydy.¡± Ye Xiaomeng took Joy and left the room, ignoring


    Shu Pan.


    Shu Pan watched them close the door, and she finally came back to her senses. In her mind, she kept reying what Gu Shaoting had said on the phonest night.


    He had told her, ¡°Shu Pan, I¡¯ve already informed Tong Fei about our divorce. Let¡¯s be together for Joy¡¯s sake and give her aplete family.¡±


    ¡°Gu Shaoting, have you forgotten that my dad is your enemy?¡± Shu Pan brought it up deliberately, as it had been the reason for their divorce.


    ¡°I will try to slowly forget.¡±


    Shu Pan heard his words and paused for a moment.


    ¡°Gu Shaoting, I don¡¯t want to sacrifice myself anymore. Joy is still young, and it¡¯s better for her to be with me. When she grows up, she can choose for herself whom she wants to be with,¡± Shu Pan firmly rejected.


    She couldn¡¯t forget the hardships of these past few years and, more importantly, the ruthless determination he had shown when he wanted the divorce.


    She had endured the most difficult times and was heading in a better direction. She didn¡¯t want any more entanglements with him..

 Chapter 160 - 160: Something Happened

    Chapter 160: Something Happened


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Due to Shu Pan¡¯s rejection, Gu Shaoting felt restless all day long. He couldn¡¯t muster enthusiasm for anything.


    One day, after finishing work, Shu Pan hurried to the kindergarten to pick up Joy. Joy didn¡¯t seem to be in good spirits that day, and Shu Pan was worried that she might be sick.


    When she arrived at the kindergarten, the teacher informed her that Joy had a slight fever and was feeling down.


    Shu Pan was extremely concerned. She touched Joy¡¯s forehead, and it felt warm. ¡°Mom, I¡¯m not feeling well,¡± Joy said weakly and kept asking Shu Pan to hold her.


    Desperate to help her daughter, Shu Panforted Joy while heading to the pharmacy to buy some medicine. The autumn air was chilly, and Shu Pan unconsciously held Joy tightly, feeling that the whole world was in her arms.


    While walking forward, Shu Pan received a call from Gu Shaoting. ¡°Panpan, where are you and Joy? Why haven¡¯t youe home yet?¡±


    Evidently, Gu Shaoting was already near her home. Otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t have known they weren¡¯t home yet.


    ¡°Well¡­ Joy has a slight fever, and I¡¯m taking her to buy some medicine,¡± Shu Pan didn¡¯t hide anything from Gu Shaoting.


    ¡°In which location are you? I¡¯lle to find you,¡± Gu Shaoting asked with immediate concern when he heard that Joy wasn¡¯t feeling well. He started walking in the direction of the pharmacy as he spoke on the phone.


    ¡°We¡¯re nning to buy medicine at the pharmacy near the intersection just ahead of the kindergarten,¡± Shu Pan replied, her voice slightly strained as she was panting for breath.


    ¡°Wait for me at the intersection. I¡¯m almost there,¡± Gu Shaoting said while heading towards the pharmacy.


    Shu Pan paused for a moment, her arms tired from carrying Joy. As they stood at the intersection to rest, a car without a license te suddenly sped toward them. The car seemed out of control and didn¡¯t respond to the driver. ¡°Panpan, be careful!¡± In the nick of time, Gu Shaoting rushed over, pushed Shu Pan out of the way, and there was a loud ¡°bang.¡± Gu Shaoting¡¯s body fell straight to the ground in front of Shu Pan.


    Seeing that they had hit a person, the car quickly reversed and sped away.


    ¡°Gu Shaoting, how are you?¡± Shu Pan was terrified, her face pale as she quickly put down Joy and ran to Gu Shaoting¡¯s side.


    Gu Shaotingy there with his eyes closed,pletely still. Shu Pan called out to him loudly, but there was no response. Suddenly, she noticed a puddle of blood on the ground and gasped for breath.


    She shakily took her phone out of her pocket and dialed 120. Meanwhile, Joy was standing beside her, crying. ¡°Mom, is Uncle Gu going to die?¡±


    ¡°Uncle Gu is a good person, he¡¯ll be fine,¡± Shu Pan said to Joy while attempting tofort herself as well. She was extremely frightened.


    She couldn¡¯t believe what would have happened if Gu Shaoting hadn¡¯t pushed her and Joy out of harm¡¯s way. She had just noticed that the car had no license te, and it was heading in their direction. Was it an ident or intentional? She couldn¡¯t quite figure it out.


    At the moment, the most crucial thing was to take care of Gu Shaoting. The rest could be dealt withter.


    Fortunately, an ambnce from a nearby hospital arrived quickly. Doctors carefully lifted the unconscious Gu Shaoting into the ambnce.


    Shu Pan got into the ambnce with Joy, looking at Gu Shaoting¡¯s pale, lifeless face. Her fear was growing by the minute..

 Chapter 161 - 161: Rescue

    Chapter 161: Rescue


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Upon arriving at the hospital, the doctor quickly rushed Gu Shaoting into the emergency room. Shu Pan held Joy tightly, seemingly trying to draw strength from her. She was in a state of emotional turmoil.


    ¡°Mom, you¡¯re hugging me too tightly. I¡¯m having trouble breathing, ¡± protested Joy.


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry, sweetheart. Mom was lost in thought and didn¡¯t realize,¡± Shu Pan quickly loosened her grip.


    ¡°Mom, will Uncle Gu be okay?¡± It was the first time Joy had experienced such a situation, and she was truly scared, trembling in Shu Pan¡¯s arms.


    ¡°Uncle Gu will be fine, my dear. Don¡¯t be afraid,¡± Shu Pan reassured her while caressing her head, even though she was more anxious inside.


    The lights in the emergency room stayed on. Suddenly, Shu Pan¡¯s phone in her pocket rang. She checked and found it was Gu Shaoting¡¯s phone. Just before entering the emergency room, the doctor had handed all of Gu Shaoting¡¯s personal items to her, and his phone had been ringing persistently. She looked at the caller¡¯s name, which said ¡°Ming.¡±


    Could it be He Ming? Among the friends she knew of Gu Shaoting, only He Ming had the character ¡°Ming¡± in his name.


    She was at a loss now. She couldn¡¯t make up her mind in the midst of this crisis. After some hesitation, she pressed the answer button. As soon as she put the phone to her ear, He Ming¡¯s voice came from the other end.


    ¡°Brother Ting, what¡¯s been going on with youtely? You keep leaving thepany early, have you reviewed the cooperation case with Hongyuan? We¡¯re waiting for your decision,¡± He Ming blurted out without giving Shu Pan a chance to speak.


    ¡°Hello, I¡¯m Shu Pan. Gu Shaoting was hit by a car and is currently in People¡¯s Hospital for emergency treatment,¡± Shu Pan quickly informed He Ming during a brief pause in his talking.


    ¡°What? A car ident? Emergency treatment? I¡¯ming right away,¡± He Ming was startled and hung up the phone before heading to the hospital.


    When He Ming arrived at the hospital, Gu Shaoting was still in the emergency room, and Shu Pan and Joy were waiting outside, wearing solemn expressions.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± He Ming asked anxiously.


    ¡°A car was about to hit us, and he pushed us away, but he got hit by the car himself,¡± Shu Pan spoke in a frightened, somewhat incoherent manner.


    ¡°Did you see the license te number?¡± He Ming inquired.


    Shu Pan thought for a moment and then shook her head, saying, ¡°No, there was no license te number. The driver fled after hitting him.¡±


    He Ming furrowed his brows. The situation indeed seemed suspicious.


    ¡°How long has it been since he was brought in?¡± He Ming asked.


    ¡°It¡¯s been a little over an hour,¡± Shu Pan said, pursing her lips, hoping to ease her own tension.


    ¡°He should be fine. Haven¡¯t you heard the saying, ¡®disasters bring good fortune¡¯? So, don¡¯t worry too much,¡± He Ming tried to use a lighter tone to alleviate Shu Pan¡¯s fears.


    ¡°I hope so,¡± Shu Pan gazed toward the emergency room.


    While they were anxiously waiting, the lights in the emergency room finally went off, and a doctor in a white coat emerged, his face filled with gravity.


    ¡°The patient is now out of danger, but he is still in aa. We need to continue monitoring and perform further examinations when he wakes up,¡± the doctor informed them, providing details about Gu Shaoting¡¯s condition to prepare them mentally.


    ¡°Thank you, doctor,¡± Shu Pan quickly expressed her gratitude.


    Shortly after the doctor left, Gu Shaoting was wheeled into the intensive care unit for observation.


    Upon hearing that Gu Shaoting was out of danger, He Ming picked up his phone and informed Song Can..

 Chapter 162 - 162: Unconscious

    Chapter 162: Unconscious


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Shu Pan saw that Gu Shaoting was out of danger, and with He Ming there, she expected Song Can to arrive soon. Therefore, she decided to take Joy home.


    He Ming noticed that Joy was feeling down and advised them to head home promptly.


    ¡°I¡¯ll take Joy home first, and if there are any updatester, please let me know. After all, it was because of us that Gu Shaoting got into this ident, so I can¡¯t just ignore him. People should have a conscience, especially someone like me who is soft-hearted,¡± Shu Pan reasoned.


    Before going home, Shu Pan took Joy to a pharmacy to buy some medicine, as she was concerned that her fever might spiketer in the evening.


    Back at home, she quickly cooked some noodles for Joy. Possibly due to her difort, Joy didn¡¯t eat much and kept asking about Uncle Gu¡¯s condition.


    Well, it seemed that they shared a strong father-daughter bond.


    After Joy had finally fallen asleep, Shu Pan could finally take a break. She then called He Ming.


    ¡°Mr. He, how¡¯s the situation?¡± Shu Pan inquired.


    ¡°Sis-inw, just call me He Ming. We do know each other, no need to be so formal. The doctor said he woke up briefly but is unconscious again,¡± He Ming corrected her, ¡°Oh, and by the way, the doctor said he woke up briefly but is unconscious again.¡±


    ¡°Okay, thank you for your help. Tomorrow, I¡¯ll have my friend look after Joy, and I¡¯lle to the hospital,¡± Shu Pan requested.


    Thank goodness it was the weekend. Shu Pan could rely on Xiaomeng to look after Joy.


    ¡°Sure, no problem. You should get some rest too,¡± He Ming hung up the phone. He immediately called Xiaomeng.


    ¡°Xiaomeng, what are you up to?¡± He Ming felt like they had been apart for an eternity.


    ¡°Just finished my yoga session and now rxing,¡± Xiaomeng repliedzily. Stretching had made her feel much better.


    She had gradually learned to enjoy life, to live for herself. Women should always take care of themselves and strive to be elegant.


    ¡°Have you eaten? I won¡¯t be able toe over today; a friend of mine was in a car ident,¡± Gu Shaoting informed Xiaomeng about his whereabouts.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. You go about your business. Take care,¡± Xiaomeng replied nonchntly. She had grown more independent, and life experiences had changed her.


    When He Ming heard her words, he was slightly disappointed. It seemed that it was difficult to get close to Ye Xiaomeng¡¯s heart. She was too guarded, as if she had built a high wall.


    He Ming couldn¡¯t help but feel a sense of disappointment upon hearing her words. It seemed challenging to get close to Xiaomeng¡¯s heart. She had built a high inner wall.


    ¡°Alright then, we¡¯ll talk again tomorrow,¡± He Ming reluctantly hung up the phone.


    As He Ming was abolit to get lip to check the intensive care unit¡¯s entrance.


    Song Can arrived.


    When she received the news, it felt as if her world had fallen apart. She hurried to the hospital.


    ¡°He Ming, what happened? How could he be in an ident?¡± Song Can asked in an agitated manner upon seeing He Ming.


    ¡°I don¡¯t have all the details yet, but the doctor said he¡¯s out of danger now. We¡¯ll have to wait until he wakes up for further examinations,¡± He Ming consoled her, seeing how nervous and worried she was.


    ¡°Did you see the person who caused the ident?¡± Song Can suddenly remembered.


    He Ming shook his head. ¡®We don¡¯t know if there were any surveince


    cameras at the ident location. We haven¡¯t had a chance to check.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just one misfortune after another. There¡¯s not a single thing to make us happy,¡± Song Can said, feeling that she had aged significantly.


    Looking through the ss door into the intensive care unit, Song Can saw Gu Shaoting lying motionless, appearing to be asleep. The only sounds were the machines beeping beside him. Song Can couldn¡¯t hold back her tears..

 Chapter 163 - 163: Who Am I (1)

    Chapter 163: Who Am I (1)


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    ¡°Auntie, you should go back home first. I¡¯ll stay here tonight. You can rest assured; Shaoting will be fine,¡± He Ming persuaded.


    ¡°Alright then, I¡¯ll leaveter. Thank you,¡± Song Can knew there was no use in staying.


    The next day, Shu Pan dropped Joy off at Ye Xiaomeng¡¯s ce.


    ¡°Xiaomeng, can you please look after Joy for me? I need to visit someone in the hospital,¡± Shu Pan reluctantly requested, thankful that Xiaomeng was avable.


    ¡°No problem, I¡¯m more than happy to help. But who are you going to see?¡± Xiaomeng asked nonchntly, thinking that Shu Pan didn¡¯t know anyone in Bin City.


    ¡°It¡¯s Gu Shaoting. He was in a car ident yesterday,¡± Shu Pan replied.


    ¡°Why do you care about him? Are you Virgin Mary, or are youpeting for the title of ¡®Best Ex-Wife¡¯?¡± Xiaomeng sarcastically remarked, still furious about what Gu Shaoting had done before.


    ¡°He got hit trying to save Joy and me. I can¡¯t just ignore him,¡± Shu Pan smiled wryly, understanding that Xiaomeng was defending her.


    It¡¯s great to have such a best friend; what more could one ask for in life?


    ¡°He got what he deserved¡­ it¡¯s his karma, ¡± Xiaomeng was still indignant.


    ¡°Xiaomeng¡­¡± Shu Pan stopped her from saying anything more hurtful.


    ¡°Alright, soft-hearted people are easy to take advantage of, and you¡¯re one of them,¡± Xiaomeng shook her head, somewhat disappointed.


    ¡°I won¡¯t be taken advantage of. Don¡¯t worry. Thank you for your help. I¡¯ll go now, and I¡¯ll be back soon,¡± Shu Pan bid farewell to Joy and headed to the hospital.


    Before arriving at the hospital, Shu Pan brought congee and eggs for breakfast for He Ming.


    When she arrived, He Ming was sitting in a chair outside the intensive care unit. His hair was disheveled, and there were red lines in his eyes from staying up all night. He looked quite exhausted.


    ¡°Thanks,¡± He Ming epted the breakfast and hungrily ate. After staying up all night, he was truly tired.


    ¡°What did the doctor say? Has he woken up yet?¡± Shu Pan was truly worried about hearing bad news.


    ¡°The doctor said everything is stable. He¡¯ll probably wake up today,¡± He Ming¡¯s words were like a soothing balm for her.


    Shu Pan¡¯s heart settled a bit. If something were to happen to Gu Shaoting, she would feel guilty for the rest of her life.


    ¡°That¡¯s good,¡± Shu Pan also took a seat on the resting chair.


    Suddenly, the door to the intensive care unit opened, and a doctor came out.


    ¡°Are you the family members of Gu Shaoting? You can go in and see him now; we¡¯ll conduct a detailed examinationter,¡± the doctor said after removing his mask.


    ¡°We¡¯re here. What¡¯s the situation?¡± He Ming and Shu Pan approached.


    ¡°The patient has regained consciousness. You can go in and see him now. We¡¯ll conduct a detailed examinationter,¡± the doctor¡¯s words filled them with joy.


    He Ming immediately shared this good news with Song Can.


    They entered the room and saw Gu Shaoting, dressed in a hospital gown, sitting on the bed. The warm sunlight streamed through the window, casting a golden glow on his hair. However, he had a bewildered expression and seemed somewhat different from his usual self.


    ¡°Shaoting, how are you feeling? Do you have any difort?¡± He Ming walked up to the bed and asked Gu Shaoting first.


    Shu Pan entered as well and ced Gu Shaoting¡¯s personal belongings on the bedside table.


    Gu Shaoting gazed at the two neers with confusion, unsure of who they were.


    ¡°Who are you? Who am I?¡± Gu Shaoting asked innocently.


    ¡°Come on, buddy, don¡¯t mess around. Do you think this is a TV drama?¡± He


    Ming patted his shoulder and said with a smile..

 Chapter 164 - 164: Who Am I (2)

    Chapter 164: Who Am I (2)


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Gu Shaoting looked at the hand patting his shoulder, furrowed his brows, and then calmly said, ¡°Honestly, I don¡¯t know who I am, I don¡¯t recognize you, and I have no idea what happened.¡±


    Seeing his serious expression, He Ming nervously nced at him, then turned to Shu Pan and asked, ¡°What¡¯s going on? Does he not recognize us? Could the ident have affected his brain?¡±


    Shu Pan pursed her lips. ¡°I don¡¯t think he¡¯s gone crazy. He still speaks logically. It seems like amnesia from the impact. He doesn¡¯t even recognize himself.¡±


    He Ming widened his eyes, finding it somewhat unbelievable. This was too dramatic.


    ¡°Oh no, I¡¯ll go call the doctor immediately,¡± He Ming hurried to find the doctor.


    Gu Shaoting then shifted his gaze to Shu Pan, staring at her without speaking. Honestly, Shu Pan found this version of Gu Shaoting a bit unsettling. His gaze was intense, unlike his usual cold demeanor.


    Finally, he spoke up.


    ¡°You are my¡­¡± Gu Shaoting drew out the tone, seemingly waiting for Shu Pan¡¯s response.


    ¡°I¡¯m not anyone to you, we have no rtionship,¡± Shu Pan answered quickly.


    ¡°If we have no rtionship, why are you here?¡± Gu Shaoting had an expression that suggested he wasn¡¯t buying her story. There was an odd sense of familiarity he felt toward her.


    Shu Pan was momentarily speechless. This man always had quick reactions. Then, she had a clever idea. ¡°Because you got into the ident while trying to save me. So, I had toe.¡±


    Shu Pan answered reasonably,pletely unaware of the consequences this statement might bring.


    ¡°Oh, so I got into trouble trying to save you,¡± Gu Shaoting muttered to himself.


    ¡°Doctor, please examine him quickly. He doesn¡¯t even know who he is,¡± He Ming called for the doctor.


    The doctor examined Gu Shaoting.


    ¡°Physiologically, he¡¯s fine in all aspects. The ident mainly impacted his head, which is aplex area. Due to the intense external impact on the brain, it caused cerebral hematoma. The blood clot pressing on certain memory nerves is causing amnesia. However, the blood clot will be absorbedter, and he will regain his memory. This is temporary amnesia,¡± the doctor exined, leaving He Ming and Shu Pan only partially understanding.


    ¡°When will he recover his memory?¡± He Ming asked anxiously.


    ¡°It depends on the individual. The blood clot isn¡¯trge, so if it absorbs quickly, he should regain his memory soon,¡± the doctor exined.


    After the doctor left, He Ming approached Gu Shaoting. ¡°Brother, let me introduce myself. I¡¯m He Ming, and you¡¯re Gu Shaoting. We¡¯re good friends.¡±


    He Ming spoke while observing Gu Shaoting¡¯s expression, hoping he might remember something.


    ¡°Oh, where¡¯s my family? What do I do for a living?¡± Gu Shaoting still seemed bewildered.


    ¡°I¡¯ve informed Auntie. She should be here soon. You are the CEO of Gu Group.


    Once you¡¯re discharged and fully recovered, I¡¯ll take you to thepany.¡±


    Then He Ming turned to introduce Shu Pan. ¡°Her name is Shu Pan. Do you remember her?¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Gu Shaoting nodded.


    ¡°Do you remember her?¡± He Ming¡¯s voice unintentionally raised half a pitch, seemingly in disbelief.


    ¡°Yes, I do. I owe her my life,¡± Gu Shaoting said calmly, a way of speaking that could infuriate anyone.


    He Ming helplessly rubbed his forehead and massaged his temples..

 Chapter 165 - 165: Who Am I (3)

    Chapter 165: Who Am I (3)


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Shu Pan was also speechless. Seeing his calm demeanor, why wasn¡¯t he anxious about his own amnesia?


    Gu Shaoting looked at her, but she didn¡¯t dare to make eye contact, pretending to turn her head away.


    ¡°How are you, Shaoting?¡± As the door to the ward opened, Song Can had already walked in.


    This seemed to be the first time Shu Pan had seen her like this. Normally, she was always elegant and noble, but now she seemed a bit rushed, with slightly disheveled hair and a paleplexion.


    ¡°Who is she?¡± Gu Shaoting nced at He Ming. He Ming immediately understood.


    Song Can was suddenly dumbfounded. What did that mean? Did he not even recognize his own mother?


    ¡°Auntie, the doctor said Shaoting had a small blood clot in his brain due to the car ident, causing temporary amnesia. But once the blood clot is absorbed, his memory will recover,¡± He Ming exined.


    ¡°How did this happen? What exactly is going on?¡± Song Can was about to finish speaking when she noticed Shu Pan standing next to her.


    She suddenly widened her eyes, as if seeing an enemy.


    ¡°Why are you here? You¡¯re like a haunting ghost,¡± Song Can was very agitated. Gu Shaoting¡¯s ident and amnesia were already a big blow to her, and now seeing Shu Pan made her even more infuriated.


    ¡°I¡­¡± Shu Pan was about to exin when Gu Shaoting suddenly spoke up, ¡°Who is she? Why do I feel a sense of familiarity?¡±


    Gu Shaoting pointed at Shu Pan again, asking, ¡°Who is she?¡±


    ¡°She has nothing to do with you,¡± Song Can suddenly changed her tone. She thought that if Gu Shaoting forgot about Shu Pan, it might not be a bad thing. This way, he would still be Tong Fei¡¯s fianc¨¦, and everything would be as it was before. As for Joy, they could bring her back when their rtionship stabilized.


    She thought this idea was fantastic.


    She suppressed her anger and stopped targeting Shu Pan.


    He Ming knew the reasons behind it and didn¡¯t dare to tell Song Can that Gu Shaoting had been hit while trying to save Shu Pan and Joy.


    Otherwise, Song Can might explode again.


    ¡°Auntie, Shaoting will be fine. His memory will recover. It¡¯s just a matter of time. Let him be in a familiar environment, and don¡¯t worry too much,¡± He Mingforted her, hoping she would understand. Don¡¯t vent your grievances on Shu Pan.


    ¡°Son, you have to recover quickly. Please don¡¯t scare me. Your fianc¨¦e doesn¡¯t know about your ident yet. I haven¡¯t had a chance to tell her,¡± Song Can was genuinely frightened.


    ¡°I have a fianc¨¦e? I don¡¯t feel anything,¡± Gu Shaoting frowned, skeptical about the authenticity of this information.


    ¡°I¡¯ll have here see you tomorrow. She¡¯ll probably be anxious,¡± Song Can was worried that Gu Shaoting might change his mind.


    ¡°I can¡¯t remember anything for now. Let¡¯s meet the otherster,¡± Gu Shaoting really didn¡¯t want everyone to treat him like a spectacle, making a big fuss. So, he brushed off Song Can.


    ¡°I¡¯ll ask the doctor when you can be discharged. We¡¯ll go home and take care of you,¡± Song Can said, nning to consult the doctor about rted matters.


    ¡°No need. I have a ce to recuperate, and it¡¯s also helpful for recovering my memory,¡± Gu Shaoting refused Song Can, looking mysterious.


    ¡°Where is that ce? Why don¡¯t you go home to recuperate?¡± Song Can thought he was being too whimsical and scolded him.


    ¡°I¡¯m not injured anywhere else, my intelligence is normal, and my movements are normal. Don¡¯t worry. Treat me as you did before, and don¡¯t consider me disabled,¡± Gu Shaoting¡¯s words relieved everyone¡¯s tension..

 Chapter 166 - 166: I’m a Patient

    Chapter 166: I¡¯m a Patient


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Song Can, seeing him speak like that, knew that saying more would be of no use, so she could only let it go. She had to ask He Ming to take good care of him. He Ming assured her.


    Later, Song Can red fiercely at Shu Pan in secret and left.


    Shu Pan couldn¡¯t help but heave a sigh of relief. Every time she saw Song Can, she felt immense pressure, and her stomach would ache faintly.


    He Ming, watching Song Can leave, then looking at his crumpled clothes, his dirty face, spoke up.


    ¡°Shu Pan, could you please look after Shaoting? I¡¯ll go back to freshen up ande back as soon as possible, alright?¡±


    He Ming sought Shu Pan¡¯s opinion.


    ¡°Sure, you can go back first.¡± Shu Pan nodded. After all, she had nothing to do today, Joy was at Xiaomeng¡¯s house, and now that Gu Shaoting had amnesia, she considered it an act of kindness to take care of this stranger.


    ¡°Thank you. Brother Ting, I¡¯lle backter.¡± He Ming turned to Gu Shaoting and said, ¡°Brother Ting, I¡¯ll be backter.¡±


    Gu Shaoting remained calm and nodded.


    He Ming left, leaving only the two of them in the ward. No one spoke, and the room was quiet.


    Gu Shaoting reached for the water cup on the bedside table. Seeing this, Shu Pan quickly took it for him, opened the cup, and handed it to him.


    Gu Shaoting nced at her.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Shu Pan asked him curiously.


    Gu Shaoting didn¡¯t say anything, but in his mind, he thought that this scene was very familiar, and the actions seemed very natural.


    ¡°How much do you know about me? Can you tell me?¡± Gu Shaoting finally spoke.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know anything. We are strangers, ¡± Shu Pan¡¯s words, however, did not convince Gu Shaoting.


    ¡°Did I offend you before? Why do I feel hostility from you?¡± Gu Shaoting could sense Shu Pan¡¯s unfriendliness towards him.


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing. Don¡¯t overthink it. Rest well and get discharged soon,¡± Shu Pan didn¡¯t want to continue the conversation with him.


    Gu Shaoting looked helpless.


    Finally, He Ming arrived, and Shu Pan, seeing him, breathed a sigh of relief.


    ¡°You¡¯ve helped out. I have something to attend to, so I¡¯ll be leaving.¡± Shu Pan said to He Ming.


    ¡°What? You¡¯re leaving? You¡¯re not taking care of me anymore?¡± Gu Shaoting, upon hearing this, became anxious. He only felt a sense of familiarity with Shu


    Pan.


    In this unfamiliar environment, he felt quite insecure without someone he knew.


    ¡°The hospital staff can take care of you. I can¡¯t be of much help. I don¡¯t want to stay here, especially to encounter your mother again,¡± Shu Pan didn¡¯t want to stay at all.


    ¡°Okay, as long as I¡¯m here, that¡¯s enough. You can go,¡± He Ming didn¡¯t want to say much. If Xiaomeng found out that he treated Shu Pan poorly, he would be in trouble.


    ¡°Make me some lean pork congee tonight and bring it over. I suddenly want to eat it,¡± Gu Shaoting continued to nag.


    Shu Pan couldn¡¯t help but roll her eyes, ¡°They sell it outside. I¡¯ll go buy it for you.¡±


    ¡°No, the ones outside are not hygienic. I¡¯m still a patient. We need to be cautious,¡± Gu Shaoting insisted, behaving like a stubborn child.


    Shu Pan didn¡¯t want to argue with him anymore, so she reluctantly agreed.


    He Ming, standing on the side, sweated. He had never seen the renowned Gu Shaoting being so stubborn.


    After Shu Pan left, He Ming and Gu Shaoting talked about thepany¡¯s situation.


    ¡°I¡¯m still a patient now. so take care of the less important decisions yourself.¡¯


    Gu Shaoting leaned against the bedhead, closing his eyes to rest.


    ¡°You said you don¡¯t have any major issues. After being discharged, you can rest ande back to work, right?¡± With the increasing workload, He Ming was feeling a bit overwhelmed. He guessed he wouldn¡¯t be able to visit Ye Xiaomeng for some time.


    Gu Shaoting squinted at him but didn¡¯t say anything..

 Chapter 167 - 167: Furious

    Chapter 167: Furious


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Before returning home, Shu Pan went to the market to buy ingredients for congee. She nned to cook it and take it over before picking up Joy. Now that she had nothing else to do, she could alleviate some of her guilt. She felt she had done her best for him.


    Shu Pan had no idea that it was because of Gu Shaoting that she had narrowly escaped trouble.


    Tong Fei learned about Gu Shaoting¡¯s ident from Song Can. ¡°Feifei, Shaoting had a car ident, and he¡¯s temporarily suffering from amnesia. He doesn¡¯t recognize anyone and can¡¯t remember the past,¡± Song Can said with concern.


    Tong Fei felt a sudden tightness in her heart. Instead of waiting for news about Shu Pan, she heard about Gu Shaoting¡¯s ident.


    ¡°Is he okay? Auntie,¡± Tong Fei asked nervously, wondering what had happened.


    Gu Shaoting lost his memory. He probably wouldn¡¯t remember his proposal to annul their engagement. Tong Fei thought about it and considered it good


    news.


    Hearing that there were no major issues, Tong Fei felt a bit relieved.


    ¡°Auntie, which hospital is Shaoting in? I¡¯d like to visit him.¡± Tong Fei saw this as a good opportunity. With Gu Shaoting not remembering anything, her looks would probably be irresistible to him. She was confident that he would change his mind.


    ¡°Oh, he¡¯ll probably be discharged soon. He said he didn¡¯t want to be disturbed for now. Maybe you can visit him after he¡¯s out of the hospital,¡± Song Can didn¡¯t want to defy Gu Shaoting¡¯s wishes.


    ¡°Okay, Auntie, take care of yourself.¡± After hanging up, Tong Fei¡¯s expression changed. She immediately called Lord Long.


    She was anxious to know the oue. When the call connected, she took a deep breath, trying to appear calm and said, ¡°Lord Long, how have you beentely?¡±


    ¡°Little beauty, I¡¯ve been missing you. When will youe out again for some fun?¡± Lord Long¡¯s words were quite lecherous.


    Tong Fei felt disgusted, but she endured it. ¡°Lord Long, how about the matter I asked you to take care ofst time? Is it done?¡±


    Lord Longined, ¡°Ah, I almost got into trouble because of you. The car was about to hit that woman, but unexpectedly, a man popped up, pushed her away, and got hit himself. After investigating, we found out it was Gu Shaoting, the president of Gu Group. To avoid trouble, I asked the driver toy low for a while.¡±


    Lord Long vented his frustration, and Tong Fei¡¯s heart was on fire. She couldn¡¯t offend Lord Long.


    ¡°Sorry for the trouble, Lord Long. You¡¯re busy, so I won¡¯t disturb you. Let¡¯s chat another time.¡± After exchanging pleasantries, Tong Fei hung up the phone.


    She mmed the phone onto the sofa, her face twisted in anger. Her suspicions were correct. Gu Shaoting was hit by a car because of Shu Pan.


    So, Gu Shaoting had always had Shu Pan in his heart. The engagement was just a reluctant decision. No wonder he was so eager to annul the engagement; he wanted to be with Shu Pan.


    ¡°Shu Pan, I hate you!¡±


    ¡°Why did you keep blocking my happiness again and again?¡±


    Tong Fei sat down calmly, then called Song Can, ¡°Auntie, I¡¯m still worried about Shaoting. Can we go to the hospital together tomorrow? The more I think about it, the more worried I be.¡±


    ¡°Child, you really care. Alright, let¡¯s go together tomorrow. If Shaoting misses you, it¡¯s his loss.¡± Song Can expressed her sentiments..

 Chapter 168 - 168: I Don I t Know You

    Chapter 168: I Don I t Know You


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Shu Pan prepared the congee, poured it into a thermos, and quickly delivered it to the hospital.


    Upon seeing Shu Pan again, Gu Shaoting smiled with understanding. ¡°Quick, bring the congee. I¡¯m starving,¡± he beckoned to Shu Pan.


    Shu Pan served him a bowl of congee, perfectly cooked with a smooth and velvety texture. The rice grains sparkled with a white glow, creating a delightful taste in the mouth.


    Whether it was hunger or the deliciousness of the congee, Gu Shaoting surprisingly finished the bowl quickly.


    Soon, even the congee in the thermos was gone. ¡°It¡¯s so delicious. I want to eat it again tomorrow,¡± Gu Shaoting licked his lips and expressed his desire.


    Shu Pan was taken aback by how he devoured the congee. Did he think he was eating some rare delicacy?


    ¡°I have something to do tomorrow, and eating it every day might get boring, ¡± Shu Pan refused. She couldn¡¯t take leave frequently.


    ¡°Others repay kindness with their bodies, but I¡¯m just asking for a bowl of congee¡­¡± Gu Shaoting paused, adopting a submissive tone, making Shu Pan feel like he had no gratitude.


    Shu Pan looked at him, as if realizing for the first time that he was shameless. How did she not notice this before?


    ¡°I¡¯ll bring it to you after work tomorrow,¡± she reluctantly agreed, burdened by thebel of a benefactor.


    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t that be too hard for you?¡± Gu Shaoting pretended to be considerate. ¡°Not at all,¡± Shu Pan replied, seeing through his insincere demeanor.


    Gu Shaoting finally smiled satisfactorily.


    In the evening, Song Can and Tong Fei went to the hospital to visit Gu Shaoting. Tong Fei had work arrangements during the day.


    ¡°Shaoting, how are you? I was so scared when I heard the news,¡± Tong Fei¡¯s expression was exaggerated, making it look unnatural.


    ¡°Doing fine,¡± Gu Shaoting didn¡¯t even lift his eyelids.


    ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± Tong Fei awkwardly sped her hands, a bit unsure of what to say.


    ¡°Shaoting, this is your fianc¨¦e Tong Fei, or should I say, the international supermodel,¡± Song Can smiled as he introduced Tong Fei to Gu Shaoting. Gu Shaoting finally nced at her and coolly said, ¡°I don¡¯t know her.¡±


    Tong Fei felt a bit embarrassed; she didn¡¯t expect Gu Shaoting, after losing his memory, to be like this¡ªmore indifferent and sarcastic in his speech.


    Hearing rms, song can¡¯s race surrenea. snean¡¯t Know wnat to say.


    But to avoid making Tong Fei ufortable, Song Can spoke up, ¡°You¡¯ve lost your memory, it¡¯s normal not to remember, but Feifei really cares about you. She rushed over to see you even after a tiring day at work.¡±


    Gu Shaoting acted as if he hadn¡¯t heard.


    Just when the atmosphere became awkward, Shu Pan entered with a thermos in hand.


    Seeing Song Can and Tong Fei still in the room, Shu Pan couldn¡¯t help but inwardlyment. Did she forget to check the almanac before leaving today? How did she run into them again?


    Helpless, Shu Pan braved the situation and walked in. After cing the thermos on the table, she hesitated, not knowing what to do next. Frowning, Gu Shaoting said, ¡°I want to have congee.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll do it,¡± Tong Fei, eager to show kindness, hurried over to help.


    ¡°No, I want Panpan to pour it,¡± Gu Shaoting firmly refused.


    The three people in the room were stunned. Shu Pan wondered if this man wanted to cause her more trouble. The other two were surprised at when Gu Shaoting and Shu Pan had be so close. In their memory, Gu Shaoting wouldn¡¯t address people this way, not even a lover.


    Song Can and Tong Fei exchanged nces, uncertain about how to handle the situation..

 Chapter 169 - 169: Going Home With You

    Chapter 169: Going Home With You


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi- Bo Studio


    Shu Pan found it even more unbelievable. Clearly, he had lost his memory, so how did he end up ming her?


    Song Can gave Shu Pan a fierce re, making her feel innocent.


    Using a spoon, Shu Pan scooped a bowl of congee and handed it to Gu Shaoting.


    Seeing that Shu Pan was willing to feed him, he held the bowl as if he were enjoying a delicacy.


    After Gu Shaoting finished the congee, Shu Pan packed up her things, ready to leave.


    ¡°Remember toe tomorrow,¡± Gu Shaoting reminded Shu Pan, afraid she might forget.


    ¡°I have to work and have many things to attend to. I won¡¯t be able toe,¡± Shu Pan exined; she had already dyed a lot of things.


    ¡°But tomorrow is when I¡¯m getting discharged. What will I do if you¡¯re not here?¡± Gu Shaoting said pitifully.


    ¡°Even if you¡¯re discharged, I can¡¯t help you bying,¡± Shu Pan found it really strange.


    ¡°But after I¡¯m discharged, you have to take me home and take care of me,¡± Gu Shaoting said matter-of-factly.


    ¡°What? Take you home? Take care of you?¡± Shu Pan repeated Gu Shaoting¡¯s words, her tone raised.


    ¡°Yes, for you, I¡¯ve lost my memory. Shouldn¡¯t you take care of me and be responsible?¡± Shu Pan sincerely felt that Gu Shaoting¡¯s face was as thick as a wall.


    The hat of being a lifesaving benefactor pressed on her so hard, making it difficult for her to breathe.


    Every time he used this reason, she had topromise.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t there a saying that one should not seek for gratitude? Why are you so petty and calcting?¡± Shu Pan couldn¡¯t help but mock him.


    ¡°Well, I am this kind of person,¡± Gu Shaoting didn¡¯t mind. He knew that Shu Pan would eventuallypromise.


    Song Can and Tong Fei on the side watched them banter,pletely ignoring their existence, treating them as if they were invisible.


    ¡°Shaoting, it¡¯s not appropriate to stay at someone else¡¯s house, especially when you¡¯re not familiar with each other. People will gossip about a man and a woman living together,¡± Song Can felt it was getting more absurd the more he heard it and quickly advised.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. I don¡¯t mind. I just want to retrieve my lost memories,¡± Gu Shaoting¡¯s feelings for Shu Pan grew stronger.


    Every time Shu Pan approached him, he felt his heart racing. Every time Shu Pan got angry and stomped her feet, he found her expression cute.


    He didn¡¯t know if this was what they called beauty in the eyes of a lover, so he decided to follow his feelings.


    ¡°I really can¡¯t. I have family, and the house is very small,¡± Shu Pan truly felt like she had gone mad to agree to such a request.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. He Ming said I have several houses. You can choose one to live in.


    Don¡¯t worry. I am an upright gentleman and won¡¯t do anything inappropriate. But if you have any thoughts about me, I can¡¯t prevent that,¡± Gu Shaoting seemed unwilling to ept rejection.


    ¡°Shaoting, we are engaged. Why don¡¯t youe to my ce? I can take good care of you. We¡¯ve been together for so long. I believe that in a familiar environment, your memory will recover faster,¡± Tong Fei gently persuaded,pletely unaware that the post-amnesia Gu Shaoting was even more difficult.


    ¡°I¡¯m not familiar with you. I heard you¡¯re still a model, a public figure. You should be mindful of your words and actions,¡± Gu Shaoting¡¯s words almost made Tong Fei spit blood.


    ¡°How about it? Have you made a decision?¡± Gu Shaoting turned to Shu Pan.


    Shu Pan felt like she was really stuck with this piece of adhesive.


    ¡°To take care of you until you recover your memory?¡± Shu Pan asked in confusion.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Gu Shaoting nodded.


    ¡°What if you never recover your memory?¡± Shu Pan asked worriedly.. Wouldn¡¯t she be stuck with him forever?

 Chapter 170 - 170: Agree

    Chapter 170: Agree


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    ¡°Didn¡¯t the doctor say my condition is not severe? Maybe I¡¯ll recover soon. You have to trust the doctor¡¯s judgment,¡± Gu Shaoting tried hard to convince Shu


    Pan.


    Shu Pan looked at him with an innocent face, but in reality, he was as cunning as a slippery fox.


    ¡°I don¡¯t have any experience taking care of patients. I¡¯m worried I won¡¯t do well,¡± Shu Pan thought through various reasons.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. You can consider it as practice,¡± Gu Shaoting countered her concerns.


    Shu Pan was truly rendered speechless.


    Internally, she thought that if she were forced to take care of Gu Shaoting, she would have to arrange things for Joy first. This situation wasn¡¯t suitable for Gu Shaoting to stay with them, and she didn¡¯t want to exin further. The more she exined, the moreplicated it became.


    Coincidentally, the kindergarten was about to close for a break, so she decided to send Joy back to Lotus Town. Both her dad and Auntie Lu had been nagging about it for a while. When school resumed, she would bring Joy back. By then, regardless of whether Gu Shaoting had recovered his memory, she would refuse to take care of him any longer.


    In fact, he was already an adult and had epted the fact that he had amnesia. There wasn¡¯t much need for her care.


    Encountering someone who changed not only physically but also in personality due to amnesia for the first time was truly bizarre. It was like dealing with apletely different person.


    ¡°My ce is very small, so you should arrange your amodation. I still have to work, but I can take care of your daily life after work and during rest time,¡± Shu Pan seemed to bepromising.


    Actually, she wanted to suggest hiring an experienced housekeeper, but she knew he wouldn¡¯t agree. Therefore, she made her conditions clear to prevent him from changing his mindter.


    ¡°Okay, we¡¯ll go with your suggestion,¡± Gu Shaoting weakly nodded, as if he had only agreed because Shu Pan had forced him into it.


    Shu Pan looked at him with a strange gaze, surprised that he had been so obedient this time and hadn¡¯t argued again.


    Song Can and Tong Fei exchanged nces,pletely unable to grasp the current situation.


    The post-amnesia Gu Shaoting was more self-willed, no longer listening to anything they said.


    ¡°Well, Shaoting, if there¡¯s anything you need help with, just let me know,¡± Tong Fei said without changing her expression, speaking in a coquettish manner as expected in the entertainment industry.


    Gu Shaoting didn¡¯t react much.


    When they were processing the discharge procedures, He Ming came over, handling everything. Shu Pan went to thepany to take care of some work. The recent work had been dyed due to Gu Shaoting¡¯s situation.


    On the other side, Gu Shaoting was getting impatient. Why hadn¡¯t Shu Pane yet? Was she noting because she had changed her mind at thest minute?


    The more he thought about it, the more likely it seemed. Usually, she appeared submissive, but when there was something important, she could be quite stubborn.


    ¡°Brother, why don¡¯t you make a call to remind Shu Pan?¡± Gu Shaoting couldn¡¯t hold back anymore, pleading with He Ming beside him.


    ¡°It¡¯s not toote now. The discharge procedures haven¡¯t beenpleted yet, right?¡± He Ming thought it was still early and not necessary.


    He Ming was starting to look at Gu Shaoting with newfound respect. Could amnesia really change a person so much? He was a bit skeptical, but he had to believe it because the facts spoke for themselves.


    Just as Gu Shaoting was anxiously waiting, Shu Pan finally arrived. When she came in with her bag, the two men in the room looked at her with different expressions.


    Seeing her, He Ming seemed relieved, as if he had seen a savior.


    ¡°Shu Pan, you finally came,¡± He Ming sighed in relief.


    ¡°I told you I had to go back to thepany for something, didn¡¯t I?¡± Shu Pan was surprised by his reaction.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. Shaoting was just getting a bit impatient,¡± He Ming teased him..

 Chapter 171 - 171: Living Together

    Chapter 171: Living Together


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Shu Pan felt like there were a few ck lines appearing on her forehead.


    ¡°Shut up.¡± Gu Shaoting was a bit annoyed and embarrassed, suddenly speaking in front of Shu Pan. He seemed a bit awkward.


    He Ming chuckled and then asked, ¡°Have you decided where you want to stay? I told you before that you have several properties.¡±


    ¡°I thought about it and decided to go back to Shuimu Qinghua. I feel like the name is very¡­¡± Gu Shaoting thought seriously, as if he had decided after careful consideration.


    He Ming was stunned, and Shu Pan was equally surprised. She never expected Gu Shaoting to want to return to Shuimu Qinghua. There were many unpleasant memories from there, but, of course, there were also happy moments.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Is there anything inappropriate?¡± Gu Shaoting asked when both of them remained silent.


    ¡°Nothing, it¡¯s a quiet environment there, suitable for recuperation.¡± He Ming exined, having seen him stay there often, there must be some nostalgic memories.


    Shu Pan felt like she had just been hit by a barrage of emotions.


    On that day, Shu Pan took some time to send Joy back. Joy was excited to see her grandparents soon, as happy as a little bird.


    ¡°Mom, when can I see Uncle Gu?¡± It seemed like they shared the same blood, and Joy asked.


    ¡°When youe back from Grandpa¡¯s house, you can see Uncle Gu.¡± Shu Panforted her.


    ¡°Great!¡± Joy was extremely happy.


    Shu Pan looked at her and couldn¡¯t help but envy children, innocent and carefree, always happy.


    When Shu Pan returned to Bin City, it was already evening.


    Shu Pan used to think she would never set foot in the Shuimu Qinghua house again. Who knew fate had other ns?


    Stepping inside, Shu Pan felt inexplicably nervous.


    Looking at everything in the house, it was the same as when she left, no major changes. It was familiar yet somewhat unfamiliar.


    ¡°Panpan, what should we have for dinner tonight?¡± Gu Shaoting hadn¡¯t seen Shu Pan all afternoon and missed her.


    Seeing him look so serious, Shu Pan replied, ¡°What do you want to eat?¡±


    ¡°Anything, just don¡¯t tire yourself too much.¡± Gu Shaoting looked considerate. Shu Pan was taken aback by his words, finding it hard to believe he had said such things.


    Taking advantage of the situation, Shu Pan asked a question, hoping he wouldn¡¯t make things difficult for her.


    ¡°Can we discuss something? I¡¯ll start working officially tomorrow. I¡¯ve been dyed with a lot of work recently. Is that okay?¡± Shu Pan asked.


    Gu Shaoting frowned, ¡°What kind of work? Otherwise, you can work in mypany. I¡¯ll arrange an easier job for you.¡± Gu Shaoting suggested, not wanting to see her busy all the time.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, my current job is fine. I don¡¯t want to change for now.¡± Shu Pan refused. She just wanted to be away from him for a while. For now, she hoped he would recover, and she didn¡¯t want anything else.


    Shu Pan still lived in the second bedroom. Everything in the room was the same as when she left. Evidently, someone hade to clean up.


    Touching the bedding, Shu Pan sighed. The scent ofundry detergent for the sheets lingered in her nose¡ªfresh and fragrant.


    After putting away her things, Shu Pan returned to the kitchen to prepare dinner.


    Considering he was still a patient, she decided to make what he liked.


    Gu Shaoting watched Shu Pan busy herself for him, and the house finally had some vitality. He felt an indescribable sense of tranquility in his heart..

 Chapter 172 - 172: Mr. Gu

    Chapter 172: Mr. Gu


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Gu Shaoting thoroughly enjoyed his current life, feeling that he could quickly adjust after amnesia, and the major contributor to this was Shu Pan.


    Although Shu Pan denied every time that they were not familiar with each other.


    However, he was patient and believed that they had some connection.


    Time would prove everything.


    While Gu Shaoting was lost in thought, Shu Pan had already cooked the meal.


    She held a porcin te with a delicious aroma emanating from the dishes inside.


    ¡°Mr. Gu, you can have your meal now,¡± Shu Pan said to him.


    As soon as Gu Shaoting heard her address him as Mr. Gu, his face immediately wrinkled, as if he could squeeze mosquitoes to death. Seeing his sudden change, Shu Pan was a bit puzzled.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Shu Pan asked.


    ¡°Although you say we¡¯re not familiar, we¡¯re now living under the same roof. Why are you still calling me Mr. Gu? I didn¡¯t hire you as a part-time cleaner. I thought after spending this time together, we were already friends.¡± Gu Shaoting¡¯s words were full ofints.


    The phrase ¡°Mr. Gu¡±ing from Shu Pan¡¯s mouth felt like a thorn to him, causing a slight pain.


    He was more disappointed because in Shu Pan¡¯s heart, he was probably just an unfamiliar Mr. Gu.


    Mr. Gu¡ªpolite but distant.


    ¡°You can call me Shaoting.¡± Gu Shaoting saw that Shu Pan remained silent and corrected her.


    Actually, Shu Pan didn¡¯t think too much about it. Out of gratitude, she took care of him for a while, and they wouldn¡¯t have any intersection in the future. So, calling him ¡°Mr. Gu¡± seemed appropriate, and there was nothing wrong with it.


    Seeing Gu Shaoting so tangled up, she felt a bit speechless.


    ¡°Names don¡¯t matter. Let¡¯s eat quickly. The food will get cold soon.¡± After cing the te on the dining table, Shu Pan turned and went back to the kitchen.


    When she came out again, she saw that Gu Shaoting was still in the same position, not moving.


    ¡°Gu Shaoting, let¡¯s eat.¡± Shu Pan directly called his name. What¡¯s wrong with this guy? It¡¯s hard to serve him a meal.


    ¡°Oh, I got it.¡± Gu Shaoting, upon hearing Shu Pan call him, happily walked to the dining table.


    Shu Pan had already set up two sets of bowls and chopsticks. The two chairs at the dining table were ced opposite each other.


    Gu Shaoting pulled out a chair and sat down. He looked at Shu Pan and said, ¡°You should sit down and eat too. After we finish, the auntie tomorrow can clean up the dishes and stuff.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. Washing the dishes doesn¡¯t take much time.¡± Shu Pan, while speaking, sat down across from Gu Shaoting.


    She was not a nobledy. And there was no need to make it difficult for her own stomach. Eat quickly, rest early, and hopefully, Gu Shaoting would recover his memory tomorrow.


    ¡°When you returned here, did you feel any familiarity? For example, the vase next to the TV cab, you auctioned it off at a high price¡­¡±


    Listening to Shu Pan introducing other things in the house, he suddenly stopped picking up the food and looked at her with a yful expression.


    ¡°Why are you so familiar with things in my house? Miss Shu Pan, who is not very familiar with me,¡± he teased.


    Shu Pan was suddenly speechless, realizing that she had crossed a line.


    How could a stranger go so far as to know everything about someone else¡¯s house?


    Shu Pan cursed herself for being a fool. Was she such a low-level mistake?


    ¡°I¡­l¡­heard it from He Ming,¡± Shu Pan, who was originally stuttering, suddenly turned her brain and found a reason.


    ¡°Oh¡­so that¡¯s how it is.¡± Gu Shaoting¡¯s voice dragged on for a long time, with a subtle joy that was not easily detectable.


    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Shu Pan finished speaking and lowered her head, focusing on eating.


    Gu Shaoting looked at her, his smile filled with indulgence..

 Chapter 173 - 173: Envy

    Chapter 173: Envy


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Shu Pan no longer paid attention to Gu Shaoting, just focusing on eating with her head down. Gu Shaoting noticed and reached out to put some meat from the te into Shu Pan¡¯s bowl.


    ¡°Have some more meat. You look like a paper-thin figure, ready to topple with a gust of wind,¡± Gu Shaoting said in a gentle tone, causing Shu Pan¡¯s heart to flutter.


    Shu Pan was momentarily stunned, not expecting such a gesture from Gu Shaoting. She picked a few grains of rice with her chopsticks, chewing slowly, while pondering what Gu Shaoting might mean by this.


    But he remained calm andposed, giving away no clues about his intentions.


    The next day, Shu Pan left for thepany early. Gu Shaoting watched her leave and paced around the house. He wanted to ask her not to go to work, but they had agreed on it, and he couldn¡¯t interfere.


    So boring! Gu Shaoting rubbed his head in frustration,


    ¡°Brother, where are you? I¡¯m so bored at home. I want to visit thepany. Is it convenient?¡± Gu Shaoting, feeling utterly bored, reluctantly called He Ming.


    ¡°Um¡­ um¡­ Wait a moment, I¡¯lle pick you up.¡± He Ming on the other end of the phone seemed a bit distracted.


    Hearing He Ming¡¯s response, Gu Shaoting furrowed his brow, a bit puzzled about what might be happening.


    Indeed, something had happened. He Ming was facing pressure from his family to get married and had been introduced to potential girlfriends. He firmly declined, but his family thought he simply hadn¡¯t found someone he liked yet and continued the matchmaking efforts.


    They even went as far as to say that he could bring his preferred girl home, thinking that would be the only way to prove he was serious. He Ming could only ask his family for more time, as he was still working on winning Ye Xiaomeng¡¯s heart and didn¡¯t want toplicate matters further.


    Shortly after, He Ming drove to Shuimu Qinghua to pick up Gu Shaoting. ¡°Brother Ting, life is so annoying, full of things not going well,¡± He Mingined as soon as the two got into the car, seeking somefort.


    ¡°Fortunately, I still find life beautiful at the moment. Every day is exciting,¡± Gu Shaoting said cheerfully, disying a happy and contented demeanor that seemed somewhat provocative.


    Taking advantage of a red light, He Ming nced at Gu Shaoting. Indeed, he looked healthy, radiant, and still exuded a remarkable aura.


    ¡°Why, Shu Pan takes good care of you. You seem to be in heaven already in her care,¡± He Ming teased.


    ¡°Right? Comparing to the past, I have more than enough now,¡± Gu Shaoting modestly replied, the happiness in his eyes hard to ignore.


    Unable to help himself, He Ming took another look, feeling a bit envious. When would he and Ye Xiaomeng seed? It seemed like a long and uncertain journey.


    Arriving at thepany, Gu Shaoting and He Ming walked side by side towards the elevator. He Ming observed Gu Shaoting¡¯s movements, which seemed natural and devoid of any nervousness. He couldn¡¯t help but be suspicious, ¡°Are you really experiencing amnesia, or is it fake?¡±


    ¡°What do you think?¡± Gu Shaoting answered evasively, making it hard to discern the truth.


    ¡°Who would joke about something like this?¡± Gu Shaoting continued.


    He Ming seemed to agree, nodding in acknowledgment.


    In the office, Gu Shaoting naturally stood by the floor-to-ceiling window, nced below, and then asked He Ming, ¡°How¡¯s thepany operatingtely?


    Any troubles?¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s going well. Just that we¡¯ll have to go to France for a few days on business. You¡¯ll have to handle the negotiations.¡± He Ming checked the memo on the desk and reminded him..

 Chapter 174 - 174: Wen chi Was Back

    Chapter 174: Wen chi Was Back


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Gu Shaoting pressed his temples before speaking, ¡°Business trip?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, can¡¯t someone else go on my behalf? I can¡¯t remember anything,¡± Gu Shaoting inquired.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, I will go with you. The person we¡¯re dealing with is a major business tycoon, and it¡¯s crucial for the development of our group in the next few years,¡± He Ming tried to persuade him.


    Reluctantly, Gu Shaoting nodded in agreement. The thought of being away for a few days without Shu Pan¡¯s care and her meals made him feel quite disheartened.


    ¡°We¡¯ll talk about itter,¡± Gu Shaoting sat back at his desk and started looking through the files.


    He Ming nced at him and then left the room.


    Around noon, Gu Shaoting checked the clock on the wall, and it was already past 12 0¡¯clock. Naturally, he picked up his phone and called Shu Pan. Before the call connected, he pondered on what he would say when she answered.


    Just as he was lost in thought, Shu Pan¡¯s soft voice sounded from the other end, ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± She found it strange that he would call her at this time. It couldn¡¯t be something serious, could it?


    ¡°I haven¡¯t had lunch, and I¡¯m still at the office,¡± Gu Shaoting sounded a bit aggrieved.


    Shu Pan¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly, and she unconsciously tightened her grip on the phone.


    ¡°I can¡¯t leave now. You go eat outside,¡± she said. In the past, he often didn¡¯te home for meals, and now he alwaysined that outside foodcked nutrition and wasn¡¯t as hygienic as what she cooked at home.


    ¡°What time will you be home? I can pick you up after work,¡± Gu Shaoting thought it was a good idea.


    ¡°No need, I don¡¯t know when I¡¯ll be done. Don¡¯t bother,¡± Shu Pan promptly rejected the offer. She didn¡¯t want to trouble him.


    ¡°Up to you,¡± Gu Shaoting¡¯s tone suddenly changed, expressing a hint of annoyance.


    Hearing his ambiguous tone, Shu Pan felt a bit helpless. His emotions were like a child¡¯sing and going quickly. More importantly, dealing with him was sometimes more challenging than dealing with Joy.


    ¡°I¡¯m busy now, find somewhere to eat yourself,¡± Shu Pan said before hanging up the phone.


    Gu Shaoting held the phone in his hand, maintaining the same posture, his eyes emitting a freezing gaze as if capable of freezing a person in ce.


    Not long after, He Ming came in.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go, grab something to eat outside,¡± He Ming was already quite hungry.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± His Majesty finally spoke up.


    After hanging up the phone, Shu Pan immediately immersed herself in work. She had recently received a design project, keeping her busy. Just as she was engrossed in her work, the phone on her desk rang again.


    ncing at it, she thought it was probably Gu Shaoting again. Only he would be so bored.


    The phone stopped for a moment, but soon it rang again, disrupting Shu Pan¡¯s work. Resigned, she picked up the phone and checked. To her surprise, it wasn¡¯t Gu Shaoting but Wen Chi, who was on a business trip.


    Because he was away, attending meetings and studying, they had an unspoken agreement not to contact each other much. Now that he called, it probably meant he was back.


    ¡°Chi, are you back?¡± Shu Pan asked as soon as she answered the call.


    ¡°Yeah, I just arrived,¡± Wen Chi replied greedily, wanting to hear more of Shu Pan¡¯s voice. He missed it so much.


    ¡°How about I pick you up for dinner after work tonight?¡± Wen Chi had been looking forward to this moment for a long time.


    ¡°It might be a bitte, I still have some work to finish,¡± Shu Pan thought for a moment and said.


    ¡°No problem, see youter,¡± Wen Chi¡¯s peach blossom eyes happily formed a curved line..

 Chapter 175 - 175: Jealous (1)

    Chapter 175: Jealous (1)


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    ¡°Sure.¡± After hanging up the phone, Shu Pan made the most of her time to handle her work.


    As the end of the workday approached, colleagues gradually left one by one. Shu Pan, having almost finished her tasks, packed up and left thepany. Not far away, Wen Chi leaned against a ck car, his arms crossed as he looked towards the entrance of herpany.


    Seeing Shu Paning out, step by step towards him, Wen Chi¡¯s lips curled into a smile.


    ¡°Chi, it¡¯s been a while,¡± Shu Pan smiled slightly, greeting him first.


    ¡°Yeah, really missed you and little beauty Joy,¡± Wen Chi was not subtle at all. These two months on a business trip had been quite agonizing.


    Shu Pan blushed and smiled shyly. Seeing her reaction, Wen Chi quickly walked to the other side of the car, opened the door, and gestured for her to get in.


    After Shu Pan got into the car, it shot forward like an arrow, making a ¡°whoosh¡± sound as it drove away.


    Gu Shaoting returned home early in the afternoon, eagerly awaiting Shu Pan¡¯s return. It was almost half-past six, and there was still no sign of Shu Pan.


    Gu Shaoting¡¯s forehead was practically creased into a million curves. He couldn¡¯t help but feel worried. Why hadn¡¯t shee home yet? Normally, she would be home around six.


    He kept listening for any movement at the door, but disappointment followed disappointment.


    Was it because of her busy work or had something unexpected happened?


    He regretted not going to pick her up after work. He should have waited for her at herpany to go home together.


    Now, he was both worried and hungry. Since Shu Pan had spoiled his taste buds, everything outside tasted nd. His stomach was growling loudly.


    Unable to bear the aimless waiting any longer, he took out his phone and dialed Shu Pan¡¯s number.


    After a while, the call was answered, but the background was noisy, as if someone was talking.


    Gu Shaoting heard Shu Pan¡¯s voice, but he remained silent, quietly listening, trying to discern something.


    ¡°Hello, can you hear me?¡± Shu Pan couldn¡¯t help but call out again, raising her voice involuntarily.


    ¡°Yeah, where are you? When are youing back?¡± Gu Shaoting¡¯s tone was like that of aining wife.


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯ll be backter. I¡¯m having dinner with a friend outside,¡± Shu Pan thought it was better to inform him.


    ¡°What? Having dinner outside? With what friend?¡± Gu Shaoting suddenly asked nervously.


    Shu Pan was startled, feeling that he was making a fuss over nothing.


    ¡°With my friend. You find something to eat yourself. I¡¯ll be backter,¡± Shu Pan intended to hang up without saying much.


    ¡°Shu Pan, is this how you treat your lifesaver? Letting him go hungry while you enjoy yourself,¡± Gu Shaoting ced a heavy usation on her.


    ¡®Mr. Gu Shaoting, I don¡¯t think I owe you anything. I took care of you for a while based on morality, but it doesn¡¯t mean I don¡¯t have my own freedom and space,¡± Shu Pan became annoyed just thinking about it. Why should she?


    Before Gu Shaoting could say anything, Shu Pan hung up the phone with a


    ¡°snap.¡±


    Gu Shaoting stared nkly at the hung-up phone, feeling disoriented.


    The previous Shu Pan was generally obedient, rarely resisting or talking back. What happened today? How could she speak to him like that and dare to hang up on him?


    He suddenly felt a tightness in his chest, a breath that seemed painful.


    In his mind, he kept wondering who Shu Pan was having dinner with. What friend was she talking about? Why hadn¡¯t he heard her mention it before?


    A male friend? Someone she cared about?


    Gu Shaoting was restless, staring at the door as if he could pierce it with his gaze..

 Chapter 176 - 176: Jealous (2)

    Chapter 176: Jealous (2)


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Gu Shaoting¡¯s mood remained unsettled for a long time. He sat quietly on the sofa, wondering when Shu Pan would return.


    Around eight o¡¯clock, just as his patience was wearing thin, the front door was unlocked, and he saw Shu Pan enter with her bag.


    He stayed seated on the sofa.


    When Shu Pan entered, she initially thought no one was at home. The living room light was off, with only a smallmp next to the sofa emitting a dim glow, creating a silent atmosphere.


    Seeing the figure on the sofa, Shu Pan was startled.


    She noticed Gu Shaoting sitting there, his face dark, motionless.


    Breaking the silence, Shu Pan asked, ¡°Have you had dinner?¡±


    Gu Shaoting¡¯s face darkened even more for a moment. He looked at her with obvious displeasure, and his tone became cold, as if he were restraining something.


    ¡°Do you even remember if I¡¯ve had dinner? How was your enjoyable chat with your friend?¡± Gu Shaoting¡¯s words had a strange tone.


    Ignoring him, Shu Pan crossed the living room to put away her things. At that moment, Gu Shaoting¡¯s cold voice sounded again, ¡°Apart from this, do you have anything else to say to me?¡±


    Shu Pan hesitated for a moment, finding it unbelievable. What was there for her to say?


    ¡°Nothing, what should I say?¡± Shu Pan shook her head.


    Gu Shaoting felt like he was about to explode. Was she really treating him as if he were nothing?


    His face darkened even more, like a dark sky in June. He pursed his lips, not saying anything, but the look in his eyes became somewhat profound.


    Seeing that he didn¡¯t respond, Shu Pan quickly walked towards the bedroom.


    She had barely taken a few steps when Gu Shaoting suddenly grabbed her wrist. She stiffened, instinctively turned back, and met Gu Shaoting¡¯s eyes filled with resentment.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Shu Pan felt he was acting strangely tonight.


    ¡°I¡¯m starving. I want noodles,¡± Gu Shaoting¡¯s tone remained harsh. He felt like he had no dignity. Originally, he wanted to intimidate her with anger, but she ignored him.


    Unable to help it, he was really hungry and dizzy. He decided to fill his stomach first before settling the score with her.


    ¡°Oh, wait a moment. I¡¯ll cook for you once I put my bag away,¡± Shu Pan suddenly felt a twinge of guilt. Was she being too harsh?


    Gu Shaoting finally felt a bit better. Shu Pan finished tidying up and started to cook noodles for him.


    Leaning against the door, Gu Shaoting watched as Shu Pan skillfully washed the pot, boiled the water, added the noodles, and finally fried an egg for him.


    Her movements were swift and smooth, making Gu Shaoting feel warm inside.


    Shu Pan ced the cooked noodles on the dining table. Gu Shaoting enjoyed them as if it were a feast, savoring each bite.


    Perhaps it wasn¡¯t about whether it tasted good, but rather who cooked it.


    ¡°Done. Enjoy your meal,¡± Shu Pan¡¯s noodles were fragrant and smooth.


    Gu Shaoting ate the noodles heartily, feeling the void in his heart being filled.


    Cradling the bowl, he finished thest sip of soup, satisfied, and let out a burp.


    Finally, reenergized, Gu Shaoting asked Shu Pan again, ¡°Who did you have dinner with?¡±


    ¡°Someone you don¡¯t know,¡± Shu Pan felt it unnecessary to say much.


    ¡°Maybe I¡¯ve met them?¡± Gu Shaoting was persistent.


    ¡°It¡¯s a friend I haven¡¯t seen in a long time.¡±


    ¡°It seems like you had a great chat,ing back sote.¡± Gu Shaoting¡¯s tone was sour..

 Chapter 177 - 177: Tempted

    Chapter 177: Tempted


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    ¡°Yeah, had a good time chatting,¡± Shu Pan casually replied.


    Instantly, Gu Shaoting¡¯s face darkened, and the sourness in his heart seemed to bubble up.


    He pulled back the chair, stood up, and, taking advantage of his height, approached Shu Pan from above.


    ¡°I hope that when you say you¡¯re taking care of me, you should show some sincerity. Like tonight, going out with friends without exining anything, leaving me hungry at home. Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s a bit too much?¡± Gu Shaoting¡¯s voice was mild as water, his fair face calm, and his ck eyes deep and tranquil.


    Shu Pan was forced to take a slight step back. She stood her ground, locking eyes with Gu Shaoting, and said seriously, ¡°Taking care of you doesn¡¯t mean I have no personal space. If you¡¯re hungry, you can order takeout or hire someone to cook. I¡¯m not your personal nanny.¡±


    Shu Pan couldn¡¯t stand this unpredictable person. She wasn¡¯t his family or his nanny. There was no need to endure his temper.


    Where there¡¯s oppression, there¡¯s resistance. Anyone who didn¡¯t understand that shouldn¡¯t assume she was an easy target.


    Gu Shaoting was stunned by Shu Pan¡¯s words. She was articte and resolute. The worst part was he couldn¡¯t push too hard. What if she got angry and decided to leave?


    He suffered internally, his fair face turning slightly red under the assault of her words.


    In the end, his self-control prevailed. He quickly regainedposure, sighed softly, and said, ¡°Do you still remember why I lost my memory? People with amnesia are very insecure¡­¡± After that, he walked away, leaving Shu Pan in contemtion.


    Shu Pan pursed her lips, furrowed her brow, and then went into the kitchen to clean the dishes.


    When Shu Pan came out of the shower, she noticed that Gu Shaoting was no longer in the living room. Assuming he had returned to his room, she walked into the living room intending to pour herself a ss of water. At that moment, she saw a figure moving on the balcony.


    Upon closer inspection, it was Gu Shaoting, his silhouette somewhat lonely, gazing into the pitch-ck night with a somewhat deste expression.


    Beside him, there were faint sparks, indicating he was smoking. He brought the cigarette to his lips, took a drag, and exhaled gently.


    Apparently, Shu Pan¡¯s movement of pouring water had disturbed him. He slowly turned around, his gazending on Shu Pan.


    Just out of the shower, Shu Pan¡¯s skin was dewy and rosy. She was dressed in a set of pink and orange cotton pajamas, looking cute and sweet.


    Sensing Gu Shaoting¡¯s intense gaze, Shu Pan felt a bit awkward.


    Gu Shaoting¡¯s gaze was open and unrestrained, with a hint of self-confidence.


    He felt his heartbeat quicken, and his mouth became dry.


    After taking a couple of sips of water, Shu Pan set the ss down and quickly returned to the bedroom.


    Gu Shaoting remained motionless for a long time, seemingly still immersed in the scene just now. He knew it was the feeling of being moved.


    Closing the bedroom door, Shu Pan¡¯s emotions remained unsettled. She couldn¡¯t understand why Gu Shaoting would look at her with such fiery eyes.


    However, she soon pushed aside those thoughts and sighed bitterly. Lying on the bed, Shu Pan stared at the ceiling, unable to fall asleep for a long time.


    Suddenly, she recalled what Wen Chi had said during dinner.


    ¡°Pan, I hope you can be with me.¡± His tone was so sincere that she was touched, but she dared not agree.


    He didn¡¯t fully understand her yet. She wished for a love that had everyone¡¯s blessings. Even if they were together, his mother¡¯s strong opposition would put Wen Chi in a difficult position, and she didn¡¯t want him to be an unfilial son..

 Chapter 178 - 178: Did He Bully You?

    Chapter 178: Did He Bully You?


    So she didn¡¯t agree and quickly held back her emotions before they deepened.


    The disappointment in his eyes was something she couldn¡¯t bear to face. Some people were destined to have no resolution.


    The next morning, Ye Xiaomeng called, suggesting that Shu Pan join her for lunch and shopping at noon.


    It was a case of great minds thinking alike, as Shu Pan had also wanted to invite Ye Xiaomeng out for some fresh air.


    With Joy not around, Shu Pan found the weekend quite unbearable.


    As noon approached, Shu Pan quickly prepared a simple meal and set it on the table. She didn¡¯t want Gu Shaoting to use this as an excuse toplicate matters. Fortunately, he had gone out in the morning, mentioning something about revisiting the Gu Family¡¯s ancestral mansion.


    Knowing he was out, she felt relieved.


    After finishing her tasks, she grabbed her bag and left.


    When she arrived, Ye Xiaomeng was already waiting.


    ¡°Girl, you¡¯re too slow. Is Gu Shaoting preventing you from going out?¡± Ye Xiaomeng spected.


    ¡°Where did youe up with that?¡± Shu Pan smiled.


    ¡°Has he bullied you?¡± Ye Xiaomeng asked anxiously.


    ¡°No, everything is fine, Comrade Ye Xiaomeng from the neighborhoodmittee.¡± Shu Pan felt warm inside, grateful for her concern anytime, anywhere.


    ¡°You¡¯re asking for a beating.¡± Ye Xiaomeng pretended to p Shu Pan¡¯s hand.


    ¡°Rest assured, I¡¯m fine. Once Joy starts schoolter, I won¡¯t take care of him anymore, and all debts will be settled. It¡¯s a good thing he has amnesia now. At least, he doesn¡¯t know Joy, and we won¡¯t argue about custody.¡± Shu Pan said with relief.


    ¡°You¡¯re too naive. With his mother around, do you think he won¡¯t know about Joy¡¯s existence?¡± Ye Xiaomeng shattered Shu Pan¡¯s dreams with her words.


    Shu Pan felt a bit disheartened.


    ¡°Never mind, we¡¯ll deal with it whene across it. Let¡¯s n for the present.¡± Shu Pan decided to take one thing at a time.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go, buy some beautiful clothes. The brand you like seems to be on sale.¡± Shu Pan quickly pulled her towards the mall.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go. I won¡¯t go home until I max out my credit cards today.¡± Ye Xiaomeng said confidently.


    Indeed, Ye Xiaomeng turned her bold words into actions.


    As if it were free, Ye Xiaomeng bought one item after another. Shu Pan seemed to be working as aborer, helping Ye Xiaomeng carry the bags.


    ¡°Girl, did you find anything you like?¡± Ye Xiaomeng knew that Shu Pan didn¡¯t like to spend money on clothes.


    ¡°No, I¡¯m already a mother, and I don¡¯t pay much attention to these things. You dress up nicely and catch a wealthy husband.¡± Shu Pan teased her, and it was true.


    She didn¡¯t like to dress herself up now. Usually, she went makeup-free with a in face. Fortunately, her natural beauty made up for it.


    ¡°Nonsense. A woman should always dress herself up exquisitely. What if you meet the right person the next second?¡± Ye Xiaomeng quickly corrected her, urging her not to waste her prime years.


    ¡°Alright, alright, love expert.¡± Shu Pan saw the old Ye Xiaomeng in her, lively and full of vitality, seemingly having truly stepped out of Cheng Yang¡¯s shadow. That was great.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go. Your birthday ising up, and I¡¯ll buy you a set of clothes.¡± Ye Xiaomeng pushed Shu Pan forward.


    The dress had a slim design that entuated her curves, surprising Ye Xiaomeng. Shu Pan¡¯s figure was unexpectedly good..

 Chapter 179 - 179: Meeting

    Chapter 179: Meeting


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    ¡°Girl, you should dress up properly. Don¡¯t make yourself look like a nanny.¡± Ye Xiaomeng suggested as she watched.


    Shu Pan smiled and rolled her eyes at her.


    ¡°Got it, Beauty Ye. Oh right, have you had any romantic encounters recently? Remember to introduce him to me.¡± Shu Pan was most concerned about this.


    ¡°If I have a boyfriend, I will tell you.¡± Ye Xiaomeng patted her shoulder.


    Immediately, she touched her stomach again, ¡°Girl, let¡¯s grab something to eat.


    After all this shopping, I¡¯m both thirsty and hungry.¡±


    ¡°Alright, there¡¯s a caf¨¦ next to the mall, let¡¯s go there; it¡¯s quieter,¡± Shu Pan also felt a bit tired.


    As they passed by the caf¨¦¡¯s ss window, Ye Xiaomeng casually nced inside.


    In an instant, she froze, unconsciously stopping in her tracks. At the same time, she also grabbed Shu Pan beside her.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Shu Pan, a bit confused, looked at her.


    Ye Xiaomeng¡¯s face seemed a bit unnatural, and she quickly said, ¡°I don¡¯t feel like having Western food anymore. How about some spicy fish? I know a ce nearby with really good taste.¡±


    ¡®Why the sudden craving for spicy food?¡± Shu Pan was quite puzzled by the sudden change of ns.


    ¡°Come on, don¡¯t you know women are fickle? Well, I¡¯m one of them.¡± Ye Xiaomeng pulled Shu Pan and quickly left.


    In the cafe, He Ming sighed as he looked at the woman across from him.


    This woman was the daughter of his mother¡¯s friend, who had just returned from studying abroad. Originally, he didn¡¯t agree to meet her, but his mother resorted to all kinds of tactics, including crying, throwing tantrums, and even threatening to harm herself.


    Constant phone bombardment followed, where he mentioned having someone he liked, but they didn¡¯t believe him. They thought he was just trying to brush them off.


    So, under his mother¡¯s pressure, he was forced into this blind date. Although it wasn¡¯t true, he couldn¡¯t be an unfilial son.


    He came with the intention to make it clear that he had no intention of pursuing a rtionship.


    ¡°Miss Hu, I believe you can tell that I¡¯m not interested in this blind date. I already have someone I like,¡± He Ming stated straightforwardly after sitting down.


    ¡°Brother He, just call me Shanshan. Our families are acquainted,¡± the woman across from him smiled gently. Her voice was soft and soothing.


    ¡°Shanshan, I assume you also don¡¯t want to be here for a blind date. After all, it¡¯s the modern era, and everyone prefers free love, right?¡± He Ming wanted to dispel any thoughts she might have about this arranged meeting.


    ¡°I was a bit resistant beforeing, but now that I see it¡¯s you, He Brother, I


    don¡¯t think blind dates are that bad. After all, wee from reputable families, and we know each other¡¯s backgrounds,¡± Hu Shanshan¡¯s words surprised He Ming; they weren¡¯t quite in line with his expectations.


    ¡°I have many ws, really. Otherwise, I wouldn¡¯t still be single now,¡± He Ming continued to talk about his shorings, hoping to leave a negative impression and make it easier to reject her.


    But Hu Shanshan was thinking more along the lines of a prodigal son turning over a new leaf. She found He Ming to be honest and believed he wouldn¡¯t deceive her emotionally.


    ¡°Brother He, you¡¯re being too modest. Although I¡¯ve known you for a short time, I think you¡¯re a good person, honest,¡± Hu Shanshan said earnestly.


    He Ming was stunned by her high praise. If it weren¡¯t for her being his mother¡¯s friend¡¯s daughter, he might have left immediately.


    ¡°Shanshan, you don¡¯t really know me yet. I¡¯m older than you, so how about you take me as your real brother? If you ever have any difficulties, you cane to me,¡± He Ming thought this idea was feasible and wouldn¡¯t offend anyone.


    ¡°Brother He, the girl you like must be very beautiful and outstanding,¡± Hu Shanshan didn¡¯t directly respond to He Ming but instead spoke these words in a slightly mysterious tone..

 Chapter 180 - 180: Down

    Chapter 180: Down


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    ¡°Yeah, in the eyes of others, she might not be considered outstanding, just an ordinary girl. Her personality is easygoing, but in my eyes, she¡¯s the best,¡± He Ming said, his eyes filled with indulgence.


    Hu Shanshan suddenly felt envious of the girl he was talking about.


    She thought he must really love that girl because from the moment he entered until now, he hadn¡¯t paid much attention to her. He probably didn¡¯t even know what she looked like.


    In his eyes, there was only the girl he liked. He mentioned being a yboy in the past, but now that he had found someone he liked, he was devoted.


    She really wanted to see what the girl looked like. But they weren¡¯t married yet, so she still had a chance, right?


    ¡°The girl Brother He likes must be the luckiest,¡± Hu Shanshan¡¯s eyes were full of admiration.


    ¡°You¡¯ll also meet your true prince charming,¡± He Ming reassured with a smile.


    ¡°Yeah¡­ Brother He, rest assured, I¡¯ll go back and tell Auntie that we¡¯re not a suitable match,¡± Hu Shanshan¡¯s smile was a bit bitter. After all, she suffered a setback on her first blind date.


    She was really unwilling. She had always been considered a beauty by everyone, and many people pursued her. She just hadn¡¯t found the right person.


    Originally, she looked down on blind dates, but her mother used both hard and soft tactics to convince her toe.


    At first sight of him, she knew he was the right person. It felt right¡ªhis demeanor, his eloquence¡ªshe was attracted to him.


    Little did she know that he would mention having someone he liked. It seemed he genuinely cared. When He Ming heard Hu Shanshan say this, his eyes were filled with gratitude, and he couldn¡¯t help but breathe a sigh of relief.


    He nced at his watch. It was almost time. He needed to go find Ye Xiaomeng. Due to Gu Shaoting¡¯s amnesia, he hadn¡¯t had the time to see her.


    What he didn¡¯t know was that the scene of his blind date was already observed by Ye Xiaomeng. It seemed like his n to pursue his girl might not go too smoothly.


    was a bit puzzled. While shopping, Ye Xiaomeng had been cheerful, but now she seemed somewhat silent, as if something had upset her.


    What made it even more confusing was that she had ordered a lot of dishes, and the boiled fish was requested to be extremely spicy. It was outrageous.


    Shu Pan quickly stopped the waiter, asking them to bring the boiled fish with a normal level of spiciness, not too much.


    ¡°Xiaomeng, what¡¯s wrong? You were fine while shopping just now. How did you suddenly change so much?¡± Shu Pan was a bit worried, finding her transformation too abrupt.


    ¡°Oh, nothing. Just feeling a bit emotional. All crows under the sky are ck,¡± Ye Xiaomeng said in a low and somber voice, with what seemed like teardrops glistening at the corners of her eyes.


    Shu Pan looked at her in confusion, feeling a bit unable to keep up with her thoughts.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay; I¡¯m starving. I¡¯m going to eat a hearty meal,¡± Ye Xiaomeng suddenly reverted to her carefree self.


    ¡°Alright,¡± Shu Pan nodded.


    Soon, dishes were brought to the table one after another. Ye Xiaomeng picked up her chopsticks and began eating hastily.


    She ate quickly, disregarding whether the food was too hot for her mouth.


    ¡°Xiaomeng, something is bothering you,¡± Shu Pan put down her chopsticks, speaking with certainty.


    Ye Xiaomeng remained silent, burying her head in eating the fish. Finally, seeing Shu Pan looking anxious, she couldn¡¯t help but say, ¡°There¡¯s really nothing serious. Don¡¯t worry. There¡¯s nothing that can hurt me right now. I just suddenly feel a bit sentimental.¡±


    Ye Xiaomeng didn¡¯t tell Shu Pan about He Ming¡¯s situation, to avoid unnecessary spection. After all, it was a futile pursuit..

 Chapter 181 - 181: A Gift

    Chapter 181: A Gift


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Shu Pan saw that Ye Xiaomeng didn¡¯t want to say more and didn¡¯t push her. After all, everyone had their secrets.


    ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± Shu Pan picked up her chopsticks and started to eat.


    To avoid dwelling on the matter, Ye Xiaomeng changed the subject, ¡°Girl, when are you going to bring Joy home?¡±


    ¡°When school starts.¡± Shu Pan felt that it wasn¡¯t wise to bring Joy home now since she was so busy though she missed her very much.


    Ye Xiaomeng nodded. After dinner, Shu Pan called for the bill.


    Ye Xiaomeng was one step ahead of her and handed her money to the waiter. She knew her friend¡¯s financial situation.


    Shu Pan carried the paper bag back to Shuimu Qinghua. When she opened the door, the house was quiet. She looked at the dining table and saw that the food was still there, untouched.


    Shu Pan figured that Gu Shaoting hadn¡¯te home yet.


    She put her bag on the sofa and changed into slippers. She then went back to her bedroom to put down her things. As she was too tired, shey on the bed to rest.


    When she woke up, she looked out the window and saw that it was dusk. She walked out of her bedroom and saw a very exquisite box with a beautiful bow on the coffee table.


    Shu Pan frowned. When did the box get here? She didn¡¯t see it before, so it must be Gu Shaoting who brought it back, probably a gift for someone.


    She shrugged and looked away.


    Suddenly, she heard her phone ring. Shu Pan walked to the sofa, picked up her phone, and looked at the caller ID. Her eyes instantly turned warm as she smiled.


    She put the phone to her ear. ¡°Sweetie, what¡¯s up? Have you had dinner?¡± Shu Pan¡¯s voice was soft and gentle, like she was afraid of scaring the caller.


    ¡°Mom, Joy misses you so much and Joy has already din-din.¡± The caller¡¯s voice was childish and adorable.


    ¡°That¡¯s awesome! Sweetie, be a good girl and listen to Grandpa and Grandma, okay? Mom will be there to pick you up soon.¡± Shu Pan promised. She really missed her daughter.


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll be a good girl.¡± Joy nodded.


    ¡°Okay, sweetie. Bye now.¡± Shu Pan then hung up.


    Gu Shaoting walked in just as Shu Pan hung up. He heard Shu Pan talking on the phone with someone when he was outside. Did she call the other party sweetie?


    Who could be her sweetie? When he walked in and saw her loving face, he figured that the caller must be someone important to her.


    He felt jealous but didn¡¯t show it. He walked straight to the sofa, looked at the gift box on the table and said nonchntly, ¡°That¡¯s for you. I heard from thedies in my office that women like that.¡±


    The other day at the office, he heard the female employees in the general manager¡¯s office whisper to each other about this beauty elixir that all women dreamed about. It was a series of skincare products for which women were willing to forgo food and drink. He immediately asked one of his staff to get him a set.


    He brought the gift home yesterday and put it on the coffee table, thinking that she would get the hint. After all, the two of them lived together and he couldn¡¯t be the one using it. However, the gift box just sat there. He thought that she would be ecstatic when she saw it, but it seemed that she couldn¡¯t be bothered at all. He felt a little unappreciated.


    When Shu Pan heard Gu Shaoting say that it was a gift for her, she was stunned and couldn¡¯t believe it.


    She looked at the gift box again, more carefully this time. She saw that the square box was put in an exquisite bag printed with pictures of skincare products..

 Chapter 182 - 182: Jealousy

    Chapter 182: Jealousy


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    ¡°It¡¯s too expensive. I didn¡¯t do anything to deserve this. I can¡¯t ept it.¡± Shu Pan said. There was nothing going on between them; she didn¡¯t want to ept any gifts from him.


    ¡°Throw it away if you don¡¯t want it. I can¡¯t use it anyway.¡± Gu Shaoting felt disappointed. He had thoughtfully bought something for her, but she rejected his gift.


    A hint of displeasure appeared on his handsome face.


    What an ungrateful woman.


    Shu Pan saw the sudden change in his expression and said, ¡°Well¡­. You shouldn¡¯t have. Alright, thank you.¡±


    Gu Shaoting¡¯s expression finally returned to normal when he saw her ept his gift.


    Shu Pan marveled in her heart. The man seemed skilled in the art of face-changing.


    Shu Pan picked up the gift and went back to her room. She then carefully unwrapped it and saw a few bottles of different sizes ced neatly inside the box.


    Even if Shu Pan lived under a rock, she could recognize the international brand of these skincare products. Curious, she used her phone to check the price on their official website. She was so shocked that she nearly fell off the chair. These bottles were worth half her monthly sry.


    Sigh! She didn¡¯t even buy such expensive things in the past. In the years when she was married to Gu Shaoting, he rarely bought her gifts, not even on important holidays.


    He actually bought her a gift now that he had lost his memory and they were divorced. It felt kind of ironic.


    Shu Pan sat in front of the dressing table and looked at her unfamiliar self in the mirror. Her once fair and youthful face now looked a little dull. There were faint dark circles under her eyes and fine lines at the corners of her eyes. Her years of toiling were visible on her face.


    Shu Pan sighed again. She had indeed changed a lot. Time waited for no man. No matter how good these skincare products were, they probably wouldn¡¯t reverse the damage.


    Gu Shaoting, who was in the other bedroom, wasn¡¯t at peace either. He kept thinking, who was the one on the phone with Shu Pan?


    Shu Pan was usually cool and indifferent to him. She was never friendly, but when she was on the phone just now, her voice was gentle, and she was smiling. She looked very different from her usual self around him.


    Gu Shaoting kept ying the scene in his mind and felt extremely jealous.


    He felt strangetely as he became increasingly possessive of her.


    But he also observed her words and expression and knew that she was wary of him. He would be patient as he believed that he would move her one day.


    He was going on a business trip in two days. He would have a good chat with her when he returned.


    He Ming felt that his day didn¡¯t go well. He painstakingly turned down a blind date so he¡¯d have time to see Ye Xiaomeng, but he was given the cold shoulder. For some reason, Ye Xiaomeng was unwilling to see him. He called her, but she hung up at once.


    He felt very frustrated. What went wrong? She was still friendly two days ago.


    He had no choice but to wait. He stood outside Ye Xiaomeng¡¯s home, knocked on her door from time to time and waited.


    Ye Xiaomeng didn¡¯t expect him to be such a scoundrel. She looked through the peephole and saw that he refused to leave. To avoid disturbance to her neighbors, she had no choice but to open the door and let him in.


    He Ming walked in pitifully like a puppy that had been shut out from his home.


    ¡°What do you want?¡± Ye Xiaomeng¡¯s tone was cold, as if she was talking to a stranger.


    ¡°Nothing important. I just miss you.¡± He Ming looked at Ye Xiaomeng affectionately.


    Ye Xiaomeng ignored him and snorted coldly.


    ¡°Mr. He, the only rtionship we have is a one-night stand. We¡¯re really not that close.¡±


    The scene at the cafe kept ying in Ye Xiaomeng¡¯s mind..

 Chapter 183 - 183: Stay Away From Me

    Chapter 183: Stay Away From Me


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    He Ming felt hurt, and his eyes turned dull when he heard this. He had done so much but he was just a one-night stand in her eyes.


    Why wouldn¡¯t she believe that it was love at first sight?


    He Ming stared at her, hoping that she could understand how he felt.


    Ye Xiaomeng¡¯s words were mean but she didn¡¯t feel good saying them. She wasn¡¯t optimistic about love after her experience with Cheng Yang.


    ¡°Xiaomeng, what happened?¡± He Ming felt that something was off about Ye Xiaomeng.


    ¡°Nothing. Stay away from me.¡± Ye Xiaomeng was still as cold as ever. Her face was gloomy, and her lips were tightly clenched. She looked very different from usual.


    Although she wasn¡¯t always nice to him, she was never like this.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you know very well what happened? Do men always like to two-time?¡± Ye Xiaomeng was furious.


    ¡°The man you¡¯re talking about is definitely not me. Although I was ridiculous in the past, I wouldn¡¯t do such a scumbag thing. I only like you now and I will never do such a thing. I swear.¡± To show his sincerity, He Ming raised his right hand and made a gesture of swearing.


    Ye Xiaomeng felt that his words sounded pleasant, like he was singing an opera.


    ¡°If a man¡¯s promise is to be believed, the sun would rise in the west.¡± Ye Xiaomeng calmed down a little.


    ¡°Then what do you want me to do so you would believe me?¡± He Ming went all out.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to do anything. We¡¯re really not suited for each other. You have many choices. Just stay away from me.¡± Ye Xiaomeng was really fearful and didn¡¯t want to suffer the same hurt again.


    ¡°How do you know when we haven¡¯t even tried?¡± He Ming refused to ept her reason.


    ¡°I see.¡± Sure enough, there was a reason for her cold shoulder. Ye Xiaomeng was unhappy because she saw him on a blind date at noon with Hu Shanshan at the caf¨¦.


    ¡°You¡¯re mistaken. She¡¯s my mother¡¯s friend¡¯s daughter. She¡¯s just a younger sister.¡± He Ming exined anxiously. She had misunderstood him.


    Even his intestines were green with regret now. A person could never make a mistake because a single mistake would lead to more mistakes. There. He only went on one blind date, and she caught him.


    Ye Xiaomeng wanted tough. Another ¡°younger sister¡±. Men have ruined this term of endearment. They always dated the woman they call ¡°younger sister¡±.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that good? I guess your mother is very happy with her, therefore she introduced her to you.¡± Ye Xiaomeng took the opportunity to insinuate that he was a liar.


    ¡°Xiaomeng, you know that I only like you. Why do you have to say such things?¡± He Ming said dejectedly. ¡°Why don¡¯t I ask Shanshan to tell you herself? There¡¯s really nothing romantic going on.¡±


    ¡°Shanshan? What an affectionate way to address her!¡± Ye Xiaomeng said sourly.


    He Ming raised his hand and gave himself a light p. ¡°My mistake. It should be Miss Hu.¡±


    Ye Xiaomeng couldn¡¯t help butugh when she saw this. ¡°Smooth talker. I won¡¯t stop you from finding a girlfriend. You don¡¯t have to exin yourself.¡±


    ¡°I like you, okay?¡± He Ming said pitifully. He then looked at Xiaomeng affectionately. ¡°I like only you.¡±


    It would be a lie if Ye Xiaomeng wasn¡¯t touched by his words, but a man¡¯s sweet words were also poison, so it was better to take them with a pinch of salt.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to France for a business trip the day after tomorrow. You want me to buy anything?¡± He Ming suddenly changed the subject and asked Ye Xiaomeng.


    Ye Xiaomeng¡¯s eyes were filled with envy..

 Chapter 184 - 184: Avoidance

    Chapter 184: Avoidance


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    ¡°Yourpany really treats you well to send you on business trips to these high-end ces, unlike mine. Mypany only sends us to ces that are in the middle of nowhere.¡±


    Ye Xiaomeng mocked, envious of He Ming in her heart.


    ¡°If you want to go to France, I¡¯ll bring you.¡± He Ming felt that there was nothing to be envious of. He would bring her to the ends of the earth if she asked.


    ¡°How can that be the same? We¡¯ll have to spend our own money if we go there on our own.¡± Ye Xiaomeng looked at him with disdain.


    Alright, he admitted speechlessly that he didn¡¯t understand women.


    He Ming shrugged and decided to keep quiet. He would never win this argument with Ye Xiaomeng.


    Tong Fei felt herself getting more irritable. Gu Shaoting almost never answered her calls now. No matter how gentle she was, he was unmoved.


    The day before yesterday, she couldn¡¯t take it anymore and went to Gu Group to look for him. He actually asked his secretary to chase her out and even instructed her not to let strangers into the office in future.


    Fortunately, she was wearing sunsses, or everyone would know that she had been spurned.


    She had to shoot an advertisement tomorrow, an endorsement gig that she got because of Gu Shaoting. She was worried that there would be reporters there tomorrow.


    ¡°Zhou, please make sure again that there will be no reporters at tomorrow¡¯s shoot. I don¡¯t want to be interviewed for the time being.¡± Tong Fei¡¯s hand that was holding the phone was a little pale as she said through gritted teeth.


    Her expression was also a little fierce, and she had lost her former beauty. Her usually watery eyes seemed to be spitting fire.


    The next day, Tong Fei wore a short skirt that entuated her long legs and made her look mesmerizing.


    She sat in her custom cargo van, feeling very uneasy as she kept asking her assistant, ¡°Are you sure that there are no reporters?¡±


    Zhou felt that Tong Fei was bing obsessed as she asked her the same question repeatedly.


    ¡°Miss Fei, don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ve already made arrangements. We¡¯re not afraid even if there are reporters. We¡¯ll deal with them as theye.¡± Zhou keptforting her.


    ¡°What if they ask about Shaoting? We can¡¯t let them know the truth.¡± Tong Fei held Zhou¡¯s hand.


    Zhou¡¯s hand hurt from the squeeze, but she stillforted, ¡®Miss Fei, rx. Don¡¯t let this affect your mood. You need to be in tip-top shape for the photo shootter. ¡±


    When they arrived, Tong Fei did not see any reporters swarm her van and heaved a sigh of relief.


    She felt less nervous in an instant. She put on her sunsses to shield her eyes and sauntered into the studio in her high heels. The production crew had been waiting for her.


    Tong Fei arrivedte, but she did not apologize. She felt that it was her entitlement. She was haughty, picky about her clothes and shoes and criticized everything.


    Everyone was already a impatient from waiting. Seeing her attitude now, they could not help but gossip.


    ¡°Look at her arrogant behavior, she probably won¡¯t be arrogant for too long.¡± A short and chubby woman said. She was carrying clothes; she was probably the wardrobe stylist.


    ¡°How can she not behave arrogantly when she has a powerful backer?¡± A rtively thinner woman countered immediately.


    ¡°Haven¡¯t you heard? Her fianc¨¦ is probably going to cancel their engagement. I have a rtive who works at Gu Group. She said that she saw Tong Fei being chased out of the office. Many people saw it.¡± The woman was a little smug with her piece of first-hand information.


    ¡°Really?¡± The other woman was very surprised..

 Chapter 185 - 185: Haughtiness

    Chapter 185: Haughtiness


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    ¡°It¡¯s absolutely true. If reporters found out and reported the incident, she would be so embarrassed and probably wouldn¡¯t behave so haughtily now.¡± The woman rolled her eyes.


    A person like her, who looked down on others just because she was famous, deserved to be dumped.


    ¡°Psst, she¡¯s here. Stop talking.¡± The other woman nudged her arm.


    After changing into the clothes provided by the wardrobe stylist, Tong Fei felt


    herself boiling over. The clothes were too low-ss for her. Wearing them would just lower her status.


    She tugged at the hem of her dress and said disdainfully, ¡°Who picked this dress? It¡¯s so ugly.¡±


    The girl who gave her the dress said timidly, ¡°It was provided by thepany¡¯s advertising department.¡±


    ¡°What kind of taste is this? They want me to wear such clothes?¡± Tong Feiined non-stop with a frown, as if the whole world owed her.


    The girl looked at her and said, ¡®Ms. Tong, you¡¯re beautiful and elegant. Clothes are just cheery on the cake for you. You look good in any clothes.¡±


    The girl¡¯s ttering words subsided Tong Fei¡¯s anger a little, but not the gloominess in her eyes.


    The girl stepped back quietly. If not because she had to keep her job, she wouldn¡¯t have waited on Tong Fei.


    This woman spoke coquettishly and looked well-tempered in interviews. Who knew that she was like this in private? What a two-faced b*tch!


    The girl despised Tong Fei in her heart. She felt really unlucky to be given this assignment.


    ¡°Miss Fei, you look fine. The photographer is ready for you.¡± Her assistant, Zhou, came over to remind her.


    Tong Fei walked out of the dressing room begrudgingly.


    Thank goodness the troublemaker had finally left! The wardrobe stylist was overjoyed.


    Tong Fei could feel that she wasn¡¯t performing in front of the camera. She was distracted and she saw the photographer¡¯s frown.


    She got nervous and forced herself to focus. If she made another mistake at work, she would probably suffer even more.


    Lately, Shu Pan had been less busy at work. She could go home early and would make dinner when she got home.


    When she came home from work today, she opened the fridge and saw that she didn¡¯t have many ingredients except a small bag of prawns in the freezer. She had bought them when they were on discount. She had an idea and decided to make seafood porridge. It was simple and convenient.


    She didn¡¯t want to go to the market to stock up now. Gu Shaoting could eat it or not when he came home. He would have to find his own food if he didn¡¯t like it.


    Anyway, she owe him nothing now.


    Shu Pan took the prawns out of the freezer to thaw them before she carefully removed the shells. She then used a toothpick to devein the prawns.


    After that, she trimmed the prawn tails neatly and put the plump prawns into a bowl. She added a little salt, oil and cooking wine. Then, she julienned some ginger, put them in and massage the prawns in the mixture for a bit with her hands before she let the them marinate for a few minutes.


    The prawns would taste better this way, less fishy; the porridge would also taste more delicious.


    Shu Pan was very focused on food preparation and didn¡¯t realize that Gu Shaoting was standing at the kitchen door.


    She was startled when she turned around and saw him.


    He was standing straight and looking quite attractive in his light gray suit.


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you say anything when you came back? Do you want to scare me to death?¡± Shu Pan said unhappily. Didn¡¯t he know that people would be scared to death?


    How annoying of this person to appear without any notice¡­


    ¡°Are you just timid, or did you do something wrong?¡± Gu Shaoting teased.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t do anything wrong but I¡¯ve done something stupid, like taking care of you.¡± Shu Pan could not help but retort..

 Chapter 186 - 186: Fascination

    Chapter 186: Fascination


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    When Gu Shaoting heard that, he couldn¡¯t help but say, ¡°What¡¯s wrong with taking care of me? I¡¯m a patient.¡±


    His tone sounded as if he had some serious illness.


    Shu Pan resisted the urge to roll her eyes and turned around to start cooking. ¡°What are we having tonight?¡± Gu Shaoting peeked in the kitchen.


    ¡°Prawn porridge.¡± Shu Pan replied.


    ¡°No other dish? Just porridge?¡± Gu Shaoting rubbed his stomach to imply that porridge might not be enough for him.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t buy any groceries.¡± Shu Pan said to shut him up.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t I give you a bank cardst time? Buy whatever you want. No need to stinge.¡± Gu Shaoting thought that Shu Pan didn¡¯t go grocery shopping because of money.


    ¡°I¡¯m toozy to go to the market. You can go shop for what you like.¡± Shu Pan said as she busied herself.


    Shu Pan washed the rice and cooked it in a y pot. Porridge tasted better when cooked in a y pot.


    When the porridge thickened, she added the prawns and stirred them in the porridge to cook them.


    Gu Shaoting found Shu Pan fascinating as he watched her work. Although she was not wearing fancy clothes or makeup, her devotion when making porridge for him warmed his heart.


    After the porridge was done, gentle curls of steam rose from its surface. The porridge looked creamy and delicious, like it would melt in one¡¯s mouth when eaten.


    Shu Pan ced the y pot on a hot mat on the dining table. She then took out two bowls and filled them with porridge. Gu Shaoting¡¯s stomach was already growling.


    He pulled out a chair and sat down, then asked Shu Pan to sit as well. He stirred his porridge carefully, releasing steam with aforting aroma into the air.


    The marinated prawns were very tasty and appetizing. It was like heaven in every bite for Gu Shaoting.


    Gu Shaoting ate happily. He really enjoyed this feeling of a sense of home.


    Gu Shaoting felt more energetic after padding his stomach with a bowl of porridge. He looked up at Shu Pan and saw her gentle profile under the warm lights. Her expression was calm as she blew on her porridge before she put tiny mouthfuls into her pink and soft mouth.


    Gu Shaoting was mesmerized until Shu Pan suddenly turned her head and asked, ¡°What¡¯s the matter? What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°Nothing. Oh, I¡¯m going to France for a business trip the day after tomorrow. Would you like me to buy you anything?¡± Gu Shaoting felt that all women were shopaholics and wanted to please her.


    ¡°No. I have enough things.¡± Shu Pan replied casually as she continued to eat her porridge.


    Gu Shaoting felt a little hurt. Why couldn¡¯t Shu Pan just be nice to him?


    What heinous crime had hemitted that made her so angry? That made her so cold towards him all the time?


    ¡°Don¡¯t all women like handbags and cosmetics? You don¡¯t like?¡± Gu Shaoting felt it too difficult to please her.


    ¡°I have no interest in those things. By the way, I¡¯m nning to move back home after you are back from your business trip. After all, it¡¯s not good for me to stay here for too long.¡± Shu Pan decided to inform him since he was there. ¡°No, I still can¡¯t remember anything. How can you leave?¡± Gu Shaoting got a little anxious. He had just gotten back on his feet, and she already wanted to leave.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t sign a contract with you. I¡¯ve already taken care of you for a while. I¡¯m just letting you know now out of courtesy.¡± Shu Pan was full after a bowl of porridge.


    Although Gu Shaoting was affected by Shu Pan¡¯s words, his appetite was still strong, and he finished all the porridge in the y pot.


    He stood up in satisfaction after he finished. He was about to act nice so he could gain some sympathy points by washing up but Shu Pan stopped him.


    She quickly cleared the table and washed the dishes. If a young master who hardly lifted a finger at home did that, he¡¯d probably end up breaking the y pot..

 Chapter 187 - 187: Sharing Household Chores

    Chapter 187: Sharing Household Chores


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Gu Shaoting felt that he waspletely useless. He muttered, ¡°I just wanted to share household chores with you.¡±


    Shu Pan suddenly looked up. She was a little surprised that Gu Shaoting would think that. Actually, he didn¡¯t need to do this. He was a lucky child and had been waited on since he was young. He¡¯d probably go through life without doing this kind of menial work.


    ¡°Let me do the dishes.¡± Gu Shaoting insisted.


    Shu Pan figured since he volunteered, why not?


    She watched him take off his suit jacket, walk into the kitchen, roll up his sleeves, clumsily pick up a bowl and started washing the dishes.


    Shu Pan saw his insistence and had no choice but to leave the kitchen.


    Sigh! She didn¡¯t know what triggered him to suddenly say that he would do the dishes. In their three years marriage, he had never once offered to share household chores.


    Shu Pan walked to the living room, picked up the TV remote, and turned on the TV. She randomly selected a news channel.


    Shu Pan watched the news mindlessly as she looked in the direction of the kitchen from time to time to find Gu Shaoting washing dishes attentively through the ss door.


    She could not help but sigh in her heart. Strange things happened every year, but there were especially many this year.


    Perhaps it was because Shu Pan looked up too often that Gu Shaoting looked back at her unexpectedly. Their eyes met, and Shu Pan saw the slight smile in


    Gu Shaoting¡¯s eyes.


    Shu Pan¡¯s face turned a shade of pink when she was caught.


    She turned her eyes back to the television but she was still thinking about Gu Shaoting. She felt that he had really be a different person after losing his memory.


    In her opinion, his coldness and resentment from the past seemed to have disappeared. He seemed more amiable now.


    Just as Shu Pan was lost in her thoughts, a sound came from the kitchen.


    Crash!


    It was the sound of porcin bowl shattering. Shu Pan hurried into the kitchen.


    What she saw was broken pieces of the bowl on the floor and Gu Shaoting standing there flummoxed like a child who had done something wrong.


    Suddenlv. he sauatted down to Dick uD the Dieces.


    ¡°Be careful with your hand¡­¡± As soon as Shu Pan finished speaking, she saw the blood on Gu Shaoting¡¯s fingers.


    ¡°Panpan, my hand is bleeding.¡± Gu Shaoting stretched out his hand to Shu Pan, as if to prove that he wasn¡¯t lying.


    Shu Pan grabbed his hand and washed it under the tap with all her might.


    Seeing Shu Pan¡¯s nervous expression, Gu Shaoting wished that he had cut himself in more ces because this wound was too small.


    ¡°Alright, go get a band-aid from the medicine box under the TV console. I¡¯ll take care of things here.¡± Shu Pan instructed.


    Gu Shaoting gave her an embarrassed look but it was better if he didn¡¯t cause Shu Pan more trouble. He walked out of the kitchen, casually pressing a tissue on his finger.


    Shu Pan couldn¡¯t help but massage her temples. What a troublemaker¡­


    She used a broom to sweep away the broken porcin pieces on the floor and then washed the remaining dishes.


    When she came out of the kitchen, Gu Shaoting was already sitting on the sofa. When he saw Shu Pan, he patted the seat next to him as an invitation for her to sit.


    Shu Pan frowned, not understanding his purpose. She then picked a seat further away from him and sat down.


    ¡°Panpan¡­


    ¡°Please call me Shu Pan.¡± Shu Pan interrupted him. Shu Pan felt that calling her Panpan was too intimate. It was what her family called her, but he wasn¡¯t¡­


    Gu Shaoting couldn¡¯t help but raise his eyebrows. ¡°But I like calling you


    Panpan.¡±


    Gu Shaoting¡¯s tone was firm.


    Shu Pan had experienced his shamelessness and persistence..

 Chapter 188 - 188: Just Venting

    Chapter 188: Just Venting


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    As such, Shu Pan decided to keep quiet.


    ¡°Panpan, I think we should hire a part time helper to lighten your load. I used to have one, but I haven¡¯t asked her toe around since you came. I didn¡¯t know if you¡¯d feel ufortable. Shall I rehire her?¡±


    Shu Pan told him explicitly not to call her Panpan but he kept calling her that. She had no words.


    ¡°You decide since this is your home. It¡¯s good to rehire her because I won¡¯t be around much longer. At least there¡¯s someone to take care of you and clean your ce.¡± Shu Pan went along with his words.


    Gu Shaoting was so frustrated that he almost vomited blood. He didn¡¯t want to talk about it anymore.


    As Gu Shaoting refused to see her, Tong Fei decided to approach his mother, Song Can.


    Tong Fei didn¡¯t dress up as she would normally. She put only foundation on her face to look haggard and pitiful, which was the effect she was after.


    She wore athleisure with a pair of sunsses and took a taxi to the old Gu residence with a set of high-end cosmetics.


    Before she set off, she had already called to confirm that only Song Can was at home.


    When she arrived, she pressed the doorbell. As expected, Song Can opened the door for her.


    ¡°Auntie, long time no see. I miss you so much.¡± As Tong Fei spoke, she handed the high-end cosmetics to Song Can.


    ¡°Why did you buy me a gift? You shouldn¡¯t have. Your visit is already a gift to me.¡± Song Can beamed as she reached out to ept Tong Fei¡¯s gift.


    ¡°No trouble at all. These are products I endorse. I tried them and thought that they were quite good, so I got you a set.¡± Tong Fei said as she held Song Can¡¯s arm.


    ¡°Sigh, you¡¯re still the best. You always think about me. What¡¯s the use of having a son?¡± Song Can sighed. She gave birth to a son who only knew how to upset her.


    ¡°Shaoting also thinks about you. It¡¯s just that he¡¯s busy.¡± Tong Fei knew that Song Can loved her son very much. She said those things just to vent. She didn¡¯t really think that Gu Shaoting was unfilial.


    ¡°Is that so? He came back yesterday to see me only after I nagged and nagged. He only stayed for a while and told me that he¡¯s leaving tomorrow for a business trip to France.¡± Song Canined.


    ¡°Shaoting is going on a business trip to France? What a coincidence. I¡¯m also going to France tomorrow to attend an award ceremony.¡± Tong Fei was overjoyed, thinking thatdy luck was smiling on her.


    Perhaps something romantic would happen in romantic France.


    Tong Fei couldn¡¯t help but find out more about Gu Shaoting¡¯s trip to France as she anxiously formted a n.


    ¡°That¡¯s great. Maybe you¡¯ll run into each other by chance there!¡± Song Can said with a smile.


    ¡°Yeah. What will be, will be.¡± Tong Fei said shyly but, in her heart, she was determined to run into him.


    She would create a romantic encounter for them in France.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been there, and I¡¯ll tell you that you must watch your man carefully. There are too many temptresses out there.¡± Song Can said angrily as she thought about Shu Pan, whom she had never considered a temptress in the past.


    But she was now the apple of Gu Shaoting¡¯s eyes. Someone who mustn¡¯t be criticized, someone very precious and delicate.


    Yesterday, when Song Can reminded Shu Pan of something she did that wasn¡¯t right, Gu Shaoting put on an unhappy face immediately and made her feel very awkward.


    ¡°Auntie, but the man also has to be willing¡­¡± Tong Fei wished she could cast a voodoo spell on Gu Shaoting so he would listen to her.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Auntie is on your side.¡± Song Canforted.


    ¡°Thank you, Auntie. We¡¯ll meet again when Ie back from my business trip.¡± said Tong Fei..

 Chapter 189 - 189: Meeting With An Old Friend (Part 1)

    Chapter 189: Meeting With An Old Friend (Part 1)


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Tong Fei got the answers she wanted from Song Can, excused herself and left.


    She finally got a day off from work and she had dedicated her morning to Song Can. After she left the old Gu residence, her n was to spend the entire afternoon at a high-end private spa. She had just gotten herself a top-tier membership there but hadn¡¯t found the time to enjoy it.


    She nned to rx this afternoon, get all the spa treatments she could so she would look her best when she met Gu Shaoting in France.


    Her phone rang just as she was heading to the spa. She took it out of her bag and saw that it was a call from Long Sanwei.


    She was hit with a wave of anxiety as she debated whether to answer the call. Why was he calling her? Based on her understanding of Long Sanwei, it was nothing good.


    Tong Fei pursed her lips and frowned. She debated with herself for a long time until she realized suddenly that she couldn¡¯t afford to offend Long Sanwei.


    She put the phone to her ear and said coquettishly with a smile, ¡°Brother Long, long time no see. What¡¯s up?¡±


    ¡°Feifei, long time no see¡­¡± Long Sanwei drawled like a gangster.


    Tong Fei heard his drawling and knew what he wanted. She was furious at the troublemaker as she said quickly, ¡°Brother Long, don¡¯t joke with me. You¡¯re so busy every day. When do you have time to miss me?¡±


    ¡°Why not? Do you despise me? I just have to see you tonight.¡± Tong Fei had already scolded him a hundred times in her heart when she heard this. Scoundrel, scum of the earth¡­


    ¡°Brother Long, stop joking with me. It¡¯s just that I have to go overseas for work tomorrow. Can we meet when I¡¯m back?¡± Tong Fei saw Long Sanwei as nothing but a troublemaker and wished that she could postpone the meeting indefinitely.


    ¡°What do you think? Tonight at 8 p.m. Room 302 at Shining Gold. See you there. You know the consequences of making me angry¡­ Of course, if you make me happy, I¡¯ll fulfil whatever wish you have as long as it¡¯s within my ability.¡± Long Sanwei knew what she wanted.


    If he still didn¡¯t know at his age, he would have lived his life in vain.


    Tong Fei shivered. Fine. She would just treat it as being bitten by a dog and then use the dog to her advantage in the future.


    ¡°Hehe, Brother Long, you scared me. Fine, I¡¯ll see you tonight.¡± Tong Fei said coquettishly. She figured that she had no other choice given her current situation.


    Sigh, was there any way to avoid meeting him? The answer was no.


    As the sun set, night fell like a thin veil cloaking the earth.


    Tong Fei wore a tight ck leather skirt with a form fitting red sweater.


    She liked to dress this way. The red and ck contrast entuated her fair skin and made her look very lively.


    Moreover, her tall and shapely model figure made it difficult for people to look away.


    To avoid being recognized, Tong Fei wore a hat with her long hair down before she sneaked into Shining Gold.


    She looked around and saw no one suspicious. Around her were strangers. She pressed the 3rd floor button in the elevator.


    It was Long Sanwei who opened the door. He was surprised that she arrived early. He was half-naked with just arge towel wrapped around his waist.


    Long Sanwei stared at Tong Fei. Not bad, no wonder she was a supermodel. She really took good care of herself.


    ¡°Brother Long.¡± Tong Fei called out.


    ¡°Come in, Feifei. I miss you so much.¡±


    Long Sanwei even made her a cup of tea. ¡°Have some tea to quench your thirst. I brewed it myself.¡±


    Tong Fei was ttered. She was indeed a little thirsty after walking a distance. She didn¡¯t think too much about it and drank the tea..

 Chapter 190 - 190: Meeting With An Old Friend (Part 2)

    Chapter 190: Meeting With An Old Friend (Part 2)


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi- Bo Studio


    Tong Fei didn¡¯t notice the strange expression on Long Sanwei¡¯s face. She drank the tea and exchanged a few pleasantries with him.


    Suddenly, she felt a little dizzy. ¡°Why do I feel like the room is spinning¡­¡± As soon as she finished, she fell onto the sofa, unconscious.


    ¡°Feifei, wake up.¡± Long Sanwei smiled in satisfaction when he saw that Tong Fei didn¡¯t move or respond to him.


    Long Sanwei had put a very potent drug in her tea to knock her out. The drug seemed quite effective, and she would be out for a while. Tong Fei¡¯s face was flushed red now, with her pink mouth slightly opened. Her usual arrogant look was gone.


    Long Sanwei drugged her mainly because she wasn¡¯t obedient anymore. He had always been the person who dumped women. How could she despise him?


    ¡°She¡¯s indeed a supermodel to be able to maintain her good looks better than anyone else. No wonder I¡¯m still not sick of her after so long.¡± Lord Long muttered to himself.


    He then carried Tong Fei and sat her down on the sofa. He looked at her, caressed her chin and revealed a sinister smile. This woman must have hooked up with a big fish to act all tough and reluctant when he invited her over. She was going to get what she deserved now. Long Sanwei didn¡¯t believe that he couldn¡¯t deal with her.


    He posed her and took a few obscene photos of her.


    He then encrypted those photos before he carried the unconscious Tong Fei to the bed in the bedroom. Tong Fei whimpered a few times and the snow-white skin on her face turned a shade of pink¡­


    When Tong Fei came to, she was the only person in the room. She looked at herself and guessed what had happened. She was in and out of consciousnessst night, but she knew what Long Sanwei did before she fainted. She gritted her teeth, her eyes filled with unconceble hatred.


    She got up with great difficulty and put on her clothes piece by piece. She then looked at the time and realized that she should go home and get ready for her flight in the afternoon.


    She no longer felt like herself when she sneaked out of the club wearing her sunsses and covering her face with her bag.


    When she got home, she drew a long bath for herself with lots of rose essential oil.


    She really didn¡¯t want to be threatened like that anymore. She wanted to be Mrs. Gu so she would have the status and power to counter any kind of bullying.


    She packed her bags and called her assistant to pick her up to go to the airport.


    She wasn¡¯t in a hurry to run into Gu Shaoting in France. She knew that he would be there for at least a week, so she nned ordingly.


    She put on a pair of jeans and an off-shoulder sweater to cover her bruises.


    She looked fashionable and sexy, like her usual attention-grabbing self again.


    Gu Shaoting slowly packed his luggage indecisively. ¡°Must I go? I¡¯ve already forgotten so many things. I won¡¯t be much help even if I go.¡±


    Gu Shaoting couldn¡¯t help but call He Ming.


    ¡°Brother Ting, let¡¯s not change our ns at thest minute. We are almost on our way to the airport. The driver will pick me upter.¡± He Ming didn¡¯t really want to pick up Gu Shaoting¡¯s call, but he was worried that it was something urgent.


    He was saying goodbye to Xiaomeng. After all, they wouldn¡¯t see each other for a while. He wasn¡¯t happy that Gu Shaoting interrupted his farewell.


    Gu Shaoting felt quite aggrieved. Shu Pan knew that he was leaving for a business trip, but she didn¡¯t show any reluctance to part with him. Instead, there was a look of relief on her face, like she couldn¡¯t wait for him to leave.


    That was why he called He Ming to ask if he could get out of the business trip..

 Chapter 191 - 191: A Farce At The Airport

    Chapter 191: A Farce At The Airport


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    ¡°Panpan, I¡¯ll probably be in France for a week.¡± Gu Shaoting deliberately made small talk.


    ¡°Oh, have a safe trip.¡± Shu Pan replied indifferently.


    Gu Shaoting¡¯s face was filled with disappointment. He didn¡¯t want to hear that.


    He was hoping that she would ask him how his packing was going, that she would ask him toe home as soon as possible instead of a casual response like that.


    Not long after, the driver called to remind him that it was almost time to go to the airport.


    Only then did Gu Shaoting rolled his suitcase out the door reluctantly.


    When Shu Pan saw him leave, she also quickly packed her things to move back home.


    When Gu Shaoting and He Ming arrived at the airport, they saw many reporters waiting there.


    Gu Shaoting wasn¡¯t in a good mood to begin with. He was even more upset when he saw so many reporters. He was heading for a different security checkpoint when someone in the crowd called out, ¡°Mr. Gu¡­¡±


    Gu Shaoting turned a deaf ear and continued to walk. Suddenly, reporters who all heard the shout surrounded him. Gu Shaoting frowned and revealed an unhappy expression on his handsome face.


    Obviously, the Mr. Gu that was called out was him because reporters had now blocked his way and pointed their microphones at him. He was stunned and his frown deepened.


    ¡°Mr. Gu, are you travelling abroad with Miss Tong Fei? I heard that your wedding date is approaching. Are you bringing forward your honeymoon?¡± A reporter asked excitedly. He didn¡¯t expect to get such a surprising scoop.


    The other reporters were also eager and everyone scrambled to ask questions.


    They all thought that Tong Fei was going to France to attend an award ceremony. Who knew that they would run into her fianc¨¦?


    What an idental scoop! However, at the sight of Mr. Gu¡¯s sullen face, everyone got a little timid.


    ¡°Sorry, I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about. I¡¯m in a hurry.¡± Gu Shaoting pushed through the crowd, looking cold and unapproachable.


    Actually, it wasn¡¯t his fault. He had really forgotten about it. Only a few people close to him knew about his amnesia. It wasn¡¯t public knowledge.


    The reporters thought he didn¡¯t want to answer and kept chasing him. Gu Shaoting was extremely annoyed. He pursed his lips and emanated an ethereal chill from his being.


    He Ming had just finished checking in his baggage when he saw Gu Shaoting surrounded by reporters. He walked up quickly and made way for him. ¡°Make way, please make way. Mr. Gu is on a business trip and will miss his flight soon. Appreciate your understanding.¡±


    Gu Shaoting followed the path He Ming opened and strode forward, leaving the reporters behind.


    He Ming apologized profusely. He didn¡¯t want to offend the media, so it took him a lot of effort to get away.


    He found out from the reporters¡¯ questions that Tong Fei was also leaving for France today.


    What a coincidence! No wonder Gu Shaoting was misunderstood.


    He Ming had regretted more than once that he had brought the two of them together. Who knew that Gu Shaoting was hiding his true feelings? He Ming thought that he liked Tong Fei, but who knew that he was into Shu Pan?


    If so, why didn¡¯t he treat her better back then? He just had to lose her before he realized how much she meant to him.


    He still had a long way to go to win back his wife.


    He Ming was also gloating a little. Who asked Gu Shaoting to disturb his dates with Xiaomeng from time to time?


    He Ming caught up with Gu Shaoting and asked, ¡°Did you tell Tong Fei about our flight this afternoon?¡±


    He Ming was very puzzled. How could it be so coincidental?


    ¡°Do I look like water has entered my brain?¡± Gu Shaoting said arrogantly. He would have to be crazy to tell her.


    He wasn¡¯t close with that woman, okay?

 Chapter 192 - 192: Out Gallivanting

    Chapter 192: Out Gallivanting


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    He Ming thought so too. Gu Shaoting hated inconveniences, so he always kept a low profile. He didn¡¯t like to have his private life made into news to entertain the public.


    ¡°Please call the news agencies you knowter and tell them not to report nonsense.¡± Gu Shaoting said. He was afraid that Shu Pan would think worse of him after she saw the news. He didn¡¯t want to jeopardize their already fragile rtionship.


    ¡°I¡¯ll try my best, but there are too many media outlets today. I won¡¯t be able to call all of them. I can ask the two most influential newspapers not to report nonsense.¡± He Ming said, managing his expectations.


    ¡°Alright, sorry to trouble you.¡± Gu Shaoting nodded.


    He Ming helplessly took out his phone and started making calls.


    Meanwhile, Tong Fei had just walked into the airport and reporters had surrounded her.


    ¡°Ms. Tong, may I ask if you are attending this award ceremony in France as a stepping stone to expand your career overseas?¡±


    ¡°Ms. Tong, your fianc¨¦, Mr. Gu, has just cleared outbound immigration. Did you and Mr. Gu arrange to meet overseas for your honeymoon?¡±


    The reporters kept firing questions at her.


    ¡°Sorry, I¡¯m going there for work. I can¡¯tment on anything else.¡± Tong Fei adjusted her sunsses with her hand. So, Shaoting was also at the airport now. Maybe they were on the same flight to France!


    There were still reporters who refused to give up. One of them asked, ¡°Are you guys going to hold your wedding soon?¡±


    Tong Fei stopped walking and said, ¡°I¡¯ll inform everyone when there¡¯s good news.¡±


    Shu Pan went back to her own home. Everything in the house seemed to be covered in ayer of dust since no one had lived here for a while.


    Shu Pan quickly rolled up her sleeves and got busy. She would be busier at work soon and would have even less time for housework then.


    Moreover, she should bring Joy home soon. School was about to start.


    She felt a tingling sensation in her heart whenever she thought about Joy. She had to work harder. Now that her life was slowly improving, she was even more hopeful that she could live a good life without a man.


    She wondered how Gu Shaoting, who was on his way to France, would feel if he knew that she had such thoughts.


    He would probably be even more anxious.


    In the evening, Shu Pan was about to make herself a bowl of noodles when Ye


    Xiaomeng called.


    ¡°Girl, where are you now?¡± Ye Xiaomeng asked.


    ¡°I¡¯m at my home. My own home.¡± Shu Pan replied with a smile.


    ¡°Oh? You don¡¯t need to wait on Young Master Gu anymore? Can a servant like you finally retire?¡± Ye Xiaomeng mocked. She just couldn¡¯t stand the way Gu Shaoting bullied Shu Pan. Not in the past and not now. It was only because Shu Pan was kind that he stepped all over her.


    ¡°Xiaomeng¡­ Stop poking fun at me. He¡¯s gone to France on business, but I also don¡¯t n to take care of him any longer. I¡¯ve done my best. Besides, Joy is about to start school.¡± Shu Pan shook her head helplessly.


    Gone to France on business? What a coincidence! He Ming seemed to be on a business trip to France too.


    But Ye Xiaomeng didn¡¯t think too much about it.


    ¡°That¡¯s great. We must celebrate your escape from the clutches of the devil tonight.¡± Ye Xiaomeng said opportunistically. She could alwayse up with all kinds of reasons to go out for food and drinks. She was indeed worthy of her title as a foodie.


    ¡°What would you like to eat? I¡¯ll buy the ingredients and cook for you.¡± Shu Pan felt that food outside was expensive and unsanitary.


    ¡°Girl, you¡¯ve gotten used to very. Poor kid, put your things away and dress up nicely. I¡¯ll take you out for a good meal tonight.¡± Ye Xiaomeng instructed her.


    ¡°Alright. As you wish, my beautiful Miss Ye.¡± Shu Pan had no choice but to


    agree..

 Chapter 193 - 193: Cosmic Joke About Bumping Into One’s Nemesis

    Chapter 193: Cosmic Joke About Bumping Into One¡¯s Nemesis


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Shu Pan followed Ye Xiaomeng¡¯s instructions, took a nice bath and changed into a dress that Ye Xiaomeng bought her previously. She decided to enjoy her night out too.


    The dress was red, and the close-fitting cut entuated her curves.


    Shu Pan wore her hair down. Her clear eyes were elegant yet sexy. Her skin was delicate, and she looked tranquil and rxed.


    She wore light makeup toplement her dress. The whole getup made her look radiant and vibrant.


    Ye Xiaomeng was shocked when she saw Shu Pan. ¡°Girl, you really can¡¯t judge a book by its cover. You should show off your good figure more. It¡¯s true that clothes make the man.¡±


    Ye Xiaomeng¡¯s expression amused Shu Pan, so she joked back, ¡°You¡¯re exaggerating. I look the same. How attractive can I be after giving birth?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go on a date.¡± Ye Xiaomeng held her arm.


    Ye Xiaomeng had on bright makeup, but she didn¡¯t look tacky. She wore a short skirt that showed off her long and slender legs.


    The two of them were a sight to behold as they walked together in public, turning many heads.


    Ye Xiaomeng brought Shu Pan to a buffet restaurant that had just opened. It was a rmendation from Ye Xiaomeng¡¯s colleague.


    ¡°Xiaomeng, this ce looks very high-end. Will it be very expensive?


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. This ce just opened not long ago and is quite hot now. My colleague gave me two vouchers. It¡¯s very cheap after the discount. You can eat without worry.¡± Ye Xiaomeng looked at Shu Pan. They used to splurge on meals before, but Shu Pan¡¯s heart ached now when she ate out.


    Life had taken its toll on her.


    ¡°Alright, but just this once.¡± Shu Pan exhorted. It was too expensive. She felt the pinch even with just one meal here.


    The two of them found a table and then each took a te to pick up delicious food from the buffet table.


    ¡°There are really all kinds of people these days. Why eat here if you are too stingy to fork out the money? So embarrassing.¡±


    Seated at the next table were two well-dressed women. They seemed to have heard the conversation between Ye Xiaomeng and Shu Pan, and that was why they were mocking her.


    Ye Xiaomeng flew into a rage when she heard that. Fortunately, Shu Pan held her back.


    ¡°They didn¡¯t name names. Their mouths belong to them. Just let them say whatever they want.¡± Shu Pan didn¡¯t want any trouble. Life wasplicated enough as it was.


    ¡°You don¡¯t say. It¡¯s true. Many people don¡¯t know their limits. They think that just bying here to eat, they can snag themselves a rich husband.¡± The other girl at the next table said.


    ¡°Speaking of rich husbands, the prospect your mother introduced to you is top-notch. I¡¯m so jealous. You¡¯d better hang on to him.¡± The girl opposite her said with a smile.


    Her friend replied shyly, ¡°You are so bad. I know I shouldn¡¯t have told you. It¡¯s still a distant light on the horizon.¡±


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you ask him to join us for dinner tonight?¡± The two of them chatted as if they were the only people at the restaurant.


    ¡°He¡¯s gone on a business trip. I think it¡¯s France.¡± Ever since Hu Shanshan¡¯s blind date with He Ming, she often found all kinds of excuses to get close to him.


    But He Ming had been avoiding her, saying that he was busy. She finally couldn¡¯t take it anymore and went to He Ming¡¯s house with the excuse of visiting his mother when she was really there to check if he was really that busy.


    He Ming¡¯s mother told her that He Ming had been very busytely and had just left for France on a business trip.


    Only then did she believe that he wasn¡¯t avoiding her on purposes.


    She was determined to get He Ming even if he was interested in someone else. He wasn¡¯t married yet, so nothing was for certain..

 Chapter 194 - 194: Photos

    Chapter 194: Photos


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    The young girl was very determined.


    Ye Xiaomeng was stunned. What was going on? Was everyone on a business trip to France?


    Ye Xiaomeng then turned her head to look at the girl carefully. She was young and attractive, but her makeup was a bit thick and she looked unnatural. Combined with her mean speech, she appeared a little tacky.


    He Ming was like this, so was Gu Shaoting, and now this person she was overhearing.


    She shrugged and ignored the girls at the next table. It was too much of a coincidence.


    She picked up her phone and suddenly had an idea.


    ¡°Girl, don¡¯t move. It¡¯s rare for you to dress up so it would be a pity if I didn¡¯t take a photo of you.¡±


    ¡°Please don¡¯t. I look awful.¡± Shu Pan smiled and red at her.


    However, Ye Xiaomeng pointed her phone at Shu Pan, found the right angle and took a shot of her. Shu Pan was smiling in the photo. Her eyes were bright and she looked really attractive.


    Ye Xiaomeng then took a selfie; she was happy with the shot. She thought for a


    little bit before she posted both photos on her WeChat Moments with the caption, ¡°On a romantic date with my dearest tonight.¡± She smiled smugly and even showed her post to Shu Pan.


    Shu Panughed at her narcissism.


    Although there were a few hups tonight, they had a happy dinner together.


    Gu Shaoting and He Ming arrived exhausted in France after flying for more than ten hours. Although they flew first ss, the flight time was unbearably long.


    It was already evening when they arrived. They nned to fill their stomachs at the hotel restaurant after they checked in. Airne food was not fit for human consumption.


    While waiting for their food, He Ming took out his cell phone. He wanted to call Ye Xiaomeng to tell her that he had arrived safely. She probably didn¡¯t really care if he had arrived safely, but he just wanted to make his presence felt.


    He dialed Ye Xiaomeng¡¯s number, but no one picked up. Heforted himself that she was probably busy. He then opened his WeChat Moments to kill time and saw Ye Xiaomeng¡¯s new post.


    A date with her dearest?


    The caption made his heart skip a beat and he quickly clicked on the photos. It was a date with Shu Pan.


    ¡°Shu Pan is also a beauty when she dresses up.¡± He Ming muttered to himself. But the sharp-eared Gu Shaoting heard what he said. ¡°What about Shu Pan


    ¡°Take a look. Photos of them on their datest night.¡± He Ming gave his phone to Gu Shaoting.


    Gu Shaoting stared at Shu Pan¡¯s photo like he couldn¡¯t get enough of it. ¡°Download Shu Pan¡¯s photo and send it to me.¡±


    He Ming was speechless when he heard that. Was that necessary? But on second thought, he should also download Xiaomeng¡¯s photo and set that as the screensaver on his phone.


    ¡°Sure.¡±


    ¡®Why do you have Shu Pan¡¯s WeChat?¡± Only then did Gu Shaoting wondered.


    ¡°I don¡¯t. I only have Xiaomeng¡¯s WeChat. See, this girl with Shu Pan. They¡¯re best friends.¡± He Ming exined. It was better not to provoke a jealous man.


    ¡°Why haven¡¯t I heard you mention that you¡¯re dating Shu Pan¡¯s best friend?¡± Gu Shaoting asked.


    ¡°I¡¯m still courting her, not officially her boyfriend yet.¡± He Ming said a little dejectedly.


    Gu Shaoting didn¡¯t have any insights when it came to courtship because after such a long time, Shu Pan was still lukewarm towards him.


    He also hoped for a breakthrough.


    ¡°Then you must work harder.¡± As Gu Shaoting spoke, he also thought about how he could get close to Shu Pan and win her heart..

 Chapter 195 - 195: Contemplating An Acquisition

    Chapter 195: Contemting An Acquisition


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    The two of them had a quiet dinner together, alone with their own thoughts.


    It was still early after dinner. They couldn¡¯t sleep anyway due to jeg, so Gu Shaoting suggested that they have a drink at the hotel bar downstairs.


    After Gu Shaoting and He Ming walked into the bar, they attracted the attention of a group of blonde-haired and blue-eyed girls.


    Especially Gu Shaoting, as he lounged on the sofa looking elegant, charming, and all kinds of perfection. He was wlessly handsome with eyes as dark as night and his gaze, while sharp and intimidating, shed with wisdom.


    But the cold aura he exuded made the girls afraid.


    Gu Shaoting took a few sips of his drink.


    ¡°Ming, I thought for a long time when I was on the ne today. Didn¡¯t you suggest before that we should expand our design department? Our real estate business is growing rapidly now. It would be more efficient if we had our own designers and interior decorators. Communications would also be more effective and convenient,¡±


    Gu Shaoting changed subjects too quickly and He Ming couldn¡¯t keep up with his pace. He said a confused ¡°huh¡± and took a while to understand what Gu Shaoting meant.


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve suggested that before. We have good resources and a good design team now, but we are seriously shorthanded. We can¡¯t cope with all the work and are forced to outsource sometimes, which makes us dependent on third parties. Outsourcing also lowers our overall efficiency and hampers quality control.¡±


    ¡°Then let¡¯s do it.¡± Gu Shaoting¡¯s tone was very casual like he wasmenting about the good weather today. ¡°You can begin preparation now.¡±


    He Ming thought that Gu Shaoting was just joking. After all, expanding such a big department was no joke. ¡°Really? You are not drunk, are you?¡±


    Gu Shaoting took another sip of his drink before he continued in a calm voice, ¡°Recruitment and training takes time after all. It will take even more effort if we poach employees from otherpanies. We can also grow by acquisition.¡±


    He Ming widened his eyes in surprise and looked Gu Shaoting in the eye to make sure that he wasn¡¯t kidding.


    Gu Shaoting continued seriously, ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that the more reputablepanies in the industry include Sunrise Architecture? It¡¯s not bad. It hasn¡¯t gone public yet but has great potential. Moreover, their boss needs cash now to fund his other investments. If you think thepany is okay, let¡¯s have a discussion with them.¡¯


    ¡°Sunrise Architecture? Isn¡¯t that where Shu Pan works now?¡± He Ming had a sudden realization.


    ¡°That¡¯s right. That Sunrise Architecture.¡± Gu Shaoting nodded.


    Actually, Gu Group was doing really well now, be it in real estate or other sectors. They were doing exceptionally well.


    No matter how good Sunrise was, there was no need to acquire apany. After all, acquisition was a huge expense. If they wanted to expand a department, they could very well hire or even engage headhunters to help them hire.


    ¡°Why do you suddenly want to acquire Sunrise? What¡¯s your motive?¡± He Ming felt that it wasn¡¯t a rational move after thinking through.


    ¡°Because thatpany is quite established. The organization structure and staffing can remain. They would just be subsumed under Gu Group. That saves us time and gives their boss the money he needs. It¡¯s a win-win situation.¡±


    Gu Shaoting lowered his eyes and took another sip of his drink after he finished speaking.


    ¡°Is that really the reason? There are many otherpanies better than Sunrise


    Architecture.. Why did you pick Sunrise?¡±

 Chapter 196 - 196: Regaining His Memories

    Chapter 196: Regaining His Memories


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Gu Shaoting stared at the wine in his long stem ss and swirled it.


    He zoned out for a little bit before he suddenly said, ¡°We¡¯re in the right ce at the right time now. I don¡¯t want to wait anymore. I¡¯ll lose patience if I wait too long.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± He Ming was confused. He felt that Gu Shaoting¡¯s words were even more mysterious now, but he guessed one thing. Shu Pan worked at Sunrise Architecture and Gu Shaoting probably wanted to be closer to her.


    Gu Shaoting didn¡¯t speak for a long time until he said, ¡°Come, let¡¯s drink. If you think it¡¯s feasible, we can start discussions after we get back. We must be quick because their boss needs cash now. I think that people in the industry will have the same information soon and we mustn¡¯t let someone else beat us to it.¡±


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll work on it immediately when we get back. Also, the meeting with Mr. John is at noon tomorrow. We can¡¯t fail this time. We must get this deal so that we don¡¯t have to worry about it for the next few years.¡± The blueprint in He Ming¡¯s heart was very well nned. The bigger his heart, the bigger his world.


    ¡°Alright, I wish us sess.¡± Gu Shaoting raised his ss to He Ming.


    ¡°Cheers!¡± He Ming finished his drink in one gulp.


    Gu Shaoting paused again before he said, ¡°It¡¯s gettingte. Let¡¯s go.¡±


    Gu Shaoting got up, signed the bill, and went upstairs with He Ming to their rooms.


    After taking a shower, he still didn¡¯t feel sleepy. So, he stood by the floor-to-ceiling windows in his room, lit a cigarette and smoked it leisurely.


    He didn¡¯t tell anyone that he had regained his memories. It happened a few days ago when he woke up. Memories of him and Shu Pan just started ying in his mind like a movie. All the grudges, and the daughter he had with Shu


    Pan.


    But Shu Pan never mentioned their daughter, Joy, the whole time when she was taking care of him. She treated him like a stranger, so he didn¡¯t tell anyone that he remembered the past now.


    He had done too many hurtful things in the past and made her sad. He knew that he would have to gain her trust again slowly and let her ept him.


    He picked up his phone and looked at the photo that He Ming just sent him. He missed her even more. Her smile in the photo had already touched his heart and the red dress made her skin appear even fairer. Suddenly, he frowned. Why was the neckline of the dress so low? It was a real design w. From the angle the photo was taken, he could see her cleavage and imagine her soft, white breasts. He would remind her to never wear this dress again when he got home. He would buy her a nicer dress.


    But he wondered if he was in the position to interfere with her dressing now¡­


    Gu Shaoting was filled with remorse.


    Why didn¡¯t he cherish such a good woman before?


    Stupid grudges¡­


    After smoking half the cigarette, he suddenly felt bored. He stubbed it out and looked at his phone. Thinking that it was daytime back home, he found Shu Pan¡¯s contact without hesitation and dialed her number.


    Her phone rang for a long time, but no one picked up. Gu Shaoting refused to give up and tried again.


    Still, no one picked up.


    He would give them his deepest love and the best lives possible. He could only pray now that Shu Pan didn¡¯t give him too many tests..

 Chapter 197 - 197: A Minor Inconvenience During Contract Signing

    Chapter 197: A Minor Inconvenience During Contract Signing


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    At noon the following day, Gu Shaoting and He Ming went to see Mr. John at his office. John was an elegant and humorous French man. They spoke in English. They hadmunicated before today and this meeting was set up mainly to confirm the details of the contract and sign it. The meeting progressed smoothly. Just as they were about to sign the contract, ady knocked on the door and walked in.


    ¡°Lady¡± probably wasn¡¯t the right word to use. She was more of a girl.


    She had jet ck dark hair and very fair skin. The simple white dress she was wearing entuated her youthful vigor. The most attractive thing about her was her ck, sparkly, and unforgettable eyes.


    Gu Shaoting and He Ming looked at each other, confused about what was happening. But it was obvious that this girl had a special rtionship with Mr. John, or she wouldn¡¯t have walked in without waiting for a response after she Imocked.


    ¡°Charlene, that¡¯s very rude of you. Daddy is in the middle of a meeting.¡± Mr. John chided insincerely.


    ¡°Daddy, I didn¡¯t know. I¡¯ll be more careful next time.¡± The girl stuck out her tongue and said coquettishly to Mr. John.


    ¡°Mr. Gu, Mr. He, this is my youngest daughter, Charlene.¡± John introduced.


    They greeted each other. Gu Shaoting didn¡¯t pay attention to anything else. He just wanted to sign the contract as soon as possible so he could go home. Shu Pan still hadn¡¯t called him back. He was worried if something had happened.


    ¡°My second wife is Chinese. Charlene looks like my wife.¡± John exined, and the two of them finally understood.


    Charlene also noticed the two attractive gentlemen in the room, especially the man sitting on the single-seater sofa. He was dressed in a ck suit and had a tall and sturdy build. His ck hair wasbed back, entuating his handsome face with sharp features. There was an unfathomable gaze beneath his prominent brows. He exuded an elegant but cold aura that made people afraid to look directly at him.


    Charlene stared at him, and Gu Shaoting could feel it. He felt slightly ufortable, more annoyed. If she hadn¡¯t walked in, they would have signed the contract already. ¡°Mr. John, let¡¯s sign the contract first.¡±


    Gu Shaoting sounded a little anxious. He Ming echoed hisment, worried that John might change his mind.


    ¡°Alright.¡± Mr. John agreed, and the two of them heaved a sigh of relief.


    After signing the contract, the two of them were about to leave when Charlene suddenly said, ¡°Brother Gu, is your country very beautiful, very different from here?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, China is very beautiful, and so is Bin City. You¡¯re both wee to visit anytime.¡± Gu Shaoting said politely.


    Unexpectedly, Charlene replied, ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll graduate soon and need an internship. Why don¡¯t I go to yourpany? Can I, Brother Gu?¡±


    ¡°Nonsense, Charlene.¡± John reprimanded.


    ¡°Daddy, I¡¯m serious. If I go to Brother Gu¡¯spany for an internship, I would kind of help you assess hispany¡¯s true capabilities and whether we should work with them long term.¡±


    Since she said that, Gu Shaoting had no choice but to agree. ¡°Sure, you¡¯re wee at mypany. I¡¯m just worried that the job isn¡¯t good enough for Miss Charlene.¡±


    ¡°Shaoting, please help me guide her and keep her in line. She¡¯s still wet behind the ears.¡± John gave his tacit approval to Charlene¡¯s request. Charlene was studying business management at a famous university now; she would join hispany and manage the family business in due time. It might not be a bad idea for her to gain some working experience outside.


    But Gu Shaoting and He Ming were wailing in their hearts. It was never a good thing to have a nepotism employee in thepany. Sigh, they could only deal with it..

 Chapter 198 - 198: Anxious to Go Home

    Chapter 198: Anxious to Go Home


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    When the two of them arrived back at their hotel, they looked at each other.


    ¡°When Charlenees for her internship, get someone to look after her. Don¡¯t make any mistakes.¡± Gu Shaoting instructed He Ming.


    ¡°Sure. But judging from her expression, I think she wants you to look after her.¡± He Ming teased.


    ¡®Get lost. Don¡¯t gloat or you¡¯ll be the one taking care of her.¡± Gu Shaoting was very irritable now.


    ¡°When can we go home?¡± Gu Shaoting asked.


    ¡°In a few more days. Have you forgotten that we still have a few clients to meet? Also, since we are here, we should pay a visit to our branch office, right?¡± He Ming had arranged their entire trip.


    ¡°Hurry up. I want to go home.¡± Gu Shaoting said helplessly.


    ¡°You make it sound like I don¡¯t want to go home. Xiaomeng has been practically ignoring me. She¡¯s out every day dressed to the nines, eating, drinking, and having fun.¡± He Mingined.


    ¡°Did Shu Pan tag along?¡± Gu Shaoting asked nervously.


    ¡°I guess so. Looking at their Moments, the two of them are inseparable.¡± He Ming nodded.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to ask Panpan to stay away from Ye Xiaomeng. I reckon that she¡¯ll lead my Panpan astray.¡± Gu Shaoting said with conviction.


    He Ming made a gagging gesture.


    Would Shu Pan listen to Gu Shaoting nowadays? He doubted it.


    ¡°Try to shorten the trip. I have something important to do when I get home.¡± Gu Shaoting emphasized.


    ¡°Alright, my young master. I want to go back more than you do.¡± He Ming felt extremely helpless.


    Shu Pan frowned. Why were there so many missed calls?


    Why did Gu Shaoting have to say to her? It was probably nothing important.


    Never mind him.


    Just as Shu Pan was about to get busy, her phone rang again.


    ¡°Panpan, what are you busy with? Why didn¡¯t you answer my calls?¡± Gu Shaoting thanked the heavens that his call was finally answered. He finally felt a little more at ease.


    ¡°I¡¯m at work.¡± Shu Pan felt that Gu Shaoting really had nothing better to do. Did he call again just to ask her that?


    ¡°Your boss is too much of a ve driver. You don¡¯t even have time to answer a call? Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m going to buy yourpany. You won¡¯t be so busy after that.¡± Gu Shaoting said seriously, giving Shu Pan a heads-up.


    Was this man nuts? Shu Pan thought that Gu Shaoting was ridiculous and took what he said as a joke.


    ¡°If there¡¯s nothing else, I¡¯ll hang up.¡± Shu Pan couldn¡¯t help but roll her eyes.


    ¡°Nothing special. I just miss you.¡± Gu Shaoting said affectionately.


    Shu Pan felt goosebumps all over her body when she heard that. She said, ¡°I¡¯m hanging up now.¡±


    Then, she really hung up.


    Gu Shaoting was furious when he heard the call disconnected tone on his phone. He turned to He Ming and said, ¡°Hurry up and start the acquisition process. This is our main focus now.¡±


    ¡°What triggered you this time?¡± He Ming looked at his flushed face and knew that it probably have something to do with Shu Pan.


    ¡°Women are so unreasonable. She doesn¡¯t appreciate my being nice to her.¡± Gu Shaotingined.


    He Ming didn¡¯t say anything because he knew what that felt like.


    Gu Shaoting and He Ming met with clients and discussed business in the days that followed.


    They got backte one night and went back to their respective rooms.


    Shortly after, Gu Shaoting¡¯s phone rang. He saw that it was Tong Fei calling and rejected the call without hesitation.


    But his phone rang again immediately. Gu Shaoting was a little annoyed and pressed the answer button.


    ¡°Shao¡­Ting¡­ I¡­ I¡¯m so scared, can¡­ Can youe over for a while?¡± Tong Fei cried as she said over the phone. Her words were intermittent..

 Chapter 199 - 199: Midnight Phone Call

    Chapter 199: Midnight Phone Call


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    ¡°What is it?¡± Gu Shaoting frowned.


    ¡°I¡¯m at my hotel now. I think someone was following me when I came back just now. I¡¯m so scared. Can youe over?¡± Tong Fei told him her reason. She spoke very softly because she was afraid.


    ¡°You should call the police or go to the hotel front desk.¡± Gu Shaoting suggested. He didn¡¯t want to get himself into any trouble.


    ¡°Shaoting, on ount that we¡¯ve known each other for years and that we¡¯re still engaged¡­¡± Tong Fei tried to appeal to him emotionally and rationally.


    ¡°Where are you?¡± Gu Shaoting asked. Since she said that, he might as well make things clear with her.


    Tong Fei was secretly delighted. She knew that he woulde. After giving him the address, she called a reporter she knew.


    Tong Fei picked out a strappy silk satin nightie. It was as thin as a veil and barely covered her body.


    She then sprayed some perfume behind her ears and practiced her seductive look in the mirror.


    The hotel she was staying at was not far away. After all, they were at the most prosperous area of France.


    Gu Shaoting arrived very quickly. When he arrived, he looked around and didn¡¯t see anyone suspicious. He then called Tong Fei, told her that he was there and asked her toe downstairs for a chat.


    Tong Fei was fully prepared for this. She gave Gu Shaoting all kinds of excuses and invited him to talk in her room. After all, she was a celebrity, and it would be inappropriate for her to meet a man in the middle of the night. It would be an issue if the media caught her on camera. She was still somewhat famous in France.


    Gu Shaoting thought what she said made sense. He also wouldn¡¯t be able to exin himself if Shu Pan saw him in any of those photos.


    So, Gu Shaoting went along with Tong Fei¡¯s suggestion. He smelt a sweet scent as he entered her room and couldn¡¯t help but frown.


    ¡°Tong Fei, I¡¯m very sorry, but I wasn¡¯t joking with you before. I was serious when I said that I wanted to cancel our engagement. I¡¯llpensate you as long as it¡¯s within my ability.¡± Gu Shaoting said seriously.


    After all, he was the one who suggested the annulment. He hoped to talk things out like adults and avoid any kind of fallout.


    ¡°Shaoting, did I do something wrong?¡± Tong Fei sat next to Gu Shaoting and rested her slender hand on his thigh.


    Gu Shaoting immediately shifted his leg and Tong Fei¡¯s hand missed.


    Gu Shaoting got a little impatient with her behavior and said, ¡°It wasn¡¯t anything. I just feel that we are not suited for each other, and I don¡¯t want to hold you back.¡±


    He didn¡¯t look to his side and turned a blind eye to the sexily dressed Tong Fei.


    No matter how Tong Fei teased him, Gu Shaoting was as apathetic as a robot.


    If not because Tong Fei had seen Gu Shaoting in love, she would have thought that he wasn¡¯t into women.


    ¡°It¡¯s gettingte, and I must go. But I hope that I won¡¯t hear you call yourself my fianc¨¦e again. This is my fault, so I¡¯ll let you announce the annulment of our engagement.¡± Gu Shaoting thought that it would be better for her reputation. After all, he was the one who suggested the annulment and he wanted to make it up to her.


    Gu Shaoting then opened the door to leave.


    But Tong Fei suddenly held his hand without a care for the thin nightie she had on. People not in the know might think that they were parting as a couple after a night of passion.


    ¡°Tong Fei, I hope that we can part on good terms and remain as friends.¡± Gu Shaoting flung her hand away.


    He then turned his eyes away from Tong Fei and strode out.


    Tong Fei watched him leave, and the corners of her mouth slowly curled up.


    A figure in a corner gave her an ¡°OK¡± gesture..

 Chapter 200 - 200: May Be Getting A New Boss Soon

    Chapter 200: May Be Getting A New Boss Soon


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    When Gu Shaoting was back at his hotel, he thought about it carefully and realized what a fool he had been. Why did he believe Tong Fei¡¯s words?


    Her appearance and speech indicated very clearly that she had some ulterior motive.


    Whatever the case, he had reiterated his position on the annulment many times. He hoped that she would finally ept it.


    As Gu Shaotingy in bed, he couldn¡¯t help but look at the photo of Shu Pan on his phone again. He was consumed by an overwhelming sense of longing.


    Shu Pan had been suffering from insomniately and had been going to work with panda eyes every day.


    ¡°Shu Pan, have you heard? We may be getting a new boss soon.¡± Shu Pan¡¯s desk neighbor, Tang Wei, whispered to her the moment she sat down at her desk.


    Shu Pan raised her eyebrows. ¡°How is that possible? Ourpany is doing well now. ¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s true, but only a few people know about this. You know that I¡¯m the know-it-all in thepany, so I got the scoop.¡± Shu Pan started to believe it when she heard Tang Wei say that. As she said, she was the know-it-all in thepany. She knew many secrets that others didn¡¯t know.


    It probably had something to do with her busybody nature.


    ¡°Will we beid off?¡± Shu Pan was suddenly a little worried. What would she do if she wasid off? She still had a family to support.


    ¡°I haven¡¯t heard anything about that yet. After all, the scoop I got was about changing bosses. Our boss has a cash flow problem now.¡± Tang Wei told her what she knew so that she could be mentally prepared.


    Because of this news, Shu Pan was distracted the whole day and often spaced out.


    Finally, she was almost done clearing what was on her te.


    She was thest person to leave work again.


    Gu Shaoting rushed to her workce right after he came back from France, hoping to see Shu Pan and their daughter soon.


    He waited and waited outside her office building, and still there was no sign of


    Shu Pan.


    He knew that she was at work, so he waited for her outside the office building.


    Just as he was about to lose his patience, he saw Shu Pan slowly walk out.


    He waited for her to get closer before he honked his car horn.


    Shu Pan got a shock. When she look in his direction, her eyes met Gu Shaoting¡¯s unfathomable eyes.


    Gu Shaoting got out of the car and said, ¡°Get in the car. I¡¯ll send you home.¡±


    Shu Pan felt quite ttered. She had never enjoyed such treatment even during their three years of marriage.


    ¡°You¡­ You¡¯re back?¡± Shu Pan blurted out.


    ¡°Yes, let¡¯s go home. I haven¡¯t eaten all day.¡± Gu Shaotingined. He hadpressed his schedule so he could rush back to the country.


    He was sick of eating hamburgers outside and missed Shu Pan¡¯s homecooked in porridge with side dishes.


    ¡°I¡¯m staying at my ce now. Please send me back there.¡± Shu Pan said, worried that he would take her back to Shuimu Qinghua.


    ¡°Why?¡± Gu Shaoting frowned.


    ¡°Because it¡¯s not very convenient for me to take care of you anymore. Besides, you¡¯ve only lost your memory. You are fine otherwise and can take care of yourself.¡± Shu Pan replied perfunctorily before she looked out the window.


    Gu Shaoting knew that it was difficult to change Shu Pan¡¯s mind once it was made up. She might look meek on the outside, but she was actually very stubborn and opinionated inside.


    ¡°Then let¡¯s go to the supermarket to get some groceries. I¡¯m hungry.¡± Gu Shaoting felt that he should satisfy his stomach first and then deal with her slowly.


    ¡°Pleasee to my house less often in the future. After all, it¡¯s not very convenient.¡± Shu Pan said tactfully; she didn¡¯t want him to see Joy.


    Gu Shaoting didn¡¯t say anything; he was using silence to protest Shu Pan¡¯s words..

 Chapter 201 - 201: The Night Meeting Was Reported

    Chapter 201: The Night Meeting Was Reported


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Shu Pan saw that Gu Shaoting was sticking to her like a ster and couldn¡¯t be gotten rid of. So she nned to go to the market, get some groceries and make some food for him before sending him back.


    Gu Shaoting suggested going to the supermarket to buy groceries, but Shu Pan refused. ¡°The groceries in the market are fresher and cheaper.¡±


    When Shu Pan got out of the car, Gu Shaoting followed her. He saw that the market was wet everywhere, but he didn¡¯t dislike it at all. Instead, he felt that it was a refreshing experience to buy groceries with Shu Pan. Seeing Shu Pan pick on the vegetables and bargain with others, he felt that he saw another side of Shu Pan, a very down-to-earth one.


    Gu Shaoting would always take the initiative to help carry the vegetables when they bought them. It was rare to see a man in a suit and leather shoes carrying vegetables in the market. Sometimes, it attracted people¡¯s attention.


    ¡°Madam, you¡¯re so lucky. Not only is your husband handsome, but he also dotes on you so much that he carries the groceries for you when you buy them.¡± The fish vendor saw Gu Shaoting beside Shu Pan and couldn¡¯t help but say enviously.


    ¡°You misunderstood¡­¡± Shu Pan wanted to exin.


    ¡°Thank you for yourpliment.¡± Gu Shaoting interrupted Shu Pan¡¯s words, causing her to roll her eyes.


    Back home, Shu Pan went to cook. Gu Shaoting wanted to help, but thinking of his past performance, Shu Pan chased him out of the kitchen.


    Shu Pan looked at the clock hanging on the wall in the living room. It was already past seven o¡¯clock. ¡°Wait a little longer. It¡¯ll be done soon.¡±


    Due to Shu Pan¡¯s quick movements, a few home-cooked dishes were quickly served on the table.


    During dinner, the atmosphere was a little awkward because it was rtively quiet. Shu Pan turned on the television in the living room. This television was a rtively old model and was usually used as a decoration.


    At this time, most channels on the TV were reporting the news. Shu Pan casually clicked on an entertainment news. It would not be too boring to watch while eating.


    Gu Shaoting was probably really hungry, he kept eating with his head down. On the other hand, Shu Pan ate absent-mindedly because Tang Wei told her that thepany was going to change its boss today.


    She was worried that she would beid off. After all, finding a stable job with a


    higher ie was not easy.


    She didn¡¯t know that the culprit who made her so worried was sitting in front of her and wolfing down her food.


    While she was eating, she nced at the television. The host was causally talking when her tone suddenly changed. With a tone of mystery and gossip, the host said, ¡°The following is a report from overseas that many fans are concerned about¡­¡±


    A man appeared on the screen. He was handsome and extraordinary. Although it was only his side profile, his facial features were smooth and his nose was high. He had a tall figure that made people unable to look away.


    He was standing at the door, and another woman in sexy clothes was saying goodbye to him reluctantly.


    The man¡¯s face was a little blurry, but the woman¡¯s face was very clear. It was the supermodel, Tong Fei. The caption covered the sexy outfit, and therge caption read, ¡°Supermodel Met A Handsome Man at Night.¡±


    Linking to the scene at the airport, the caption changed again. Judging from his height and profile, this man was guessed to be Tong Fei¡¯s fianc¨¦ and the two of them were having a tryst in France. Because Tong Fei was going to attend an award ceremony, her fianc¨¦ couldn¡¯t stand the torment of being apart from her, so he apanied her¡­


    Shu Pan looked at it, and for some reason, her heart ached. This scene had happened countless times. She should be numb.


    After all, they had nothing to do with each other now. But when she thought about how Gu Shaoting would tease her from time to time saying he missed her and then turn around to meet another woman, she really wanted tough. He was really a beast in human clothing, despicable and shameless..

 Chapter 202 - 202: An Explanation

    Chapter 202: An Exnation


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Gu Shaoting saw Shupan staring at the television, so he also looked at it curiously.


    Suddenly, he was stunned. Why did this scene look so familiar? Wasn¡¯t this him and Tong Fei? But they didn¡¯t do anything that day. Why was the current scene so ambiguous?


    The worst thing was that Shu Pan saw it. Others might not know, but Shu Pan would definitely recognize him at a nce.


    He carefully looked at her expression, hoping to find some clues, but it was obvious that she didn¡¯t show any. Shu Pan was still eating casually.


    Gu Shaoting felt very depressed. Herck of expression proved that she didn¡¯t care. It turned out that she really didn¡¯t care about him.


    However, he still exined, ¡°That¡­ Actually, nothing happened. I just went to tell her that I have nothing to do with her and that she shouldn¡¯t spread such rumours around.¡±


    However, such an exnation seemed a little weak. Shu Pan despised him in her heart. Did he think she was an idiot? Discussing business with a woman dressed like this in the middle of the night? It looks more like a date.


    However, she still replied calmly, ¡®You don¡¯t have to exin anything to me.


    I¡¯m not anyone to you.¡±


    Gu Shaoting didn¡¯t know how to reply but he was hurt.


    ¡°Shu Pan, although our rtionship is not considered close, I have to exin to you clearly that I have nothing to do with her. If she doesn¡¯t announce it, I¡¯ll find an opportunity to exin it clearly.¡±


    Gu Shaoting said with certainty. He still had to find out why there was such a report. Had he been tricked?


    After dinner, Shu Pan found an excuse to send Gu Shaoting away. There was finally peace.


    ¡°Shaoting, what should we do? We were followed when we met that day. The report was out, and I only just found out.¡± Tong Fei sounded anxious and at a


    loss.


    ¡°Why is there someone following us sote at night? And the angle is so clear?¡± Gu Shaoting asked suspiciously.


    ¡°Don¡¯t let me find out that you are the one ying tricks. Otherwise, you won¡¯t be able to bear the consequences.¡±


    Gu Shaoting¡¯s harsh words made Tong Fei tremble.


    However, she immediately squeezed out two drops of tears. ¡°Shaoting, I just found out about it too. I wonder if it¡¯s someone who¡¯s following us?


    Gu Shaoting thought about it calmly not wanting to hear her cry.


    ¡°Tong Fei, I hope you can announce the news of our annulment and rify this news.¡±


    Gu Shaoting gave the initiative to Tong Fei. After all, she was a woman and a famous person. Reputation was more important to her.


    ¡°Shaoting, I really¡­ I love you very much, and I hope you¡­ can think about it carefully. What do you want me¡­ how do you want me to do¡­. it can all be changed.¡±


    Tong Fei sobbed, but this time Gu Shaoting had decided firmly and there was no turning back for him.


    ¡°Tong Fei, there¡¯s really no meaning in this. There¡¯s no happiness between two people who don¡¯t love each other.¡± Gu Shaoting said emotionally.


    Before he realized that he loved Shu Pan, he had felt that it would be the same no matter who he married. But now that he had someone he liked, he did not want to make do with anyone. After all, his life was still very long.


    Tong Fei refused to give up and asked, ¡°Who is the person who can give you happiness? Shu pan?¡±


    ¡°That person is not you.¡± Gu Shaoting gave her another cruel blow.


    His words made Tong Fei feel as if she was in an ice cer.


    She hung up the phone slowly and pursed her lips tightly. Her eyes were filled with unwillingness.


    No one could take away her happiness. It was not easy for her to get to this position..

 Chapter 203 - 203: Welcoming the New Boss

    Chapter 203: Weing the New Boss


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    The next day, Shu Pan came to thepany early. If it was really as Tang Wei said, thepany had such a situation, then she had to perform better. Otherwise, she would definitely be the first to be sacked.


    Shu Pan was most nervous about her job. After Tang Wei told her the news, she had been restless.


    During lunch, Tang Wei brought another news. She heard that thepany had been acquired by arge corporation. The specificpany was still confidential.


    When Shu Pan heard that it was arge corporation, she felt a little more at ease.


    He Ming had to admire his ability to get things done. Under the pressure of such a boss, his work efficiency was extremely high. It only took him two days to discuss the initial acquisition n with the boss of Sunrise Architecture.


    After all the Drocedures and the handover were done, thev waited for the new boss to meet the staff.


    Shu Pan and Tang Wei were whispering. Most of the time, Tang Wei gossiped while Shu Pan listened.


    ¡°Everyone, the reporters from the major media outlets are almost here. Be on your toes, the new CEO will be here soon. If you don¡¯t want to get fired, stop dazing. ¡±


    Xu Na, the manager of the public rtions department, said sternly, ¡°Everyone gather your thoughts, correct your attitude and wait for the arrival of the new boss.¡±


    Xu Na looked at Shu Pan and Tang Wei, then raised her voice and said to them, ¡°Although you are from the design department, you still have to pay attention to your image. Don¡¯t hold us back, we have to give the new CEO a good impression.¡±


    Shu Pan pursed her lips and nodded. ¡®Manager Xu, I¡¯m sorry. We¡¯ll take note.¡± Xu Na nced at Shu Pan before looking away.


    Shu Pan secretly stuck out her tongue. She didn¡¯t usually work with the public rtions department much, so she really didn¡¯t know that Manager Xu was such a strict person.


    Xu Na pped her hands and called over a few staff members from the same department who were in charge of receiving their honourable guests.


    ¡°We have to do a good job at today¡¯s press conference. We can¡¯t make any mistakes. If someone makes a mistake on the first day of the new CEO¡¯s appointment, then pack up and leave.¡±


    As Xu Na spoke, she swept her gaze across every staff member under her seriously.


    ¡°Yes, I understand.¡± Everyone said in unison.


    Seeing that Xu Na had walked away a little, Tang Wei pulled Shu Pan and started to whisper in her ear again. ¡°I heard that the new boss is the CEO of arge corporation and is not married yet. Look at the unmarried women in ourpany, they can¡¯t wait to wear low-cut dresses and miniskirts. Just now, the toilet was so full that we couldn¡¯t walk. They were all touching up their makeup and applying lipstick.¡±


    Tang Wei said indignantly.


    ¡°Then why aren¡¯t you going?¡± Shu Pan asked curiously.


    ¡°Do you think I don¡¯t want to? Look at my figure and appearance. Unless the CEO is blind, he won¡¯t fall for me. That¡¯s why I didn¡¯t waste my effort.¡± Tang Wei sighed.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you dress up? You are a beauty, maybe the CEO would take a fancy to you and you can ascend to be a phoenix.¡± Tang Wei felt that Shu Pan was too stupid.


    Shu Pan smiled and thought to herself that she had totally no interest in such things at all.


    ¡°Shu Pan, follow the CEOter and see if there¡¯s anything he needs help with. You don¡¯t have to do anything else.¡± Manager Xu suddenly turned around and instructed. As she looked around the entire office, only Shu Pan was dressed in the simplest and not very flirtatious manner.


    Shu Pan nodded helplessly.


    A staff member from the public rtions department showed an envious expression. ¡°Manager Na is so biased. Shupan is the one who gets the benefits first..¡±

 Chapter 204 - 204: So It’s You

    Chapter 204: So It¡¯s You


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    It sounded nice to say that she had the chance to stand by the CEO¡¯s side, but if something happened, the people around him would be med.


    To Shu Pan, this was a hot potato.


    Xu Na pulled a long face and red at the employee. She said seriously, ¡°Be serious. Today concerns the question of whether everyone will stay or leave. If the CEO is not satisfied, everyone will pack up and leave at any moment. I don¡¯t need to emphasize this anymore.¡±


    After being scolded by Xu Na, everyone dared not make any more noise.


    Shu Pan secretly sighed. Since she was already here, she should just take it as it is. She cheered herself up and tried her best to bring out her best working condition.


    In fact, it was not surprising that everyone was so nervous because this matter had happened too suddenly. After all, it was rted to their own interests. Thepany that was originally running well had suddenly changed hands. Everyone had no idea what the future big boss would be like.


    However, who was the new boss? The heads of various departments tried to find out through various channels, but they still could not find anything about him.


    Therefore, everyone was worried that they would be fired.


    Shu Pan usually didn¡¯t gossip about these things, but at this moment, she was also a little curious.


    Everyone stood in two pairs, facing each other and making a path to wee the new boss.


    Everyone craned their necks to look at the entrance, wanting to see who this big boss was.


    ¡°They¡¯re here, they¡¯re here. Thepany¡¯s higher-ups and the new president are here.¡± The receptionist¡¯s voice was transmitted to everyone¡¯s ears through the walkie- talkie.


    All the employees couldn¡¯t help but straighten their clothes and stand respectfully, hoping to give the president and the higher-ups a good impression.


    Shu Pan stood at the front of the line, her eyes fixed on the entrance.


    After a while, a man in a silver-grey suit, surrounded by a few men in ck suits, walked towards the conference hall with elegant and vigorous steps.


    When they passed by the middle aisle, everyone apuded enthusiastically to wee them. The man¡¯s face was cold, but he nodded politely in response to everyone.


    Shu Pan waspletely stunned. She looked like she had seen a ghost. She was not mentally prepared for this at all.


    The tall man in the silver-grey suit walking in front of the crowd was clearly her ex-husband, Gu Shaoting. The guy who had been making his presence known in front of her recently.


    ¡°How is that possible? With the Gu Group¡¯s strength, there are all kinds of talents and elites. Why would he want to buy theirpany? Is there something wrong with his head?¡± Shu Pan thought that she was hallucinating, so she immediately closed her eyes and opened them again to wake herself up.


    However, no matter how clear-headed she was, the man¡¯s appearance did not change. She really could not understand why he did this.


    Other people might not recognize him, but she would never mistake Gu Shaoting for someone else.


    With his perfectly carved face, deep eyes and tall and muscr body, every step he took was elegant and noble.


    ¡°Gu¡­ Shaoting?¡± Shu Pan stared at Gu Shaoting and subconsciously called his name.


    Gu Shaoting seemed to have heard her voice and turned his head slightly. His gaze shifted slightly and stopped on her.


    His bright eyes stared at her and Shu Pan suddenly felt her heart beat faster. She pretended not to see it and looked away from him.


    The man¡¯s gaze lingered on her for a moment before moving away, but anyone could see the love in his eyes..

 Chapter 205 - 205: The Press Conference

    Chapter 205: The Press Conference


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    In just a moment, various thoughts shed through Shu Pan¡¯s mind.


    Shu Pan prayed that Gu Shaoting would treat her as a stranger. Fortunately, he understood her.


    Xu Na saw that Shu Pan was behaving unnaturally. She walked over and pulled her, scolding her in a low voice, ¡°Shu Pan, what are you doing on an asion like this?¡±


    Shu Pan woke up from a daze and was a little angry that she was distracted. Xu


    Na scolded softly again, ¡°Hurry up and follow them.¡±


    Shu Pan nodded and quickly followed behind the new boss. She didn¡¯t think about anything else and focused on looking in front.


    Xu Na quickened her pace and caught up to the new boss and the others, She opened the hall for them to receive the media. ¡°Please wee our new CEO.¡± As Xu Na¡¯s high-pitched voice fell, thunderous apuse sounded in the huge conference hall.


    Everyone stared at the door with wide eyes, waiting for the big boss to appear.


    Shu Pan quietly took a breath and followed closely behind the group. After Gu Shaoting sat down at the head of the table, she swiftly handed over the documents. Even though she had no distractions, she was still a little nervous. She trembled and the documents in her hand fell to the ground.


    Just as Shu Pan was about to bend down to pick it up, Gu Shaoting had already ignored everyone¡¯s gazes and bent down to pick up the documents before she could. Then, she heard him deliberately lower his voice and say in her ear, ¡°I¡¯ll go over for dinner tonight. I¡¯ll wait for you.¡±


    On such an asion, Shu Pan felt her head explode when she heard him say that. She was so stunned that she forgot what to do.


    Fortunately, everyone¡¯s attention was not on her, so she quickly adjusted herself. But Gu Shaoting¡¯s words were still lingering in her mind.


    Although it was a newly acquiredpany with a new boss. everyone was familiar with the CEO of the Gu Group.


    At the end of the press conference, the reporters couldn¡¯t resist their urge to gossip. One of the reporters asked what the others were thinking.


    ¡°Mr. Gu, can I ask a personal question? When are you going to marry the supermodel, Miss Tong Fei? You¡¯ve been engaged for some time.¡±


    Gu Shaoting¡¯s originally cold face was now as cold as ice. He was expressionless and the corners of his mouth were tightly pursed. Everyone present felt an invisible pressure.


    Gu Shaoting lifted his eye and looked at Shu Pan. She still had the same expression and he couldn¡¯t tell if she was happy or not.


    Gu Shaoting initially didn¡¯t bother to exin, but seeing that Tong Fei didn¡¯t rify their rtionship after being given a chance, he finally said, ¡°Ms. Tong and I are friends. We do not have a wedding.¡±


    With just a short sentence, he had disregarded his rtionship with Tong Fei.


    The people present did not expect him to exin and were all stunned.


    Shu Pan also frowned. Wasn¡¯t it inappropriate to say this on such an asion?


    Xu Na was indeed in public rtions. When she saw that the atmosphere was not right, she quickly came over to smooth things over. ¡°My friends from the media, I¡¯m sorry. Today is the new CEO¡¯s press conference, he will not be answering any personal questions. I hope everyone can understand.¡± Xu Na¡¯s words were very smooth, and the reporters present did not ask any more personal questions.


    The public rtions department¡¯s deployment was appropriate, everyone cooperated well, and Gu Shaoting had the power to intimidate the scene, so this press conference was considered sessful.


    When Gu Shaoting left, he stopped by Shu Pan¡¯s side and said in a voice that only the two of them could hear, ¡°I¡¯m really innocent.¡±


    It was a sentence without a beginning or an end but Shu Pan knew that he was trying to rify the news reported the day before yesterday..

 Chapter 206 - 206: Jealousy

    Chapter 206: Jealousy


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    However, Shu Pan ignored him and continued to pack up the things at hand.


    As soon as the new boss left, MO Lan, another female designer from the design department, squeezed her way over. ¡°Oh, Shu Pan, that was a wonderful scene earlier. I want to learn from you. You ¡®identally¡¯ dropped the document and sessfully attracted our new boss¡¯s attention.¡±


    Before Shu Pan could react, Tang Wei jumped out from the side. She held Shu Pan¡¯s arm and said sarcastically to MO Lan, ¡°You can¡¯t learn it. Designer MO, the boss has eyes too. He¡¯s not someone anyone could handle. Maybe the boss admires natural beauty and not artificial beauty.¡±


    Tang Wei¡¯s words implied something. MO Lan was so angry that her face turned red. Because everyone knew that she had stic surgery.


    ¡°You¡­ I can¡¯t be bothered to talk to you.¡± MO Lan walked away, swaying her hips.


    ¡°Why do you have to lower yourself to her level?¡± Shu Pan sighed and looked at Tang Wei.


    ¡°I don¡¯t like that look on her face. You are too nice that¡¯s why you get bullied. I guess her target will be the new boss in the future. Didn¡¯t you see how her eyes lit up when she saw the boss just now?¡± Tang Wei was indignant. How could a person who was addicted to stic surgery and never satisfied with what she had live so freely?


    MO Lan and her had always been like fire and water, and the hatred between the two of them was deep.


    ¡°If the boss likes her, it¡¯s also because of her ability. We just have to do our part.¡± Shu Pan smiled.


    ¡°It¡¯s because of your personality that you¡¯re at a disadvantage.¡± Tang Wei said.


    Shu Pan really wanted to say that she was not the kind of person who would submit to adversity in the past. It was just that she had been grounded into this state by life.


    However, she was very grateful to Tang Wei for standing up for her. She and Xiaomeng were the same kind of people. They were optimistic, cheerful, and their smiles could infect the people around them.


    In the office, she had the best rtionship with Tang Wei. Tang Wei was also a designer, so they were in different groups.


    It was enough to have a confidant in life, so she was very satisfied with what she had now.


    Shu Pan saw that the area was almost empty, sheforted Tang Wei and then turned to Xu Na, ¡°Manager Xu, we are almost done here. I¡¯ll go back to the design department first.¡±


    Xu Na looked around and nodded at her.


    Looking at Shu Pan¡¯s departing figure, MO Lan said hatefully, ¡°How shameless, seducing a man in public.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s enough. Stop stirring up trouble all day. When I asked you to help the


    CEO, youined about everything and said that you didn¡¯t want to serve a


    bald old man. Now that you know that the CEO is handsome, you regret it. If you continue to cause trouble, you might be the next person to leave.¡± Xu Na red at MO Lan.


    ¡°Ms. Na, I¡¯m regretting it. Why didn¡¯t you tell me earlier that the CEO is so elegant?¡± MO Lan knew how to suck up, so she had a good rtionship with Xu Na. At this moment, her words were filled with me.


    ¡°I only found out today that the Gu Group has acquired ourpany. But this is a good thing. After all, we are now part of a big corporation, so you have to work harder and do your job better. This way, you will climb higher. Then, you will have the right to be arrogant in the future.¡± Xu Na knew that MO Lan was unhappy, so she encouraged her.


    ¡°I know. I know you¡¯re the best to me. I¡¯ll listen to you, Ms Na.¡± MO Lan secretly made up her mind that she would do her best to get close to the CEO.


    Xu Na patted her shoulder, indicating her to do her best..

 Chapter 207 - 207: How Lucky

    Chapter 207: How Lucky


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Shu Pan returned to the office. Seeing that it was still early, she took out her phone and walked outside to call Shu Laide. ¡°Dad, have you guys eaten?¡±


    ¡°Yes, we did. It¡¯s already sote and you are out alone, you should take care of yourself.¡± As a father, he was always worried about his child.


    ¡°Okay, I know. I want to go back and pick Joy up this weekend. School is about to start.¡± Shu Pan didn¡¯t know if some of thepany¡¯s rules and regtions had changed after being acquired by the Gu Group. So, she nned to bring Joy out as soon as possible so that she could make arrangements.


    ¡°Okay, thene back this weekend to pick her up.¡± In fact, Shu Laide was very reluctant to part with his granddaughter, but she had to study.


    Shu Pan had just hung up when Wen Chi called. ¡°Pan, are you at work?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, what¡¯s wrong, Chi?¡± Shu Pan knew that Wen Chi was very busy. He had a full schedule of academic conferences, surgeries and frequent trips to study. They hadn¡¯t seen each other for a long time and would asionally chat on


    WeChat.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong, I can¡¯t look for you if there¡¯s nothing. I just want to see you. I¡¯ll pick you up after you get off work tomorrow.¡± Wen Chi¡¯s gentle words were a little overbearing and could not be rejected.


    ¡°Hehe, sure. Why wouldn¡¯t I be happy to have someone treat me to a meal?¡± Shu Pan said with a smile. She was always so rxed when talking to Wen Chi.


    The two of them chatted briefly before hanging up.


    When she returned to the office, she heard her colleagues discussing the new CEO enthusiastically.


    All of them were talking so excitedly as if they were talking about some extraordinary figure.


    When the design assistant saw Shu Pan, she quickly came over. ¡°Sister Shu, I¡¯m so envious of you. You¡¯re the first woman to stand beside the CEO. Isn¡¯t the CEO so handsome up close?¡±


    From her tone, it sounded like being the CEO¡¯s side aid was something to be proud of.


    Shu Pan smiled faintly. ¡°It¡¯s just work. I didn¡¯t notice what the CEO looked like. Since you¡¯re so envious, I¡¯ll send you to do something like this next time.¡±


    ¡°Sister Shu, you¡¯re joking with me again. I¡¯m probably stunned when I see the CEO. How can I do anything?¡± The little girl sped her hands together and made a lovestruck expression.


    ¡°The CEO is also a human. He doesn¡¯t have two extra horns. Don¡¯t be so crazy


    ¡°A well-fed man doesn¡¯t know the hunger of a hungry man. However, the CEO is so handsome. His gaze is not something that we low-level staff can get close to.¡± The assistant sighed.


    Shu Pan couldn¡¯t help but roll her eyes. Gu Shaoting was also a human, not a god, okay?


    ¡°Everyone, hurry back to your seats. The new CEO wille to our office to inspect our workter. Everyone, be on your guard. Do you hear me?¡± The design director came in and nervously reported the news.


    The CEO ising to inspect the work!


    This was big news. The female colleagues began to take out cosmetics to touch up their makeup and tidy up their clothes. Their skirts were so short that they couldn¡¯t reach their thighs.


    Shu Pan looked at everyone¡¯s actions and was dumbfounded. Was it necessary?


    Such a scene made Shu Pan seem like an anomaly.


    When she heard that Gu Shaoting wasing for an inspection, she couldn¡¯t help but swallow her saliva. She was so nervous that her heart was in her throat. She really didn¡¯t expect that one day, he would be her boss.


    The others quickly returned to their seats and pretended to work hard. They all wanted to perform well in front of the CEO..

 Chapter 208 - 208: The Inspection

    Chapter 208: The Inspection


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Seeing that Shu Pan was still standing in a daze while the others had already returned to their seats, the design director asked, ¡°Shu Pan, do you have any questions?


    ¡°Oh, no. I¡¯ll go back to my seat now.¡± Shu Pan quickly woke up from her daze and sat back in her seat. She turned on herputer and tried her best to get into work mode.


    After a while, the door of the department was pushed open, and Gu Shaoting walked in with vigorous steps surrounded by a crowd. Everyone stood up and apuded to wee him.


    Shu Pan never knew that Gu Shaoting liked to do this.


    However, she had really wronged Gu Shaoting. If she wasn¡¯t here, Gu Shaoting wouldn¡¯t even bother toe. He still had a lot of things to do. If it wasn¡¯t for the higher-ups who suggested that hee to boost the morale of his employees and that Shu Pan was also here, he wouldn¡¯t havee.


    After Gu Shaoting came in, he saw Shu Pan at first nce. She was at her desk, busy with something and did not look in his direction.


    Gu Shaoting simply greeted the department staff and said some encouraging words. Then he listened to the design director¡¯s report on the department¡¯s work and prepared to leave.


    Just as Shu Pan thought that he was going to leave, he suddenly turned and walked to Shu Pan¡¯s desk, staring at her without saying a word. The director looked at them and leaned over nervously. ¡°CEO is there something wrong?


    He was worried that Shu Pan had made a mistake and offended the CEO.


    ¡°She¡­ What position is she in?¡± Gu Shaoting asked.


    ¡°Designer.¡± The director answered nervously.


    Shu Pan frowned, not knowing what he wanted to do this time. What was up with him now? Did he still want her in thepany? With so many special interactions on the first day.


    ¡°Oh¡­ I see.¡± Gu Shaoting nodded. He saw that Shupan looked a little unhappy, so he didn¡¯t dare to stay any longer.


    He found an excuse and left with a group of people.


    As soon as he left, the office immediately became noisy. Even the usually steady director had a gossipy look on his face.


    Everyone was talking about how this handsome CEO had just said at the press conference that he would not have a wedding with the supermodel. Was that true?


    Did that mean that everyone else had a chance?


    This shouldn¡¯t be fake. That was a press conference.


    The office was originally a ce where gossipers gathered. The women were even more eager to try. After all, the title of Mrs. CEO was too attractive.


    Shu Pan listened to their heated discussion and didn¡¯t say anything.


    ¡°Hey, Shupan, are you still a woman? Such a treasure like the CEO is still not to your taste? Why don¡¯t you look excited?¡± Tang Wei nudged Shu Pan with her body. She admired that Shu Pan could still be so calm after seeing such a handsome guy. Was she immune to it?


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m a 100% woman. You already said that he is a treasure. This proves that he is not someone ordinary like me or we can touch.¡± Shu Pan rarely joked.


    ¡°Annoying, don¡¯t break my beautiful dream. Let me be intoxicated for a while.¡± Tang Wei pouted and walked away.


    Sigh! Everyone was deceived by Gu Shaoting¡¯s appearance. Wasn¡¯t she like that back then?


    If everyone knew that she was Gu Shaoting¡¯s ex-wife, who knew what kind of waves would be set off?


    Shu Pan¡¯s trembled when she thought of that happening.


    So, she had toy her cards on the table with Gu Shaoting tonight and make things clear..

 Chapter 209 - 209: A Showdown (1)

    Chapter 209: A Showdown (1)


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    This day was like a roller coaster for Shu Pan. It was very torturous. Finally, in the midst of nervousness and uneasiness, the working day was finally about to pass. Her colleagues had all left, and Shu Pan was thest to pack her things and leave.


    After walking out of thepany, Shu Pan habitually walked for a while before taking the bus because her home was still a little far from her current workce.


    ording to what they said at the press conference today, although the Gu Group had acquired Sunrise Architecture, they did not move the entirepany to the Gu Group. The office would be a subsidiary of the Gu


    Group, mainly responsible for design, interior decoration, and other services. The staff would not change, but the benefits would be better.


    Everyone was very happy. With the backing of the Gu Group, thepany¡¯s performance would definitely flourish. Now that the press conference is done, the industry will probably know about this news. Their goal had been achieved.


    Shu Pan was naturally happy to see that the benefits were better, but she was worried when she thought about her rtionship with Gu Shaoting. After all, the rtionship between ex-husband and ex-wife was shameful, especially in the workce. It was easy for people to gossip about.


    As Shu Pan walked, she thought about how to talk to Gu Shaoting.


    Because she was too focused on thinking about the problem, and because the CEO was inspecting the business today, she had muted her phone.


    Gu Shaoting looked at the phone that was hung up silently and felt a wave of frustration. He had wanted to pick her up and go back together, but she kept a low profile and didn¡¯t want others to know that she knew him, so he nned to leave together after everyone left. Who knew that she wouldn¡¯t pick up the phone? He pretended to pass by her department just now and realized that it was closed. Everyone had left.


    He had no choice but to go back by himself. He had told her that he would be there tonight, so she should know.


    He still couldn¡¯t tell anyone about his recovered memory, especially Shu Pan. Otherwise, he was worried that he wouldn¡¯t even let her in.


    He wanted to slowly make her fall in love with him again before telling her the news.


    Shu Pan got on the bus and got off at the bus stop closest to her house. Seeing that it was still early, she nned to go to the market to buy some groceries. No matter what happened, she had to eat.


    She knew that Gu Shaoting liked meat, so she bought some and carried them home.


    She had just reached downstairs when she saw Gu Shaoting leaning against his car. When he saw her, he immediately walked over and took the things from her hands. Their actions were so natural, just like a normal couple.


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you wait for me? I called you several times, but you didn¡¯t pick up?¡± Gu Shaoting¡¯s tone sounded like a resentful woman.


    ¡°Oh, I didn¡¯t hear that. Actually, it¡¯s very convenient for me to take a bus.¡± Shu Pan exined. She would definitely not take his car back. If someone saw her, wouldn¡¯t she be eaten alive?


    When they got home, Gu Shaoting pretended to ask casually, ¡°Panpan, who else is there in your family? Where are they?¡±


    Shu Pan became alert when she heard that. ¡°My father and auntie are in my hometown. I also have a daughter.¡±


    If Joy came, Gu Shaoting would definitely meet her. It was better to tell him in advance, but she would not say that Joy was his daughter.


    ¡°Oh.¡± Gu Shaoting didn¡¯t say anything, but the gentleness in his eyes couldn¡¯t be ignored.


    Shu Pan thought that he would continue to ask, but he stopped. She really couldn¡¯t understand him, but it was better not to ask. If he continued to ask, she wouldn¡¯t know how to answer..

 Chapter 210 - 210: A Showdown (2)

    Chapter 210: A Showdown (2)


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Gu Shaoting watched as Shupan cooked as if she was busy for him. That feeling was really wonderful.


    When they were eating, Shu Pan saw that he was eating happily, so she decided to chat with him. ¡°Mr. Gu, I want to talk to you¡­¡±


    Before Shu Pan could finish her sentence, Gu Shaoting interrupted her. He was so shocked that he almost spat out the food in his mouth.


    ¡°Mr¡­. Gu¡­¡± What the hell is this title? ¡°Panpan, we¡¯re at home now, not in thepany. Why are you calling me Mr. Gu?¡±


    ¡°From today onwards, you are my boss.¡± Shu Pan said honestly.


    ¡°If it¡¯s in thepany where there are outsiders and you don¡¯t want others to know that we know each other, I can ept you calling me Mr. Gu. But when there¡¯s no one around, especially at home, I don¡¯t ept such a title.¡± Gu Shaoting was so angry that he wanted to vomit blood. Did he buy Sunrise


    Architecture just to make her call him Mr. Gu?


    ¡°Courtesy is important. Also, why did you buy ourpany?¡± Shu Pan finally asked this question that she had been keeping in her heart for a long time. Because there were manypanies better than Sunrise Architecture, with the strength of the Gu Group, it would not be difficult to acquire any of them.


    ¡°Yourpany¡¯s development prospects are good.¡± Gu Shaoting¡¯s answer was very official. In fact, he was also silently responding, ¡®It was also because you were in thatpany. Otherwise, I wouldn¡¯t have paid so much attention.¡¯ Shu Pan put down her chopsticks and said to him solemnly,¡± Can I ask you for a favour?¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡± Seeing her so serious, Gu Shaoting couldn¡¯t help but stop his chopsticks and listen to her.


    ¡°Let¡¯s be strangers in thepany. Please don¡¯te to our department for no reason, it makes me quite troubled.¡± Was this what an employee would say to her boss?


    ¡°If I do that, what good will it do me?¡± As expected of a businessman, he would not do something at his disadvantage.


    ¡°If you do as I say, you cane over for a meal once in a while.¡± Shu Pan knew that he loved to eat here recently. This was his weakness.


    ¡°Only asionally? Can¡¯t we do it often?¡± Gu Shaoting was still haggling. If anyone saw this, they would probably be shocked. Was this the wise and powerful CEO Gu?


    ¡°Yes.¡± Shu Pan didn¡¯t give him any room to negotiate. Just like Xiaomeng said, one couldn¡¯t lose his momentum in any matter, especially in a negotiation. If she wasn¡¯t firm in her stance and was overwhelmed by the other party¡¯s, she would lose.


    Shu Pan¡¯s mentality now was that she was fearless and dared to say anything. She had worked hard in thispany for three years to achieve her current results. She didn¡¯t want that to change because of Gu Shaoting.


    Gu Shaoting replied, feeling wronged, ¡°All right then.¡±


    Being under someone else¡¯s roof, Gu Shaoting had no choice but to lower his head and agree. Such a Gu Shaoting was miles away from his majestic in the office today.


    Shu Pan won the negotiation. She knew that Gu Shaoting was a man of his word, so she wasn¡¯t worried that he would go back on his word.


    Shu Pan¡¯s worry was unnecessary because he usually worked in the Gu Group. There were dedicated people in charge of the subsidiarypany. He would probably go over to take a look when there is something important or on a whim.


    But he didn¡¯t want to tell her that he liked to see her anxious.


    After the meal, Gu Shaoting took the initiative to clear the dishes. He was already familiar after a few training and enjoyed it.


    If He Ming saw this, he would probably be shocked. This was because a young master who never touched the dishwater knew how to wash dishes. This was really one of the top ten strange stories..

 Chapter 211 - 211: Tang Wei’s Past

    Chapter 211: Tang Wei¡¯s Past


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    With Gu Shaoting¡¯s guarantee, Shu Pan was no longer worried about going to work.


    ¡°Shu Pan, I don¡¯t have the motivation to go to work anymore. I heard that the CEO doesn¡¯te to thepany here often.¡± Tang Wei had a long face.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t this good? It¡¯s so ufortable to be stared at by the boss every day.¡± Shu Pan was secretly delighted, wishing Gu Shaoting wouldn¡¯te to thepany at all.


    ¡°I¡¯m not talking to you anymore. You don¡¯t understand me.¡± Tang Wei looked at her resentfully.


    ¡°Oh my, even an ugly woman can be in love?¡± MO Lan must have heard what Tang Wei said, so she was hinting at something.


    Tang Wei almost jumped up when she heard that. ¡°What right does a stic surgery freak have to criticize others?¡±


    ¡°Who are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll say whoever answers.¡±


    Shu Pan saw that the two of them were arguing and quickly persuaded Tang Wei.


    ¡°What happened? No need to work? Do you think this is a market?¡± The director came out just in time to see the scene.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, director. We¡¯re going to work.¡± Shu Pan apologized.


    Tang Wei¡¯s face was red with anger and MO Lan was also indignant.


    They returned to their seats. Tang Wei looked very agitated, which was a little unexpected to Shu Pan.


    Because Tang Wei usually looked carefree and cheerful, and she didn¡¯t like to argue with others about small things.


    The morning passed quickly and by noon, Shu Pan was still thinking about Tang Wei and was worried that she would be unhappy, so she asked her out for lunch.


    In a small restaurant, Shu Pan ordered two dishes and a soup. After eating a few mouthfuls, Tang Wei suddenly spoke. ¡°Shu Pan, let me tell you a story.¡±


    ¡°What story?¡± Shu Pan couldn¡¯t react in time. She only found out about it after hearing what Tang Wei said.


    It turned out that MO Lan and Tang Wei were university ssmates who studied design and were even roommates. At that time, they had a good rtionship because their family backgrounds were simr,


    However, in her third year of university, MO Lan seemed to have suffered some kind of trauma and suddenly became apletely different person. She heard that she had be the mistress of a rich man. With money, she bought high-end cosmetics, clothes, shoes, and so on. She seemed to have changed into apletely different person. During the summer vacation, she changed her appearance. She went for stic surgery, lifted her eyes, got a nose job, and shaved her bones. She became very beautiful, and she rarely went back to the dormitory.


    Tang Wei had also heard about it. Seeing her change, she tried to persuade her tactfully, but MO Lan didn¡¯t listen. She even said that Tang Wei was jealous of her. Their rtionship began to deteriorate and they slowly distanced themselves from each other.


    At the same time, Tang Wei fell in love with a senior in her fourth year. After that, she picked up the courage to confess to him. The senior agreed, and Tang Wei was extremely happy. The two of them were inseparable every day. They went to the library to study and went out to y on weekends. Tang Wei felt that she was the happiest person in the world at that time.


    After they dated for a while, MO Lan returned to the dormitory. She didn¡¯t look as energetic as before.


    Because of the estrangement between the two of them, they weren¡¯t that close.


    As Tang Wei¡¯s family background was average, she usually went out to do part-time jobs. She was especially busy during that time and rarely met with her boyfriend.


    She had nned to spend more time with him when she was less busy. Then, the news of her senior and MO Lan being together spread.


    Tang Wei felt like she was struck by lightning. How was it possible that her good old friend had stolen her boyfriend?


    When she confronted MO Lan, her boyfriend was also there. Seeing MO Lan snuggling up to her senior like a little bird, Tang Wei felt like she was in an icehouse and her heart turned cold..

 Chapter 212 - 212: The Handsome Man

    Chapter 212: The Handsome Man


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    She had seen such a cruel truth, so there was no need to confront them anymore. After that, she left in a daze.


    During that period of time, she was in great pain from the breakup, and it took her a long time to get over it.


    She thought MO Lan really liked her senior, but who knew that MO Lan would be with a rich senior not long after they got together?


    After that, the senior turned back to look for her, but she rejected him saying, ¡°Those who can be snatched away are not lovers, and I¡¯m not a recycling station.¡±


    However, when she was interning in her senior year, she entered Sunrise Architecture and she did not expect MO Lan to join her as well.


    The two of them were really inevitable enemies. After all, it was a good job, so Tang Wei pretended not to know MO Lan.


    But asionally, they would still be at loggerheads, just like today.


    Shu Pan didn¡¯t expect Tang Wei and MO Lan to have such a grudge.


    It was no wonder. Sigh, everyone had a secret in their hearts.


    After lunch, Tang Wei looked like she was full of vitality again. It was as if the main character of the story just now was not her. She looked heartless again.


    Shu Pan suddenly felt a little envious of her free and easy attitude, unlike her, who was always brooding over everything.


    The two of them returned to the office and continued working.


    In the evening, Wen Chi had parked his car outside Shu Pan¡¯s office, waiting for her.


    When Shu Pan and Tang Wei came out, they saw Wen Chi greeting them. Tang Wei shook Shu Pan excitedly. ¡°Shu Pan, p me. Am I dreaming? Is that handsome guy waving at me?¡±


    Shu Pan smiled. ¡°I can introduce you to him.¡±


    ¡°No way, Shu Pan. This is ridiculous. This handsome guy is waiting for you. Is he your boyfriend?¡± Tang Wei wailed.


    It was no wonder that she didn¡¯t even look at the CEO. This handsome man was on par with the CEO. The CEO was more good-looking and cold. This handsome man gave people the feeling of being bathed in the spring breeze, especially those peach blossom eyes. It felt like they were emitting electricity.


    Tang Wei¡¯s exaggerated expression amused Shu Pan. ¡°No, but we¡¯re good friends. Do you want to go and get to know each other?¡± Shu Pan asked.


    ¡°No, look at my greasy hair and dirty face. I¡¯m dressed so casually. I don¡¯t want to scare a handsome guy on our first meeting. Maybe next time.¡± Tang Wei looked at herself and wanted to find a ce to hide.


    ¡°All right, be careful.¡± Shu Pan said goodbye to Tang Wei. Tang Wei lived rtively close and was only a few subway stops away.


    Shu Pan walked closer to Wen Chi. ¡°Tell me the ce and I¡¯ll go there myself. It¡¯s very congested here.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. I¡¯m happy to. I have the time anyway.¡± Wen Chi stared at Shu Pan for a while before saying, ¡°Why do I feel like you¡¯ve lost weight?¡±


    ¡°Nonsense. I¡¯ve gained two pounds recently.¡± Shu Pan said unhappily, ¡°Are your eyes short-sighted?¡±


    Wen Chi smiled.¡± Probably.¡±


    Then he asked,¡± What do you want to eat?¡±


    ¡°Anything is fine. Don¡¯t spend too much money. Why don¡¯t I buy some groceries and go back to cook?¡± Shu Pan felt that it was more cost-effective to make it herself.


    ¡°Next time. You¡¯re tired today. Let¡¯s find a ce to eat and have a good talk.¡± Wen Chi started the car.


    ¡°Where¡¯s Joy? Why don¡¯t I see the little girl?¡± Wen Chi asked as he drove.


    ¡°She¡¯s still with my father. I¡¯ll pick her up this weekend.¡± Shu Pan looked at the scenery outside the window and replied.


    ¡°It¡¯s a pity that I won¡¯t be around this weekend. I¡¯ll look for her the next time Ie back.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t spoil her too much. She¡¯s almost out of control.¡± Shu Pan¡¯s heart softened when she thought of her daughter..

 Chapter 213 - 213: A Warm Dinner

    Chapter 213: A Warm Dinner


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Wen Chi brought Shu Pan to an old and famous restaurant. It was famous because of its delicious dishes.


    Wen Chi had made a reservation in advance. He originally thought that if Shu Pan wanted to eat something, he would cancel the reservation. However, Shu Pan asked him to make the decision, so he brought her here to try something new.


    Shu Pan looked around. It was not as luxurious as a hotel. It was very simple. There were only a few tables in the shop, and the tables and stools were very old. She finally felt a little relieved. This ce should not be expensive.


    ¡°How did you find this ce? Let¡¯s see if the food is delicious. We cane with Xiaomeng next time.¡± Shu Pan looked at Wen Chi.


    ¡°A friend rmended it. Then, you have to eat moreter.¡± Wen Chi called the boss to ce an order. As there were not many tables and there were not many customers each time, the boss and thedy boss had to do it personally.


    There was no menu. The dishes were all made ording to the ingredients that the boss had purchased that day. They were all the freshest ingredients. The boss introduced a few dishes and Wen Chi ordered them all.


    Seeing that Wen Chi was still ordering, Shu Pan quickly stopped him, ¡°All right, there¡¯s too much. We can¡¯t finish it.¡±


    ¡°I just want you to try it more food.¡± Wen Chi smiled indifferently.


    ¡°What a waste.¡± Shu Pan reprimanded.


    ¡°Pan, although I¡¯m very busy, I miss you all the time. I hope to be better and give you and Joy a better life.¡± Wen Chi looked at Shu Pan and suddenly said something very emotional.


    Shu Pan¡¯s face suddenly turned red, but her eyes were also watery.


    How could she not want a simple rtionship? However, a rtionship was not between two people, but between two families.


    Upon hearing Wen Chi¡¯s words, Shu Pan immediately recalled the scene when Mother Wen came looking for her.


    Those words were too harsh to ignore.


    ¡°Chi, I¡¯m a divorced woman. You¡¯re so outstanding and deserve better. You have to open your eyes and pay attention to the girl around you.¡± Shu Pan persuaded.


    ¡°Nonsense. You know that I don¡¯t care much about these things.¡± Wen Chi was a little angry that she drew such a clear boundary of her status.


    ¡°All right, the dishes are served. Let¡¯s eat first. I¡¯m so hungry.¡± Shu Pan quicklyforted him and changed the topic.


    When Wen Chi saw that Shu Pan was hungry, he quickly helped her with some food. Soon, Shu Pan¡¯s bowl was filled with food.


    The two of them stopped talking about the unpleasant topic just now and began to eat and talk about other topics.


    The atmosphere was finally harmonious. Shu Pan looked at Wen Chi and felt guilty.


    He Ming felt like he was going crazy. The reason was that his mother called him every few days, finding all kinds of reasons for him to go home, and then bombarded him with all kinds of things to get him into a marriage.


    Such things have been happening recently. He felt that it was a sin not to get married at the age of 30.


    Just as he was thinking about it, the call came again.


    ¡°Mom, what¡¯s the matter? I¡¯m busy.¡± He Ming spoke first.


    ¡°Busy, busy. When are you not busy? Can¡¯t thepany do without you?¡± Mother Heined.


    ¡°What instructions do you have, my Empress Dowager?¡± He Ming knew that he couldn¡¯t win against her, so he went straight to the point.


    ¡°Come back for dinner tonight. We have guests.¡± Mother He didn¡¯t waste any time.


    ¡°What guest?¡± He Ming frowned.


    ¡°Won¡¯t you know when youe back? Let¡¯s keep it a little mysterious.¡± Mother He was worried that He Ming wouldn¡¯te back after she told him who the guest was.


    He Ming knew that something was wrong when he heard that. His mother had set up a trap for him again.


    ¡°OK then.¡± He Ming said reluctantly.


    Sigh! What could he do? He still had to be a filial son..

 Chapter 214 - 214: Testing

    Chapter 214: Testing


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    After He Ming hung up the phone, he thought for a while and immediately pulled up Ye Xiaomeng¡¯s number.


    ¡°Xiaomeng, do you have anything on tonight?¡± He Ming asked casually.


    ¡°Nothing, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Ye Xiaomeng replied.


    ¡°How abouting home with me for dinner tonight?¡± He Ming asked carefully.


    ¡°Go to your house for dinner?¡± Ye Xiaomeng raised her voice, wondering if he was crazy. Could you bring just anyone home for dinner?


    ¡°Yeah, my mom is probably going to introduce me to another girl again, but you know that I only like you. Just help me.¡± He Ming felt that there was nothing to hide. He liked to be frank.


    ¡°That¡¯s a good thing. Maybe you¡¯ll meet the one tonight?¡± Ye Xiaomeng said, pretending to be rxed.


    ¡°Xiaomeng, do you really mean it?¡± He Ming asked seriously. Ye Xiaomeng didn¡¯t see his face darken instantly.


    Xiao Meng didn¡¯t reply. When she thought of He Ming being with someone else, she suddenly felt a little sour.


    But what right did she have? How could a woman whose fianc¨¦ had cheated on her and had a miscarriage talk about happiness?


    Whenever she thought of her past, she would copse. The nightmares buried in her mind would asionally resurface, and she was afraid.


    Ye Xiaomeng didn¡¯t respond for a long time. He Ming was disappointed. So it was all his one-sided love.


    He had thought that she liked him at least a little, but he had overestimated his ce in her heart.


    Seeing that he couldn¡¯t get a response from Xiaomeng, He Ming said, ¡°Then I¡¯ll hang up first.¡±


    Not wanting to hear anything more unpleasant, He Ming hung up in a hurry.


    Ye Xiaomeng¡¯s words were like a knife cutting into his heart.


    He Ming stared ahead, a little confused. Was Ye Xiaomeng really that cold-hearted?


    After work, He Ming couldn¡¯t find any other reason and had no choice but to drive home.


    He looked listless. When he stepped into the house, there was alreadyughter and voicesing from inside. The voices sounded familiar.


    It was indeed the case.


    After He Ming entered, Mother He waved at him. ¡°Come here. Look, Shanshan is so thoughtful. She even took the opportunity to visit me after work.¡± Mother He held Hu Shanshan¡¯s hand and said happily.


    ¡°Brother He, you¡¯re back from work?¡± Hu Shanshan was the first to greet him.


    He Ming nodded.


    ¡°You guys take a seat first. I¡¯ll go change my clothes.¡± He Ming walked straight to his room.


    ¡°Auntie, does Brother He not like meing?¡± Hu Shanshan said timidly.


    ¡°He¡¯s just like that. Don¡¯t think too much about it. I¡¯m so happy that you came to see me.¡± Mother Heforted her, but she was also cursing He Ming in her heart.


    How could she know about He Ming¡¯s dejection? He was currently thinking hard about how he could get Xiaomeng¡¯s approval.


    When He Ming came out in casual clothes, Hu Shanshan secretly praised him. A handsome person would look handsome no matter what he wore. If she brought Brother He out, her friends would probably be envious to death.


    During the meal, Hu Shanshan kept looking at He Ming. Mother He was overjoyed and smiled with satisfaction. Only He Ming was absent-minded. He kept thinking about whether he should ask Xiaomeng out.


    After dinner, He Ming saw that Mother He and Hu Shanshan were chatting. He felt that he hadpleted his mission bying home. Just as he was about to slip away, Mother He stopped him.


    ¡°Ming, wait. Don¡¯t go out so quickly. Send Shanshan backter. It¡¯s not easy to get a ride here, and Shanshan didn¡¯t drive here.¡± Mother He ordered.


    If He Ming still couldn¡¯t read his mother¡¯s underlying meaning, then he would have lived for 30 years in vain..

 Chapter 215 - 215: Just a Younger Sister

    Chapter 215: Just a Younger Sister


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Mother He¡¯s intentions were so obvious, but he really treated Shanshan as his sister. He didn¡¯t have any other thoughts. He knew that it would be a waste of effort to say it now.


    ¡°All right. Shanshan, where are you going? I¡¯ll give you a ride. I need to go out for something.¡± He Ming said casually.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it too troublesome? Brother He?¡± Hu Shanshan pretended to ask.


    ¡°No, it¡¯s on the way.¡± He Ming picked up the car keys.


    When Mrs. He saw this, she smiled knowingly. ¡®You young people should go out for a walk too. Come and visit me next time.¡±


    He Ming and Hu Shanshan went out one after another.


    In the car, He Ming said as he turned the steering wheel, ¡°Shanshan, I¡¯m really sorry. Don¡¯t worry about my mother. She¡¯s just trying to get me together with anyone. She doesn¡¯t know the actual situation and has caused you trouble.¡±


    ¡°Brother He, you¡¯re too polite. I don¡¯t thifik it¡¯s a problem.¡± Hu Shanshan was disappointed, but she could not show it.


    ¡°My mom is very free at home and likes to fool around.¡± He Ming did not want to give Hu Shanshan any ideas. In fact, he had made it very clear during the blind date.


    ¡°No, Auntie is very enthusiastic and amiable. I like her very much.¡± Hu Shanshan felt that she could not hold onto her pride any longer. What kind of woman could charm Brother He so much that he wanted to rify their rtionship with her like this?


    ¡°Then you can go visit her when you have time.¡± He Ming was still a gentleman. Seeing that she was a girl, he didn¡¯t say an outright rejection.


    ¡°Brother He, didn¡¯t you say that you treat me as your sister? I¡¯m holding a birthday party next week. You and your girlfriend shoulde.¡± Hu Shanshan wanted to see what the girl He Ming liked was like. This way, she couldpare and see how she was inferior to her.


    When He Ming heard this, he was stunned. Ye Xiaomeng probably wouldn¡¯t go with him, but Shanshan had invited him sincerely, so he couldn¡¯t refuse.


    ¡°All right, we¡¯ll see. I¡¯ll go over when I have time.¡± He Ming thought that he probably couldn¡¯t turn down this favour.


    ¡°I¡¯ll tell you the time and ce then.¡± Hu Shanshan said happily, her face blooming.


    After sending Hu Shanshan home, He Ming looked at the time. It was still early. Thinking of his conversation with Ye Xiaomeng today, he felt a wave of frustration and did not want to look for her for the time being. He then turned his car around and drove to Gu Shaoting¡¯s house.


    On the way there, he called Gu Shaoting and knew that he was at home, so he bought beer and nned to get drunk with Gu Shaoting.


    Carrying two packs of beer and peanuts, He Ming pressed Gu Shaoting¡¯s doorbell.


    When Gu Shaoting came to open the door, he looked displeased.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Am I not wee?¡± He Ming walked in and ced the things on the table.


    ¡°Ming, do you understand women? Can you read a woman¡¯s mind?¡± Gu Shaoting blurted out this sentence.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with Shu Pan?¡± Besides Shu Pan, he couldn¡¯t think of anyone else who could affect Gu Shaoting¡¯s mood.


    ¡°She went on a date with another man.¡± Gu Shaoting said angrily.


    ¡°How do you know? Also, it¡¯s her right to go on a date. You¡¯re just her boss now.


    Can you stop her from going on a date?¡±


    He Ming¡¯s words almost made Gu Shaoting vomit blood. He really hit a sore spot.

 Chapter 216 - 216: Frustration

    Chapter 216: Frustration


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    He Ming finally felt a little better. It turned out that he wasn¡¯t the only one who was troubled by love.


    ¡°They¡¯re probably just ordinary friends. What¡¯s the big deal about having a meal?¡± He Mingforted Gu Shaoting. How big of a matter was this?


    ¡°But based on my understanding of Shu Pan, if it¡¯s not someone very important, she won¡¯t bother with them.¡± Gu Shaoting felt that this person was a threat.


    ¡°Then you should think about how to get Shu Pan back and make her change her mind. After all, you were quite a jerk to her before.¡± Sigh, honest advice is unpleasant to the ear.


    If looks could kill, He Ming would have died many times in Gu Shaoting¡¯s re.


    He Ming felt that he was just caring for him.


    ¡°I feel that she does not even treat me as a normal friend now. Usually, I¡¯m the one shamelessly approach her.¡± Gu Shaoting didn¡¯t feel embarrassed in front of He Ming.


    After all, one more person meant more ns.


    ¡°Then you have to be more patient, and gentle, and show your manly charisma.¡± He Ming didn¡¯t know if this method would work.


    ¡°I still have a chance of winning. After all, I have a daughter.¡± Gu Shaoting suddenly thought of Joy.


    ¡°Daughter? You remember her?¡± He Ming was shocked.


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve regained my memory. But only you know now. Don¡¯t tell anyone else.¡± Gu Shaoting instructed.


    ¡°Especially not to Shu Pan.¡± If she knew, she probably wouldn¡¯t even let him get close to her. She would feel that he had recovered, she would have no responsibility towards him anymore.


    ¡°Brother Ting, you¡¯ve hidden it quite well.¡± He Ming sighed. What an old fox.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t I telling you now?¡± Gu Shaoting didn¡¯t want to argue with him.


    He Ming opened the bag, took out a bottle for Gu Shaoting, and opened one for himself. He raised his head and took a big gulp.


    ¡°Brother Ting, if you like Shu Pan, don¡¯t let her down again. She¡¯s really been through a lot these past few years. I heard from Xiaomeng that she can¡¯t imagine how a woman gets through all the debts on top of having a child to take care of.¡±


    He Ming suddenly said very seriously that he had to side with Xiaomeng. He also felt very sad when he saw Shu Pan and Joy.


    That was why he said that Gu Shaoting was a jerk previously.


    Even if Shu Pan didn¡¯t ept Gu Shaoting now, he deserved it. He didn¡¯t deserve sympathy.


    He Ming thought so in his heart, but he definitely couldn¡¯t show it.


    ¡°I know¡­¡± Gu Shaoting¡¯s voice was low.


    That was why he had done everything he could to protect her and give them a good life, then slowly integrate himself into their lives.


    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s not talk about it anymore. Cheers.¡± He Ming raised his beer ss.


    Suddenly, Gu Shaoting recalled how he lost his memory. ¡°Mingzi, I was hit by a car, but I saw that the car was heading in the direction of Shu Pan. I pushed her away, otherwise, Shu Pan would have been the one hit. Did you check the surveince camera atterwards(¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a blind spot. I can¡¯t see anything. Moreover, that car doesn¡¯t have a license te.¡± He Ming shook his head. He felt that something was wrong. It was too much of a coincidence.


    ¡°Is there no way to verify it?¡± Gu Shaoting asked.


    ¡°Yes, there are no clues at all.¡± He Ming also felt helpless.


    ¡°Whether it¡¯s a coincidence or on purpose, we still have to be careful in the future. I have a feeling that this incident is targeted at Shu Pan. I wonder if she has offended anyone.¡±


    Gu Shaoting thought about it and decided to keep them by his side to protect them.


    ¡°Yes, we should be more careful. After all, if they don¡¯t seed this time, I¡¯m afraid there will be a next time.¡± He Ming reminded.


    Gu Shaoting nodded, thinking about how to make Shu Pan and Joy stay by his side every day.


    If Shu Pan is so hard to handle, he would start with Joy. Perhaps, they could get along well like father and daughter. He really looked forward to the day when Joy would call him Daddy..

 Chapter 217 - 217: Exposed

    Chapter 217: Exposed


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Because Gu Shaoting had said at the press conference that there would be no wedding with Ms Tong, the headlines of the entertainment news the next day were titled ¡®Gu Group CEO Loves Someone Else, Supermodel Tong Fei Has Been Eliminated¡±, which attracted the attention of many viewers.


    After the media¡¯s publicity, many people basically knew about this matter.


    Tong Fei was furious, but she couldn¡¯t do anything to Gu Shaoting.


    She paced around the house, not knowing what to do.


    Her assistant, Zhou, called and said that many reporters were surrounding her apartment, so she did not dare to go downstairs.


    She hadn¡¯t thought of how to face the reporters yet.


    She walked to the window and looked downstairs. As Zhou had said, many reporters were holding cameras, ready at any time to interview her.


    However, she had to go out today because a movie that was about to start production had sent her an invitation. There was a role of a model in it, and she was confident that she could y her profession well.


    This was a good opportunity for her to change her career. She couldn¡¯t miss this opportunity. She had already sacrificed so much. She had to seed.


    She thought for a while and pursed her lips. Then, she took out her phone and dialled Song Can¡¯s number.


    The music yed for a while before the other party picked up.


    ¡°Auntie, I¡¯m Tong Fei. How have you been?¡± Tong Fei greeted obediently.


    ¡°I am well. Feifei, sigh, it¡¯s been hard on you. Shaoting is obsessed. I¡¯ll persuade him.¡± Obviously, Song Can have also seen the news. Everyone knew about it.


    ¡°Auntie¡­¡± Tong Fei¡¯s voice suddenly choked up.


    ¡°Good child, this is on Shaoting. I really don¡¯t know what he¡¯s thinking. He¡¯s been quite busy recently because of the acquisition of apany. I¡¯ll ask him when hees back.¡± Song Can didn¡¯t know how tofort Tong Fei. After all, Gu Shaoting was her son, so her words were all defending him.


    Tong Fei didn¡¯t expect Song Can to do anything. After all, Gu Shaoting had big ideas and the decisions he made couldn¡¯t be changed easily.


    She just hoped Song Can would feel guilty and stand by her side. That way,


    even if the media exposed the news, they would push the me on Gu Shaoting. At least she could gain some sympathy.


    ¡°Auntie, I knew you were the best to me. I¡¯ll pick you upter. Let¡¯s go out for a meal. I haven¡¯t seen you in a long time, okay?¡± Tong Fei asked, secretly cheering for herself. What a great idea.


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll pick you up. The chauffeur happens to be at home. I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s easy to park outside, so don¡¯t drive out.¡± Song Can readily agreed.


    In her heart, she was praising Tong Fei for being sensible and thinking of her every moment. She was much better than her biological son. Gu Shaoting was being ¡®shot¡¯ without doing anything.


    ¡°Alright, see youter.¡± Tong Fei hung up the phone and smiled.


    Then, she walked to the dressing room and nned to change and go out.


    When Song Can arrive, she looked out of the car window and saw many reporters surrounding Tong Fei¡¯s building. She could not help but frown.


    Tong Fei had just received a call from Song Can. Knowing that she had arrived, she hurried downstairs.


    After a while, Tong Fei, who was wearing a light yellow Burberry dress, walked out of the door elegantly.


    Tong Fei¡¯s carefully groomed and maintained face was as fair and tender as milk. The model figure paired with white stilettos made her look even more curvy. The close-fitting material set off her voluptuous chest, her cold almond-shaped eyes, and the slightly curled corners of her mouth revealed a kind of arrogance, making people feel that she was so noble that she could be seen from afar but not touched..

 Chapter 218 - 218: Mocking

    Chapter 218: Mocking


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Tong Fei pushed the reporters away as she walked. ¡°Excuse me, please make way.¡±


    When the reporters finally saw Tong Feiing over, they were all excited and chased after her relentlessly.


    Tong Fei finally reached the car. This situation was beyond Song Can¡¯s expectations. She rolled down the window in confusion.


    ¡°Look, it¡¯s Madam Song, Mr. Guts mother¡­¡± Someone in the crowd shouted, and the others swarmed over.


    Tong Fei quickly opened the car door and gracefully sat inside. Then, she said to the reporters outside, ¡°Excuse me, everyone, please make way.¡± ¡°Madam Song, did Mr. Gu cancel his engagement with Miss Tong?¡± The reporter took the opportunity to ask.


    ¡°Noment. This is a private matter. I¡¯m going to have lunch with Feifei.¡± Song Can instructed the chauffeur to start the car.


    The chauffeur slowly moved the car, and the window was already closed.


    ¡°Auntie, I¡¯m really sorry. If I had known that the situation was like this, I wouldn¡¯t have let you pick me up. I¡¯ve caused you trouble.¡± Tong Fei said apologetically, her heart filled with guilt.


    ¡°Silly child, what does it matter? It¡¯s just that the reporters nowadays are too annoying.¡± Song Can could not help but frown.


    Only then did Tong Fei rx a little, and the two of them went out to eat sushi.


    Because of Tong Fei¡¯s job, she was cut off from high-calorie food.


    ¡°Auntie, eat more.¡± Tong Fei eagerly helped Song Can pick up some food.


    Song Can was filled with emotions and kept reminding herself to ask Gu Shaoting what exactly was he dissatisfied with Tong Fei about.


    He was the one who agreed to the engagement back then, and now he was the one who wanted to dissolve the marriage. How could he be so childish?


    ¡°You eat too. This salmon has low calories, eat more.¡± Song Can persuaded Tong Fei.


    After lunch, Tong Fei had an audition for a movie in the afternoon, so she took a taxi and left.


    As expected of a famous director. Many people from the entertainment industry came to the audition, some of whom were big shots.


    Everyone was preparing their emotions for the auditionter.


    When Tong Fei arrived, it wasn¡¯t her turn yet. She sat on a chair at the side and looked at ease. After all, she was acting in her own character. She could walk on the stage with ease.


    She was not nervous at all.


    ¡°Look, that¡¯s Tong Fei. She¡¯s the star of the recent headlines.¡± Next to her was a new star who had just made her debut in the entertainment industry. She was rude and disrespectful with just a little poprity, whispering to the people around her.


    ¡°You mean the ex-fianc¨¦e of the CEO of the Gu Group?¡± The woman even emphasized the word ¡°ex¡±.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that so?¡± Another voice immediately replied with contempt.


    ¡°She doesn¡¯t look that beautiful. No wonder Mr. Gu wanted to cancel the engagement.¡± Her gloating words finally attracted Tong Fei¡¯s attention.


    She didn¡¯t want to pay attention to them initially but she saw that they were getting more enthusiastic, Tong Fei couldn¡¯t help but mock, ¡°Nowadays, even pheasants want to be phoenixes. They go to Korea for stic surgery and return to be celebrities. There are really all kinds of birds in the forest.¡±


    The two people¡¯s faces were red and pale. The newspaper had also reported on their stic surgery. They did not expect Tong Fei to use this against them.


    The two of them red at Tong Fei.


    All the big shots had finished their auditions.


    Finally, it was Tong Fei¡¯s turn. She stood up slowly, adjusted her dress, and then opened the door of the audition room with confident steps.


    There was the director and a few producers inside. Everyone looked at the door at the same time..

 Chapter 219 - 219: Unspoken Rules

    Chapter 219: Unspoken Rules


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    As expected of a famous model, her walking posture was graceful.


    After Tong Fei came in, everyone was sizing her up. This model had a slender frame and long legs.


    One of the big investors revealed a meaningful smile when he saw Tong Fei.


    When the director and the others saw that, they all understood what he meant.


    ¡°Hello, Miss Tong Fei. I¡¯m the director of this movie. My surname is Guan. These are our investors.¡± The director was also a veteran in the entertainment industry and was very slick.


    Tong Fei bent over and shook hands with each of them. When it was the big boss¡¯s turn, he used his finger to gently stroke Tong Fei¡¯s palm. She felt an electric current pass through her body.


    Tong Fei retracted her hand unnaturally. ording to the director¡¯s introduction, his surname was Zhu.


    ¡®Miss Tong Fei, it¡¯s like this. Our movie is about the love story of the female lead. The second female lead has a lot of scenes as well. It¡¯s a model¡¯s struggle to get to the top. The female lead has already been decided. It will be the Best Actress award recipient Sun Yuanyuan. The second female lead is the role you¡¯re auditioning for now. We all have high hopes for you. We hope you won¡¯t disappoint us.¡± Director Guan seemed to think highly of her.


    ¡°All right, Director. I¡¯ll definitely do my best.¡± Tong Fei was overjoyed. He had thought that it was just a minor character. Who knew that it would be the second female lead? This time, she had to use all her skills to fight for it.


    Perhaps this movie would be a hit and increase her poprity.


    ¡°But many of our shots are more artistic. I hope you can let go.¡± The director was more tactful.


    ¡°Director, don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll definitely do my best to act well.¡± Tong Fei naturally understood what he meant.


    She had been in the modelling industry for eight years and had a lot of experience. She Imew that there were many outstanding people in the industry and countless beauties. It was not easy for her to stand firm.


    On the road to sess alone, she was glorious in front of the public, but sad behind them. She went from one man¡¯s bed to another. She had to rely on her young and beautiful body to ovee all the obstacles. Therefore, if she wanted to seed, there was no turning back.


    Gu Shaoting had already announced that their engagement had been annulled. As long as there was a glimmer of hope, she would not give up. However, even if she took the setback with the annulled engagement, she still had her career, so she had to prepare for both scenarios.


    She believed that the so-called artistic scenes also had a limit, so she was not worried that the director would have too extreme requirements.


    ¡°That¡¯s good. There¡¯s a costume here now. Put it on and walk on the stage. This scene is where the character enters the modelling world after participating in thepetition.¡± The director handed Tong Fei two pieces of cloth. The so-called costume was a bikini.


    Tong Fei was stunned for a moment, but she quickly regained her senses. She will just treat it as a lingerie show. It was a piece of cake for her.


    She quickly went to the bathroom to change into her swimsuit and walked out gracefully.


    Her milkyplexion, a thin piece of cloth wrapped around her voluptuous figure, and a pair of sexy swimming trunks. Her t stomach and slender legs made one hotheaded.


    The few people in the audition stared at her greedily. Tong Fei walked back and forth twice, naturally and generously.


    The director nodded in satisfaction.


    ¡°Miss Tong, you are indeed a talent in the modelling world. Director Guan, it seems that this role must be given to Miss Tong.¡± The big boss surnamed Zhu spoke.


    ¡°Thank you, Mr. Zhu.¡± Tong Fei knew that once Boss Zhu spoke positively of her, she seemed to have seeded in the audition.


    ¡°Miss Tong, do me the honour. Let¡¯s go out for a mealter to celebrate your role. How about that?¡± Boss Zhu spoke again.


    Tong Fei knew that she couldn¡¯t refuse. ¡°Okay, thank you in advance, Boss Zhu..¡±

 Chapter 220 - 220: I Miss Daddy

    Chapter 220: I Miss Daddy


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    It was finally the weekend Shu Pan was waiting for. She woke up early and packed some gifts for her father and Auntie Lu.


    She took the earliest bus back. She missed the little darling Joy too much.


    She had not seen her for more than a month.


    As soon as she stepped through the door, she heard the little girl¡¯s childish voice. ¡°Grandpa, is Mommy reallying back to pick me up today?¡±


    ¡°Yes Little Joy, Grandpa won¡¯t lie to you. Just wait obediently.¡± Shu Laide looked at Joy and his heart ached.


    Because of him, Joy had lost fatherly love since she was young. He med himself all the time.


    ¡°Grandpa, does everyone have a father? Why don¡¯t I have a father? Hua said that a child without a father was born from a rock, is that right?¡± Hua was his neighbour¡¯s child and Joy¡¯s good friend.


    ¡°Silly child, everyone has a father. You have one too. You can ask your mommy.¡± Shu Laide did not know how to answer, so he pushed the issue to Shu


    Pan.


    ¡°Mommy said that Daddy went to work at a very faraway ce. Why isn¡¯t he back yet? Is he lost?¡± Joy asked doubtfully: She wondered if someone as old as her father could get lost. Otherwise, why didn¡¯t hee home?


    ¡°Because he has to work to earn a lot of money to buy you beautiful dolls and clothes.¡± Shu Laide coaxed her. The little girl was getting older, and it was not easy to fool her.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want dolls and clothes. I want Daddy, I want Daddy.¡± Joy suddenly became stubborn. In the past, she would not have wanted a father so strongly, but she saw that Hua¡¯s father was very good to her. He carried her on his shoulder and even apanied her to swim. They could do many fun things. She was very envious.


    ¡°Then wait for Mommy toe and tell her, okay?¡± Shide was at his wit¡¯s end.


    Shu Pan, who was outside the door, heard this and felt a wave of sadness. She had never really understood Joy. She thought that the girl was still young and did not understand. In fact, children¡¯s hearts longed for love, especially the love of their parents.


    She suddenly reflected on herself. Was she too selfish?


    If Gu Shaoting regained his memory and wanted to form a rtionship with Joy, she would not stop him, because Joy would grow up and she would understand.


    She tried her best to hold back the tears in her eyes. Then, she smiled and walked into the inner room.


    ¡°Darling Joy, mommy is back.¡± Shu Pan called out gently.


    ¡°Wow, Mommy is really back. That¡¯s great.¡± Joy ran into her arms.¡± Mommy, I miss you so much.¡±


    Shu Pan hugged Joy¡¯s little body tightly and picked her up.


    ¡°Aye, did Joy eat too much? Mommy can¡¯t even carry you anymore.¡± Shu Pan said with a smile.


    ¡°Mommy, put me down. You¡¯ll be tired. Grandma went out to buy groceries. She said she wanted to cook something delicious for you.¡± Joy struggled to get down.


    Shu Pan put her down and greeted Shu Laide.


    Looking at the deep mother-daughter rtionship, Shu Laide was also gratified. It was right to give birth to Joy back then. Look, she is now the joy of the family.


    During dinner, Shu Laide and Lu Lifen brought up the old topic again. ¡°Panpan, you¡¯re not young anymore. Joy is also older now. You should also think about your marriage. ¡±


    ¡°I understand.¡± Shu Pan nodded.


    ¡°Sigh, it¡¯s all my fault¡­¡± Shu Pan interrupted Shu Laide before he could finish.


    ¡°Dad, I¡¯m fine now. If there¡¯s someone suitable, I¡¯ll consider it, okay?¡± Shu Pan didn¡¯t want him to me himself..

 Chapter 221 - 221: Hello, Baby

    Chapter 221: Hello, Baby


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Shide sighed softly.


    Shu Pan stayed at home for a night. She packed Joy¡¯s luggage the next day and brought her back to Bin City.


    Gu Shaoting had been waiting for Shu Pan downstairs for two days. He thought she was avoiding him, but it turned out that she had gone back to pick up Joy, his daughter.


    Gu Shaoting looked at the little girl from afar and was extremely excited.


    Joy had grown a little taller. She had a pair of big ck eyes on her round smiling face. Her eyshes were especially long, just like a doll. Her nose is small and she has cherry-like lips. Gu Shaoting felt that Joy was the cutest child he had ever seen.


    Gu Shaoting walked towards them and Shu Pan was shocked. She was a little nervous and wanted to pull Joy behind her, but then she thought about it. Gu Shaoting had lost his memory and couldn¡¯t remember anything. What was she worried about?


    ¡°Hello, Uncle.¡± Joy greeted first. Her obedient appearance really made people¡¯s hearts ache.


    ¡°This is my daughter, Joy.¡± Shu Pan introduced.


    ¡°Hello, Joy.¡± Gu Shaoting squatted down and greeted her gently as if he were afraid that he would scare her if he raised his voice.


    ¡°Why are you here?¡± Shu Pan asked, how did he know when she would be back?


    ¡°I just happened to pass by.¡± Gu Shaoting said casually.


    He had been guarding the door for two days, but instead said he happened to pass by. Is this really good?


    Gu Shaoting suddenly picked Joy up. She was shocked and quickly hugged him. ¡°Wow Mommy look, I am taller than you now.¡±


    Joy even gestured with her hand and leaned on Gu Shaoting¡¯s shoulder,ughing.


    Shu Pan suddenly felt her eyes sting. Such a scene had appeared in her dreams many times.


    If there were no grudges between them, they would be such a happy family.


    Shu Pan opened the door. Gu Shaoting carried Joy in. Joy had be much heavier. Shu Pan couldn¡¯t bear to carry her for a few minutes, but Gu Shaoting¡¯s expression didn¡¯t change.


    His steps were steady. She persuaded him to let go of Joy several times, but he refused.


    How would Shu Pan know what Gu Shaoting was thinking? Joy¡¯s weight was nothing to him. It was rare that Joy was willing to let him carry her. This was probably the so-called father-daughter rtionship.


    Shu Pan took the fish she brought home to the kitchen. She nned to make braised fish, stir-fry a few simple dishes, and cook tomato egg soup.


    Shu Pan said nothing as she watched Gu Shaoting y with Joy. The conversation between Joy and her father yesterday was still ringing in her ears. She would let them y. She couldn¡¯t stop them anyway. No one could change what Gu Shaoting wanted to do.


    When they were eating, Joy kept urging Gu Shaoting to eat more.


    He was so touched that tears welled up in his eyes.


    At this moment, Gu Shaoting felt that the most wonderful thing in the world was that Shu Pan had given him a daughter.


    Gu Shaoting stayed at Shu Pan¡¯s house and didn¡¯t want to go back and face the cold walls.


    ¡°Joy, do you want to go to Uncle¡¯s house to y? Uncle¡¯s house is very big.¡± Gu Shaoting asked tentatively.


    ¡°My mommy has toe too. Otherwise, I can¡¯t y with a stranger.¡± Joy pouted, but her words were very mature.


    ¡°Sure,¡± Gu Shaoting agreed readily.


    ¡°Then, how about you ask Mommy for permissionter? I¡¯ll leave this matter to you, but this is a secret between us.¡± Gu Shaoting and Joy whispered in each other¡¯s ears.


    ¡°All right, I promise toplete the mission.¡± The little girl had watched too much television, so her words were full of tricks..

 Chapter 222 - 222: Worry

    Chapter 222: Worry


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Gu Shaoting and Joy yed for a long time until Shu Pan came to urge him many times before he was willing to go home.


    ¡°Panpan, I still want to y with Joy for a while longer.¡± Gu Shaoting pretended to be pitiful as he put on his shoes at the entrance.


    ¡°It¡¯s veryte. I have to go to work tomorrow. You should go home.¡± Shu Pan pushed him out the door. Gu Shaoting was really getting more and more insatiable.


    ¡°Who¡¯s going to take care of Joy when you go to work? Why don¡¯t I take care of her?¡± Gu Shaoting suggested.


    Crazy, a CEO who is busy every day, taking care of a child?


    ¡°I¡¯ll make arrangements for my daughter.¡± Shu Pan rejected him immediately, ignoring the hurt expression on Gu Shaoting¡¯s face.


    ¡°She¡¯s also¡­¡± Gu Shaoting almost blurted out that Joy was also his daughter. Luckily, he held it back or everything would have crumbled.


    Gu Shaoting could only smile awkwardly and leave.


    Previously, the little girl was not very close to him. Why was she so enthusiastic this time? What a surprise. This was a good start.


    He didn¡¯t know that Joy had been provoked by Hua and he just happened to pick up the opportunity


    The next day, Shu Pan¡¯s biological clock woke up on time. This was the life of office workers. After she woke up, she quickly brushed her teeth and washed her face to make breakfast for her daughter. Over the years, she had learned how to cook. For Joy¡¯s nutritious meals, she bought books and searched for recipes on the Inte. She learned a lot.


    Joy also got up on her own, washed up and got dressed. Shu Pan didn¡¯t have to worry about her. Seeing her daughter was so sensible, Shu Pan was really pleased.


    ¡°Joy, milk, eggs, and congee.¡± Shu Pan ced a small portion of breakfast in front of Joy.


    ¡°Mommy, it smells so good.¡± Joy was a mischievous person. She sniffed it and then took a deep breath. Her words were so sweet that they were sickening.


    ¡°Then eat it all. Don¡¯t waste it.¡± Shu Pan smiled and kissed her hair.


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll definitely finish Mommy¡¯s breakfast made with love. I wonder if Uncle Gu has eaten breakfast? Mommy, do you want to leave some for him?¡± Joy was really worried.


    Shu Pan felt a crow fly over her head, and three ck lines slid down her temples.


    ¡°Uncle Gu is an adult. He will eat breakfast when he¡¯s hungry.


    Although Joy often thought of Wen Chi in the past, she would not think of him like she did Gu Shaoting now.


    She quickly diverted her attention. This was not a good sign. If Joy wanted to look for him every day, it would be troublesome.


    After breakfast, Shu Pan hurriedly sent Joy to the childcare and then rushed to work.


    Gu Shaoting drove to Shu Pan¡¯s house early in the morning to pick them up but they had already left, so he returned to thepany early and nned to look for his daughter after he was done.


    The office building of the Gu Group was very magnificent. It was located in the downtown area of Bin City. It was made up of three skyscrapers connected together, like a huge pyramid that pressed down on the surrounding buildings.


    The golden signboard of the Gu Group shone brightly under the sun. It was glorious and grand, making people respect it.


    When the staff saw Mr. Gu enter thepany early in the morning, everyone could not believe their eyes. Usually, they would only see him after nine o¡¯clock, but it was only half past eight now.


    Since the boss was working so hard, what reason did they have not to work hard? Everyone quickly got busy.


    They had all worked hard and gone throughyers of screening before they were epted. It was a supreme honour to work in the Gu Group..

 Chapter 223 - 223: Crying

    Chapter 223: Crying


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi- Bo Studio


    Gu Shaoting thought that he would be able to finish everything smoothly today, and then he could look for Joy earlier. He was especially hardworking and devoted to his work.


    At this moment, a red sports car stopped at the entrance of the Gu Group.


    A woman in a fishtail dress got out of the car. She wore sunsses and had long, wavy ck hair, making her look charming.


    The receptionist was stunned. It was not until the woman took off her sunsses that she recognized Tong Fei. This woman was the idol of many people.


    ¡°I have something to talk to Mr. Gu. Please inform them.¡± Tong Fei didn¡¯t want to make things difficult for the receptionist as Gu Shaoting had instructed her before.


    The receptionist called the CEO¡¯s internal line. When Gu Shaoting received the call, he frowned and thought for a moment before asking the receptionist to invite her up. He wanted to see what she wanted to say.


    Tong Fei 6-centimetre high heels stepped on the high-ss carpet. Without a sound, she walked towards the elevator, her posture extremely gentle and charming.


    She pressed the 28th-floor elevator button, thinking that no matter what, she had to meet Gu Shaoting and act pitiful before him today to gain sympathy.


    Gu Shaoting was the best man she had ever met. He was rich and handsome. It would be foolish of her to let him go so easily.


    Tong Fei lifted her long, mesmerizing hair and deliberately gathered it to the right side of her chest, revealing her snow-white and beautiful neck. Her long earrings hung down, making her look flirtatious. After being in the entertainment industry for a long time, she knew what men liked.


    The heavy door of the Gu Group¡¯s CEO¡¯s office was pushed open by the assistant. Tong Fei walked in gently.


    The office was spacious and bright, the solid wood desk was ced on one side of the French windows. The entire office was only in ck, white, and grey. The cold and hard aura matched the owner¡¯s temperament very well. Tong Fei felt that the office was a little different fromst time. Perhaps it was because she hadn¡¯t been up here for a long time.


    Thinking back to the years when Shu Pan had not appeared, she would always step into this ce under the gaze of everyone. The future Mrs. Gu, what a tempting name.


    ¡°Shaoting¡­¡± The moment Tong Fei stepped in, her charming eyes stuck to the desk and chair.


    The man on the chair was wearing a ck suit and a white shirt. However, he looked bothzy and noble in such ordinary attire.


    Seeing her, Gu Shaoting did not look away from his documents. Instead, he said lightly, ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡±


    Tong Fei walked to the desk with light steps. Her delicate face forced out a trace of tears, making her amorous eyes watery and moving.


    ¡°Shaoting, what did I do wrong? I love you so much, but you announced the annulment of the engagement at the acquisition press conference. It was a fatal blow to me. Now, everyone thinks that I did something wrong to make you cancel the engagement without hesitation. How am I supposed to face people and survive in the entertainment industry?¡±


    ¡°Then what do you want?¡± Gu Shaoting¡¯s voice was soft and emotionless.


    ¡°Can you dy the annulment of the engagement? I¡¯ll announce it when my career is stable. I¡¯m currently filming a movie, and it¡¯s a critical moment for me to change my career path.¡± Tong Fei begged.


    ¡°But I¡¯ve already said it. I can only say that I won¡¯t respond to this topic in public in the future.¡± Gu Shaoting¡¯s tone was still indifferent.


    He didn¡¯t want to have anything to do with Tong Fei anymore. He had a vague feeling that Tong Fei had also looked for Shu Pan. Otherwise, Shu Pan¡¯s reaction wouldn¡¯t have been so intense and she would not be so familiar with Tong Fei¡¯s actions..

 Chapter 224 - 224: Bitter

    Chapter 224: Bitter


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Gu Shaoting felt that he had let Shupan down once and didn¡¯t want to make her sad again. Besides, they had a daughter. They were all treasures in his heart now.


    He felt that he had never mistreated Tong Fei. All these years, he had introduced her to people, endorsements, and so on. Her career was booming now, and he knew that Tong Fei was more interested in these things than their engagement.


    ¡°Shaoting, then are we still friends? We¡¯ve been friends for so many years¡­¡± Tong Fei saw that Gu Shaoting was unmoved, so she bit her lower lip and continued to drag their rtionship.


    ¡°Tong Fei, I¡¯ll say it again. If you¡¯re in trouble, I can help you within my ability, but I don¡¯t like to be used.¡± Gu Shaoting¡¯s eyes were still as cold as water.


    ¡°I know.¡± Tong Fei was dejected. The man in front of her was the most helpless thing she had ever encountered. No matter what she did, it seemed that she did not attract his attention. Other men would flock to her, but this noble and cold man treated her like air.


    She had a deep sense of helplessness, but the more she couldn¡¯t get it, the more she wanted it.


    In fact, it was Tong Fei¡¯s fault for not knowing Gu Shaoting well. He was a two-faced person. He couldpromise with those he liked and was familiar with, taking off his cold mask. If he didn¡¯t care, he would be the kind of cold and aloof person he is showing now.


    ¡°Is there anything else?¡± Gu Shaoting finally couldn¡¯t hold it in anymore. He raised his eyebrows slightly, revealing his deep face.


    Tong Fei felt as if a current passed through her. She stared at him with adoration.


    The man¡¯s sexy and deep facial features were as if every outline was carved by God himself. It was exquisite and perfect.


    His thin lips moved slightly. His calm and heartless voice was like a bowl of ice water pouring down from the top of Tong Fei¡¯s head, waking her up instantly.


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing else, I¡¯ll leave first.¡± Tong Fei held back her tears and left the office in a hurry, leaving only a faint scent of perfume behind.


    Finally, it was five p.m. and Gu Shaoting couldn¡¯t wait to pick up Shu Pan and her daughter. He called Shu Pan.


    ¡°I¡¯ll pick you upter.¡± Gu Shaoting was straightforward without a word of nonsense, but Shu Pan was confused.


    ¡°I¡¯ll go back by myself after work. I¡¯m still at work.¡± Shu Pan was baffled.


    ¡°I want to go with you to pick Joy up.¡± Gu Shaoting said excitedly.


    ¡°I¡¯ll pick her up after work. You¡¯re so concerned about Joy. Didn¡¯t you just meet her once?¡± Shu Pan asked, puzzled.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know why, but I always feel a sense of familiarity when I see Joy. She¡¯s felt like my daughter.¡± Gu Shaoting said half-heartedly.


    Shu Pan panicked. ¡°You¡¯re thinking too much.¡±


    Gu Shaoting sighed. ¡°I want a daughter. I want to spoil her to the heavens.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m still at work, the manager is ring at me. I¡¯ll get busy first.¡± Shu Pan hurriedly hung up.


    Gu Shaoting was so angry that he red. How preposterous. Seems like he had to go inspect thepany tomorrow. They are not taking him seriously.


    Gu Shaoting had no choice but to drive to the opposite side of the road where


    Shu Pan worked. He even specially changed to an ordinary car. He knew that Shu Pan didn¡¯t like to be high-profile, and he couldn¡¯t pick up Joy because the teacher didn¡¯t know him, so he could only wait.


    In thepany, he was the awe-inspiring CEO. Now he just wanted to run errands for Shu Pan and her daughter but they didn¡¯t seem to wee him very much. Hard life..

 Chapter 225 - 225: A Family

    Chapter 225: A Family


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    When Shu Pan finally got off work, Gu Shaoting had already sent her a WeChat message, so she saw his car as soon as she came out.


    ¡®Fortunately, I came outte¡¯ Shu Pan thought. Then, she looked around and got into the car. She didn¡¯t want to be the talk of the office tomorrow.


    However, no matter how careful she was, she was still seen.


    MO Lan had forgotten to take her keys. When she turned back, she saw Shu Pan sitting in a small car. Seeing her sneaky and secretive appearance, MO Lan was very puzzled.


    Was he her boyfriend? Lover? Judging from the ordinary-looking car, this man probably wasn¡¯t rich.


    MO Lan despised internally. She didn¡¯t even want a man like him.


    The man she liked was just like the CEO, handsome and rich.


    Gu Shaoting couldn¡¯t help but sneeze in the car.


    Gu snaotlng¡¯s face Instantly turned frosty when ne saw shu pan¡¯s cautious actions. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Is it that shameful to meet up with me?¡± ¡°I just don¡¯t want to cause trouble.¡± Shu Pan said calmly.


    ¡°What trouble? Who in the office would give you trouble?¡± Gu Shaoting asked nervously when he heard that someone was bullying her.


    ¡°No, I¡¯m fine. There¡¯s no trouble. Hurry up and drive. I think Joy has been waiting for a long time.¡± Shu Pan changed the topic.


    ¡°Okay, if you¡¯re not free next time, I can help pick her up.¡± Gu Shaoting took the opportunity to suggest it, and he was very happy to do it.


    ¡°Do you have nothing to do at the Gu Group? Don¡¯t you need to manage such a bigpany?¡± Shu Pan couldn¡¯t help but speak up. She couldn¡¯t get used to seeing him doing nothing.


    ¡°Why did I hire those people with such high sries? For a dinner? If I have to do everything myself, wouldn¡¯t I be exhausted?¡± Gu Shaoting¡¯s work efficiency was very high, and now that thepany was running on track, he was happy to rx.


    His current life goal was to pursue his wife and get acknowledged by his daughter. His goal was very clear.


    Shu Pan was toozy to reply. The day¡¯s work had already worn out her energy. Now that she was sitting in the car, she felt tired.


    Sometimes, she also wanted someone to rely on, but it was hard to find a good person.


    Gu Shaoting looked at her exhausted face and wondered if he should talk to her manager about not giving her so much work.


    Because it was rush hour, the car moved very slowly. When they arrived at Joy¡¯s kindergarten, it was veryte.


    There were only a few children left in the kindergarten, and Joy was one of them.


    When Joy saw Shu Pan, her eyes reddened and she said aggrievedly, ¡°Mommy, you alwayse sote.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, baby. Mommy will try to be early in the future.¡± Shu Pan touched her hair with heartache.


    ¡°Little Joy, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Gu Shaoting parked the car and walked over.


    ¡°This is Joy¡¯s father, right?¡± The teacher beside saw Gu Shaoting and asked enthusiastically.


    Shu Pan was at a loss. She didn¡¯t deny it because Gu Shaoting was indeed Joy¡¯s father. She didn¡¯t want others to think that Joy was a child from a single-parent family.


    On the other hand, Gu Shaoting didn¡¯t wait for Shu Pan to reply and immediately continued the teacher¡¯s words. ¡°Yes, teacher, sorry to trouble you. We¡¯lle earlier next time.¡±


    The teacher looked at them and couldn¡¯t help but praise them internally. This family was really good-looking. The father was handsome, the mother was gentle, and the baby was smart and cute.


    After saying goodbye to the teacher, Joy sat in the car and quickly forgot about the unpleasantness just now..

 Chapter 226 - 226: Exposed

    Chapter 226: Exposed


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    ¡°Mom, you promised to pick me up earlier.¡± Joy exined worriedly.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. If your mother isn¡¯t free, Uncle Gu wille and pick you up, okay?¡± Gu Shaoting asked for Joy¡¯s opinion before Shu Pan could answer. ¡°Uncle, don¡¯t you have to go to work? If you don¡¯t go to work, you won¡¯t have


    money.¡± Joy said seriously.


    ¡°Uncle has a job and enough money.¡± Gu Shaotingughed. Joy was so cute.


    ¡°That¡¯s great, but will it be very troublesome?¡± Her mother had taught her not to trouble others.


    ¡°It won¡¯t. Uncle has a car so I will be very fast. Besides, it¡¯s Uncle¡¯s honour to serve a little beauty like you.¡± The more Gu Shaoting looked at Joy, the more he liked her.


    Shu Pan listened to their conversation and was too tired to speak. Even if she said something, Gu Shaoting would have thousands of reasons to refute her. Joy was his daughter. If he wanted to pick her up, he could do so. Anyway, he had lost his memory and would not know that Joy was his daughter. However, she still had to make rules with him after she recovered from her tiring day.


    Gu Shaoting saw that Shu Pan didn¡¯t say anything and thought that she had tacitly agreed. He secretly rejoiced in his heart.


    Seeing that Shupan was so tired, Gu Shaoting couldn¡¯t bear to see her go home to cook, so he turned the car around and took them out for dinner.¡± ¡°Why isn¡¯t it the way home?¡± Only then did Shu Pan notice.


    ¡°You¡¯re tired today. Let¡¯s go out to eat. Joy, what do you want to eat?¡± Gu Shaoting asked.


    ¡°KFC.¡± Joy replied happily. She had only been there once in her lifetime taken by her godmother.


    ¡°No, it¡¯s too heaty.¡± Shu Pan rejected her immediately.


    Gu Shaoting didn¡¯t dare to plead for Joy. ¡°Uncle will take you there next time. Let¡¯s eat something else this time, okay?¡±


    ¡°All right then.¡± Joy reluctantly agreed.


    Gu Shaoting took them to Gathered Dragon. The Chinese food here had always been of high standard. Gu Shaoting was a regr customer. He had just stepped in with Joy when the manager came to greet him.


    ¡°Mr. Gu, is it still the same seat?¡± The manager bowed and asked. When he saw the little girl in his arms, he was stunned for a moment but quickly returned to his senses. The privacy of the VIP guests was not something they could talk about.


    ¡°Yes, serve the dishes as soon as possible. Try to make it as light as possible.¡± Gu Shaoting ordered and then walked to the private room he usually sat in.


    After the dishes were served, Gu Shaoting was busy taking care of the mother and daughter. He felt very satisfied.


    Gu Shaoting and family were happy and harmonious, but Tong Fei was extremely depressed. Today, she went to look for Gu Shaoting and learned of his decision.


    It seemed that there was no room for negotiation. She was really unwilling to ept it. Everything was fine originally. Why did everything change when she met Shu Pan?


    Shu Pan was the bane of her life. It seemed that the lesson she gave Shu Pan was not enough. No matter if she ended up with Gu Shaoting or not, Tong Fei really could not take it lying down.


    At the moment, her career was more important. When her career stabilized, she would deal with Shu Pan.


    Tong Fei thought hatefully in her heart. Getting the role in the movie was the most important thing at the moment. Although the director had said to give her the role the other day, she would not feel at ease if she did not get the contract and script.


    She thought about it carefully. On the day of the audition, a group of people went out. There were investors, directors, and a few young actresses who were auditioning. Everyone looked normal on the surface, but when they talked about the movie, they were scheming behind their backs.


    She saw the investor next to her reach out to touch the thigh of the actress next to him. Boss Zhu was also rubbing her calf with his foot. It was obvious what he wanted, but she pretended not to know because she didn¡¯t know what Gu Shaoting¡¯s feelings were. If there was a chance to turn things around, she couldn¡¯t be caught in a scandal..

 Chapter 227 - 227: Unspoken Rules

    Chapter 227: Unspoken Rules


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Today, Gu Shaoting had already made his stand clear, so she should n things properly.


    She couldn¡¯t lose everything.


    She asked Xiao Zhou to book a high-ss room for her in the hotel.


    Then, she picked up the phone and called Boss Zhu. The phone number was left by Boss Zhu before she left the dinner that day.


    ¡°Boss Zhu, do you still remember who I am?¡± Tong Fei kept him in suspense, her voice sweet.


    ¡°Haha, I definitely remember. It¡¯s Tong Fei, right? You finally remember me.¡± Boss Zhu¡¯s thick voice rang out, and there was obvious joy in his voice.


    ¡°Boss Zhu, what are you talking about? I¡¯ve always remembered you. It¡¯s just that I¡¯m busy.¡± Tong Fei said coquettishly.


    ¡°That¡¯s very thoughtful of you. Why are you looking for me today?¡± Boss Zhu had gotten to the point. It was really unexpected that Tong Fei would call him.


    ¡°It¡¯s like this. I haven¡¯t thanked you for helping me that day. Are you free? Do me the honour to meet up?¡± Tong Fei immediately told him her purpose.


    ¡°That¡¯s a small matter. It¡¯s not worth mentioning.¡± Boss Zhu said modestly.


    ¡°It¡¯s a small matter to you, but it¡¯s a big deal to me. This role is very important to me, so to thank you, I booked a room at the hotel¡­¡±


    Tong Fei¡¯s voice dragged out, gentle and lingering, like a feather that gently tugged at the other party¡¯s heart.


    When Boss Zhu heard this, he was ecstatic. He thought to himself that Tong Fei was really too smart. She knew what he wanted.


    ¡°Fei, you¡¯re too polite. However, I also want to meet you and talk about business matters. Send me your address. I¡¯ll be there soon.¡±


    After Tong Fei hung up the phone, she sent the address of the hotel to Boss Zhu and began to dress up.


    To hide her identity, she wore sunsses and a sun hat and sneaked into the hotel.


    Not long after, Boss Zhu also arrived, and a transaction of benefits and beauty began¡­


    The next day, Shu Pan returned to thepany and saw that everyone was looking at her a little strangely. When she saw no one around, she pulled Tang Wei and quietly hid in a corner. ¡®What¡¯s happening? Why is everyone looking at me strangely?¡±


    Shu Pan couldn¡¯t help but ask. She thought it was because she was not dressed properly. She even went to the bathroom to look in the mirror and was relieved to see that everything was normal.


    Tang Wei said a little unhappily,¡± Shu Pan, you¡¯re too mean. You didn¡¯t even tell me that you had a boyfriend. You made me think that you¡¯re single like me.¡±


    Tang Wei felt that Shu Pan was not single anymore yet she still couldn¡¯t find apanion.


    When Shu Pan heard her words, she could not help but widen her eyes. ¡°No, I don¡¯t have. Who said that?¡±


    Where would she find a boyfriend now? Was she crazy?


    ¡°I came to the office today and heard someone say that someone saw you leave in a small car yesterday. We¡¯ve been colleagues for so long and I haven¡¯t seen any guy pick you up before. That¡¯s why it¡¯s so sensational.¡± Tang Wei told Shu Pan the gossip she heard.


    ¡°Did they say who was in the car?¡± Shu Pan asked carefully. Before she got into the car yesterday, she had looked around but did not see anyone familiar.


    ¡°It¡¯s far away, the person didn¡¯t see it. Even if she saw it, she wouldn¡¯t recognize him. What are you nervous about? Or is it someone we know?¡± Tang Wei smelled something unusual.


    ¡°What nonsense are you talking about? My friend asked me out for dinner.¡± Shu Pan casually found an excuse.


    ¡°I really envy you. You have so many friends and they often invite you out for dinner. The one from the other day was the best. I guess the one from yesterday was the same.¡± Tang Wei said, almost drooling..

 Chapter 228 - 228: The Person of Focus

    Chapter 228: The Person of Focus


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Shu Pan smiled. ¡°It¡¯s very ordinary, not top-grade.¡±


    ¡°I heard that the car he drove was average and his financial resources are average, right?¡± Tang Wei did not give up. She was very direct and never beat around the bush. She continued to ask showing how gossipy she was.


    Shu Pan nodded and couldn¡¯t help but roll her eyes. She was d that Gu Shaoting was not recognized. Otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t be able toe to work. Just the gossip would drown her.


    ¡°We are just ordinary friends, so don¡¯t gossip anymore, Miss Tang Wei.¡± Shu Pan patted her shoulder.


    Tang Wei smiled embarrassedly and said, ¡°I¡¯m just curious, but I¡¯m happier than anyone else if you found the right person. Good luck.¡±


    Tang Wei said as she made a funny cheering gesture.


    ¡°Let fate take its course. I won¡¯t force it.¡± Shu Pan said emotionally. No one would understand what kind of married life she had experienced. Due to her bad experience, she did not look forward to marriage that much.


    Her colleagues in thepany did not know that she was divorced and had a daughter. After all, this was a private matter, and there was no need for everyone to know about it.


    Tang Wei listened to Shu Pan¡¯s words and thought that she was pretending to be deep. She wouldn¡¯t expect Shu Pan to have a daughter. Because Shu Pan had fair skin, looked tall and thin, and had a gentle temperament, she usually wore jeans and a T-shirt, so she looked like a university student. No one would think that she had experienced so much.


    Tang Wei looked around and saw that there was no one around. Then, she said angrily, ¡°I guess the stic surgery monster is jealous of you, so she spread such news and made people misunderstand you.¡±


    ¡°What misunderstanding? Even if I left in a friend¡¯s car, I didn¡¯t steal or rob, there¡¯s nothing worth saying.¡± Shu Pan said indifferently.


    ¡°She said that you were acting secretively and probably a mistress. If he is your boyfriend, he would havee to thepany to pick you up openly.¡± Tang Wei finally told the truth. No wonder everyone looked at her strangely. She was really speechless.


    Shu Pan didn¡¯t know whether tough or cry. However, she knew that the innocent knew and would show they were, so she didn¡¯t want to exin too much.


    However, she thought to herself that she couldn¡¯t let Gu Shaoting drive to the office to wait for her in the future. She had to make it clear to him that she didn¡¯t want to be the talk of the office.


    ¡°All right, don¡¯t fight with her because of me. I¡¯m fine. These rumours will disappear soon. Anyway, the innocent will be innocent.¡± Shu Pan saw that Tang Wei was so angry that she was about to stomp her feet andforted her, afraid she would quarrel with MO Lan again.


    ¡°I know. You know, a kind horse gets ridden by others, and a kind person gets bullied by others.¡± Tang Wei shook her head when she saw Shu Pan¡¯s indifference.


    ¡°Let¡¯s get to work. Otherwise, the manager will re at us again.¡± Shu Pan pulled Tang Wei back to her seat.


    Shu Pan had just sat down when MO Lan came over. When you don¡¯t want to cause trouble, trouble wille to you. Shu Pan sighed in her heart.


    ¡°Shupan, why are you still so hardworking? You don¡¯t have to work so hard if you have someone to take care of you. The most important thing for a woman is to have a good partner.¡± MO Lan said sourly.


    Even someone as good-tempered as Shu Pan was a little angry. ¡°Yes, but I think women should still have their own careers, unlike some women who always like to rely on their sugar daddies. To be honest, I look down on them.¡±


    Shu Pan wasn¡¯t afraid of offending anyone. She couldn¡¯t tolerate it. Don¡¯t think that she was easy to bully. She just didn¡¯t want to be calctive.


    ¡°Who are you talking about?¡± MO Lan suddenly became angry at the thought that Shu Pan had an underlying meaning behind her words.


    ¡°Don¡¯t take it to heart. I¡¯m just giving an example to say that some women, you don¡¯t need to be so sensitive.¡± Shu Pan said and started to work..

 Chapter 229 - 229: Foodie

    Chapter 229: Foodie


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi- Bo Studio


    MO Lan saw that Shu Pan went back to her work and red at her before walking away awkwardly.


    The small storm finally ended.


    During lunchtime, Shu Pan received a call from Wen Chi. He was going out of town to study. He had returned for a few days because he had an important surgery. Now that he had sessfullypleted it, he was leaving again.


    Shu Pan felt slightly sad and didn¡¯t know how to face it. Chi was really a good man, but they weren¡¯t suitable for each other. Mother Wen¡¯s words were still echoing in her ears.


    She put aside her unhappiness and forced a smile. ¡°I still want to eat a big meal the next time you return.¡±


    Because parting was always sad and she couldn¡¯t find a suitable topic to talk about, she could only say this.


    ¡°Ok.¡± The voice on the other end of the phone was gentle as ever.


    The two of them chatted for a while. After hanging up, Shu Pan was in a daze. She suddenly thought, what would happen if she met Chi first? However, life never gave you a fresh start.


    The days passed by quickly. He Ming was extremely busy and so was Xiao Meng recently. She was working the job of two people. She felt that her boss was ordering her around like a man, even though she wasn¡¯t tall.


    It wasn¡¯t easy to get two days of rest, so Xiaomeng was extremely happy. She had already thought it through. She wanted to ask Shu Pan out shopping and take her goddaughter out for a feast. She also wanted to reward her stomach. Recently, she had let down the word ¡°foodie¡±.


    He Ming was well-informed and somehow knew that Xiaomeng had a rest day. He called early in the morning.


    When the phone rang, Xiaomeng was still lying dead in bed. This phone call ruined her hard-earned vacation.


    She picked up the phone. Without looking at the caller ID, she shouted into the phone, ¡°Who is it?¡±


    Xiao Meng had a bad morning temper. ¡°It¡¯s me. Are you still sleeping?¡± He Ming heard her voice and guessed that she might still be sleeping, but it was already veryte.


    ¡°The sun is already up and shining in.¡± He Ming wanted to watch a movie after a meal with her. Thetest movie had Xiao Meng¡¯s favourite star in it.


    ¡°Disturbing my dreams.¡± Ye Xiaomeng¡¯s voice waszy and nasal. She sounded like she was still asleep.


    ¡°Get up. I¡¯ll take you to eat stone pot fish and then let¡¯s go to the movies.¡± He Ming was very busy, but he had no choice. Wooing a girl was even more important. Right now, he was like a young man who had just fallen in love.


    If Gu Shaoting knew he had asked a girl out for a meal and a movie, he would probablyugh until his teeth fell out.


    In the past, he did not bother to do such a thing. He would always go straight to the point and book a room.


    Therefore, as the old saying goes, one thing defeats another.


    When Xiao Meng heard about the stone pot fish, she immediately sobered up. That was her favourite. ¡°Ok, see youter.¡±


    ¡°Ok, I¡¯ll pick you up. Get ready.¡± He Ming knew that Xiaomeng would be excited when talking about food.


    She couldn¡¯t care less. She immediately got up, got dressed, washed up, and was about to go out.


    When He Ming heard her energetic reply, he suddenly felt a little amused. Such a straightforward woman, not pretentious, was exactly what he pursued.


    He Ming had just hung up when his phone rang again. He thought it was


    Xiaomeng and didn¡¯t even look at his phone. He said gently, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    The person on the other end of the phone seemed to be mesmerized by his gentle voice and did not answer for a long time.


    He Ming couldn¡¯t help but look at his phone and realise that it was an unfamiliar number. Because he didn¡¯t save it, it was an Il-digit number. He Ming frowned. ¡°Who is it? What¡¯s the matter?¡±


    He Ming couldn¡¯t help but ask again. This time, the person on the other end finally spoke, her voice was sweet. ¡°Brother He, it¡¯s me, Shanshan..¡±

 Chapter 230 - 230: Birthday Banquet

    Chapter 230: Birthday Banquet


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    The moment Hu Shanshan picked up the phone and heard He Ming speak, she wished that she was his girlfriend.


    Because his voice was so gentle and charismatic, that sentence was meant for a girl. Without a doubt, it should be the woman he liked.


    Hu Shanshan realized that she was crazily jealous. She had only appearedter, and that woman had only gotten to know He Ming first. However, she was confident that she could win Brother He¡¯s heart.


    ¡°Brother He, can you hear me?¡± Hu Shanshan asked again when she did not hear He Ming¡¯s response.


    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s Shanshan.¡± He Ming was thinking about who gave her his phone number. Needless to say, it must be his warm-hearted mother. She would probably raise her hand in approval even if she gave him to someone else, let alone his phone number.


    ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± He Ming then remembered there must be a reason she called him.


    ¡°It¡¯s like this, Brother He. Tomorrow is my birthday, My family is holding a birthday party for me. It¡¯s at the Shining Gold Hotel. Can you do me the honour ofing tomorrow?¡± Hu Shanshan asked, her voice full of anticipation.


    He Ming was stunned for a moment. Then, he remembered that she had mentioned this when he sent her backst time. At that time, he seemed to have agreed.


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll try my best. Thank you for your invitation.¡± He Ming thought that if he pushed the invitation away, his mother would probably call him.


    ¡°That¡¯s great. You have toe early.¡± Hu Shanshan said happily, ¡°Brother He, you are wee to bring your friend.¡±


    Hu Shanshan said politely. Now that she thought about it, although she really wanted to see the person He Ming liked, she did not want to do it on such an asion. It would only make things difficult for her. However, she still had to be polite. Otherwise, Brother He would suspect that she had ulterior motives.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think she has time, but I¡¯ll be there on time.¡± He Ming promised. He rejected the invitation on behalf of Xiao Meng because he knew she wouldn¡¯t like such an asion, and it was a stranger¡¯s birthday party.


    ¡°OK, I¡¯ll hang up now. See you tomorrow, Brother He.¡± After Hu Shanshan hung up the phone, she immediately called her good friend and asked her out to do her hair, a spa, and choose clothes. She wanted to be the best at tomorrow¡¯s birthday party and give Brother He a good impression.


    He Ming looked at his watch. It was almost time. He picked up his car keys and went out.


    When He Ming arrived at Xiaomeng¡¯s house, Ye Xiaomeng happened toe down too and did not let He Ming wait for long.


    If it was her previous femalepanion, he would have to dawdle for at least an hour. This was also what He Ming admired about Xiaomeng. She did things cleanly and without any sloppiness.


    Xiao Meng opened the car door and sat in the front passenger seat. He Ming leaned over and helped her buckle her seatbelt.


    Then He Ming looked at Xiao Meng in a daze and smiled. There was love in his smile that was not easily revealed.


    ¡°What are you daydreaming about? Drive, I¡¯m starving.¡± Xiao Meng said anxiously.


    ¡°All right, sit tight.¡± He Ming started the car.


    The man¡¯s side profile was as handsome as a sculpture. The lines of his chin were deep and distinct, and his prominent Adam¡¯s apple made him sexy. His broad shoulders and his casual clothing look like a model in a fashion walkway. He was straight and charming.


    His hands were also very good-looking. They were not as rough as ordinary


    men¡¯s hands. His joints were clear and slender. He held the steering wheel slightly forcefully, giving people a sense of security.


    When Ye Xiaomeng looked over from the side, she realized that He Ming was also a handsome man, but she had never seriously noticed it..

 Chapter 231 - 231: Slightly Touched

    Chapter 231: Slightly Touched


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Ye Xiaomeng suddenly felt her heartbeat elerate. She couldn¡¯t help but feel hot as she sensed the man¡¯s breath next to her.


    When He Ming stopped to wait for a green light, he turned to look at her.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Why is your face so red? Are you feeling hot?¡±


    Ye Xiaomeng was at a loss and said hurriedly, ¡°It¡¯s okay. This happens to me asionally, especially when I¡¯m riding in a car.¡±


    Her very far-fetched reason seemed to have fooled He Ming.


    The restaurant was quite crowded when the two of them arrived that they barely found a table by the window.


    He Ming knew that Xiaomeng was hungry, so he quickly called a waiter over to take their order.


    While waiting for their food, He Ming hesitated for a bit before he asked Xiaomeng, ¡°Xiaomeng, a friend of mine, more like a sister, is having a birthday party tomorrow night. Are you free to go with me?¡±


    Ye Xiaomeng¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Why should I attend your friend¡¯s birthday party. I¡¯m meeting Shu Pan and Joy tomorrow anyway.¡±


    He Ming nodded. He had actually expected her answer, but he thought that he should still ask. His principle was to be honest with her and exin clearly his whereabouts, especially when meeting other women because it would be difficult to exin if she misunderstood.


    Their dishes were finally served, and the stone pot fish smelled wonderful.


    Xiaomeng was so hungry that her stomach was growling. She immediately started eating and He Ming looked at her with a doting smile.


    Xiaomeng thought that the man was strange for smiling foolishly so often.


    Xiaomeng actually understood He Ming¡¯s intentions, but would she trust him again?


    He Ming didn¡¯t feel hungry and just picked up food for Xiaomeng.


    ¡°Enough, I¡¯ll do it myself.¡± Xiaomengined. If she continued to eat like this, she would be a fatty.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. Eat more. Women need to be a little chubby to look good. What¡¯s so good about looking like a human jerky?¡± He Ming felt that Xiaomeng was still thin. She ate a lot, but she didn¡¯t seem to put on weight.


    ¡°Nonsense. If that¡¯s the case, why are women constantly on a diet?¡± Xiao Meng said indignantly.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know about others, but I think you¡¯re still a little thin. Eat more.¡± He Ming coaxed her unperturbedly.


    Xiaomeng was a little stunned when she heard this. She felt her heart skip a beat because it sounded like a conversation between lovers. She didn¡¯t think that she was thin but was happy that another person thought that she had lost weight.


    ¡°I¡¯m going on a business trip to H-Province next week for two weeks.¡± Ye Xiaomeng suddenly looked up and told him her schedule. She was probably going to be very busy again. She only found herself such a demanding job because she wanted to forget about her unpleasant experience.


    ¡°For so long? Can¡¯t someone else go? You¡¯re a girl. Your health would probably suffer.¡± He Ming protested with a frown.


    ¡°I have no choice. This is my area of expertise. Besides, it¡¯s not my first trip there.¡± Xiaomeng replied indifferently.


    She didn¡¯t know why she told him about her business trip, but she thought they were still friends. She shrugged and dropped the subject.


    He Ming was thinking about how he could squeeze out some time to visit her. Sigh, what high maintenance.


    After dinner, He Ming took Xiaomeng to the movies again. He picked another movie that she liked. He knew her preferences like the back of his hand.


    The dimly lit cinema was mostly empty. He Ming and Ye Xiaomeng were sitting in luxury couple seats with no one around them. He Ming nced at Xiaomeng from the corner of his eye and saw that she was staring intently at the screen.


    But He Ming was distracted. He just kept staring at Xiaomeng..

 Chapter 232 - 232: A Declaration Of Love

    Chapter 232: A Deration Of Love


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Ye Xiaomeng sensed He Ming¡¯s burning gaze on her. She finally couldn¡¯t take it anymore and turned to look at him.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Why are you staring at me?¡± Ye Xiaomeng asked in confusion. Why was he staring at her when they were watching a movie?


    ¡°You¡¯re nicer to watch than the movie.¡± He Ming said with a smile.


    Ye Xiaomeng¡¯s face flushed. Fortunately, the cinema was dim. Although she wasn¡¯t a shy person, she couldn¡¯t help but blush when she heard such words.


    Ye Xiaomeng shifted in her seat and straightened her back. She was too embarrassed to look at him, so she looked at the screen and said, ¡°What a smooth talker. Men¡¯s sweet talk is nothing but sugar-coated bullets.¡±


    He Ming didn¡¯t refute. Instead, he said earnestly, ¡°Then let time prove it. I would dly ept the test.¡±


    After saying that, He Ming suddenly reached out and held her hand. Ye


    Xiaomeng was startled. ¡°What¡¯s happening? You are scaring me.¡±


    ¡°Xiaomeng, I¡¯m serious. Be my girlfriend. I swear on my life that I¡¯ll protect you for the rest of your life.¡± He Ming put away his usually smiley face and said seriously.


    Ye Xiaomeng felt a wave of heat wrap around her hand. His hand was indeed as slender and strong as she had imagined. She felt a sense of security when he held her hand.


    Ye Xiaomeng let him hold her hand and said to him in a very serious tone, ¡°I¡¯m very serious and I expect fairness. If give 10% to someone, I expect to receive 10% from him. If you¡¯re just fooling around, please give up as soon as possible. ¡±


    ¡°Xiaomeng, I¡¯m not fooling around. I¡¯ll say it again, let time prove it but I¡¯ll need you to open your heart and ept me slowly.¡± He Ming finally saw a glimmer of hope. He was finally not the only person in this rtionship.


    They no longer paid attention to what was ying on screen.


    After the movie, He Ming sent Xiaomeng home. He giggled a few times on the way and Ye Xiaomeng couldn¡¯t help but call him a fool.


    The next day, He Ming arrived at the office early to deal with work. Because of the positive response to his deration of love to Ye Xiaomeng, he was in high spirits all day. Anyone with a discerning eye could see that he had good news.


    Gu Shaoting tried to get information out of him for a long time but He Ming kept his mouth shut. He didn¡¯t want to hurt Gu Shaoting because there seemed to be no hope between him and Shu Pan.


    He just moved his rtionship forward with Ye Xiaomeng and wanted to spend


    every moment with her. However, he had epted Hu Shanshan¡¯s invitation out of obligation, so he left the office after work in the afternoon.


    It didn¡¯t seem nice to attend someone¡¯s birthday party empty-handed. As a boorish person, He Ming couldn¡¯t decide what to buy for Hu Shanshan.


    After thinking for a long time, he finally decided to get her a bracelet. It was of ssic design and expensive. He Ming even instructed the salesperson to gift wrap the bracelet.


    As he was walking out of the jewelry shop, he saw a bracelet in the disy window on the left, which looked simple and elegant.


    He immediately thought of Ye Xiaomeng when he saw the bracelet. He called the salesperson over and asked her to wrap it up for him.


    He Ming wondered if Xiaomeng would be happy when she received his gift. In any case, he would pluck stars out of the sky if she liked them.


    Seeing that night was falling and the evening breeze was picking up, He Ming quickened his pace.


    When he arrived at Shining Gold, he saw a long line of luxury cars at the entrance of the hotel.


    As soon as he walked into the banquet hall, he saw that many of his customers were there..

 Chapter 233 - 233: At The Birthday Party

    Chapter 233: At The Birthday Party


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    He Ming saw Hu Shanshan in a short cream dress. The off-shoulder style entuated her fair and slender neck. Her back was exposed, and she looked sexy and charming.


    Hu Shanshan was surrounded by a group of young men who were all from rich families judging from the clothes they wore. Everyone was ttering her.


    He Ming didn¡¯t know Hu Shanshan¡¯s family background, but judging from the situation, it was definitely not simple.


    Hu Shanshan had a smile on her face, but her eyes were fixed at the entrance to the banquet hall.


    Soon, she saw He Ming. She walked through the crowds toward him like a butterfly dancing gracefully.


    ¡°Brother He, it¡¯s so great that you¡¯re finally here. I thought you weren¡¯ting.¡± Hu Shanshan said coquettishly, her voice filled with joy.


    ¡°I promised you that I woulde. Here, happy birthday.¡± He Ming handed her the gift wrapped bracelet.


    ¡°Brother He, you shouldn¡¯t have. Thank you. I¡¯m so happy.¡± Hu Shanshan smiled.


    ¡°I hope you like it.¡± He Ming wanted to leave as soon as possible, wondering what Xiaomeng had been busy with today¡­


    ¡°Come, let me introduce you.¡± Hu Shanshan led He Ming to a very well-dressed woman. She was holding a ss of red wine and entertaining the people around her.


    ¡°Brother He, this is my mother.¡± Hu Shanshan introduced.


    ¡°Hello, Auntie.¡± He Ming greeted first out of politeness.


    ¡°He Ming, right? Look at you all grown up now. Although I¡¯m close with your mother, I hardly see you.¡± Hu Shanshan¡¯s mother said with a smile, looking He Ming up and down the whole time like she was perusing a son-inw whom she liked.


    He Ming was tall and handsome, while Hu Shanshan was delicate and charming.


    ¡°Shanshan, take good care of He Ming.¡± Mrs. Hu turned her head and instructed Shanshan. She then said to He Ming, ¡°Sorry for not entertaining you. You young people should have fun together.¡±


    Shanshan dragged He Ming to introduce him to her friends. He Ming was really regretting it now.


    Why did hee? Even if his mother held a knife to his neck, he shouldn¡¯t havee. He was really stuck now.


    He Ming forced a smile as he hoped for time to pass quickly.


    When Hu Shanshan was entertaining her friends, He Ming slipped out to the balcony of the banquet hall and dialed Ye Xiaomeng¡¯s number.


    His call was picked up after a long time. ¡°What are you doing?¡± He Ming¡¯s voice was maic. It sounded magical to Ye Xiaomeng.


    ¡°I¡¯m still ying with Joy at Shu Pan¡¯s house. I haven¡¯t seen her in a long time. She¡¯s so cute now.¡± Ye Xiaomeng made Joyughed so hard that herughter could be heard through the phone.


    ¡°I¡¯ll pick you upter.¡± He Ming said.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you busy? Can you leave?¡± Ye Xiaomeng asked. She wasn¡¯t too far away from home anyway, so it didn¡¯t matter.


    Just as He Ming was about to reply, Hu Shanshan walked over with a ss of champagne. ¡°Brother He, you are here. You really made me look all over for you!¡±


    Because she was standing close to him, Hu Shanshan¡¯s every word was transmitted through the phone and heard clearly by Ye Xiaomeng. She frowned and hung up the phone when He Ming didn¡¯t say another word.


    ¡°I came out to get some fresh air.¡± He Ming immediately pressed the phone to his ear after he said that but the call had already ended.


    He Ming was burning with anxiety, wishing he could grow a pair of wings and fly back. He was worried that Ye Xiaomeng would misunderstand the situation..

 Chapter 234 - 234: A Tiny Scheme

    Chapter 234: A Tiny Scheme


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    When Ye Xiaomeng heard a woman¡¯s coquettish voice on the other end of the call, she hung up on reflex.


    But on hindsight, she was a little angry. He was clearly with another woman, yet he hypocritically called her to tell her that he would pick her up.


    Shu Pan looked at Ye Xiaomeng¡¯s angry face and asked in confusion, ¡°Which idiot provoked you now?¡±


    ¡°A leopard can never change its spots. All men are scumbags.¡± The more Ye Xiaomeng spoke, the angrier she got.


    Shu Pan was confused. She didn¡¯t know why her friend was upset and didn¡¯t know how tofort her.


    Ye Xiaomeng looked at her friend¡¯s confused face. Afraid that she would worry, she quickly said, ¡°It¡¯s nothing. I¡¯m just throwing a tantrum with a friend.¡± Ye Xiaomengbed her hair with her fingers after she finished.


    Shu Pan knew that she was feeling guilty. ¡°You¡¯re in love.¡±


    Shu Pan¡¯s tone was very certain. After all, they had been good friends for years and she knew Ye Xiaomeng very well.


    ¡°It¡¯s still early days. I¡¯ll tell you when it¡¯s serious.¡± Ye Xiaomeng said while she thought Shu Pan should be a fortune-teller because she was always right about everything. She didn¡¯t seem to have any secrets in front of her. After all, they had known each other for so long and knew each other well.


    snu pan tnrew ner an ¡°1 Knew It¡± 100K Dut even It It was true, sne was very happy for her friend.


    Meanwhile, He Ming was as anxious as a bee in a jar trying to find its way out.


    ¡°It¡¯s almost time to cut the cake. Brother He, let¡¯s go in.¡± Hu Shanshan looked at He Ming with her sparkly eyes.


    Although He Ming was anxious, he was here at Hu Shanshan¡¯s birthday party so he couldn¡¯t refuse her. He figured he would just wait until the party was over before he ran back to Xiaomeng and apologized.


    Seeing Hu Shanshan¡¯s pleading gaze, He Ming kept his phone and walked into the banquet hall with her.


    Ye Xiaomeng looked at the ck screen on her phone and felt a little disappointed. She thought that he¡¯d call her back immediately to exin.


    Haha, she had overestimated herself. So, this was the feeling of being in love:


    sweet and sour, gains mixed with losses.


    ¡°Godmother, are you unhappy? You are not ying with me.¡± Joy suddenly ran over and hugged her.


    Ye Xiaomeng caught her and said, ¡°Godmother is very happy. I love ying with Joy. Let¡¯s start a new game.¡±


    Ye Xiaomeng threw that little bit of nonsense to the back of her mind, picked up Joy, and started ying with her again.


    The birthday cake was pushed out. It was a threeyer pink cake, a fine-looking piece of edible art. Hu Shanshan stood next to the cake like a princess with all her guests surrounding her.


    But she pulled He Ming tightly to stand beside her, the intent behind her action obvious.


    He Ming couldn¡¯t embarrass her at such an asion, but in his heart, he told himself to stay away from her in the future.


    Amidst everyone¡¯s anticipation and blessings, Hu Shanshan finally cut the cake and the party wasing to an end.


    He Ming heaved a sigh of relief and said goodbye to Hu Shanshan.


    ¡°Brother He, is something bothering you? You¡¯ve been distracted all night.¡± Hu Shanshan asked despite knowing the reason. She saw He Ming when he went out to the balcony. She thought that he was just going for a smoke. But when he didn¡¯te back after a long time, she went out to find him.


    She heard him talking on the phone when she got close. She could guess from He Ming¡¯s gentle tone who he was talking with so she deliberately spoke up. She wasn¡¯t far from his phone, so she knew that the person he was speaking with could hear her.


    But she was asking him now with an innocent and concerned expression on her face, which made He Ming feel bad. It wasn¡¯t the best behavior he had exhibited at her birthday party.


    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s just something I have to deal with at work.¡± He Ming exined..

 Chapter 235 - 235: A Confession

    Chapter 235: A Confession


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Hu Shanshan nodded and said, ¡°Brother He, I won¡¯t hold you back then. All the best.¡± Hu Shanshan put up a considerate front.


    Because she couldn¡¯t keep his heart even if she kept his person. She had plenty of time. The winner would be the person who had thestugh.


    He Ming left quickly.


    Hu Shanshan watched him walk away with affection.


    ¡°Shanshan, is that your Prince Charming?¡± One of Hu Shanshan¡¯s good friends came over when she saw He Ming leave.


    ¡°Yeah, isn¡¯t he handsome?¡± Hu Shanshan asked proudly.


    ¡°To be able to catch the eye of First Young Miss Hu must be the best of the best.¡± Her friend said fawningly. There was nothing Hu Shanshan couldn¡¯t get since young, including love.


    Hu Shanshan enjoyed this kind of ttery and went back to the party with her friend.


    As soon as He Ming walked out of the hotel, he called Ye Xiaomeng, but she didn¡¯t pick up for the longest time. He Ming figured that she must be upset with him that she didn¡¯t answer his call.


    But in all honesty, Xiaomeng had simply thrown her phone aside to y with Joy. The little girl was a little excited tonight and kept asking her to y with her.


    He Ming checked his watch. It was past 9 0¡¯clock. He figured that Xiaomeng must have gone home.


    He drove to her ce. Her apartment looked dark.


    He Ming felt a little helpless and called Xiaomeng again. This time, his call was picked up very quickly.


    ¡°Xiaomeng, where are you? Why aren¡¯t you home yet?¡± He Ming asked anxiously.


    ¡°I¡¯m still at Shu Pan¡¯s ce. Joy just fell asleep. I was just about to leave.¡± Ye Xiaomeng wondered how he knew that she was not home yet.


    ¡°I¡¯m downstairs of your ce now. Wait for me at Shu Pan¡¯s. I¡¯ll be there soon.¡± He Ming instructed.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you at a birthday party? Why are you back so early?¡± Ye Xiaomeng looked at the time and realized that it wasn¡¯t thatte.


    ¡°I was. Let¡¯s talkter. Bye now.¡± He Ming hung up the phone and immediately drove to Shu Pan¡¯s ce.


    When he arrived, Ye Xiaomeng was already waiting downstairs. She looked a little lonely shrouded in darkness.


    ¡°Xiaomeng.¡± He Ming called out to her. Ye Xiaomeng looked up at him, slung her bag over the shoulder and got into the car.


    He Ming looked into her clear eyes, which were filled with fatigue. Her eyes were as clear as water. Through the dim yellow light in the car, his face was clearly reflected in her clear dark eyes.


    He Ming saw that she was a little tired, so he lowered her seat for her. When he leaned over, she could clearly feel his breath on her face. ¡°Xiaomeng¡­¡± He Ming called out again softly.


    ¡°Hmm?¡± Xiaomeng responded.


    ¡°Um¡­ The voice you heard on the phone just now was the birthday girl at her party today. She¡¯s the daughter of my mother¡¯s friend. She¡¯s more like a younger sister¡­¡±


    Before He Ming could finish, he saw Ye Xiaomeng frown.


    Damn! Another sister? Could she ever escape from this curse?


    Cheng Yang was like that. Would He Ming be like that too?


    To her, the word ¡°sister¡± was fiercer than a tiger.


    ¡°There¡¯s really nothing between us. I¡¯ll stay far away from her in the future.¡± He Ming said nervously when he saw Xiaomeng¡¯s silence.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t think too much about it. She¡¯s the daughter of your mother¡¯s friend. It¡¯s only right for you to be nice to her.¡± He Ming heaved a sigh of relief when he heard this.


    ¡°I know my limits. You must be tired. I¡¯ll send you home.¡± He Ming patted her head and said intimately.


    Ye Xiaomeng nodded. She felt a little strange, but after watching his nervous exnation, she decided to put him under probation..

 Chapter 236 - 236: The CEO Is Coming

    Chapter 236: The CEO Is Coming


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Shu Pan¡¯s mornings were chaotic like war, because with Joy, there are tons of nitty-gritties she had to handle every morning.


    She had just stepped into the office when the managing director sent an email asking everyone to prepare for a meeting with the CEO this afternoon to discuss everyone¡¯s projects.


    Gu Group was one of thergestpanies in the country. Manypanies mored to work with them. Now that herpany was a subsidiary of Gu Group, it had also be quite popr.


    However, the tender issuer this time, Su Corporation, was a dark horse for winning the bid for two pieces ofnd sold by the government; they were now looking for partners. Manypanies were eager to put in a bid, and herpany was no exception.


    The tender issued by Su Corporation was now a key project for thepany. After all, they had just been acquired and everyone was eager to perform.


    It was understandable that everyone valued such a project, but Shu Pan felt a little ufortable at the thought of Gu Shaotinging to the office in the afternoon. She hoped that he wouldn¡¯t throw out any surprises.


    Shu Pan was a little distracted because of him but she pulled her focus back so that her work wouldn¡¯t be affected.


    ¡°Shu Pan, the CEO ising here for a meeting this afternoon. Do you want to go home and dress up?¡± Tang Wei whispered to Shu Pan.


    Shu Pan held her forehead in exasperation. ¡°The CEO ising here for a


    meeting, not to watch a beauty pageant.¡±


    ¡°I just can¡¯t stand that stic surgery addict. The moment she got the email from the managing director about the CEOing this afternoon, she said that she needs to go outter at noon. She¡¯s probably going home to change.¡± Tang Wei said begrudgingly.


    ¡°You can also go home and change?¡± Shu Pan didn¡¯t understand why Tang Wei was so angry.


    ¡°Do you think I don¡¯t want to? But look at my figure and looks. It¡¯s useless even if I put on an empress¡¯ outfit. I have that bit of self-awareness, but you are different. You have the right curves, a pleasant personality, and you are a domestic goddess. Plus, you¡¯re making a presentation to the CEOter. So, you must first beat her in terms of appearance.¡± Tang Wei used all the positive adjectives she could think of, hoping that Shu Pan would beat MO Lan.


    ¡°Stop, I¡¯m definitely not the person you are talking about. Besides, I¡¯m not interested in seducing the CEO. I believe that if the CEO decides to put our team in charge, it¡¯s because of our capability, not our looks.¡± Shu Pan replied with a smile as she surrendered to Tang Wei¡¯s warped logic.


    ¡°What a waste of the good looks that the heavens gave you.¡± Tang Wei said regretfully. She just didn¡¯t want to see MO Lan¡¯s smug look.


    Shu Pan didn¡¯t want to discuss this with Tang Wei anymore and walked away.


    In the afternoon, Shu Pan and a few colleagues in her team went into the conference room ahead of time to get the meeting materials ready. They had started preparation when the tender was issued so they weren¡¯t panicking now.


    ¡°Shu Pan, I¡¯m rooting for you. Everyone here recognizes your capabilities and wishes you the best. Don¡¯t worry too much.¡± Tang Wei knew that Shu Pan was slightly nervous because she would be presenting for their team.


    Tang Wei was in the same project team now. Shu Pan was the team lead and she was the deputy, an arrangement determined after thepany was acquired.


    Another male colleague also leaned over and said, ¡°Shu Pan, I believe we can do it.¡±


    Shu Pan, who was calm initially, got nervous again when she heard what they qnid


    Shu Pan was now in charge of the team. She felt that she had the greatest responsibility and needed to consider things moreprehensively than the rest.


    She knew that Gu Shaoting kept his work and personal life separate. She was not worried that he would go easy on her. After all, this was about thepany¡¯s interests and reputation..

 Chapter 237 - 237: A Burning Gaze

    Chapter 237: A Burning Gaze


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi- Bo Studio


    But she figured that she would still be nervous when she saw Gu Shaoting.


    However, she must prepare herself well. She wouldn¡¯t let him think less of her.


    Just as Shu Pan was deep in thought, MO Lan walked in.


    At first nce, those who didn¡¯t know better would really think that she was here to participate in a beauty pageant. She was dressed in a pink suit with acey camisole underneath. Her knee-length skirt wrapped tightly around her perky buttocks and made her walk very sexy.


    MO Lan attracted everyone¡¯s attention as soon as she walked in. Her well-groomed eyebrows were slightly raised, and her red lips were fiery. She looked very imposing.


    Tang Wei pursed her lips and said angrily, ¡°Just as I thought. So flirtatious.¡±


    Shu Pan quickly pulled her back and told her not to make a sound. Although Tang Wei spoke softly but loose lips could open Pandora¡¯s box.


    ¡°What¡¯s there to be afraid of? I didn¡¯t say her name. It¡¯s none of my business if she takes it personally.¡± Tang Wei said indifferently.


    ¡°Look through the information again so you don¡¯t mess up when the CEO is hereter. Maybe he¡¯ll take a fancy to you.¡± Shu Pan quickly found something for her to do and even joked.


    ¡°I detest that. How can you rub it in when you know that I have no chance?¡± Tang Wei red at Shu Pan.


    Shu Pan pursed her lips and smiled. She didn¡¯t say more and focused on reading the materials.


    People trickled into the conference room and the spacious conference room became lively as everyone waited for the CEO.


    ¡°CEO Gil¡­¡±


    Someone called out outside the door, and everyone immediately looked to the entrance of the conference room. Shu Pan was no exception. The CEO was finally here.


    She looked up and saw Gu Shaoting walking in elegantly, apanied by two directors.


    He looked dazzling. No matter the asion or ce, he always attracted everyone¡¯s attention.


    He was wearing a tailored silver-gray suit with a white shirt and a blue-and-white striped tie. His expression was serious, making him look even colder.


    ¡°Hello, CEO Gu!¡± Everyone greeted him. Shu Pan remained seated.


    ¡°Everyone, please take a seat.¡± Gu Shaoting nodded and sat at the head of the conference table. He then signaled the director next to him to start the meeting.


    Seeing that Gu Shaoting wasn¡¯t looking in her direction, Shu Pan finally heaved a sigh of relief.


    Actually, Gu Shaoting was very serious about his work. He was more rigorous than she had imagined when it came to keeping his work and personal life


    separate.


    Little did Shu Pan know what Gu Shaoting was thinking. He acquired herpany not only because of thepany¡¯s potential, but also because Shu Pan worked here. He wanted to be closer to her, but he didn¡¯t want to disgust her, so he could only take things slowly, one step at a time.


    Shu Pan was the leader of her team, so she was naturally the one exining the details of their project.


    Shu Pan stood up under Gu Shaoting¡¯s fiery gaze and stood in front of the big screen before she started her presentation.


    Because Shu Pan was a very serious person and she was well-prepared, she presented confidently without showing any nervousness despite the ratherrge audience.


    Slowly, she got into a flow and her presentation became more captivating the more she spoke. Everyone saw CEO Gu nod intermittently as he whisper to the director seated next to him.


    When her presentation ended, Shu Pan received a round of apuse.


    Just as Shu Pan was about to take a bow and thank everyone, she felt a burning gaze on her.


    She braced herself, looked up and met Gu Shaoting¡¯s deep and unfathomable eyes..

 Chapter 238 - 238: Drawing Attention

    Chapter 238: Drawing Attention


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Just when Shu Pan thought that Gu Shaoting was going to say something, he revealed a polite smile without saying a word.


    To anyone in the room, it was nothing but a courteous interaction between a superior and a subordinate, without any personal feelings.


    Gu Shaoting knew that it was what Shu Pan expected, so he was happy to y along. However, he was a businessman, and he expected a return on his investment eventually.


    Shu Pan returned him a polite smile too. She was also quite adept at keeping her work and personal life separate.


    Shu Pan went back to her seat. Next up was MO Lan¡¯s team. Her team lead was supposed to give the presentation, but he was on a business trip, so MO Lan took his ce.


    MO Lan rolled her chair back and walked gracefully up to the big screen, her perfume lingered in the air as she moved.


    MO Lan was well-prepared too, but because she wanted to appear delicate in front of the CEO, she didn¡¯t sound very natural.


    ¡°So fake¡­¡± Tang Wei couldn¡¯t help but blurt out.


    Shu Pan quickly tugged at her sleeve to stop her from talking nonsense. Although she was the only one who heard what she said, it would be troublesome if someone else heard it.


    MO Lan¡¯s pretentious presentation finally ended.


    She looked at Gu Shaoting throughout her presentation and saw him frown and rx at different times. She was also very nervous as it was a good opportunity for her to show off.


    She wanted to amaze everyone and draw the CEO¡¯s attention.


    Of course, her painstaking efforts were not in vain. She had indeed seeded in drawing Gu Shaoting¡¯s attention.


    But what Gu Shaoting was thinking was how shameless this woman was to seduce a man during a work presentation¡­


    He had met his fair share of shameless women hilt none of them had used .S11Ch


    a tactic to get his attention. He was a person who never mixed business with pleasure.


    Although he had acquired thispany because of Shu Pan, thepany had great prospects. He also knew that Shu Pan wasn¡¯t someone who expected special treatment. Besides, she didn¡¯t even give him any opportunity to treat her differently.


    Therefore, he couldn¡¯t help but frown when he saw this woman flirting with him during a work presentation.


    The director beside him saw his frown and quickly asked him what was wrong.


    Gu Shaoting shook his head.


    After both teams finished their presentation, Gi Shaoting gave hisments and personally endorsed the proposal from Shu Pan¡¯s team.


    Shu Pan could not help but heave a sigh of relief. Atst, her team¡¯s effort on all the pre-work didn¡¯t go to waste.


    Therefore, it was decided that Shu Pan¡¯s team would submit their proposal and negotiate from there.


    MO Lan¡¯s face burned with righteous indignation.


    She didn¡¯t know where she went wrong. Why wasn¡¯t the CEO moved?


    She clenched her fists so tightly that her knuckles turned white.


    She probably didn¡¯t expect Gu Shaoting to already see her as a vase. He would never choose someone who tried to win a project using her beauty because someone who did that could very well use the same method to draw the attention of their business partners.


    When the meeting ended, the members in Shu Pan¡¯s team were all very excited. After all, if they won the bid, their bonuses would be very generous. For a moment, they forgot that the CEO was still in the room.


    Gu Shaoting had a cold and distant expression throughout the meeting. Everyone was nervous with such a big shot present.


    But they were now talking happily as they walked out of the conference room, leaving behind their nervousness.


    The male team member from before ced his hand on Shu Pan¡¯s shoulder and said happily, ¡°Shu Pan, I knew we could do it. This is so great.¡±


    Shu Pan was so happy that she didn¡¯t notice how intimate the male team member was with her. She even smiled and nodded. ¡°Yes, everyone has worked hard. We¡¯ll need to work even harder now to win the bid..¡±

 Chapter 239 - 239: Feeling Jealous

    Chapter 239: Feeling Jealous


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Gu Shaoting saw the intimate gesture and his brows furrowed so deeply that mosquitoes could be trapped to death on his forehead. He stared at the hand on Shu Pan¡¯s shoulder, willing for it to break.


    His eyes were like daggers that could cut the man into a thousand pieces.


    He suppressed his emotions and collected himself before he said to the director beside him, ¡°Make it a rule that people shouldn¡¯t put their arms around each other¡¯s shoulders in the office. What a disgrace.¡± His cold voice revealed his displeasure.


    The director was also a shrewd person. After being in his position for so long, he knew how to read people. He also saw what happened just now. Although he didn¡¯t quite understand the CEO¡¯s reason, he chose to follow his orders.


    ¡°Will do. CEO Gu.¡± The director replied quickly.


    ¡°The name of the presenter just now is Shu Pan, right?¡± Gu Shaoting asked with feigned ignorance.


    ¡°Yes. Her name is Shu Pan.¡± The director replied. He was worried if Shu Pan had offended the CEO that he was paying so much attention to her.


    ¡°I have some questions for her about the project. Ask her to see me in my officeter.¡± Gu Shaoting ordered before he turned to leave the conference room.


    ¡°Alright.¡± The director followed him out.


    ¡°Shu Pan, wait a moment.¡± The director who had just left the conference room caught up with Shu Pan and called out to her.


    Shu Pan¡¯s paused in her movement and stopped. She turned around politely and asked, ¡°Director Wang, are you looking for me? Is something the matter?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Shu Pan. Since you are now in charge of the bid for the tender issued by Su Corporation and know the project best, the CEO would like to confirm some details with you.¡± Director Wang was still confused about the CEO¡¯s actual reason but he conveyed his request.


    Since the CEO had asked to see Shu Pan about the project, the others were smart enough to quickly find an excuse to dodge any potential bullets.


    MO Lan heard Director Wang as well and gritted her teeth in hatred. Why must all the good things happen to Shu Pan?


    It happened thest time when they were entertaining the CEO, and it was happening again. Both their proposals were alike, yet the CEO liked hers better. Why?


    MO Lan red at Shu Pan viciously before she stomped out angrily.


    Tang Wei was delighted when she saw that. Finally, someone had put MO Lan in her ce. This woman should have been taught a lesson long ago.


    Shu Pan nodded. ¡°Let me put my things away first before I go over.¡±


    When Shu Pan was back at her desk, Tang Wei walked over with a smile andmented, ¡°Shu Pan, keep up the good work! I shouldn¡¯t have underestimated you. It¡¯s so satisfying to see MO Lan defeated. I feel half my frustration gone already. I¡¯m so envious of you for having alone time with the


    CEOter. I¡¯m rooting for you.¡±


    Tang Wei then made a cheering gesture to Shu Pan.


    ¡°Talking nonsense again. It¡¯s a meeting about work. If you really want to see the CEO, you cane with me to his office.¡± Shu Pan knew what Tang Wei was implying.


    ¡°Hey buddy, are we still friends or not? Do you need to hit my sore spot every time?¡± Tang Wei pretended to punch Shu Pan in her shoulder.


    ¡°I¡¯d better go now.¡± Shu Pan picked up the proposal, ready to leave.


    ¡°When a man and a woman are alone together, it¡¯s like dry wood near a raging fire. Something passionate could happen¡­¡± Tang Wei joked.


    Shu Pan rolled her eyes at Tang Wei and left.


    Standing outside Gu Shaoting¡¯s office, Shu Pan raised her hand and knocked twice on the door. ¡°Enter.¡± Gu Shaoting¡¯s voice sounded from inside the room.


    Shu Pan pushed the door open and saw Gu Shaoting staring out the window. It seemed that no matter where he was, his office always had floor-to-ceiling windows. It was his habit to stand by the windows when he needed to think and to stare out the windows as he thought hard..

 Chapter 240 - 240: Keeping Work And Personal Life Separate

    Chapter 240: Keeping Work And Personal Life Separate


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Shu Pan looked at Gu Shaoting¡¯s profile. His facial features were well-defined, with a regal nose and he was tall and muscr. His appearance seemed wless from every angle.


    Sun ravs Deerinz through the windows fell on his hair, giving it a golden hue.


    Gu Shaoting seemed to have heard her footsteps, so he turned his head. ¡°Shu


    Pan¡­¡±


    ¡°CEO Gu, why did you ask to see me?¡± Shu Pan stood a few steps away from him to put some distance between them.


    ¡°There are no outsiders here. Don¡¯t call me CEO Gu.¡± Gu Shaoting walked up to her.


    Shu Pan retreated subconsciously. ¡°We are at work now. Please let¡¯s just focus on that.¡±


    When Gu Shaoting heard that, he frowned slightly and narrowed his ck eyes, signs that he was getting angry. But because of his good upbringing and manners, he didn¡¯t let his anger show.


    After a long pause, he said, ¡°Shu Pan, I hope that you¡¯ll keep your distance from other men. I know that it¡¯s a huge ask since we are not in a rtionship anymore, but I still feel ufortable when I see you behaving intimately with other men.¡±


    Gu Shaoting took a deep breath before he said this. Shu Pan didn¡¯t expect those words at all and blushed instantly.


    ¡°CEO Gu, I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯ll be more careful in the future.¡± Shu Pan pursed her lips.


    Gu Shaoting¡¯s eyes were smoldering as his anger rose from being called ¡°CEO Gut¡® again.


    ¡°If there¡¯s nothing else, I¡¯ll get back to work.¡± All Shu Pan wanted to do now was to leave. She knew that Gu Shaoting didn¡¯t want to talk to her about the project. He was being a nuisance asking her here to tell her to behave.


    ¡°Um¡­ Let¡¯s leave together after workter. I won¡¯t be going back to Gu Corporation today. I want to pick Joy up with you. I haven¡¯t seen the little girl for a few days.¡± Gu Shaoting quickly revealed his purpose.


    He had reaped what he sowed and was stuck now. He was struggling whether to tell Shu Pan that he had recovered his memories.


    If he didn¡¯t tell her, the road to reuniting with Joy would be even longer.


    ¡°I can pick her up myself. Don¡¯t you have a lot work? Don¡¯t let this get in the way.¡± Shu Pan felt that he was paying too much attention to Joy. Could this be the so-called natural paternal bond?


    ¡°I¡¯m not busy today. Why don¡¯t I pick Joy up first before I pick you up here?¡± Gu Shaoting suggested as he figured that Shu Pan wouldn¡¯t leave work early. It would be veryte by the time she picked Joy up.


    Shu Pan gave it some thought and decided to give in. Gu Shaoting wasn¡¯t someone who would change his mind easily. If she didn¡¯t agree, he would pester her, and she didn¡¯t want to suffer that.


    ¡°Let¡¯s talkter. I¡¯m busy.¡± Shu Pan left after saying that.


    Gu Shaoting looked at the time. It was still early, but he was thinking about Joy. The more he thought about her, the less interest he had about work. He simply sat at his desk and stared nkly at hisputer screen.


    Gu Shaoting didn¡¯t even notice when Secretary Zhang Imocked on the door and came in with a stack of documents.


    Secretary Zhang walked up to his desk and was about to pass him the documents when he saw Gu Shaoting¡¯s nk stare and worrisome face.


    ¡°Are all women so stubborn?¡± Gu Shaoting¡¯s sudden speech startled Secretary Zhang.


    Secretary Zhang was stunned for a moment before he realized what was going on. He knew about CEO Gu and the former Mrs. Gu. He knew that Shu Pan had been keeping a low profile to avoid gossip. That was also why he addressed her as Ms. Shu, as if they hadn¡¯t met before.


    Secretary Zhangforted, ¡°I think she needs time to heal from being hurt before. Give her time. I believe that she will slowly ept you..¡±

 Chapter 241 - 241: Bitten By A Dog?

    Chapter 241: Bitten By A Dog?


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Secretary Zhang wanted to p himself after he said that. Ah, he should have kept his mouth shut because he wasn¡¯t an eloquent person who knew how tofort others.


    Who hurt the former Mrs. Gu? It was Mr. Gu. When he said that, he was telling Mr. Gu that he deserved what he got for hurting her; how could it be so easy to woo her back now?


    However, he didn¡¯t dare to say more because Mr. Gu¡¯s face was as dark as the bottom of a burned pot.


    But he suddenly had an idea and added, ¡°She didn¡¯t reject you, which means that you still mean something to her. There is hope yet. Women are more independent now, which is a good thing. They are not clingy. Mrs. Gu is a good example of that.¡± He didn¡¯t dare to add the word ¡°former¡± before Mrs. Gu. He was afraid that Mr. Gu would send him to Africa to develop the market there. He was in full self-preservation mode now.


    ¡°Do you have the right toment if she¡¯s good or not?¡± Gu Shaoting nced at Secretary Zhang coldly.


    Secretary Zhang felt as if he had been plunged into ice-cold water. It was his fault for not checking his horoscope before he left the house today, which was why Mr. Gu disliked him.


    ¡°Mr. Gu, I¡¯ll leave these documents here for your perusal and approval.¡± He then slipped out quickly.


    When Shu Pan took the elevator back to her office, she bumped into MO Lan. She wanted to walk out but decided against it.


    Shu Pan knew that given such a good opportunity, MO Lan would mock her.


    As expected, after MO Lan walked in, she leaned against the elevator wall and nced at Shu Pan before she looked at the elevator doors and said with her nose in the air, ¡°Some people really have no sense of shame. Spending time alone with the CEO in his office. Goodness knows what they¡¯ve done.¡±


    Shu Pan treated MO Lan¡¯s words like a dog bite while she thought about whether she should bite the dog back¡­


    She didn¡¯t have the energy to bother with a troublemaker like MO Lan.


    Shu Pan¡¯s indifferent attitude annoyed MO Lan. She turned her head and red at Shu Pan before she said, ¡°What? Are you tacitly admitting that something happened by keeping quiet?¡±


    Shu Pan couldn¡¯t take it anymore.


    She felt that MO Lan¡¯s personality waspletely twisted. She had been working diligently since she joined thepany and never gossiped about anyone. So, why was MO Lan constantly picking on her?


    Shu Pan had always minded her own business. As she saw her colleagues day in and day out, she silently tolerated many things. But she realized now that her tolerance had led to even more aggressive behaviors.


    ¡°Please don¡¯t judge others using your own standards. You know better than anyone else the kind of person you are. Don¡¯t assume that your vixen aura has disappeared just because time has passed.¡± Shu Pan¡¯s words almost made MO Lan jump. She knew that Tang Wei had told Shu Pan about what happened, or Shu Pan would never have known.


    ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± MO Lan feigned innocence.


    ¡°Just what it means literally. I hope you¡¯ll watch yourself because I¡¯m not someone to be trifled with.¡± Shu Pan was really annoyed with MO Lan. Just as Tang Wei said, one must fight fire with fire with a person like Tang Wei just to shut her up.


    One must show one¡¯s ws to keep the wolves at bay.


    Finally, they arrived at their floor. The elevator doors opened, and Shu Pan walked out first. MO Lan stared at Shu Pan¡¯s back as if she wanted to bore a hole through her.


    Tang Wei winked at her, and Shu Pan replied unhappily, ¡°I was bitten by a


    dog..¡±

 Chapter 242 - 242: A Very Sticky Plaster

    Chapter 242: A Very Sticky ster


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    ¡°Why would there be a dog in the office? Do you need a Tetanus shot?¡± Tang Wei asked in all seriousness, defeating Shu Panpletely.


    ¡°Nah. I¡¯ll recover given time.¡± Shu Pan said casually.


    MO Lan walked in subsequently, stomping her feet. She thought with gritted teeth that she couldn¡¯t do anything to Shu Pan now, but she would catch Shu Pan one day and stop her arrogance.


    She used to think that Shu Pan was a pushover, but her eyes had been opened today. Shu Pan had been hiding her true self.


    Tang Wei saw MO Lan¡¯s sulky face and gave Shu Pan a look that asked her what was going on.


    Shu Pan shrugged her shoulders and went back to work.


    Tang Wei didn¡¯t get any inside scoop and went back to work too.


    When it was almost knock-off time, Gu Shaoting called Shu Pan. Shu Pan saw the caller ID and was worried that someone would see it, so she secretly picked up the call.


    ¡°Can you leave now? I¡¯ll wait for you at the intersection across the street. If you¡¯re not down in 10 minutes, I¡¯ll go up and look for you.¡± Gu Shaoting hung up before Shu Pan could speak.


    Shu Pan was furious. When would this person ever learn to respect others? He was always so domineering.


    Shu Pan had no choice. She was more afraid that he would run up to find her if she didn¡¯t show up. Therefore, she left the moment knock-off time came and rushed to the intersection across the street as quickly as she could.


    Shu Pan didn¡¯t act like a thief this time. She quickly opened the car door and got in.


    Gu Shaoting smiled in satisfaction at her speed. Sure enough, threats worked better.


    Shu Pan said that she needed to go to the supermarket to get groceries after they picked Joy up and it wasn¡¯t convenient to go shopping with Joy in tow.


    Hearing this, Gu Shaoting immediately said, ¡°I¡¯ll go too. I can help carry things.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just groceries. Nothing too heavy.¡± Shu Pan replied.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go and see what our little beauty Joy wants to eat.¡± Gu Shaoting ignored Shu Pan¡¯s reply, picked Joy up and walked forward.


    If anyone who knew him saw this scene, they would be shocked. It was because he was the CEO of Gu Group who was always ruthless and decisive in the business world.


    But now? He was like a very sticky ster in front of the mother and daughter, the kind that couldn¡¯t be removed even if one tried.


    Shu Pan couldn¡¯t figure out his intentions and couldn¡¯t believe the change in his behavior. Perhaps he would turn cold again after he recovered his memories¡­


    Her scars from the past hadn¡¯t healed yet and still hurt asionally.


    Buttely, Gu Shaoting had been looking at her more passionately and his behavior in front of her had changed a lot. She even wondered sometimes if he was still the same person.


    ¡°What¡¯s on your mind? Why are you so engrossed?¡± Gu Shaoting saw that she was in a daze and interrupted her train of thought.


    ¡°Nothing much. I¡¯m just thinking about what to cook tonight.¡± Shu Pan said perfunctorily.


    ¡°I would like to have sweet and sour pork ribs, green pepper beef, boiled Chinese cabbage, and chestnut chicken soup.¡± Gu Shaoting rattled off a few dishes in one breath.


    ¡°Joy, what would you like to eat?¡± Shu Pan didn¡¯t respond to Gu Shaoting but asked Joy.


    ¡°I would like to have the same dishes as Uncle Gu.¡± Joy said proudly.


    Joy¡¯s favorite person now was her mother, followed by Uncle Gu. Because Uncle Go picked her up from school early every day in his car and her ssmates all thought that Uncle Gu was her father and were very envious.


    Because Uncle Gu was super handsome. A few children in her ss even said that they would like to switch fathers.


    But this was her secret, one that she wouldn¡¯t tell anyone.


    Every time Uncle Gu came, he would buy her a toy or a Barbie doll. She really wished that he was her father.


    She would ask her mother one day if Uncle Gu could be her father..

 Chapter 243 - 243: Not Picky

    Chapter 243: Not Picky


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Shu Pan was frustrated. She ignored the two of them and picked her own dishes.


    Light music yed in the supermarket; it was very rxing.


    Gu Shaoting was pushing the shopping cart with Joy inside it and Shu Pan was bending over to pick groceries.


    They looked like a happy family to anyone. Gu Shaoting left his suit jacket in the car and wore his shirt with the sleeves rolled up. He looked very handsome.


    Shu Pan looked gentle and lovely in a ruffle top with a pair of cropped jeans. She looked fresh and elegant.


    Gu Shaoting looked over and saw Shu Pan picking broli.


    He frowned as he didn¡¯t like broli.


    But then, Shu Pan put a head of broli into the cart.


    ¡°Mommy, I don¡¯t like this vegetable. It stinks.¡± When Joy saw the broli, she pouted and made a disgusted expression.


    Gu Shaoting couldn¡¯t help but secretly feel happy. Joy was indeed his daughter to hate broli like he did.


    ¡°Joy, don¡¯t be picky. If you are picky about your food, you won¡¯t grow tall.¡± Shu Pan coaxed. ¡°This vegetable is very nutritious. Look, Uncle Gu likes it too.¡± ¡°Uncle Gu, do you like this vegetable?¡± Joy asked in her childish voice.


    Under Shu Pan¡¯s gaze, Gu Shaoting forced himself to say, ¡°Uncle isn¡¯t picky. You see, Uncle is so tall all because he likes to eat vegetables like this.¡±


    Was it really okay for CEO Gu to lie to a child like that to woo his wife back?


    If Secretary Zhang was present, he would probablyin too.


    If their CEO Gu wasn¡¯t picky about food, probably no one in the world was.


    ¡°Alright then, Mommy, get one more. I¡¯ll eat with Uncle Gu. I want to be as tall as Uncle Gu.¡± Joy said bravely.


    Gu Shaoting smiled bitterly in his heart. He really shot himself in the foot for having a daughter who sabotaged her own father.


    ¡°Okay, then Mommy will make you both stir-fried broli with shrimps.¡± Shu Pan actually knew that Gu Shaoting hated broli.


    In their few years of marriage, she knew his food preferences like the back of her hand, but she didn¡¯t want to let him have his way. Moreover, she realized that Joy didn¡¯t like broli too, which was not a good habit.


    Gu Shaoting¡¯s heart was filled with sweetness when he heard that. Shu Pan was going to make the dish for him and his daughter. He would probably eat it even if it was poisonous.


    Gu Shaoting acted as if the things in the supermarket cost nothing. He bought a cartful of groceries. Shu Pan didn¡¯t want to say anything more. After paying, he carried a few big bags with both hands.


    Shu Pan held Joy¡¯s hand and walked in front. Gu Shaoting followed behind, feeling very contented as he watched the mother and daughter.


    When they got home, Shu Pan started cooking. Gu Shaoting wanted to help in the kitchen but Shu Pan chased him out. He would probably mess up if he helped.


    Gu Shaoting watched Shu Pan, who had a flowery apron around her waist as she nimbly toss the wok of stir-fried vegetables. Her long ck hair was casually tied up, revealing her fair neck.


    It wasn¡¯t difficult to tell from her appearance and actions that she was a straightforward and decisive person.


    Gu Shaoting felt gratitude blossom in his heart as he watched the scene. The ideal picture of a happy and harmonious family was exactly like this in his mind.


    Shu Pan made three dishes and a soup: stir-fried broli with shrimps, vinegar ribs, steamed fish, and chestnut chicken soup. It was a sumptuous meal. The dishes were still steaming hot when they were served, emitting waves of fragrance.


    Joy washed her hands and sat at the table, ready to eat.


    Shu Pan prepared a small bowl for her and patiently cut the vegetables and meat into smaller pieces so she could eat on her own. Gratitude washed over Gu Shaoting again..

 Chapter 244 - 244: I Don ‘t Want Your Bank Card

    Chapter 244: I Don ¡®t Want Your Bank Card


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    After dinner, Gu Shaoting offered to do the dishes. Shu Pan didn¡¯t say anything and pulled Joy into the shower and started preparing her for bed.


    After Joy fell asleep, Shu Pan went back to the living room and found that Gu Shaoting was still there. He was sitting on the sofa, thinking about something.


    When he saw here out, he patted the seat beside him, asking her to sit. Shu Pan sat down across from him. ¡°It¡¯s gettingte. Why are you still here?¡± Gu Shaoting pursed his lips before he said, ¡°I have something to tell you.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± Shu Pan looked at his hesitant expression.


    Gu Shaoting didn¡¯t say anything. Instead, he took out a card from his wallet and handed it to Shu Pan.


    Shu Pan saw that it was a bank card. She asked in confusion, ¡®Why are you giving me this?¡±


    ¡°Take it. Consider it emerzencv funds. You can use it however vou want. Don¡¯t


    be too hard on yourself and Joy.¡±


    Gu Shaoting¡¯s trip to the supermarket with them tonight made him realize that the mother and daughter weren¡¯t living an easy life.


    Shu Pan¡¯s sry alone wasn¡¯t enough to support the family.


    Only then did he realize how cruel he had been. He vowed to never let them live a hard life.


    ¡°I don¡¯t need it. I have hands and feet. I can earn my own money. Moreover, I¡¯m nobody to you now. Why should I spend your money?¡±


    Shu Pan was adamant. It wasn¡¯t just now. She also never thought of spending his money before they divorced. It was onlyter when she was forced into a corner because of debt problems that she started talking about money when they divorced. That was the only time she begged unabashedly.


    She had gritted her teeth and survived for such a long time, so she didn¡¯t need anyone¡¯s help or charity now.


    Gu Shaoting had expected her to say that. He had been a real jerk back then.


    ¡°You see, I oftene to your ce to freeload. Just treat it as food expenses.¡± Gu Shaoting had no choice but to find an excuse.


    Shu Pan still refused to ept it and Gu Shaoting was very frustrated.


    The next day at work, Gu Shaoting sat in his office. He was restless early in the morning and in low spirits.


    He just couldn¡¯t understand why Shu Pan wouldn¡¯t ept his bank card. If it were any other woman, they would have been so grateful.


    He was so engrossed in his thoughts that he did not even notice Secretary Zhang walk in.


    Secretary Zhang saw the worry between his brows and swallowed the ¡°CEO Gu¡± that was about toe out of his mouth.


    The sound of the door closing startled him.


    ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Gu Shaoting snapped out of his daze and asked Secretary Zhang, who was not far away.


    Secretary Zhang immediately handed some documents over respectfully.


    ¡°These are the documents to be reviewed today. And these are to be signed¡­¡±


    Secretary Zhang then gave him a series of work updates. Gu Shaoting listened but didn¡¯t remember a single word.


    ¡°CEO Gu, that¡¯s the schedule for today. If there¡¯s nothing else, I¡¯ll go back to my desk.¡± Secretary Zhang said after his updates.


    Gu Shaoting was toozy to talk, so he waved his hand to dismiss Secretary Zhang.


    Just as Secretary Zhang was about to open the door, Gu Shaoting called him back.


    He then looked up at Secretary Zhang and asked, ¡°Do you have a girlfriend?¡±


    Secretary Zhang was ttered. Did his busy boss care if he had a girlfriend?


    But he still answered frankly, ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Does she spend your money?¡± Gu Shaoting asked.


    ¡°She wished she could hold on to my wallet. How could she not spend my money? She evenins that I don¡¯t have enough money in my wallet sometimes!¡± Secretary Zhangined bitterly despite being a willing party.


    Gu Shaoting was also a willing party..

 Chapter 245 - 245: Does She Love Me Or Not?

    Chapter 245: Does She Love Me Or Not?


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    ¡°Then what do you think is the reason why a woman refuses to spend a single cent from a man?¡± Gu Shaoting asked dejectedly.


    Secretary Zhang¡¯s little brain made a 360-degree turn at high speed. Why would CEO Gu ask him such a question? Was there a woman who refused to spend his money? Who was that stupid? If there really was¡­


    Secretary Zhang finally thought of a neutral answer and said carefully, ¡°Generally, there are two reasons why a woman refuses to spend a man¡¯s money. Either she loves him very much or she doesn¡¯t love him at all.¡±


    ¡°If she loves him very much, she doesn¡¯t spend his money because she¡¯s afraid that others would misunderstand her as a vain woman who¡¯s only with the man because of his money. Of course, it¡¯s also possible that the woman has decided to spend her life with the man and can¡¯t bear to spend his money because she wanted to help him save money.¡±


    ¡°If she doesn¡¯t love him, refusing to spend his money is equivalent to treating him as an outsider in case there¡¯s any trouble in the future. After all, favors involving money are hard to settle. She doesn¡¯t want to owe him anything to avoid trouble.¡±


    Secretary Zhang couldn¡¯t help but secretly cheer for himself. Such a remarkable answer wouldn¡¯t offend anyone.


    He didn¡¯t dare to guess what CEO Gu meant, so he gave him two answers.


    He looked at Gu Shaoting, who didn¡¯t seem to have any follow-up questions. He didn¡¯t stay any longer and quickly left, closing the door behind him.


    Having such a boss was mentally exhausting. He didn¡¯t just need to be a secretary. He also needed to be a rtionship expert.


    Secretary Zhang considered buying a few books about rtionships after work today so he could enlighten his boss from time to time.


    Gu Shaoting felt Secretary Zhang¡¯s words were reasonable.


    So, Shu Pan didn¡¯t want to spend his money because she didn¡¯t love him?


    Because she had already said that she was nobody to him. Why would she spend his money?


    With the answer, Gu Shaoting became even more irritable, like a porcupine in a balloon factory.


    As a result, he was muddleheaded and distracted in everything he did the whole day.


    Even during the senior management meeting in the afternoon, he only said two words from the moment he entered the conference room until the meeting ended. ¡°Let¡¯s begin.¡±


    The meetingsted for more than two hours. He sat there motionless, seemingly very focused on listening to the managers¡¯ updates when, in fact, he was daydreaming.


    When the meeting ended, he was still sitting in his seat without a word. The entire conference room fell silent. No one dared to get up until he spoke.


    It was not until Secretary Zhang could not take it anymore and called out, ¡°CEO


    Gu,¡± that he came back to his senses. He then looked at everyone and said, ¡°Meeting adjourned.¡±


    Everyone trickled out of the conference room when they heard that.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with CEO Gu? Was he daydreaming throughout the meeting?¡± One of the senior managers whispered.


    ¡°It can¡¯t be because thepany is in trouble, right?¡± Another person chimed in.


    ¡°Nonsense. Thepany is doing so well now. How can we be in trouble? I think he was thinking about private matters.¡±


    Everyone spected.


    Gu Shaoting only stood up when he saw that everyone had left. He picked up his meeting materials from the table and left the conference room.


    When he was back at his office, it was almost 5:30 p.m. Based on his recent habits, that was when he would leave office to pick Joy up.


    He was very happy doing this recently-


    He wasn¡¯t in the mood to work anyway, so he decided to leave earlier.


    His rtionship with Joy had improved by leaps and boundstely.


    When he arrived at the parking garage, he called Shu Pan. His call was picked up after a long time. ¡®What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going to pick Joy up. Are you able to leave now?¡± Gu Shaoting felt that he was a failure that his subordinate wouldn¡¯t listen to him, the CEO.


    ¡°Not yet. Wait downstairs after you pick her up. I¡¯ll be home soon.¡± Shu Pan hung up the phone after giving her instructions..

 Chapter 246 - 246: Shameful

    Chapter 246: Shameful


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    ¡°No. Don¡¯t go home. I¡¯ll pick you up after I picked Joy up. My friend invited me to his restaurant opening today. I didn¡¯t want to go, but since Joy will be with me, I¡¯d like to bring her along to join in the fun.¡±


    Gu Shaoting was in a bad mood the whole day that he almost forgot about his friend¡¯s invitation.


    Shu Pan was about to reject him, but after thinking about it, she figured that he would still do as he pleased.


    ¡°Alright then.¡± Shu Pan hung up and buried herself in work again.


    Because Shu Pan¡¯s director had made two very aptments on her proposal in the afternoon, she had to make a lot of changes.


    After a lot of adjustments, Shu Pan was finally happy with the changes. When she looked at the time, it was already 6:30 p.m.


    Gu Shaoting and Joy were getting impatient and had already called twice to urge her.


    She saved the file and turned off herputer.


    But the moment she looked up, she saw a tall figure standing at the entrance to her office, holding a little beauty¡¯s hand.


    Gu Shaoting¡¯s cold eyes were fixed on her.


    Out of instinct, Shu Pan quickly looked around, worried that someone would see them.


    Fortunately, it waste, and everyone had left the office.


    ¡°Why are you guys up here?¡± Shu Pan asked.


    He had called her a few more times, but she didn¡¯t pick up. He thought something had happened, so he brought Joy upstairs to look for her.


    ¡°Mommy, you¡¯re so busy. Uncle Gu and I have been waiting for you for so long. Are you a turtle?¡± Joy¡¯s childish words amused them.


    ¡°Mommy is not a turtle. I was busy with work.¡± Shu Pan exined.


    The only thought Gu Shaoting had now was to fire her tomorrow.


    They had waited for her for so long, but she had been so busy with work that she didn¡¯t even realize that they were there. When she found out after she finished work, she looked like she had seen a ghost.


    Seeing how she was looking around nervously, it was as if they were so shameful¡­


    Bosses liked diligent employees, but Gu Shaoting didn¡¯t want Shu Pan to work so hard.


    He cleared his throat to express his displeasure.


    ¡°You must be hungry. Let¡¯s go. It¡¯ll be my treat tonight.¡± Shu Pan said generously to alleviate the guilt she felt.


    Gu Shaoting didn¡¯t say anything. He pulled Joy with one hand and Shu Pan with the other to the elevator.


    Although there was no one there, they were still in the office. Moreover, there were surveince cameras everywhere. It would be bad if someone saw them like this. Shu Pan wanted to break free from him, but she was pulled even tighter by him.


    He brought them into the CEO¡¯s private elevator and went straight to the underground parking garage. They then got into his Mercedes-Benz.


    Shu Pan sat with Joy obediently in the back seat. She turned her head to look at Gu Shaoting and saw that his face was cold.


    ¡°Uncle, where are we going?¡± Joy asked when she noticed that they weren¡¯t on their way home.


    Joy knew the way home because they had been picking her mother up after work recently.


    ¡°Tov. what a smart girl von are! Uncle¡¯s friend¡¯s restaurant is opening today- We


    are going there to support him.¡± Gu Shaoting said to Joy with a smile.


    ¡°Mommy, what is support?¡± Joy was an inquisitive child. ¡°It¡¯s to help him celebrate.¡± Shu Pan exined.


    ¡°Oh, oh.¡± Joy seemed to understand.


    They arrived at the restaurant after driving for about 20 minutes. It was a big restaurant and because it was newly opened, they were giving discounts and many guests turned up. Reporters had also been invited to try the food and experience here so they could write reviews and promote the restaurant.


    When the restaurant owner saw Gu Shaoting and Shu Pan, he quickly walked up to them. ¡°Brother Ting, you¡¯re finally here. I thought you were going to stand me up! This must be Mrs. Gu and Miss Gu, right?¡±


    The restaurant owner was a shrewd person but on second thought, when did Gu Shaoting get married and have a daughter?

 Chapter 247 - 247: Holding Hands

    Chapter 247: Holding Hands


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    However, the restaurant owner did not dare to ask his questions out loud.


    But things were different with the reporters present. They all recognized Gu Shaoting. Even though this was the opening night of a new restaurant, they would never let go of such explosive news.


    Moreover, they had also heard from the boss that Tong Fei had been invited to the event, which was why they flocked there.


    They already found tomorrow¡¯s headline.


    They pointed their cameras at the three of them and took a few photos.


    Then, they waited for Tong Fei to appear.


    People wereing and going in the restaurant.


    Shu Pan held Joy¡¯s hand tightly, worried that she would get lost in the crowded restaurant.


    Gu Shaoting saw that and picked Joy up without a word.


    He had wanted to carry her just now, but the little girl said that her teacher told them to walk on their own, that they were too old to be carried around by adults.


    The little girl was full of such amusing reasons.


    Gu Shaoting held Joy with one arm and held Shu Pan¡¯s hand with his other hand without hesitation. Shu Pan was stunned. She instinctively wanted to shake off his hand but Gu Shaoting held it even tighter.


    ¡°It¡¯s crowded in here. Follow closely. Be careful not to be knocked into.¡± Gu Shaoting exined like he had sensed her intention.


    Shu Pan had no choice but to let him hold her hand.


    Shu Pan¡¯s couldn¡¯t help but feel strange with her hand wrapped in his warm palm.


    His hand was really warm, or perhaps Shu Pan¡¯s hands were really cold especially when she was having her period. Her hands and feet were even colder during those special days in the month.


    Gu Shaoting couldn¡¯t help but frown when he touched Shu Pan¡¯s hand. He made a mental note to help her regte her health.


    As he held her hand, Shu Pan realized that she missed the feeling of holding hands.


    She secretly looked at him and realized that he was trying to clear a path for them, so she stopped overthinking the situation.


    ¡®Mr. and Mrs., this way please.¡± A waitress greeted them politely. She had obviously misunderstood their rtionship.


    However, no one could be med for this. Anyone who saw them would assume that they were a family.


    Gu Shaoting actually cracked a satisfied smile when he heard the waitress.


    The owner of the restaurant had reserved a great spot for them to enjoy the beautiful scenery.


    Gu Shaoting led the mother and daughter to their seats.


    Then, they started to order. Because it was the restaurant¡¯s opening night, Gu Shaoting ordered all their signature dishes.


    ¡°That¡¯s enough. It¡¯s wasteful if we can¡¯t finish the food.¡± Shu Pan restrained him. There were only three of them.


    ¡°That¡¯ll be all.¡± Gu Shaoting finally stopped ordering and handed the menu back to the waiter.


    Just as they were waiting for their food, amotion broke out at the entrance of the restaurant. Someone from the next table shouted, ¡°There¡¯s a celebrity here.¡±


    Only then did Shu Pan look curiously at the entrance.


    Wasn¡¯t that Tong Fei? Sigh, fate would always make the enemies meet.


    Even though she was seated quite far away from the entrance, Shu Pan recognized Tong Fei immediately.


    After all, Tong Fei was tall and elegant. She always stood out from the crowd and was difficult to miss.


    ¡°Ms. Tong, do you know that Mr. Gu Shaoting is also here?¡± One of the reporters asked. Because he was very loud, everyone in the room heard him and kept quiet. They wanted to hear her answer. After all, these two had been in the headlinestely.


    Tong Fei was slightly stunned, but she quickly realized that it was expected that he was here. After all, they both knew the restaurant owner, so it wasn¡¯t strange for Gu Shaoting toe and support him on his opening night.


    ¡°Everyone, please let me through. It¡¯s the opening night of my friend¡¯s restaurant and I will not be answering any questions unrted to the restaurant. Your understanding is much appreciated.¡± Tong Fei gave a very formal answer..

 Chapter 248 - 248: Unbelievable

    Chapter 248: Unbelievable


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    The reporters weren¡¯t that easy to dismiss. They were obviously not satisfied with Tong Fei¡¯s answer.


    They kept pressing her.


    Fortunately, the restaurant owner saw themotion and rushed over. He then said apologetically, ¡®Ms. Tong is my VIP today. Please don¡¯t disturb her.


    Please give me some face and enjoy the dishes we¡¯ve prepared for you over there. Thank you.¡±


    The restaurant owner¡¯s words were reasonable. Since it was his opening night, it would be rude to say anything, so the reporters moved away.


    Only then did the restaurant owner say with a guilty look on his face, ¡°Tong


    Fei, sorry for the trouble.¡±


    Tong Fei smiled. ¡°Old Zhang, you¡¯re being too polite.¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­ Shaoting is here too, uh¡­ With his friends.¡± The restaurant owner said vaguely.


    Tong Fei was ecstatic. She knew that Old Zhang and Gu Shaoting were close and Old Zhang would definitely invite him, so she agreed toe and try her Plus, there were reporters here today¡­ As she expected.


    She suppressed her tion and didn¡¯t show it on her face as she replied casually, ¡°Oh? He¡¯s here too. I¡¯ll go and say hiter.¡±


    ¡°Um¡­ There¡¯s no hurry¡­¡± Tong Fei was a little confused at Old Zhang¡¯s stutter.


    ¡°Is it inconvenient?¡± She could not help but ask.


    ¡°He¡¯s having dinner with his friends.¡± Old Zhang made an inviting gesture and Tong Fei walked into the private room that Old Zhang had prepared for her. A few of her friends were already inside.


    They ate and drank for a while, and then Tong Fei went to the bathroom. On her way back, she asked a waiter and found out where Gu Shaoting and his friends were. She followed the waiter¡¯s instructions and headed in his direction.


    She suddenly stopped in her tracks as she approached their table, her eyes fixed on the scene before her.


    It was a scene of a happy family having dinner. The mother was picking up food for the child while the father smiled knowingly as he watched. Then, the father scooped a bowl of soup for the mother and asked the mother to drink it quickly while he fed the child.


    They looked like a happy family to anyone. Tong Fei actually lost the courage to approach them.


    The scene really messed up her head because the Gu Shaoting she knew was never so family-oriented and gentle.


    He always had a cold look on his face, so she couldn¡¯t believe her eyes.


    It turned out that he could be gentle, just not with her.


    She then looked at Shu Pan with a vicious gaze. It was all because of her that Shaoting did not want to be with her. He used to be so good to her that she would asionally reminisced about their good times together.


    Tong Fei noticed that the reporters had been looking at her. She pretended not to see them and turned to go back to her private room.


    She gave up on the idea of saying hi to Gu Shaoting.


    After getting back to her private room, Tong Fei quickly collected herself and chatted andughed with the dinnerpanions.


    Gu Shaoting had been taking care of Joy, and the little girl was getting attached to him.


    Shu Pan would be lying if she said she wasn¡¯t moved by Gu Shaoting¡¯s eager attempts to please her and Joy.


    However, could her already scarred heart still love someone?


    She still couldn¡¯t let go of the hurt that Gu Shaoting had caused her, so she couldn¡¯t respond to him.


    But she was grateful for his involvement in Joy¡¯s life. After all, he had lost his memory yet he could treat Joy as his own.


    She looked at the man and child, who looked alike, and their question-and-answer conversation. She fell into deep thought.


    ¡°Eat more. Why are you in a daze?¡± Gu Shaoting couldn¡¯t help but asked when he saw that she wasn¡¯t eating.


    ¡°Will do.¡± Shu Pan slowly picked up her chopsticks and started eating..

 Chapter 249 - 249: A News Interview

    Chapter 249: A News Interview


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    After dinner, Gu Shaoting carried Joy, who had fallen asleep, out. Shu Pan walked a few steps behind. They were about to leave the restaurant when they


    suaaemy saw a rew reporters at tne restaurant entrance snappmg pnocos 01 them.


    Gu Shaoting covered Joy¡¯s face so that they couldn¡¯t take a picture of her face.


    Shu Pan was stunned. She was not mentally prepared at all.


    She tugged at Gu Shaoting¡¯s sleeve and said anxiously, ¡°Why are there reporters taking photos of us? We¡¯re not public figures.¡±


    Gu Shaoting knew that it was because of Tong Fei, so heforted her apologetically, ¡°It¡¯s okay. We have nothing to hide. Let them write whatever they want.¡±


    Shu Pan raised her eyebrows. She felt that the person who should be worried wasn¡¯t her but Gu Shaoting. After all, she was just a passerby who wasn¡¯t newsworthy.


    Whereas he was the CEO of Gu Group and often appeared in the news. He should be more concerned.


    But why couldn¡¯t she see any worry or fear on his face? Was he not afraid of being exposed?


    However, Shu Pan neglected one thing. Although she was a passerby, she was not an ordinary passerby when she was with Gu Shaoting.


    If this matter was exposed, it would definitely cause a huge uproar.


    ¡°Gu Shaoting dumped his model ex-fianc¨¦e because he found a new lover.¡± ¡°About Gu Shaoting¡¯s secret marriage and his daughter who is a few years old¡­¡±


    Although Shu Pan didn¡¯t gossip, she knew how reporters would distort the truth to create sensational news. She didn¡¯t want to be the female lead of gossip.


    The more Shu Pan thought about it, the more ufortable she felt. Unfortunately, she could only watch the reporters press the shutter buttons on their cameras repeatedly.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, they won¡¯t dare to write nonsense.¡± Gu Shaotingforted her again.


    Shu Pan felt like a puppet being pulled along by Gu Shaoting. She couldn¡¯t help but cover her face with her bag.


    Gu Shaoting chuckled as it was totally unnecessary.


    Seeing that they didn¡¯t mind having their photos taken, the reporters surrounded them.


    ¡°Mr. Gu, Ms. Tong Fei also came here just now. Did you meet her?¡±


    ¡°No, please let us through.¡± Gu Shaoting was getting annoyed. Most importantly, he was afraid of hurting Joy.


    ¡°Mr. Gu, what¡¯s happening between you and Ms. Tong Fei now?¡± The reporters were relentless.


    A male reporter suddenly turned to Shu Pan. ¡°Miss, what¡¯s your rtionship with Mr. Gu? How long have you been together? Whose child is this?¡±


    Shu Pan turned her face away and ignored him but the reporter pressed on,


    ¡°Miss, do you know that Ms. Tong Fei is Mr. Guts fianc¨¦e?¡±


    The reporter was insinuating that she was the third party who intervened in their rtionship.


    Just as Shu Pan was getting annoyed, a strong and powerful hand yanked her out of the restaurant. Shu Pan was shocked.


    She followed Gu Shaoting out of the crowd of reporters, escaped to the parking lot and then drove away.


    He let Joy lie down with her head on Shu Pan¡¯sp in the back seat.


    Shu Pan, who finally had a chance to catch her breath, heaved a sigh of relief.


    She couldn¡¯t help but grumble, ¡°You¡¯re really popr. I hope nothing happens.¡± Gu Shaoting pretended not to hear her and focused on driving.


    As for the reporters, he was eager for them to report his rtionship with Shu Pan. He would ept it as long as the writing wasn¡¯t too unbearable.


    However, he would never allow them to write about Joy¡¯s background.


    Shu Pan gave up since Gu Shaoting didn¡¯t make a sound. She just sat upright in the back seat and look at Gu Shaoting¡¯s wless profile from time to time and sighed ¡°what a disaster¡± in her heart..

 Chapter 250 - 250: Headline News

    Chapter 250: Headline News


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    The headline on the entertainment news the following day was ¡°Cindere snagged the CEO of Gu Group and banished Tong Fei.¡±


    The headline attracted everyone¡¯s attention the moment it was published.


    The report mentioned that Gu Shaoting had an illegitimate daughter who was already a few years old. She had never appeared in the public eye before because the child¡¯s mother had given birth to her in secret without informing Gu Shaoting. Now that she was no longer a baby and reunited with Gu Shaoting, her mother could finally live a good life because of her.


    Hence, Cindere had sessfully risen to power using her daughter, won back her lost love and conquered the tycoon.


    It was expected that Tong Fei would be banished because for most men, their children were their Archilles¡¯ heel. Gu Shaoting was one of them.


    Shu Pan¡¯s eyes widened as she read the article. It was unbelievable. The reporters were really good at making things up.


    Fortunately, the photo in the news article was a shot of Shu Pan¡¯s profile. Even people who knew her might not recognize that it was her.


    Shu Pan was in deep regret now. She knew that nothing good woulde out of having Gu Shaoting back in her life.


    Just look at this news article. Even television scriptwriters couldn¡¯t make up such a story.


    How resourceful were these reporters?


    Shu Pan felt her anger boiling over. She picked up her phone and called Gu Shaoting.


    ¡°Did you read today¡¯s entertainment news?¡± Shu Pan could not suppress her frustration.


    ¡°I¡¯m not interested in those things.¡± Gu Shaoting replied inly.


    ¡°You must read today¡¯s entertainment news because you are the main character. Please settle your own love debt and not drag me into it. The reporters are on to you. Please stay away from us for the time being.¡±


    Shu Pan was furious. What kind of nonsense did these reporters make up?


    Although she had secretly given birth to her daughter, she did not use Joy to elevate her social status.


    In the article, she was portrayed as a scheming b*tch who plotted against men.


    The person on the other end of the phone was silent for a while before he said, ¡°It¡¯s enough that I know you¡¯re not the kind of person they make you out to be.


    Why care about what others say?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t even know how to face people anymore.¡± Shu Pan felt that she wasn¡¯t as Zen as Gu Shaoting made her out to be. She couldn¡¯t imagine a life in which she¡¯d be gossiped about all the time.


    Gu Shaoting didn¡¯t say more but changed the subject, ¡°I won¡¯t let you suffer.¡± Gu Shaoting meant what he said.


    After he hung up, he immediately called Tong Fei. As soon as the call connected, he went straight to the point.


    ¡°Tong Fei, you have two options now. Either you rify the misinformation, or


    I will.¡±


    Tong Fei was very happy to get a call from Gu Shaoting but she didn¡¯t expect him to call her about this.


    Tong Fei immediately forced out a few drops of tears. ¡°Shaoting, why are you treating me like this? If you like children, I can give you children too.¡±


    Tong Fei was still trying to salvage their rtionship, unwilling to give him up. Who gave Shu Pan the right to tie Gu Shaoting up with a child?


    She was regretting now why she didn¡¯t secretly get pregnant with Gu Shaoting¡¯s child.


    But such regrets were useless now. Things had alreadye to this and worse of all, Gu Shaoting¡¯s attitude toward her.


    She was heartbroken.


    ¡°Tong Fei, you know that it¡¯s never because of children. I like Joy, but that¡¯s not the reason why I broke up with you.¡±


    Gu Shaoting didn¡¯t want to be too blunt. The real reason was that he didn¡¯t love her.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry for the hurt I¡¯ve caused you. If you need any help, just ask. I¡¯ll say it again. I¡¯ll do anything within my ability to help you, but I don¡¯t want another news article like this to appear.¡±


    Gu Shaoting used both the carrot and the stick. He believed that Tong Fei was a smart person and would make the right choice..

 Chapter 251 - 251: Cinderella? So Envious.

    Chapter 251: Cindere? So Envious.


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Tong Fei held a press conference in the afternoon to rify that she had already broken up with Gu Shaoting. She even said with teary eyes that it was an amicable breakup because of their ipatible personalities and that she already fell for another person.


    When the news came out, everyone was shocked. So, that was what happened.


    It wasn¡¯t Gu Shaoting who dumped Tong Fei, but Tong Fei who dumped him. How was that possible?


    Gu Shaoting was a handsome tycoon, the ideal Prince Charming to many.


    He had an admirable demeanor and was extremely wealthy. How could Tong Fei dump such a brilliant CEO? It was unbelievable.


    While spection was running wild, Gu Shaoting also issued a statement and reaffirmed what Tong Fei said.


    What made things worse was the final sentence in Gu Shaoting¡¯s statement that was nonsense to Shu Pan but a revtion to the reporters.


    ¡°I¡¯m also pursuing my own happiness now. Please give us privacy. Thank you for your understanding.¡±


    Shu Pan couldn¡¯t help but roll her eyes.


    But the nonsensical sentence aside, Shu Pan felt a lot more at ease after Gu Shaoting¡¯s issued the statement.


    Someone who could make Tong Fei yield and put up a show must be quite powerful. Obviously, the powerful man was Gu Shaoting.


    Shu Pan was fine as long as the news didn¡¯t disturb her or Joy.


    When Shu Pan went back to the office, everyone was talking about their CEO.


    When Tang Wei saw Shu Pan, she immediately said, ¡°Shu Pan, did you know that the CEO is actually taken? It¡¯s so heartbreaking.¡±


    Shu Pan asked in confusion, ¡°Who is it? How did you know?¡±


    ¡°Have you been living under a rock? It¡¯s all over the newspapers and headline of every entertainment news site.¡± Tang Wei said, shaking her head.


    ¡°Do you think that the girl is the CEO¡¯s daughter? She¡¯s at least four or five years old, not a baby. This woman is quite amazing to be able to elevate her status using ner aaugnter. Sign, wny Clld1Tt s good tnmgs nappen to meg¡¯ Tang Wei said with envy.


    ¡°Maybe they¡¯re just friends, not the kind of rtionship assume.¡± Shu Pan argued.


    ¡°Are they? Is that even possible? He¡¯s holding the woman¡¯s hand.¡± Shu Pan was really impressed by Tang Wei¡¯s keen observation.


    ¡°You¡¯re overthinking this. Things are not always as they seem.¡± Shu Pan sighed. She was once again deceived by Gu Shaoting¡¯s appearance.


    Before Tang Wei could reply, another gloating voice sounded, ¡°Has someone¡¯s dream of turning into Cindere been shattered?¡±


    Everyone could tell from the voice that it was MO Lan.


    Because her voice was a little shrill, she sounded mean.


    Tang Wei pursed her lips and looked at her disdainfully.


    Seeing that no one answered her, MO Lan continued, ¡°Some people are so shameless to throw themselves at the CEO knowing that he¡¯s already taken. I wonder if they¡¯ll cry themselves to death in the toilet now.¡±


    MO Lan then gave a jealous sounding ¡°ha-ha¡±. She had unrealistic thoughts about Gu Shaoting and was depressed for a long time after herst encounter with him.


    Now that she had finally gotten the chance, she would definitely let Shu Pan have a taste of it.


    However, seeing Shu Pan ignore her sarcasm and act so nonchntly, she was furious.


    ¡°Are you talking about yourself?¡± Tang Wei couldn¡¯t help but ask.


    ¡°What are you talking about? Ugly freak.¡± MO Lan immediately attacked Tang Wei.


    ¡°It didn¡¯t mention any name, but Shu Pan, don¡¯t you think that the female lead¡¯s profile in the photo looks like yours?¡± Tang Wei eximed like she had suddenly discovered some incredible truth.


    ¡°What nonsense are you talking about?¡± Shu Pan¡¯s heartbeat elerated as she pulled Tang Wei back to her seat..

 Chapter 252 - 252: An Unexpected Confrontation

    Chapter 252: An Unexpected Confrontation


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Shu Pan heaved a sigh of relief when Tang Wei dropped the subject.


    MO Lan saw that Shu Pan didn¡¯t seem affected and left disappointedly.


    Shu Pan was anxious the whole day, worried that someone would recognize her as the female lead in the news article.


    Fortunately, everyone was busy with work and had no time to gossip.


    People trickled out of the office when the workday ended. Shu Pan was thest person to leave again. It seemed to be her habit.


    Gu Shaoting went to pick Joy up again, like it had be his responsibility. Shu Pan sometimes wondered if he had recovered his memories.


    But judging by his innocent expression, he didn¡¯t look it.


    Since the limelight had been on himtely, she had asked him to be more careful and not to pick up Joy, but he didn¡¯t care.


    Since she was also very tied up with the project, she relented and let him pick Joy up, but not her.


    She wanted to go home by herself. She had always kept a low profile and didn¡¯t want to draw attention to herself.


    Just as she was about to cross the road, a car next to her honked.


    Through the car window, Shu Pan saw the passenger in the car, who was in her usual sunsses like they were her signature.


    When Tong Fei saw Shu Pan look over, she opened the car door and walked out.


    As the sun dipped below the horizon, casting hues of orange, pink, and purple across the canvas of the evening sky, the two women stood facing each other. The soft breeze yed with their hair and clothes.


    Neither of them spoke. Shu Pan frowned, confused about Tong Fei¡¯s sudden appearance at her work ce.


    Finally, Tong Fei broke the silence.


    ¡°Shu Pan, you must be very proud that Shaoting has finally called off our engagement.¡±


    Shu Pan looked at her in silence.


    ¡°Do you think that you¡¯ve won?¡± Tong Fei raised her voice.


    Shu Pan let out a cold chuckle. This woman was truly pathetic andughable.


    ¡°You¡¯re really funny. What does the annulment of your engagement have anything to do with me? If you are unhappy about it, please talk to Gu Shaoting. I¡¯m not the person you should be talking to.¡±


    Shu Pan couldn¡¯t stand people like Tong Fei, whom she had tolerated repeatedly but had be even more aggressive.


    Tong Fei¡¯s expression froze, like she had been hit on the sore spot. She yelled, ¡°Don¡¯t try your sarcasm on me. If it weren¡¯t for your daughter, Shaoting wouldn¡¯t have looked back. You won using your child instead of fighting. Don¡¯t you think that it¡¯s pathetic? Do you really think that you¡¯ll be happy together?¡±


    Shu Pan sneered. ¡°I¡¯ve never thought about getting back with him. You¡¯re overthinking this. ¡±


    ¡°Then why did youe back into his life again? Why did you secretly give birth to his child? You still love him deep down, right?¡± Tong Fei asked.


    Shu Pan was stunned. She had never given any thought to those questions.


    Tong Fei took Shu Pan¡¯s silence as her admission and continued hatefully, ¡°I should have let those debt collectors force you to death back then. Also, I should have been even crueler and let the car hit you again. Let¡¯s see if you¡¯ll be so lucky again to avoid getting hit and if you can still be so smug.¡±


    Shu Pan¡¯s eyes widened; she couldn¡¯t believe her ears.


    Tong Fei must have lost her mind to be able to do such vicious things just to satisfy her selfish desires.


    ¡°So, it was you¡­ Did you ask those debt collectors to harass me and smash my things? The recent car ident that Gu Shaoting got into was targeted at me and he was just a scapegoat?¡±


    Tong Fei couldn¡¯t care less about Shu Pan¡¯s interrogation.. She just shrugged and said nonchntly, ¡°So what if I¡¯m behind it all?¡±

 Chapter 253 - 253: The Truth

    Chapter 253: The Truth


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Shu Pan was furious that Tong Fei would do such crazy things just to get Gu Shaoting.


    ¡°Do you know that your actions are illegal?¡± Shu Pan said angrily.


    ¡°Only you and I know this. Who cares?¡± Tong Fei revealed a small but very strange smile.


    ¡°The heavens are watching. Be careful.¡± Shu Pan felt that Tong Fei was a lunatic and did not want to argue with her anymore.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I also want to watch with my own eyes if you and Gu Shaoting


    will have a happy ending.¡± Tong Fei had really gone crazy.


    ¡°Don¡¯t let me find out what other things you¡¯ve done or will do, or I won¡¯t let you off.¡± Shu Pan took a sudden step forward and red at Tong Fei.


    ¡°Bring it on. I won¡¯t let you off so easily either.¡± Tong Fei said with a dark face. ¡°I¡¯ll pay you back for the humiliation you¡¯ve caused me today. You¡¯d better be careful.¡±


    After Tong Fei finished speaking, she got into the car and asked the driver to start the engine and drive off.


    Shu Pan couldn¡¯t help but purse her lips as she watched Tong Fei leave.


    It turned out that Tong Fei hated her so much that she wanted her to disappear from this world.


    That was the truth, and it was terrifying.


    Shu Pan felt that the wind was very cold, and she had goosebumps all over her body.


    Seeing that it was already night, Shu Pan hastened her pace home.


    When she arrived at her building, she saw Gu Shaoting and Joy waiting for her downstairs.


    Gu Shaotingined as soon as he saw Shu Pan, ¡°You won¡¯t let me pick you up. See howte you¡¯re arriving home? Why don¡¯t you give me a set of your house keys? That way, I won¡¯t have to wait downstairs with Joy when we are back.¡±


    When Shu Pan saw him, she remembered how Tong Fei looked just now and what she had done and got furious again.


    It was all because of this disaster of a man. How else could so many bad things happen?


    ¡°I don¡¯t give my house keys to outsiders.¡± Shu Pan refused immediately.


    Gu Shaoting looked hurt. He had worked so hard and done so much. Why was he still an outsider?


    But he didn¡¯t dare to say anything. He could feel that Shu Pan wasn¡¯t happy.


    He didn¡¯t know if it was because of the news article but it was better if he kept his mouth shut.


    He also couldn¡¯t rule out the possibility that she was in her moody days of the month, so he must endure it.


    The road to winning his wife back was endless.


    Gu Shaoting felt a little discouraged.


    When Joy saw Shu Pan, she pounced on her like a little butterfly. Shu Pan picked her up and Joy chattered on and on about what happened at kindergarten today.


    The bulk of Shu Pan¡¯s frustration finally dissipated.


    Gu Shaoting smiled bitterly. As expected, only he wasn¡¯t weed.


    He quickly followed them upstairs.


    After dinner, Gu Shaoting left Shu Pan¡¯s home. To be exact, he was chased out. Shu Pan found an excuse to ask him to go home after dinner. He saw that she wasn¡¯t happy and didn¡¯t want to be disturbed, so he left.


    He then contacted He Ming. They had both been busytely and hadn¡¯t spoken for a while.


    Gu Shaoting was feeling depressed because of Shu Pan. Seeing that it was still early, he called He Ming, ¡°Brother, what are you busy with? Come out and have a drink with me.¡±


    ¡°Sure, see you at our usual ce.¡± He Ming agreed immediately.


    When He Ming arrived, Gu Shaoting had already had a few drinks.


    He Ming looked at his behavior and knew that something was bothering him. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Based on the news article, you seem to be very sessful and have a wife and daughter.¡±


    ¡°Sigh, how is such a good thing possible?¡± Gu Shaoting sighed. ¡°

 Chapter 254 - 254: Fallen Ill (Part 1)

    Chapter 254: Fallen Ill (Part 1)


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    ¡°Congrattions for realizing that only now.¡± He Ming smiled bitterly and pitied the both of them for pursuing women who were difficult to get¡­ ¡°What about you? What about your love interest?¡± Gu Shaoting asked.


    ¡°Still pursuing.¡± He Ming took a sip of his drink.


    ¡°Handsome, buy us a drink.¡± Two sexy girls walked towards them. They were in sexy, short tube dresses that wrapped tightly around their voluptuous figures, their long legs visibly tempting.


    ¡°Get lost.¡± Gu Shaoting spat coldly, dropping the temperature around him by a few degrees.


    He Ming also frowned because he wouldn¡¯t have let go of such stunners in the past. But since he met Xiaomeng, he had lost interest in such beauties.


    The two beautiful women had been looking around the bar for a long time. These two men were the most attractive ones in the entire ce. However, when they saw their cold expressions, they quickly left to find their next targets.


    The two men didn¡¯t say anything. They raised their sses and did a few bottoms up before they went home.


    Joy finally fell asleep. After Shu Pan finished her chores around the house, she also went to bed.


    The night was quiet as moonlight shone through the curtains into her room. But Shu Pan¡¯s heart wasn¡¯t quiet at all. Tong Fei¡¯s words kept echoing in her mind.


    The more Shu Pan thought about Tong Fei said, the angrier she got. How could Tong Fei do those things?


    In Shu Pan¡¯s mind, Tong Fei was sick, and seriously sick to not care about others¡¯ lives just to get Gu Shaoting.


    But she wasn¡¯t afraid. As a mother, she had to be tough. If Tong Fei did something outrageous again, she would definitely fight back.


    She slowly fell asleep as she pondered.


    The next day, Shu Pan made breakfast: sweet potato congee with side dishes, and prepared eggs and milk for Joy.


    When everything was ready, she realized that Joy had not woken up as usual.


    Shu Pan was a little puzzled. Was the little girl trying to sleep in again?


    Shu Pan walked into Joy¡¯s bedroom and saw her sleeping soundly wrapped in her little nket.


    She looked like a pink cotton ball on her bed. ¡°Joy, you need to get up or you¡¯re going to bete.¡±


    Shu Pan walked over and called out softly, but Joy just grunted twice without saying a word.


    ¡°Joy¡­¡± Shu Pan lifted the nket and saw Joy all curled up. She didn¡¯t look right, especially her little face, which was red.


    Shu Pan¡¯s heart was in her mouth. Oh no, she couldn¡¯t have fallen ill, right? She quickly reached out to touch Joy¡¯s forehead. It was burning hot.


    ¡°Joy, Joy, wake up¡­¡± Shu Pan continued to call her.


    ¡°Mommy, I¡­ Feel sick.¡± Joy opened her eyes and looked at Shu Pan before closing them again


    Shu Pan knew right away that Joy had a fever, and a high fever. She hurriedly took out Joy¡¯s clothes, changed her and then packed her things. She carried Joy and was about to go to the hospital when Gu Shaoting called.


    It had be a habit for him to fetch them downstairs and send them to school and work if they hadn¡¯t left the house.


    He used to call her toote, after they had left the house, so he brought forward his morning calls.


    ¡°Panpan, have you left home?¡± Gu Shaoting¡¯s cold and maic voice sounded.


    ¡°Joy has a high fever.¡± Shu Pan panicked. When she saw the caller ID, it was as if she had seen a life-saver.


    ¡°What? Fever? I¡¯ll be right there. Wait for me downstairs.¡± Gu Shaoting hung up the phone and quickly went to pick them up.


    Not long after Shu Pan arrived downstairs with Joy, Gu Shaoting also arrived.


    He quickly got out of the car and carried Joy to the back seat. Shu Pan followed closely behind..

 Chapter 255 - 255: Fallen Ill (Part 2)

    Chapter 255: Fallen Ill (Part 2)


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Gu Shaoting drove calmly towards the nearest hospital.


    Shu Pan was burning with anxiety, touching Joy¡¯s head from time to time. Joy was drowsy.


    When they finally arrived at the hospital, Gu Shaoting quickly got out of the car, carried Joy and ran into the hospital.


    When they arrived at the emergency department, a doctor immediately examined Joy. She had a high fever of 39.8 degrees caused by an inmmation in her throat.


    Shu Pan¡¯s anxiety diminished a little.


    The doctor prescribed an IV drip to bring down the fever. He was worried about prolonged fever.


    Joy saw the doctor in a white coat through narrowed eyes and started crying.


    When the nurse was preparing her medicine, a few other doctors in white coats came to her bed.


    ¡°CEO Gu, I thought I was seeing things,¡± the middle-aged man in the lead said.


    ¡°Director Lu, kid has a fever.¡± Gu Shaoting said sinctly.


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you look for me to make special arrangements?¡± He then turned to the doctor beside him and asked for Joy to be transferred to a private room.


    What a joke. CEO Gu was their God of Fortune. Gu Group was the biggest investor in their hospital and they all treated Gu Shaoting like a god. How could they not do such a small favor?


    Gu Shaoting actually was going to ask someone for special arrangements, but he was afraid that Shu Pan wouldn¡¯t like it. She wasn¡¯t a person who enjoyed privileges.


    Moreover, the doctor who treated Joy in the emergency department was very attentive, so he gave up on the idea.


    ¡°Thank you for the trouble then, Director Lu.¡± Gu Shaoting said politely.


    ¡°It¡¯s my pleasure. Don¡¯t hesitate to find me if you have any questions.¡± Director Lu then instructed the doctor in charge to pay special attention to Joy.


    The doctor quickly got to work when he saw the department head¡¯s enthusiasm and knew that this CEO Gu was a VVIP.


    The door was closed in Joy¡¯s private room to put an end to the noise outside.


    It was a difficult process when inserting the IV line because Tov was a child.


    and her veins were tiny. Moreover, Joy kept crying.


    After two unsessful attempts, the nurse became even more nervous under Gu Shaoting¡¯s gaze.


    Every time the nurse tried to insert the IV catheter, she saw Gu Shaoting shooting arrows at her with his eyes. His gaze wasn¡¯t only sharp but also very cold, making her feel as if she had been thrown into an ice cer.


    Shu Pan also noticed the subtle interaction. She asked Gu Shaoting to stay away and thenforted the nurse who was trying to insert the IV line. ¡°Don¡¯t be nervous. It¡¯s difficult to stabilize a child¡¯s vein. Thank you for your hard work.¡±


    Perhaps Shu Pan¡¯sforting words rxed the nurse; the nurse sessfully inserted the catheter at her next try. It was finally done.


    The nurse heaved a sigh of relief. Her forehead was still covered in ayer of sweat. How could such a gentledy marry such a cold husband? Although he looked decent, his expression was cold and serious, and he looked very scary.


    The secretlyined in her heart, what a mismatched couple¡­


    After connecting the IV line to the solution bag and adjusting the flow rate, the nurse said to Shu Pan, ¡°When you see that the bag run low, please press this button on the bed head panel. Someone wille over to give her a new solution bag. Don¡¯t make the flow rate too high.¡±


    ¡°Alright, thank you.¡± Shu Pan said gratefully.


    The nurse pushed the cart and left the room quickly after giving her instructions, as if there was a wild animal in the room.


    Joy was a little delirious from the fever and grunted and groaned from time to time.


    Gu Shaoting touched Joy¡¯s forehead, eager to take on Joy¡¯s suffering.


    Shu Pan looked at Gu Shaoting¡¯s anxious expression and couldn¡¯t help but feel strange.


    His concern for Joy seemed to have exceeded a family friend¡¯s.


    Gu Shaoting saw Shu Pan staring at him and couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Is this inappropriate?¡±


    Shu Pan looked away and said, ¡°Why don¡¯t you go to work? I¡¯ll stay and take care of her. I¡¯ll call to apply for emergency leaveter..¡±

 Chapter 256 - 256: Joy’s Dad Is An A* *hole?

    Chapter 256: Joy¡¯s Dad Is An A* *hole?


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Gu Shaoting widened his eyes as if he didn¡¯t know Shu Pan. ¡°Joy is sick. I¡¯m in no mood to go to work.¡±


    Shu Pan couldn¡¯t help but say, ¡°She¡¯s my daughter. Why should you worry?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s also¡­¡± Gu Shaoting forcefully retracted the word ¡°my¡±.


    ¡°I also like Joy very much.¡± Gu Shaoting muttered.


    ¡°There are so many things to deal with at work.¡± Shu Pan didn¡¯t want him there. Joy¡¯s condition was stable now and she could easily get a doctor if something cropped up. There was really no need for him to be around. Besides, his days were usually packed.


    ¡°I¡¯ll wait for Joy¡¯s fever to subside before I go.¡± Gu Shaoting was very persistent.


    Shu Pan knew that she couldn¡¯t win the argument, so she took out her phone and called her boss to ask for emergency leave.


    ¡°Mommy¡­¡± Joy drifted in and out of sleep.


    ¡°Joy, Mommy is here.¡± Shu Pan held her other hand.


    ¡°Dad¡­ Daddy¡­¡± Joy suddenly shouted.


    The two adults in the room clearly heard that as their bodies froze. Shu Pan didn¡¯t know what to do.


    Joy didn¡¯t seem to realize the kind of reaction her words had triggered and fell asleep again.


    Gu Shaoting looked at Shu Pan, then asked carefully, ¡°Who is Joy¡¯s dad? What kind of person is he?¡±


    Shu Pan looked at Joy¡¯s IV tube and said, ¡°Joy¡¯s dad is an a* *hole.¡±


    Shu Pan stopped at that. There was really no way to continue the conversation.


    Gu Shaoting¡¯s face turned red and white when he heard that but he couldn¡¯t exin himself.


    So, this was what Shu Pan really thought of him. Although he was mentally prepared, he still felt unhappy when he heard that.


    Gu Shaoting made a mental note to himself that he must work harder to win back Shu Pan as soon as possible.


    With this determination, he didn¡¯t dwell on the subject.


    After some IV drip, Joy finally began to perspire and her temperature slowly dropped.


    Shu Pan¡¯s worried heart slowly rxed.


    Not long after, Joy woke up and felt much more alert.


    ¡°Joy baby, do you feel difort anywhere?¡± Gu Shaoting asked softly.


    ¡°Uncle, my hand hurts.¡± Joy said coquettishly to Gu Shaoting. ¡°Let me blow it.¡± Gu Shaoting pretended to blow at her IV site.


    Was he still the legendary cold and overbearing CEO?


    Shu Pan was speechless as she looked at the two of them.


    Seeing that the solution bag was almost empty, Shu Pan pressed the bell to call a nurse.


    Suddenly, Gu Shaoting¡¯s phone rang. He nced at the caller ID and frowned before he pressed the answer button.


    ¡°CEO Gu, when will you be in office, please?¡± Secretary Zhang asked.


    ¡°Probablyter.¡± Gu Shaoting replied.


    ¡°CEO Gu, have you forgotten? You have a senior management meeting this morning¡­¡± Secretary Zhang felt that his life was really miserable because of all the thankless things he had to do in his job.


    ¡°Move it an hourter.¡± Gu Shaoting recalled that such a meeting had indeed been scheduled.


    ¡°Alright, I understand. I¡¯ll inform everyone now.¡± Secretary Zhang quickly hung


    up.


    ¡°Please go if you are busy. Joy¡¯s fever is subsiding already.¡± Shu Pan guessed that Secretary Zhang called to urge him.


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯lle back after a meeting. I¡¯ll bring you two some lunchter.¡± Gu Shaoting caressed Joy¡¯s head.


    It was true. If one hadn¡¯t experienced it, one would never understand the hardships of being a parent.


    How much effort had Shu Pan put in to raise Joy on her own?


    ¡°Uncle, you have toe back quickly.¡± Joy said pitifully.


    Gu Shaoting wanted to tell Shu Pan that he wasn¡¯t leaving today, but Shu Pan¡¯s re made him swallow his words..

 Chapter 257 - 257: Attempt to Please

    Chapter 257: Attempt to Please


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    ¡°Okay, Uncle wille back as soon as he¡¯s done.¡± Gu Shaoting made a pinky swear with Joy.


    After Gu Shaoting left, Shu Pan took Joy¡¯s temperature again. Fortunately, her fever was almost gone.


    Shu Pan¡¯s heart ached as she looked at her daughter¡¯s haggard and pale little face.


    She didn¡¯t know if she had made a mistake because when Joy was at her weakest, she called out ¡°Daddy¡±.


    To her, ¡°Daddy¡± was a very unfamiliar but sacred term.


    Shu Pan looked at Joy¡¯s bright and innocent eyes and felt a little confused.


    ¡°Joy, do you miss Daddy?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Daddy can piggyback me on his shoulders so I¡¯m very high up. Doesn¡¯t every child have a daddy? Why isn¡¯t Joy¡¯s Daddy home yet?¡±


    Joy had a disappointed look on her face.


    Shu Pan¡¯s eyes reddened. She almost blurted out that her daddy was right in front of her.


    ¡°Your Daddy is just busy with work. He also loves Joy very much.¡± Shu Pan used her usual perfunctory reason on Joy again.


    She didn¡¯t know how long this reason wouldst.


    ¡°Mommy, why can¡¯t Uncle Gu be my Daddy?¡± Joy asked innocently.


    ¡°Why do you want Uncle Gu to be your Daddy?¡± Shu Pan asked. She had no idea that Joy would think that after just a month.


    ¡°I think Uncle Gu feels like Daddy. He¡¯s also handsome. He picks me up from school and buy me lots of fun things.¡± Joy counted with her fingers as she gave her reasons.


    Shu Pan didn¡¯t expect Joy to switch sides to Gu Shaoting¡¯s after just a month.


    ¡°Mommy got it.¡± Shu Pan replied softly.


    Gu Shaoting went into office with a cold face. Secretary Zhang immediately summoned everyone for the senior management meeting.


    Although he didn¡¯t know what happened, he still shunned Gu Shaoting when he saw his face.


    In the meeting room, all the senior managers sat upright and waited for the CEO to speak.


    Everyone was on tenterhooks, worried that they would be scolded, when they saw the CEO¡¯s dark face.


    Fortunately, the meeting ended in less than an hour.


    Back in his office, Gu Shaoting stood by the floor-to-ceiling windows again.


    He couldn¡¯t figure out why Shu Pan didn¡¯t want to see him when others mor for an opening in his calendar to meet the respectable head of Gu Corporation.


    For the first time in his life, he felt neglected, and it was a very unpleasant feeling.


    Secretary Zhang was in his room to pick up some documents when Gu Shaoting called out, ¡°Secretary Zhang, if a woman says you¡¯re an a* *hole, how will you try to please her and make her change her mind about you?¡± Secretary Zhang looked at Gu Shaoting strangely.


    ¡°It¡¯s not me. It¡¯s my friend. I¡¯m just asking.¡± Gu Shaoting was not a very good liar.


    Secretary Zhang guessed that his boss was having problems with Shu Pan, so he answered carefully, ¡°I see. Sometimes women can be unreasonable.¡± Gu Shaoting nodded in agreement as if he had met a soulmate.


    Secretary Zhang then said, ¡°However, women are soft-hearted creatures. She¡¯ll be fine if you coax her a little.¡±


    Hearing Secretary Zhang¡¯s answer, Gu Shaoting tried to recall. He had indeed never spent any effort to coax a woman in his life. He didn¡¯t know how to coax a woman at all.


    Secretary Zhang silently tried to figure out what his boss was thinking and only spoke when the time was right..

 Chapter 258 - 258: Buy Her A Gift

    Chapter 258: Buy Her A Gift


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Secretary Zhang saw Gu Shaoting¡¯s confused expression and continued, ¡°Actually, women prefer romance and the feeling of being pampered. You can start with that.¡±


    Gu Shaoting raised his eyebrows at Secretary Zhang and thetter immediately said, ¡°You can buy her a gift from the biggest shopping mall in Bin City. It¡¯s a paradise for women.¡±


    ¡°But what if she doesn¡¯t like presents?¡± Other women might be ecstatic when they received a gift from Gu Shaoting but he didn¡¯t know if Shu Pan would be receptive.


    ¡°Are there women who don¡¯t like presents? That¡¯s really rare. She must be a good woman, low maintenance.¡± Secretary Zhang sighed in his heart at the thought of his materialistic girlfriend who took advantage of him all the time.


    Gu Shaoting thought that Shu Pan might be low maintenance when it came to spending his money, but she wasn¡¯t low maintenance when it came to matters of the heart.


    Secretary Zhang saw that Gu Shaoting kept quiet and thought that he expected a better idea.


    He was really worried. Secretaries nowadays were expected to know everything.


    He needed a new skill now, which was to help his boss woo back his wife¡­


    ¡°What do you think, CEO Gu?¡± Secretary Zhang asked.


    Gu Shaoting kept quiet still but Secretary Zhang could tell from the subtle change in his expression that he had epted the idea.


    He secretly heaved a sigh of relief.


    ¡°Alright, that¡¯s all for now. Please carry on with your work.¡± Gu Shaoting waved his hand to dismiss Secretary Zhang.


    Secretary Zhang quickly opened the door and walked out, closing the door carefully behind him.


    Gu Shaoting looked at the documents on his desk and wanted to finish them quickly so he could rush back to the hospital.


    He also had to find time to buy a gift for Shu Pan but what should he get her?


    After thinking about it carefully, he realized that he had no idea what Shu Pan liked.


    Even during their three years of marriage, he did not pay attention to this question. That showed how big a failure he was as a husband. He had truly been blinded by hatred.


    Sometimes when one regretted one¡¯s actions and wanted to make up for it, one wouldn¡¯t get the chance. That was the situation he was in now.


    Gu Shaoting open the first document on his desk and cleared his mind of these unhelpful thoughts to focus on work.


    He finished reviewing the documents in a shorter time than usual. He tidied up the documents and instructed Secretary Zhang with the next steps before he hurried out of the office.


    He looked at his watch. It was already noon, Gu Shaoting turned his car around and drove towards Gathered Dragon. He called the restaurant on the way and ordered some food to takeaway.


    He had almost forgotten about packing lunch. When he arrived, the food he ordered were already packed and ready for pick-up.


    He carried the food to the hospital and realized that it was the first time he had ever worried about such trivial things.


    But he was more than willing to take care of the mother and daughter now.


    Inside the private room, Joy was sitting in her bed with her back on a pillow against the headboard. Her IV infusion had beenpleted but she still looked very tired. Her fever had subsided, and she had perspired a lot.


    Shu Pan was wiping her sweat with a tissue.


    ¡°Uncle Gu, you¡¯re here? You really didn¡¯t lie to me. You came back so quickly.¡± Joy saw Gu Shaoting standing at the door first as Shu Pan had her back to the door.


    ¡°Baby Joy, are you feeling better?¡± Gu Shaoting¡¯s heart ached when he saw his daughter¡¯s tired appearance.


    ¡°I¡¯m all good now. My fever is gone.¡± Joy even touched her own forehead to prove that her fever was gone.


    Gu Shaoting was amused by her mischievous action. That was indeed good news.


    ¡°Bravo, Joy. Uncle bought you your favorite congee.¡± Gu Shaoting ced the bags he was carrying on the bedside table.


    ¡°Wow, that¡¯s great. I¡¯m starving.¡± Joy touched her stomach with a pitiful look.


    ¡°How are you back so quickly? Are you done with work?¡± Shu Pan felt that there was nothing much to do here anymore and was afraid that they got in the way of his work..

 Chapter 259 - 259: Slave to His Daughter

    Chapter 259: ve to His Daughter


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Shu Pan didn¡¯t worry for no reason because argepany could sometimes go into crisis because of a moment of negligence.


    Sheforted herself that she was doing this for her own good.


    ¡°I¡¯m done with work. Let¡¯s eat.¡± Gu Shaoting changed the subject.


    ¡°What did the doctor say? I¡¯ll ask the department head toe and take a look?¡± Gu Shaoting looked at Shu Pan and asked.


    ¡°No need for so much trouble. Her fever has subsided. She can probably go home after a short period of observation.¡± Shu Pan¡¯s face was also slightly pale. ¡°Alright then. Have a good rest at home.¡± Gu Shaoting¡¯s heart ached when he saw her exhausted face.


    After lunch, Joy¡¯s doctor came over to check on her. She was fine and they could finally go home.


    After they got into the car, they slowly drove out of the hospital parking lot and blended into the noisy city traffic.


    But it was so quiet inside the car that even their breathing sounded loud. Joy was also looking out the window quietly. Shu Pan sat in the back with her and patted her head.


    Shu Pan looked at her daughter¡¯s calm expression but felt a tug of war within her heart.


    She could see Joy¡¯s desire for fatherly love from her illness this time.


    Had she been too selfish? Did she think that her love alone was enough for the child?


    What should she do?


    Gu Shaoting saw Shu Pan in a daze from the rearview mirror with a confused look in her eyes.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Gu Shaoting asked softly.


    ¡°Nothing. I was just thinking about what to make for Joy when we get home. She only ate a little congee.¡± Shu Pan said perfunctorily.


    ¡°Maybe something nd. Let her rest some more. Don¡¯t tire yourself out too.¡±


    Gu Shaoting sent them home. Seeing that they were settled, he wanted to go back to the office.


    Joy was reluctant to let him go. The little girl was more clingy than usual because she was sick.


    ¡°Uncle wille over when he¡¯s done. Be good. When you¡¯re feeling better, we¡¯ll go out for some fun, okay?¡± Gu Shaoting coaxed Joy gently.


    Secretary Zhang would probably get another shock if he saw this.


    Once upon a time, CEO Gu was upromising and never soft-hearted.


    And now? He obediently listened to the words of a little girl.


    After Gu Shaoting left, Shu Pan asked Joy what she would like to eat. Perhaps Joy had no appetite because she was sick; she told her mother that she didn¡¯t feel like eating.


    Shu Pan let Joy rest in bed while she busied herself with her own things.


    Gu Shaoting went back to the office and got really busy with work.


    ¡°Knock, knock, knock¡­¡± A knock on the door interrupted his thoughts.


    He looked up and said, ¡°Enter.¡±


    ¡°Brother Ting¡­¡± It was He Ming who walked in. He looked like he came here for something.


    ¡°I¡¯m going away for a few days tomorrow. I¡¯ll have to trouble you toe into office to hold the fort.¡± As expected, He Ming revealed his purpose the moment he entered.


    Gu Shaoting thought for a moment and then asked, ¡°Going away? Do you have an uing business trip?¡±


    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s not for business. Xiaomeng is staying out of town for a while, so I¡¯m going to visit her.¡± He Ming said with slight embarrassment as he fiddled with his hair.


    ¡°Have you confirmed your rtionship? Your patience has finally paid off.¡± Gu


    Shaoting was very jealous of He Ming. He felt that he was still very far away from winning back Shu Pan¡¯s heart.


    ¡°I¡¯m still under probation, so I must perform well.¡± He Ming smiled.


    ¡°Then go ahead. I hope you¡¯ll win her over soon.¡± Gu Shaoting encouraged his good friend. He was also happy for his good friend¡¯s sess in love.


    ¡°Thanks. When Xiaomeng is my girlfriend, I¡¯ll ask her to put in a good word for you in front of Shu Pan.¡± He Ming was a good friend indeed.


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll wait for your good news..¡±

 Chapter 260 - 260: A Call For Help

    Chapter 260: A Call For Help


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    He Ming looked at the time as he left Gu Shaoting¡¯s office. It was still early, so he went back to his office.


    He sent a WeChat message to Ye Xiaomeng, telling her to get ready for a surprise.


    But he didn¡¯t tell Ye Xiaomeng that he was going to visit her.


    Because when Ye Xiaomeng arrived at her destination, she posted a photo on her WeChat Moments and the name of her hotel was visible in the photo.


    He would just go there directly when he arrived.


    After settling some recent business, He Ming left the office.


    It was quitete when he got home. He checked his phone and saw that Xiaomeng still hadn¡¯t replied to his message.


    He couldn¡¯t help but feel slightly worried because she rarely replyte. Even if she was busy, she would reply to him with a voice message to ease his mind.


    Just as he was feeling puzzled, his phone suddenly rang. He thought it was Ye Xiaomeng, so he didn¡¯t even look at the caller ID before he pressed the answer button.


    ¡°Hello, why are you only getting back to me now?¡± He Ming said reproachfully, but there was more longing than displeasure in his voice.


    ¡°Hello¡­ Drinking¡­ Burp¡­¡± The speech at the other end of the phone sounded incoherent. One could tell that the person was drunk because she couldn¡¯t even form aplete sentence.


    He Ming¡¯s face fell. It wasn¡¯t Ye Xiaomeng¡¯s voice.


    He then looked at his phone screen and frowned. It was an Il-digit caller ID.


    He Ming thought that it must be a wrong number as the number was unfamiliar. He thought hard but had absolutely no impression of the number.


    He had no choice but to press the phone back to his ear. ¡°Who is this, please? Did you call the wrong number?¡±


    ¡°He¡­ Brother¡­ I didn¡¯t call the wrong number. It¡¯s me, Shanshan¡­ Burp¡­¡± This time, He Ming heard it very clearly. It was Hu Shanshan.


    But then He Ming wondered why she would call him sote at night.


    She seemed to be drunk and probably called him by mistake.


    ¡°Brother¡­ He, I¡¯m having a little trouble at the bar. Can youe over, please? Hu Shanshan seemed more lucid now; she was no longer stuttering.


    ¡°What kind of trouble? It¡¯s already veryte. If you¡¯re there with your friends, go home soon. It¡¯s not safe for girls to be in that kind of ce.¡± He Ming told her nicely as a big brother for the sake of his mother.


    ¡°Brother He, I¡¯m at Gunfang.¡± Hu Shanshan did not seem to hear He Ming¡¯s advice. She hung up the phone after saying that.


    ¡°What a troublemaker,¡± He Ming couldn¡¯t help but mutter. He was going to pack for his trip while waiting for Xiaomeng¡¯s call.


    He hesitated whether he should go to Hu Shanshan.


    If he went without knowing the kind of trouble she was in, what if she got him into trouble too?


    If he didn¡¯t go, what if she was in real trouble and that was her call for help? It wasn¡¯t his style to turn a blind eye.


    In the end, He Ming put on his coat and went out to see what was going on with Hu Shanshan.


    He Ming was once again speechless at his mother, who introduced him to such a troublemaker.


    When he arrived at Gunfang, he saw peopleing and going and the bar was buzzing.


    He Ming looked around the main bar but couldn¡¯t find Hu Shanshan.


    People kept pouring into the bar, and the ce became more and more lively.


    He Ming had no choice but to call Hu Shanshan.


    ¡°Where are you at Gunfang? I¡¯m here, but I don¡¯t see you.¡± He Ming continued to look for her.


    ¡°I¡¯m in room 032.¡± Hu Shanshan didn¡¯t seem to be in a noisy environment. He Ming asked a waiter and finally found the private room Hu Shanshan was in..

 Chapter 261 - 261: Drunk

    Chapter 261: Drunk


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi- Bo Studio


    Other than Hu Shanshan and her friend, there were two other men in the private room.


    The men thought that Hu Shanshan was drunk and one of them was trying to grab her arm, probably to take her away.


    The unfamiliar touch made Hu Shanshan yank her arm away reflexively.


    The man didn¡¯t look like he was going to give up and tried to grab Hu Shanshan again, but she picked up her handbag and threw it at him.


    The man flew into a rage and cursed, ¡°You little b*tch,¡± before he raised his hand to hit her.


    ¡°Stop!¡± He Ming shouted immediately.


    Only then did the two men see He Minge in alone. They couldn¡¯t help butugh. Did this man think that he could take them down on his own?


    ¡°Miss, is this the savior you mentioned?¡± The skinnier men smiled like a hooligan.


    ¡°Brother He, you¡¯re finally here.¡± Hu Shanshan saw someonee in and nced around in a daze.


    When she saw that it was He Ming, she staggered up to him.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± He Ming walked in, confused.


    ¡°I was out with a few friends, but two of them had something to do and left earlier. These two men suddenly barged in and said that they would like to treat us to supper. We refused, so they kept pestering us. I told them that my boyfriend wasing over, but they didn¡¯t believe me. That¡¯s why I called you.¡±


    Hu Shanshan had probably sobered up a little as she was able to tell He Ming how things happened.


    The chubbier man couldn¡¯t help but say, ¡°Miss, we were only trying to buy you a drink? Why won¡¯t you give us the honor?¡±


    He Ming then understood what was going on. These men were just hitting on them. It was indeed unwise for two girls to be in such a ce alone.


    ¡°It¡¯s over now. Can you guys leave now?¡± He Ming said to the two men.


    ¡°Who are you? Are we supposed to leave just because you tell us to leave? That would be so humiliating.¡± These two were scoundrels.


    ¡°Then what do you want?¡± He Ming said coldly with a dark face.


    ¡°Here¡¯s a bottle of wine. We¡¯ll leave after you down the whole thing.¡± The two men spoke arrogantly since He Ming was alone.


    ¡°What if I don¡¯t?¡± He Ming challenged them.


    ¡°Then pardon us for going the hard way.¡± One of the men said fiercely.


    Hu Shanshan saw that the situation was getting out of control and tugged at He Ming¡¯s sleeve.


    He Ming gave her a ¡°calm down¡± look.


    He had no trouble dealing with such hooligans. He wanted to teach these scoundrels a lesson.


    ¡°Then I¡¯m sorry. I like the hard way better than the easy way.¡± He Ming said upromisingly.


    ¡°Kid, does your mother know that you¡¯re so senseless? Then don¡¯t me me for being rude.¡± One of them then rushed forward to punch He Ming in the face.


    He Ming quickly grabbed the man¡¯s fist and twisted it. The man wailed and cursed.


    Hispanion quickly came forward when he saw that.


    The three of them got into a fight instantly and people outside the private room could hear themotion.


    In the end, the two of them couldn¡¯t take it anymore and begged for mercy.


    ¡°Sorry, brother. We are wrong. Please let us go. We won¡¯t do it again.¡± The two men were like cowards now.


    ¡°Get lost. I will not act nice if I see you again.¡± He Ming stopped hitting them after they begged for mercy.


    He could easily deal with a few more of them. Handling these small fries was just warm-up exercise for him..

 Chapter 262 - 262: Admiration

    Chapter 262: Admiration


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    ¡°Okay, okay. Thank you, brother. We¡¯ll get lost far away.¡± After He Ming let go, the two of them scrambled out of the private room.


    Hu Shanshan was stunned. She did not expect He Ming to defeat the two scoundrels with just a few punches and kicks.


    Brother He was amazing, as expected of the man she fancied.


    She had sobered up when He Ming was fighting with the two men.


    She was relieved when the two of them finally left.


    ¡°Brother He, you¡¯re amazing. You¡¯re my idol.¡± Hu Shanshan thought that all men liked ttery.


    ¡°No more trouble. Better go home now. Don¡¯te to this kind of sketchy ces in the future, especially you girls. You¡¯re at a disadvantage.¡± He Ming advised in a brotherly fashion.


    ¡°Okay.¡± Hu Shanshan replied softly.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go, I¡¯ll send you two home.¡± He Ming walked out of the private room and went to the front desk to settle their bill.


    ¡°Shanshan, when did you get to know such a fine man? He can fight, he¡¯s generous and handsome. This is the first time I¡¯ve met such a man.¡± Hu Shanshan¡¯s friend whispered to her.


    ¡°We¡¯re just friends. It¡¯s not the kind of rtionship you assume.¡± Hu Shanshan pped her friend¡¯s arm.


    ¡°Come on. He rushed over after you called. He must care about you too. Otherwise, why would he get involved in this mess?¡± Hu Shanshan¡¯s friend shared her analysis.


    Hu Shanshan linked arms with her and followed He Ming out.


    Hu Shanshan¡¯s friend looked at He Ming¡¯s tall figure and suggested,


    ¡°Shanshan, now¡¯s a good opportunity. You can use being drunk as an excuse and fall into his bed. Make him yours.¡±


    ¡°What nonsense are you talking about? I¡¯ll never do such a thing.¡± Hu Shanshan wanted to make He Ming hers too but she wouldn¡¯t show it.


    If her friends found out that she was the one chasing the man, they¡¯d probably make fun of her for the rest of her life.


    After all, she was a goddess in the eyes of her friends. There was no man she couldn¡¯t conquer.


    ¡°It¡¯s not really throwing yourself at him when you¡¯re pursuing love.¡± Her friend added.


    Hu Shanshan smiled.


    He Ming brought his car to the driveway and Hu Shanshan got in the front passenger seat while her friend sat in the back.


    ¡°Brother He, please drop off my friend first. Her ce is nearer.¡± Hu Shanshan then told him her friend¡¯s address.


    Hu Shanshan stared at He Ming¡¯srge, sculpted hand holding the steering wheel steadily the whole way.


    They finally arrived at her friend¡¯s ce. After Hu Shanshan¡¯s friend said goodbye to them, Hu Shanshan said to He Ming, ¡°Brother He, please drop me off at a hotel. I smell like alcohol now, and I can¡¯t exin it to my parents if I go home. I told them before I came out tonight that I¡¯ll be spending the night at


    Xiaomei¡¯s ce. Xiaomei is the girl from just now.¡±


    Hu Shanshan looked at He Ming with her pitiful and sparkling eyes.


    ¡°It¡¯s toote at night now. It¡¯s not safe for a girl to be alone. Go home and exin to Uncle and Auntie.¡± He Ming frowned.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. I¡¯ll disturb them if I go home sote at night.¡± Hu Shanshan exined.


    ¡°If you¡¯re worried, you can walk me to my room before you go home.¡± Hu Shanshan continued.


    He Ming had no choice but to do as she said, but he was also frustrated that he had toe out tonight to deal with Hu Shanshan¡¯s mess that he hadn¡¯t even had time to call Xiaomeng.


    He checked his phone earlier but there was still no reply from Xiaomeng. He couldn¡¯t help but feel a little worried. However, when he thought about how Xiaomeng could sometimes be so engrossed with her work that she¡¯d forget about everything else, he felt a little less nervous..

 Chapter 263 - 263: An Episode At The Hotel

    Chapter 263: An Episode At The Hotel


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    He Ming drove to the nearest four-star hotel and stopped the car. Hu Shanshan opened her eyes, but her face was very pale.


    He Ming saw her confused look and couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you?¡±


    ¡°I guess I had drunk a little too much, and the ride was a little bumpy.


    He Ming quickly walked to the other side of the car, opened the door, and pulled Hu Shanshan out.


    ¡°Ugh¡­ Ugh¡­¡± As soon as Hu Shanshan got out of the car, she vomited. To make matters worse, some of her vomitnded on He Ming¡¯s clothes.


    Hu Shanshan felt much better after she threw up. The light breeze also helped to sober her up.


    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, Brother He,¡± Hu Shanshan said with embarrassment when she saw the vomit on He Ming¡¯s clothes, like a child who had done something wrong.


    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s fine. I¡¯ll get it cleaned when I¡¯m home.¡± He Ming pretended not to care when, in fact, he was already cursing and swearing in his heart.


    He should have been packing at home for his trip to visit Xiaomeng and then getting a good night¡¯s sleep so he could meet Xiaomeng in his best condition tomorrow.


    But what was he doing now? He felt helpless and depressed having to take care of a drunkard here in the middle of the night.


    Hu Shanshan¡¯s heart pounded as she looked at He Ming¡¯s handsome face with his well-defined features under the dim yellow light.


    She suddenly had an idea. ¡°Brother He, why don¡¯t you clean the vomit off your clothes in my room before you go home?¡±


    She had a guilty look on her face, and her innocent eyes made it difficult for people to me her.


    He Ming looked at the edges of his shirt and felt nauseous at the sour smell of vomit on him.


    ¡°Okay. Can you walk by yourself?¡± He Ming asked Hu Shanshan.


    ¡°Sure.¡± With that, the two of them walked into the hotel.


    He Ming got her a room and took the elevator up with her.


    After they walked into the room, He Ming put his phone on the table before he went into the bathroom to clean his shirt.


    After all, it was the middle of the night. It wasn¡¯t good for the girl¡¯s reputation if he stayed in the same room with her for too long.


    He wanted to get the vomit off his shirt quickly and leave.


    Just as He Ming entered the bathroom, his phone on the table suddenly rang.


    Hu Shanshan looked over and saw that it was He Ming¡¯s phone. She nced at it curiously and was stunned. The caller ID showed ¡°Mengmeng¡±.


    Such an intimate form of address? And a call sote at night? Could this be the woman her Brother He fancied?


    She nced at the bathroom and heard the sound of water sshing.


    She called out ¡°Brother He,¡± but there was no response. His phone kept ringing.


    She pursed her lips and then answered the call.


    A female voice came from the other end of the phone as soon as the call was answered, ¡°What kind of surprise?¡± The caller was obviously someone close to He Ming.


    Ye Xiaomeng had just finished her work and went back to her hotel. She called him as soon as she saw his WeChat message.


    ¡°Who are you looking for?¡± Hu Shanshan asked on purpose, her voice soft and pleasant.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t dial the wrong number¡­¡± The voice on the other end muttered to herself.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t this He Ming¡¯s phone?¡± Ye Xiaomeng didn¡¯t want to make any wild guesses and asked directly.


    ¡°Oh, you¡¯re looking for Brother He? He¡¯s in the bathroom now,¡± Hu Shanshan replied.


    ¡°Why are you looking for him? I¡¯ll help you pass the messageter.¡± Hu Shanshan pretended that she had a close rtionship with He Ming.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. There¡¯s no need.¡± Ye Xiaomeng hung up the phone.


    Haha, men? They really couldn¡¯t be trusted..

 Chapter 264 - 264: Turning Off Her Phone

    Chapter 264: Turning Off Her Phone


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    When He Ming came out of the bathroom, he saw Hu Shanshan sitting quietly by the bed.


    ¡°It¡¯s veryte. I¡¯m going home now. You should rest early and be careful.¡± He Ming checked the time; it was gettingte and he should leave.


    ¡°Alright, sorry for the trouble, Brother He. Drive safe.¡± Hu Shanshan said politely.


    After He Ming opened the door and walked out, Hu Shanshan got up from the bed andtched the door from inside.


    She felt guilty after answering He Ming¡¯s call. She was still feeling uneasy, worried that He Ming would find out.


    Fortunately, she was smart enough to delete the call record after the caller hung up.


    He Ming would never find out what happened unless that woman named ¡°Mengmeng¡± told him.


    But based on that woman¡¯s calm and quiet tone, she was probably an aloof person who wouldn¡¯t question Brother He over such a trivial matter.


    Hu Shanshan¡¯s felt a little better. She only did what she did to drive a wedge between Brother He and that woman.


    ording to He Ming, he was still pursuing that woman. No woman would be able to ept such a thing, so she was just taking advantage of the situation.


    Now, she just had to wait for Brother He and that woman to quarrel and break up.


    The more Hu Shanshan thought about it, the more excited she got. After all, who wouldn¡¯t like a handsome man like Brother He?


    Her friends were all so envious.


    As soon as He Ming got home, he took a shower and changed out of his dirty clothes.


    He then took out his phone and dialed Ye Xiaomeng¡¯s number.


    However, he was greeted by an automated customer service voice message telling him that Xiaomeng¡¯s phone had been turned off.


    ¡°Thank you for calling. The number you dialed is currently unavable as the phone is turned off.¡±


    He Ming couldn¡¯t sit still now. What was going on? No matter how busy Ye Xiaomeng was, she would always reply to his messages.


    What was going on today? Did her phone run out of battery?


    He Ming felt himself panicking and found an excuse tofort himself.


    He Ming sped up his packing, hoping to get to Ye Xiaomeng as early as possible tomorrow morning.


    Ye Xiaomeng had indeed turned off her phone. Why are all men like that? Enjoying the view from someone else¡¯s balcony while neglecting the beauty of their own garden?


    She thought that He Ming would be different, but it turned out that he was just like other men, unable to resist temptation.


    If any man dared to say that he could resist temptation, the only possible reason was that the temptation wasn¡¯t strong enough.


    To think that she actually helped him find an excuse!


    She was really furious when she heard that delicate but familiar voice. She was He Ming¡¯s so-called ¡°sister¡±.


    She had no right to interfere with his friends, but she was still unhappy when she heard the voice. She could only hang up and turn off her phone.


    Was this the surprise he had prepared for her? If he liked that girl, he could just tell her. She wouldn¡¯t stop them but she hated lies.


    Ye Xiaomeng was restless for a long time. Shey in bed and thought about her experiences with He Ming since they met and didn¡¯t realize that tears had welled up in her eyes.


    Turning off her phone was just a temporary escape. She would still have to face it when she turned on her phone tomorrow.


    Would she still believe his exnation?


    Men¡¯s sweet nothings were poison. She already had a taste before. Would she experience it again?


    Ye Xiaomeng got drowsy as she thought about it and fell asleep.


    She was asleep, but because her phone was turned off, He Ming couldn¡¯t sleep.


    He Ming tossed and turned all night until it was dawn.


    He immediately took his luggage and rushed to the city where Ye Xiaomeng was..

 Chapter 265 - 265: The Meeting

    Chapter 265: The Meeting


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    It was almost 11 a.m. when He Ming arrived at Ye Xiaomeng¡¯s hotel. He tried his luck by calling Ye Xiaomeng¡¯s cell phone again.


    This time, her phone rang. He could hear the ringing tone on his phone.


    Ye Xiaomeng was stunned when she heard her phone ring. She hesitated when the caller ID showed ¡°He Ming¡±.


    When she woke up this morning and turned on her phone, she received dozens of notifications from He Ming¡¯s messages, which almost crashed her phone.


    She pursed her lips as she squeezed her phone tight until her knuckles turned white. She grimaced before she tapped on the answer button.


    Did he call to exin again? Did she want to listen to his story?


    But she had already picked up his call. Hanging up now wouldn¡¯t seem nice. Ye Xiaomeng hesitated for a moment before she pressed the phone to her ear.


    She heard He Ming¡¯s anxious voice. ¡°Thank God, Mengmeng. You finally turned your phone back on. I was so worried¡­¡±


    He Ming sounded very anxious and concerned. If this was an act, all she could say was that he deserved an Oscar for best actor.


    Ye Xiaomeng felt a little dazed when she heard He Ming¡¯s voice. Before she could understand the feelings that overcame her, He Ming asked, ¡°Where are you now? I¡¯m downstairs of your hotel.¡±


    He Ming said everything in one breath. What was the point of creating any suspense now? It was already a victory if he could see her.


    ¡°I¡¯m at the hotel restaurant¡­¡± Ye Xiaomeng had just finished speaking when He Ming hung up.


    Ye Xiaomeng looked at her phone in confusion. She was still in a daze and couldn¡¯t figure out what was going on.


    Shortly after, He Ming¡¯s voice sounded from afar, ¡°Mengmeng¡­¡±


    ¡°He Ming?¡± Ye Xiaomeng looked in the direction of the voice and saw He Ming rushing towards her, looking travel weary.


    He was a person who paid great attention to his appearance, but at this moment, his hair was messy, and the top button of his shirt was undone. He looked like he was in a hurry.


    Ye Xiaomeng couldn¡¯t believe her ears when she heard him say on the phone that he was downstairs of her hotel. She thought she heard wrong until she saw him standing in front of her.


    She was still confused a second ago and she was seeing He Ming in front of her now.


    Ye Xiaomeng stood up from her chair and looked at his tired face with faint dark circles under his eyes.


    She felt a little strange because He Ming appeared so suddenly. She just stood there on the spot, holding her phone in a daze.


    He Ming, who was not far away from her, saw the surprise on her face, followed by grievance and then coldness. He couldn¡¯t make sense of her expression changes.


    He quickened his pace and walked up to Ye Xiaomeng.


    It had only been a week, but it felt like a lifetime.


    The two of them looked at each other quietly for a moment before He Ming put down his luggage and reached out to hug Ye Xiaomeng. He only felt that it was real when he held her in his arms.


    He Ming had never felt so helpless in his life.


    He whispered in her ear, ¡®What happened? Work problems bothering you?¡±


    Only then did Ye Xiaomeng realize that He Ming was holding her in his arms. She tried to break free from the embrace when she remembered the callst night but He Ming held her even tighter..

 Chapter 266 - 266: Is This A Love Game?

    Chapter 266: Is This A Love Game?


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Seeing other people in the restaurant and being a thin-skinned girl, Ye Xiaomeng blushed.


    ¡°Let go of me, everyone¡¯s watching.¡± Ye Xiaomeng couldn¡¯t help but say.


    ¡°Then promise me that you¡¯ll tell me what happened after I let you go.¡± He Ming took the opportunity toy out his conditions.


    ¡°Okay.¡± Ye Xiaomeng had no choice but to nod.


    He Ming finally let go of her. Ye Xiaomeng didn¡¯t know if it was because of He Ming¡¯s sudden appearance, or his concern for her that she remained in a dazed but adorable state.


    She looked at him with her big eyes.


    When she saw his tired face, she knew that he must have gotten up early to rush here, so she asked him to sit down and got him some food.


    He Ming saw Xiaomeng¡¯s actions and finally heaved a sigh of relief.


    Although he didn¡¯t know what happened, he knew that Xiaomeng¡¯s bad mood probably had something to do with him.


    He was eager to find out what happened but Xiaomeng told him to eat something to fill his stomach first.


    He finished his food in a few bites.


    ¡°My stomach¡¯s filled now.¡± He Ming wiped his mouth with a tissue.


    Ye Xiaomeng gestured for him to follow her back to her room with his luggage.


    ¡°Go to the front deskter and ask if they have any vacant rooms. Book yourself another room.¡± Ye Xiaomeng said. Luckily, she wasn¡¯t scheduled to meet any clients today.


    ¡°Alright.¡± He Ming didn¡¯t agree readily. He wanted to stay with Xiaomeng, lie in


    the same bed with her and do nothing.


    ¡°Xiaomeng, did something happen? Why do you look so unhappy?¡± He Ming asked with concern.


    ¡°Do you have anything to tell me?¡± Ye Xiaomeng asked him without answering his question.


    ¡°Yes, I miss you so much.¡± He Ming really felt that one day away from her felt like three years.


    ¡°Not that.¡±


    ¡°But that¡¯s what I want to tell you right now. It¡¯s the truest reflection of my heart.¡± He Ming was being truthful but Ye Xiaomeng misunderstood him as evading the subject because he felt guilty.


    Did he think that he could cover up the matter with his glib tongue?


    Being the impatient person that she was, Ye Xiaomeng couldn¡¯t hold back her words and blurted out, ¡°He Ming, are you serious about me? Or is this just a love game and you are two timing me?¡±


    ¡°Xiaomeng, I¡¯m serious about you. Since the day we met, I have stayed away from all other women.¡± He Ming replied nervously. Why did Xiaomeng think that of him?


    Everything was fine before but why were they having this argument now? Xiaomeng wasn¡¯t someone who¡¯d act up for no reason, right?


    He thought really hard but he hadn¡¯t done anything outrageoustely¡­ He didn¡¯t even spend much time drinking with Gu Shaoting. Even if they went to a


    bar, he had always kept his distance from people and never flirted with any woman.


    The two of them were still chatting happily the day before yesterday.


    He didn¡¯t do anything yesterday, right? Oh, he went to a bar to pick up the drunk Hu Shanshan, but nothing happened!


    He Ming couldn¡¯t help but check his phone. There were no calls or messages from Mengmeng. Had one of his acquaintances saw him with Hu Shanshan and told Mengmeng?


    But only Gu Shaoting knew that he was pursuing Mengmeng¡­


    The more he thought about it, the more confused he got. Never mind, he would just confess.


    ¡°Last night, my mother¡¯s friend¡¯s daughter got drunk and got into a little trouble. She called me for help. After I picked her up, she vomited all over me. She didn¡¯t want to go home, so she asked me to send her to a hotel. I went to her room to clean the vomit off my clothes, but I left right after. I didn¡¯t stay a moment longer..¡±

 Chapter 267 - 267: Coming Clean

    Chapter 267: Coming Clean


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Why did He Ming feel that what he said sounded wrong?


    Sending a drunk woman to a hotel in the middle of the night? And being in the same room with her? Would anyone believe him?


    Most importantly, would Xiaomeng believe him?


    He Ming looked at Ye Xiaomeng nervously.


    Ye Xiaomeng watched He Ming¡¯s expression. He didn¡¯t look like he was lying. Even if he did what he said, he didn¡¯t need to tell her. After all, she didn¡¯t see them with her own eyes.


    ¡°I called youst night and a woman answered.¡± Ye Xiaomeng decided to say it out loud, so she wouldn¡¯t think wild thoughts.


    ¡°What? You called? Why didn¡¯t I hear my phone ring? I put my phone on the table before I went into the bathroom to wash the vomit off my clothes. It was


    only for a short while. Could you have called me then?¡±


    How could there be such a coincidence? But that was how misunderstandings came about.


    But what did she mean when she said a woman answered? Hu Shanshan was the only person there. Could she have answered Mengmeng¡¯s call?


    But there was no call record? Had it been deleted?


    She also didn¡¯t tell him that someone called.


    Indeed, she had ulterior motives!


    Now, even the not very smart He Ming knew what was going on¡­


    Sigh, but He Ming didn¡¯t think too much about it. He assumed that Hu Shanshan did it as a prank because she liked him. Girls nowadays liked doing things like that.


    After all, he only saw Hu Shanshan as a sister.


    ¡°Is that really what happened?¡± Ye Xiaomeng snorted.


    ¡°I swear, but thinking back, it was not a good idea. I¡¯m attached after all. I will not meddle in such matters in the future.¡± He Ming was sincere when admitting his mistake.


    His heart ached when he saw the grievance on Ye Xiaomeng¡¯s face.


    He blinked gently at her with a smile and said softly, ¡°I won¡¯t do anything that will make you sad. I¡¯ve been thoughtless. I won¡¯t do it again.¡±


    Perhaps it was because his words were too gentle, Ye Xiaomeng¡¯s tears fell like beads from a broken ne.


    When He Ming saw this, he used his hands to gently wipe away her tears. The next moment, he held Xiaomeng¡¯s waist and lowered his head to kiss her.


    He pried open her perfect teeth, their tongues met, intertwining, and moving in a rhythmic and sensuous manner. He Ming was an expert kisser and he used action to show her what a ¡°war of mouth and tongue¡± felt like in real life. The passionate kiss was gradually apanied with He Ming¡¯s groping. His hands slowly moved up to Xiaomeng¡¯s breasts.


    ¡°Mmm¡­¡± Xiao Meng was shocked and embarrassed as she let out a soft moan. The room heated up and Ye Xiaomeng could smell the strong masculine scent that filled the air.


    Her slightly opened mouth was now forcefully sealed.


    Instinctively, she wanted to resist but He Ming didn¡¯t give her any chance. He went straight in, pried open her teeth and swallowed everything she had.


    Why was she so turned on? She felt a little unfamiliar with herself as she got lost.


    Just as she was about to suffocate, he suddenly broke the kiss and carried her to the bed. His kisses thennded on her corbone as he took off their clothes with anxious hands and covered her with his entire body.


    Their bodies were tightly pressed together, and the heat continued to flow as he desperately wanted her.


    Ye Xiaomeng was stunned by the scene. How did thingse to this? She suddenly felt shy.. This was their second time, but weren¡¯t things moving too quickly?

 Chapter 268 - 268: Only You For The Rest Of My Life

    Chapter 268: Only You For The Rest Of My Life


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Although she wasn¡¯t a pearl in an oyster, she was still a respectable girl from a noble family.


    They had sexst time because they were drunk. But this time? A moment of passion?


    She felt a little helpless and mp her legs together subconsciously. But her subconscious action made He Ming¡¯s entire body tremble. He couldn¡¯t help but let out a muffled cry before he pressed her under him and started thrusting.


    Ye Xiaomeng felt like she was having brain hypoxia. Her entire face was red as a strong electric current spread throughout her body.


    ¡°Mengmeng¡­ I love you.¡± Both of them climaxed with He Ming¡¯s confession.


    They were both exhausted after that. Coupled with theck from sleep fromst night, Ye Xiaomeng leaned into He Ming¡¯s arms and the two of them fell asleep soundly.


    It was already evening when the two of them woke up. Night had unfolded in the city.


    The bed was a mess and their clothes were scattered all over the floor.


    He Ming felt a little vexed. He didn¡¯t seek Xiaomeng¡¯s consent before¡­ Would she be upset?


    Lust was the devil!


    The room still smelled a little sweet from their love making at noon.


    ¡°Mengmeng¡­¡± He Ming called out softly, his voice a little hoarse.


    ¡°Yes¡­¡± Ye Xiaomeng covered her face shyly with the nket.


    He Ming lifted the nket off her and held her in his arms.


    ¡°Mengmeng, I love you. I¡¯m not saying it because we had sex. I mean it. Only you for the rest of my life.¡± He Ming whispered sweet nothings in her ear.


    ¡°Well, I hope you keep your word.¡± Ye Xiaomeng would be lying if she said that she wasn¡¯t touched. After all, which woman could withstand such a confession?


    She looked into his eyes, trying to see if there was any deception in them but his eyes were clear and translucent.


    Ye Xiaomeng couldn¡¯t help but recall their passionate moments and her face instantly turned pink.


    She buried herself in the nket again, her heart pounding.


    ¡°Let¡¯s get up. You must be hungry. I¡¯ll take you for a big meal.¡± He Ming got out of bed first and gently pped Xiaomeng¡¯s butt.


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯m starving.¡± When Xiaomeng got out of bed, she felt her legs trembling.


    He Ming carried her into the bathroom. The two of them made out in the bathroom again.


    When they came out, Ye Xiaomeng red at him. This man had zero self-control no matter the time and ce.


    He Ming chuckled. ¡°Please understand the madness of a person who had been deprived of food when he saw delicious food.¡±


    The two of them dressed for dinner, and He Ming held Ye Xiaomeng¡¯s hand as they walked out of the room into the VIP elevator.


    He Ming had already made dinner reservations on the phone. When they arrived at the top floor of the hotel, the elevator doors opened automatically.


    Ye Xiaomeng was a little stunned when she stepped out of the elevator. ¡°He Ming, you are taking me here for dinner?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, what¡¯s the problem?¡± He Ming looked at her.


    ¡°Why would youe to such a high-end ce to burn money for a meal?¡± Although Ye Xiaomeng was a spendthrift herself, she could not bear to be so extravagant.


    ¡°Life requires some ceremonious moments.¡± He Ming felt that everything was worth it if Ye Xiaomeng was happy.


    ¡°Good evening, sir, miss. Do you have a reservation?¡± A beautiful waitress came up and greeted them politely.


    ¡°Yes. Number 36.¡± The waitress led them to their table.


    No wonder so many people came to this restaurant. Because it was on the top floor, the view was gorgeous and they could see the entire city..

 Chapter 269 - 269: A Romantic Dinner

    Chapter 269: A Romantic Dinner


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    The restaurant d¨¦cor was contemporary. There was a low, heart-shaped, centerpiece of roses in different colors on every table. The room looked dreamy under the soft and warm lighting.


    Melodious music was also ying in the restaurant. It was a famous piano piece that Xiaomeng liked very much: Pachelbel¡¯s Canon in D.


    Ye Xiaomeng couldn¡¯t help but hum along as she listened to the piano piece.


    She was in high spirits and her eyes were crystal clear. She looked like a fairy.


    He Ming, who was sitting across from her, couldn¡¯t take his eyes off her.


    His soft gaze fell on her.


    Ye Xiaomeng said to him, ¡°This is one of my favorite ssical pieces.¡±


    He Ming gestured for the waiter to pour them some red wine. He then raised his ss and clinked it lightly against hers. ¡°Here¡¯s to our meeting, getting to know each other and falling in love.¡±


    Ye Xiaomeng nced at the bottle. Good heavens, it was a 1982 Ch?teau Lafite. This kind of red wind was super expensive for a working-ss person like her.


    She couldn¡¯t help but secretly ask He Ming, ¡°This wine is fake, right? It¡¯s really expensive.¡±


    He Ming couldn¡¯t help but roll his eyes at her. Who would drink it if they knew that it was fake wine?


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, it¡¯s the real thing and I can afford it. You can drink it in peace.¡± Ye Xiaomeng¡¯s expression really amused him. She probably thought that he was just a lowly paid employee pretending to be rich.


    Ye Xiaomeng felt much more at ease when she heard He Ming¡¯s words. Since a rich man was giving her a treat, she wouldn¡¯t stand on ceremony.


    She clinked sses with He Ming and said, ¡°Cheers!¡±


    He Ming raised his eyebrows and smiled. ¡°Cheers!¡±


    Ye Xiaomeng finished her entire ss of wine in one gulp.


    He Ming couldn¡¯t help but chuckle. This was the real Ye Xiaomeng: forthright and unpretentious.


    ¡°Mengmeng, you shouldn¡¯t drink like that. You¡¯ll get drunk easily if you drink like that.¡± He Ming saw her downing her alcohol like a waterfall and quickly stopped her.


    Ye Xiaomeng didn¡¯t seem satisfied as she licked her glossy cherry lips.


    It was such a subconscious action but He Ming found it extremely seductive.


    A hint of lust appeared in his eyes.


    He almost couldn¡¯t wait for dinner to be over.


    Ye Xiaomeng seemed to have sensed He Ming¡¯s burning gaze as she looked away and said, ¡°This wine tastes really nice. I¡¯d like another ss.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s easy to get drunk when drinking on an empty stomach. Eat something first.¡± He Ming gestured for the waiter to quickly serve dinner. He Ming ordered medium-well steak, fruit sd, and spaghetti.


    Ye Xiaomeng hadn¡¯t eaten since lunch.


    Once the steak was served, she couldn¡¯t wait to start eating.


    He Ming saw her impatience and cut his steak into small pieces, his movements swift and elegant, before he gave his te to Ye Xiaomeng.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you hungry? Hurry up and eat.¡± He Ming said dotingly.


    ¡°Thank you.¡± Ye Xiaomeng felt like she was floating on a cloud of honey.


    Her heart was bubbling.


    Ye Xiaomeng was full after the meal but she felt a little dizzy from the wine.


    He Ming knew that this would happen, so he supported her helplessly.


    What a sweet burden.


    Ye Xiaomeng chuckled.


    She was in such a high-end restaurant, listening to music with a handsome man. Even if she didn¡¯t drink, she would be drunk..

 Chapter 270 - 270: Envy

    Chapter 270: Envy


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Ye Xiaomeng looked at He Ming¡¯s profile as his warm hand over hers warmed her heart.


    ¡°He Ming, thank you for giving me such a romantic dinner.¡± Ye Xiaomeng said emotionally.


    ¡°Silly girl, we cane here whenever you like. We can be romantic every day.¡± He Ming rubbed her head.


    Since Ye Xiaomeng¡¯s business trip wasn¡¯t over yet, He Ming did not want to leave so soon.


    He had spent an entire week with Ye Xiaomeng when Gu Shaoting called.


    ¡°Bro, are you abandoning your job for a woman now?¡±


    Gu Shaoting was supportive of He Ming¡¯s time away at first but who was going to support him now?


    In the past week, he had to deal with endless documents every day and attend so many meetings. He had been so busy that he didn¡¯t even have time to drink water.


    By the time he finally had some free time, it was almost five o¡¯clock.


    Based on his recent routine, he would be out the door to pick up Joy instead of working some more in the office.


    But he hadn¡¯t had time to see Shu Pan and Joy in the past few days because he had to attend social functions after work. He Ming had always represented him at those functions.


    He only had a few hours of sleepst night and was having a headache. He leaned back in his office chair and massaged his forehead for a while before he picked up the phone and called He Ming.


    ¡°Brother Ting, thank you for covering for me. My Mengmeng will be able to go home the day after tomorrow. I¡¯ll wait to go home with her. Please cover me for two more days.¡± He Ming¡¯s tone was chirpy. It seemed that he had been sessful in love.


    Gu Shaoting perked up when he heard that. ¡°How did it go? You seeded?¡± ¡°I¡¯m already hers.¡± He Ming said a little annoyingly. He was bragging.


    ¡°Congrattions. This day has finallye.¡± Gu Shaoting congratted him sincerely even when his own sess in love was still rather far away.


    ¡°Thanks. Let¡¯s catch up over dinner when I¡¯m back.¡± He Ming ended the call quickly when he saw Ye Xiaomeng walk in.


    Gu Shaoting was very envious.


    He decided to decline tonight¡¯s social engagement and visit Shu Pan and Joy.


    Soon, he was full of fighting spirit as he dove back into work.


    Gu Shaoting left the office at 6 p.m. sharp. He went to thergest shopping mall in Bin City before he went to Shu Pan¡¯s house.


    The mall was filled with a dazzling array of goods. Gu Shaoting walked into the highest end boutique.


    When the sales assistants saw Gu Shaoting, a tall, handsome and well-dressed man, walk into the shop, they all walked up to him to wee him.


    In their eyes, Gu Shaoting was an easy mark.


    True enough, he asked for something expensive as soon as he opened his mouth. ¡°Show me the nicest bag you have here.¡±


    Gu Shaoting was going to task Secretary Zhang to buy a gift for Shu Pan, but it wouldn¡¯t be sincere that way.


    After non-stop rmendations from the sales assistants, he chose an apricot-colored bag with a timeless design.


    Gu Shaoting knew that much about Shu Pan. She always kept a low profile and didn¡¯t like to show off, and she liked subtle but elegant colors.


    He guessed that she would like the hag-


    Although it wasn¡¯t the most expensive item in the shop, it wasn¡¯t cheap either. Gu Shaoting paid and signed for the bag without batting an eye.


    Gu Shaoting headed quickly to Shu Pan¡¯s house with the bag.


    Although Shu Pan sometimes didn¡¯t want to see him, he ignored it because he had to be thick-skinned to seed.


    When he arrived at Shu Pan¡¯s house, she was cooking. When she saw him, Shu Pan Imew that he would stay for dinner, so she cook two more dishes. When she came out of the kitchen, she saw Gu Shaoting ying with Joy.


    ¡°Go wash your hands and get ready for dinner.¡± Shu Pan said.


    ¡°Mommy, Uncle Gu got you this bag.¡± Joy walked up to her with a paper bag..

 Chapter 271 - 271: A Cheap Handbag

    Chapter 271: A Cheap Handbag


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    ¡°What bag?¡± Shu Pan looked at Gu Shaoting in confusion.


    ¡°It¡¯s for you.¡± This was the first time Gu Shaoting got a gift for a woman. He was a little nervous and worried that she wouldn¡¯t like it.


    ¡°I have enough bags. This must be very expensive, right?¡± Shu Pan knew that Gu Shaoting would not buy cheap things because in his mind, cheap things weren¡¯t good. He was a person who lived well.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want it. Please take it back and get a refund.¡± She would not ept his gift for no reason.


    ¡°Throw it away if you don¡¯t want it. It¡¯s a cheap AAA-grade imitation. Secretary Zhang bought one for his girlfriend, and I asked him to buy one for me too.¡± Gu Shaoting racked his brain for an excuse.


    Was there anyone more miserable than him? Why was it so difficult to give her a present?


    ¡°Is it really an imitation? Why does it look so real?¡± Shu Pan couldn¡¯t believe that luxury bags could be faked so well now.


    She had never used branded handbags before, so she didn¡¯t know how they were supposed to look.


    But this handbag was superior in both material and craftsmanship. ¡°How much is it? I¡¯ll pay you back.¡± Shu Pan felt that they should keep their money separate.


    Gu Shaoting looked hurt. It was such a big blow to him for his intentions to be misinterpreted like that.


    ¡°Don¡¯t. Ie here often for meals but I never paid you back. Just take this as my groceries contribution.¡± Gu Shaoting felt extremely depressed.


    Why couldn¡¯t Shu Pan be like other women?


    If it were any other woman who got this handbag, she would be so ecstatic that she would just kiss him!


    ¡°Uncle, do you like my Mommy? Is it why you got her a present?¡± Joy was a precocious kid. The things she said sometimes made people want to kiss her.


    ¡°Yes, Uncle likes your Mommy.¡± Gu Shaoting admitted openly. Shu Pan felt awkward. ¡°Stop talking nonsense, Joy.¡±


    Joy covered her mouth andughed.


    During dinner, Joy looked at Shu Pan and then at Gu Shaoting. She felt very happy because that was the family she always wanted, with a mother and a


    father.


    Finally, He Ming and Ye Xiaomeng wereing home.


    ¡°Brother Ting, we¡¯ll be back at Bin City around 5 p.m. today. Let¡¯s have dinner together.¡± He Ming asked Gu Shaoting out mainly to introduce Ye Xiaomeng to him.


    He didn¡¯t mean to show off or anything. He just wanted to share his good news with everyone.


    Gu Shaoting checked his calendar. He had no important meetings after this, so he said, ¡°Sure.¡±


    ¡°Then let¡¯s meet at Gathered Dragon at 7 p.m. tonight!¡±


    Gu Shaoting gave a perfunctory ¡°okay¡± and was about to hang up when He Ming¡¯s voice sounded over the phone, ¡°Brother Ting, there will be no outsiders tonight. Bring Shu Pan and Joy along for dinner.¡±


    He Ming knew that Ye Xiaomeng and Shu Pan were good friends. He also wanted to let Shu Pan know that he and Xiaomeng were in love. Gu Shaoting didn¡¯t think too much about it and said a quick okay before he hung up.


    Gu Shaoting¡¯s heart softened when He Ming mentioned Shu Pan. He picked up his mobile from the table and dialed Shu Pan¡¯s number.


    As soon as the call was connected, he received a new email on hisputer. He said as he opened his email, ¡°Panpan, are you busy? Let¡¯s go out for dinner tonight.¡¯


    ¡°I just finished work. Why are we eating out?¡± Shu Pan frowned. Eating out was expensive. Although the food might be delicious, food hygiene was worrying.


    ¡°He Ming has a girlfriend now and he would like to introduce her to us.¡± Gu Shaoting exined.


    In Shu Pan¡¯s mind, He Ming was his friend.. It was perfectly normal for He Ming to introduce his girlfriend to him but why should she tag along?

 Chapter 272 - 272: A Coincidence

    Chapter 272: A Coincidence


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    ¡°But I don¡¯t know He Ming very well. It¡¯ll be awkward if I go.¡± Shu Pan said a little ufortably. She didn¡¯t like asions that made her feel like a zoo animal being gawked at.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. He invited you too. I¡¯m just the messenger. If you don¡¯t want to go, you¡¯ll need to tell him yourself.¡± Gu Shaoting passed the ball to He Ming.


    ¡°Alright then.¡± Shu Pan agreed helplessly.


    ¡°I¡¯ll pick Joy upter and then pick you up. Is that okay?¡± Gu Shaoting sought Shu Pan¡¯s opinion.


    ¡°Sure.¡± Shu Pan dove back into work after she hung up as the tender closing date was approaching.


    Shu Pan came back from the photocopying room with a stack of documents. She was busy for a while before she had time to check her phone.


    She had two recent missed calls.


    She was very familiar with the caller¡¯s phone number. It belonged to her best friend, Ye Xiaomeng.


    Xiaomeng had been on a business trip for more than ten days, and Joy had beenining about missing her godmother.


    Shu Pan smiled as she looked at her phone; she called the number back without much thought.


    The phone rang twice before it was picked up. Ye Xiaomeng¡¯s grumbling voice sounded, ¡°Girl, you still remember to call me back? I¡¯ve been on a business trip for so long, but you and Joy didn¡¯t even miss me.¡±


    ¡°I just saw the missed calls, so¡­¡±


    Before Shu Pan could finish, Ye Xiaomeng interrupted, ¡°I don¡¯t ept your apology. I¡¯ll be back tonight to introduce someone to you. Remember to make time tonight.¡±


    ¡°Is it your boyfriend?¡± Shu Pan teased. Ye Xiaomeng sounded so serious; this person was probably important to her, so she wanted to introduce him to her.


    ¡°It shall remain a mystery for the time being.¡± Ye Xiaomeng kept Shu Pan in suspense. Life was short; she didn¡¯t want to waste her youth and wanted someone who cared about her.


    Although He Ming had his ws, especially having a so-called ¡°sister¡± but he also said that he would stop meddling in her business. Ye Xiaomeng believed him for the time being and gave him a chance.


    She also wanted to give them both a chance. If he made the same mistake again, it would be very difficult for her to forgive him.


    ¡°Alright, alright. What¡¯s more important than your love life?¡± Shu Pan figured that she would call Gu Shaotingter to get herself out of dinner with his friend.


    ¡°That¡¯s more like it. Seven o¡¯clock tonight at Gathered Dragon. I¡¯ll see you there.¡± Ye Xiaomeng gave her the time and venue.


    ¡°What, Gathered Dragon too?¡± Shu Pan¡¯s voice could not help but raise a pitch.


    Why was everyone meeting there? Were there no other restaurants in Bin City?


    ¡°Yeah, what¡¯s the problem?¡± Ye Xiaomeng was startled by Shu Pan¡¯s raised pitch.


    ¡°Nothing. I¡¯ll see you there at seven.¡± Shu Pan felt that the arrangement would work too because she could say hi to He Ming before she joined Xiaomeng at the same restaurant.


    Shu Pan looked at the time after she hung up. It was almost time for Gu Shaoting and Joy to pick her up, so she started packing.


    ¡°Shu Pan, it¡¯s rare for you to leave office so early. Something¡¯s up.¡± Tang Wei joked with a sinister smile.


    ¡°I¡¯m having dinner with a friend tonight.¡± Shu Pan smiled.


    ¡°Is it with the handsome guy fromst time?¡± Tang Wei¡¯s eyes seemed to be shooting hearts.


    Shu Pan knew that she was talking about Chi. She shook her head with a smile. ¡°No, stop prying. It¡¯s a female friend.¡±


    Shu Pan¡¯s mind wandered a little when Tang Wei brought up Chi, who should be back from his studies soon.


    ¡°I¡¯m leaving. You should leave early too. Be careful.¡± Shu Pan said goodbye to Tang Wei.


    ¡°Ta-ta.¡± Tang Wei made a goodbye gesture to her..

 Chapter 273 - 273: He Ming’s Girlfriend

    Chapter 273: He Ming¡¯s Girlfriend


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    When Shu Pan arrived at the intersection, Gu Shaoting¡¯s car also arrived.


    Joy was strapped into a child car seat in the back.


    Gu Shaoting was quite meticulous about this matter. Because he often picked Joy up without Shu Pan and Joy always sat in the back alone, he put in a car seat for her and would drive this car whenever he needed to pick her up.


    ¡°Mommy, get in the car.¡± Joy urged Shu Pan.


    Shu Pan felt a little troubled. Why was this father and daughter so alike?


    There was a time when Joy liked Wen Chi very much, but she wasn¡¯t as clingy.


    Shu Pan didn¡¯t know if it was because Gu Shaoting picked Joy up so much recently that she had been Uncle Gu this and Uncle Gu that recently.


    Shu Pan felt conflicted now. She also wished for Joy to have aplete family with motherly as well as fatherly love.


    But was it proper to announce Joy¡¯s status given the current situation between her and Gu Shaoting?


    Gu Shaoting helped Shu Pan open the door to the front passenger seat. After Shu Pan got in the car, she asked Joy about her day at the kindergarten.


    Gu Shaoting drove as he listened to the sweet conversation between mother and daughter. It felt wonderful.


    As it was rush hour, traffic was heavy. By the time they arrived at Gathered Dragon, it was already past seven o¡¯clock.


    Gu Shaoting parked the car and held Joy¡¯s hand as they walked in. After a quick enquiry, a waiter led them to He Ming¡¯s private room.


    ¡°Mr. He has arrived. This way, please.¡±


    Shu Pan walked in first when the door was pushed opened. She couldn¡¯t believe her eyes when she saw Ye Xiaomeng.


    She was nning to say hi to He Ming before she went to find Xiaomeng at the same restaurant but there she was¡­


    ¡°Girl, do you have super powers or something? I just arrived and was about to text you the room number.¡± Ye Xiaomeng was also surprised.


    ¡°Are they here?¡± He Ming came out of the bathroom in the private room.


    ¡°He Ming, why are you here?¡± Shu Pan got another shock.


    ¡°You know each other?¡± Ye Xiaomeng asked in confusion. It was indeed a small world.


    ¡°He is Gu Shaoting¡¯s childhood friend.¡± Shu Pan replied helplessly. What a coincidence.


    ¡°What? That b*stard?¡± Ye Xiaomeng suddenly raised her voice.


    ¡°What b*stard?¡± Gu Shaoting heard Ye Xiaomeng¡¯sstment as he walked in with Joy.


    Ye Xiaomeng¡¯s eyes were orbs of fury when she saw him. He Ming noticed it and quickly tugged at her arm asking her to calm down.


    ¡°Godmother.¡± Joy saw Xiaomeng and ran over excitedly.


    ¡°Joy,e and let Godmother look at you. Have you grown into a piglet?¡± Ye Xiaomeng didn¡¯t scold Gu Shaoting for the time being when she saw Joy.


    ¡°I¡¯m not a piglet, I¡¯m a little beauty.¡± Joy said smugly.


    After everyone sat down, Gu Shaoting felt He Ming¡¯s girlfriend¡¯s hostility towards him.


    Actually, Gu Shaoting couldn¡¯t be med for that. During their three years of marriage, he knew very little about Shu Pan¡¯s friends. Even her best friend, Ye Xiaomeng, he had only met twice briefly.


    He didn¡¯t remember Ye Xiaomeng well so he couldn¡¯t understand why she was giving him a hard time now.


    He Ming took good care of Ye Xiaomeng throughout the meal.


    Shu Pan¡¯s eyes stung a little when she saw them. Her best friend had finally met the right man for her.


    Xiaomeng deserved all the happiness she could get!


    Shu Pan no longer had any lofty hopes about her own happiness. She was already very contented with Joy.


    Gu Shaoting also didn¡¯t neglect the mother and daughter throughout the meal. He kept filling their tes with delicious food.


    Ye Xiaomeng was a little surprised to see Gu Shaoting¡¯s actions tonight and wondered why he only did these things now¡­


    She must make sure that Shu Pan wouldn¡¯t forgive him so easily. She felt like crying whenever she thought about how her best friend had


    suffered in recent years..

 Chapter 274 - 274: The CEO of Su Corporation Is a Real Looker!

    Chapter 274: The CEO of Su Corporation Is a Real Looker!


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Shu Pan and Ye Xiaomeng were the only ones talking over dinner. The two men only asionally interjected.


    The two chatted for a while about Ye Xiaomeng¡¯s business trip.


    When no one was paying attention, Shu Pan secretly poked Ye Xiaomeng. ¡°I¡¯ll interrogate you properly when we are alone.¡± Ye Xiaomeng smiled shyly.


    Gu Shaoting¡¯s eyes were mostly fixed on Shu Pan.


    All the lights in the private room were turned on. Everything looked bright.


    Shu Pan was sitting under the brightest light. Her already fair face looked as white as wless porcin under the illumination.


    Gu Shaoting sat quietly with one hand on the back of Shu Pan¡¯s chair. He was wearing a white shirt today with the top two buttons unbuttoned. He looked very rxed.


    His expression was gentle as he listened quietly to their chatter.


    It was the same for He Ming. He seemed to only have eyes for Ye Xiaomeng. He listened to them chat while picking up food non-stop for Ye Xiaomeng until sheined.


    After dinner, everyone said goodbye.


    Shu Pan had been really busytely. The proposal was almost ready. After a final review by her director, they would submit the proposal at Su Corporation.


    Everyone was eager for the submission job when they heard that the CEO of Su Corporation was back in town.


    As Shu Pan was selected internally to be in charge of the proposal, she was more diligent than usual so she wouldn¡¯t let down everyone¡¯s expectations and efforts.


    ¡°Shu Pan, go with me to Su Corporation tomorrow afternoon to submit the proposal.¡± Her director came out of his office and instructed Shu Pan.


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll prepare the necessary.¡± Shu Pan nodded and copied the proposal and other supplementary documents into an encrypted folder.


    ¡°Shu Pan, why is God so kind to you? It¡¯s so unfair. You always get all the good things.¡± Tang Weiined to Shu Pan after their director left.


    ¡°Huh? Didn¡¯t you see the director give me work?¡± Shu Pan was amused.


    ¡°Do you know where you¡¯re going tomorrow?¡± Tang Wei asked.


    ¡°Where? It¡¯s just Su Corporation.¡± Shu Pan was baffled. Did Su Corporation have three heads or six arms?


    Tang Wei knew that Shu Pan was ignorant when she heard this. ¡°It¡¯s just Su Corporation? How much do you know about Su Corporation? Other than our employer, Gu Group, Su Corporation is also a regr on gossip columns.¡±


    Tang Wei made it sound so mysterious but Shu Pan simply didn¡¯t pay attention to such things.


    ¡°The hottest topictely is that the CEO of Su Corporation is a real looker. He¡¯s probably on par with our CEO. Some magazine wrote about his entrepreneurial journey and even published a photo of him. He looked so gorgeous.¡±


    ¡°Your saliva is dripping on the ground.¡± Shu Pan said with a smile. Tang Wei had a real talent for making peopleugh. The wordsing out of her mouth were especially funny.


    ¡°You¡¯re so annoying. I¡¯m telling you the truth. I¡¯ve seen him in magazines before. He looked really refined and elegant. Just my type.¡± Tang Wei¡¯s face was filled with infatuation.


    Shu Pan wanted to ask her if there was any kind of handsome guy that wasn¡¯t her type¡­


    ¡°Miss, I¡¯m going there for work, not to be star-struck.¡± Shu Pan smiled helplessly but her earlier nerves had calmed down.


    ¡°I¡¯ve told you anyway. It¡¯s up to you whether you¡¯ll seize the opportunity.¡± Tang Wei wished that she was the person going to Su Corporation with their director.


    But she wasn¡¯t fated to go, and she could only ept her fate..

 Chapter 275 - 275: A Different Shu Pan

    Chapter 275: A Different Shu Pan


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Shu Pan smiled. She looked young to people but only she knew the vicissitudes she felt in her heart.


    She had almost given up on romance and only wanted to live happily with Joy.


    She was already immune to handsome men.


    She used to love one so much, but she ended up covered in scars.


    ¡°Then would you like to go with me?¡± Shu Pan said with a smile.


    ¡°Sh*t, no. The director will scold me to death. What would I do there? Be a vase? No, I can¡¯t even be a vase with my current appearance.¡± Tang Wei said self-deprecatingly.


    ¡°You¡¯re quite self-aware.¡± MO Lan interrupted when she heard that.


    Tang Wei was about to explode in anger and counterattack when Shu Pan stopped her, ¡°Hurry back to work.¡± These two were always at loggerheads.


    Tang Wei went back to her desk angrily, and Shu Pan dove back into work.


    At the thought of the looming tender deadline, Shu Pan and her team were on pins and needles.


    She tightened her grip on the encrypted folder she was holding. This was everyone¡¯s hard work. Failure wasn¡¯t an option this time.


    The next day, Shu Pan rehearsed her proposal presentation again the moment she came into office.


    She didn¡¯t know if all bidders would present their proposals together or separately. Anyway, the decision was in the hands of Su Corporation now.


    Shu Pan ced work at the top of her list. No matter how tired she was, she would never allow herself to lose her job.


    At noon, Shu Pan and Tang Wei had lunch at thepany cafeteria.


    Shu Pan was so nervous about submitting the proposal at Su Corporation in the afternoon that she had stomach cramps.


    ¡°Sweetheart, rx and eat more. Delicious food can relieve tension.¡± Tang Wei started sharing her wisdom.


    ¡°Who said that?¡± Shu Pan couldn¡¯t help but smile.


    ¡°Me. I eat like crazy whenever I¡¯m nervous. It makes me forget about feeling nervous.¡± Tang Wei replied.


    ¡°You really don¡¯t need to feel nervous. Your appearance has already won you points. And your outfit today can only add to that.¡± Tang Wei shared her analysis.


    She saw a different Shu Pan today andmented again how unfair God was to give Shu Pan all the good things.


    Shu Pan was going for the professional and intellectual look today. She had on a white silk shirt with embroidered cor and a short ck skirt. The fitting cut entuated her perfect figure.


    To match her professional-looking outfit, Shu Pan put on light makeup. Her whole look was very sexy and feminine.


    Tang Wei¡¯s pupils shrank slightly when she saw Shu Pan dressed like this in the morning. If her look could make other women feel amazed and envious, imagine its effects on men.


    Tang Wei had a hunch that Shu Pan would make everyone at Su Corporation stare at her.


    Shu Pan rolled her eyes at Tang Wei. ¡°You¡¯re talking nonsense again. I should work harder.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re still so ignorant and n?lVe. Do you know the kind of society we live in now? As a looker, making use of your good looks is already half the battle won. You¡¯re really wasting God¡¯s gift and letting down God¡¯s kindness to you.¡±


    Tang Wei felt disappointed, but then she thought about it. Perhaps it was precisely because of Shu Pan¡¯s indifference that people were attracted to her.


    Shu Pan waspletely defeated by her clownish colleague, but to be honest, she wasn¡¯t that nervous anymore.


    She looked at Tang Wei with warmth in her heart. She felt really lucky and squeezed Tang Wei¡¯s hand to express her gratitude..

 Chapter 276 - 276: Reunion With An Old Friend

    Chapter 276 - 276: Reunion With An Old Friend


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Shu Pan and Tang Wei went back to the office after lunch. Tang Wei took a nap but Shu Pan was unusually energetic. She looked at the time. There was still an hour before she¡¯d leave with the director.


    She sat at her desk and reviewed the proposal materials. She found it hard to concentrate, so she took out her phone to look at some entertainment news to rx herself.


    Unsurprisingly, she saw an article about Tong Fei on the first page of an entertainment news site. Tong Fei seemed to be doing well, achieving yet another milestone in her career.


    What Shu Pan might not know was that Gu Shaoting hadpensated Tong Fei for cancelling their engagement.


    But that was what Tong Fei had expected. She glowed in the photo that came with the article, as always.


    Lunch break was finally over.


    Shu Pan¡¯s director got her and they left for Su Corporation together.


    On their way, her director told her that it was a verypetitive bid this time around. And because he knew a senior person at Su Corporation, with the surname Lu, he managed to get a private meeting with them.


    When they arrived at Su Corporation, Shu Pan was a little stunned that Su Corporation was only slightly inferior to Gu Group.


    Su Corporation wasn¡¯t just an up-anding new business, itspany logo shone under the sun and their offices looked magnificent.


    Perhaps the higher-ups had instructed the front desk, they were escorted to the 30th floor of the building when they arrived.


    When the secretary saw them, she gestured for them to go straight into the director¡¯s office as Director Lu had been waiting for them.


    Shu Pan¡¯s director knocked on the office door out of politeness and only pushed it open when he heard the words e in.¡±


    Before they could greet Director Lu, Shu Pan was shocked by the other person in the room and forgot to say hello.


    It wasn¡¯t until Director Wong, her boss, nudged her in the arm that she came back to her senses and said an awkward hello.


    Director Lu wasn¡¯t the only person in his office. There was also a tall man in a silver suit, standing by the floor-to-ceiling windows with hands behind his back while his gentle gaze fell on Shu Pan.


    Their eyes met and neither of them spoke. It was as if everything around them hade to a standstill.


    It had been four years and Shu Pan thought she would never meet Su Yuan again. It was really unexpected to meet him here on such an asion.


    At the sight of such a familiar face, Shu Pan¡¯s heart was filled with a myriad of emotions.


    ¡°Pan, long time no see.¡± Su Yuan greeted her first.


    ¡°Long time no see.¡± Shu Pan replied politely.


    Su Yuan suppressed his excitement because all he wanted to do at this moment was to hold her tightly in his arms.


    He had once missed six years with her, and then another four years. How many decades did one have in a lifetime?


    He left her for the first time six years ago because he was selfish. He had no choice but to leave her for a second time four years ago because his status then didn¡¯t allow him to be with her. Now that he was a free man, he could pursue the love of his life again.


    Yes, Shu Pan was the love of his life.


    In Su Yuan¡¯s eyes, Shu Pan wasn¡¯t a woman who would stun people at first nce. She was someone who would grow on you and look more attractive over time.


    She was warm and elegant.


    Her eyebrows were as beautiful as a painting, her eyshes were long and her eyes were crystal clear. Her skin was fair like porcin, and she had a good figure.


    She might be easy-going but was tenacious when it came to matters of principle.


    It was this soft and hard contrast about her that attracted him. And honestly, a sessful man like him could probably get any woman he wanted..

 Chapter 277 - 277: A Most Wonderful Encounter

    Chapter 277 - 277: A Most Wonderful Encounter


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Women had been throwing themselves at him all the while but no one could enter his heart, except Shu Pan.


    Not even his ex-wife, whom he married only for benefits at that time and paid a huge priceter to divorce.


    He then spent substantial effort to bounce back financially. Only he knew the hardships and sadness he had suffered, but he felt that everything was worth it.


    All the waiting was for this most wonderful encounter.


    Shu Pan recovered from her shock. After all, Su Yuan was a seasoned professional.


    After breaking eye contact, Su Yuan still looked at the intellectual- but sexy-looking Shu Pan and couldn¡¯t move his gaze away until muchter.


    Su Yuan walked up to Shu Pan and said with a smile, ¡°Director Lu, this must be the Miss Shu you were raving about.¡±


    The man¡¯s cold but maic voice startled everyone in the room, especially


    Shu Pan. It was as if he had hit Shu Pan in the head.


    ¡°CEO Su, yes. This is Director Wang and Miss Shu from Sunrise Architecture. They are overseeing a proposal to our tender.¡± Director Lu nodded as he spoke because he had read Shu Pan¡¯s proposal and admired her work.


    Director Lu then introduced Su Yuan to them. ¡°This is the CEO of Su Corporation, Mr. Su.¡±


    Director Wang was extremely excited when he heard this. He quickly went up to shake Su Yuan¡¯s hand. ¡°CEO Su, I apologize for my ignorance. Please forgive me.¡±


    Su Yuan smiled gently as he shook Director Wang¡¯s hand.


    In fact, Su Yuan was a wolf in sheep¡¯s clothing. He would always smile when he first met someone but, in the end, many people fell for his deception.


    His sess was therefore not idental.


    Shu Pan clenched her fists and took a deep breath. She said with her best attempt at a professional smile, ¡°Hello, CEO Su.¡±


    Although she tried her best to look natural, her voice still trembled.


    It was as if she hadn¡¯t said ¡°long time no see¡± just now.


    Su Yuan replied with a smile, ¡°Don¡¯t be so formal.¡±


    Directors Wang and Lu were both smart people. Su Yuan¡¯s words showed without a doubt that he knew Shu Pan and had a close rtionship with her.


    The two of them looked at each other with a shared understanding.


    Director Lu then said, ¡°I heard from Director Wang that Miss Shu has been working very hard on this proposal. Why don¡¯t you present it in front of CEO


    ¡°Director Lu, you tter me.¡± Shu Pan took another deep breath, took out the hardcopies of the proposal and turned on herptop. She then pretended that Su Yuan wasn¡¯t there and exined her interpretation of the tender and her team¡¯s proposal for the project.


    Shu Pan tried her best to focus but she kept feeling a burning gaze on her. If a gaze could start a fire, she would have been burnt long ago.


    She kept telling herself to ignore Su Yuan and pretend that he didn¡¯t exist.


    Su Yuan¡¯s gaze was meaningful, and Shu Pan felt a little ufortable.


    She figured that it was probably because they hadn¡¯t been in touch for so long that they felt like strangers. But whatever the case, he was still her senior under the same teacher.


    Shu Pan also felt embarrassed. It was Su Yuan who helped her during her most difficult time when the debt collectors were harassing her.


    Although she had paid him back the money over thest few years, there was no way to repay her debt of gratitude.


    Shu Pan thought that she should find an opportunity to thank him properly. Finally, Shu Pan finished her presentation and heaved a sigh of relief..

 Chapter 278 - 278: 1 Miss You so Much

    Chapter 278 - 278: 1 Miss You so Much


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Shortly after, Director Lu found an excuse to take Director Wang out of the office. Shu Pan realized when she was packing that she and Su Yuan were the only people in the office.


    There was no one else in the room. Shu Pan felt that she shouldn¡¯t stay long and excused herself.


    ¡°CEO Su, you must be so busy, so I shan¡¯t disturb you.¡± Shu Pan said politely. ¡°Pan, there¡¯s no one else here. Don¡¯t be so formal.¡± Su Yuan said gently.


    Shu Pan looked troubled and didn¡¯t know what to do.


    After all, it had been a long time since theyst met, and her memory of them wasn¡¯t pleasant.


    Shu Pan couldn¡¯t help butmented in her heart. Life was indeed full of drama. Anything could happen.


    The CEO of Su Corporation that everyone was talking about was actually Su Yuan. It was so unbelievable that the name she had sealed for so long suddenly appeared before her. Shu Pan didn¡¯t know what to say.


    Su Yuan saw Shu Pan¡¯s silence and continued, ¡°I miss you so much. Shall we catch up some time?¡±


    Shu Pan¡¯s face turned red. She didn¡¯t expect Su Yuan to say something like that. Wasn¡¯t ¡°I miss you¡± something only people in intimate rtionships say to each other?


    They didn¡¯t seem to be in any rtionship.


    ¡°What¡¯s the matter? You can just tell me now. You¡¯ve received the money, right? Thank you. I¡¯ve been wanting to thank you in person.¡± Shu Pan said sincerely.


    ¡°I don¡¯t ept any verbal thanks. Treat me to a meal when you have time.¡± When Su Yuan received Shu Pan¡¯s money back then, his eyebrows were tightly knitted together.


    Shu Pan paid him back in such a hurry because she wanted to have nothing to do with him.


    When he helped her, he didn¡¯t expect her to pay him back. It was just that he wasn¡¯t divorced back then and neither was Shu Pan, so he couldn¡¯t think too much about their rtionship.


    Shu Pan¡¯s indifferent face now showed that she seemed to havepletely forgotten about him.


    ¡°Sure. Call me when you have time.¡± After all, this man had helped her so much back then. It was rather insincere to just say thanks.


    Su Yuan looked at her fairplexion, her feminine demeanor, and her slim figure. He could not help but pull Shu Pan into his arms, crying out deep in his heart, ¡°Pan¡­¡±


    Shu Pan was shocked by his sudden move.


    She tried hard to break free from his embrace. The man¡¯s hot breath on her made her retreat instinctively but it seemed that Su Yuan held her even tighter.


    Shu Pan had no choice but to remind him verbally, ¡°CEO Su, please let go. We are at work. Please behave yourself.¡±


    There was a huge difference in strength between men and women. Even if she used all her strength, she could not push the man away. Shu Pan tried to break free but failed, so she decided to stop struggling.


    ¡°Pan, I¡¯ll let go if you call my name.¡± Su Yuan spoke again when he saw her quiet down but he spoke like a scoundrel.


    ¡°Su Yuan¡­¡± Shu Pan called his name helplessly.


    Her voice was gentle and soothing.


    Only then did Su Yuan reluctantly let go of her.


    Shu Pan broke free from his embrace and heaved a sigh of relief. That overpowering pressure was finally gone.


    But Shu Pan was thinking now if it was better to have someone else take charge of the project. She really wanted to have nothing to do with Su Yuan. Although she wouldn¡¯t assume that Su Yuan had any feelings for her, his behavior today really overwhelmed her.


    Just as her mind was in a mess, Directors Lu and Wang knocked on the door and walked in chatting andughing..

 Chapter 279 - 279: Stunned

    Chapter 279 - 279: Stunned


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Director Wang saw their discussioning to an end, so he and Shu Pan excused themselves and left.


    Shu Pan took a deep breath and smiled. ¡°Thank you both. We¡¯ll take our leave now.¡±


    Su Yuan nodded and watched Shu Pan leave, unable to snap out of his daze for a long time.


    ¡°CEO Su, what do you think of their proposal?¡± Director Lu asked.


    ¡°Not bad. Aren¡¯t there a few more vendors? Let them present their proposals too so we can get a preliminary understanding andpare them before we have a formal meeting to decide on the winner.¡±


    Su Yuan instructed Director Lu, his words straightforward.


    ¡°Will do, CEO Su.¡± Director Lu replied.


    On the way back to the office, Director Wang couldn¡¯t take it anymore and asked, ¡°Shu Pan, did you know CEO Su?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, we went to the same university but we weren¡¯t close.¡± Shu Pan deliberately added the words ¡°weren¡¯t close¡± because she didn¡¯t want Director Wang to think that they could discuss business based on their rtionship.


    It was better not to mention such rtionships.


    ¡°Oh, I see.¡± Although Director Wang didn¡¯t show it, he knew clearly in his heart that CEO Su didn¡¯t behave like an ordinary schoolmate at Su Corporation just now.


    However, since the protagonist didn¡¯t want to say anything, he would stop prying.


    ¡°Go back and perfect our proposal. We¡¯ll try to win the bid on the day of contract award.¡± Director Wang instructed.


    ¡°Alright.¡± Shu Pan nodded to show that she understood.


    As soon as she was back in the office, Tang Wei came over to find out what happened.


    ¡°How was it? Did you meet the CEO of Su Corporation? Is he as the rumors say?


    Extraordinarily handsome?¡±


    Tang Wei¡¯s tone was full of excitement.


    Shu Pan ignored her and continued with her work.


    ¡°Shu Pan, you¡¯re too mean. Can¡¯t you share after you¡¯ve feasted your eyes?¡± Tang Weiined with a smile.


    ¡°My dearest young miss, I was there for work. I really didn¡¯t pay much attention to whether the boss looked round or t.¡± Shu Pan would never tell Tang Wei that she knew the CEO of Su Corporation, or she might drown in Tang Wei¡¯s spit.


    ¡°No fun at all. Are you sure you¡¯re a woman?¡± Tang Wei asked doubtfully.


    ¡°Couldn¡¯t be more real.¡± Shu Pan answered affirmatively.


    Tang Wei returned to her desk in disappointment.


    Shu Pan finally had some peace and quiet. She wanted to quickly finish her work because Joy wanted to go to the zoo this weekend.


    When it was almost knock-off time, Shu Pan received a call from Gu Shaoting. ¡°Are you done?¡±


    Shu Pan could not help but frown. What was going on? It seemed that Gu Shaoting had been picking her up from work recently and slowly inching his way back into her life. Joy would ask about him if she didn¡¯t see him for a day.


    That wasn¡¯t a good sign.


    ¡°Um, I¡¯m almost done. Don¡¯t pick me up if you are busy. I can take Joy home.¡± Shu Pan said tactfully.


    ¡°What¡¯s more important than you and your daughter?¡± Gu Shaoting retorted and Shu Pan was speechless as she sighed in her heart. She could never win against him.


    When she walked out of the building, she saw Gu Shaoting¡¯s very low-key car.


    Gu Shaoting knew that Shu Pan wouldn¡¯t ride in an ostentatious car. She was inexplicably insistent about this.


    Seeing Shu Pan approach his car, Gu Shaoting was stunned. He rarely saw Shu Pan dressed so sexily, with her miniskirt wrapped snugly around her round buttocks, and her slender and long legs appearing even fairer.


    Gu Shaoting felt a wave of heat. It had been a long time since he felt that way..

 Chapter 280 - 280: No Short Skirts At Work

    Chapter 280: No Short Skirts At Work


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    To hide his awkwardness, Gu Shaoting narrowed his eyes and looked away. He then quietly helped Shu Pan open the car door.


    Afte Shu Pan got in the car, the fragrance of a woman pounced at him.


    Gu Shaoting secretly mocked himself about whether he would have a nosebleed¡­


    But his thoughts quickly shifted to how inappropriate it was to dress like that for work.


    ¡°What have you been busy with today?¡± Gu Shaoting asked casually while driving.


    ¡°I went to Su Corporation with Director Wang in the afternoon to discuss our preliminary proposal with them.¡± Shu Pan reported formally.


    Gu Shaoting¡¯s grip on the steering wheel tightened. All he got from her reply was that she dressed like that for a business meeting.


    He made a mental note to add another rule to thepany policy: no short skirts at work for female employees.


    Shu Pan continued when she saw Gu Shaoting¡¯s silence, ¡°Drop me off at the supermarket ahead. I¡¯ll go get ingredients for dinner. It¡¯s still early. We can pick Joy up after that.¡±


    Because the proposal had basically been finalized, she was less busy today and decided to leave work early.


    ¡°No need. We¡¯ll eat out after we pick Joy up. You¡¯re probably tired from a long day at work. Would you like to go home and change after we pick Joy up before we head out for dinner?¡±


    Gu Shaoting realized today that he had difficulty keeping his cool. He would be distracted if he had to face the seductively dressed Shu Pan all night.


    ¡°Okay.¡± Shu Pan was indeed a little tired. She nodded and did as Gu Shaoting said.


    He Ming had been very happytely because his rtionship with Xiaomeng had been developing steadily. He looked like he was floating on cloud nine.


    He was now asking Xiaomeng to move in with him.


    Xiaomeng hadn¡¯t agreed yet, so he was still working on it. He had been living at home with his parents out of convenience. He needed some personal space now that he had Xiaomeng, and the apartment he had bought before coulde in handy.


    ¡°Ming, what¡¯s happening? You haven¡¯t been home muchtely. Are you very busy?¡± Mrs. He was a little unhappy. If he came home, she could at least nag him about getting a wife.


    He Ming put his arm around his mother¡¯s shoulders and said with a smile,


    ¡°Mom, I¡¯m busy wooing your future daughter-inw.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t joke about this. I¡¯m serious. Look at my friends¡¯ children. They¡¯re younger than you but they already have children. You¡¯re the only one who¡¯s still single.¡± Mrs. He sighed.


    ¡°Really. I¡¯m working on it.¡± He Ming didn¡¯t want Mrs. He to scare Xiaomeng, so he didn¡¯t dare to tell his mother that he already had a girlfriend.


    Because based on his understanding of Mrs. He, she would ask to meet his girlfriend right away once she knew.


    ¡°Ming, what do you think about Shanshan?¡± Mrs. He thought that He Ming was just brushing her off, so she brought up Hu Shanshan.


    ¡°Nothing much. She¡¯s like a younger sister to me. Mom, please don¡¯t randomly set me up with people.¡± He Ming reminded Mrs. He, worried that she would make things worse.


    Mrs. He looked disappointed. ¡°But Shanshan is a good match for you in terms of family background, looks, and talent. Are you sure you don¡¯t want to give it a try??


    ¡°Mom, I¡¯m looking for spiritualpatibility. No matter how good she is, no feelings means no feelings.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re so full of nonsense. I met your father on a blind date. I¡¯ve lived with him for most of my life and we¡¯re still fine.¡± Mrs. He cited herself as an example again.


    He Ming had heard this broken record a thousand times.


    ¡°Mom, the day after tomorrow is my birthday and I won¡¯t being home for dinner.¡± He Ming quickly changed the subject to avoid further nagging from his mother..

 Chapter 281 - 281: Mrs. He’s Worries

    Chapter 281: Mrs. He¡¯s Worries


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    ¡°Why? You¡¯ve always celebrated your birthday at home! Are you too good for your parents now?¡± Mrs. He protested.


    It was truly better to be child free. Her son wasn¡¯t even as considerate as Qiuqiu.


    Oh, a quick introduction. Qiuqiu was Mrs. He¡¯s dog. He¡¯s a Pomeranian that looked like a snowball, hence the name Qiuqiu (a nickname based on the word for ball in Mandarin).


    ¡°Am I not home today to eat with you? Please calm down, my Empress


    Dowager.¡± He Ming sat his mother down on the sofa and massaged her back.


    ¡°You are not getting away with ttery. You must at leaste home for some longevity noodles on that day!¡± Mrs. He ordered.


    He Ming thought about it for a moment and said, ¡°Alright then.¡± He was only going out at night that day ¨C a candlelight dinner with Xiaomeng followed by a romantic evening together. The thought alone excited him.


    ¡°That¡¯s more like it. A mother¡¯s advice is like water off a duck¡¯s back to adult children. You worry me more than Qiuqiu.¡± Mrs. He treated Qiuqiu like her other son.


    He Ming wanted to roll his eyes.


    He Ming stayed with his mother at home for a while before he went out.


    He was going to find Xiaomeng but she was busy. However, he had told her a


    few days ago that his birthday was the day after tomorrow.


    He wouldn¡¯t dare to expect any birthday surprises from Xiaomeng. He would be thankful if she could spend time with him on that day.


    As soon as He Ming left, Hu Shanshan and her mother dropped by the He residence.


    ¡°Hello, Auntie.¡± Hu Shanshan greeted Mrs. He politely.


    ¡°You are here. Pleasee in.¡± Mrs. He said warmly.


    After Hu Shanshan and her mother walked in, she looked around the house with slightly disappointed eyes.


    Mrs. He knew why Hu Shanshan was disappointed but she didn¡¯t show it and just said casually, ¡°You just missed Ming.¡±


    Hu Shanshan was extremely annoyed that she was just a minute toote.


    After the other day, she had been wanting to ask him how things were going with the woman he fancied.


    But she hadn¡¯t got the chance. She tried calling Brother He, but he always said he was busy and then hung up on her.


    Therefore, when her mother told her that she was going to visit Auntie He today, she tagged along. Who knew that she would miss him again here?


    ¡°Has Brother He been very busytely?¡± Hu Shanshan asked casually.


    ¡°He¡¯s busy every day but I don¡¯t know what he¡¯s busy with. Xu Fang, you¡¯re the luckier one because you have a daughter who¡¯s willing to apany you every day.¡± Mrs. He looked at Hu Shanshan¡¯s mother and said with envy.


    ¡°What¡¯s so good about that? My daughter is all grown now and has her own ideas. And I still have to worry about her getting married.¡± Mrs. Hu also had her worries.


    ¡°Mom¡­¡± Hu Shanshan said shyly.


    ¡°Shanshan is still young. Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m more worried about Ming, who¡¯ll be a year older the day after tomorrow. My hair is turning white from worrying.¡± Mrs. He poured out her grievances. At her age, she should be taking care of her grandchildren.


    She liked Shanshan and knew her well, but He Ming had no feelings for her. She had no choice but to stop fixing her up with He Ming.


    ¡°Brother He¡¯s birthday is the day after tomorrow?¡± Hu Shanshan caught the main point.


    ¡°Yeah,e over for lunch that day if you¡¯re free. I told him toe home at noon on his birthday.¡± Mrs. He nodded and invited Hu Shanshan.


    Hu Shanshan remembered it and knew what to do. ¡°Sure.¡±


    Mrs. Hu couldn¡¯t help but shake her head with a smile when she heard her daughter¡¯s quick answer. Indeed, grown daughters would eventually be married off¡­


    Hu Shanshan thought about it after she got home. She would ask her best bestie out tomorrow to help her pick out a birthday present for Brother He.


    She also needed to find the right time to tell Brother He about her feelings for him. She didn¡¯t just want to be his sister..

 Chapter 282 - 282: A Birthday Present

    Chapter 282: A Birthday Present


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    The next day was a Saturday. Ye Xiaomeng woke up organically. She put on a dressing gown and looked out at the sun. Her mood inexplicably improved.


    After washing up, she got her phone and called Shu Pan.


    ¡°Girl, are you free? Let¡¯s meet up at noon and then shop around.¡±


    Ye Xiaomeng thought carefully and realized that she had be unlike herselftely. She used to love eating, drinking, and shopping like crazy. But she behaved like a good little wife now. She mocked herself with a smile.


    ¡°Sure. Then I¡¯ll see you at the usual ceter.¡± Shu Pan agreed immediately as she was bored; Joy was going to childcare today.


    After so much hard work and suffering in the recent years, she was finally back on her feet and on the path to sess. It was time for her to rx asionally.


    The two of them were indeed besties. They arrived at the entrance of the mall at almost the same time, both dressed in white. They looked good in their own ways and grabbed the attention of many passersby.


    ¡°I just woke up and I¡¯m famished. Let¡¯s find something to eat first.¡± Ye Xiaomeng held Shu Pan¡¯s arm and walked towards the restaurant street.


    ¡°Who asked you to be such azy pig?


    ¡°I¡¯ve been so busytely. I could finally sleep in today. More importantly, the market is no good now and business development is difficult. Sigh. What to do when I¡¯m earning peanuts but juggling a circus of responsibilities and walking a tightrope of risks?¡± Ye Xiaomeng pulled a long face.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you have He Ming now? Someone to rely on?¡± Shu Pan reminded her.


    ¡°It¡¯s better to rely on myself. Who knows what will happen in the future? I¡¯m just going to let nature take its course.¡± Ye Xiaomeng was walking on eggshells in rtionships, afraid of being hurt again.


    ¡°Silly, there¡¯ll always something different. How would you know if you don¡¯t try?¡± Shu Pan encouraged her.


    ¡°Then why don¡¯t you take your own advice? Thest time I saw Gu Shaoting, he really changed a lot, almost like a different person.¡±


    Although Ye Xiaomeng had once told Shu Pan not to forgive him easily, she respected Shu Pan¡¯s choice. After all, Shupan was still young and so was Joy. She only wished them happiness for the rest of their lives.


    The two of them chose a noodle shop. The noodles there were handmade and very chewy. The restaurant was usually crowded but they got a table today. Ye Xiaomeng quickly pulled Shu Pan to sit down.


    While waiting for their food, Shu Pan asked, ¡°Why do you suddenly want to go shopping?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t remind me. Have you ever met someone who would keep reminding people of their birthday? He even asked me what gift I would get him!¡± Ye Xiaomeng said in exasperation.


    She didn¡¯t know whether tough or cry at He Ming¡¯s behavior.


    A few days ago, he said that he wanted to celebrate his birthday with her and asked her to set aside time, and she agreed.


    After that, he was probably worried that she would forget, so he reminded her repeatedly and even asked her what gift she would get him. He even suggested that she wrapped herself up as a birthday gift to him, which made her blush like a tomato.


    She had met thick-skinned people before, but she had never met anyone as thick-skinned as him.


    ¡°He Ming? Birthday?¡± Only then did Shu Pan realize what was going on.


    ¡°Yeah. Should I get him a shirt? Or a wallet? A leather belt?¡± Ye Xiaomeng listed her options.


    She then muttered, ¡°His wallet is still quite new. It will probably be a while before he needs a new one. Will a belt be misunderstood as me wanting to tie


    him up?¡±


    ¡°Okay. I¡¯ve decided to buy him a shirt. It can be worn on its own or with a suit. It¡¯s more useful.¡± Ye Xiaomeng happily made her decision.


    After their noodles arrived, they both dug in heartily, especially Ye Xiaomeng, who looked like she hadn¡¯t eaten for days.


    After lunch, the two of them walked into thergest shopping mall in Bin City..

 Chapter 283 - 283: Too Much!

    Chapter 283: Too Much!


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    The mall never seemed to run out of customers. It was even more crowded on Saturdays. Everyone walked around with bags of shopping like things didn¡¯t cost any money.


    Ye Xiaomeng pulled Shu Pan into the DV boutique. This was an international brand that specialized in men¡¯s clothing. The cheapest item here would cost Ye Xiaomeng her an entire month¡¯s sry.


    ¡°Wow, Xiaomeng, are you a secret tycoon? He Ming would be so happy if he knew that you were willing to buy him such an expensive birthday gift.¡± Shu Pan eximed.


    ¡°Come closer and listen to the sound of my heart bleeding.¡± Ye Xiaomeng said like it was a real thing.


    ¡°I don¡¯t really have a choice. I secretly checked and found out that he wore only branded clothes, so my gift can¡¯t be too shabby.¡±


    ¡°Hi, could you show me that pink and blue striped shirt, please?¡± Ye Xiaomeng pointed at a shirt in the disy window.


    ¡°I would like to look at this.¡± A beautiful woman beside her said at the same time, pointing at the same shirt.


    Ye Xiaomeng looked up, curious to find out who had the same taste as her and picked the same shirt she asked about.


    The woman in question had a small oval face, exquisite facial features, and skin as white as snow. Indeed, youth was the wind in one¡¯s sails. She was dressed in branded clothes and carried a small LV bag.


    The friend with her asked, ¡°Shanshan, are you sure you want to buy him a shirt? Why don¡¯t you look around? It¡¯s better to give him a belt. Tie him down.¡± Her young friend said with a mischievous smile.


    ¡°Stop it. Didn¡¯t I vomit on him the other day? That¡¯s why I¡¯m getting him a shirt.¡± Hu Shanshan saw He Ming wearing this brand of clothes that night.


    ¡°Okay, okay. You decide.¡± The two of them kept whispering to each other, but they weren¡¯t whispering at all. Ye Xiaomeng, who was standing beside them, heard every word.


    Ye Xiaomeng couldn¡¯t help but smile. This woman was probably buying the shirt for her boyfriend too.


    Ye Xiaomeng suddenly found the beautiful woman familiar. She seemed to have met her before, but she couldn¡¯t remember when and where.


    ¡°Xiaomeng, have you decided?¡± Shu Pan walked over and asked.


    This wasn¡¯t the kind of ce she shopped at. Even when she was married to Gu Shaoting, she only bought him mid-range or sometimes premium clothes. She really couldn¡¯t bear to spend money on luxury clothing.


    Since Gu Shaoting wore custom-made clothes to work and social functions, it didn¡¯t really matter if he dressed more ordinarily at home.


    ¡°How about this one?¡± Ye Xiaomeng picked up the shirt and showed it to Shu Pan. The price was almost a five-figure sum. How could a shirt that cost that much be bad?


    Shil Pan felt her heart ponnd when she saw the price tag-


    ¡°Miss, I would like this shirt in XL, please.¡± Ye Xiaomeng said.


    ¡°Miss, I would like one in XL.¡± The beautiful woman beside her said at the same time.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,dies. There¡¯s only one XL for this shirt. We only have one in every size for each color. Our clothes are all limited editions.¡±


    The sales assistant looked at the two of them awkwardly, not knowing what to do.


    ¡°Miss, I saw this shirt first, so I think I should have it.¡± Ye Xiaomeng said calmly to the beautiful woman next to her.


    The beautiful woman was actually Hu Shanshan, who was also getting a birthday present for He Ming.


    ¡°Is your name written on the shirt? Have you checked the price? Don¡¯t miss a


    zero, okay?¡± Hu Shanshan said arrogantly to Ye Xiaomeng, with a hint of contempt.


    ¡°You¡­¡± Ye Xiaomeng was so angry that she wanted to stomp her feet.


    ¡°Miss, let me pay for it now.¡± With that, Hu Shanshan took out a ck card from her LV wallet and gave it to the sales assistant..

 Chapter 284 - 284: Trouble Over A Shirt

    Chapter 284 - 284: Trouble Over A Shirt


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Seeing Hu Shanshan¡¯s ostentatious behavior, the sales assistant didn¡¯t want to offend her and said to Ye Xiaomeng, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Miss. Why don¡¯t you look at the same shirt in other colors?¡±


    Shu Pan saw how everything unfolded. She had a simr experience before, and it was very embarrassing.


    She patted Ye Xiaomeng on the shoulder andforted her. ¡°Xiaomeng, I think the pink one looks good too. It suits him better. It¡¯s refined and matches his temperament.¡±


    Indeed, He Ming was gentle and light colors suited him. If it was Gu Shaoting, a cold and mysterious color like ck would be more suitable.


    Shu Pan was stunned. Why was she thinking about Gu Shaoting?


    Ye Xiaomeng just didn¡¯t want to take it lying down. She was actually debating earlier about what color shirt to get He Ming. He already had many light blue shirts and perhaps she should get him something in a different color.


    Light colorsplemented his temperament well.


    She just couldn¡¯t take that woman¡¯s condescending behavior. She was too much!


    If she had discussed it nicely with her, she would have let her have the shirt. But¡­


    ¡°Miss, you¡¯re not the only person with a bank card.¡± With that, Ye Xiaomeng took out a few bank cards from her wallet.


    She then continued in a fierce tone, ¡®Will you give it up if I¡¯m able to pay for it?¡±


    Hu Shanshan obviously did not expect Ye Xiaomeng to retaliate. She thought that Ye Xiaomeng was just a poor girl pretending to be rich, someone ignorant.


    When she heard Ye Xiaomeng¡¯s words, she didn¡¯t dare to answer because if she really paid for the shirt, she didn¡¯t know what else to get Brother He for his birthday.


    ¡°Miss, here¡¯s your bank card. Please keep it well. And here¡¯s the shirt.¡± The sales assistant returned the bank card with both hands to Hu Shanshan and then handed her the gift-wrapped shirt.


    Hu Shanshan took the shirt smugly before she nced disdainfully at Ye


    Xiaomeng. Then, like a proud rooster, she strutted triumphantly out of the boutique with her friend.


    Ye Xiaomeng was furious, but she considered the experience being bitten by a mad dog and said to the sales assistant, ¡°Miss, please help me gift wrap the pink one in XL.¡±


    She wouldn¡¯t let the incident ruin her mood or allow herself to feel bad.


    The sales assistant heaved a sigh of relief. The atmosphere was very tense just now.


    This youngdy actually saw the shirt first, but the other youngdy insisted on snatching it. It was obvious that the other youngdy was a spoiled child who did not care about others¡¯ feelings. Her words were also extremely mean and made people ufortable.


    Fortunately, things had settled down. She was so worried that they would argue or even fight.


    ¡°Will do, Miss. I¡¯m sorry that you¡¯ve been wronged.¡± The customer was God. The boutique staff were very sorry that a customer had such a terrible shopping experience, but there was nothing they could do. The only thing they could do was to apologize.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. It¡¯s not your fault anyway.¡± Ye Xiaomeng¡¯s anger had subsided a lot. She waved her hand nonchntly and said magnanimously that she didn¡¯t mind. She wouldn¡¯t take her anger out on the boutique staff.


    They just did their best given the situation because they couldn¡¯t offend any client.


    Shortly after, Ye Xiaomeng paid the bill and took the gift-wrapped shirt from the sales assistant.


    She then left the boutique with Shu Pan.


    Shu Pan saw that Ye Xiaomeng was quiet and knew that she was still angry. She didn¡¯t want her to bottle things up inside, so she asked, ¡°Xiaomeng, are you alright?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine. I was bitten by a dog today. I couldn¡¯t bite the dog back when a mad dog bit me, right?¡± Ye Xiaomeng figured that she would take a detour if she met this woman again. She was just a mad dog to her..

 Chapter 285 - 285: Inviting Uncle Gu

    Chapter 285 - 285: Inviting Uncle Gu


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    ¡°That¡¯s good. Let¡¯s shop some more. Isn¡¯t it He Ming¡¯s birthday? There will definitely be a candlelight dinner, followed by¡­¡± Shu Pan revealed a meaningful, evil smile.


    ¡°Girl, you¡¯ve turned bad.¡± Ye Xiaomeng couldn¡¯t help but feel relieved as she watched her friend joke. Shu Pan had be more cheerful,pletely different from the Shu Pan who was tortured by the heavy burden of life.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go. Buy a set of sexy lingerie and a sheer babydoll to wear in bed for He Ming. I guarantee that it¡¯ll be the best birthday present he has ever received, not some branded shirt.¡±


    Shu Pan pulled Ye Xiaomeng towards a lingerie store.


    ¡°Hello, are you serious?¡± Ye Xiaomeng stopped in her tracks and looked at Shu Pan in surprise.


    ¡°Yeah, let¡¯s go. Just listen to me.¡± Ye Xiaomeng helplessly followed Shu Pan.


    Her usually carefree self was suddenly shy.


    In the end, under Shu Pan¡¯s insistence, she bought some sexy underwear and a babydoll.


    Ye Xiaomeng¡¯s face flushed at the thought of wearing them.


    The two of them walked around for a while more before they went home seDaratelv.


    Shu Pan saw that it was almost time to pick Joy up, so she walked to her kindergarten that wasn¡¯t far away.


    When she arrived, Joy was already sitting on a stool wearing her backpack.


    ¡°Mommy, why are you here to pick me up today?¡± Joy ran out when she saw her mother.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you like it when Mommy picks you up?¡± Shu Pan asked with feigned sadness. This little traitor Joy had been brainwashed by Gu Shaoting.


    The two of them had gotten close because he had been picking her up from schooltely.


    ¡°I like it. Why isn¡¯t Uncle Gu here?¡± Joy asked with slight disappointment. Only a few seconds had passed yet she mentioned Uncle Gu again.


    Shu Pan squatted down and told Joy seriously, ¡°Joy, Uncle Gu is a very busy man. We can¡¯t always trouble him. Do you understand?¡±


    ¡°But Uncle Gu said that he¡¯s not an outsider and I can look for him whenever I miss him.¡± Joy argued eloquently.


    ¡°Those are just Uncle Gu¡¯s pleasantries. You can¡¯t take them too seriously.¡± Shu Pan felt a headacheing on.


    ¡°What are pleasantries? Why can¡¯t they be taken seriously? Don¡¯t tell me that everything that adults tell us is to coax children?¡± Joy had endless questions.


    Now that Shu Pan hated Gu Shaoting, she had nothing to say to the child.


    Gu Shaoting, who was at home, couldn¡¯t help but sneeze a few times.


    ¡°No, what Uncle Gu said is true. But he also has to work and rest like everyone else. He can¡¯te and y with Joy every day, understand?¡± Shu Pan taught Joy patiently.


    ¡°Oh, I see.¡± Joy nodded her head like a little adult like she understood. ¡°But if Uncle Gu isn¡¯t here, how can I invite him to the zoo tomorrow?¡±


    Joy felt troubled.


    ¡°Mommy just told you that Uncle Gu has to work. He may not have time.¡± Shu Pan wanted to dispel her thoughts.


    ¡°But Uncle Gu promised mest time. Besides, he has never seen animals like monkeys and elephants.¡± Joy replied seriously.


    ¡°Mommy, please call Uncle Gu and ask him.¡± Joy was insistent.


    Shu Pan had no choice but to take out her phone and call Gu Shaoting. After the call was connected, Shu Pan passed her phone to Joy.


    Joy held the phone in a dignified manner like a little adult. ¡°Uncle Gu¡­¡± Gu Shaoting felt his heart melt when he heard Joy¡¯s childish voice.


    ¡°Joy, what¡¯s up?¡± Gu Shaoting asked softly, as if he was afraid of scaring Joy.


    ¡°Uncle Gu, Mommy and I are going to the zoo tomorrow. Do you want toe?¡± Joy invited him.


    ¡°Of course. I¡¯ll prepare a delicious pic for us tomorrow and pick you up.¡± Gu Shaoting replied happily. Excellent, he had another opportunity to spend time with them..

 Chapter 286 - 286: Visiting The Zoo

    Chapter 286 - 286: Visiting The Zoo


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    ¡°Okay, see you tomorrow.¡± Joy was also very happy. She knew that Uncle Gu would agree.


    After hanging up the phone, Joy said smugly to Shu Pan, ¡°Mommy, Uncle Gu will pick us up tomorrow.¡±


    Joy seemed to be telling her that she wasn¡¯t lying. Uncle Gu was very d that she invited him to go with her to the zoo.


    Shu Pan pinched Joy¡¯s tiny nose and said with a smile, ¡°Mommy got it. Let¡¯s go buy some snacks for tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°Yay!¡± The little fellow spun around excitedly before she skipped and hopped forward.


    The next day, Joy got up early because she was excited about going to the zoo. After breakfast, the two of them changed and went downstairs.


    Gu Shaoting also woke up early. It was his first outing with them, so he was a little nervous.


    When he was approaching Shu Pan¡¯s building, he saw the mother and daughter waiting for him downstairs from afar.


    The mother and daughter were dressed in matching outfits. White t-shirt with a teddy bear print, denim shorts, white sneakers, pink sun hat and a small backpack. The parent looked youthful while the child looked really adorable.


    Gu Shaoting¡¯s heart was filled with contentment. He couldn¡¯t bear to look away as he thought about how wonderful it would be if they were his wife and child¡­


    Well, they used to be, but he messed everything up. Shu Pan¡¯s current lukewarm attitude towards him really put him at a loss.


    While simmering in his depression, he pulled up in front of Shu Pan and her daughter.


    Gu Shaoting got out of the car, his eyes gently staring at Shu Pan and Joy. He then squatted down, hugged Joy and gave her a kiss. ¡°Good morning, my little princess.¡±


    Joyughed as Gu Shaoting strapped her into the car seat in the back.


    He then opened the door to the front passenger seat and gestured for Shu Pan to get in. When everything was ready, Gu Shaoting said, ¡°And so the adventure begins.¡±


    They drove steadily toward the zoo.


    Throughout the journey, Joy was like a little sparrow chattering non-stop. Gu Shaoting did not find it annoying and answered her every question.


    Shu Pan rolled down the car window slightly and felt the refreshing breeze against her face. Looking at the scenery that kept moving backward, she felt deep reflections within herself.


    The image of such family outings had appeared so many times in her mind when she was pregnant.


    But she knew back then that it was just a fantasy that would nevere true.


    She didn¡¯t expect it toe true today. However, her wounded heart was already a little numb; she couldn¡¯t find the feeling she experienced back when she was imagining it.


    Gu Shaoting looked at Shu Pan, who was sitting next to him, in deep thought and immersed in her own little world.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Gu Shaoting asked twice before Shu Pan turned her head.


    She asked with confusion, ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Shu Pan didn¡¯t hear what Gu Shaoting said.


    ¡°Oh, nothing. I just saw that you were in a daze. Did something happen?¡± Gu Shaoting asked with concern.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine. You didn¡¯t have toe if you¡¯re busy. Joy is quite willful now. You don¡¯t have to give in to her every request.¡± Shu Pan was worried that they were in the way of his work.


    After all, he was no ordinary office worker. It wasn¡¯t difficult to imagine how much work it was to run arge corporation.


    ¡°I¡¯m not busy today.¡± In Gu Shaoting¡¯s mind, nothing was more important than family outings like this. He had already missed the years from Joy¡¯s birth until recently. He didn¡¯t want to miss out on her development anymore..

 Chapter 287 - 287: A Happy Family Of Three

    Chapter 287 - 287: A Happy Family Of Three


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Shu Pan nodded when she heard that.


    As the zoo was in the outskirts of Bin City, the drive there took about 40 minutes.


    When they arrived, Gu Shaoting parked the car and Shu Pan held Joy¡¯s hand after she got her out of the car seat.


    Strong sunlight cascaded through the tree canopy, creating dancing dappled patterns on the ground in tandem with the breeze.


    There weren¡¯t too many visitors at the zoo. Joy looked a little tired after they walked around for a short while.


    Gu Shaoting¡¯s heart ache when he saw that. He picked Joy up and piggybacked her on his shoulders. Shu Pan looked on with worry and tried to stop him.


    ¡°Put Joy down. It¡¯s too dangerous.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. I am holding her very firmly.¡± Gu Shaoting walked steadily without any feeling of burden at all.


    ¡°Wow, Mommy, I¡¯m taller than you.¡± Joy shouted happily while sitting on Gu Shaoting¡¯s shoulders.


    Shu Pan looked at the backs of the two people in front of her, and felt an unknown feeling spread in her heart.


    They saw elephants, peacocks, Joy¡¯s favorite monkeys, and other animals. It was almost noon when Shu Pan felt like her legs no longer belong to her.


    She dragged her tired body to a pavilion to rest. Gu Shaoting had good stamina and brought the energetic Joy to see other animals.


    ¡°Your husband is so nice to visit the zoo on a weekend with you and your daughter.¡± Another mother who was resting in the pavilion said. Her daughter was sitting beside her.


    ¡°Actually, he isn¡¯t¡­¡± Shu Pan was about to exin when she realized that if she told people that they were divorced and no longer husband and wife, what would people think?


    Never mind, she¡¯d just let this woman misunderstand. They were strangers


    anyway.


    Shu Pan smiled awkwardly and said, ¡°Oh, he happened to be free.¡±


    ¡°Sigh, men nowadays think that it¡¯s enough if they just go out and earn money. They don¡¯t care about anything at home. Like my husband, who¡¯s still sleeping at home. Our daughter has asked him several times toe but he refused with an annoyed look on his face.¡± The mother said angrily.


    ¡°He¡¯s probably busy. It¡¯s a lot of pressure to support a family nowadays.¡± Shu Pan didn¡¯t know how she shouldfort this woman.


    ¡°Look at your husband. He¡¯s handsome and has a distinguished demeanor. You can just tell that he¡¯s a sessful person, but he still loves his wife and daughter so much.¡± The mother said enviously.


    Shu Pan was so embarrassed that she didn¡¯t know what to say, so she forced a smile.


    ¡°You are such a happy family of three. You¡¯re so lucky.¡± The mother went on and on. Fortunately, Gu Shaoting and Joy were back.


    ¡°Mommy, it¡¯s a pity that you didn¡¯t see the giraffe. Its neck is so long.¡± Joy said as she gestured with her hands.


    Shu Pan took out a handkerchief and wiped the sweat off her forehead.


    ¡°Are you very tired?¡± Gu Shaoting looked at Shu Pan¡¯s worried face and asked. ¡°Yes. Let¡¯s go. I think we¡¯ve seen enough.¡± Shu Pan got up and said goodbye to the other mother.


    On their way home, Shu Pan kept thinking about the other mother¡¯s words. Marriage was indeed a woman¡¯s second reincarnation. If she married a bad husband, the rest of her life would be ruined.


    They ate outside before they went home. When they arrived downstairs of her apartment, Gu Shaoting carried the sleeping Joy upstairs.


    When he came out to the living room, Shu Pan called out, ¡°Actually, you don¡¯t have to do this. After all, it¡¯s all in the past. I have no other desire than to live a quiet life with Joy.¡±


    The other mother¡¯s words today reminded her that if they went out like this, people would think that they were a happy family..

 Chapter 288 - 288: Provoked

    Chapter 288 - 288: Provoked


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    But they weren¡¯t getting back together. It wasn¡¯t that Shu Pan was overreacting but the hurt she had suffered was still very raw in her heart.


    Moreover, she had survived all these years raising their daughter on her own.


    Gu Shaoting looked nervous. He didn¡¯t understand what provoked Shu Pan today that she would say such words.


    ¡°Panpan, I¡¯m serious about you and Joy. Give me a chance, okay?¡± Gu Shaoting said sincerely.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry but this is not something I¡¯m interested in at the moment but I¡¯m very grateful for your care and concern for Joy.¡± Shu Pan rejected him.


    Gu Shaoting felt like the losing rooster in a cockfight. This was the tenacious Shu Pan he knew. It was very difficult for her to change her mind once she had made her decision.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. I can wait.¡± Gu Shaoting was not discouraged.


    Gu Shaoting didn¡¯t want to hear Shu Pan say anything meaner, so he quickly bade her farewell.


    Back in his car, Gu Shaoting slumped over the steering wheel to calm himself down.


    He thought that Shu Pan would be a little moved, but she still rejected him very directly.


    He then took out his phone and called He Ming.


    ¡°Ming, what are you doing?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m on my way home now. I¡¯m having a candlelight dinner with Xiaomeng tonight.¡¯


    Must He Ming provoke him? Gu Shaoting regretted making the call now.


    ¡°What asion is it?¡± Gu Shaoting thought hard to figure out if he had missed a major festival.


    ¡°It¡¯s my birthday.¡± He Ming said happily.


    ¡°You¡¯re a grown man. Why are you celebrating your birthday?¡± Gu Shaoting couldn¡¯t help but say.


    ¡°When I was single, I didn¡¯t even remember my own birthday. But things are different now. I have a girlfriend, so I must constantly find reasons to be lovey-dovey with my girlfriend.¡± He Ming¡¯s boastful tone was slightly annoying.


    ¡°Where are you now? Let¡¯s go for a drink first.¡± Gu Shaoting felt depressed and wanted to have a drink with He Ming.


    ¡°I¡¯m almost home. I promised my mom that I¡¯ll go home for a bowl of longevity noodles.¡± He Ming didn¡¯t dare to disobey his empress dowager¡¯s decree, or he would be in deep trouble.


    Gu Shaoting could only go home feeling awkward.


    When He Ming walked into the living room, he saw that his home seemed to be buzzing. They had guests.


    His mother was in the kitchen talking with somebody.


    ¡°Brother He, you¡¯re home.¡± Hu Shanshan suddenly came out of the kitchen.


    He Ming was shocked. He did not expect Hu Shanshan to be here today, or he wouldn¡¯t havee home.


    He still remembered the experience at the hotelst time. He had no desire to be in trouble again.


    ¡°Hi, Shanshan.¡± She was still a guest, so He Ming couldn¡¯t say anything. He figured he would just eat the noodles and leave.


    ¡°Brother He, happy birthday. This is my gift for you.¡± Hu Shanshan handed the beautifully wrapped shirt to He Ming.


    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t have.¡± He Ming didn¡¯t ept the gift.


    ¡°You helped me out when I was drunkst time. I haven¡¯t thanked you properly yet.¡± Hu Shanshan found an excuse.


    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s nothing. Don¡¯t take it to heart.¡± He Ming said.


    ¡°Brother He, this is a little token of appreciation from your younger sister.¡± Since Hu Shanshan said it like that, He Ming had no choice but to ept the gift.


    ¡°Thank you.¡± He Ming turned around and put the gift on a chair before he went into the kitchen to find Mrs. He.


    ¡°Mom, is your longevity noodles ready?¡± He Ming saw that his mother was busy and quickly went up to help.


    ¡°Almost. You go outside first. It¡¯s smoky and oily in the kitchen. Go talk to Shanshan. That girl is so thoughtful.¡± Mrs. He winked at him.


    He Ming was really defeated by his mother¡¯s desire to fix him up with Hu Shanshan again.


    He Ming decided then to bring Xiaomeng home to meet his parents after his birthday..

 Chapter 289 - 289: Eating Longevity Noodles

    Chapter 289 - 289: Eating Longevity Noodles


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    He Ming left the kitchen obediently. He looked at the time and wondered what Xiaomeng was doing now.


    At the thought of that, he immediately took out his phone and made a call, which was picked up.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± He Ming asked.


    ¡°I was about to take a nap and you woke me up.¡± Ye Xiaomeng snapped from the other end of the call.


    ¡°Babe, I¡¯m sorry. Have a good afternoon nap. See you tonight.¡± He Ming smiled foolishly for a while before he hung up.


    Hu Shanshan wanted to chat with He Ming when she saw hime out of the kitchen but he went out to the balcony instead to make a call.


    Her interest was piqued. It was the weekend, so it shouldn¡¯t be about work.


    So, when He Ming was standing on the balcony with his back to her, she stood by the floor to ceiling windows and pretended to look outside.


    She vaguely heard He Ming say words like ¡°babe¡± and ¡°see you tonight¡±. When she saw He Ming hang up, she quickly returned to the sofa and pretended to watch TV.


    It turned out that the incident at the hotel didn¡¯t break them up. They seemed to have be even closer.


    What went wrong? That woman had clearly misunderstood He Ming¡­


    ¡°Ming,e and eat your noodles.¡± Mrs. He walked out of the kitchen with a big bowl of noodles.


    ¡°Shanshan,e over quickly and eat. You must be hungry.¡± Mrs. He said. What an obedient girl.


    ¡°Alright.¡± Hu Shanshan sat beside He Ming.


    But He Ming regarded her as a fierce tiger.


    He was afraid after the unfortunate incident with her.


    He Ming lowered his head and wolfed down his noodles.


    ¡°Shanshan, don¡¯t look at your Brother He. Hurry up and eat. Eat more.¡± Mrs. He invited her warmly.


    ¡°Auntie, you too.¡± Hu Shanshan felt a little embarrassed when she heard Mrs.


    He say that.


    After finishing his noodles, He Ming looked at the time. It was gettingte.


    He got up and said goodbye to Mrs. He.


    ¡°Sigh, Ming. Why are you leaving so quickly?¡± Mrs. He frowned, obviously unhappy with his behavior.


    ¡°I still have something to do, Mom. I¡¯ll be back in two days and I¡¯ll bring you a surprise.¡± He Ming said mysteriously.


    ¡°You¡¯re trying to trick me again. What surprises can you bring me? Other than a daughter-inw, nothing else is a surprise to me.¡± Mrs. He sighed. She was obsessed about getting a daughter-inw.


    ¡°You¡¯ll know then. Bye now.¡± He Ming patted Mrs. He¡¯s shoulder.


    ¡°Brother He, I need to go home to do something too. Can I hitch a ride with you?¡± Hu Shanshan put down her chopsticks, stood up, and looked at He Ming.


    He Ming felt a dull pain in his temples. He was reluctant after thest incident. His front passenger seat was reserved exclusively for Xiaomeng. He didn¡¯t want any other woman to sit in it.


    ¡°Um¡­ It¡¯s not really on the way.¡± He Ming said tactfully.


    ¡°Shanshan, did you have enough? You didn¡¯t eat much.¡± Mrs. He asked hurriedly when she heard that Hu Shanshan was leaving.


    ¡°Yes, Auntie. I wanted to take Brother He¡¯s home but it seems that I¡¯m not on the way¡­¡± Hu Shanshan said in disappointment.


    ¡°You are on the way, always on the way. When there¡¯s a will, there¡¯s a way. The city is so well-connected. Is there any ce that¡¯s out of the way?¡± Mrs. He replied.


    Mrs. He then red at He Ming. ¡°Ming, Shanshan is our guest. How can you treat her like that? You have a car, so send her home.¡±


    Mrs. He ordered before He Ming could refuse.


    He Ming felt helpless. His empress dowager had spoken, so he could only obey.


    He hoped that there wouldn¡¯t be any more trouble.


    His Xiaomeng was still the best: innocent and less scheming..

 Chapter 290 - 290: Rejection

    Chapter 290 - 290: Rejection


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Even if He Ming was obtuse, he could tell that Hu Shanshan had an ulterior motive when she asked him for a ride. But she was the daughter of his mother¡¯s friend and he also treated her like a sister, so he couldn¡¯t do much.


    He could only avoid her as much as possible.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go. I¡¯ll send you home.¡± He Ming went to open the front door after he said that.


    ¡°Thank you, Brother He.¡± Hu Shanshan picked up her bag and said shyly.


    After bidding farewell to Mrs. He, Hu Shanshan quickly followed He Ming out.


    Mrs. He only came back to her senses after they walked far away and started tidying up.


    Suddenly, she saw the exquisite gift box on the chair and guessed that it was Hu Shanshan¡¯s gift for He Ming.


    She thought that Ming was too careless to leave Hu Shanshan¡¯s gift for him at home again.


    But she remembered that her son was a grown man who didn¡¯t pay attention to such things, so she casually unwrapped the gift.


    It turned out to be a shirt. She praised Shanshan for being so meticulous and bought the color that He Ming often wore.


    Mrs. He didn¡¯t know fashion brands but she recognized this luxury brand. It was expensive because the cut, fabric, and workmanship of the shirt were all first-rate.


    She carefully unfolded the shirt and hung it on a hanger.


    In the car, Hu Shanshan felt a little nervous when she saw He Ming¡¯s cold face.


    ¡°Brother He, I¡¯m sorry. I know that you¡¯re busy, yet Auntie asked you to send me home.¡± Hu Shanshan said apologetically.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. It won¡¯t take too much time.¡± He Ming replied inly but he wasining in his heart why she didn¡¯t say no if she knew that he was busy.


    Although He Ming was reluctant, he was still a gentleman. He didn¡¯t show his displeasure. After all, girls were generally thin-skinned.


    Hu Shanshan felt better when she heard him say that.


    Did she do something wrong and annoyed her Brother He?


    He Ming was busy thinking about his date tonight as he drove.


    However, he couldn¡¯t ignore the fact that there was a young woman in his car because the smell of her perfume kept attacking his nose. It was very sweet and hard to ignore.


    He found the smell pungent and wanted to sneeze.


    Luckily, her house wasn¡¯t too far away. When they arrived, Hu Shanshan said goodbye to He Ming before she left reluctantly.


    Hu Shanshan wasn¡¯t calm either during the ride. She kept thinking about He Ming¡¯s date with that woman tonight.


    Did she have no chance at all?


    No, she had a chance as long as they weren¡¯t married. Hu Shanshan was not discouraged.


    Because her family was rich, there was nothing she couldn¡¯t get.


    Anyway, this matter still required some detailed nning.


    After Hu Shanshan left, He Ming quickly rolled down all the car windows to let the wind take away the overpowering fragrance in his car.


    He Ming looked at the time. It was still the afternoon. Since Xiaomeng was taking a nap, he didn¡¯t want to disturb her, so he turned his car around and went to Gu Shaoting¡¯s house.


    What He Ming told Mrs. He earlier was just an excuse.


    Shaoting sounded upset when he called him earlier. He should go and check on his friend.


    He guessed that Gu Shaoting would be at home. He was right. When Gu Shaoting came to the front door, He Ming could smell the alcohol on him. That was a sure sign that Gu Shaoting was upset.


    ¡°Ming, sit.¡± Gu Shaoting felt very envious when he saw He Ming¡¯s happy and excited face.


    ¡°What happened?¡± He Ming asked in confusion. Wasn¡¯t everything fine recently? There wasn¡¯t any trouble at thepony too¡­


    ¡°Trying to understand a woman is like trying to read a book written in anguage you don¡¯t speak.¡± Gu Shaoting said cryptically. But when He Ming heard him mention woman, he knew that Gu Shaoting was upset about Shu


    pan.


    Sigh, he really didn¡¯t know how to help his friend with matters of the heart¡­.

 Chapter 291 - 291: Birthday Surprise

    Chapter 291 - 291: Birthday Surprise


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    ¡°Brother Ting, you can¡¯t rush these things. It¡¯s not a problem that can be solved just because you¡¯re anxious.¡± He Mingforted Gu Shaoting.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you find a chance to tell Shu Pan that you¡¯ve recovered your memory and remembered the past? Wouldn¡¯t it be easier to settle this if you have a daughter?¡± He Ming suddenly remembered this point.


    Gu Shaoting was stunned for a moment before he disagreed, ¡®Will shepromise? But I don¡¯t want to force her.¡±


    He hoped that Shu Pan would get back together with him willingly and wholeheartedly.


    Shu Pan just wasn¡¯t willing yet.


    ¡°Then you¡¯ll have to win her over slowly.¡± He Ming also didn¡¯t know what to say. When he put in a good word for Gu Shaoting after their dinner together the other night, Xiaomeng made him sleep on the sofa that night.


    Ye Xiaomeng had been there for Shu Pan during her most difficult time. She knew Shu Pan¡¯s pain and suffering.


    Gu Shaoting was a little lost in thought as he emptied his ss.


    He Ming could only pat him on the shoulder and encourage him to persevere.


    At six o¡¯clock in the evening, He Ming eagerly went to pick Ye Xiaomeng up.


    He took the trouble to dress up, but he was a little nervous when waiting for Xiaomeng.


    When Xiaomeng came out of her building, she was a sight to behold.


    She was in a color block, short ck and white dress with a V-neck. As the neckline was low, one could see her cleavage and a little beyond. Her red pointy high heels were very eye-catching, just like her red lips.


    He saw her even more clearly as she got closer, and he was stunned.


    She was really God¡¯s favorite child with her exquisite makeup, almond-shaped eyes, dainty nose, fair skin, and long, slender legs.


    A flush of warmth swept through He Ming¡¯s skin, and it took him a lot of effort to suppress the desire in his heart.


    Ye Xiaomeng suddenly felt a little shy when she saw He Ming staring at her unblinkingly.


    She had specially dressed up today. She rarely dressed so sexily, but it was his birthday today, so she wanted to give him a surprise.


    She had obviously seeded.


    Ye Xiaomeng felt that something was wrong the moment she got into the car. Why was there such a strong perfume smell in the car?


    She would never use such a disgustingly sweet perfume.


    She could not help but frown.


    He Ming saw the disgust on her face and asked nervously, ¡°Mengmeng, what¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you smell the overpowering perfume in the car?¡± Ye Xiaomeng couldn¡¯t help butin.


    ¡°Oh, oh, the car smelled strange today, so I sprayed some perfume. Does it smell bad? Let me lower the window to let in some fresh air.¡± He Ming was furious deep down; the smell of that damn perfume still hadn¡¯t dissipated after s a long ume.


    When Ye Xiaomeng saw his panicky exnation, she didn¡¯t even dare to look him in the eye because she knew that he was lying.


    ¡°Are you sure?¡± Ye Xiaomeng looked at him and asked casually.


    ¡°s, I knew I couldn¡¯t hide anything from you. My mother asked me to go home for longevity noodles at noon. Coincidentally, her friend¡¯s daughter was there too, and my mother asked me to give her a ride.¡± He Ming told Ye Xiaomeng everything. He figured that his punishment would be less severe if he came clean.


    Ye Xiaomeng suddenly felt a little upset. Why was it his mother¡¯s friend¡¯s daughter again?


    ¡°Your ¡®sister¡¯ again?¡± Ye Xiaomeng asked.


    ¡°Yes. I rejected her when she asked me for a ride. Unfortunately, I couldn¡¯t disobey my empress dowager.¡± He Ming was also helpless.


    He finally understood now: Hu Shanshan was his jinx.


    She was sent here to make life difficult for him. Nothing good would happen as long as she was involved.


    He would treat her like the gue from now on and stay as far away as possible..

 Chapter 292 - 292: A Romantic Evening

    Chapter 292: A Romantic Evening


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Ye Xiaomeng felt a little better when she heard He Ming¡¯s honest confession.


    But this guy wasn¡¯t bright enough to know how to avoid his ¡°sister¡± and could be sending her the wrong signals. She had to teach him a lesson.


    ¡°Since your mom likes her friend¡¯s daughter so much, why don¡¯t you just do as she asks?¡± Ye Xiaomeng said sarcastically.


    ¡°Mengmeng, what are you talking about? The person I like is you. I will stay far away from her in the future.¡± He Ming even raised his right hand to his temple and made an oath swearing gesture.


    Ye Xiaomeng quickly pulled his hand down and said coquettishly, ¡°Don¡¯t swear, but if there¡¯s any more flirting, I won¡¯t forgive you so easily.¡±


    ¡°Okay. If it happens again, I¡¯ll let you torture me in any way you¡¯d like.¡± He Ming nodded. He wouldn¡¯t let such things happen again.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go already. It¡¯s almost 7 0¡¯clock.¡± Ye Xiaomeng didn¡¯t want such a trivial matter to affect their evening, so she urged him to start the car. He Ming started the car and began thinking about their wonderful evening together.


    He Ming had already reserved a table at thergest hotel in Bin City and even booked a luxurious suite.


    Before they got out of the car, Ye Xiaomeng handed He Ming the exquisite gift bag she brought with her. ¡°Here¡¯s your birthday present.¡±


    She wanted to give him the present when she got into the car, but she forgot because of the horrible perfume.


    ¡°Aw¡­ Thank you, babe.¡± He Ming was beaming with joy. He carried the gift with him when he got out of the car.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you leave it in the car?¡± Ye Xiaomeng suggested.


    ¡°What if it disappears?¡± He Ming was unwilling to put it down as if he had received a treasure.


    Ye Xiaomeng smiled and let him be.


    The two of them went to the hotel restaurant. It was an elegant restaurant the wealthy frequented.


    He Ming ordered and then looked at Ye Xiaomeng under the dim yellow light. She looked elegant and charming, like a blooming hibiscus: white and pure, stunning with an elegant fragrance.


    Their food arrived very quickly. Xiaomeng ate in an unusually refined and slow manner today. He Ming also ate elegantly as he nced at Xiaomeng from time to time, like a fool.


    His mind was not on dinner at all. He only felt hot and ufortable all over. Finally, dinner was over.


    He Ming took Ye Xiaomeng¡¯s hand and pressed the elevator button for the top floor. There were only ssy luxury suites on the top floor of the hotel, with exquisite masterpieces hanging on the walls and plush Persian carpets on the floor.


    Ye Xiaomeng felt a chill as soon as she stepped out of the elevator because she didn¡¯t dress warmly today and the air conditioner on the top floor was turned a little low.


    He Ming noticed her shudder and quickly hugged her.


    After entering the room, Ye Xiaomeng went to the bathroom to wash up.


    She looked nervously at the sheer pajamas in her hands and suddenly felt a little regretful about her impulsiveness. Was she really going to walk out of the bathroom wearing that?


    But did she have any other choice?


    When she came out in her pajamas, the room that was originally as bright as day had be dim. The room was only lit by the bedsidemps and the shades had been tightly drawn.


    Ye Xiaomeng bit her lip and looked at the bed. He Ming was lying in bed with his head on one hand and looking at her with a burning gaze that could burn a hole in her body.


    Ye Xiaomeng was wearing a red chiffon babydoll, and he could vaguely see her underwear beneath it. The effect was amazing as it entuated her fair skin. Even if she was wearing a conservative nightdress, her sexy appearance was enough to make a man drool.


    He Ming¡¯s gaze turned even hotter as he grabbed Ye Xiaomeng before she could react.


    Ye Xiaomeng fell defenselessly into his arms..

 Chapter 293 - 293: Meet His Parents?

    Chapter 293: Meet His Parents?


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    ¡°You¡­¡±


    As soon as she cried out, He Ming held her in his arms.


    ¡°Mengmeng, my baby, thank you for giving me such a wonderful birthday present.¡± He Ming¡¯s deep voice sounded in her ear.


    Before Ye Xiaomeng could react, his thin lips were already pressed against hers. She felt a little nervous and a little scared.


    Meanwhile, He Ming held her close and kissed her deeply¡­


    The night¡¯s velvet curtain had draped itself over the world, creating an intimate cocoon for their hearts to flutter in sync.


    It was a very romantic and quiet night for lovers.


    The luxury suite covered by thick ckout curtains was still dim when He Ming and Ye Xiaomeng slept soundly in the room.


    Ye Xiaomeng woke up not long after. She looked outside and saw that it was still quite dark. She then looked at He Ming beside her and fell into deep thought.


    This was her man. Could he give her the happiness she wanted? Could she entrust the rest of her life to him?


    She moved closer to He Ming. A familiar scent lingered at the tip of her nose. The man¡¯s light breathing made her feel safe.


    She wanted to get up and clean up, but the man¡¯s strong arms wrapped around her waist and pulled her back into his embrace.


    ¡°Time to get up.¡± Xiao Meng reminded softly.


    ¡°Let¡¯s sleep for a while more. There¡¯s no hurry.¡± He Ming saidzily with half-opened eyes. He like the feeling of holding her in his arms.


    Xiaomeng obediently curled up in his arms and soon fell into deep sleep.


    When He Ming heard the sound of her calm breathinging from his chest, he opened his eyes and looked lovingly at the woman he would love for the rest of his life.


    His heart ached a little when he saw the faint dark circles under her eyes.


    His woman had suffered too much pain. He had heard about what happened before, but he didn¡¯t really want to find out because it would only make his heart ache more. He wouldn¡¯t change his mind about this woman. He would dote on her from now on and make her feel that she was the happiest woman in the world.


    He held her hand and thought about their future together.


    With the thought of letting her sleep a little longer, he held her tightly and fell into a deep slumber too.


    It was almost noon when the two of them woke up. Fortunately, Xiaomeng had taken leave that day. As Xiaomeng wasn¡¯t too busy with work and she had been working hardtely, she decided to take a few days off to rest.


    He Ming and Xiaomeng both took a hot bath and dressed before leaving the room.


    She was in good spirits after a good night¡¯s sleep, but her stomach was growling from hunger. ¡°I¡¯m so hungry.¡± Ye Xiaomeng couldn¡¯t stand being hungry.


    ¡°Alright, got it. Let¡¯s go eat.¡± He Ming said.


    He Ming asked casually over lunch, ¡°Mengmeng,e home with me this weekend and I¡¯ll introduce my family to you, okay?¡±


    Ye Xiaomeng was stunned, wondering if it was too soon. They hadn¡¯t known each other for long. Was it appropriate to meet his parents now? She felt that she wasn¡¯t ready.


    ¡°How about it? You don¡¯t want to?¡± He Ming looked disappointed. He had been waiting for this moment for a long time.


    ¡°No but aren¡¯t we getting ahead of ourselves?¡± It was too soon to meet his parents.


    ¡°Xiaomeng, I¡¯m serious about you. I won¡¯t marry anyone but you.¡± He Ming promised.


    Ye Xiaomeng was touched. ¡°Alright then.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s great. Thank you, Xiaomeng. My parents will definitely like you.¡± He Ming said happily.


    After lunch, He Ming sent Xiaomeng home and then went home with his gift bag.


    He couldn¡¯t wait to see what present Xiaomeng had gotten him..

 Chapter 294 - 294: A Catch-up Over Dinner

    Chapter 294 - 294: A Catch-up Over Dinner


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    When Shu Pan went back to the office on Monday, things got chaotic again. There were many things to do on scary Mondays.


    Tang Wei came to her desk and asked, ¡°How¡¯s the proposal to Su Corporation going? Any news yet?¡±


    ¡°I haven¡¯t heard anything yet, but the director says that there are otherpaniespeting for the same contract.¡± Shu Pan was a little worried. After all,petition was keen nowadays and they might not win the contract.


    ¡°I¡¯m rooting for us. I think we¡¯ll get it. We probably have some sense after meeting their CEO the other day, right?¡± Tang Wei made a cheering gesture.


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll ask the director againter.¡± Shu Pan nodded. But at the thought of Su Yuan, she couldn¡¯t help but frown.


    A busy day passed. When it was almost knock-off time, Shu Pan¡¯s phone rang. She thought it was Gu Shaoting because he usually called at this time. She looked at the caller ID. It was an unfamiliar Il-digit number. She searched her memory but couldn¡¯t recognize the number.


    She pressed the answer button. ¡°Pan, are you off work yet?¡±


    The caller¡¯s voice was very distinctive. It was as light as a breeze. It was Su


    Yuan¡¯s voice.


    ¡°Just about to. I was nning to go home. ¡± Shu Pan answered honestly.


    ¡°Then wait a little while for me. I¡¯ll pick you up now. Let¡¯s have dinner and catch up, okay?¡± Even though Su Yuan sounded like he was consulting Shu Pan, there was a hint of mandate in his voice.


    ¡°But I don¡¯t have time today. I have to pick my daughter up.¡± Shu Pan said ufortably. She also wanted to remind Su Yuan that she had a daughter and he shouldn¡¯t have any thoughts about her.


    ¡°In that case, I¡¯ll pick you up and then pick her up for dinner together, okay?¡± Su Yuan obviously didn¡¯t understand the meaning behind her words, or maybe he didn¡¯t care at all.


    Shu Pan had no choice but to say, ¡°Alright then, I¡¯ll wait for you.¡± She then gave Su Yuan her office address.


    After hanging up, Shu Pan called Gu Shaoting because picking Joy up after school seemed like Gu Shaoting¡¯s favorite thing to do nowadays.


    Gu Shaoting was ecstatic when he saw Shu Pan¡¯s caller ID, like she had never called him before.


    ¡°Panpan, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Gu Shaoting was both nervous and happy when he answered the call. He was worried that Shu Pan would say something heart-wrenching again.


    ¡°Are you free to pick Joy up tonight?¡± Shu Pan asked directly.


    ¡°Yes, I was nning to pick you up after I pick her up. I¡¯m almost at her kindergarten.¡± Gu Shaoting said.


    Picking up the mother and daughter had be the highlight of his day now. He enjoyed such moments because spending time with them would bring him closer to Shu Pan. Therefore, no matter how busy he was, he would squeeze out time.


    ¡°Oh, if you are picking Joy up, please take her home with you first. I¡¯ll pick her up from your ceter. I¡¯m having dinner with a friend tonight, so I might bete.¡± Shu Pan said.


    Gu Shaoting was more than happy to take Joy home with him, but he got very nervous when he heard that she was having dinner with a friend.


    Was she having dinner with a male or female friend? He only knew Shu Pan¡¯s best friend, Ye Xiaomeng. Her social circle was simple and he had never heard of her other friends.


    ¡°Oh, I see. Which friend? So sudden.¡± Gu Shaoting pretended to ask casually. ¡°It¡¯s an old friend I haven¡¯t seen in a long time. Okay, I have to go now. I¡¯ll have to trouble you tonight. I¡¯ll pick her up after dinner. Are you still staying at Shuimu Qinghua?¡± Shu Pan didn¡¯t want to say more. After all, these weren¡¯t important things and had nothing to do with him. He wouldn¡¯t know her friend even if she told him..

 Chapter 295 - 295: Deep Father-Daughter Bond

    Chapter 295 - 295: Deep Father-Daughter Bond


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m still staying at our old home. We¡¯ll wait for you at home tonight. Take care of yourself. If you can¡¯t get a ride, call me and we¡¯ll pick you up.¡± Gu Shaoting nagged like an old man.


    ¡°Alright, thanks.¡± Shu Pan hung up after she said that.


    Gu Shaoting looked at his phone after he was hung up on and smiled bitterly. The tables had really turned. As the CEO of arge corporation, when had he ever been hung up on? But he couldn¡¯t get angry. Besides, it also seemed pointless to get angry.


    He arrived at the kindergarten and picked up his little princess.


    ¡°Sweetie, Uncle Gu is taking you home today. Your mommy has something to do. She¡¯ll pick you upter, okay?¡± Gu Shaoting squatted down and said to Joy.


    ¡°Mommy doesn¡¯t want me anymore?¡± Joy¡¯s eyes turned red, like she was about to cry.


    ¡°No, Mommy is just busy with something.¡± Gu Shaoting coaxed her with heartache as he helped her wipe her tears in a flustered manner.


    ¡°Joy, you haven¡¯t been to Uncle Gu¡¯s house, right? Uncle Gu¡¯s house is huge. I even have a turtle. Do you want to go and see?¡± Gu Shaoting yed his trump card.


    ¡°Really? Is it a big turtle?¡± Joy¡¯s attention was suddenly diverted.


    ¡°Yes, let¡¯s go. Uncle will take you for some dinner before we go home.¡± Gu Shaoting was relieved to finally see Joy smile.


    ¡°Okay, Uncle. It would be great if you were my father.¡± Joy said happily.


    Gu Shaoting froze when he heard that. It turned out that the girl wanted badly for him to be her father. He had half a mind to tell his baby that he was her father.


    However, he couldn¡¯t do that now as this thing required Shu Pan¡¯s approval. He nned to tell Shu Pan the truth soon and then acknowledge Joy.


    ¡°Joy, you can treat Uncle as your father. Tell me, what would you like to eat? Anything you want, Uncle will satisfy you.¡± Gu Shaoting promised Joy since Shu


    Pan wasn¡¯t around.


    Everything would usually be restricted when Shu Pan was around.


    ¡°Really? Yay!¡± Joy was so happy that she wanted to stomp her feet. ¡°I want to eat French fries and y with Barbie dolls.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s junk food, yeah? Your Mommy doesn¡¯t usually let you eat it.¡± Although Gu Shaoting wanted to spoil Joy, he still wouldn¡¯t let her eat things that were bad for her health. It was a matter of principle.


    ¡°Uncle, just a little bit, okay? My kindergarten friends have all tasted it. I¡¯m the only who hasn¡¯t.¡± Joy said pitifully, making it hard for people to reject her.


    Gu Shaoting gave in. He couldn¡¯t bear to see her eager little eyes, but he also had a condition. ¡°You must have some rice and vegetables first before we get you a small order of French fries, okay?¡±


    ¡°Okay, whatever you say, Uncle.¡± Joy looked like a penguin as she nodded and walked at the same time.


    Gu Shaoting carried her into the car and then took her to dinner.


    It was true that this mother and daughter were Gu Shaoting¡¯s focus now. Even deals worth hundreds of millions of yuan weren¡¯t as important as them.


    Joy chattered as they drove and told him everything that happened in school today. She seemed to have forgottenpletely that her mother didn¡¯t have time to go home with her today.


    Gu Shaoting listened to her carefully, adding a warm sentence every now and then.


    Gu Shaoting was very happy. Joy was his daughter. He would dote on her and watch over her like a gardener tending to a delicate blossom.


    She would take on his surname because she was his blood.


    When they arrived at the restaurant, Joy also held Gu Shaoting¡¯s hand tightly, worried that she would get lost in the crowd.


    Gu Shaoting picked her up and carried her proudly..

 Chapter 296 - 296: In Times Past

    Chapter 296 - 296: In Times Past


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    While Gu Shaoting and Joy were happily having dinner together, Shu Pan felt like a cat on a hot tin roof.


    After she hung up on Gu Shaoting, Su Yuan was there to pick her up.


    Just like before, he greeted her with a smile.


    Shu Pan couldn¡¯t help but sigh in her heart. God had been really kind to Su Yuan. Time had left no traces on his face. He had instead be more charming with age.


    A man like him would always turn people¡¯s heads when he walked on the street.


    ¡°Pan, what would you like to eat?¡± Su Yuan asked as he drove.


    ¡°You decide.¡± Shu Pan¡¯s hand was white from gripping her backpack so tightly. She was still nervous when facing him.


    For some reason, she felt a sense of oppression.


    ¡°Pan, I remember that when we were in university, you loved to get snacks with Xiaomeng outside the back gate of our school. Do you still like that ce?¡± Su Yuan found random subjects to engage Shu Pan in conversation so it didn¡¯t feel awkward in the car.


    ¡°I went there once with Xiaomeng but that ce is closed now. It¡¯s been so long after all. Many things have changed.¡± Xiaomeng tried to hint at something.


    But Su Yuan just smiled. ¡°That¡¯s true. ces may change but people may not.¡±


    Su Yuan stopped his car at the entrance of a high-end restaurant. He was directed to the VIP parking lot probably because he was driving a very nice car.


    Shu Pan didn¡¯t recognize the logo on Su Yuan¡¯s car because she had never seen it before, but she knew that it was a luxury car.


    As it was a luxury car, the interior was veryfortable and passersby who saw his car earlier stopped to stare and talked about it afterward.


    Shu Pan walked behind Su Yuan, and a waiter led them into a private room.


    Su Yuan was probably a regr customer here and a VIP because shortly after they sat down, the restaurant manager came by to wee them personally.


    He even introduced the menu to them.


    Su Yuan quickly ordered a few dishes. He knew that Shu Pan ate light, so the dishes he ordered were all Shu Pan¡¯s favorites.


    While waiting for their food, Su Yuan asked with a smile, ¡°Do you like this ce? You cane here often with your friends. I own this restaurant.¡±


    Shu Pan was stunned when she heard this. Su Yuan had indeed changed over the few years. He was even more outstanding than before.


    Shu Pan thought to herself that she would never patronize such a high-end restaurant.


    Su Yuan seemed to have read her mind. Heughed, and hisughter sounded like the lower register of the piano.


    ¡°Just use my name when youe here. I¡¯ll give you a VIP cardter.¡±


    ¡°No need, no need. I seldom eat out.¡± Shu Pan waved her hand and declined his offer.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. Juste over when you feel like eating out. Don¡¯t feel obliged. Putting aside our other rtionships, we¡¯re still schoolmates.¡± Shu Pan felt that she would never win against Su Yuan. He always had all kinds of reasons to make people ept his ideas.


    After their dishes were served, Su Yuan picked up a lot of food for Shu Pan, making her stop him repeatedly.


    ¡°Pan, you must have had a hard time these years.¡± Su Yuanmented, more out of self-me.


    Because he was also in hot water back then.


    He wanted a divorce, but his wife, Zhou Jie, refused.


    Later, she even told him that she had gone to see Shu Pan, which made Su Yuan furious.


    As he was still a married man, he tried to cut down contact with Shu Pan so he wouldn¡¯t cause her unnecessary trouble.


    His marriage with Zhou Jie had, in fact, existed in name only for a long time. Even if there was no Shu Pan, they would have divorced because during their six years of marriage, they both knew that they were only in it for their own benefits..

 Chapter 297 - 297: Reminiscing About The Past

    Chapter 297 - 297: Reminiscing About The Past


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Even so, Zhou Jie refused to let him go. She kicked up a big fuss at his workce and even used her influential family to pressure him into quitting his job as a general manager and then leaving the country.


    Su Yuan and Zhou Jie tussled back and forth like that for three years before she was willing to sign the divorce papers and release him.


    Heter met the benefactor of his life who helped him be the person he was today. He used his surname to name his Corporation because he wanted to tell the world that it was his kingdom and he would not be controlled by others.


    The memory of it all was too painful to recall.


    ¡°The hardest part is over now.¡± Shu Pan said lightly.


    Su Yuan looked at the current Shu Pan. She was dressed professionally and elegantly. Her hair was neatly tied into a topknot, revealing her delicate and fair face. The calmness in her face showed that she had transformed from the timid girl from before into a sophisticated woman.


    Shu Pan also secretly sized up Su Yuan. He was more mature and handsomepared to four years ago. He was wealthy now and possessed an aura that was different from before. The Su Yuan before her and the one in her memory were twopletely different persons.


    Su Yuan nodded. It was true, the hardest part was over. Things could only get better.


    Su Yuan also told Shu Pan about his experiences over the years.


    ¡°Pan, I owe you an apology. I only found outter that Zhou Jie went to see you.


    Sorry to have caused you the suffering.¡± Su Yuan¡¯s sudden apology stunned Shu Pan a little as the incident happened a long time ago and she had already forgotten about it.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. She misunderstood at that time. She only did it because she cared about you. You don¡¯t need to apologize.¡± Shu Pan was very angry back then, but on hindsight, she understood. Women got nervous easily because they loved a man too much and thought that everyone woman around him was a love rival.


    ¡°It was a selfish move on her part. She thinks that all men must listen to her and we are just tools for her to show off.¡± Su Yuan only felt that he was alive and breathing in fresh air after they divorced.


    Because Zhou Jie was very possessive. He did everything she asked back then because he needed her help to go abroad. But Zhou Jie became even more possessive.


    When they were living abroad, she found trouble with every girl who got close to Su Yuan and ended up isting herself.


    She often took him out to show him off to her friends, telling them how handsome and outstanding he was, treating him like a puppet.


    The only belief he had then was Shu Pan. He had long regretted his actions, but he wanted sess so much that he could only endure it.


    When he met Shu Pan again, they were both no longer single.


    They finally met again today after four years, and they were both single now. Without the shackles of marriage, Su Yuan felt that his sincerity must have touched the heavens, which was why he got another chance.


    He wouldn¡¯t miss this chance now. With a sessful career now, he no longer had the ambition to conquer anything. He was already standing at the top of the pyramid.


    Shu Pan did not know what to say tofort Su Yuan. After all, this was his private matter.


    ¡°Look forward. Everything will be fine in the future.¡± Shu Pan said a feel-good sentence self-deprecatingly.


    Even she found the sentence funny, but it was one that she often used to console herself.


    ¡°Yes, Pan. We¡¯re still friends, right?¡± Su Yuan looked at Shu Pan and asked tentatively.


    ¡°Yes, we are.¡± Shu Pan nodded. After all, he had helped her before. She would never bite the hand that fed her..

 Chapter 298 - 298: A Pink Princess-themed Bedroom

    Chapter 298: A Pink Princess-themed Bedroom


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Shu Pan and Su Yuan chatted for a while more after they finished their meal before they went home.


    Su Yuan really gave her a VIP card for the restaurant before they left. Shu Pan epted it, but she figured that she would never get another chance to eat here.


    Su Yuan then offered to send her home, but she firmly declined his offer. She didn¡¯t want Su Yuan to know where she lived. Besides, she had to pick Joy up from Shuimu Qinghua and she didn¡¯t want to exin that to him.


    Joy was a really good girl. Shu Pan had raised her well. When they had dinner, she ate by herself. It was a habit she had cultivated since she was little. She held her spoon with her chubby little hand and ate with relish without being urged.


    She ate very delicately without making a big fuss like other children.


    Gu Shaoting watched her with aplicated expression. He felt guilty deep down for failing the mother and daughter.


    The little girl sat obediently beside him. He reached out and stroked her little head lovingly, his eyes filled with fatherly love.


    When he brought her home, Joy held the new Barbie doll she just got and pulled him by the hand to find the turtle.


    The turtle was crawling around happily in the water in a small ss tank in the dining room.


    ¡°Wow, Uncle, you really have a turtle at home. It¡¯s so cute. I love your house.¡± Joy¡¯s childish words amused Gu Shaoting thoroughly.


    ¡°Come, sweetie. There¡¯s an even bigger surpriseing up. Are you ready?¡± Gu Shaoting smiled mysteriously and then looked at Joy.


    ¡°What surprise?¡± Joy asked in confusion.


    Gu Shaoting took her hand and brought her in front of a door.


    ¡°Close your eyes first.¡± Gu Shaoting feigned mystery.


    Joy nodded and closed her eyes cooperatively. Gu Shaoting quietly opened the door. ¡°Okay, you can open your eyes now.¡± Joy opened her eyes cooperatively. ¡°Wow¡­ Wow¡­¡±


    Joy couldn¡¯t believe her eyes, because everything in this room was the dream of every little girl.


    It was a pink princess-themed bedroom. The bed was pink. It was covered in a Peppa Pig bedsheet and surrounded by soft toys.


    There was a Snow White carpet on the wooden floor.


    Joy was so stunned that she didn¡¯t know how to react.


    ¡°Uncle, is this for me?¡± Joy danced happily.


    ¡°Of course, it¡¯s for Little Princess Joy.¡± When he learned about Joy¡¯s existence, he decorated this bedroom but he wasn¡¯t sure if Joy would ever stay in it.


    He just wanted to think of Joy when he saw the bedroom.


    It seemed now that he did the right thing. The happy look on Joy¡¯s face¡­


    ¡°Uncle, I want to sleep in my princess room tonight.¡± Joy walked gingerly into the bedroom.


    Gu Shaoting was secretly delighted.


    ¡°Sure, but I wonder if your mommy will let you¡­¡± Gu Shaoting pretended to look troubled.


    ¡°I¡¯ll ask Mommy to stay and sleep in the princess room with me.¡± Joy was really smart, as expected of his daughter.


    She was such a Daddy¡¯s girl.


    Joy had a change of clothes in her backpack and Shu Pan¡¯s clothes were still in the closet of the guest room. It was no problem for them to stay overnight.


    Gu Shaoting suddenly thought of another important question.


    As he helped Joy line up her soft toys, he asked in a natural tone, ¡°Joy, are there many uncles around your mommy?¡±


    The little girl blinked and immediately realized that Gu Shaoting had another question behind his question.. She giggled and asked, ¡°Uncle Gu, are you asking me if there are other uncles pursuing Mommy?

 Chapter 299 - 299: Treat This Place As Her Home?

    Chapter 299: Treat This ce As Her Home?


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Gu Shaoting smiled weakly. Were all the kids nowadays so smart? She even knew the word ¡°pursuing¡±.


    He was a bit shocked. He had really underestimated the little girl¡¯s intelligence. ¡°Do you know what ¡®pursuing¡¯ means?¡±


    ¡°I do! I saw it on TV. It says that when a person likes another person, he will pursue her. Uncle, are you pursuing Mommy?¡± Joy asked.


    ¡°Yeah, are there any other uncles?¡± Gu Shaoting had no choice but to ask again. He felt that it was very shameless of him to ask a child about this. He almost despised himself now.


    ¡°Yes, Uncle Wen. He likes me and Mommy very much. There are other uncles too, but Mommy doesn¡¯t like them.¡± Joy said with certainty.


    Them? That meant that there was more than one other man pursuing Shu Pan. Gu Shaoting¡¯s face darkened slightly. Sure enough, he had manypetitors.


    Joy had no idea the kind of impact her answer would have on her mother.


    ¡°Are you sure your mommy doesn¡¯t like them?¡± Gu Shaoting tried to find out more from Joy.


    ¡°Just like how she treats you, Uncle Gu.¡± Joy even cited him as an example.


    However, her answer almost made Gu Shaoting vomit blood. Did she like him or not?


    Just like how she treated him?


    Joy tilted her head and thought for a bit before she continued, ¡°Uncle, you can ask Mommy when shees back. She knows better.¡± After all, she was too young, and she couldn¡¯t exin clearly.


    Gu Shaoting stopped his line of questioning and yed with Joy.


    It was almost 8 p.m. when the doorbell rang.


    Gu Shaoting knew that it was Shu Pan.


    He opened the door and watched Shu Pan walk in with a tired face. She didn¡¯t smell of alcohol.


    That meant that she didn¡¯t drink. She went out with a female friend?


    ¡°Where¡¯s Joy?¡± Shu Pan asked as soon as she walked in.


    ¡°She¡¯s ying in her princess room.¡± Gu Shaoting replied.


    ¡°What princess room?¡± Gu Shaoting led Shu Pan into Joy¡¯s room.


    Shu Pan was stunned. It turned out that he had converted one of the guest rooms into a child¡¯s bedroom. He had also put in a lot of effort to decorate it ording to Joy¡¯s preferences.


    No wonder Joy was so happy that she forgot about her own home.


    The room was brightly lit. When Shu Pan walked in, a small figure rushed over and hugged her at the waist. The little girl called out sweetly, ¡°Mommy, Mommy, you¡¯re back. I missed you so much.¡±


    Shu Pan squatted down and hugged Joy and kissed her little face. The intimate interaction between the mother and daughter was seen clearly by the elegant and cold figure nearby.


    Gu Shaoting watched Shu Pan with aplicated gaze. There was a trace of iprehensible thoughts in his eyes.


    ¡°You said you missed Mommy but why do you only know now that I¡¯m here?¡± Shu Pan was a little disappointed. Her daughter used to kick up a big fuss whenever she missed her. But now?


    She forgot about her mother when ying with Gu Shaoting. Shu Pan didn¡¯t know if it was a good thing or not.


    It was a good thing that her daughter was independent, but they used to depend on each other. She was the one who was disappointed now.


    Fledglings do eventually leave the nest.


    ¡°Mommy, look, this is the princess room that Uncle Gu created for me. I want to sleep here tonight.¡± Joy wrapped her arms around her mother¡¯s neck and said coquettishly.


    ¡°What? This is Uncle Guts home. We¡¯re going back to our own home to sleep.¡± Shu Pan was stunned. She didn¡¯t expect Joy to think such thoughts and started regretting her dinner catch-up tonight.


    ¡°Uncle Gu said that Joy can treat this ce as her home.¡± Shu Pan felt as if a flock of cartoon crows were cawing as they flew over her head; cold sweat


    broke out on her forehead..

 Chapter 300 - 300: Mommy’s Angry

    Chapter 300: Mommy¡¯s Angry


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Children were naive. They would take all adult pleasantries seriously.


    Shu Pan looked at Gu Shaoting reproachfully. What nonsense did he tell Joy?


    Gu Shaoting waved his hand and shrugged, like he was innocent.


    ¡°Mommy, Uncle Gu brought me out for dinner and French fries¡­¡± Joy covered her mouth and widened her eyes as soon as she said that. Oops. Uncle Gu said that eating French fries was their secret that couldn¡¯t be told to her mommy.


    Oh no, she had leaked the secret.


    Gu Shaoting didn¡¯t know if he should be angry orugh at the little girl¡¯s reaction.


    ¡°Joy Shu, did you ignore Mommy¡¯s words? Didn¡¯t Mommy say that you are prone to internal heat therefore shouldn¡¯t eat French fries?¡± Shu Pan unconsciously raised her voice.


    ¡°Sorry, Mommy, I won¡¯t do it again.¡± Joy apologized quickly.


    Gu Shaoting felt that Shu Pan was making a mountain out of a molehill. It was just a few fries. What was the big deal?


    ¡°Mommy, don¡¯t be angry. Come, let me show you the new Barbie doll that Uncle Gu bought¡­¡± Joy said excitedly.


    She didn¡¯t expect her mother¡¯s face to turn dark. She stopped talking immediately and muttered innocently, ¡°Uncle Gu bought it. Mommy, don¡¯t be angry.¡±


    ¡°Mommy isn¡¯t angry, but Joy, we already have a lot of toys. We can¡¯t buy any more. It¡¯s a waste of money. It¡¯s very hard for adults to earn money.¡± Shu Pan reasoned calmly with Joy.


    ¡°Mommy, I understand. I won¡¯t ask for more toys.¡± Joy said obediently.


    Gu Shaoting had a look of disapproval on his face. Why should his daughter suffer? He would satisfy her every wish. She was his little princess.


    Gu Shaoting was about to speak when Shu Pan stopped him. ¡°I have something to tell youter.¡±


    ¡°Joy, you y here. I have something to say to Uncle.¡± Shu Pan settled Joy down in the room before she closed the door and went to the living room with Gu Shaoting.


    This house still looked the same. Shu Pan sighed again. She didn¡¯t expect her daughter toe here.


    Gu Shaoting sat on the single-seater sofa and Shu Pan sat across from him.


    ¡°You can¡¯t spoil a child too much. You can¡¯t just buy her whatever she wants. What if she wants a ne?


    ¡°If she wants a ne, I¡¯ll buy one for her. It¡¯s not that difficult.¡± Gu Shaoting raised his eyebrows. It was not difficult to buy a ne. He had his own private jet.


    ¡°It¡¯s your business that you are rich, but please don¡¯t spoil my daughter.¡± Shu Pan was furious. She felt like she was talking to a brick wall. This man¡¯s words could anger people to death.


    ¡°I also treat Joy as my daughter. I will not harm her. I just doted on her a little. Girls should be pampered because if she has everything she wants now, she won¡¯t be cheated by others in future because she wanted something from them.¡± Gu Shaoting said eloquently.


    ¡°Why can¡¯t I dote on her?¡± Gu Shaoting argued.


    ¡°Our educational philosophy must be the same, or all my years of teaching will be in vain. If you continue to be so reckless, I won¡¯t let you get close to Joy.¡± Shu


    Pan threatened.


    This time, Gu Shaoting kept quiet.


    He bit his sexy thin lips and said pitifully, ¡°Panpan, don¡¯t be so cruel to me.¡± ¡°YOU are alreaay a negative Innuence on JOY. sne even aares to asK you to Duy things for her behind my back now.¡± Shu Pan got angry just thinking about it. Having money encouraged ostentatious behavior. She didn¡¯t want Joy to grow up thinking that money could solve all problems..

 Chapter 301 - 301: Livid

    Chapter 301: Livid


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Joy got a little bored after ying alone for a while in the room. Seeing that her mom and Uncle Gu didn¡¯t return after so long, she opened the door and came out by herself.


    She had just walked out when she saw them arguing.


    ¡°Mommy, Uncle, you guys can¡¯t quarrel, okay? Also, I¡¯ll be a very good girl.¡± Joy was a little worried that her Uncle Gu would be scolded because she asked him to buy something for her tonight.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, we¡¯re not quarreling. We¡¯re just discussing some problems.¡± Gu Shaoting consoled her. How considerate of him.


    ¡°Are you talking about how many uncles are pursuing Mommy?¡± Joy suddenly remembered the question Uncle Gu asked her earlier tonight, the question which she couldn¡¯t answer and deferred to her mother.


    Gu Shaoting¡¯s handsome face instantly froze and turned dark. That line of inquiry was supposed to be a secret between him and Joy.


    Who knew that the little traitor Joy would¡­ Sigh, Joy couldn¡¯t really be med. How would a kid know what to say and what not to say?


    Shu Pan¡¯s ears were sharp and she heard every word. Could he be any more shameless to ask Joy such questions?


    ¡°No, we¡¯re talking about something else. Joy, go y with your Barbie doll.¡± Gu Shaoting felt extremely embarrassed.


    ¡°Okay.¡± Joy went back to her room happily.


    ¡°Gu Shaoting, what other nonsense did you tell Joy?¡± Shu Pan was so angry with this man today that her blood vessels were about to burst, but he still looked at her innocently.


    ¡°Panpan, who did you go out with tonight?¡± Gu Shaoting face looked a little tense.


    Shu Pan snorted lightly. ¡°What does that have to do with you?¡±


    Her reply instantly darkened the man¡¯s face by several shades. ¡°But Panpan, you already have a child. You should be a role model for your daughter instead of dating other men.¡±


    Shu Pan could not help but retort, ¡°I¡¯m finding her a father.¡±


    ¡°Do you really think that her father is dead?¡± Gu Shaoting was like a lion that was about to pounce, his heart was in turmoil.


    ¡°Yeah, he¡¯s dead to me long ago.¡± Shu Pan stared straight into his eyes, making them darken even more.


    Gu Shaoting was livid, but he suppressed his anger.


    He knew that Shu Pan said that to provoke him.


    ¡°Stop asking around about me.¡± Shu Pan said as she turned her face away. Damn it!


    Gu Shaoting eyes narrowed as displeasure rose in his heart, along with extreme frustration.


    However, he still said in a stiff tone, ¡°Panpan, I hope you will give me a fair chance. I can guarantee that no one loves Joy as much as I do. I will also protect you more and not let you suffer any harm. I swear on the rest of my life.¡± Shu Pan didn¡¯t expect him to confess like this, and her face flushed red.


    Her emotions were all over the ce. This man really dared to say anything. She would wait until his actions proved his words.


    ¡°We¡¯ll talk about thatter, but I make my own decisions in my life. Don¡¯t interfere.¡± Shu Pan couldn¡¯t be bothered to refute, so she could only say this even when she felt a little out of breath.


    In an instant, a certain man was furious again.


    Endure! Endure! Endure! Gu Shaoting kept repeating this word in his heart.


    At the sight of Gu Shaoting¡¯s gloomy face, Shu Pan couldn¡¯t be bothered with him anymore. She snorted and said, ¡°I¡¯m not talking to you anymore. I¡¯m going to check on Joy.¡±


    Gu Shaoting pulled at a button on his shirt as he watched Shu Pan walk away. His whole body felt hot and ufortable from all that anger..

 Chapter 302 - 302: Wishing That He’ s Daddy

    Chapter 302: Wishing That He¡¯ s Daddy


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Joy was ying happily in her room. When she saw Shu Pane in, she hugged her quickly and said, ¡°Mommy, look, this Peppa Pig toy is so cute.¡±


    Joy revealed an innocent smile.


    It had been a really long time since Shu Pan saw Joy so happy.


    ¡°Mommy, can we sleep here tonight? It¡¯s already dark. What if we run into bad people on our way home?¡± To stay the night, Joy racked her brains and finally came up with this idea.


    Shu Pan looked at therge room that was filled with all kinds of toys. Judging from the quality, they were all bought from specialty stores. She was speechless. This man couldn¡¯t be more unrestrained when spoiling a child¡­


    ¡°Mommy, Uncle said that he has a small vi with a big garden. He wants to build a kennel for me so I can keep a puppy. He also said that he will build me a swing.¡± Joy told her another exciting thing.


    Shu Pan was even more speechless now. She squatted down, looked at Joy, and said, ¡°Sweetie, even if Uncle Gu is richer than Mommy, you shouldn¡¯t make him buy you things. You need to cherish what he has bought you, but you can¡¯t just ask Uncle to buy you whatever you want. This is not right, understand?¡±


    ¡°Mommy, I understand. I won¡¯t do it again.¡± The little girl clearly realized her mistake.


    ¡°Alright, since it¡¯s already bought, you can y with it for a while. Mommy will watch you. If you want to sleep here, we¡¯ll sleep here for a night. Just one night because this isn¡¯t out home, understand?¡± Shu Pan patted Joy¡¯s little head tofort her.


    Sigh, men and women spoil their children in different ways.


    Men would never think too much. They would just think that they were rich and could afford to buy whatever toy the child wanted.


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll y for a while more before we shower and sleep.¡± Joy pped happily.


    For Joy¡¯s smile, Shu Pan would really do anything.


    Shu Pan watched Joy y and couldn¡¯t help but think about what Gu Shaoting said just now. What did he mean?


    Did he think that she was dating other men? But what did that have anything to do with him?


    This man was bing more and more controlling. It was none of his business who she was or wasn¡¯t dating.


    It was so baffling.


    Shu Pan saw that Joy was getting tired after ying for a while. She was about to take her into the bathroom for a shower when Gu Shaoting walked in.


    He looked like his usual gentlemanly and elegant self again.


    ¡°Joy won¡¯t go home tonight. She wants to sleep here.¡± Shu Pan said helplessly.


    ¡°That¡¯s great. Joy, you can stay here as long as you want. Uncle is so happy.¡± Gu Shaoting finally smiled for the first time today.


    Gu Shaoting looked at Shu Pan and said gently, ¡°Joy has a change of clothes in her backpack. Your clothes are still in the closet.¡±


    It was as if the angry exchanges between the two of them earlier were nothing but an illusion.


    Gu Shaoting helped Joy get her clothes, and Shu Pan took Joy into the bathroom.


    In the bathroom, the little girl sang as she yed with water. She was very happy.


    Shu Pan applied some shower gel on Joy¡¯s body. Then, she asked, ¡°Joy, do you like Uncle Gu?¡±


    ¡°Yes. It would be great if he was my Daddy.¡± Joy looked a little disappointed after she said that.


    Shu Pan knew that her daughter liked Gu Shaoting, but she didn¡¯t expect her to like him to that extent.


    After Joy showered, Shu Pan helped her get dressed and carried her to the princess bed.


    ¡°Joy, you sleep first. Mommy still needs to take a shower.¡± Shu Pan patted her little butt..

 Chapter 303 - 303: A Little Nervous

    Chapter 303: A Little Nervous


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Gu Shaoting walked in when Shu Pan said that.


    ¡°You go shower. I¡¯ll watch Joy.¡±


    Shu Pan nodded and walked to the guest room.


    The guest room was still the same as before. Even the pillows and bedsheet were the same. Shu Pan was a little stunned.


    She opened the closet and saw all the clothes that she had left behind neatly packed inside. Shu Pan felt quite emotional.


    After all the ups and downs, who would have thought that she would stille back here and even spend the night?


    She took out a set of pajamas and walked into the bathroom.


    Shu Pan took about ten minutes to shower.


    She suddenly felt a little regretful for letting Gu Shaoting watch Joy. If she went back to Joy¡¯s room in her pajamas now, wouldn¡¯t she meet Gu Shaoting?


    But she would be in her pajamas and that wasn¡¯t very nice.


    Never mind. There was nothing going on between them now. It was silly and a littlete to bother with this kind of thing now.


    As some water had gotten onto her hair when she was showering, she untied her hair when she came out of the shower.


    She looked at her reflection in the mirror. Her face was fair against her jet ck hair. Her eyes were very bright, like they had been washed. Her nose was delicate and she looked extremely beautiful.


    As she approached Joy¡¯s princess room, she saw Gu Shaoting sitting in bed reading a book with Joy.


    Gu Shaoting knew the moment Shu Pan walked into the room because she smelled the fragrance of her shower gel.


    It was so strange. They used the same shower gel at home but why did it smell so good on Shu Pan? And smelled like nothing after he used it?


    His mind wandered off thinking about this problem that he forgot what he was doing.


    ¡°Uncle, you are telling it wrong.¡± Joy had no choice but to remind him that Uncle Gu wasn¡¯t very bright for telling such a simple story wrong.


    Shu Pan walked in and said, ¡°You go and rest. I¡¯ll apany Joy.¡±


    Shu Pan nced at the man lying in bed on his side. He lookedzy but very cool.


    Shu Pan unconsciously pursed her lips and walked towards the bed. Her eyes inadvertently met his deep gaze.


    Shu Pan felt a little nervous, and her heart was thumping. Why was she behaving like a young girl who had just fallen in love?


    Gu Shaoting looked at her conservative pajamas in satin and fluttering long hair. She was attractive in a different way now.


    Gu Shaoting felt a little troubled. When he saw Shu Pan approach the bed, he quickly sat up and got out of bed.


    Joy had been expecting her mommy to apany her, so she didn¡¯t pay attention to Uncle Gu.


    Shu Pan couldn¡¯t be bothered with Gu Shaoting. Seeing that he had gotten up, she justy down on the same spot. There was still some residual warmth and a faint masculine scent where hey.


    Joy was very excited today that could sleep in such a beautiful princess bed. She snuggled up in her mother¡¯s arms as her mother gently stroked the back of her head.


    Joy blinked and began to feel sleepy.


    Gu Shaoting couldn¡¯t get enough of watching the mother and daughter. Yes, these two were his treasures, the people he loved dearly.


    Gu Shaoting watched Shu Pan gently coax the child to sleep and found her flushed face from nervousness especially interesting. He knew that she was a little shy. How long had it been since he saw this side of her?


    It was as if seeing her nervous and helpless gave him an inexplicable sense of aplishment.


    Shu Pan couldn¡¯t help but re at him. Why wouldn¡¯t this man go back to his room to sleep? Was it fun for him to watch them sleep like this?


    Worried that Shu Pan would get angry, Gu Shaoting didn¡¯t dare to stay for long..

 Chapter 304 - 304: To Be Together

    Chapter 304: To Be Together


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi- Bo Studio


    As Joy was falling asleep, Shu Pan naturally couldn¡¯t make a sound. She wouldn¡¯t want to wake Joy up¡­


    But perhaps Gu Shaoting felt that Shu Pan was about to get angry, so he reluctantly left Joy¡¯s room.


    After returning to his own bedroom, Gu Shaoting couldn¡¯t calm down for a long time. He¡¯d probably get no sleep tonight knowing that his beloved woman and baby were sleeping next door.


    How nice would it be if the three of them could live together like this?


    He must think of a way.


    Now that he knew that he had more than one love rival, he would have to work even harder or someone else would beat him to it. He wouldn¡¯t allow such a scenario to happen.


    But what should he do? An opportunity like tonight was too rare. He bit his lip, quickly picked up his pajamas and went to take a shower.


    Shu Pan finally heaved a sigh of relief when she saw Gu Shaoting walk out.


    At this time, Joy turned in bed cooperatively to upy a space nearer to the edge. Shu Pan immediately moved closer to her, leaving a space wide enough for one other person next to her so she could turn more easily.


    Shu Pan was getting sleepy when she suddenly felt the mattress sink behind her. The man simply lifted the nket andy down beside her.


    Shu Pan¡¯s body instantly tensed up as she asked softly, ¡°What are you doing?


    The man had alreadyy down beside her with his body almost touching hers. He didn¡¯t move and just looked straight at her.


    Good heavens! Shu Pan felt like she was about to go crazy. This world was nuts and this person was too bold.


    She was now sandwiched between her daughter and Gu Shaoting. She wanted to get up, but he was so close that she couldn¡¯t move.


    Suddenly, Gu Shaoting pulled her into his arms.


    ¡°Gu Shaoting, are you nuts? Do you know what you are doing?¡± He had never done anything overboard with her since they met again.


    That was why she felt safe enough to stay the night. She wanted to give Joy a happy night.


    ¡°Panpan, I won¡¯t do anything. I respect you. I just want to be with you two.¡± Gu Shaoting said.


    ¡°You must be nuts. How are you going to exin to Joy when she wakes up and sees you lying here?¡± Gu Shaoting was discouraged when Shu Pan yed the Joy card.


    In the limited space, Shu Pan turned with some difficulty to face him and then warn him not to do anything rash.


    Perhaps their voices disturbed Joy.


    Joy turned in bed and moved towards the center. The 1.8-meter bed didn¡¯t look spacious with three people in it.


    Gu Shaoting¡¯s thoughts were pure. He really didn¡¯t n to do anything. He just wanted to treasure the rare opportunity to be so close to the mother and daughter.


    He just wanted everyone to be together, nothing more. He had lost moments like this before and he got a chance now to make up for it. He was so happy.


    But Shu Pan didn¡¯t think so. She felt aggrieved because all she saw was Gu Shaoting not caring about her feelings. The two of them were no longer together and she wasn¡¯t into casual sex.


    Shu Pan finally had a chance to turn in bed, but Gu Shaoting¡¯s arms around her didn¡¯t allow her to do so.


    Shu Pan felt her mind go nk. What did Gu Shaoting want?


    He was really too much. Shu Pan gave up. She thought about it, felt very aggrieved and tears rolled down her cheeks.


    Gu Shaoting was startled and released her immediately.


    Shu Pan regained her freedom, but she couldn¡¯t stop her tears. Gu Shaoting said anxiously, ¡°Panpan, I¡¯m sorry. Please forgive me. I didn¡¯t mean it..¡±

 Chapter 305 - 305: An Apology

    Chapter 305: An Apology


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    It took Shu Pan a while toe back to her senses. Her eyes were still wet with tears as she said, ¡°Gu Shaoting, you¡¯re such a b*stard. Didn¡¯t I tell you to stop?


    Why didn¡¯t you listen?¡±


    Gu Shaoting was like a child, not knowing how to console Shu Pan.


    He wished he could knock his head off. What kind of stupid idea was that?


    How could someone high-IQ like hime up with such a dirty idea? He must have been possessed.


    ¡°Panpan, I won¡¯t do it again.¡± Gu Shaoting muttered. When he saw that Shu Pan didn¡¯t want to look at him, he left the room.


    Shu Pan was both angry and confused at the man¡¯s action just now.


    She was angry because he was a b*stard for doing that and confused because she actually felt something.


    She was shocked by her own reaction.


    Sh*t, she must be crazy.


    If she hadn¡¯t cried and Gu Shaoting hadn¡¯t stopped, she couldn¡¯t imagine what would happen next.


    Shu Pan¡¯s pursed her red lips tightly. Although the man had left, there was still a warm scent on her body that didn¡¯t belong to her. It lingered around the tip of her nose and burned her body, making her ufortable.


    Her heartbeat seemed to have lost control too, and she couldn¡¯t calm down for a long time.


    She got out of bed and walked quickly to the door. She closed and locked it, not wanting a repeat incident.


    Men¡¯s promises were best treated as snake oil; they couldn¡¯t be taken too seriously.


    Gu Shaoting didn¡¯te into the room again that night. He had keys to all the rooms, so there was a way if he really wanted toe in again.


    He went back to the master bedroom but if he wanted to sleep, he would have to first douse the fire in his body.


    He sat on the edge of his bed and frowned. Shu Pan must be so mad at him now¡­


    Sigh, he seemed to have really messed things up. He scratched his head, then stood up and walked into the bathroom to put out the fire.


    The next day¡­


    When Shu Pan was still half asleep, an innocent face had already entered her view.


    It turned out that the little girl was already awake and was looking around with her round eyes.


    She had probably just woken up and wasn¡¯t fully awake yet.


    Joy rolled over to face her mother. She propped her chin with one hand and said with a smile, ¡°Mommy, isn¡¯t the room that Uncle decorated for me beautiful?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Did you sleep well?¡± Shu Pan asked casually. Seeing that Joy slept like a pigletst night, she probably slept very well.


    ¡°Super well.¡± Joy said exaggeratedly.


    ¡°Since you¡¯re awake. Let¡¯s get up.¡± Shu Pan sat up in bed and rubbed Joy¡¯s little head.


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯m going to find Uncle Gu.¡± Joy lifted the nket and was about to get out of bed.


    Shu Pan stopped her. ¡°Wait a minute, the floor is cold. Brush your teeth and wash your face first, then get dressed before you go find Uncle, okay?¡± Shu Pan persuaded.


    ¡°Okay.¡± Joy thought that it made sense andpromised.


    ¡°But would Uncle have already left for work?¡± Joy asked anxiously.


    ¡°No, why?¡± Shu Pan asked curiously. Joy seemed anxious.


    ¡°Uncle told me that he¡¯ll bring me to his workce today.¡± Joy said proudly.


    Shu Pan immediately remembered the notice she received yesterday. Due to the recent flu outbreak, many students were already on sick leave. The kindergarten had to undergo a major disinfection and would be closed today.


    Gu Shaoting probably received the notice too when he picked Joy up yesterday.


    ¡°What¡¯s so fun about going to Uncle¡¯s workce?¡± But on second thought, it wasn¡¯t such a bad idea. Otherwise, she would have to take leave to watch Joy for the day.


    Although Gu Shaoting didn¡¯t know that he was Joy¡¯s father, his responsibility remained. She decided to just let him watch Joy for the day.


    Moreover, the little girl would not change her mind easily, just like Gu Shaoting..

 Chapter 306 - 306: Very Impressive

    Chapter 306: Very Impressive


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    ¡°Uncle said that his workce is very big and very impressive. I want to go and check it out.¡± Joy said excitedly. People of the same blood often spoke very simrly.


    Shu Pan was slightly speechless. She could only pat Joy¡¯s head and say, ¡°Then you can go, but you can¡¯t touch Uncle¡¯s things or run around, okay? Stay there and read quietly or y with your toys, understand?¡±


    Shu Pan wanted to prepare Joy first. She was worried that Gu Shaoting would spoil the child too much.


    ¡°Mommy, don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll listen to Uncle. You¡¯re so long-winded.¡± The little girl who was already a little rebellious was even morewless with Uncle Gu backing her up.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go. We¡¯ll go brush our teeth, wash our faces, and change our clothes.¡± Shu Pan got out of bed first and Joy followed her.


    After the two of them washed up, and Shu Pan helped Joy get dressed, the little girl ran out to find her Uncle Gu.


    Shu Pan opened the closet in the guest room and picked out a floral print dress. The light and elegant pattern matched Shu Pan¡¯s temperament very well, but because the fabric was very soft, it was very form-fitting. Shu Pan rarely wore it, so the dress was still very new.


    Now that she had limited choices, she would just make do.


    Shu Pan¡¯s figure was good to begin with. After giving birth, it was even more curvy. She looked even better in this dress now.


    When Shu Pan came out, Joy was leaning against Gu Shaoting, telling him about her dreams or something.


    Gu Shaoting was a very good listener and had been listening to her seriously. When Gu Shaoting saw Shu Pan walk out from the corner of his eye, he looked up and was stunned.


    He had always known that Shu Pan had a good figure, but she looked even more stunning this morning.


    Shu Pan felt a little embarrassed from his stare. This Gu Shaoting really didn¡¯t know how to restrain his gaze.


    She still hadn¡¯t settled the score with him for his behaviorst night.


    Gu Shaoting seemed to have sensed her annoyance and quickly smiled to calm things down.


    ¡°Uncle, did you sleep well?¡± Joy asked with concern when she saw her Uncle Gu in a daze.


    ¡°I slept very well, sweetie. How about you?¡± Gu Shaoting asked with concern.


    ¡°I slept very soundly.¡± Joy said proudly.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go have breakfast. We¡¯ll go to the office togetherter, okay?¡± Gu Shaoting said to Joy.


    ¡°Yay! Uncle, let¡¯s send Mommy to work first. I¡¯m worried that Mommy¡¯s sry


    will be deducted if she¡¯ste.¡± Joy frowned, looking very worried.


    When Shu Pan heard that, she quickly waved her hand and said, ¡°No need, I¡¯ll take a taxi to work.¡±


    Shu Pan was already traumatized fromst night. She didn¡¯t want to be in the same space as him.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t take my car, you¡¯ll bete.¡± Gu Shaoting said sarcastically.


    ¡°Mommy, your sry will be deducted if you¡¯rete.¡± Joy added, like she was worried that her mother didn¡¯t know.


    Shu Pan widened her eyes and stared at the two of them speechlessly.


    On second thought, it wasn¡¯t such a bad idea. Taking a taxi would cost her and she would bete if she took the bus.


    ¡°Alright, then Mommy will take Uncle Gut s car to workter.¡± Shu Pan could only agree.


    A person who went with the current instead of against it was a wise person.


    ¡°Then let¡¯s quickly eat breakfast. I¡¯m so hungry.¡± Joy pulled Shu Pan to the dining table.


    The table was filled with all kinds of breakfast. Gu Shaoting had ordered food delivery.


    ¡°Can the three of us finish all this? You bought so much?¡± Shu Pan was speechless.


    This man was really wasteful.


    ¡°Eat whatever you like.¡± Gu Shaoting said indifferently..

 Chapter 307 - hapter 307: Going to the Office

    hapter 307: Going to the Office


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Shu Pan patted Joy¡¯s head and said, ¡°Joy, go eat breakfast first, okay? I need to talk to Uncle Gu about something.¡±


    Joy pursed her lips, then frowned and said unhappily, ¡°Are you guys whispering again? Why do adults like to whisper?¡±


    ¡°We are not whispering. We are having an adult conversation.¡± Shu Pan was a little shocked.


    ¡°Alright then, hurry up.¡± Joy sat on the chair and began to eat.


    ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Gu Shaoting felt that Shu Pan wasn¡¯t about to say anything good.


    Shu Pan took a deep breath and said to the man who was looking at her, ¡°Joy said that you¡¯re bringing her to the office? Will it affect your work?¡±


    ¡°Why would it? She doesn¡¯t have school today. It¡¯s just nice for me to bring her to my workce. I¡¯ll bring her home after I¡¯m done with work. You can¡¯t possibly take leave to watch her for the day, right?¡± Gu Shaoting felt that Shu Pan was worrying for nothing.


    ¡°I¡¯m not free today. Our proposal for Su Corporation hasn¡¯t been finalized yet.¡± Shu Pan felt that she should stop fighting and let him be.


    ¡°There¡¯s one other important thing. You mustn¡¯t be handsy with me.¡± Shu Pan said self-righteously.


    Gu Shaoting raised his eyebrows and didn¡¯t say anything.


    Shu Pan didn¡¯t understand why he kept quiet.


    This person often pretended to be profound.


    ¡°I heard you. I can¡¯t touch you with my hands, but I can use my mouth, right?¡± Gu Shaoting nodded and said rudely.


    ¡°What nonsense are you spouting?¡± Shu Pan felt that Gu Shaoting behaved like a scoundrel sometimes.


    ¡°Let¡¯s eat breakfast. We¡¯re going to bete.¡± Gu Shaoting walked straight to the dining table.


    Shu Pan also hurried back to the dining table to eat breakfast. She stole a nce at him and he happened to be chewing elegantly while looking at her. Their eyes met and Shu Pan timidly looked away.


    Because that man¡¯s profound eyes could easily make people lose themselves.


    After breakfast, Gu Shaoting drove a very low-key car from the underground garage, which had basically be Joy¡¯s car. Joy hopped into the back and got onto her car seat.


    Shu Pan sat in the front passenger seat.


    Joy said excitedly, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    Shu Pan looked at her and signaled for her to sit back properly.


    When Shu Pan turned her head, she saw Gu Shaoting¡¯s profile. She had never known a man who looked so good when driving.


    He drove like a charming gentleman. His hands on the steering wheel were slender but powerful, and he maneuvered the car steadily and elegantly.


    Shu Pan caught just a casual nce but felt her heartbeat elerate.


    For some reason, the scene of him hugging her from behind and kissing her forcefully yesterday appeared in her mind. Shu Pan felt her face burn.


    To hide her difort, she turned her head to look at the scenery outside, She didn¡¯t want him to see the throbbing emotions in her eyes.


    Gu Shaoting¡¯s car quickly arrived at Shu Pan¡¯s workce. Shu Pan asked him to drop her at the intersection across from the building and she cross the road herself.


    Gu Shaoting snorted. What an unnecessary move. Even if he dropped her at the entrance of the building, no one would recognize him.


    Everyone was in a hurry in the morning, worried about beingte. Who would pay attention to other people?


    Gu Shaoting felt that Shu Pan was an alien. If it were any other woman, she would probably tell the whole world because after all, not everyone received such treatment from Gu Shaoting.


    But apparently, Mr. Gu was wrong because when he stopped his car at the intersection, people noticed them. As it was working hours, there were more people at the intersection, most of whom were Shu Pan¡¯s colleagues..

 Chapter 308 - 308: Whose Kid Is That?

    Chapter 308 - 308: Whose Kid Is That?


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Gu Shaoting¡¯s car was like a road hog, and everyone couldn¡¯t help but look in his direction.


    Shu Pan wanted to keep a low profile, so she asked him to drop her further away from her office. Who knew that this man had so much difficulty keeping a low profile?


    When Shu Pan got out of the car, she got a lot of strange looks from her colleagues, which made her face burn. She carried her bag and walked hurriedly to her office building; she even forgot to say goodbye to Joy and Gu Shaoting.


    After Shu Pan disappeared from his sight, Gu Shaoting turned his head and said to Joy, ¡°Mommy¡¯s at work. Let¡¯s go to my work now.¡±


    He then drove to Gu Group. At this time, Gu Shaoting still didn¡¯t know what kind of explosive news he would cause by bringing Joy to work.


    His and Shu Pan¡¯s offices weren¡¯t too far apart, so it was quite fast to get there by car.


    Gu Group was a leader of industry in Bin City.


    Shu Pan got busy very quickly at the office. There was a lot of information to be coted and she needed to prepare everything carefully.


    Because of what happened in the morning, rumors about Shu Pan were flying in the office but all she could do was to let out a bitter chuckle. She didn¡¯t care much about gossip.


    ¡°Shu Pan, there seems to be something you haven¡¯t told me today.¡± Tang Wei smiled slyly.


    ¡°What do you want to know?¡± Shu Pan asked as she busied herself with work.


    ¡°Everyone is talking about your boyfriend. They say that you two are living together and that he sent you to work this morning.¡± It was such a waste of talent that Tang Wei wasn¡¯t a paparazzo.


    She could get all kinds of information.


    ¡°Would you believe me if I told you that he¡¯s just a friend and I just hitched a ride with him?¡± Shu Pan was toozy to exin herself.


    ¡°Do you have such a good friend who¡¯ll give you a ride so early in the morning? Tang Wei said with a skeptical look on her face.


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter if you don¡¯t believe me. Get back to work and stop gossiping.¡±


    Shu Pan went to find her director with a pile of documents after she said that.


    Tang Wei was left standing on the spot. She stroked her chin and smiled. ¡°As expected, something¡¯s up.¡±


    Meanwhile at Gu Group, Gu Shaoting caused amotion at the office lobby by bringing Joy to work.


    Everyone found it unbelievable that their CEO brought a child to work today. Moreover, this child looked like him.


    Although some tabloids had reported that the CEO had an illegitimate


    daughter, the information was never verified.


    When people saw him with a little girl now, rumors started flying again. Some people wouldn¡¯t believe it and guessed that the little girl was a kid of the CEO¡¯s rtive.


    Obviously, these people didn¡¯t know CEO Gu well. Was he the kind of person who would eagerly babysit a rtive¡¯s kid?


    Gu Shaoting ignored everyone and walked into his exclusive elevator holding Joy¡¯s hand.


    The rest of the people waiting for elevators at the lobby saw that although their CEO Gu was dressed in a suit and leather shoes, he didn¡¯t look out of ce taking care of a child.


    As Gu Shaoting had an early morning meeting, he carried Joy into the conference room, and Joy sat quietly beside him.


    Her tiny face that was almost identical to Gu Shaoting¡¯s shocked the senior managers in the room, and everyone whispered about it.


    Joy was very obedient and didn¡¯t make a fuss. She felt that her Uncle Gu was very powerful when he spoke.


    Because no one dared to make a sound when her Uncle Gu spoke.


    Gu Shaoting was worried that Joy would be bored, so he kept the meeting brief and ended it after hearing everyone¡¯s status updates.


    Back in his office, Joy didn¡¯t dare to run around and sat on the sofa. She remembered her Mommy¡¯s words.


    ¡°Uncle Gu, you¡¯re so impressive. Everyone must listen to you. I want to be like you in the future.¡± Joy made up her mind to learn from her Uncle Gu.


    ¡°Then you must study hard so you¡¯ll be like Uncle one day.¡± Gu Shaoting took the opportunity to educate her. Actually, his daughter was a princess and didn¡¯t need to work too hard.


    But he knew that Shu Pan would lecture him if she knew his parenting philosophy. That was why he told Joy so seriously in that teachable moment..

 Chapter 309 - 309: Mommy’s Boss Is a Villain

    Chapter 309 - 309: Mommy¡¯s Boss Is a Viin


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    At noon, Shu Pan was busy drawing when her phone rang.


    It was an unknown number. She frowned. Could it be a scam call?


    As soon as she picked up, Joy¡¯s tender voice sounded.


    ¡°Mommy, guess who it is.¡± Joy gave Shu Pan a riddle.


    ¡°Who are you? You must have dialed the wrong number.¡± Shu Pan pretended not to recognize Joy¡¯s voice.


    ¡°Silly Mommy, it¡¯s Joy.¡± Joyughed.


    ¡°Joy, whose phone are you using?¡± Shu Pan saw that the unknown number didn¡¯t look like Gu Shaoting¡¯s.


    ¡°An uncle¡¯s phone.¡± Joy replied.


    ¡°Why do you have another uncle¡¯s phone? Where¡¯s Uncle Gu?¡± Shu Pan asked in confusion.


    ¡°The two uncles are talking.¡± Joy answered honestly.


    ¡°Are you happy today?¡± Shu Pan asked.


    ¡°Yes. Uncle Gu is amazing. Everyone must listen to him.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good. Let¡¯s go home tonight. I¡¯ll pick you up after work, okay?¡± Shu Pan said opportunistically.


    ¡°Sure,¡± Joy agreed readily.


    ¡°Mommy, do you want to have lunch with us?¡± Joy remembered what Uncle Gu asked her to do.


    Shu Pan¡¯s heart raced at the thought of Gu Shaoting¡¯s burning gaze.


    ¡°Sorry Mommy can¡¯t. I¡¯ll eat with you tonight. I still have work at noon.¡± Shu Panforted Joy. She knew that the little girl would be unhappy.


    ¡°Oh, alright then.¡± Disappointment was obvious in Joy¡¯s voice.


    Shu Pan coaxed her for a bit before she hung up.


    In Gu Shaoting¡¯s office, Gu Shaoting was having a discussion with He Ming. Joy used He Ming¡¯s phone to call her mother.


    When the two adults were almost done talking, Joy put down the phone.


    ¡°Uncle Gu, Mommy said she¡¯s busy and won¡¯t be joining us for lunch.¡± Joy said unhappily.


    ¡°Mommy¡¯s boss is a viin. He doesn¡¯t let Mommy out for lunch and gives Mommy so much work to do.¡± Joy said angrily.


    Gu Shaoting was speechless. He didn¡¯t know how hended in the crossfire. He never asked his employees to work so hard that they couldn¡¯t even have lunch.


    ¡°Your mommy is probably busy with something else. Everyone gets to eat and rest at noon.¡± Gu Shaoting tried to correct her mistake with a four-year-old child.


    The little girl was still displeased.


    Gu Shaoting¡¯s dark eyes below his straight eyebrows showed a trace of helplessness, but he still maintained a smile in front of Joy and said warmly,


    ¡°Then Uncle Gu will treat you to a feast.¡±


    The little girl¡¯s eyes lit up the moment she heard the word ¡°feast¡±.


    Yay! She got to eat delicious food now.


    Shu Pan had a simple lunch with Tang Wei at thepany cafeteria. Tang Wei still pestered her about what happened in the morning but Shu Pan ignored her.


    ¡°Shu Pan, when do you think I¡¯ll meet my Mr. Right?¡± Tang Wei asked detedly while stirring the rice in her bowl with her chopsticks.


    ¡°Soon. Don¡¯t worry.¡± Shu Pan felt that Tang Wei was a little gossipy but she was kind and friendly, and God would treat her well.


    She used toin about fate and the world too, but she got through it in the end.


    Life was like this. When God closed a door, He would open a window for you.


    They dove back into work after lunch and were busy until past 5 p.m.


    Shu Pan looked at the time. She should leave soon.


    She nned to go grocery shopping at the market after work. She wanted to cook a delicious meal..

 Chapter 310 - 310: Peace and Harmony

    Chapter 310 - 310: Peace and Harmony


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    It was rare for Shu Pan to leave work early. She called Gu Shaoting after she walked out of her office.


    ¡°Hello,¡± Gu Shaoting¡¯s maic voice sounded.


    ¡°I¡¯m off work. I¡¯m on my way to pick Joy up from your office.¡± Shu Pan said calmly, straight to the point.


    ¡°Okay. I¡¯m still busy.¡±


    After Shu Pan hung up the phone, she took a taxi to Gu Group.


    Shu Pan called to inform Gu Shaoting when she arrived. Shortly after, she saw Joying out the main entrance.


    ¡°Mommy, Mommy¡­¡± Joy¡¯s little figure ran out from the office lobby.


    Shu Pan quickly caught her and picked her up.


    Secretary Zhang, who brought Joy down, smiled and greeted Shu Pan before he went back upstairs.


    Shu Pan looked at Joy¡¯s excited face. She was really contented.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go home.¡± Shu Pan smiled at Joy after she said that. She then put her down and held her hand as they went home.


    When they were downstairs of their building, Shu Pan remembered that she wanted to go grocery shopping and took Joy to the market.


    ¡°Joy, what shall we eat tonight?¡± Shu Pan consulted Joy.


    ¡°C chicken wings. My favorite!¡± Joy made a gluttonous face.


    Shu Pan brought her to the market. It was usually quite fast to shop for a meal but because Joy was so happy, they walked around the market a little.


    They bought a lot of things and went home only when Shu Pan couldn¡¯t carry anything more.


    Shu Pan was cooking in the kitchen and Joy was ying in the living room when the doorbell rang. The tap was running in the kitchen, so Shu Pan didn¡¯t hear it. Joy heard the doorbell and took a small stool to look through the peephole.


    It was Uncle Gu. She tried to open the door, but it wouldn¡¯t open. She had to ask her mommy for help.


    Shu Pan was slightly speechless when she saw Gu Shaoting. She didn¡¯t expect him toe over. Fortunately, she had cooked enough food.


    After Gu Shaoting walked in, he smelled the aroma of food in the air and felt a little hungry.


    It was such a blissful feeling when someone prepared dinner for you, when the family could spend time together in peace and harmony.


    During dinner, Joy kept picking up food for Gu Shaoting, which made Shu Pan a little jealous.


    Gu Shaoting enjoyed moments like this. He was thinking how he could make the mother and daughter move in with him. After all, the ce they were staying at weren¡¯t very safe.


    He Ming and Xiao Meng¡¯s rtionship were getting hot and heavy. They were together every day, but He Ming didn¡¯t find it annoying. He was enjoying the process more and more.


    He wanted to make things official with Xiaomeng.


    That night, after the two of them were done making out, He Ming hugged Xiaomeng and gently pleaded in her ear, ¡°Xiaomeng, tomorrow is the weekend. How about you go home with me to meet my family?¡±


    He Ming clearly felt Xiaomeng stiffen in his arms. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± He Ming asked.


    ¡°Oh, nothing, but don¡¯t you think it¡¯s too soon? I am not mentally prepared at all.¡± Xiaomeng suddenly felt a little nervous. After all, meeting her boyfriend¡¯s parents was no child¡¯s y.


    ¡°There¡¯s no need to prepare anything. My parents are very kind people. My mom¡¯s greatest wish is for me to get her a daughter-inw. You¡¯re so good. She¡¯ll definitely like you. Don¡¯t worry.¡± He Mingforted her.


    Xiaomeng got even more nervous when she heard that. ¡°Then should I get them gifts? What do your parents like?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to get them anything. Just go.¡± He Ming was ecstatic when Xiaomeng agreed.


    ¡°Then we¡¯ll get gifts tomorrow morning and go over at noon. What do you think?¡± Xiaomeng asked.


    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s sleep early then.¡± He Ming tightened his grip on Xiaomeng.


    ¡°Okay, good night.¡± Ye Xiaomeng closed her eyes and fell asleep in his arms.


    He Ming heard calm breathing from his chest and knew that Xiaomeng was asleep, so he fell asleep peacefully too..

 Chapter 311 - 311: Meeting the Parents

    Chapter 311 - 311: Meeting the Parents


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    The next day, Xiaomeng woke up early because she had important things to attend to. At that moment, she stood in front of her wardrobe, feeling perplexed.


    Women always feel like they have one less outfit in their wardrobe. Xiaomeng gazed at the closet full of clothes but couldn¡¯t decide which one to wear.


    Holding a dress in her hand, she hesitated as it seemed a bit snug, entuating her figure more than she wanted. Another outfit looked formal, but Xiaomeng felt it was too professional for meeting parents, not clients.


    It was a dilemma.


    He Ming walked over, ¡°Darling, what¡¯s wrong? It shouldn¡¯t take so long to pick an outfit.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know which one to wear,¡± Ye Xiaomeng asked for He Ming¡¯s opinion.


    ¡°Whichever you choose will look good,¡± He Ming indulgently smiled. ¡°Women are such trouble¡±, he thought. ¡°With a closet full of clothes, she still doesn¡¯t know what to wear.¡±


    Seeing her so earnestly selecting clothes proved how much she cared about meeting his parents. He Ming felt delighted in his heart.


    Ye Xiaomeng rolled her eyes at him, asking was futile anyway.


    She knew he would respond this way and didn¡¯t expect any good advice from him.


    Ye Xiaomeng continued searching and finally spotted a white dress, Imee-length with a modest neckline, giving off an innocent and dignified vibe when worn.


    This was it. The decision was made with joy.


    Xiaomeng swiftly changed into the dress, applied light makeup, looking lively and well, except for a hint of nervousness.


    Meeting the parents was a significant event; anyone would feel a bit uneasy.


    After leaving the house, Xiaomeng had He Ming take her to the mall where she bought a gift for the parents.


    She chose a branded silk scarf for He Ming¡¯s mother and an inkstone for his father, as He Ming had mentioned his father loved calligraphy. They also bought some health supplements and fruits.


    With their hands full, they headed to the He family home.


    Just a moment ago, He Ming had secretly called his mother, informing her that he would be bringing his girlfriend home.


    At first, Mother He didn¡¯t believe him, but his sincere phone call convinced her it was true.


    Then ensued a flurry of activity as she changed into a different outfit, coincidentally finding Father He at home. Together, they brainstormed on what dishes to prepare for their future daughter-inw.


    When He Ming and Ye Xiaomeng arrived, seeing the house in front of her, Xiaomeng felt nervous to the point of her throat tightening.


    He Ming rang the doorbell, and Mother He came to open the door.


    Xiaomeng saw a kindly woman with an air of elegance.


    At the same time, Mother He was also appraising Ye Xiaomeng. ¡°Not bad. Ming¡¯s got good taste; this girl looks clean and gives off a fresh vibe, not tacky at all.¡±


    He Ming introduced them to each other, and after exchanging greetings, Mother He pulled Xiaomeng inside, leaving He Ming behind.


    ¡°Auntie, this is a little token of appreciation. I hope you and Uncle like it,¡± Ye Xiaomeng handed over the gift.


    ¡°I¡¯m happy that you¡¯re here; why spend so much?¡± Mother He said, though her heart was delighted. It wasn¡¯t about the value of the gift; what mattered was that the girl knew etiquette.


    Father He also joined them, and Xiaomeng quickly greeted him.


    Father He chuckled, telling her to treat the ce as her own and not to be nervous.


    Seeing everyone so friendly during dinner, Mother He was warm, continuously putting food into Xiaomeng¡¯s bowl.


    Looking at the heaping bowl, Xiaomeng didn¡¯t want to offend the elderly¡¯s kindness and could only eat with her head down..

 Chapter 312 - 312: This Shirt Looks a Little Familiar

    Chapter 312 - 312: This Shirt Looks a Little Familiar


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Mother He was pleased; this girl was genuine and unpretentious.


    When Shanshan came to the house before, she would pick at her food with chopsticks, iming to be full after just a few bites, citing a desire to lose weight.


    It was unappetizing to see such a spread of dishes go uneaten, leaving Mother He feeling unfulfilled.


    Now, seeing Xiaomeng, Mother He felt happy. A girl should have some meat on her, good for future childbirth.


    The more Mother He thought about it, the happier she became, anticipating the days of being a grandmother.


    Unaware of Mother He¡¯s thoughts, Xiaomeng was earnestly enjoying her meal.


    He Ming continuously served her soup. This time, she finally spoke up, asking if he thought she was a pig, eating so much.


    After dinner, He Ming took Xiaomeng to his room.


    He Ming¡¯s room had its own style¡ªsimple and elegant, with deep blue striped sheets.


    Seeing his bed, Xiaomeng suddenly thought of the intimate moments they had shared, and her face flushed.


    He Ming pulled Xiaomeng to sit on the bed, then opened the wardrobe to grab some fresh clothes for her.


    He had sessfully conquered the territory, and Xiaomeng agreed to live with him.


    He casually took clothes from the wardrobe, and Xiaomeng followed, organizing the clothes.


    Suddenly, Xiaomeng froze. She couldn¡¯t believe her eyes because this shirt was the same as the one from a few days ago, the one from DV, and even the color was identical.


    ¡°He Ming, when did you buy this shirt?¡± Ye Xiaomeng casually asked.


    He Ming nced at the shirt in her hand, noticing that the tag was still intact.


    ¡°No idea,¡± He Ming didn¡¯t pay much attention to these things.


    In his memory, most of his shirts were like this.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with this shirt?¡± He Ming asked in confusion, noticing that Xiaomeng seemed uneasy after seeing it.


    ¡°This is a limited edition DV shirt. Each shirt in different colors has only one size. At that time, I wanted to buy this shirt for you, but it was snatched by another girl who paid first,¡± Ye Xiaomeng spoke through gritted teeth as she recounted the incident.


    Ye Xiaomeng spoke about this matter through gritted teeth.


    ¡°I don¡¯t remember buying this shirt at any time,¡± He Ming was genuinely puzzled when he heard her say that.


    He racked his brain but couldn¡¯t recall ever purchasing such a shirt.


    Could it be his mom who bought it?


    But his mom hadn¡¯t bought him clothes since he could remember.


    Xiaomeng, seeing his perplexed expression, didn¡¯t press the matter further since he didn¡¯t seem to be lying.


    As He Ming came out with the paper bag, coincidentally, Mother He appeared.


    ¡°Mom, did you buy me clothes? Howe there¡¯s a new shirt in my wardrobe?¡± He Ming casually asked his mother.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t buy it. Oh, I remember now. On your birthday, Shanshan gave you a shirt, and I hung it in your wardrobe,¡± Mother He exined, then suddenly froze, feeling like pping herself.


    Xiaomeng was there too, and why did she bring up Shanshan?


    It was like stirring up trouble unnecessarily.


    He Ming¡¯s current mood could be described as, ¡°Not afraid of god-like opponents, afraid of pig-like teammates.¡±


    ¡°Xiaomeng, Shanshan is the daughter of one of He Ming¡¯s aunts,¡± Mother He exined specifically, worried that Xiaomeng might misunderstand.


    Initially, she thought He Ming didn¡¯t have a girlfriend, so she tried to match him with Shanshan. However, now that he had a girlfriend, it wasn¡¯t appropriate.


    Now Xiaomeng finally understood. The girl she saw at DV that day was Hu Shanshan.


    The name sounded familiar, and now she knew it was a girl who was definitely not on good terms..

 Chapter 313 - 313: I Have a Girlfriend

    Chapter 313 - 313: I Have a Girlfriend


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi- Bo Studio


    ¡°Auntie, it¡¯s okay. I understand,¡± Ye Xiaomeng saw Mother He continually exining and knew she was worried about misunderstanding, so she quickly reassured her.


    ¡°That¡¯s good,¡± Mother He sighed in relief.


    She suddenly thought that she should tell Shanshan about He Ming having a girlfriend. First, He Ming was genuinely uninterested, and second, it wasn¡¯t necessary to dy the girl¡¯s youth.


    ¡°Mom, we¡¯re going back. I have something to attend to,¡± He Ming bid farewell to his mother.


    ¡°Okay, be careful. Xiaomeng,e over more often. If Ming bullies you, let me know, ¡± Mother He held Xiaomeng¡¯s hand and advised her.


    ¡°Sure, thank you, Auntie,¡± Ye Xiaomeng smiled.


    After He Ming and Xiaomeng left, Mother He looked at the time and found herself bored. So, she decided to call Xu Fang, Shanshan¡¯s mother, and y mahjong.


    Coincidentally, their usual mahjong friends were all avable, so they arranged to meet.


    ¡°Of course, it¡¯s great. Our Ming has a girlfriend now. I can finally put my worries to rest,¡± Mother He happily shared. She had initially tried to match Shanshan with He Ming, and now that he had a girlfriend, she wanted to inform Shanshan to avoid any hurt feelings.


    Shanshan was a good kid, but He Ming didn¡¯t like her, and there was nothing she could do. Telling her in advance would prevent any harm, as they hadn¡¯t officially dated. Opening up now would be better for everyone, avoiding any strained rtionships.


    ¡°What? He Ming has a girlfriend?¡± Shanshan¡¯s mother asked in surprise, as just earlier, Mother He had said he didn¡¯t.


    She liked He Ming a lot. He was excellent, and his family background was good. She had even met his mother. Everything seemed perfect.


    She could tell that Shanshan also had feelings for He Ming. Rarely did she show interest in someone, and before, thinking He Ming was busy, she didn¡¯t expect him to suddenly have a girlfriend.


    ¡°Yeah, she looks pretty good and has manners and etiquette,¡± Mother He praised.


    ¡°Nowadays, most girls have vanity. Don¡¯t be surprised if she¡¯s only interested in He Ming¡¯s wealth. You should pay attention,¡± Shanshan¡¯s mother said with a sour tone.


    ¡°No, I won¡¯t be wrong about people. She is rtively simple.¡± Mother He felt a bit upset hearing Shanshan¡¯s mother¡¯sments.


    How disappointing. She hadn¡¯t even met the person, how could she make such careless remarks?


    Seeing Mother He¡¯s displeasure, Shanshan¡¯s mother dared not say more.


    Back at home, Shanshan¡¯s mother tossed her bag onto the sofa and sat down. Coincidentally, Shanshan was also at home.


    ¡°Shanshan, Mom has something to tell you, ¡± Shanshan¡¯s mother motioned for her toe over.


    ¡°Mom, what¡¯s the matter?¡± Shanshan felt a bit anxious seeing her mother¡¯s serious expression.


    ¡°Shanshan, from now on, go to Auntie He¡¯s house less. Your big brother He Ming already has a girlfriend,¡± Shanshan¡¯s mother advised her.


    ¡°Girlfriend? How do you know, Mom?¡± Shanshan found it hard to believe. How could this happen so quickly, and they¡¯ve already met the parents?


    ¡°Today while ying cards, Auntie He mentioned it. He Ming brought his girlfriend home for lunch, and they say she¡¯s not bad.¡± Shanshan¡¯s mother felt a bit sorry for her daughter, but since there was no fate, there was no need to force it.


    But Shanshan didn¡¯t think like that. As long as He Ming wasn¡¯t married, she believed there was still a chance.


    ¡°Does Auntie He like her a lot?¡± Shanshan wanted to gauge Auntie He¡¯s attitude.


    ¡°Of course, didn¡¯t you see her showing off? She wanted the whole world to know, ¡± Shanshan¡¯s mother exaggerated her tone, not wanting to give Shanshan false hope..

 Chapter 314 - 314: Angry

    Chapter 314: Angry


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Upon hearing her mother¡¯s words, Shanshan felt a bit disappointed.


    She thought Auntie He liked her and wanted her to be He Ming¡¯s girlfriend, considering her excellence in various aspects.


    As it turned out, Auntie He only cared about He Ming having a girlfriend, regardless of who the woman was.


    ¡°Mom, don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m fine,¡± Shanshan forced a smile, not wanting to let her mother worry.


    However, she wasn¡¯t one to give up easily, and she definitely wanted to see what kind of person He Ming liked.


    Seeing her daughter taking it so well, Shanshan¡¯s mother felt relieved.


    He Ming and Ye Xiaomeng returned to their residence. Along the way, Xiaomeng didn¡¯t speak much and seemed preupied.


    He Ming nced at her and then asked, ¡°Mengmeng, what¡¯s wrong? Are you still upset about the shirt incident?¡±


    At his home, when Auntie He mentioned that the shirt was a gift from Shanshan, Xiaomeng¡¯s expression changed instantly.


    But she recovered quickly, so Auntie He didn¡¯t notice.


    ¡°No, I¡¯m just thinking, can I trust you? You promised multiple times not to have any contact with her, but on your birthday, she still gave you such an intimate gift?¡± Xiaomeng¡¯s tone was calm.


    He Ming became extremely nervous upon hearing this. He would prefer


    Xiaomeng yelling at him rather than seeing her in such a dejected state.


    ¡°Mengmeng, my mom called me to go home for birthday noodles. She somehow found out about it, so I went. But I just put the gift she gave me aside without even looking at it. If you hadn¡¯t mentioned this shirt today, I really wouldn¡¯t have known about it.¡±


    He Ming felt like fate was ying a joke on him. Why did everything rted to Shanshan happen so coincidentally?


    Ever since he met her, it seemed like she was causing trouble for him all the time.


    In the future, no matter what, he would keep his distance from Shanshan.


    ¡°Do you really have no other feelings for her? Many rtionships start from childhood friends,¡± Xiaomeng asked. She hoped he would be honest with her about any past hurts. She didn¡¯t want to experience it again.


    ¡°I swear I have absolutely no feelings for her. I¡¯ll keep my distance from her in the future, and I¡¯ll discard the gift she gave me,¡± He Ming asserted sincerely.


    ¡°Considering your sincerity, I¡¯ll let it go this time, but there really can¡¯t be a repeat, ¡± Ye Xiaomeng emphasized.


    ¡°Alright, I understand. I¡¯m sorry, Mengmeng,¡± He Ming said and casually pulled Xiaomeng into his arms.


    The warmth of the man¡¯s embrace surrounded her, bringing a slight sense of reassurance to her heart.


    Because of He Ming, Xiaomeng tried to minimize her business trips. Developing markets outside was indeed challenging.


    He Ming felt sorry for her and had suggested more than once that she quit her job. If she didn¡¯t want to work, he could support her, and she could find a less demanding job if she felt bored.


    However, Xiaomeng hadn¡¯t considered resigning yet. She politely declined his suggestion but assured him that she wouldn¡¯t travel frequently.


    Xiaomeng deeply understood the significance of having a job in her life. Initially, meeting his parents made her hesitant, considering their rtively short rtionship and her ownplicated past. She struggled with her own internal conflicts.


    But it was He Ming¡¯s love and persistence that encouraged her to take that step. Despite being cherished, she believed in maintaining her own space and independence, not wanting to rely entirely on a man..

 Chapter 315 - 315: Breaking News

    Chapter 315: Breaking News


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Shu Pan had been extremely busytely as the final stages of the project proposals wrapped up. In thepetitive corporate environment, it was soon revealed who emerged victorious.


    After all, Su Corporation was now a major conglomerate, and Shu Pan was well aware of how things should be handled.


    Despite the hectic schedule, where there were many people, there was always plenty of gossip.


    Just after the morning meeting, Tang Wei approached Shu Pan with an air of mystery.


    ¡°Hey, Shu Pan, let me tell you some news,¡± Tang Wei said, knowing she had discovered another sensational piece of information.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Shu Pan asked, intrigued.


    ¡°Colleagues who attended the meeting at the headquarters today said that our President Gu had a daughter. She looked a lot like him and was even brought to thepany,¡± Tang Wei shared the explosive news she had gathered.


    This matter had already caused a stir within the Gu Group. Previously, there were spective reports in the newspapers, but it all fizzled out due to ack of concrete evidence.


    However, this time, Gu Shaoting brought his daughter to thepany, creating quite a sensation.


    If Shu Pan had water in her mouth at that moment, she would have surely sprayed Tang Wei¡¯s face.


    ¡°What?¡± Shu Pan thought she must have misheard. How could bringing Joy to thepany once have such a significant impact?


    Indeed, letting him bring Joy was a mistake.


    ¡°Shu Pan, you heard it right. The CEO had a daughter. However, we don¡¯t know who the child¡¯s mother is yet. Last time, the newspaper only caught a glimpse of her side profile,¡± Tang Wei regretfully added.


    ¡°But, you know what, I genuinely admired this woman. Giving birth to Mr. Gu¡¯s daughter was an extraordinary feat. She was like my idol,¡± Tang Wei eximed with admiration.


    Shu Pan¡¯s body stiffened, and an inexplicable sense of guilt washed over her.


    ¡°Maybe she¡¯s just a rtive¡¯s child? You might be overthinking this.¡±


    ¡°I haven¡¯t heard of Mr. Gu having any siblings, and the child looks exactly like him,¡± Tang Wei dismissed the possibility, showing disbelief.


    Perhaps the monotony of their daily work routine led everyone to indulge in gossip about thepany owner¡¯s personal affairs.


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s Mr. Gu¡¯s private matter. If you keep discussing it, you might end up getting fired without knowing why,¡± Shu Pan warned with a hint of threat.


    ¡°I grew up eating rice, not by being scared. Everyone is talking about it. What¡¯s the big deal? It¡¯s not like we¡¯re discussing it in front of the boss,¡± Tang Wei shrugged off the warning.


    But you were discussing it in front of one of the involved parties, Shu Pan thought, but refrained from saying it aloud.


    She Imew Tang Wei meant no harm; she was just casually chatting.


    ¡°However, you don¡¯t know that everyone is really curious about the woman behind Mr. Gu. After all, it¡¯s so mysterious,¡± Tang Wei sighed.


    Shu Pan once again felt relieved that Gu Shaoting hadn¡¯t been discovereding to pick her up so many times. It was better to have hime less often. She didn¡¯t want her peaceful life to turn into a chaotic mess.


    ¡°Stop thinking about it and focus on your work,¡± Shu Pan advised.


    ¡°I don¡¯t daydream, but someone does. Do you know MO Lan? When she heard about this, she even said it¡¯s worth bing Mr. Guts daughter¡¯s stepmother,¡± Tang Wei mimicked MO Lan¡¯s tone with a perfect imitation.


    Shu Pan was speechless. Well, it really was too boring.


    ¡°That¡¯s just wishful thinking, especially from her,¡± Tang Wei expressed disdain. After all, she never liked MO Lan..

 Chapter 316 - 316: Auction

    Chapter 316: Auction


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    ¡°Alright, don¡¯t be angry. Let¡¯s get back to our positions and work, my Miss Tang,¡± Shu Pan said. Life needed some bnce, and afterward, everyone returned to their normal routines.


    ¡°I know,¡± Tang Wei reluctantly left.


    In the afternoon, the director approached Shu Pan. ¡°Shu Pan, prepare the documents. We¡¯re going to Su Corporation tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°Sure, um¡­ Director, can you find someone else to go?¡± Shu Pan asked.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Is there something?¡± The director frowned, a bit puzzled.


    ¡°Nothing¡­ it¡¯s nothing,¡± Shu Pan intended to say that she would prepare the documents and then ask other colleagues to go. The scenes from the day she encountered Su Yuan at Su Corporation were still vivid in her memory. She didn¡¯t want a simr situation to happen again.


    ¡°That¡¯s good. Tomorrow, you and I will go, and bring Tang Wei and Xiao Chen along,¡± the director instructed and left.


    ¡°Okay,¡± Shu Pan nodded.


    She sighed softly.


    Hopefully, nothing unexpected would happen.


    The next day, the four of them set off for Su Corporation. In the car, Tang Wei and Shu Pan sat in the back. Shu Pan felt a bit nervous, while Tang Wei seemed as excited as if she had taken a stimnt, chatting non-stop.


    ¡°Why is the director being so nice to me this time? Finally, he let mee out and see the world,¡± Tang Wei found a topic since Shu Pan kept staring out of the window.


    ¡°When has the director ever treated you badly? Coming out is not exactly a great job. Why are you so happy?¡± Shu Pan looked puzzled.


    ¡°Let me tell you, you won¡¯t understand. Do you think we¡¯ll get to see Mr. Suter?¡± Tang Wei asked, her face filled with anticipation, looking somewhat infatuated.


    ¡°After all, this project is quite important, so we might meet him,¡± Shu Pan murmured. However, she wasn¡¯t particrly hoping for it.


    ¡°That¡¯s great; my trip won¡¯t be in vain then,¡± Tang Wei happily said.


    Shu Pan couldn¡¯t help but shake her head, smiling. Joking andughing with Tang Wei seemed to ease the tension.


    Arriving at Su Corporation, as they entered the lobby, Tang Wei marveled like a country bumpkin entering a grand garden, continuously praising.


    ¡°Maintain your manner, Miss Tang,¡± Shu Pan joked.


    ¡°I know, I¡¯m just a bit surprised,¡± Tang Wei pouted.


    When the four entered the conference room, the representatives from the other twopanies were already there, but Su Corporation¡¯s top executives had yet to arrive.


    Representatives from the threepanies nced at each other, silently sizing each other up.


    The representatives from the other twopanies looked elite, the menposed and calm, the women impably groomed, efficient, and professional.


    After a few greetings, they delved into the main topic, instructing the representatives from eachpany to prepare. The meeting would officially start when their CEOs arrived.


    Under everyone¡¯s gaze, Su Yuan walked in with agile steps, d in a silver-gray suit, exceptionally handsome. He immediately attracted everyone¡¯s attention, especially thedies present¡ªexcept for Shu Pan.


    She just felt a slight headache because Tang Wei, who was currently excitedly gripping Shu Pan¡¯s hand, was eyeing Su Yuan.


    ¡°Shu Pan, what should I do? I feel like I¡¯m going to be dazzled,¡± Tang Wei whispered.


    Shu Pan found it amusing; Tang Wei indeed had a talent for entertaining people.


    ¡°Sit down quickly; the meeting is about to start. If we don¡¯t win the bid today, we¡¯ll probably be eating our words,¡± Shu Pan interrupted her daydream.


    After Su Yuan took his seat, he nodded at Director Lu, indicating that they could begin.


    Since Shu Pan and her team were the second to present, they had some time to prepare..

 Chapter 317 - 317: A Two-Day Tour

    Chapter 317: A Two-Day Tour


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    As Su Yuan entered, the first person he noticed was Shu Pan. She wore a white silk blouse with a floral brooch, giving her a delicate yet poised appearance.


    She was focused on the documents in her hands, not making eye contact like the others.


    Su Yuan felt a bit disappointed, but then he realized that he liked her independent personality.


    As the meeting began, everyone quickly immersed themselves in their work¡­


    It took approximately 10 days from Su Corporation¡¯s bidding to the final decision. Sunrise triumphed with an absolute advantage in obtaining the bidding project from Su Corporation.


    To reward everyone, Secretary Zhang from the CEO¡¯s office sent an email announcing that this weekend, thepany would organize a two-day trip to the Lotus Town resort under the group¡¯s umbre.


    Upon hearing this news, the entirepany erupted with excitement. Lotus Town Resort was developed by Gu Group, including guest room areas, a golf course, a natural hot spring area, and various leisure facilities.


    It was said that the room rates for a single night were beyond the imagination of ordinary people. Except for Gu Group employees, no one from any otherpany had ever enjoyed such a luxurious treatment.


    Shu Pan was thrilled at the mention of Lotus Town, such a familiar name.


    This way, she could take Joy back to show Daddy and Auntie Lu, and then attend thepany event.


    Joy also missed Grandpa and Grandma. Luckily, Gu Shaoting finally made a wise decision.


    If Gu Shaoting knew Shu Pan¡¯s thoughts, he might be infuriated to the point of spitting blood.


    Normally, no matter how hard he tried to please her, Shu Pan never showed the slightest bit of appreciation. Now, with just this small decision, she was overflowing with gratitude.


    While everyone was happy, they didn¡¯t forget about the CEO. After all, such opportunities were rare, and it seemed like the CEO had never attended apany gathering before.


    For a moment, whether the CEO would join the outing became the focal point of everyone¡¯s attention.


    Colleagues were buzzing about this question, and Shu Pan was also pondering. He probably wouldn¡¯t go; although there might not be much on his agenda during the weekend, he likely preferred to take a break.


    Going with a group of colleagues might make him feel ufortable, and it could dampen the enthusiasm of the employees. Why bother?


    However, on second thought, this was the firstrge-scale collective event after the acquisition of thepany. He might want to attend to boost the morale of the employees and encourage them.


    At this point, some people divided into two groups and started betting on whether the CEO would go or not.


    ¡°Director, you are thepany¡¯s representative; ask the CEO whether he will go or not,¡± someone suggested.


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll ask Secretary Zhangter. Everyone has worked hard during this period, and we should continue to work hard in the future,¡± the director said, offering words of encouragement.


    Later, the director called Secretary Zhang, but the result was that the CEO hadn¡¯t decided whether to go or not.


    As a result, someone in thepany¡¯s activity group initiated a betting pool on whether the CEO would attend. Each participant had to contribute 200 yuan, and the person who guessed wrong would treat others to a meal.


    With a rtively small sum and added entertainment value, many people participated. Both those who believed the CEO would go and those who believed he wouldn¡¯t have a roughly equal number of participants.


    Shu Pan and Tang Wei also joined the betting, betting that the CEO would go.


    Shu Pan analyzed the situation; usually, Gu Shaoting didn¡¯t have anything important on weekends. Most of the time, he stayed at her house and yed with Joy. But if both Joy and Shu Pan weren¡¯t at home, he would probably be bored and might as well go out.


    Although he had a reserved personality, for such arge-scale outing, it would seem a bit unjustifiable if he didn¡¯t go.


    If she saw him in the next two days, she would ask him again..

 Chapter 318 - 318: You Want Me to Go?

    Chapter 318: You Want Me to Go?


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi- Bo Studio


    As the end of the workday approached, Shu Pan received a call from Gu Shaoting, saying he had picked up Joy. Shu Pan told him not toe and pick her up; she needed to make a trip to the supermarket.


    After hanging up the phone, Shu Pan took a car to the supermarket. She bought ingredients, daily necessities for the uing outing, and some snacks.


    Upon returning home, Gu Shaoting and Joy were already waiting. After putting away the groceries, Shu Pan began preparing dinner.


    While Gu Shaoting yed with Joy, Shu Pan found it strange. When they were not divorced, she often saw him socializing. Now, with the corporation developing even better, he seemed to have more free time.


    In fact, Shu Pan didn¡¯t know that Gu Shaoting deliberately avoided social events to spend more time with them.


    During dinner, Gu Shaoting asionally took care of Joy and then continued to eat. He had always been leisurely, with elegant movements.


    Gu Shaoting raised an eyebrow, nced at her, remained silent, and continued eating.


    What did his silence mean? Go or not?


    Seeing him not speaking, Shu Pan didn¡¯t want to push it. She lowered her head and continued eating.


    After a while, Gu Shaoting finished his meal, wiped his mouth with a tissue from the table, and casually said, ¡°I¡¯m not interested in this kind of activity. If I go with arge group, wouldn¡¯t they feel less entertained? I¡¯d rather spend time with Joy.¡±


    Gu Shaoting made it clear that he wasn¡¯t going.


    ¡°Oh,¡± Shu Pan murmured softly, disappointment evident in her voice.


    Gu Shaoting, of course, noticed Shu Pan¡¯s disappointment and couldn¡¯t help but feel a little pleased. ¡°Do you want me to go?¡± he teased.


    Shu Pan heard the smugness in his voice. ¡°Do you even have the time to go?¡±


    ¡°Who cares if you go or not? I care about that 200 yuan.¡± Shu Pan sighed inwardly.


    ¡°If you want me to go, I think I can spare some time,¡± Gu Shaoting pondered for a moment and said.


    ¡°Then bring Joy along,¡± Gu Shaoting suddenly thought of this and felt it would be nice to take Joy out for a while.


    ¡°No, I¡¯ll take her to my dad and Auntie Lu. She hasn¡¯t seen them for a while, and they were asking about her a few days ago,¡± Shu Pan sensibly declined.


    Last time, bringing Joy to theirpany caused quite a sensation. If she did it again, who knows what new rumors would circte.


    ¡°If you want me to go, I think I can spare some time,¡± Gu Shaoting pondered for a moment and said.


    ¡°Then bring Joy along,¡± Gu Shaoting suddenly thought of this and felt it would be nice to take Joy out for a while.


    ¡°No, I¡¯ll take her to my dad and Auntie Lu. She hasn¡¯t seen them for a while, and they were asking about her a few days ago,¡± Shu Pan sensibly declined.


    Last time, bringing Joy to theirpany caused quite a sensation. If she did it again, who knows what new rumors would circte.


    ¡°Are you driving with me, or taking thepany bus?¡± Gu Shaoting asked, not daring to make decisions for her now.


    ¡°I¡¯ll take the bus. You can bring Joy. When we get to Lotus Town, I¡¯ll take her home,¡± Shu Pan suggested. She didn¡¯t want to stand out, avoiding bing the subject of gossip.


    This way, she wouldn¡¯t have to specially send Joy home. The little girl would probably be happy about it; Uncle Gu was like a godlike figure in her eyes now, full of admiration.


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll follow your lead,¡± Gu Shaoting nodded.


    ¡°And about the outing, pretend you don¡¯t know me,¡± Shu Pan reminded him again.


    Gu Shaoting didn¡¯t respond and went to the living room, holding Joy.


    Early Saturday morning, Shu Pan got up, arranged Joy, and Gu Shaoting arrived. Today, he was dressed in a clean white casual outfit. The morning sun gently poured through the car window, adding a touch of warmth to his appearance.


    One couldn¡¯t help but marvel at the favor bestowed upon him by the heavens. At times, one had to admit that he indeed looked good.


    Shu Pan stared at him early in the morning, making him feel a bit unusual. If another woman looked at him like that, he might feel repulsed, but Shu Pan¡¯s


    gaze didn¡¯t bother him..

 Chapter 319 - 319: Going Out for a Tour

    Chapter 319: Going Out for a Tour


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    On Saturday morning at 8:30, everyone gathered at thepany. Thepany had rented two buses to take everyone to the resort.


    The manager counted the number of people, and when everyone was present, all eyes were wandering, eager to see if the CEO would show up.


    Tang Wei, holding Shu Pan¡¯s hand, made a gesture of farewell. ¡°May the heavens bless us. CEO, pleasee. Otherwise, my 200 yuan¡­ sigh.¡±


    Shu Pan suddenly blurted out, ¡°He won¡¯te. No need to wait.¡±


    Everyone was stunned by her words, and Tang Wei was the first to react. She couldn¡¯t help asking, ¡°How do you know the CEO won¡¯te?¡±


    Shu Pan realized she had let the cat out of the bag and quickly added, ¡°Just think about it. Even if the CEOes, he would have his own car. Why would he share a ride with us?¡±


    ¡°Shu Pan makes sense. Let me ask Secretary Zhang. If the CEO isn¡¯ting, we¡¯ll depart,¡± the director finally made a decision.


    The director made a call and was told not to wait.


    Tang Wei sighed in disappointment, as did the other female colleagues. They thought they had a chance to see the CEO up close. It was a rare opportunity, and if the CEO hade, they could have been close to him.


    It was a pity to lose such a good chance.


    Little did they know that the female colleagues¡¯ bags were filled with beautiful clothes, all ready to attract the CEO¡¯s attention.


    Moran was particrly angry and wanted to stomp her feet. No one knew she had spent a lot, preparing a new outfit. She had dressed up carefully today, thinking she could sit next to the CEO.


    She boarded the bus, ring fiercely at Shu Pan and Tang Wei, who were chatting happily.


    They arrived at the destination around 11:30.


    After everyonepleted the check-in process, it was already past noon, and everyone was hungry. They had lunch in the hotel restaurant, and the afternoon was free time.


    ¡°In the afternoon, enjoy yourselves. Mr. Gu wille in the evening,¡± Secretary Zhang came over and conveyed the CEO¡¯s message.


    ¡°Shu Pan, am I hearing correctly? The CEO ising, so we¡¯ve won! We get to see the CEO again, and who knows, maybe we¡¯ll even have dinner together? It¡¯s really too wonderful!¡± Tang Wei eximed excitedly.


    Shu Pan and Tang Wei shared a room. After dinner, Tang Wei suggested going for a stroll, but Shu Pan was thinking about taking Joy home first.


    Finding an excuse, Shu Pan evaded Tang Wei, then called Gu Shaoting, asking him to take Joy to a specified location.


    By the time she arrived, they were already there. Shu Pan dropped off Joy and returned to the hotel.


    ¡°Shu Pan, I also want to visit Uncle and Auntie. Why didn¡¯t you let mee along just now?¡± Gu Shaoting pretended to ask.


    ¡°Next time, perhaps,¡± Shu Pan replied casually. Making him meet Dad would undoubtedly give Daddy a heart attack.


    Gu Shaoting also understood the implied meaning and couldn¡¯t help feeling a bit disheartened.


    In the world, debts were always repaid. If he wanted to win Shu Pan, he must also navigate through the Shu family, a hurdle he hadn¡¯t paid much attention to before, but one he now needed to tackle head-on.


    He silently memorized the route Shu Pan had taken just now.


    Not far from the hotel, Shu Pan requested to get off. She didn¡¯t want to be drowned in the gossip of those women.


    Back at the hotel, some were ying cards, others were soaking in the hot springs, and some were ying golf.


    Everyone was having a great time, unaware that Shu Pan had left.


    Shu Pan quickly blended in with everyone and joined in the fun.


    However, everyone was probably still looking forward to tonight¡¯s dinner because around 5:30, they all spontaneously gathered at the hotel¡¯s restaurant.


    Theirpany had reserved a banquet hall..

 Chapter 320 - 320: The CEO Is Here

    Chapter 320 - 320: The CEO Is Here


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    No one knew who said, ¡°Mr. Gu is here.¡±


    Mr. Gil!


    Suddenly, everyone¡¯s gaze turned towards the entrance of the banquet hall.


    Gu Shaoting, like a major celebrity on the red carpet, strolled in wearing a custom-made silver-gray suit. Every step he took quickened the heartbeat of the female colleagues present. Gu Shaoting spotted Shu Pan not far away, engrossed in a lively conversation with her colleagues, her radiant smile not intended for him. Nevertheless, he felt pleased.


    Approaching everyone, he said, ¡°Make yourselves at home, don¡¯t be reserved. You¡¯ve all worked hard during this period. Enjoy yourselves, eat to your heart¡¯s content, and all expenses will be covered by thepany.¡±


    As soon as he finished speaking, thunderous apuse erupted, and they cheered, ¡°Long live the CEO!¡±


    Casually, he took a seat next to Shu Pan.


    Shu Pan nced at him, thinking what a wealthy man he was.


    During the meal, the female colleagues in attendance suddenly became more refined, delicately savoring their food.


    ¡°Tang Wei, is the food not good? Weren¡¯t you just saying how hungry you were and wanted to devour a te?¡± Shu Pan noticed Tang Wei acting unnaturally. Earlier, she had imed to be ravenous, ready to wolf down her meal, but now she was delicately picking at her food.


    ¡°Shu Pan, shut up,¡± Tang Wei gritted her teeth. She had finally hoped to leave a good impression in front of the CEO, only to have Shu Pan ruin it.


    Shu Pan surveyed the other female colleagues around her, each behaving as if they¡¯d transformed into refineddies. She suddenly understood.


    Looking at the culprit next to her, elegantly peeling a shrimp, Shu Pan buried her head in her meal.


    Suddenly, there was an extra shrimp in her bowl, peeled by Gu Shaoting. Shu Pan saw her other colleagues looking astonished.


    The CEO was actually peeling shrimp for Shu Pan?


    Everyone¡¯s eyes were about to pop out.


    ¡°Seems like no one else wants to eat much, so just you eat more,¡± Gu Shaoting exined, seemingly justifying why he was helping Shu Pan peel shrimp.


    Regret welled up within her. Now, the others had dropped their pretenses, and everyone started eating heartily.


    Tang Wei couldn¡¯t hold back any longer. Seeing that the CEO preferred this type, she also started eating openly.


    Everyone present probably envied Shu Pan because the CEO spoke to her so gently. Moreover, the CEO¡¯s voice was deep and sexy, and his handsome appearance left nothing to be desired.


    Gu Shaoting continued to help Shu Pan with her food, even after she red at him, pretending not to notice. Shu Pan subtly touched him under the table, signaling him to stop, and everyone was watching.


    Gu Shaoting shamelessly tightened his grip on her hand and lightly traced her palm with his fingers. Was he out of his mind? Shu Pan¡¯s face instantly turned red in such a situation.


    She decisively pulled her hand back, but the warmth lingered on her face.


    Tang Wei was puzzled, seeing Shu Pan¡¯s flushed face, thinking maybe she had eaten something spicy.


    But someone saw everything clearly¡ªMo Lan. When she bent down to pick something up just now, she saw Shu Pan actively using her hand to touch the CEO¡¯s hand.


    It was shameless, seducing the CEO in public like this.


    MO Lan knew Shu Pan had a restless nature deep down, even though she usually pretended to be as pure as the Virgin Mary. Who would have thought she¡¯d be like this behind closed doors?


    MO Lan sat up with a calm expression but was already contemting how to have a coincidental encounter with the CEO tonight. She couldn¡¯t let Shu Pan steal the march..

 Chapter 321 - 321: Rejected

    Chapter 321 - 321: Rejected


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    After dinner, it was everyone¡¯s free time, and the intention was for everyone to rx. So, there was no need to be too serious.


    Shu Pan had made ns to go to the hot springs with Tang Wei for rxation. However, when she was about to find Tang Wei, Secretary Zhang approached.


    ¡°Madam, Mr. Gu is looking for you,¡± Secretary Zhang said respectfully.


    It had been a long time since anyone addressed her like that. Shu Pan was taken aback.


    ¡°Secretary Zhang, please call me Shu Pan. I am no longer Madam Gu,¡± Shu Pan corrected him.


    However, Secretary Zhang thought to himself, wouldn¡¯t she eventually be Madam Gu again? What difference did it make?


    He had confidence in his boss; anything he aimed to achieve would seed.


    ¡°Mr. Gu is looking for you,¡± Secretary Zhang repeated. ¡°Is there something important?¡± Shu Pan frowned. With so many people around, was he going to create some ambiguity for everyone?


    ¡°He didn¡¯t say anything specific. I can only trouble you to make this trip,¡± Secretary Zhang conveyed the order, and Shu Pan didn¡¯t want to make it difficult for her.


    So, Shu Pan followed Secretary Zhang.


    Gu Shaoting lived in his exclusive vi. Shu Pan followed Secretary Zhang for a while before seeing a two-story French-style vi.


    Opening the vi¡¯s door, argewn could be seen. Further inside, there were pavilions, rockeries, flowers¡­


    Once again, Shu Pan¡¯s gaze was captivated by the scenery before her. She truly didn¡¯t understand the world of wealthy people.


    Inside the vi, the decoration was very stylish, and clearly tailored to Gu Shaoting¡¯s preferences.


    ¡°Here you are, have a seat,¡± Gu Shaoting said calmly when he saw Shu Pan.


    ¡°What¡¯s the urgency?¡± Shu Pan asked.


    ¡°Nothing, this vi has many rooms. You can sleep here; no need to share a


    room with colleagues,¡± Gu Shaoting said. He sat on the sofa, crossing his long legs casually.


    ¡°No need, I came here to have fun. If there¡¯s nothing important, I¡¯ll go join my colleagues at the hot springs,¡± Shu Pan said casually. She was here for the lively atmosphere.


    ¡°Hot springs? If you like, you can soak right here. There¡¯s arge pool behind the house; you can soak freely,¡± Gu Shaoting suggested. The idea of everyone soaking together made him a bit ufortable.


    ¡°No need, I¡¯m leaving,¡± Shu Pan replied dismissively.


    Gu Shaoting asked with good intentions, but Shu Pan didn¡¯t appreciate it.


    He felt a bit unhappy but couldn¡¯t do anything to her.


    Soon, he heard movement by the front door, thinking it was Shu Paning back. He eagerly looked over, but it wasn¡¯t Shu Pan; it was a seductively dressed woman, wearing a nearly transparent white strap dress under the lights.


    Gu Shaoting¡¯s forehead furrowed. He could almost kill a mosquito with his furrow.


    ¡°Did youe to the wrong ce?¡± Gu Shaoting¡¯s voice was as cold as if he were in an icehouse.


    The woman who entered was MO Lan. Hearing Gu Shaoting¡¯s words, she felt a bit nervous but, for the future, she bravely said in a sweet voice, ¡°CEO, I¡¯m an employee of Sunrise. My name is MO Lan.¡±


    ¡°What do you want?¡± Gu Shaoting found it increasingly strange. Coming to his room dressed like this in the middle of the night- -it was evident what she was thinking.


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing special. I originally wanted to find Shu Pan. When I saw her heading this way, I thought something might be going on, so I followed her,¡± MO Lan exined cunningly, mentioning Shu Pan to see if Gu Shaoting had any interest in her.


    Gu Shaoting was momentarily stunned, ¡°Who is Shu Pan?¡±

 Chapter 322 - 322: Daydream

    Chapter 322 - 322: Daydream


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Gu Shaoting had to say this; if Shu Pan found out that a colleague had seen hering here, he guessed she would once again be unwee. Yet, he was also annoyed, particrly repulsed by the woman before him.


    He had seen through her tricks too many times.


    ¡°So, CEO, you and Shu Pan aren¡¯t familiar?¡± MO Lan pretended to be surprised, but in her heart, she scorned Shu Pan.


    ¡°Whether we are familiar or not has nothing to do with you,¡± Gu Shaoting didn¡¯t even nce at MO Lan and coldly uttered a single word, ¡°Leave.¡± MO Lan was scared pale by the sudden coldness. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, CEO, I disturbed you.¡±


    As she bowed in apology, a hint of cleavage showed, but Gu Shaoting didn¡¯t spare a nce.


    MO Lan guessed his mood might be bad; perhaps Shu Pan had upset the CEO just now?


    MO Lan¡¯s hatred for Shu Pan deepened.


    Seeing Gu Shaoting¡¯s icy demeanor, she didn¡¯t dare linger. Biting her lip, she stamped her foot and left in frustration.


    Meanwhile, Shu Pan was happily soaking in the hot springs with Tang Wei.


    No wonder wealthy people loved to go on vacation. Shu Pan leaned back in the hot pool, half-closing her eyes, instantly feeling rxed.


    Tang Wei looked at Shu Pan in her swimsuit, her fair skin radiating a rosy glow, seemingly wless.


    ¡°That¡¯s unexpected; you¡¯ve got quite the figure, Shu Pan,¡± Tang Wei envied. ¡°With your looks, are you telling me there¡¯s no one pursuing you? Are all those guys blind?¡±


    Shu Pan, blushing, quickly covered herself with a towel. ¡°What are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°You saying someone like you has no admirers, nobody would believe it. Are all those men blind?¡± Tang Wei said indignantly. Shu Pan just smiled; even if someone was interested, she would need to consider it carefully.


    Two days passed quickly. Since she had to pick up Joy, Shu Pan found an excuse not to leave with everyone else.


    AS they knew her tamily was here, they understood It she wanted to visit. In the afternoon, Shu Pan returned home. Her dad and Auntie Lu were both there, and due to the rushed visit the other day, they hadn¡¯t properly greeted each other.


    ¡°Dad, Auntie Lu, how are you both feeling?¡± Shu Pan asked with concern.


    ¡°Very well, don¡¯t worry,¡± Shu Laide looked at Shu Pan, relieved that her life was getting better, and he could finally let go of his worries.


    ¡°Dad, Auntie Lu, how about you bothe back to Bin City with us? It¡¯s a big city, and life is more convenient,¡± Shu Pan brought up the topic once again.


    ¡°We won¡¯t go. We¡¯re old, and we like the tranquility here. There¡¯s nothing wrong with it, and the air is fresh,¡± Shu Laide was quite satisfied with their current life.


    ¡°Panpan, Joy has been talking about Uncle Gu. Who is he?¡± Auntie Lu suddenly interjected.


    Shu Pan was momentarily stunned. She hadn¡¯t realized Joy¡¯s feelings for Gu Shaoting were so deep.


    ¡°Uh¡­ He¡¯s just a friend,¡± Shu Pan answered vaguely.


    ¡°Surnamed Gu?¡± Shu Laide snorted, showing obvious displeasure toward that surname.


    ¡°He cares so much about Joy; it proves he likes you. Pay attention, Panpan,¡± Auntie Lu¡¯s eyes lit up. It was great; she had a suitor now.


    This matter had always been a big deal for the two of them.


    Shu Pan felt a headacheing on. She had to change the subject, ¡°Where¡¯s Joy? Why haven¡¯t I seen her?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s ying with the neighbor¡¯s kids,¡± Auntie Lu pointed towards the house.


    ¡°Panpan, you¡¯re not young anymore. You should consider your marriage more. Don¡¯t be too picky,¡± Auntie Lu said with emphasis.


    ¡°I know, Auntie Lu. Please don¡¯t worry about it,¡± Shu Pan reassured quickly..

 Chapter 323 - 323: I Want to Pursue You

    Chapter 323 - 323: I Want to Pursue You


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Because Gu Shaoting had to leave early for something, Shu Pan, apanied by Joy, took thest bus back to Bin City.


    The next day, after dropping Joy off at school, Shu Pan returned to thepany.


    As soon as she arrived, everyone delved into their work.


    Due to the recent signing of a contract with Su Corporation, there were many details that needed mutual discussion.


    As Shu Pan was primarily responsible for this project, she took charge of the coordination.


    Before long, Shu Pan, Tang Wei, and another colleague arrived at Su Corporation.


    The colleague who was negotiating with them weed them, and both sides quickly reached an agreement on the details.


    Just as Shu Pan and her colleagues were about to leave, the CEO¡¯s secretary came over, saying that Mr. Su had some project-rted issues to discuss with Shu Pan.


    ¡°Is there anything specific?¡± Shu Pan couldn¡¯t think of any unresolved issues.


    ¡°Miss Shu, pleasee this way.¡± The CEO¡¯s secretary gestured for her to follow.


    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go.¡± Shu Pan followed behind.


    Entering the CEO¡¯s office, the secretarv zentlv closed the door and left.


    In the spacious office, only Su Yuan and Shu Pan remained.


    The office was ck and white, very modern. At this moment, Su Yuan was sitting at the desk, looking at theputer screen, his narrow eyes reflecting a wise light.


    ¡°Mr. Su, hello,¡± Shu Pan greeted first. At this moment, she felt a bit constrained and more uneasy, worried that something might have changed.


    ¡°Pan, you¡¯re here.¡± Su Yuan stood up as soon as he saw Shu Pan and then led her to sit on the office sofa.


    ¡°Mr. Su, may I ask what¡¯s the matter?¡± Shu Pan sat down cautiously and asked.


    ¡°Pan, it¡¯s just us here. You can call me Su Yuan.¡± Su Yuan spoke gently. He looked at Shu Pan with eyes as soft as water.


    ¡°Pan, do you know? Yourpany and anotherpany are equally strong, and the proposals are simr. I chose yourpany only because of you,¡± Su Yuan said straightforwardly, not concealing anything.


    Shu Pan didn¡¯t understand the meaning behind Su Yuan¡¯s words. She preferred a clear distinction between public and private matters.


    ¡°Mr. Su, thank you for your affirmation of ourpany. We will do our best and won¡¯t let you down,¡± Shu Pan spoke in an official tone.


    ¡°Pan, actually, you know the meaning behind my words. I am a free man now, and I want to pursue you again.¡± Su Yuan looked steadily at Shu Pan, hoping to discern something from her expression.


    Shu Pan¡¯s face instantly turned a bit red. She never expected Su Yuan to be so direct.


    But she still spoke up, ¡°Mr. Su, don¡¯t waste time on me. We are not possible.¡±


    ¡°Pan, pursuing you is my business, but whether to ept it is your business. I hope you give me a chance. It was my fault before, give me a chance to make up for it,¡± Su Yuan¡¯s tone was firm.


    But Shu Pan felt that he woulde to terms with it after hitting a wall, as she had long stopped considering being with him.


    Shu Pan never expected to encounter romantic interest at this point in her life.


    After her divorce, she had med herself, feeling that life was bleak. Joy was the one who reignited her hope for life.


    But now, she had finally endured that unforgettable period and was embarking on a journey towards happiness.


    She wasn¡¯t ready for it now.


    ¡°Su Yuan, you don¡¯t owe me anything. Everyone has their own choices, and back then, you chose the path that suited you. Your sess today proves that your original choice was not wrong.¡±


    Shu Pan emphasized this for thest time..

 Chapter 324 - 324: Song Can ‘s Anger

    Chapter 324 - 324: Song Can ¡®s Anger


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    After hearing Shu Pan¡¯s words, Su Yuan felt even more self-reproach.


    ¡°What¡¯s the point of my sess if I don¡¯t have my beloved to share it with?¡± Su Yuan realized this a bit toote.


    Seeing that Su Yuan didn¡¯t say anything more, Shu Pan intended to leave.


    ¡°Mr. Su, if there are any project-rted issues, you can contact me again.¡± Shu Pan¡¯s implication was clear ¨C don¡¯t approach her for personal matters next time.


    After saying that, Shu Pan picked up her bag and left.


    Su Yuan had nothing else to do and could only watch Shu Pan¡¯s departing


    figure in a daze.


    How could he win Shu Pan¡¯s heart? Su Yuan really had no idea.


    Simrly lost in his thoughts, Gu Shaoting was now like a tangled mess of threads.


    Currently, he was on his way back to the Gu Family¡¯s mansion.


    Because of an urgent call from his mother, Song Can, demanding that he must return immediately.


    She insisted on discussing it face to face despite his attempts to handle it over the phone.


    When Gu Shaoting returned to the Gu Family¡¯s mansion, Song Can, adorned in branded attire, was sitting upright on the living room sofa. Her expression was stern.


    Seeing Gu Shaoting return, she gestured for him to sit down before addressing him directly.


    ¡°Shaoting, have you already recovered your memory?¡± Song Can¡¯s words startled Gu Shaoting. Besides He Ming, he hadn¡¯t informed anyone else.


    ¡°How did you know?¡± Gu Shaoting asked.


    ¡°Because I saw you reverting to the way you were before losing your memory, obeying Shu Pan and her daughter¡¯s everymand,¡± Song Can said angrily.


    Even after Shu Pan gave birth to a child, Song Can still couldn¡¯t warm up to her.


    ¡°Mom, that¡¯s my daughter, your granddaughter,¡± Gu Shaoting emphasized.


    ¡°Mom won¡¯t stop you from acknowledging Joy; she¡¯s a child of the Gu family and should be recognized as such. But I won¡¯t ept Shu Pan,¡± Song Can dered.


    Song Can and her friends had just returned from a trip abroad. Initially unaware, her friends informed her about the news of her son and granddaughter in the newspapers. They even spected if the woman in the side profile was her future daughter-inw.


    She was furious at the time because she recognized Shu Pan from that side profile. She suspected that Shu Pan had entangled Gu Shaoting again due to Joy, prompting her to call Gu Shaoting back to rify.


    ¡°Mom, I¡¯ve chosen Shu Pan as my wife.¡± Gu Shaoting also expressed his stance.


    ¡°Shaoting, you¡¯re really bewitched. Why do you have to choose Shu Pan when there are so many women avable? What¡¯s so good about her?¡± Song Can was truly enraged.


    ¡°Mom, some people are irreceable. I¡¯ve decided on Shu Pan, and I hope you understand her more,¡± Gu Shaoting stood firm, trying both a tough and gentle approach.


    ¡°Tong Fei is so good, so outstanding. Why don¡¯t you like her? I¡¯ll say it again, I acknowledge Joy, but I can¡¯t ept Shu Pan.¡± Song Can made her stance clear.


    Song Can couldn¡¯t understand what kind of spell Shu Pan had cast on Gu Shaoting to make him like this. She initially believed he didn¡¯t like Shu Pan, andter, she thought he hadn¡¯t ovee the shadow of the divorce.


    Now it seemed he had always liked Shu Pan. Otherwise, why would he be so persistent?


    In the past, he would never have contradicted her, but now, he was standing his ground.


    It was okay, she would talk to Shu Pan.


    If Shu Pan wanted to be with Gu Shaoting, she wouldn¡¯t let it happen.


    After all, it was hard-won for her to get a divorce, and she would never agree to them divorcing again. She would wait and see.


    ¡°Mom, I hope this time you let me make my own decisions. If you have time, go y with friends.¡± After saying this, Gu Shaoting stood up and walked out of the house.


    ¡°Shaoting, stop.¡± Song Can called out loudly, but Gu Shaoting didn¡¯t stop..

 Chapter 325 - 325: A Warning

    Chapter 325: A Warning


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Song Can watched Gu Shaoting¡¯s firm footsteps as he left, showing no hesitation or doubt. This infuriated her to the point where her face turned red and white in patches.


    Good! Very good!


    Indeed, he had grown up. He was a full-fledged man now.


    Her child was no longer under the control of her. Song Can¡¯s inner anger was truly beyond words!


    Song Can sat back on the sofa, her chest still heaving with anger.


    Her opposition to Shu Pan stemmed from the belief that Shu Pan couldn¡¯t help Gu Shaoting and was too inexperienced.


    Once Shaoting married her, Song Can felt like she was looked down upon by her friends and couldn¡¯t hold her head high.


    Finally, after their divorce and Shaoting¡¯s engagement to Tong Fei, Song Can had some confidence.


    She wouldn¡¯t agree to Shaoting being with Shu Pan again.


    The more Song Can thought about it, the more she felt the need to confront Shu Pan and give her a warning.


    And so she did.


    The next day, Song Can went to Shu Pan¡¯spany to confront her. She had thought about calling first, but she was afraid Shu Pan would refuse to talk.


    So, she went straight to the point, and of course, she knew Shu Pan¡¯spany inside out.


    When she learned that Shu Pan was at Sunrise, she couldn¡¯t help but chuckle to herself.


    Who would believe She Pan had no ambition?


    If she had such backbone, why was she still at her ex-husband¡¯spany?


    The more Song Can thought about it, the more infuriated she became.


    As the workday neared its end, she was already waiting at the entrance of Shu Pan¡¯spany, watching as people left one by one.


    She stretched her neck, worried about missing Shu Pan, looking left and right.


    Just as she was about to lose hope, Shu Pan finally came out of thepany.


    ¡°Shu Pan, please wait.¡± Song Can called out to Shu Pan, who was about to cross the road.


    Shu Pan was momentarily surprised when she heard the voice, unable to understand the current situation. She thought she and Song Can had nothing to do with each other anymore. Why would Song Cane looking for her?


    Turning around, Shu Pan faced Song Can.


    Although she remainedposed and indifferent, her hand tightly gripped the strap of her bag, and her knuckles turned white.


    ¡°Ms. Song, what do you want from me?¡± Shu Pan spoke calmly but with a touch of coldness.


    ¡°Shu Pan, I¡¯d like to have a chat with you.¡± Song Can didn¡¯t beat around the bush and directly stated her purpose.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think we have anything to talk about. If there¡¯s something, just say it.¡± Shu Pan spoke quickly and directly.


    ¡°Are you sure you want everyone to know about your past?¡± Seeing that Shu Pan was unmoved, Song Can resorted to threats.


    ¡°You¡­ Fine, speak. Where do you want to go?¡± Shu Pan truly despised Song Can¡¯s attitude.


    A few years ago, the scene of their conversation yed vividly in her mind. song can, a person 11Ke ner, always relt superior, tmnK1ng tnat everyone would fawn over her.


    She never knew that Shu Pan regarded them as tigers and avoided them as much as possible.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go to the coffee shop ahead.¡± Song Can arrogantly pointed in that direction.


    ¡°Fine.¡± Shu Pan turned and walked towards the coffee shop.


    During this time, Gu Shaoting had called. Shu Pan only asked him to help take care of Joy.


    Shu Pan¡¯s indifferent tone left Gu Shaoting stunned for a moment. She seemed unhappy, creating a sense of distance.


    This was Gu Shaoting¡¯s first impression, but he didn¡¯t press on.


    At the restaurant, they found a window seat and sat down.


    Song Can remained the same, with a high and mighty demeanor, as if she were scrutinizing everyone.


    ¡°Ms. Song, what do you want to say? Please speak.¡± Shu Pan sat across from her, neither humble nor arrogant, as she had now calmed down.


    One could only solve a problem by facing it first.


    ¡°Shu Pan, I hope you won¡¯t entangle yourself with Shaoting anymore.¡± Song Can wasted no time and directly stated her purpose..

 Chapter 326 - 326: Who Wouldn ‘t Let Go?

    Chapter 326: Who Wouldn ¡®t Let Go?


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi- Bo Studio


    Entanglement? Shu Pan thought she must have misheard; otherwise, how could there be such a ridiculous term?


    ¡°Madam Song, are you sure you¡¯re not joking?¡± Shu Pan smiled slightly, a hint of sarcasm in her expression.


    ¡°Shu Pan, I know exactly what kind of person you are. Don¡¯t think Shaoting is interested in you. In reality, it¡¯s because of Joy.¡± Song Can said triumphantly.


    ¡°I never thought he liked me. In fact, he has caused me trouble.¡± Shu Pan¡¯s heart tightened at Song Can¡¯s words, but she quickly recovered and counterattacked.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you know? Shaoting has recovered his memory. He knows that Joy is his daughter, which is why he treats you both so well.¡± Song Can¡¯s words shocked Shu Pan, and instantly, she felt the world turning upside down.


    How could he deceive her? Knowing that she felt guilty because of his injury, why hide it from her?


    ¡°Ms. Song, actually, telling me all this is meaningless. Your son is an adult now, and he has his own mind. Do you think he came because I called him?¡± Shu Pan felt that Song Can was even more unreasonable than four years ago.


    ¡°Shu Pan, don¡¯t think Shaoting¡¯s affection for you gives you the right to be arrogant. I won¡¯t let you have your way.¡± Song Can said harshly.


    Shu Pan gave a cold smile. She made it sound like she had never been polite to her.


    ¡°Up to you, but let me advise you. I¡¯m not the Shu Pan from four years ago. Please take care of your son, and let¡¯s see how things unfold.¡± Shu Pan was not about to be bullied by Song Can.


    ¡°Y¡­ you¡­ Shu Pan, it seems I¡¯ve underestimated you.¡± Seeing Shu Pan¡¯s arrogant appearance, Song Can thought she was even more unrestrained, likely because she had Gu Shaoting backing her.


    ¡°Madam Song, my time is precious. I won¡¯t apany you any longer.¡± With that, Shu Pan stood up, picked up her bag, and walked away without looking back.


    Leaving Song Can sitting alone at the table, she angrily crumpled the tissue in her hand and mmed it onto the table.


    Back at home, Shu Pan still felt a lingering frustration from Song Can¡¯s words.


    Gu Shaoting hadn¡¯t brought Joy back yet, probably taking her out somewhere.


    While Shu Pan was hesitating whether to call them, Gu Shaoting returned with Joy.


    Watching him busily attend to Joy, Shu Pan unexpectedly felt a sense of indescribable mncholy.


    Truth be told, whether he hid the fact of recovering his memory or not, his feelings for Joy were genuine.


    But he still didn¡¯t know her well. She couldn¡¯t stand deception, whether well-intentioned or not.


    When he looked at her, apparently noticing her troubled expression, she asked,


    ¡°Don¡¯t you have anything to tell me?¡±


    ¡°Nothing happened. Why do you ask?¡± Gu Shaoting was puzzled, not understanding what she meant.


    ¡°You¡¯ve recovered your memory, so why didn¡¯t you tell me?¡± Shu Pan tried to keep her voice low, not wanting anyone to detect the abnormality in her tone.


    ¡°How did you know?¡­¡± Gu Shaoting suddenly realized it must be the work of her mother.


    ¡°Then it¡¯s true. Gu Shaoting, you jerk! Do you find it amusing to tease me like a monkey?¡± Shu Pan suddenly spoke loudly to Gu Shaoting, her voice involuntarily carrying a hint of a sob..

 Chapter 327 - 327: You B*stard

    Chapter 327: You B*stard


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Gu Shaoting became nervous when he saw Shu Pan so agitated. He had thought that by not telling her about his memory recovery, he could at least evoke a sense of guilt, allowing him to approach them naturally. Now, seeing Shu Pan so concerned, he realized he had made her worry.


    ¡°Panpan, I¡¯m sorry,¡± Gu Shaoting quickly apologized.


    ¡°You b*stard! Are you feeling proud seeing me guilty and worried?¡± Shu Pan was truly infuriated.


    ¡°Go back. Don¡¯te over for a while,¡± Shu Pan issued the order; she didn¡¯t want to see him for the time being.


    Gu Shaoting looked at Shu Pan¡¯s expression, knowing she was angry, so he acquiesced and went back home.


    These days, Shu Pan felt a bit listless after the outing, feeling a bit tired.


    Due to her prominent role in Su Corporation¡¯s project and the special care she received from the CEO during the trip, she had be the center of attention.


    However, some people saw her as a thorn in their side, wishing to expel her from thepany. One such person was MO Lan.


    During the outing, the simple act of Gu Shaoting peeling shrimp for Shu Pan, a gentlemanly gesture, turned distasteful in MO Lan¡¯s eyes.


    From that moment, she held a grudge against Shu Pan.


    Until she approached the CEO, suffered humiliation, and failed to seduce him, her frustration grew.


    After all the effort she put into dressing up, instead of gaining Gu Shaoting¡¯s attention, she watched Shu Pan reap the benefits.


    MO Lan dared to im the title of the second most beautiful in the business department, as no one dared to im the first.


    But Shu Pan always seemed to have the upper hand.


    Busy with work upon returning, MO Lan couldn¡¯t find an opportunity to provoke Shu Pan.


    Now, seeing Shu Pan had some free time, she approached her.


    ¡°Shu Pan, or should we call you Sister Shu? Could you teach us how to attract the CEO¡¯s attention when you have time? Do you have a crush on the CEO?¡± MO Lan couldn¡¯t help but taunt Shu Pan, recalling the humiliation she endured.


    Shu Pan gave MO Lan a cold nce before speaking, ¡°Don¡¯t assume everyone is like you. What you¡¯ve done, you know it well.¡±


    MO Lan, relying on her looks, usually felt superior, and now that the CEO treated her with disdain, she vented her resentment on Shu Pan.


    Seeing no one around, MO Lan spoke crudely, ¡°Some people never change; they can¡¯t go a day without trying to hook up with a man. It¡¯s like they¡¯re ufortable unless they¡¯re seducing someone in public.¡±


    Shu Pan usually ignored MO Lan¡¯s gossip because she genuinely looked down on such a person. Besides a bit of charm, she couldn¡¯t figure out what else to say about her.


    But she wasn¡¯t someone to be bullied.


    Stepping forward, Shu Pan approached MO Lan.


    MO Lan was suddenly intimidated by the cold aura emanating from Shu Pan and timidly took two steps back. ¡°What do you want?¡±


    Shu Pan stopped and said sternly, ¡°Stop causing trouble all the time. Look at yourself, behaving like a mad dog, biting people all day.¡±


    MO Lan sneered, ¡°Even if I am, at least I¡¯m not like you, openly seducing the


    CEO in public. Everyone can see it.¡±


    Shu Pan was driven mad. Why did everyone think she was trying to seduce Gu Shaoting?


    Song Can thought so, and now MO Lan as well.


    Shu Panughed coldly, ¡°I heard your boyfriend dumped you justst month..


    Now you¡¯re eyeing the CEO again? Who is truly shameless here?¡±

 Chapter 328 - 328: Who’s Sacred?

    Chapter 328: Who¡¯s Sacred?


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Upon hearing Shu Pan¡¯s words, MO Lan felt like she had stepped on a sore spot. She angrily retorted, ¡°What¡¯s it to you?¡±


    ¡°So why should it matter to you what kind of person I am? MO Lan, you¡¯re not the only one who resorts to personal attacks. Don¡¯t use someone¡¯s kindness as an excuse for your bullying,¡± Shu Pan responded.


    MO Lan arrogantly stated, ¡°Humph! You have the nerve to say that? What about that night at the CEO¡¯s vi? Don¡¯t think people didn¡¯t see.¡±


    MO Lan believed she had found a handle on Shu Pan.


    Shu Pan was indifferent because she had only been inside for a short time. If anyone had seen, they would know nothing had happened.


    ¡°Did you see it? What were you doing there? Looking for the CEO?¡± Shu Pan casually remarked.


    MO Lan was suddenly left speechless.


    She tried to say something, but even if she did, it would be feeble. She noticed people around them casting curious nces.


    No wonder Tang Wei couldpete with her for so long, this person¡¯s character seemed twisted.


    MO Lan left in frustration, but she vowed not to let Shu Pan have it too easy.


    Shu Pan returned to her seat and daydreamed for a while. She had blocked Gu Shaoting, so he couldn¡¯t call her. She had also informed the teacher that only she could pick up Joy.


    For a while, Gu Shaoting couldn¡¯t enjoy the pleasure of seeing them.


    After waiting for a day, he reached his limit.


    Early in the morning, he found an excuse to appear at Sunrise with Secretary Zhang.


    Shu Pan didn¡¯t notice, as she was busy.


    ¡°Miss Shu, the CEO wants to talk to you about some issues with Su Corporation¡¯s project.¡± It wasn¡¯t until Secretary Zhang stood beside her and reminded her that she knew.


    What kind of trouble was he causing now?


    Reluctantly, Shu Pan followed Secretary Zhang to the office.


    ¡°Panpan, let me exin,¡± Gu Shaoting said as the secretary closed the door, locking eyes with her.


    Shu Pan wasn¡¯t in the mood to listen to his exnations. She discounted everything he said.


    She gritted her teeth and said, ¡°There¡¯s nothing to exin. It¡¯s better if we go our separate ways.¡±


    ¡°Panpan, calm down and listen to me, okay?¡± Gu Shaoting said calmly.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t intend to hide anything from you. Whether I remembered my past or not, I would still treat you and Joy well. You can pretend this never happened.¡±


    ¡°Gu Shaoting, are you trying to be good to Joy, make her like you, and thenpete with me for her custody?¡± Shu Pan couldn¡¯t think of any other reason, so she assumed this.


    ¡°Panpan, you could be a scriptwriter. The plot you¡¯vee up with is so thrilling,¡± Gu Shaoting felt defeated by this woman; his good intentions were misunderstood.


    ¡°Or maybe you can guide me and help mepete with you for Joy¡¯s custody,¡± Gu Shaoting continued self-mockingly.


    Shu Pan, filled with anger, red at him fiercely.


    This man was shameless. She decided to keep Joy away from him.


    ¡°My mom¡¯s words, don¡¯t believe them. Although I promised her, I absolutely have no intention of taking Joy away from you,¡± Gu Shaoting squinted his eyes, staring intently at her.


    He knew his mom¡¯s words were harsh, but she was still an elder, and he couldn¡¯t respond in kind. All he could do wasfort Shu Pan.


    Shu Pan, with anger in her eyes, looked at him and said, ¡°You and your mom are in cahoots, colluding together. Making promises to your mom while acting in front of me.. And you expect me to believe you?¡±

 Chapter 329 - 329: Tong Fei Arrives

    Chapter 329: Tong Fei Arrives


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Upon hearing her words, Gu Shaoting¡¯s face flushed with embarrassment. He urgently said, ¡°If you don¡¯t believe me, I can call myvvyer and make a legal statement.¡±


    ¡°I know you have a powerful legal team. What¡¯s the harm? As long as you stay away from Joy and me, I¡¯ll be satisfied.¡± At this moment, Shu Pan was filled with wariness and caution towards Gu Shaoting.


    Gu Shaoting was on the verge of going crazy. How could this woman not believe him?


    ¡°Panpan, please trust me. I will prove it to you.¡± Gu Shaoting adopted his usual authoritative tone.


    Shu Pan coldly snorted, her furrowed brows expressing that she would only listen to his words for now.


    Disappointment filled Gu Shaoting¡¯s eyes as he watched Shu Pan leave.


    After Shu Pan¡¯s departure, Gu Shaoting looked out the window, pondered for a moment, then picked up his phone and walked out of the office with determined strides.


    Gu Shaoting, with his extraordinary looks and tall stature, sitting in a top-notch luxury car, was indeed eye-catching wherever he went. No doubt, this man exuded an air of nobility and distinction.


    Gu Shaoting drove towards the Gu Family¡¯s mansion.


    Currently, only Song Can was living at the Gu Family¡¯s mansion. Grandpa Gu stayed at Gu Shaoting¡¯s second uncle¡¯s house.


    Gu Shaoting would visit his grandfather whenever he had time. However, due to his divorce from Shu Pan, Grandpa Gu wasn¡¯t very fond of him.


    In recent years, his behavior had disappointed Grandpa even more. Gu Shaoting hadn¡¯t told his grandfather about his feelings for Shu Pan, fearing it would only make Grandpa even more heartbroken.


    Returning to the Gu Family¡¯s mansion, Gu Shaoting unexpectedly heard voices inside the house.


    He wondered, ¡°Who could it be?¡±


    Specting, he opened the door and came in.


    To his surprise, the one talking with Song Can inside was Tong Fei, who hadn¡¯t appeared in a long time.


    Gu Shaoting¡¯s brows furrowed even more at the sight.


    ¡°Shaoting, you¡¯re back?¡± Tong Fei, who noticed Gu Shaoting entering, stood up with a pleasantly surprised expression, greeting him.


    Since she was a guest and hade to see his mom, not him, Gu Shaoting only nodded lightly.


    Song Can, on the side, saw this and disapproved.


    ¡°Shaoting, didn¡¯t you see Tong Fei? Why didn¡¯t you greet her?¡± Song Can felt that Gu Shaoting had changed a lot.


    ¡°Mom, I came back to talk to you about something.¡± Gu Shaoting didn¡¯t care about the presence of an outsider. He was here to state his position.


    ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Song Can casually asked, wondering why he had toe back for something so important.


    ¡°Mom, I hope you won¡¯t secretly look for Shu Pan in the future.¡± Gu Shaoting¡¯s tone was a bit stern.


    Song Can, hearing this, immediately stood up, her face changing. ¡®What? Did shein to you? Say that I bullied her?¡±


    Song Can hadn¡¯t expected that Gu Shaoting came back today because of this.


    ¡°Heh, do you still consider me your mom?¡± Song Can continued to ask, her tone aggressive.


    ¡°Mom, she didn¡¯t say anything, but if you have any issues, ask me and discuss with me, okay?¡± Faced with Song Can¡¯s usations, Gu Shaoting remained as calm as ever.


    ¡°I won¡¯t ept her, but Joy is my granddaughter, and I must acknowledge her. She carries the Gu surname.¡± Song Can refused topromise.


    Principles would not change.


    This was Song Can¡¯s stance.


    ¡°Auntie, don¡¯t be angry. Let¡¯s talk things out calmly, don¡¯t harm your health.¡± Tong Fei, on the side, softly persuaded.


    Hearing the conversation between the two, she understood what was going on.


    Sure enough, Shu Pan was the source of trouble. No one hated Shu Pan more than her..

 Chapter 330 - 330: Teach Her a Lesson

    Chapter 330 - 330: Teach Her a Lesson


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Because of Shu Pan, she became theughingstock of the whole city.


    Even though the official statement was released, the audience¡¯s judgment was crystal clear. That statement didn¡¯t stand up to scrutiny.


    Anyone with a brain knew it wasn¡¯t true.


    She was just deceiving herself.


    She couldn¡¯t openly oppose Gu Shaoting¡¯s intentions, so everything had to bepliant with him.


    Her entertainment career was also affected. After all, she was no longer the fiancee of the Gu Group¡¯s CEO, and many people didn¡¯t show her any respect.


    ¡°Feifei, Auntie is really unlucky to have such a son, truly heart-wrenching.¡± Following Tong Fei¡¯s words, Song Can found a way to gracefully step down.


    ¡°Auntie, Shaoting has his own ns. Don¡¯t get too worked up.¡± Tong Fei appeared very docile.


    Song Can really felt that Gu Shaoting was under some kind of spell.


    He rejected such a valuable pearl only to pick a shell?


    Women like Shu Pan were abundant on the streets.


    Gu Shaoting watched Song Can crying and making a scene, feeling a headacheing on.


    Looking at the two of them with such understanding, Gu Shaoting felt increasingly irritated.


    ¡°Mom, if nothing else. I¡¯ll go handle some matters.¡± Gu Shaoting, having said what needed to be said, didn¡¯t linger and left.


    Song Can, upset, didn¡¯t respond to him.


    After he left, Song Can trembled with anger. ¡°Look, raising a heartless son.¡±


    Tong Fei patted her back and consoled her, ¡°Auntie, don¡¯t be angry. I guess


    Shaoting is just momentarily confused.¡±


    ¡°Not just confused, he¡¯spletely bewitched. I really don¡¯t know what kind of spell Shu Pan cast on him.¡± Song Can regarded Shu Pan as her cmity.


    ¡°Auntie, do you want to teach her a lesson?¡± Tong Fei looked at Song Can and cautiously asked.


    Her eyes showed a bit of excitement, yet she didn¡¯t want Song Can to notice, so she restrained herself.


    ¡°Teach her a lesson? Isn¡¯t that a bit much?¡± Song Can frowned.


    Although she disliked Shu Pan, she hadn¡¯t thought about how to deal with her. After all, it was a society governed byw.


    ¡°Auntie, a person like her won¡¯t be afraid without a bit of a scare.¡± Tong Fei encouraged.


    Tong Fei had long been unable to swallow this indignation. Seeing Song Can¡¯s current state, she felt a bit eager.


    Using someone else¡¯s sword was a good strategy.


    Even if it was discoveredter, it wouldn¡¯t be her concern.


    Even if discovered, if Song Can was the mastermind, could Gu Shaoting watch Song Can suffer the consequences?


    Tong Fei¡¯s n sounded appealing to her, and she increasingly felt that it was a good idea. This way, she could vent her frustrations.


    ¡°How should we teach her?¡± Song Can still felt it wasn¡¯t quite right.


    ¡°Just give her a little scare.


    ¡°Oh, do you know someone? It won¡¯t involve any personal danger, right?¡± Song Can remained a bit uneasy, afraid of the situation escting.


    While she could throw a tantrum with a few words, when it came to doing something, she was timid and indecisive.


    ¡°I have some friends who can just go scare her a bit.¡± Tong Fei was starting to find Song Can annoying, someone who talked big but hesitated when it came to taking action.


    She could chatter away during normal times, but when it came to doing something, she was hesitant and vaciting.


    ¡°Alright then, give her a little lesson. But be careful not to cause any trouble.¡± After careful consideration, Song Can finally agreed.


    Tong Fei¡¯s face brightened, but she restrained her emotions, not letting them show.


    Then she put on an expression as if to say, ¡°Auntie, I¡¯m doing this for your own good.¡±


    Song Can finally breathed a sigh of relief, feeling strangely better..

 Chapter 331 - 331: Beauty Trap

    Chapter 331 - 331: Beauty Trap


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Tong Fei nodded, reassuring Song Can. She knew how to handle things.


    After leaving the Gu Family¡¯s mansion, Tong Fei got into her car and eagerly took out her phone from her bag, dialing a number.


    Soon, the call connected, and a rough male voice came through the phone.


    ¡°How¡¯s it going, baby? Why do you have time to call me today?¡± Lord Long saw Tong Fei¡¯s number on the caller ID, chuckled, his face with a jigglingyer of fat.


    Tong Fei rarely used this number; she specifically used it to contact Lord Long. She wouldn¡¯t risk using her regr number to avoid unnecessaryplications.


    She adopted a humble attitude as she had a favor to ask.


    ¡°Lord Long, it¡¯s been a while since you contacted me. Did you forget about me, or do you have a new love?¡± Tong Fei pretended to be coquettish, and her sweet tone was truly tingling.


    Of course, Lord Long wasn¡¯t an exception. Hearing her voice, he felt satisfied, stroking his male chauvinism.


    Thinking about such a charming beauty thinking about him, how could he not feel proud?


    However, having been in the game for a while, Lord Long knew Tong Fei wouldn¡¯t contact him without a reason. As long as it was within his capabilities, helping her was no big deal. And the allure of that splendid body was a bonus.


    With these thoughts, Lord Long couldn¡¯t contain his excitement.


    ¡°Busy as I am, how could I forget you, baby?¡± Lord Long¡¯s voice sounded loud but gave off a creepy vibe.


    Suppressing her difort, Tong Fei forced a cheerful smile, ¡°That¡¯s good. Are you free tonight? Let¡¯s get together.¡±


    Lord Long was delighted with Tong Fei¡¯s invitation. He had been waiting for this moment. While he asionally thought of her, her modeling career took her around the world, making it hard to meet. Now that she suggested it, he wouldn¡¯t miss the chance.


    ¡°Sure, see you at the usual ce,¡± Lord Long and Tong Fei often met at a familiar hotel, so it was understood where the ¡°usual ce¡± referred to. ¡°See you tonight,¡± Tong Fei said before ending the call.


    She wasn¡¯t sure why she did this, feeling a bit pathological. However, she wanted to witness Shu Pan¡¯s downfall.


    With limited resources, Tong Fei needed to make the most of her situation.


    So, Shu Pan, meeting you was my misfortune, but encountering me, you¡¯re not lucky either. The drama is just beginning.


    Tong Fei started her car, heading home.


    She needed to freshen up. A woman must know how to use her advantages to achieve her goals.


    As night fell, the sky turned ink-ck. Tong Fei, in a tight-fitting outfit, showcased her voluptuous curves and prominent chest. Her body seemed to dance with every breath, her fair face tinted with a hint of blush, exuding a woman¡¯s unique charm.


    Tong Fei moved gracefully, a living painting. Her beauty, wless skin, and devilish figure were gifts from the heavens. With a slender waist, round hips, and a pair of perfect legs, she was truly a masterpiece.


    To avoid drawing attention, Tong Fei wore a long coat when stepping out of the car. After a quick disguise, she briskly walked to the agreed-upon location. Lord Long seemed impatient, hearing movement outside. He quickly opened the door..

 Chapter 332 - 332: Reach a Common Understanding

    Chapter 332: Reach a Common Understanding


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    As soon as Tong Fei entered, Long Sanwei had already wrapped his arms around her waist, drawing her closer.


    Tong Fei was startled, using her hands to push him away, then coquettishly said, ¡°Brother Long, don¡¯t be like this. Let¡¯s talk first, okay?¡±


    ¡°Why are you such a killjoy? Speak up, what¡¯s the matter?¡± Long Sanwei¡¯s face turned a bit sour due to Tong Fei¡¯s rejection.


    Seeing his displeasure, Tong Fei became a bit nervous and quickly exined, ¡°There¡¯s a woman who has offended me recently, and I want you to teach her a lesson.¡¯


    ¡°What kind of woman has no eyes? How do you want me to handle it?¡± Long Sanwei was shrewd; this was a trivial matter, and he had countless ways to torment someone.


    ¡°You know what matters most to a woman? Reputation, right? She loves stealing other women¡¯s men, so let her taste her own medicine. You can take some beautiful photos; she¡¯s quite good-looking, and you won¡¯t lose out,¡± Tong Fei spoke gently, but her words were chilling.


    Such malicious wordsing from such a charming woman were unexpected.


    Long Sanwei couldn¡¯t help but look at her with newfound respect. Truly, a woman¡¯s heart is as venomous as a ho¡¯s sting.


    ¡°Haha, so it¡¯s just a little thing. No problem, consider it done. Send me her pictures and let me know where she usually hangs out.¡± Long Sanwei patted the front and readily agreed.


    The matter was settled, and both parties reached an understanding.


    ¡°Can we stop talking about such dreary topics?¡± Long Sanwei expressed impatience.


    Tong Fei sensed Long Sanwei¡¯s irritation and dared not offend him. She would follow his instructions in everything.


    Lord Long was truly impressed; this woman was extraordinary, both in figure and looks. However, he had something exciting in store, so he wasn¡¯t worried about her disobedience.


    Tong Fei had no regrets about her decision. By investing a little, she could achieve the desired results. Why not?


    Tong Fei half-closed her eyes, thinking about Gu Shaoting. Only by doing this did she feel a bit better.


    Long Sanwei, at an age showing on his face with a rough demeanor and gold teeth, seemed a bit repulsive.


    ¡°Brother Long, remember what you promised me,¡± Tong Fei repeated, worried that Long Sanwei might back out. She knew people like him had no reliable credibility; he might agree one moment and change his mind the next. She needed his verbal assurance to believe him.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, send the photos when it¡¯s time.¡± Long Sanwei promised. It was just a small matter; why fuss about it?


    Long Sanwei was always a man of his word, and he wouldn¡¯t tarnish his reputation over such trivial matters. Helping her with this was convenient for his future endeavors. Besides, in his eyes, it wasn¡¯t a difficult task; it was a simple matter of lifting a finger.


    Tong Fei finally breathed a sigh of relief. Seeing Long Sanwei¡¯s agreement, she showed a satisfied smile. Finally, she could be at ease.


    Outside the window, the light couldn¡¯t prate the heavy curtains, leaving the room dimly lit.


    Tong Fei fell into a drowsy sleep. Before drifting off, the image of Shu Pan¡¯s future shed in her mind, and she couldn¡¯t help but burst intoughter.


    Tong Fei was no longer afraid of losing anything. She felt a sense of liberation, willing to sacrifice whatever it took for Shu Pan to suffer..

 Chapter 333 - 333: An Accident Happened

    Chapter 333: An ident Happened


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Early in the morning, Shu Pan got up, hurriedly prepared breakfast, and freshened up. Before long, Joy also woke up.


    However, Joy wore a gloomy expression. Why?


    Because her beloved Uncle Gu hadn¡¯t shown up for two days.


    Due to Shu Pan¡¯s disdain, Gu Shaoting couldn¡¯t do much. Even if he wanted toe, he would face rejection. He was currently troubled.


    He thought of using Joy to ease the current situation, but Shu Pan was the one picking up Joy.


    She had no intention of dealing with him.


    Indeed, whenever Shu Pan thought about Gu Shaoting¡¯s deceit and Song Can¡¯s arrogant behavior, she felt a surge of anger.


    Shu Pan knew why Joy was upset¡ªit had been a while since she saw Uncle Gu.


    But Shu Pan wasn¡¯t ready to forgive Gu Shaoting; he treated her like a fool.


    Would he be happy seeing her feeling guilty and worried?


    After dropping Joy off at school, Shu Pan rushed to thepany.


    Because Joy was a bit difficult in the morning, time was tight.


    As the afternoon approached, Shu Pan had everything prepared and nned to pick up Joy right after work.


    Previously, Gu Shaoting used to handle this task, so it was early. Shu Pan didn¡¯t want to make Joy wait.


    As Shu Pan was about to cross the road, a seven-seater van screeched to a sudden stop in front of her, startling her.


    The rear door swung open abruptly. Before Shu Pan could react, she was pulled into the van.


    The person inside handled her roughly, shoving her onto the back seat and forcefully closing the door. Instructing the driver with a single word, ¡°Go!¡±


    With thatmand, the van sped away like an arrow released from its bow.


    When Shu Pan was pulled into the van, the force used caused her to lie across the back seat.


    As the vehicle sped away, Shu Pan¡¯s body shook violently.


    Up to this point, Shu Pan still didn¡¯t understand what was happening.


    Finally grabbing onto the back of a seat, she struggled to prop herself up. At this moment, fear gripped her, and her hair was a bit disheveled.


    ncing around the van, she was startled. There were three people inside¡ªthe driver, a hefty person in the passenger seat, and the person next to her, who had a fierce and terrifying appearance with a twisted scar on his face.


    Looking at these three, they all exuded a strong gangster vibe, clearly not good people.


    Shu Pan couldn¡¯t fathom why they would kidnap her. She had a humble background and hadn¡¯t offended anyone.


    Could they have abducted the wrong person?


    ¡°Big brother, did you guys make a mistake?¡± Shu Pan cautiously asked, unable to think of any other possibilities.


    The two sitting in the front remained silent as if they couldn¡¯t hear. They didn¡¯t utter a word.


    The person next to her suddenly cleared his throat and said, ¡°No mistake. Is this you?¡±


    Saying that, he handed his phone to her. Shu Pan nced at it, and yes, it was indeed a picture of her.


    She felt a sudden panic. ¡°Big brother, who told you to abduct me?¡± Shu Pan asked anxiously, tapping on the car window.


    ¡°Don¡¯t waste your breath. Don¡¯t talk. We¡¯re just doing a job¡ªsettling someone¡¯s debt. Figure out who you¡¯ve offended; you should know better.¡± Scarface spoke harshly.


    Shu Pan¡¯s heart tightened. It was a cmity; whether it was good or bad, she couldn¡¯t escape. How could she escape now when she was in the car? She also couldn¡¯t take out her phone.


    She could only wait until the car stopped and then figure out how to break free. She told herself to stay calm and not panic.


    Although she said this, she was genuinely scared. She huddled in her seat, waiting for what was toe..

 Chapter 334 - 334: Kidnapped

    Chapter 334 - 334: Kidnapped


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Although Shu Pan¡¯spany was located in the city, it was evening, and pedestrians hurriedly passed by, paying no attention to the unusual sight of Shu Pan being pulled into a car.


    Shu Pan was now worried about her situation and also concerned that no one would pick up Joy from the kindergarten. She prayed that the teacher would call Gu Shaoting.


    If the teacher called her, she wouldn¡¯t be able to answer as Gu Shaoting had left his number with the school.


    At this moment, she inexplicably thought of Gu Shaoting, feeling a bit reassured.


    The car continued forward. The side windows were covered with curtains, so Shu Pan couldn¡¯t see the outside. She could only observe from the front windshield that the car was heading towards the suburbs.


    The poption became scarcer, and the road turned into a path. After a few minutes of speeding along, the surroundings transformed into ponds, and there wasn¡¯t even a dpidated house, let alone people.


    Shu Pan, who had been trying to stay calm, became nervous again because she couldn¡¯t determine their current location. Were they going to silence her permanently?


    As Shu Pan thought more, she became more frightened, and her whole body began to tremble.


    After an unknown amount of time, the car finally stopped in the yard of a house.


    With a screeching brake sound, the passenger door opened. The burly man deftly jumped out and then opened the rear door. Scarface was the first to jump out.


    Without any sympathy, he dragged Shu Pan out of the car, grabbed her arm, and pulled her to the entrance of the house.


    Taking a look at her surroundings, Shu Pan feltpletely chilled. The area was sparsely popted, with a few scattered houses at a considerable distance. Even if she screamed her lungs out, no one would hear.


    Shu Pan didn¡¯t want to struggle in vain. As a powerless woman, how could she resist three strong young men?


    If she resisted, it would undoubtedly be like hitting a rock with an egg.


    She could only watch and wait, prepared to make a desperate attempt.


    The skinny guy who drove the car also got out. He walked over and forcefully knocked on the door.


    Soon, an impatient voice came from inside, ¡°Coming.¡±


    Then, the door opened. Shu Pan, holding her bag, was pushed from behind, stumbled, and fell to the ground.


    At this moment, Shu Pan looked like a madwoman, disheveled hair, Imeeling on the cement floor.


    Because the floor was uneven, Shu Pan felt a dull pain in her knees.


    While sitting on the ground, Shu Pan¡¯s bag shook a bit. Usually, she set her phone to vibrate when at work, so she was ustomed to it.


    Now, she thanked herself for this habit because if they heard the ringtone, her phone would likely be confiscated, and there would be no hope.


    Pretending to be in pain, Shu Pan sat on the ground, facing away from them. She subtly reached into her bag, found her phone, and, relying on memory, pressed the answer key.


    Then she suddenly spoke loudly, ¡°What are you doing? Why did you bring me here?¡±


    ¡°Stop making noise, woman. Be careful; I won¡¯t be gentle with you.¡± The man who opened the door spoke fiercely.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be disrespectful. Cooperate well, and maybe we¡¯ll be gentle with you.¡± The manughed, his voice tinged with threat.


    Shu Pan felt very scared, but she still asked, ¡°Where is this?¡±


    ¡°This is the suburbs. You wouldn¡¯t know even if I told you,¡± Scarface responded.


    Then, he turned to the others and said, ¡°Don¡¯t underestimate this ce; it¡¯s not easy to find. Really admiring Lord Long.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. Haven¡¯t you seen? Lord Long is a prominent figure in the underworld. If we don¡¯t handle this well, we¡¯ll be aughingstock.¡± The chubby guy snorted..

 Chapter 335 - 335: Struggle

    Chapter 335 - 335: Struggle


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    ¡°Stop talking, hurry up, the task is more important,¡± the skinny guy said.


    On the other end of the phone, Gu Shaoting couldn¡¯t maintain hisposure upon hearing the conversation from Shu Pan¡¯s side.


    When it was almost time to finish work today, he received a call from Joy¡¯s kindergarten teacher, informing him that Joy¡¯s mom hadn¡¯te to pick her up yet.


    Several attempts to call her mom went unanswered.


    As Shu Pan had been picking up Joy in the past few days, he was unaware of the situation. Even if she was runningte, she would usually call to inform them. Now, it was gettingte, and Joy was the only child left in the kindergarten. Since her mom wasn¡¯t answering, she asked to call Uncle Gu.


    That¡¯s when the teacher contacted Gu Shaoting.


    Gu Shaoting had already made several calls at the earliest possible moment, but Shu Pan didn¡¯t answer. He also inquired with his colleagues, and they all said Shu Pan had left the office.


    Now, Gu Shaoting was even more anxious, and a bad premonition had taken hold.


    He dialed once again, this time with a glimmer of hope, and fortunately, this time she answered.


    However, the content of the call left him chilling to the bone. As he suspected, Shu Pan was in trouble¡ªshe had been kidnapped.


    But how could such an incident happen to an ordinary office worker like her?


    Long in the underworld.


    How did she get involved with such a figure?


    Gu Shaoting quickly called He Ming, asking him to use his connections to reach Lord Long. Since they both had affiliations in bothwful and uwful circles, they knew people.


    After hanging up, Gu Shaoting first went to pick up Joy from the kindergarten. Then, upon meeting He Ming, He Ming suggested letting Xiaomeng take care of Joy, allowing them to focus on finding people.


    Gu Shaoting found the suggestion feasible, and the little girl seemed to sense something, obediently following her godmother.


    Shu Pan didn¡¯t Imow who had called just now. She hoped it was Gu Shaoting, praying that her plea reached the heavens.


    She wasn¡¯t sure if her actions just now had any effect, but it was better to have a glimmer of hope than none, right?


    ¡°Hurry up, everyone, move quickly. You, set up the camera. You, get her on the sofa. You, take off all her clothes,¡± the skinny guymanded when he saw everyone hesitating.


    Before Shu Pan could figure out what they were nning, someone pulled her up from the floor and grabbed her arms.


    Ignoring her struggle, the person dragged her towards the sofa.


    Seeing the empty living room with a set of sofas and hearing the man with the camera and their mention of undressing, Shu Pan finally understood what was happening.


    They wanted to take explicit photos of her?


    Instinctively resisting, she continuously wriggled her body, trying to break free from the man holding onto her. But being a woman, her strength was no match for theirs.


    Several men looked excited, as the disheveled but delicately featured Shu Pan, under the light, presented an irresistible allure.


    Seeing their malicious expressions, Shu Pan kept moving backward.


    Suddenly, she swung her bag at the man holding her. In times of crisis, the force that erupted was often unexpected.


    The man, caught off guard, didn¡¯t pay attention and was released by Shu Pan.


    Without a moment¡¯s hesitation, Shu Pan sprinted towards the front door.


    Because her shoes had some heels, she couldn¡¯t run fast. In the process, one of her shoes came off, so she simply took off the other one..

 Chapter 336 - 336: Take Pictures

    Chapter 336 - 336: Take Pictures


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Shu Pan had no time for anything else now. Clenching her teeth, she charged forward, intending to open the door. However, someone caught up with her from behind, like an eagle grabbing a chick, and firmly seized her. The heavy sound of the door closing made Shu Pan lose all hope at that moment, but she refused to ept it and continued her final struggle.


    This time, Scarface was prepared, holding Shu Pan tightly. No matter how she struggled, he remained unmoved, dragging her forcefully onto the sofa.


    Watching Shu Pan resist, Scarface found her to be a troublesome hostage. He raised his hand and pped her across the face with a loud ¡°smack.¡± The sound resonated, leaving a palm print on Shu Pan¡¯s fair face.


    As the pnded, Shu Pan expected to faint from the pain. The force was significant, and her face now felt like it was burning, aching with a stinging sensation.


    ¡°Disobey only incurs punishment. Dare to run again, and see how I deal with you?¡± Scarface threatened.


    ¡°Why are you so clueless about cherishing beauty? You¡¯ve turned her face into a pig¡¯s head. How are we going to take picturester? Moreover, facing a pig¡¯s head, don¡¯t you find it disgusting?¡± The chubby guy scolded.


    ¡°This woman needs discipline if she doesn¡¯t listen.¡± Scarface held Shu Pan down on the sofa.


    Shu Pan was thrown onto the sofa with force.


    The next moment, the skinny guy suddenly closed in, bent over, and reached out to grab Shu Pan.


    Lowering her head, Shu Pan viciously bit the skinny guy¡¯s hand. He immediately let go, howling in pain.


    He continued to curse at Shu Pan with his mouth still in pain.


    Seeing an opportunity, Shu Pan quickly got up from the sofa and rushed out, but this time, she wasn¡¯t as fortunate. She was caught again.


    The chubby and skinny guys held Shu Pan down together, much like eagles catching a small chick. Their strength was astonishing.


    Shu Pan felt a sense of despair. How could she resist two big men? She used her hands to grab their faces and kicked them with her feet.


    Because they didn¡¯t expect her to resist and her movements were swift and fierce, the men got scratches on their faces. Startled, the men inhaled sharply. This time, they weren¡¯t as lenient; their strength increased.


    ¡°Get ready with the camera, it¡¯s time to take photos.¡± The man spoke, wanting to finish quickly to report to Lord Long.


    As they approached, Shu Pan, like a madwoman, struck out in every direction. The men were getting impatient, and their actions became more forceful. However, due to Shu Pan¡¯s constant movement andck of cooperation, it was challenging to capture good shots.


    When they got closer, Shu Pan gathered her strength and kicked one of them. Unprepared, the man felt the pain and lifted Shu Pan¡¯s face, delivering a harsh p. ¡°You nonpliant, wretched woman.¡±


    Feeling stars in her head and a metallic taste in her mouth, Shu Pan copsed onto the sofa. Exhausted, she had no strength left.


    She didn¡¯t know how much longer she could hold on. Her vision was already starting to blur.


    ¡°Hurry up, don¡¯t waste any more time,¡± the rough-voiced man spoke, avoiding unnecessary dys.


    He wanted to finish quickly and report to Lord Long.


    A few big men couldn¡¯t handle a single woman; saying this out loud would beughable.


    Seeing the destion on Shu Pan¡¯s face, they finally felt a bit more at ease.


    This woman was indeed a handful.


    The rough-voiced man pressed the shutter, casually taking a few shots, thinking that the lesson was almost taught.


    He didn¡¯t dare to get closer to Shu Pan again. Truly, one should not underestimate the power of a woman. The ce where he was kicked still throbbed with pain..

 Chapter 337 - 337: He’s Here

    Chapter 337 - 337: He¡¯s Here


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Shu Pan leaned against the sofa, listening to the sound of the camera shutter, feeling as if she heard the cry of a demon.


    Clutching the torn fabric around her cor, Shu Pan curled up, desperately trying to shield herself. Despite her efforts,rge patches of fair skin caught the eyes of the men.


    Shu Pan could vaguely sense their lecherous gaze. After taking a few pictures to satisfy their boss, the chubby man started to have impure thoughts.


    He looked at Shu Pan with burning eyes. At this moment, the delicate and pitiful Xiaomei seemed like a plucked flower, making one irresistibly want to embrace her.


    He smiled and approached Shu Pan, intending to reach out and grab her.


    In a reflex action, Shu Pan jumped up and grabbed the ashtray on the table, smashing it towards the man¡¯s head.


    The chubby guy¡¯s forehead was cut open, and blood dripped down his face.


    Holding his wound, he eximed in shock, ¡°D*mn, looking for a fight?¡±


    ¡°First stop the bleeding.¡± Scarface, observing the deep wound on the man¡¯s forehead and the increasing flow of blood, quickly intervened. This guy was truly impulsive.


    Shu Pan was also frightened, but holding the ashtray firmly, she said sternly,


    ¡°Anyone whoes over will end up like him. I¡¯ll fight back.¡±


    Having regained some strength, Shu Pan looked at the men with a fierce determination.


    The men were stunned by her resolute gaze. For a moment, no one dared to make a move.


    They thought they could enjoy somefort after taking pictures andpleting the task.


    Little did they know they had picked a thorny rose; she was much more troublesome than they anticipated.


    As everyone remained in a standoff, the front door suddenly swung open.


    Gu Shaoting rushed in first, his steps unsteady. He had always been calm and collected, but this time he was genuinely terrified by Shu Pan.


    Contacting Lord Long through his connections with He Ming, they managed to find this location after inducements and threats.


    He feared he might have arrived toote.


    He had been elerating all the way, thankfully reaching in time.


    Seeing Shu Pan standing there in tattered clothes, holding the ashtray, her crucial parts still covered, Gu Shaoting¡¯s heart skipped a beat.


    ¡°Panpan¡­¡± Gu Shaoting took a step forward and then took off his suit, draping it over Shu Pan.


    In that moment, seeing her standing intact in front of him, he had never been more thankful to the heavens. He held her tightly, wanting to embrace her.


    When Shu Pan heard the sound of ¡°Panpan,¡± she thought she was dreaming.


    She was somewhat incredulous that Gu Shaoting, as she saw him, was so real.


    Feeling surrounded by warmth, her anxious heart finally eased a bit.


    She was genuinely surprised by Gu Shaoting¡¯s timely arrival, like being acupunctured, her eyes staring straight at him.


    ¡°Gu Shaoting¡­¡± Shu Pan called him softly, as if confirming if all of this was real.


    At the moment Gu Shaoting rushed into the room, everyone inside was dumbfounded.


    They hadn¡¯t expected anyone to find this ce, let alone enter.


    ¡°Who are you?¡± Scarface asked sharply.


    Before anyone could answer, a few people suddenly burst in from outside.


    ¡°Don¡¯t move.¡± He Ming and the apanying police officers rushed in.


    The men were at a loss, not knowing what had happened. They put their hands on their heads and stared at the police in panic.


    ¡°You lot,e with us to the police station for questioning.¡± The police took them away.


    He Ming nced at Gu Shaoting and Shu Pan, then at Shu Pan¡¯s appearance. Worried about any awkwardness, he left first..

 Chapter 338 - 338: Don’t Be Afraid, I’m Here

    Chapter 338: Don¡¯t Be Afraid, I¡¯m Here


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    After everyone had left, Shu Pan slowly regained a bit of consciousness. She used her hands to adjust the suit jacket, attempting to cover the exposed skin.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, don¡¯t be afraid, I¡¯m here.¡± The voice was the familiar, crisp tone that could bring herfort.


    Wrapped in Gu Shaoting¡¯s suit jacket, emitting his usual light and pleasant fragrance, it truly was him¡­


    No one knew the shock she felt when she heard him call her ¡°Panpan.¡±


    In that moment, she suddenly felt that everything before didn¡¯t matter. He was like a hero, rescuing her in the darkest hour.


    Shu Pan nodded, then huddled her body, leaning against him, and softly started to cry.


    The sound was low but intermittent, and Gu Shaoting¡¯s heart squeezed at the sound, feeling a dull pain in his chest.


    After a while, he pulled her away from his embrace, her face now covered in tears, with visible imprints of ps on her cheeks.


    These people deserved to die; he would make them pay dearly for hurting her.


    There seemed to be a burning fire in Gu Shaoting¡¯s eyes as he stared at her swollen face. His heart felt like it was being pricked with needles.


    Seeing her tears falling like broken beads, Gu Shaoting silently vowed that these individuals would pay a painful price.


    After adjusting his emotions, Gu Shaoting helped Shu Pan out. They still needed to go to the police station to provide statements.


    Before leaving, Gu Shaoting also remembered to pick up the camera, taking out the memory card and cing it in a bag.


    At the police station, the individuals were taken to a small, chilly room after finishing their statements.


    Gu Shaoting apanied Shu Pan, and there were several interruptions during the recording because Shu Pan kept breaking down, recalling the humiliating scene.


    Unable to do anything else, Gu Shaoting could only hold her tightly in his arms.


    ¡°Chief Chen, why are you here?¡± The respectful and rmed voice of the guards


    reached Gu Shaoting¡¯s ears.


    ¡°Mr. Gu, I¡¯m really sorry. How is Miss Shu now?¡± Chief Chen asked with concern. He had just found out about this influential figure being here.


    Mr. Gu had considerable prestige in Bin City and had a say in both the legal and illegal spheres, so he couldn¡¯t be offended.


    Now he realized he waste, and his forehead started to sweat.


    ¡°Chief Chen, I believe in the fairness of thew. The bad guys should receive the punishment they deserve. I hope you will handle this impartially.¡± Gu Shaoting¡¯s tone was indifferent, but the meaning was obvious.


    ¡°Absolutely, it¡¯s our fault for not handling things properly. Please forgive us.¡± The middle-aged man apologized respectfully.


    Afterwards, he turned and instructed, ¡°Thoroughly interrogate the individuals inside.¡±


    The guard nodded, ¡°Understood.¡±


    Chief Chen looked at Gu Shaoting in his hand-cut suit. Even though he wore the suit jacket over Miss Shu, revealing only a white high-quality shirt, he didn¡¯t lose his handsome image.


    With his usual polite smile on his face, there was an inscrutable gleam in his eyes that sent a chill down one¡¯s spine.


    Gu Shaoting nodded and said nothing to the man referred to as Chief Chen. He nervously supported Shu Pan and slowly walked out.


    The man saw them finish recording their statements and leaving, quickly escorting them to the door.


    Knowing the car was far away, the middle-aged man finally breathed a sigh of relief.


    Then, he walked indignantly into the room where those individuals were being held, intending to conduct a deeper interrogation; otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t be able to exin to Mr. Gu..

 Chapter 339 - 339: Worried

    Chapter 339: Worried


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Gu Shaoting didn¡¯t take Shu Pan back to her home but brought her to Shuimu Qinghua.


    He was concerned about the intense shock she had just experienced and didn¡¯t want her to be alone at home. After inquiring about Shu Pan¡¯s preference, she nodded gently. She didn¡¯t want to be alone now; the mere thought of that scene made her feel fearful and on the verge of copse.


    Upon their return to Shuimu Qinghua, considering theteness of the hour, they decided to pick up Joy the next day. However, to ease Ye Xiaomeng¡¯s worries, Shu Pan called her.


    ¡°Girl, you scared me to death,¡± Ye Xiaomeng eximed, her voice carrying a hint of tears, once the call connected.


    Feeling a deep sense of guilt, Shu Pan had genuinely worried her good friend.


    ¡°Xiaomeng, don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m safe now, everything¡¯s fine,¡± Shu Pan said slowly and gently, each word pulling at her swollen face, causing pain down to her nerves.


    ¡°Girl¡­ you¡¯re not allowed to scare me like that again!¡± Ye Xiaomeng hadn¡¯t fully calmed down yet.


    Since the moment she found out about Shu Pan¡¯s incident, she was on edge, her mind restless. Even taking care of Joy was absentminded; Joy kept asking where her mom went, and she didn¡¯t know how to answer, so she repeatedly said her mommy was busy.


    The mother and daughter seemed to have a telepathic connection, and Joy¡¯s


    mood was low all night.


    Ye Xiaomeng had to console her for a long time.


    Just recently falling asleep, even though He Ming had informed her as soon as Shu Pan was found, she still felt it wasn¡¯t real, as if in a daze.


    Now hearing Shu Pan¡¯s voice, although soft and low, it was undeniably real.


    She could finally breathe a sigh of relief.


    Since it waste, and Shu Pan had just returned, she didn¡¯t want to press Shu Pan about the details or ask if she had offended someone.


    ¡°Alright, take care. Could you look after Joy tonight? I¡¯ll pick her up tomorrow,¡± Shu Pan genuinely felt remorse; she had indeed caused everyone unnecessary worry.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, get some rest. Don¡¯t worry about Joy,¡± Ye Xiaomeng knew that with Gu Shaoting by her side, Shu Pan was in good hands.


    Tonight, she was particrly grateful to Gu Shaoting. If it weren¡¯t for him, she didn¡¯t dare to imagine what might have happened to Shu Pan.


    They chatted for a while before hanging up the phone.


    After ending the call, Shu Pan sat on the sofa, the dim light casting a delicate glow on her, making her appear fragile.


    She seemed somewhat absent-minded; Shu Pan hadn¡¯t fully recovered from the recent incident.


    She couldn¡¯t understand who harbored such deep hatred against her, intending to bring her to the brink of death.


    The scarred man had shown her pictures of her daily life, indicating he knew her well and was well-informed about her whereabouts.


    Ifpromising photos were taken this time, it would ruin her reputation.


    She dared not imagine what might happen next.


    Covering her face with her hands, she felt a stinging pain, a harsh reminder that something terrible had indeed urred.


    Gu Shaoting came out to see Shu Pan sitting on the sofa, lost in her thoughts, not uttering a word, immersed in her own little world.


    ¡°Panpan,e, let me help you freshen up. Get some rest,¡± Gu Shaoting approached her, gently calling out.


    But Shu Pan remained motionless, just looking at him with a pair of dark, clear eyes, resembling an injured little animal, innocent and pitiful.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, don¡¯t be afraid¡­¡± Gu Shaoting touched her hair gently, his voice unusually tender. With just a few simple words, he touched the most fragile nerve in Shu Pan¡¯s heart, causing her eyes to fill with tears. Seekingfort, she suddenly grabbed his hand.


    Gu Shaoting¡¯s heart trembled..

 Chapter 340 - 340: Fragility

    Chapter 340: Fragility


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Shu Pan seemed unaware that now, every time she closed her eyes, she saw the figures of those people.


    Gu Shaoting squeezed her hand gently, then patted her head before heading to the living room.


    When he emerged, he had a freshly prepared ss of milk in his hand.


    ¡°Here, drink the milk, and get a good night¡¯s sleep,¡± Gu Shaoting coaxed, treating her almost like a child. Indeed, at this moment, she appeared fragile and lost.


    Shu Pan took the milk and took a few sips. The rich aroma of the milk instantly filled her mouth, emitting a faint fragrance.


    The warmth of the milk reached her heart, bringing a sense of calm to Shu Pan.


    ¡°It¡¯s veryte; you should go to bed soon. You still have work tomorrow,¡± Shu Pan suggested.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. You just rest at home recently. I¡¯ll help you take a day off tomorrow,¡± Gu Shaoting replied decisively.


    ¡°Then, could you please pick up Joy?¡± Shu Pan nodded.


    ¡°Sure. Also, what should we do with these film negatives?¡± Gu Shaoting suddenly remembered this matter.


    He took out a thin memory card from his pocket and extended it toward Shu


    Pan.


    ¡°No¡­ Take it away, destroy it,¡± Shu Pan suddenly eximed excitedly. ¡°Get rid of it.¡±


    Shu Pan saw the memory card as if encountering a fierce beast¡­


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll handle it. Everything is fine,¡± Gu Shaoting, although gentle in his words, carried an undeniable sense of hostility in his eyes.


    Biting her lip, Shu Pan didn¡¯t speak, but the tears on her eyshes trembled slightly, as if about to fall.


    ¡°Gu Shaoting, I¡¯m so scared¡­¡± Shu Pan spoke up again.


    Listening once more, Gu Shaoting¡¯s heart became entangled.


    ¡°Panpan, those who hurt you, I won¡¯t let them go.¡± Gu Shaoting¡¯s voice was calm, with a chilling undertone.


    Finally calming Shu Pan, Gu Shaoting apanied her back to the bedroom. As shey down, Shu Pan couldn¡¯t find peace; her sleep was restless.


    Observing this, Gu Shaoting didn¡¯t hesitate to lie down beside her. He gently patted her back, then tightly embraced her.


    As the night grew deeper, he silently stayed by her side, softly stroking her back.


    In his arms, Shu Pan gradually settled down.


    After a while, Gu Shaoting felt the even breathing of the person in his arms.


    She¡¯s asleep.


    Gu Shaoting rxed his grip, looking at Shu Pan¡¯s calm face. His heart was filled with self-me.


    He hadn¡¯t protected her well. Seeing her swollen face, with her eyshes still trembling from the recent tears, cut through him like a knife.


    Shu Pan slept for a while. Gu Shaoting wanted to retract his numb arm, but whenever he moved, Shu Pan would restlessly shift.


    Gu Shaoting suddenly dared not move, afraid of disturbing Shu Pan¡¯s sleep. He maintained the same posture until dawn.


    In the morning, Shu Pan slowly opened her hazy eyes, her mind momentarily nk.


    Suddenly, she felt warmth on her back, and a strong arm surrounded her waist.


    Shu Pan immediately became alert, turning her face to see Gu Shaoting.


    How did he end up sleeping next to her? Shu Pan was puzzled.


    Suddenly, a scene shed in her mind. In a daze, she grabbed his hand, not letting him go.


    Shu Pan dared not think further, her face burning. She stared at him.


    In his deep sleep, the coldness on Gu Shaoting¡¯s face was gone. His high nose, slightly raised eyebrows, made him look gentle.


    Shu Pan felt the arm across her waist tighten slightly, and her face heated up again.


    Fortunately, Gu Shaoting was still asleep; otherwise, it would be awkward..

 Chapter 341 - 341: Intimate Relationship?

    Chapter 341: Intimate Rtionship?


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Just as Shu Pan was rejoicing, Gu Shaoting slowly opened his eyes and saw Shu Pan¡¯s expression.


    Shu Pan looked up and met Gu Shaoting¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°Morning.¡± Gu Shaoting¡¯s voice was a little hoarse, but it sounded really sexy.


    ¡°Morning.¡± Shu Pan quickly greeted him, trying to hide her embarrassment.


    ¡°Lie down a little longer. I¡¯ll prepare breakfast and apply for leave for youter.¡± After Gu Shaoting finished speaking, he sat up.


    He didn¡¯t want to get up. He wanted to continue hugging her like this, but he also knew that after experiencing what happenedst night, the fear in her heart was indescribable.


    She looked much better today, but her cheeks were still red and swollen. Although she had applied ice yesterday, it still did not go away.


    ¡°All right, sorry to trouble you.¡± Shu Pan nodded obediently.


    Gu Shaoting looked at her lovingly, then opened the door and went out.


    Shu Pan felt a little disappointed without the warm embrace. She didn¡¯t know why she felt this way.


    Gu Shaoting came out to the living room and called the hotel to send breakfast over.


    Then, he looked at the time. It was still early, so he thought of calling Shu Pan¡¯s managerter.


    Shu Pan could have made the call herself, but Gu Shaoting was worried that she wouldn¡¯t be able to find a reason. Moreover, Shu Pan couldn¡¯t talk much now. Her facial expressions would be affected if she started talking and it would be unbearably painful.


    When the hotel sent breakfast over, Shu Pan had juste out of the bathroom.


    ¡°Come and have breakfast. You must be starving. I ordered congee for you.¡± Gu Shaoting took good care of her.


    ¡°Thank you.¡± Shu Pan didn¡¯t know what to say to express her gratitude. Gu Shaoting was really considerate.


    ¡°Xiaomeng will send Joy to school. Please pick her up tonight.¡± Shu Pan instructed.


    ¡°Also, can you help me buy a few disposable masks? It¡¯s not convenient for me to go out with my face like this. Can we go grocery shopping when youe back from work tonight?¡± Shu Pan was still thinking about getting groceries downstairs


    She felt particrly insecure now. She couldn¡¯t go out alone. She would probably be afraid if a car passed by.


    ¡°Ok, you rest well at home. I¡¯ll bring food back. I¡¯ll make arrangements for Joy.¡± Gu Shaoting quicklyforted her.


    After breakfast, Gu Shaoting picked up the phone and walked to the balcony. He called Shu Pan¡¯s manager.


    After a long time, the call was picked up. ¡°Good morning, Mr. Gu. What do you want me to do for you?¡± When the director saw Mr. Gu¡¯s call, he was shocked.


    Why did the big boss call him so early in the morning?


    ¡°Oh, It¡¯s nothing. It¡¯s just that Shu Pan is sick and is taking a leave of absence for a while.¡± Gu Shaoting didn¡¯t say anything unnecessary.


    ¡°Shu¡­ Pan.¡± The director thought that he had misheard it. Why was the CEO rted to Shu Pan?


    Also, Gu Shaoting was the boss of thepany. Why did he have to make that call? What was the meaning of this?


    ¡°Yes, there¡¯s nothing else.¡± Gu Shaoting hung up the phone.


    The director was left holding the phone in a daze.


    He had yet to recover from the news.


    A man helping a woman apply for leave early in the morning. No one would believe that their rtionship was not intimate.


    So Shu Pan was the CEO¡¯s. The director finally understood one thing.


    He thought back uneasily. Fortunately, he treated Shu Pan well. That¡¯s good.


    Gu Shaoting returned to the living room and told Shu Pan that he had applied for leave for her.


    ¡°You helped me apply for leave?¡± Shu Pan suddenly remembered something.¡± Does the director know it¡¯s you?¡± Shu Pan asked nervously.


    ¡°Of course, he knew.¡± Gu Shaoting replied.


    ¡°No way. Then how would he guess our rtionship?¡± Shu Pan wailed in her heart.


    As expected, she was scared silly and only remembered this now..

 Chapter 342 - 342: Investigating the Truth

    Chapter 342: Investigating the Truth


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    ¡°I don¡¯t care what others think.¡± Gu Shaoting pretended tofort her. He couldn¡¯t wait for the whole world to know their rtionship.


    Forget it, since it happened, she would just ept it. She could not control other people¡¯s mouths.


    After breakfast, Shu Pan called Xiaomeng. Knowing that Xiaomeng had sent Joy to kindergarten, she was finally relieved.


    However, the little girl didn¡¯t see her Mommy when she woke up this morning and began making a scene. Ye Xiaomeng finally promised that she would definitely see her mother tonight. Only then did Joy break into a smile.


    Gu Shaoting had to rush back to thepany after breakfast because he had something to deal with.


    As soon as he left the house, Gu Shaoting¡¯s face immediately turned cold. He arrived at the parking lot, opened the car door, got in, and stepped on the elerator. The car sped out.


    As soon as he arrived at thepany, He Ming pushed the door open and entered.


    ¡°Brother Ting, I¡¯ve found some clues about the matter you asked me to investigate. These people are unemployed and usually idle. Later, they followed Lord Long¡¯s subordinates and became local thugs. This matter was ordered by Lord Long, but I don¡¯t know how Shu Pan offended Lord Long.¡± He Ming was also puzzled because Shu Pan had a simple life and usually did not have the opportunity toe into contact with such people.


    ¡°She¡¯s not sure herself. She doesn¡¯t know any Lord Long.¡± Gu Shaoting recalled that he had tried getting information out of Shu Pan yesterday and learned that she didn¡¯t know Lord Long at all.


    ¡°The purpose of taking such a photo of Shu Pan is to ruin her reputation. This is usually done out of jealousy.¡± He Ming analyzed.


    Gu Shaoting didn¡¯t say anything else. His mind shed past Shu Laide¡¯s former debt collectors. However, Shu Pan had already repaid all the debts, so it was unlikely.


    Could it be his enemy? But they were divorced and separated for a long time. Who knew that they were together? And Shu Pan didn¡¯t ept him.


    Could it be a colleague from thepany? Or his Mom? However, it was unlikely. His Mom did not know such a person in the triads.


    The more Gu Shaoting thought about it, the more confused he became, and his eyes gradually turned cold.


    ¡°Go and check again. See if Lord Long has been in close contact with anyone recently.¡± Gu Shaoting pondered for a while and then said.


    ¡°All right, how is Shu Pan?¡± He Ming asked with concern.


    ¡°She was shocked. Her face was swollen from the beating. Arrange for the people who are being held at the police station to be taken care of.¡± Although Gu Shaoting¡¯s tone was faint, it was creepy.


    ¡°Also, investigate on this. When I lost my memory in the car ident, I suspected that someone also wanted to run Shu Pan down, but I pushed her away.¡± Gu Shaoting suddenly thought of this matter and wondered if they were rted.


    ¡°All right, I¡¯ll make the arrangements immediately.¡± He Ming left after saying that.


    Gu Shaoting pondered for a while, then picked up the phone and called Shu Pan. ¡°Are you bored at home? Do you want toe to mypany? I can chat with you.


    If Secretary Zhang had heard Gu Shaoting¡¯s words, he would definitely haveined in secret.


    The documents in the office were piled up like a mountain, where would Gu Shaoting find the time to chat with others?


    ¡°No need, I¡¯ll just rest at home.¡± Shu Pan felt that he was really ridiculous. What kind of ce did he think the office was?


    Gu Shaoting listened to Shu Pan¡¯s calm voice and could finally work without worry.


    However, he was also anxious about the results of He Ming¡¯s investigation.


    As long as he couldn¡¯t find out the truth, there would still be danger. He had to be on tenterhooks at all times.


    Although Gu Shaoting was very busy that day, his mind was always thinking about Shu Pan, and he felt that time was hard to bear..

 Chapter 343 - 343: Cherish the Present

    Chapter 343: Cherish the Present


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Finally, when Gu Shaoting finished reading the documents, he didn¡¯t stay for a moment longer. He nned to pick Joy up.


    Along the way, Joy kept asking. The little girl really missed her Mommy.


    Before Gu Shaoting went home, he went to the supermarket with Joy and bought two big bags of groceries. He didn¡¯t want Shu Pan to go out again.


    When they returned home and saw Shu Pan, Joy was really happy.


    Fortunately, the swelling on Shu Pan¡¯s face had gone down. Otherwise, she would have scared the child.


    ¡°Mommy, where did you go? Why didn¡¯t I see you? I went to godmother¡¯s house.¡± The child was so happy she saw her mom that she spoke incoherently.


    ¡°Mommy was busy. But I¡¯m free now.¡± Shu Pan patted Joy¡¯s head, feeling a


    lingering fear. She once thought that she would never see Joy again.


    Really, one would never know which woulde first, an ident or tomorrow.


    In the past, Shu Pan thought that this was just a rhetorical question. It was not until this ident that she truly understood.


    Therefore, her current state of mind was to cherish the present and not think about past grudges. After all, the rest of her life was very short.


    With her Mom¡¯sfort, Joy returned to her former self.


    Gu Shaoting smiledfortably as he watched the mother and daughter cuddling.


    Dinner was prepared by Shu Pan. Gu Shaoting hadn¡¯t cooked once in his life. He wanted to order takeout, but Shu Pan saw that they had brought back two full bags of groceries and decided she could do the cooking. After all, her hands and feet were not injured.


    A sumptuous dinner made everyone very satisfied. After Joy finished eating, she returned to her girl¡¯s room. She missed it very much, but she didn¡¯t dare to tell Shu Pan about it.


    The two adults at the dining table were still drinking the soup slowly.


    ¡°Panpan, are you feeling better? I¡¯ll get a boiled egg for your faceter. I heard that it¡¯s very effective in reducing swelling.¡± Gu Shaoting saw that Shu Pan¡¯s face was still slightly swollen and remembered the old-fashioned method that Secretary Zhang had mentioned before.


    ¡°No need. I¡¯m much better. I can go back to work in two days.¡± Shu Pan said nonchntly.


    Gu Shaoting frowned. ¡°You¡¯re going back to work so soon? Let¡¯s talk about it after you have rested.¡±


    Gu Shaoting didn¡¯t want Shu Pan to return to work so soon. After all, she had suffered such a big shock.


    ¡°Panpan, think carefully again. Have you offended anyone?¡± Gu Shaoting


    continued to ask. He didn¡¯t know if He Ming could find the answer. He wanted to know in advance so that he could be on guard.


    ¡°No, I didn¡¯t.¡± Shu Pan pondered for a moment and then shook her head. She had a little quarrel with MO Lan in thepany, but MO Lan wouldn¡¯t have done this to her.


    Then there was Tong Fei and Song Can, but Shu Pan didn¡¯t say it out loud. After all, that person was her Mom. Besides, Song Can might have just said it out loud without any action.


    ¡°You still have to be careful.¡± Seeing that Shu Pan didn¡¯t know why she was attacked, Gu Shaoting reminded her.


    ¡°All right, I know.¡± Shu Pan looked at him and nodded.


    The current Gu Shaoting waspletely different from before. He used to be cold-faced to people, but now?


    She felt like he had changed into a different person. To outsiders, he is still a cold-faced man but to Joy and her, he was very warm and thoughtful. Sometimes, she even felt he was a little naggy.


    She didn¡¯t know if this change was because of them. She didn¡¯t think much of it before, but this ident had given her too much shock.


    His calm but firm words, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m here!¡± made her feel especially at ease and secure.


    She used to think that she could do it alone, but after encountering this danger, she suddenly realized that she was a woman and she also wanted to have someone to rely on..

 Chapter 344 - 344: Is It Her?

    Chapter 344: Is It Her?


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Gu Shaoting saw that Shu Pan was in a daze and thought that she had remembered what happened. He quickly called her and changed the topic.


    Shu Pan smiled faintly, indicating that she was fine. Then, she packed her things.


    Just then, Gu Shaoting¡¯s phone rang, breaking the temporary silence in the room.


    When he saw that it was He Ming, his heart tightened. There must be an investigation result.


    He didn¡¯t want Shu Pan to be nervous and pretend that it was apany matter before walking to the balcony to answer the call.


    ¡°Brother Ting, didn¡¯t you ask me to investigate who Lord Long is close to? I¡¯ve done some research and found that they¡¯re all his normal acquaintances. There¡¯s no one special. But there¡¯s something strange. I found out that Tong Fei and Lord Long seemed to have some sort of rtionship.¡±


    After He Ming finished speaking, Gu Shaoting fell into deep thought.


    Tong Fei? This name was a little unfamiliar to him, but could it be her?


    ¡°Back then, Tong Fei was able to enter the entertainment industry and develop so well. It was all thanks to Lord Long. There were rumours that Lord Long was Tong Fei¡¯s godfather.¡± He Ming continued to report the results of his investigation.


    This could be considered a gain. At the very least, this was a clue.


    Gu Shaoting was a little surprised. He didn¡¯t care much about Tong Fei¡¯s past.


    At that time, she was doing very well in the entertainment industry. However, he had also seen her hard work. Otherwise, she would not have gone abroad to develop herself without hesitation.


    He had always known that she was ambitious, but if she was the one who arranged this ident to target Shu Pan, it should be because of him, right?


    Revenge against him for breaking off the engagement?


    Shu Pan didn¡¯t know her before, so there was no conflict of interest. The more he thought about it, the more he felt that something was wrong.


    ¡°Ming, I¡¯ll have to trouble you. You must continue to investigate to see if they have interacted recently.¡± Gu Shaoting stared at the lights in the distance. He couldn¡¯t calm down. He wouldn¡¯t let Shu Pan and their daughter get hurt again.


    ¡°All right, I¡¯ve already instructed the people who were locked up in the police station to be taken care of.¡± Gu Shaoting always trusted He Ming when he did things.


    ¡°Those ruffians are scoundrels. When they were recording their statements, they kept saying that they had asked Ms Shu to take a set of photos on a whim. Theypletely denied the fact that they had kidnapped her and refused to say who was behind it.¡± He Ming said helplessly. If they could not be convicted, they would be released soon.


    Gu Shaoting thought for a moment. ¡°It¡¯s better that they are released. When heaven open its door, they refuse to enter and want to barge into hell.¡± He Ming immediately understood what Gu Shaoting meant.


    He could only pray for those people now. They didn¡¯t know Gu Shaoting¡¯s temper, and those who provoked him wouldn¡¯t have a good ending.


    ¡°Brother Ting, what do you n to do next?¡± He Ming asked.


    ¡°You continue to investigate Tong Fei and Lord Long to see if there are any clues.¡± Gu Shaoting instructed. Such matters emphasize on evidence and he wouldn¡¯t simply use anyone.


    Gu Shaoting had guessed that those people would not give up Lord Long¡¯s name. He had heard their conversation back then and figured it out.


    This kind of local ruffian was particr about the so-called brotherhood of the gang world.


    Although Gu Shaoting didn¡¯t mingle in that world, he had heard of Lord Long, who was a famous figure in that world.


    For a big brother like him, as long as he took care of these ruffians, they would work for him with their lives.


    After hanging up the phone, Gu Shaoting held the railing of the balcony with both hands. His slightly furrowed brows showed that he was in a heavy mood at the moment.


    He didn¡¯t want to provoke others, but since someone had crossed his bottom line, he definitely wouldn¡¯t let it go.


    And his current bottom line now was Shu Pan and Joy..

 Chapter 345 - 345 The Mastermind

    Chapter 345 - 345 The Mastermind


    Joy was chatting with Shu Pan about what happened in the kindergarten these two days.


    Shu Pan listened very seriously and smiled without saying a word.


    After experiencing this incident, she cherished everything she had now.


    Gu Shaoting stood by the door and saw the warm scene of the mother and daughter through the crack of the door. He smiled knowingly.


    Perhaps Gu Shaoting had made some noise. Shu Pan looked back at him and then asked Joy to y by herself while she had something to say to Uncle Gu.


    In the living room, the two of them sat opposite each other.


    ¡°Is there any progress?¡± Shu Pan asked. Although Gu Shaoting said it was a business call, from his expression earlier, she guessed that it should be rted to her.


    ¡°A little, but I¡¯m not sure yet. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll take care of this matter. Have a good rest.¡± Gu Shaoting avoided the topic, not wanting Shu Pan¡¯s imagination to run wild.


    ¡°Will it be dangerous? You have to be careful too.¡± Shu Pan felt a little uneasy. She reminded Gu Shaoting because she knew what those people could do.


    Gu Shaoting looked at Shu Pan affectionately and then said, ¡°I¡¯ll be fine and I won¡¯t allow anything to happen to me.¡± He remembered that he still had to be the guardian angel of the mother and daughter.


    Gu Shaoting was secretly happy. Shu Pan was starting to worry about him.


    But he did not show it.


    Shu Pan saw that he looked confident with his n and knew that Gu Shaoting would resolve the matter, she didn¡¯t ask anymore.


    After Shu Pan returned to her room to take a shower, Gu Shaoting was still sitting on the sofa. His hands were casually ced on the armrest of the sofa, his fingertips tapping rhythmically, making a tapping sound.

 Chapter 346 - 346: Please Pardon My Harshness

    Chapter 346 - 346: Please Pardon My Harshness


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Gu Shaoting¡¯s harsh tone was unfamiliar to He Ming.


    After Gu Shaoting put down his phone, his face became even darker.


    He thought for a while and looked at the time. It was noon. He suppressed his anger and dialed Tong Fei¡¯s number.


    He hadn¡¯t deleted her phone number because he still considered her a friend.


    But he would definitely delete her number after today. This woman would no longer have anything to do with him, and of course, they would no longer be friends.


    After the call went through, Tong Fei¡¯s gentle voice came from the other end.


    ¡°Shaoting, is that you?¡±


    She sounded surprise. She hade hometest night and was still sleeping. When she saw that it was Gu Shaoting calling, she woke up immediately. He hadn¡¯t called her for a long time.


    ¡°Do you have time today? Let¡¯s meet because I have something to ask you.¡± Gu Shaoting said tly but Tong Fei, who was on the receiving end of the request, shivered for no reason.


    ¡°Okay, let¡¯s meet at our usual ceter.¡± Tong Fei couldn¡¯t figure out why Gu Shaoting wanted to see her.


    Soft music yed softly in the caf¨¦, and the breeze lightly rattled the shutters.


    But Gu Shaoting was sitting by floor to ceiling windows with a frosty expression as he watched the peopleing and going outside. His patience had reached its limit.


    Finally, Tong Fei showed up as her usual eye-catching self.


    Dressed in thetest branded clothes, her every move was full of charm.


    Gu Shaoting could never figure out how such an ugly heart was hidden under her always charming appearance.


    After Tong Fei sat down, Gu Shaoting didn¡¯t beat around the bush and asked,


    ¡°Do you know Long Sanwei from the underworld, the man known as Lord Long?¡±


    Tong Fei¡¯s expression froze and her face turned pale when she heard this. She looked at Gu Shaoting timidly, hoping to get a clue from his expression, but to no avail. Gu Shaoting¡¯s face was cold as usual.


    Tong Fei didn¡¯t know how to answer his question. If she said yes, what would he think? If she said no, she woulde across as insincere. Gu Shaoting probably came prepared when he asked her this question.


    But why would Gu Shaoting ask her such a question?


    Tong Fei thought for a moment and then said, ¡°I know of him. We¡¯ve met a few times at events.¡±


    Tong Fei thought that her answer was bulletproof and perfect.


    However, Gu Shaoting didn¡¯t buy it. ¡°Have you met him recently? Did you ask him to do anything?¡±


    With this, Tong Fei finally understood why Gu Shaoting had asked to see her. He was here to interrogate her because he suspected her.


    Something must have happened to Shu Pan, so he came to find her.


    Tong Fei had been secretly gloating for a long time that Shu Pan finally got her retribution.


    But what kind of person was Tong Fei?


    She thought for a moment before she said with feigned innocence, ¡°We¡¯ve met once but I didn¡¯t ask him for do anything. We¡¯re from very different worlds so we rarely interact with each other.¡±


    After being in the entertainment industry for so long, she had decent acting skills. Moreover, Tong Fei was getting more acting jobs now, so her acting skills were improving by the day.


    ¡°Tong Fei, don¡¯t y games with me. You should know that provoking me will not end well.¡± Gu Shaoting still had the same cold expression, but his words were scary.


    Tong Fei¡¯s heart trembled and she immediately sobbed.

 Chapter 347 - 347: Revenge

    Chapter 347 - 347: Revenge


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    ¡°Tong Fei, let¡¯s not beat around the bush. You can¡¯t have forgotten so quickly about taking revenge on Shu Pan with Lord Long¡¯s help, right?¡± In the face of Tong Fei¡¯s feigned innocence, Gu Shaoting lost his patience.


    Tong Fei¡¯s heart skipped a beat. Her eyes wandered as she didn¡¯t dare to look directly at Gu Shaoting.


    How did Gu Shaoting find out about this so quickly? Lord Long had just told her two days ago to get ready. Who had betrayed her?


    But only she and Lord Long knew about their deal!


    Tong Fei couldn¡¯t figure it out, but she would never admit to anything because given Gu Shaoting¡¯s methods, she couldn¡¯t imagine how badly she would suffer.


    ¡°Shaoting, I really don¡¯t know Lord Long well. Do you think I am capable of making him do anything?¡± Tong Fei continued her rebuttal.


    ¡°Tong Fei, you¡¯re very capable. I just found out that it was you. It¡¯s better that you admit it now. If you don¡¯t, I¡¯ll have ways to find out eventually and I won¡¯t be talking to you so nicely then.¡± Gu Shaoting warned again in an even colder tone.


    ¡°It really wasn¡¯t me.¡± Tong Fei denied vehemently.


    ¡°Okay. Very well then.¡± Gu Shaoting stood up after he said that and looked down at Tong Fei before he turned and left.


    Gu Shaoting thought that she would admit it, but she didn¡¯t. He asked to meet so he could ask her face to face, but Tong Fei wasn¡¯t forting at all.


    Gu Shaoting finally lost his patience after her repeated excuses and denials.


    It seemed that she had underestimated him. He would make her regret it. He would not let go of anyone who hurt Shu Pan.


    Tong Fei saw Gu Shaoting leave so quickly and thought that he was at his wit¡¯s end.


    Although she couldn¡¯t get Gu Shaoting, she wouldn¡¯t let Shu Pan have things easy either.


    Gu Shaoting walked out of the caf¨¦ with a glower. His face also seemed to be covered with ayer of frost.


    He strode to his car and opened the door. His face was still dark and his brows were furrowed when he buckled his seat belt.


    Suddenly, he picked up his phone and called He Ming. ¡°Ming, contact Mr. Fu and arrange for me to meet him as soon as possible.¡±


    ¡°Mr. Fu? The Mr. Fu who is known as the ¡®Cold-faced Yama¡¯?¡± He Ming hesitated.


    Gu Shaoting knew what He Ming was worried about.


    He really didn¡¯t want to interact with Mr. Fu if it weren¡¯t for any thorny problem because this person was even more powerful than Lord Long.


    30% of the underworld power belonged to Lord Long, and 70% belonged to Mr. Fu.


    He had no choice but to ask Mr. Fu for help because he would be able to keep Lord Long at bay once and for all. He wouldn¡¯t allow another incident.


    Gu Shaoting was worried that there would be a second time because their first attempt failed. He had to think of aprehensive way to prevent it from happening again.


    ¡°Know the enemy and know yourself in a hundred battles you will never be in peril.¡±


    Gu Shaoting pondered for a moment about Sun Tzu¡¯s quote before he said,


    ¡°Just do as I say.¡±


    His tone was even more serious than before, without the slightest hesitation.


    ¡°Okay, Brother Ting, I¡¯ll contact him as soon as possible. You should be careful too.¡± He Ming saw that Gu Shaoting was so determined and didn¡¯t say anything


    more.


    He figured that it was good to have Mr. Fu to suppress Lord Long and his gang too. Gu Shaoting probably couldn¡¯t swallow his anger quickly even if he sent a few of Lord Long¡¯s men to the police station.


    ¡°Will do, thanks. That¡¯ll be all.¡± Gu Shaoting hung up the phone after giving his instructions.


    Gu Shaoting looked at the time. He didn¡¯t want to go back to the office and decided to go home and keep Shu Panpany..

 Chapter 348 - 348: Mr. Fu

    Chapter 348 - 348: Mr. Fu


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    The next day when Gu Shaoting arrived at his office, He Ming walked in immediately and told him that Mr. Fu would meet him on Friday night. He Ming had also briefed Mr. Fu so he knew what the meeting was about.


    Gu Shaoting nodded approvingly. He Ming was so efficient.


    He also wanted to solve this problem as soon as possible. Now that the swelling on Shu Pan¡¯s face had subsided, he wanted to catch up on his work as soon as possible.


    On Friday night, Gu Shaoting, apanied by He Ming, went to the biggest entertainment city in Bin City to meet Mr. Fu.


    After Gu Shaoting exined his intentions in detail, Mr. Fu didn¡¯t hesitate for a moment and made a phone call in front of him.


    Not long after, a man in his thirties walked in. Mr. Fu immediately introduced him to Gu Shaoting. ¡°Mr. Gu, this is Lord Long¡¯s right-hand man. Feel free to ask him any questions. He will tell you the truth.¡±


    The man respectfully addressed Mr. Fu as ¡°Master Fu¡± as soon as he saw him. It was obvious how high Mr. Fu¡¯s standing was in the underworld.


    Gu Shaoting felt a sense of relief when he heard Mr. Fu¡¯s words; he hade to the right person for help.


    After Mr. Fu finished introducing Lord Long¡¯s right-hand man to Gu Shaoting, he turned to the man and said, ¡°This is Mr. Gu from Gu Group. I asked you here today so he can get some answers. You just need to tell us what you know.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Master Fu.¡± Lord Long¡¯s right-hand man answered respectfully before he turned to Gu Shaoting and asked, ¡°Hello, Mr. Gu. What would you like to know?¡±


    Gu Shaoting leaned back idly on his chair and didn¡¯t move.


    He Ming, who was sitting next to him, picked up arge suitcase and ced it on the table. He opened it and stacks of red banknotes appeared before everyone¡¯s eyes.


    He Ming pushed the suitcase to Lord Long¡¯s right-hand man, whose eyes widened.


    Heavens, so much money.


    He Ming went straight to the point. ¡°This is for you. Tell me, what did you guys do to Shu Pan and who asked you to do it.¡±


    Lord Long¡¯s right-hand man was stunned. Before he could say anything, Mr. Fu added, ¡®You¡¯re a smart man. You just need to tell the truth. You don¡¯t have to be afraid of Lord Long. Even if he works another ten years, he can¡¯tpare to me, let alone Mr. Gu. Now is your chance.¡±


    Mr. Fu then nced at Gu Shaoting and asked, ¡°Don¡¯t you think so, Mr. Gu?¡±


    Gu Shaoting hadn¡¯t said a word since he greeted Mr. Fu until he nodded at Mr. Fu when asked the question.


    Lord Long¡¯s right-hand man was no fool. Master Fu was already like a god in his heart. Judging by Master Fu¡¯s attitude towards Mr. Gu, Mr. Gu must be a big shot that was so far from his reach.


    They were both nice to him now. How could he not appreciate them giving him face? Moreover, he understood that a man who adapted to circumstances was a wise man.


    He didn¡¯t dare to hold back and told them the truth.


    ¡°Mr. Gu, Master Fu, the kidnapping of Miss Shu was done by Lord Long¡¯s men. They tried hitting her with a car before but it didn¡¯t work. So, they decided to kidnap her this time around and take nude photos of her¡­¡±


    Lord Long¡¯s right-hand man¡¯s voice trailed off as he saw Gu Shaoting¡¯s face getting darker and darker.


    ¡°And? Who ordered it?¡± Gu Shaoting¡¯s cold voice rang out, making people tremble.


    ¡°It was Miss Tong Fei¡¯s idea. She and Lord Long are old friends. They knew each other before she joined the entertainment industry. The two of them kept in touch. Whenever Miss Tong Fei needed help from Lord Long, she would ask him out and give him some benefits. This wasn¡¯t a difficult task for Lord Long, so he agreed.¡±


    The man answered all the questions Gu Shaoting had..

 Chapter 349 - 349: So, That Was The Truth

    Chapter 349 - 349: So, That Was The Truth


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Seeing that no one spoke, the man continued, ¡°Miss Tong Fei said that she doesn¡¯t like Miss Shu because she stole her happiness. So, she wants to teach her a lesson. She wants to take nude photos and obscene videos of her and post them online to ruin her reputation¡­¡±


    He figured that Lord Long probably didn¡¯t know that he had offended a big shot like Mr. Gu. He didn¡¯t want to implicate himself after being threatened and bribedst time so he told them the location of the photo shoot.


    He also thought that it wouldn¡¯t matter because they would seed. In any case, he had helped Tong Fei vent her anger.


    But Lord Long¡¯s n failed this time. He was too ignorant to not find out who he was up against. Acting so recklessly was like pushing one¡¯s luck when on a losing streak, tempting fate until disaster finally cashes in the chips.


    The man was secretly worried for Lord Long.


    His womanizing ways had finallynded him in hot soup.


    Gu Shaoting shifted in his chair, his expression got more serious as the man revealed more information.


    Gu Shaoting took out a pack of cigarettes and quietly handed one to Mr. Fu and lit one for himself. He needed the smell of cigarette smoke to numb himself so he wouldn¡¯t act impulsively.


    The lingering smoke concealed his expression, but cold aura continued to emanate from his body.


    ¡°Mr. Gu, Master Fu, that¡¯s about all I know.¡± Lord Long¡¯s right-hand man stood timidly after he finished speaking. He was very afraid that the big shot would be unhappy and shoot the messenger.


    The air in the room hung heavy with an unspoken tension; it was deathly silent.


    Everyone was waiting for Gu Shaoting to speak.


    There was no emotion in his eyes. They were dark and unfathomable, making people shudder.


    So, it was Tong Fei who was behind all this. It was really an eye-opener for him to see a woman who looked so gentle and delicate have such vicious thoughts.


    She had done so many dirty things behind his back.


    If he hadn¡¯t made a phone call that day and overheard Lord Long¡¯s name, the consequences would have been unimaginable.


    Gu Shaoting¡¯s fingers that were holding the cigarette trembled slightly as he became afraid internally.


    Tong Fei should be d that she wasn¡¯t around now because Gu Shaoting couldn¡¯t guarantee that he wouldn¡¯t impulsively strangle her to death.


    He Ming also shuddered when he heard this. ¡°She¡¯s really heartless to do such a thing. She deserves to die.¡±


    Lord Long¡¯s right-hand man told them everything he knew, and the truth was out.


    Gu Shaoting was extremely angry now, but he suppressed it.


    Mr. Fu saw that Gu Shaoting didn¡¯t suggest any next step, so he asked, ¡°Mr. Gu, what do you n to do next? Why don¡¯t I help you settle this matter?¡±


    ¡°No, Mr. Fu, thank you. You¡¯ve already helped me a lot. I¡¯ll handle the next steps myself. Just lend me two people.¡± Gu Shaoting¡¯s tone was extremely serious.


    Mr. Fu was shocked. ¡°Sure, just tell me when.¡±


    Mr. Fu then looked at Lord Long¡¯s right-hand man and said, ¡°Stay close to Lord Long. Let me know as soon as he¡¯s up to something.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Master Fu.¡± The man nodded earnestly.


    He could already predict Lord Long¡¯s fate.


    Gu Shaoting also said to the man, ¡°I¡¯ll reward you handsomely.¡±


    The man looked like he had a heavy responsibility on his shoulders. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll let you know immediately if Lord Long has any ns.¡±


    He figured there was no way he would disappoint them.


    Gu Shaoting nodded in satisfaction. He had to be fully prepared and not put Shu Pan at risk anymore..

 Chapter 350 - 350 Giving Her A Taste Of Her Own Medicine, Part 1

    Chapter 350 - 350 Giving Her A Taste Of Her Own Medicine, Part 1


    There was nothing but silence in the car as they drove.


    He Ming asked Gu Shaoting, who was in the passenger seat, as he drove, ¡°Brother Ting, how do you want to deal with this?¡±


    Gu Shaoting was resting leaned back against the seat with his eyes closed, but the cold aura emanating from his body could still be felt.


    ¡°Give her a taste of her own medicine.¡± Gu Shaoting replied softly, but his cold tone was bone-chilling.


    He Ming frowned. ¡°Brother Ting, um¡­¡±


    He Ming wanted to dissuade him because moral integrity and reputation were extremely important to a woman.


    But Tong Fei¡¯s actions also infuriated and disgusted him.


    ¡°Ming, I¡¯m not going to give her any way out this time. I want this to stop once and for all.¡± Gu Shaoting¡¯s voice was full of determination.


    He Ming didn¡¯t say more. He understood how Gu Shaoting felt. If someone treated Xiaomeng like that, he probably wouldn¡¯t be as calm.


    ¡­


    Back at Shuimu Qinghua, Gu Shaoting opened the door. The apartment was quiet. The living room was bathed in warm yellow light from the wallmp. It was a wonderful feeling to have someone waiting for him toe home.


    He hadn¡¯t felt such warmth in a long time. He had really missed out on a lot.


    He walked quietly into the room and saw that the mother and daughter were sleeping peacefully in each other¡¯s arms. He was very happy.


    He reached out and pulled the nket over them before he walked out of the room and closed the door behind him.


    The moment Gu Shaoting closed the door, Shu Pan opened her eyes. She hadn¡¯t been sleeping well since the incident and woke up easily at the slightest disturbance.


    Shu Pan knew that Gu Shaoting had been really worried about hertely. While a certain part of her heart was slowly copsing, there was always a warm current flowing through her heart.

 Chapter 351 - 351: Giving Her A Taste Of Her Own Medicine, Part 2

    Chapter 351 - 351: Giving Her A Taste Of Her Own Medicine, Part 2


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    The elevator finally arrived.


    Shu Pan said goodbye to their neighbor Mrs. Lin before she walked into the elevator. Her face felt warm and she didn¡¯t dare to look at Gu Shaoting.


    On the contrary, Gu Shaoting was very pleased. The term ¡°Mrs. Gu¡± sounded like music to his ears.


    When he heard the neighbor address Shu Pan as ¡°Mrs. Gu¡±, he thought that Shu Pan would correct her. After all, they were divorced. However, unexpectedly, Shu Pan did not.


    He couldn¡¯t help but secretly rejoice in his heart. He hoped that Shu Pan could slowly feel his intentions.


    Tong Fei had been distracted since her disastrous meeting with Gu Shaoting.


    The more she thought about it, the more she felt that something was amiss. How did Gu Shaoting know about her deal with Lord Long?


    She immediately called Lord Long, ¡°Lord Long¡­¡±


    Tong Fei intentionally dragged out her sweet voice. She knew what Lord Long liked.


    ¡°Babe, what¡¯s wrong? Do you miss Lord Long?¡± Lord Long was still as lecherous as ever.


    Tong Fei endured the disgust in her heart and asked tentatively, ¡°Lord Long, how goes the matter I asked you to do?¡±


    ¡°Oh, I got someone to kidnap her and take a few photos. But Tong Fei, why didn¡¯t you tell me that the man behind this woman is so powerful? I don¡¯t know how he found me and asked me to tell him the address. He threatened and bribed me with all kinds of things. I had no choice but to tell him since I¡¯ve already helped you teach that woman a lesson.¡± Lord Long replied in a reproachful tone.


    ¡°Lord Long, I don¡¯t know either. Sorry to have troubled you.¡± Tong Fei was about to go crazy. So that was what happened. What an idiot!


    Was he a pig? Wouldn¡¯t he be admitting that he did it when he told him the location?


    This man with a lust-infested brain had probably implicated her¡­


    Gu Shaoting was so shrewd. He wouldn¡¯t have approached her if he wasn¡¯t sure.


    ¡°You have indeed! A few of my men were even sent to the police station because of this! I¡¯ve been so anxious.¡± Lord Long added.


    ¡°I¡¯m really sorry, Lord Long.¡± Tong Fei swallowed her anger and apologized again.


    ¡°If you really want to calm me down, let¡¯s get together tonight. How about it?¡± Chief Long revealed his true nature in less than three minutes.


    ¡°Lord Long, this is a critical period. Let¡¯s not meet for now andy low for a while, okay?¡± Tong Fei was still very rational. Gu Shaoting was still waiting to catch her in the act.


    ¡°Why? Tong Fei, you want to kick me away after using me?¡± Lord Long said sinisterly. He still had a secret weapon he had yet to use.


    It would make Tong Fei obediently agree to everything She¡¯d better not force


    his hand.


    ¡°No, Lord Long. It¡¯s just that something like this just happened. It¡¯s better for us to avoid arousing suspicion.¡± Tong Fei became more anxious as she spoke.


    ¡°Avoid arousing suspicion? Are you afraid that I¡¯ll implicate you?¡± Lord Long was starting to act unreasonably.


    Lord Long was a little upset. He opened the photo album on his phone, clicked on a photo, and sent it to her.


    Tong Fei felt her phone vibrate. Just as she was about to check the message, Lord Long¡¯s voice rang out again, ¡°Tong Fei, you¡¯ve never admired your own nude photos, right? Don¡¯t I have great photography skills? It¡¯s perfect, right?¡± Tong Fei looked at herself in the photo. She was lying naked on a bed with her


    eyes narrowed and her face flushed. Everyone knew what happened just by looking at the scene.


    Tong Fei felt as if she had been struck by lightning. When did this hooligan Long Sanwei secretly take this photo?


    She stared nkly at the photo on her phone and did not move.


    The anger in her heart instantly reached its peak and she stopped hearing Lord Long¡¯s voice on the other end of the phone..

 Chapter 352 - 352: Giving Her A Taste Of Her Own Medicine, Part

    Chapter 352 - 352: Giving Her A Taste Of Her Own Medicine, Part


    3


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    ¡°Tong Fei, are you still listening? Isn¡¯t it artistic? Don¡¯t you think that it¡¯s a pity that I¡¯m the only person admiring it? This kind of photo should be admired by everyone.¡± Long Sanwei¡¯s voice was filled with threat. He never believed that he couldn¡¯t tame her. He knew her Archilles heel.


    Only then did Tong Fei deeply regret being in cahoots with such a person.


    She stood rooted to the spot with her other hand balled into a fist. She felt as if she had been shattered into pieces.


    She had worked so hard for so many years. Was her status as a supermodel going to be ruined just like that?<div>


    No, absolutely not.


    She quickly collected herself and said coquettishly, ¡°Brother Long, you¡¯re so annoying. What¡¯s so good about the photo? Why don¡¯t we meet and talk?¡±


    ¡°Smart girl, I admire people like you. Let¡¯s meet at our usual ce.¡± Long Sanwei finally smiled. He had been really unluckytely. With so many worries, he had been a little anxious these past few days.


    ¡°Okay, Brother Long. See youter. Don¡¯t bete.¡± Tong Fei forced a smile and hung up the phone.


    As soon as she hung up, she threw her phone on the bed and tugged at her hair with all her might; she looked like she was on the verge of copse. She looked at herself in the mirror. She had long lost her former noble elegance.


    All because of a man, and one who didn¡¯t love her.


    Tong Fei smiled coldly. She had no way out now.


    In the evening, Tong Fei went out dressed fashionably. She was wearing a bright red, short pencil skirt, with a chiffon top, showing off her long, slender legs. As expected of a supermodel who mingled in the fashion circle every day, her outfit totally entuated her beautiful curves. She looked very alluring.


    Her goal tonight was very clear. She wanted Long Sanwei to delete that photo of her.


    Sigh, why was she so stupid back then to want to use him? She had been so naive.


    ¡°Brother Long, do you think you can delete the photo?¡± Tong Fei said coquettishly after they made out.


    ¡°I will. Don¡¯t worry, I don¡¯t want your career to be affected either. We¡¯re friends after all. I won¡¯t harm you.¡± Long Sanwei sounded reasonable.


    ¡°Then delete the photo. I¡¯ll be eternally grateful to you.¡± Tong Fei begged. That photo was a big problem for her.


    ¡°Alright, it¡¯s deleted.¡± Lord Long deleted the photo in front of her. What a stupid woman. Didn¡¯t she Imow that there was something called backup in this world?


    Tong Fei finally heaved a sigh of relief.


    ¡°Brother Long, do you know who called you that day?¡± Tong Fei probed.


    ¡°Someone with the surname Gu. He¡¯s probably a rich man to speak so arrogantly. He also knows Master Fu.¡± Lord Long recalled and felt that something was amiss.


    ¡°Will hee looking for trouble?¡± Tong Fei asked.


    ¡°Am I afraid of him? Come all he wants.¡± Long Sanwei¡¯s tone was arrogant. He couldn¡¯t lose his imposing manner in front of a beauty.


    Seeing Long Sanwei¡¯s behavior, Tong Fei was really worried that he would ruin things.


    ¡°You really don¡¯t have to worry. Don¡¯t you have me?¡± Long Sanwei put his arm around her shoulders.


    Tong Fei didn¡¯t dare to count on him, but she didn¡¯t show it.


    She forced a smile.


    She was very worried that Gu Shaoting would find out that she was the one behind all this.


    She had seen Gu Shaoting¡¯s revenge methods.


    Anyway, there was nothing he could do if she didn¡¯t admit it. Besides, she had his mother Song Can¡¯s blessings. Tong Fei calmed down a lot at the thought..

 Chapter 353 - 353: Giving Her A Taste Of Her Own Medicine, Part

    Chapter 353 - 353: Giving Her A Taste Of Her Own Medicine, Part


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Master Fu¡¯s men were very responsible. One of them calledte at night to report, ¡°Mr. Gu, the person you asked us to keep an eye on went out this evening. She¡¯s been at a hotel and still hasn¡¯te out. From the looks of it, she¡¯s probably on a date with someone but we don¡¯t know who with yet.¡±


    Gu Shaoting was out with Shu Pan and Joy the entire day. They were very tired when they got home and were getting ready for bed.


    But Gu Shaoting was still worried that it would be unsafe for Shu Pan to go out as long as this matter wasn¡¯t resolved.


    ¡°Okay, thanks. Let¡¯s take action tomorrow.¡± Gu Shaoting didn¡¯t want to wait any longer, because he couldn¡¯t afford to lose more time.


    Not long after Gu Shaoting hung up, Lord Long¡¯s right-hand man called and told him that Lord Long and Tong Fei were on a date at their usual ce tonight.<div>


    Gu Shaoting was even more certain of his decision now.


    As it was the weekend, the roads weren¡¯t too busy. Gu Shaoting arrived shortly at a high-end residential area.


    As soon as he opened the car door, two men in ck suits walked up to him. They were both tall and well-built, with no smile on their serious faces.


    When they saw Gu Shaoting, they immediately greeted him respectfully and called him ¡®Mr. Gu.¡±


    One of them then said, ¡°Mr. Gu, she came home this morning and hasn¡¯t gone out yet.¡±


    Gu Shaoting didn¡¯t say anything. He just nodded his acknowledgement.


    The three of them then got into the elevator.


    When they arrived at the 29th floor, Gu Shaoting walked out first and pressed the doorbell. There was only one unit on each floor of the building, so there was no need to look for her unit number.


    After a long while, azy and impatient voice sounded from inside the house,


    ¡°Who is it?¡±


    Gu Shaoting had obviously lost his patience and pressed the doorbell again.


    The door was quickly opened this time. ¡°Shaoting? Why are you here?¡±


    Tong Fei was still half-asleep, but when she saw Gu Shaoting, she got a shock and started panicking. Why did Gu Shaotinge to her? He had nevere to her ce since they knew each other.


    He wouldn¡¯te to her ce for no reason. Moreover, he seemed angry. It definitely wasn¡¯t good.


    At the thought of this, Tong Fei tried closing the door but Gu Shaoting was one step ahead of her and held the door with his hand so she couldn¡¯t close it.


    Gu Shaoting didn¡¯t answer her. He just looked back at the two men behind him.


    The two men immediately understood and entered Tong Fei¡¯s apartment. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Tong Fei shouted when she saw strangers walk into her home.


    Tong Fei was wearing a silk nightgown with nothing underneath. She felt inexplicably nervous when she saw the two burly men.


    Gu Shaoting didn¡¯t answer her. He walked in without a word and said to the two men, ¡°That will do. Hurry up.¡±


    ¡°Gu Shaoting, what do you mean by that? You are trespassing, I can call the police.¡± Tong Fei shouted.


    ¡°Call the police? I¡¯m totally fine if you want more people to admire your naked body.¡± Gu Shaotingughed.


    ¡°You¡­ Why are you doing this to me?¡± Tong Fei said hatefully. Her voice was filled with despair.


    ¡°I¡¯m just giving you a taste of your own medicine. Don¡¯t you like taking nude photos? That¡¯s why I¡¯m letting you take some.¡± Gu Shaoting rarely opened his mouth to exin but he let her know the reason..

 Chapter 354 - 354: Hopelessness

    Chapter 354 - 354: Hopelessness


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    ¡°Is it because of what happened to Shu Pan?¡± Tong Fei suddenly raised her head and looked at Gu Shaoting. Her eyes were filled with tears and her voice was trembling.


    ¡°Yes, you know best what you¡¯ve done. Don¡¯t think that I won¡¯t find out just because you denied it. Don¡¯t do things you don¡¯t people to find out.¡± Gu


    Shaoting was furious at the mention of the incident. Tong Fei was a vicious


    woman.


    He would make her suffer what Shu Pan had suffered.<div>


    ¡°Haha, so you found out. But since you are so resourceful, why didn¡¯t you find out who the mastermind is?¡± Tong Fei said sarcastically.


    ¡°What mastermind? Aren¡¯t you behind it?¡± Gu Shaoting snorted coldly.


    ¡°Haha, I thought you were so capable. Let me tell you out of kindness then. It was your mother¡¯s idea to take revenge on Shu Pan because she wasn¡¯t happy with her, and all you care about is Shu Pan.¡± Tong Fei¡¯s goal was to drag Song Can down with her.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Gu Shaoting¡¯s face looked like it was covered with ayer of frost now.


    ¡°As I said, this revenge on Shu Pan was instigated by your mother. If I call the police and tell them that the mastermind is Madam Song, what do you think will happen?¡± Tong Fei was like a lunatic now as she stepped unscrupulously on Gu Shaoting¡¯s sore spot.


    On one side was his mother who loved him, and on the other side was the person he loved.


    ¡°Do you think I¡¯ll let you off just because you said that?¡± Gu Shaoting felt that Tong Fei was still too naiVe. He would ask his mother about it, but Tong Fei was the one who contacted Lord Long and arranged everything. Did she think she could get away with it?


    Gu Shaoting closed the main door and gave the two men a look. He didn¡¯t want to talk with Tong Fei anymore.


    ¡°Hurry up.¡± Gu Shaoting urged again.


    The two men each held one of Tong Fei¡¯s arms and dragged her into the bedroom.


    ¡°What are you doing? Let go!¡±


    ¡°Gu Shaoting, why are you doing this to me?¡±


    ¡°Let go of me¡­¡±


    Gu Shaoting was unmoved no matter how Tong Fei screamed or shouted. He just sat on the sofa expressionlessly and quietly looked at the furnishings in Tong Fei¡¯s living room.


    ¡°Gu Shaoting, you lunatic. I love you so much. Why are you doing this to me?¡±


    ¡°Stop, don¡¯t touch me. Do you know that what you¡¯re doing is illegal? I¡¯m going to call the police.¡± Tong Fei shouted.


    ¡°Don¡¯t take off my clothes, don¡¯t touch me, you hooligans¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t take photos¡­ Sob, sob, get away from me¡­¡±


    A woman¡¯s strength was ultimately no match for two men. Tong Fei¡¯s voice got softer as it turned from arrogant speech into cry for mercy.


    After about 15 minutes, the bedroom finally quieted down.


    The two men came out and handed over their phones. ¡°Mr. Gu, everything you want is inside.¡±


    Gu Shaoting took the phones, looked at the photos, and nodded in satisfaction.


    ¡°Then we¡¯ll take our leave now, Mr. Gu.¡± One of the men said.


    ¡®Yes, thank you.¡± Gu Shaoting waited for them to leave before he walked slowly into the bedroom.


    Tong Fei had none of her former elegance now. She looked like a frightened little bird as she curled up in a corner of her bed with a thin sheet draped over her body. Her eyes were red and swollen like walnuts.


    When she saw Gu Shaoting walk in, she shot daggers at him with her eyes.


    ¡°Gu Shaoting, you¡¯ll get your retribution.¡± Tong Fei said fiercely. Her voice was hoarse as she had been shouting for a long time.


    ¡°Retribution? I¡¯m not afraid because you just got your retribution for your bad deed.¡± Gu Shaoting¡¯s expression cold as always..

 Chapter 355 - 355: The Interrogation

    Chapter 355 - 355: The Interrogation


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    ¡°I only did it because I love you. Why are you doing this to me?¡± Tong Fei said in despair.


    ¡°Love? Please don¡¯t insult love. There¡¯s nothing wrong with loving someone, but you can¡¯t hurt someone in the name of love!¡± Gu Shaoting looked at her expressionlessly.


    ¡°Shu Pan is the woman I love. Stop plotting against her. I now have nude photos of you. Whether they will be posted online depends on my mood. Let me give you a kind suggestion. It¡¯s best if you leave the country and develop your career abroad like before.¡± Gu Shaoting¡¯s lips curled into a cold smile.


    He walked up to Tong Fei and looked down at her. ¡°Don¡¯t even think about asking Lord Long for help. It¡¯ll be like asking a drowning man to give you swimming lessons.¡±


    Tong Fei was shocked. How did he guess what she was thinking? ¡°In short, watch yourself.¡± With that, Gu Shaoting opened the door and left.<div>


    ¡°Ah¡­ Ah¡­ Ah!¡± Tong Fei was on the verge of copse as she sat miserably on the floor. She was all alone in her apartment now. She just covered her face and cried.


    The scene of the two men tearing her clothes apart and taking obscene photos of her kept ying in her mind.


    She couldn¡¯t imagine what she had just experienced.


    Although she was not born to be the center of attention, she had never suffered such humiliation.


    The way Gu Shaoting treated her was worse than killing her. How could he treat her like that?


    For the sake of Shu pan? What was so good about Shu Pan that he had to do that for her?


    The more Tong Fei thought about it, the more hatred grew in her heart. She hated them both!


    After Gu Shaoting left Tong Fei¡¯s apartment, he didn¡¯t go straight home to Shuimu Qinghua. Instead, he turned his car towards the old Gu residence.


    When he got there, Song Can was home.


    ¡°Hey, how are you free toe back today? Why didn¡¯t you say something earlier? I could have asked Auntie Wang to make you some soup.¡± Song Can acted like a loving mother.


    ¡°No need.¡± Gu Shaoting replied coldly.


    Song Can saw that something was wrong and asked with concern, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    Gu Shaoting couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Mom, did you ask Tong Fei to get people to teach Shu Pan a lesson?¡± He couldn¡¯t believe that his mother would do such a thing. Although his mother didn¡¯t like Shu Pan, she onlyined in words.


    ¡°Huh? What are you talking about? I don¡¯t understand.¡± Song Can was shocked. How did Gu Shaoting know? Did Tong Fei tell him? But it couldn¡¯t be because she was the one who arranged everything.


    ¡°Tong Fei asked someone from the underworld to kidnap Shu Pan and take nude photos of her. Fortunately, I stopped them in time, or the consequences would be unimaginable. Tong Fei said that you were the one who instigated it.¡± Gu Shaoting didn¡¯t want to beat around the bush. He wanted to put his foot down today.


    ¡°What? Underworld? Kidnap? I don¡¯t know anything about that. I only mentioned that I would teach Shu Pan a lesson so that she wouldn¡¯t be so smug. I didn¡¯t think that it would cause such a big mess.¡± Song Can waspletely flustered now. Why did Tong Fei say that?


    She had never thought about kidnapping Shu Pan to do such a thing.


    How did Tong Fei know people from the underworld? How could she do such a thing? It was totally out of her expectations. That wasn¡¯t the Tong Fei she Imew, or did she really know her at all?


    Was Tong Fei trying to put the me on her, to drag her down with her? To think that she treated her like her own daughter.


    One really couldn¡¯t judge a book by its cover.


    ¡°Mom, how can you be so muddle-headed? If you don¡¯t like Shu Pan, we¡¯ll just appear less in front of you. How can you do such a heartless thing? I¡¯m so disappointed in you.¡±


    Gu Shaoting never expected his mother to be involved. Although she was unaware of Tong Fei¡¯s actions, he couldn¡¯t forgive her for tacitly allowing Tong Fei to hurt Shu Pan..

 Chapter 356 - 356: So Flattered

    Chapter 356 - 356: So ttered


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    ¡°Shaoting, Mom really didn¡¯t know. I don¡¯t like Shu Pan, but I never thought of teaching her such a lesson.¡± Song Can found it difficult to defend herself.


    She suddenly felt that Tong Fei had set her up.


    Tong Fei was too infuriating. She had always treated her well. How could she do this to her?


    She was simply driving a wedge between her and her son.


    ¡°Mom, let me make myself clear today. I love Shu Pan. Whether you agree or not, I¡¯ll be with her even if she hasn¡¯t agreed to get back together with me. Please stop making things worse.¡± Gu Shaoting said firmly.<div>


    Song Can sat on the sofa like a rooster that had just lost cockfight. She never imagined that was how her son saw her.


    ¡°Mom, please spare a thought for me and your granddaughter Joy.¡± Gu Shaoting pleaded, hoping that his mother would change after this incident.


    Song Can just sat there, clueless about what to do next.


    Gu Shaoting left after saying his piece.


    At home, Shu Pan was ying house with Joy. The two of them were having such a good time that they didn¡¯t even notice Gu Shaoting¡¯s return. Gu Shaoting deliberately cleared his throat before Shu Pan turned her head.


    ¡°You¡¯re home.¡±


    ¡°Yes, what have you been busy with today?¡± Gu Shaoting asked casually.


    ¡°Nothing much. I¡¯m going back to work tomorrow, so I just tidied up a little at home.¡± Shu Pan said as she helped Joy keep her toys.


    Gu Shaoting frowned but didn¡¯t say anything, because he knew that even if he said it, Shu Pan would still insist on her opinion.


    The next day, Shu Pan woke up very early. The morning sun streamed through the windows into the house, making time seem especially quiet. She was in a daze for a long time before she snapped out of it.


    Gu Shaoting woke up early too so he could drop them off ¨C Joy first, and then Shu Pan.


    On the way, Gu Shaoting reminded Shu Pan again to be careful and to wait for him to pick her up after work.


    Shu Pan nodded helplessly. Things were still unclear, so it was better to be careful.


    She hadn¡¯t been in office for a few days and felt a little unfamiliar.


    ¡°Shu Pan, you¡¯re finally back. Are you alright now?¡± Tang Wei shouted excitedly as she walked into the office and saw Shu Pan.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine. Thank you for your concern.¡± Shu Pan smiled. She felt much more rxed after she saw everyone¡¯s friendly faces.


    ¡°You¡¯re so lucky. You get to rest for so many days just because you weren¡¯t feeling well.¡± MO Lan said jealously when she saw Shu Pan.


    ¡°Ignore her. Some people just can¡¯t stand seeing others do well.¡± Tang Wei pulled Shu Pan to her desk.


    When their director saw Shu Pan, he quickly walked over and asked, ¡°Shu Pan, are you alright? Why don¡¯t you rest for a few more days at home?¡±


    Shu Pan felt so ttered. Why was her director so nice to her?


    Was he nice to her because he thought that she and Gu Shaoting were in some kind of rtionship?


    Shu Pan felt slightly embarrassed. It was better not to exin. Exnation would just lead to more confusion.


    ¡°Thank you for your concern, Director. I feel fine.¡± Shu Pan replied.


    ¡°Okay then. Come find me if you have any questions.¡± The director left after he said that.


    Shu Pan was soon deep at work.


    Meanwhile, as soon as Gu Shaoting sat down in his office, He Ming pushed the door open and entered.


    ¡°How did it go yesterday?¡± He Ming offered to handle the matter but Gu Shaoting said he would do it himself.


    ¡°Good. It went very smoothly.¡± Gu Shaoting nodded. He leaned back in his chair, looking rxed.


    ¡°Did you post the photos online?¡± He Ming didn¡¯t know what Gu Shaoting was up to.


    Gu Shaoting¡¯s lips curled into a cold smile. His voice was as cold as the mid -winter ice as he said, ¡°Not yet.. Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s more interesting to keep her hanging and make her worry every day?¡±

 Chapter 357 - 357: Keep Them Hanging

    Chapter 357 - 357: Keep Them Hanging


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    ¡°People in the entertainment industry are most afraid of such scandals. You¡¯ve already got her Archilles heel. I reckon she won¡¯t dare to do anything rash anymore.¡± He Ming agreed.


    ¡°That¡¯s hard to say. We¡¯ll see.¡± Gu Shaoting felt that one should never judge a book by its cover. He had already misjudged Tong Fei.


    ¡°Is Shu Pan okay now?¡± He Ming felt that it would be difficult for a woman to recover from such a thing. She would at least be a little traumatized.


    ¡°She looks fine but she¡¯s still very scared inside. She¡¯s been having nightmares.¡± Gu Shaoting sighed. There were faint dark circles under his eyes.


    He didn¡¯t even dare to fall into deep sleep nowadays. As soon as he heard Shu Pan stirring, he would get up tofort her, just like a loving mother.<div>


    ¡°Take it slow. Shu Pan seems to have changed her opinion of you after this incident. She relies on you now.¡± He Ming teased, hoping that his good friend would finally get his girl back.


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Gu Shaoting nodded as he casually tapped his fingers on his desk.


    ¡°Oh, then what about Lord Long? Do you need to talk to him?¡± He Ming suddenly thought of this person.


    ¡°Do you think it¡¯s necessary?¡± Gu Shaoting raised the pitch of his voice.


    ¡°A local hooligan like him doesn¡¯t have a code of conduct. I¡¯m worried that he would cause trouble again.¡± He Ming had always been a thorough person.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ve already called Chief Han. The entertainment venues under


    Lord Long¡¯s name have been reported to be hiding drugs. They will all be shut down soon. He¡¯ll have enough things to worry about.¡± Gu Shaoting looked like he already knew what would happen.


    This was just a warning to Lord Long. Gu Shaoting wasn¡¯t about to let him off.


    He¡¯d just keep him hanging for a while.


    ¡°That would be for the best. You don¡¯t have to get your hands dirty.¡± He Ming chuckled. As expected of Brother Ting, his execution skills were top-notch.


    ¡°Yes, I wouldn¡¯t want to dirty my hands by dealing with such a person.¡± Gu Shaoting said with disdain.


    ¡°Alright, your matter is almost settled. I¡¯m going to take the next two days off. It¡¯s my Empress Dowager¡¯s birthday. We used to celebrate with a family meal but I don¡¯t know what got into her this time that she wanted to host a banquet.¡± He Ming said helplessly.


    He Ming¡¯s mother had always objected to hosting birthday banquets because she felt that it was too troublesome.


    But she suggested it this time, saying that she wanted to invite some rtives and friends to celebrate with her.


    He Ming couldn¡¯t help but feel curious. He asked his mother why she changed her mind this time. Who knew that her answer almost made him vomit blood¡­


    His mother said righteously that he didn¡¯t have a girlfriend before despite his age. If she invited rtives and friends to celebrate her birthday, everyone would just focus on why He Ming wasn¡¯t married.


    She was already upset about hisck of marriage, so she didn¡¯t want to make things difficult for herself.


    But things were different now. He Ming had a girlfriend now. She wanted everyone to meet Xiaomeng at her birthday banquet.


    She was excited just thinking about it. Her wish of having grandchildren would probablye true soon.


    He Ming really wanted to roll his eyes. So, it was his fault that his mother couldn¡¯t entertain guests before? Was it a heinous crime to not have a girlfriend?


    What a sin. It seemed that he had been an unfilial son.


    ¡°Good, make it grand. Make the old folks happy. Just let me know if you need any help.¡± Gu Shaoting stood up and patted He Ming¡¯s shoulder.


    After He Ming left his office, Gu Shaoting walked to the floor to ceiling windows. He also wanted his family to live in harmony but why was it so difficult?


    Because of Shu Pan¡¯s incident, there was now a barrier between him and Song Can which he still couldn¡¯t get over.


    He didn¡¯t dare to imagine the consequences if Shu Pan found out that Song Can had tacitly agreed to the kidnapping and obscene photo-taking..

 Chapter 358 - 358: A Bestie Get-together

    Chapter 358 - 358: A Bestie Get-together


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    He Ming nned his mother¡¯s birthday banquet meticulously. He strove for perfection to please the olddy.


    He hadn¡¯t seen Xiaomeng for the past two days.


    Ye Xiaomeng wasn¡¯t feeling rxed either. She had been nervous since He Ming¡¯s mother phoned her personally and invited her over for dinner this weekend.


    He Ming said that it was his mother¡¯s birthday this weekend and she was very enthusiastic this time and invited her friends and family to celebrate with her. He Ming didn¡¯t dare to tell Xiaomeng that the main reason his mother was hosting a birthday ban was because of her.


    He didn¡¯t say anything because he was afraid that it would give her unnecessary pressure.<div>


    Soon, it was Saturday. The sun was shining brightly and there was a soft breeze. It was a good day to go shopping.


    However, Ye Xiaomeng still slept until 11 0¡¯clock. She washed up quickly as soon as she got up and ate two slices of bread to pad her stomach. She then called Shu Pan to ask if she was ready to go out.


    Shu Pan had sent Joy back to Lotus Town yesterday, so she was free today for some shopping, eating, and drinking.


    Shu Pan and Ye Xiaomeng wandered aimlessly in thergest shopping mall in Bin City.


    ¡°Girl, what do you think I should get He Ming¡¯s mother for her birthday?¡± Ye Xiaomeng asked in desperation. She had no idea at all.


    She had the same problem when it was He Ming¡¯s birthday.


    ¡°The best birthday present for her is you packaging yourself as her daughter-inw.¡± Shu Pan teased. It was indeed not easy to buy gifts for elders.


    ¡°Stop it. I¡¯m serious.¡± Ye Xiaomeng pped Shu Pan¡¯s arm.


    The gift had to be just right. After all, it would be embarrassing to show up with a petty gift in front of so many rtives and friends.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you get her gold jewelry? Gold retains its value.¡± Shu Pan suggested. Gold jewelry was probably sincere enough as a birthday gift.


    ¡°That works.¡± Ye Xiaomeng felt that it was a good idea. No one disliked gold, right?


    Hence, the decision was made happily despite Xiaomeng¡¯s heartache when she thought about the money she would have to fork out.


    Trading pearls for wisdom. That was Xiaomeng¡¯s mentality now.


    Inside a branded jewelry store, Shu Pan and Ye Xiaomeng looked at rings, bracelets, bangles, and so on.


    In the end, they decided on a bracelet.


    It was a gold bracelet carved with elegant patterns, which would look good on any elderly or middle-aged woman.


    After the bracelet was gift wrapped, the two of them were hungry and quickly walked to a hotpot restaurant.


    They had already made reservations at the hotpot restaurant. It was a popr restaurant and tables were hard toe by.


    ¡°I ordered a mixed soup base. You order the ingredients.¡± Shu Pan handed the menu to Xiaomeng.


    ¡°Okay. Duck intestines, tripe, wagyu beef, enoki mushrooms¡­¡± Ye Xiaomeng rattled off more than ten dishes in one go without even catching her breath. They were all hotpot essentials.


    It was obvious that she was an experienced foodie.


    The two of them had known each other for more than ten years. They were like family to each other.


    Xiaomeng was a very important friend in Shu Pan¡¯s life.


    When they were students, they often hung out at all kinds of restaurants. Shu Pan¡¯s life was hard in the past few years, so she rarely went out.


    But things were different now. They could finally eat and drink together again. After Xiaomeng ordered the dishes, she sat down opposite Shu Pan, picked up her teacup, took a sip of tea and then stared at Shu Pan.


    She stared at Shu Pan for a long time before she said, ¡°Girl, you really scared me this time. You must be more careful in the future.¡±


    Sometimes, it was a real blessing to be able to sit and eat together.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry for making you worry.¡± Shu Pan said apologetically. She really made everyone worry.


    ¡°But why do I feel like you are a little different after the incident?¡± Ye Xiaomeng stared at Shu Pan again.


    ¡°How am I different?¡± Shu Pan felt that she was the same and Ye Xiaomeng was making a fuss over nothing..

 Chapter 359 - 359: I Care About You

    Chapter 359 - 359: I Care About You


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    ¡°Your smile is so radiant and genuine. You¡¯re just short of a ¡®I¡¯m in love¡¯ sticker on your face.¡± Ye Xiaomeng¡¯s voice was quite loud, and people around them looked over.


    Shu Pan¡¯s face flushed as she chuckled. ¡°What are you talking about? My dear Miss Ye, can you please pay more attention to your image?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s true. I heard from He Ming that your incident scared Gu Shaoting to death. He¡¯s never seen him panic like that before.¡± Ye Xiaomeng¡¯s expression was a little exaggerated when she said that. Shu Pan couldn¡¯t help but smile.


    A gentle smile that made people feel veryfortable.


    Seeing Shu Pan¡¯s ¡°in love¡± expression, Ye Xiaomeng was genuinely happy for best friend.<div>


    Shu Pan had so many suitors, but none of them seemed to be able to mover her, except for Gu Shaoting.


    Perhaps it was because of deep love that she hurt so deeply.


    Ye Xiaomeng suddenly called Shu Pan¡¯s name and said with a serious expression, ¡°Panpan, you must be happy. Although Gu Shaoting has hurt you before, I support you getting back together if he can protect you for the rest of your life. After all, no one is without mistakes. Moreover, he¡¯s Joy¡¯s father. This kind of blood rtionship can never be broken.¡±


    ¡°I know, Xiaomeng. I can see his sincerity. I will slowly try to let him in, especially after this incident. It feels like a rebirth. You don¡¯t know how I felt in that moment of despair. I thought to myself, if I survive, I will let go of everything. The rest of my life is not long. I really should cherish it.¡± Shu Pan said emotionally.


    Finally, they could start eating. Shu Pan picked up the cooked food and put it in Xiaomeng¡¯s bowl. The two of them chatted andughed as they ate.


    Halfway through the meal, Gu Shaoting called.


    Shu Pan was stunned. ¡°Excuse me for answering this call.¡±


    Ye Xiaomeng waved her hand. Gu Shaoting¡¯s voice was as deep and sexy as ever when he said, ¡°Why aren¡¯t you home? Where are you now?¡±


    It sounded like a reprimand, but Shu Pan knew that he was concerned about her. She replied gently, ¡°I¡¯m eating hotpot with Xiaomeng outside.¡± After a short pause, she heard Gu Shaoting say, ¡°Where?¡±


    ¡°Haido on Guilin North Road.¡± Shu Pan paused before she continued, ¡°You don¡¯t like hotpot anyway. Have you eaten?¡±


    ¡°Um, I haven¡¯t eaten yet. You guys continue. Eat more.¡± Gu Shaoting hung up after saying that.


    Shu Pan didn¡¯t give it much thought and continued eating.


    ¡°Girl, you guys are still in the early stages of your rtionship and you are already stuck together? I didn¡¯t expect Gu Shaoting, the CEO of a corporation, to be so diligent.¡± Ye Xiaomeng was shocked.


    ¡°No, he¡¯s just asking. Isn¡¯t your He Ming way clingier?¡± Shu Pan checkmated Ye Xiaomeng.


    Just as they were about done with their meal, Gu Shaoting came looking for them.


    Shu Pan thought that she was seeing things. Why was he here?


    ¡°Why are you here? We¡¯re almost done.¡± Shu Pan said.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. I¡¯m here to pick you up. I just ate something to fill my stomach.¡± Gu Shaoting had nothing to do anyvvay. He wished that he could stick to Shu Pan every day.


    Gu Shaoting saw that they were about to leave, so he asked for the bill and paid it.


    Ye Xiaomeng saw that and said deliberately, ¡°Sigh, if I knew that someone was paying, I would have ordered more and picked the expensive ingredients.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. Come and eat again when you have time. I¡¯ll pay for it.¡± Gu Shaoting would do anything to make Shu Pan happy, let alone buying her hotpot meals with her best friend.


    ¡°You¡¯ll be stuffed to death. Let¡¯s go.¡± Shu Pan gave Ye Xiaomeng a gentle shove.


    ¡°You¡¯re already thedy of the house?¡± Ye Xiaomeng raised her eyebrows before they left the restaurant together.


    The two of them had eaten to their heart¡¯s content. Ye Xiaomeng was also happy, but her troubles wereing soon..

 Chapter 360 - 360: Mrs. He’s Birthday Banquet, Part 1

    Chapter 360 - 360: Mrs. He¡¯s Birthday Banquet, Part 1


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Mrs. He¡¯s birthday banquet was scheduled for Sunday. Ye Xiaomeng woke up very early that morning and put on light makeup. This kind of asion called for ady-like outfit, so she chose a light-colored striped dress in a prim and proper style.


    Ye Xiaomeng checked herself out in the mirror repeatedly, feeling very satisfied. As many of He Ming¡¯s rtives and friends would be at the banquet, she didn¡¯t want to leave them with a bad impression of her.


    He Ming didn¡¯t sleep at Xiaomeng¡¯sst night because he had to put up party decorations at home.


    But he would be there to pick Xiaomeng upter. Therefore, Xiaomeng wanted to get ready first, change into the dress, and check herself out in the mirror.


    The person in the mirror looked delicate, pretty and domesticated. Ye Xiaomeng was all set and just waiting for He Ming to arrive.<div>


    But she was feeling a little nervous. After all, she and He Ming had never faced so many people together since they started dating.


    She felt like the proverbial ugly daughter-inw who must eventually face her parents-inw.


    When He Ming arrived and saw Xiaomeng¡¯s outfit, emotions surged in the depths of his gaze.


    ¡°You look so beautiful today.¡± He Ming¡¯s voice sounded a little hoarse.


    ¡°Just today?¡± Ye Xiaomeng challenged him.


    ¡°Always, but you are especially beautiful today.¡± He Ming couldn¡¯t help but hug Xiaomeng, trying to steal a kiss.


    ¡°So, you like me dressed like this?¡± Xiaomeng felt a flock of cartoon crows cawing as they flew over her head.


    ¡°You have the Mrs. He look today.¡± She looked virtuous and very different from her usual self.


    ¡°You¡¯re so glib. Let¡¯s go now. Auntie is probably waiting for us.¡± Ye Xiaomeng dragged him to go, afraid that he would have other ideas.


    This person did not care when and where they¡¯d have sex. Ye Xiaomeng didn¡¯t want him to smudge her makeup.


    ¡°Actually, we have time. There¡¯s no hurry.¡± He Ming teased.


    Ye Xiaomeng pushed him out the door.


    In the car, Ye Xiaomeng couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Who have you invited?¡±


    ¡°Just our rtives and a few of my mother¡¯s friends.¡± Gu Shaoting answered while driving.


    ¡°Are you feeling nervous? Like the proverbial ugly daughter-inw who must meet her parents-inw?¡± He Ming joked when he saw her restless look.


    ¡°You¡¯re ugly. Your whole family is ugly.¡± Xiaomeng felt that this man asked for a scolding sometimes. He knew that she was nervous, yet he still teased her.


    ¡°It¡¯s just a matter of time. Don¡¯t be nervous. I¡¯m here.¡± He Ming squeezed Xiaomeng¡¯s hand as they waited for a traffic light to turn green.


    When they arrived at the He residence, there were already many people there. Mrs. He was busy entertaining the guests, afraid that she would neglect any one of them.


    Xiaomeng carried her gift for Mrs. He and followed He Ming in. Everyone looked at her curiously.


    Suddenly, He Ming turned his head, reached out to hold her hand and walked forward.


    ¡°He Ming, let go.¡± Ye Xiaomeng was shocked by his sudden action. She was not used to holding hands in public.


    She felt like a circus animal being watched.


    ¡°Come, let me introduce you to my rtives.¡± He Ming didn¡¯t care about Xiaomeng¡¯sint and continued to hold her hand.


    After Mrs. He spoke to one of the guests, she saw Xiaomeng. ¡°Xiaomeng, you¡¯re here.¡±


    She was smiling so brightly that she was all teeth and no eyes.


    ¡°Happy birthday, Auntie.¡± Ye Xiaomeng handed Mrs. He her birthday present.


    ¡°Silly child, you shouldn¡¯t have.¡± Mrs. He liked Ye Xiaomeng even more after seeing how sensible she was.


    Although He Ming¡¯s hand was wrapped around Xiaomeng¡¯s, she felt a stare from the crowd shooting at her like an arrow.


    That gaze followed her the entire time. Xiaomeng wanted to see who it was, but she never got the chance.


    He Ming dragged her around the party venue, and she felt her face numb from smiling.


    He Ming also noticed Xiaomeng¡¯s odd behavior, so he stopped and found a ce for her to sit down..

 Chapter 361 - 361: Mrs. He l s Birthday Banquet, Part 2

    Chapter 361 - 361: Mrs. He l s Birthday Banquet, Part 2


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    ¡°Sit here for a while. I¡¯ll get you some appetizers to pad your stomach.¡± He Ming said gently to Ye Xiaomeng.


    ¡°No need, I¡¯m not hungry. Go and entertain your other guests. I¡¯ll sit here for a while and look for youter.¡± Ye Xiaomeng needed time alone. More importantly, she wanted to find out who had been staring at her. What did this person want?


    ¡°So, you¡¯re Brother He¡¯s girlfriend?¡± Sure enough, as soon as He Ming left, a female voice sounded. However, her voice sounded shrill, and people could not help but turn and look.


    ¡°Yes.¡± Ye Xiaomeng looked at the person who spoke. Was it her? Actually, she had guessed it earlier, but because there were so many people and they kept walking, she could not see clearly and wasn¡¯t very sure.


    The approaching woman was young and beautiful. She was wearing a long dress with red polka dots, which entuated her slim waist. Her makeup was slightly thick. It was obvious that she deliberately dressed up for the asion. However, her face was serious because she was angry.<div>


    They had met twice, but they did not know each other.


    The approaching woman was Hu Shanshan. She was stunned when she saw Ye Xiaomeng. She had met Ye Xiaomeng once at the DV store when they fought over the same shirt. She didn¡¯t expect her to be Brother He¡¯s girlfriend.


    ¡°I thought his girlfriend was some kind of fairy, but it¡¯s you!¡± Hu Shanshan¡¯s tone was disdainful as she nced at Xiaomeng.


    Ye Xiaomeng remained calm on the sofa. ¡°Yes, it¡¯s me. But it seems that your Brother He likes my kind. Very sorry, haha.¡± Ye Xiaomeng couldn¡¯t help but retort.


    So, this was He Ming¡¯s ¡°sister¡± but the adoration she had for He Ming was overflowing from her face.


    Men were indeed thick sometimes. They couldn¡¯t feel such adoration and still treated the woman like a sister, giving her tender loving care. Ye Xiaomeng was suddenly a little angry with He Ming.


    Meanwhile, He Ming, who was entertaining guests, couldn¡¯t help but sneeze.


    ¡°You must have used some seductive methods to be Brother He¡¯s girlfriend, right?¡± Hu Shanshan was so angry at Ye Xiaomeng¡¯s smug reaction that she wanted to stomp her feet.


    ¡°Seductive methods? Oh, that¡¯s right, your Brother He loves my tricks.¡± Ye Xiaomeng found it funny that Hu Shanshan thought of her as a homewrecker. This woman was really spoiled.


    ¡°You shameless woman. Brother He is just ying around. He isn¡¯t serious about you.¡± Hu Shanshan looked at Ye Xiaomeng¡¯s outfit and makeup. There was nothing stunning about her except her dark clear eyes that sucked people in. What was she if she wasn¡¯t a homewrecker?


    ¡°Watch your words. Your Brother He doesn¡¯t like shrews. Miss Hu, if a man loves you, he will think that whatever you do is right. If he doesn¡¯t love you, even if you strip naked and stand in front of him, he will turn a blind eye to you. So, stop adding more scenes for yourself because if you don¡¯t add them well, you will only make the man hate you more.¡±


    Ye Xiaomeng said tly as she looked at Hu Shanshan with a sarcastic gaze. She even chuckled, which annoyed Hu Shanshan very much.


    Hu Shanshan felt as if a fire was burning in her heart. She felt that Ye


    Xiaomeng was insinuating that she tried to seduce He Ming but he was unmoved.


    How did Ye Xiaomeng know about that? Did He Ming tell her? Or did she guess


    Ye Xiaomeng felt really unlucky, like she had been bitten by a dog today. Of all people, she must run into this woman. Her good mood for the day was utterly ruined.


    They had met twice but this woman had no respect for anyone at all. The feeling she gave people was that of a disrespectful, spoiled and entitled brat who thought that she was the best..

 Chapter 362 - 362 Mrs. Hes Birthday Banquet, Part 3

    Chapter 362 - 362 Mrs. He''s Birthday Banquet, Part 3


    ¡°It¡¯s you who¡¯s interested in the title of Mrs. He, right?¡± Ye Xiaomeng didn¡¯t want to argue with her and hit the nail on the head.


    Hu Shanshan¡¯s face turned even redder after being exposed.


    She was about to retaliate when she saw He Ming walking in their direction. She stopped talking immediately to leave a good impression.


    She then put on a pitiful look that made those not in the know think that Ye Xiaomeng was bullying her.


    As He Ming got closer, he saw Hu Shanshan standing beside Ye Xiaomeng. He was shocked and picked up his pace.


    Because he had learned his lesson with Hu Shanshan. Nothing good ever happened when she was around. She must be causing trouble again.<div>


    ¡°Mengmeng¡­¡± He Ming called out to Ye Xiaomeng as he approached the girls.


    Hu Shanshan also looked over when she heard his voice. Although she had met He Ming many times, her heart still beat wildly every time she saw him.


    He Ming stood tall and straight, with broad shoulders and a narrow waist. His nose bridge was very high, his eyebrows were thick and spirited. The contours of his face were sharp but smooth.


    His light gray trousers matched his ck short-sleeved shirt. His equally attractive body was wrapped in clothes, but they made him look noble.


    Hu Shanshan became even more nervous and looked a little shy as He Ming approached.


    ¡°Brother He¡­¡± Hu Shanshan greeted him shyly.


    ¡°Hi¡­¡± He Ming nodded coldly. She was still a guest here, so he couldn¡¯t give her the annoyed face but his expression was like when he met a stranger.


    ¡°Mengmeng, what took you so long? Are you tired?¡± He Ming asked with concern. He waited for a while but she didn¡¯te to find him.


    ¡°I¡¯m not tired. I¡¯m just chatting with Miss Hu.¡± Ye Xiaomeng said indifferently.

 Chapter 363 - 363: Future Daughter-in-Law

    Chapter 363 - 363: Future Daughter-in-Law


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi- Bo Studio


    ¡°Ming, Xiaomeng,e here for a moment.¡± Mrs. He saw them from not far away and waved desperately at them.


    ¡°Come, let me introduce you. This is Xiaomeng, He Ming¡¯s girlfriend.¡± Mrs. He asked them over so she could introduce Xiaomeng to their rtives.


    ¡°Hello, everyone.¡± Xiaomeng said politely.


    No matter how bold and extroverted Xiaomeng was, she couldn¡¯t help but blush at such a scene.


    He Ming¡¯s rtives all look at them meaningfully.<div>


    ¡°He Ming, we¡¯ll be attending your wedding banquet soon, yeah?¡± A family friend even teased.


    ¡°I¡¯ll definitely inform everyone when the timees.¡± He Ming smiled so widely that he was all teeth and no eyes.


    Mrs. He was also smiling from ear to ear, holding Xiaomeng¡¯s arm.


    Two people around them whispered to each other when no one was paying attention. One of them said with a hint of disdain, ¡°She doesn¡¯t look that outstanding what? I wonder what her family background is like.¡±


    ¡°Their family background is not bad to begin with. They don¡¯t need powerful inws. She just needs to give birth to a chubby grandson for her.¡± Another voice sounded, obviously someone very close with Mrs. He.


    ¡°Mom, so you¡¯re here?¡± Hu Shanshan looked around and finally saw her mother chatting with another woman.


    ¡°Yeah, quickly take a seat. Lunch will be served soon.¡± Mrs. Hu looked at her daughter with heartache.


    She knew that Shanshan liked He Ming, but now that he had a girlfriend, she should probably give up.


    Mrs. Hu obviously didn¡¯t know her daughter very well. Hu Shanshan had been spoiled since young and was extremelypetitive. The way He Ming treated her was nothing but a blow to her. How could she just ept it?


    ¡°Shanshan, hurrv up and find a boyfriend too.¡± Her mother¡¯s friend at the same table said with a smile.


    Slight surprise appeared on Hu Shanshan¡¯s face like she was shy, but no one saw the sadness in her eyes.


    She stole a nce in He Ming¡¯s direction, feeling more determined than ever.


    What right did such an ordinary woman have to stand beside Brother He?


    After introducing Xiaomeng to his rtives, He Ming pulled Xiaomeng to sit at the host¡¯s table.


    ¡°Pay attention to your image.¡± Xiaomeng wasn¡¯t as thick-skinned as He Ming, so she reminded He Ming after they sat down.


    This man was sometimes so unaware of his surroundings and acted intimately in public. He didn¡¯t care about losing face, but she did.


    The two of them kept their heads down, talking andughing, as if they were flirting.


    Hu Shanshan, who was sitting at the next table, felt as if her eyes were on fire. She did not want to see them being lovey-dovey at first, but she couldn¡¯t help it. Her heart was in turmoil.


    The current He Ming was unfamiliar to Hu Shanshan, but even more fascinating.


    Although he was usually polite, he always felt a little distant.


    What about the current He Ming? His smile was kind and genuine, and he was always smiling when he looked at Ye Xiaomeng.


    Hu Shanshan bit her lip, took out her phone, and secretly took a photo of Ye Xiaomeng.


    After that, she pretended to sit up straight.


    When lunch was served, He Ming was worried that Xiaomeng would be too embarrassed to pick up food, so he helped her enthusiastically.


    ¡°Are you raising pigs?¡± Ye Xiaomeng couldn¡¯t help butin.


    ¡°Eat more.¡± He Ming¡¯s hands didn¡¯t stop for a moment. He felt especially satisfied watching Xiaomeng eat.


    Mrs. He smiled when she saw the two of them being so loving. This was her best birthday present. She could finally put her biggest worry to rest.


    Everyone was happy on this day except for Hu Shanshan.


    After she left the He residence, she took a car to a private detective agency.


    When she came out, she had a contemptuous sneer on her face. Her gorgeous face looked a little contorted.


    In Hu Shanshan¡¯s mind, she was thinking, ¡°Ye Xiaomeng, let¡¯s just wait and see..¡±

 Chapter 364 - 364: Begging For Forgiveness

    Chapter 364 - 364: Begging For Forgiveness


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    While Ye Xiaomeng attended Mrs. He¡¯s birthday banquet, Shu Pan went back to Lotus Town to fetch Joy.


    She wanted to take a bus back, but when Gu Shaoting found out, he kept pestering to go back with her.


    She did not want him to go back with her. After all, her father and Auntie Lu were not mentally prepared to meet the man they hated so much.


    She couldn¡¯t think of a way to tell them that he had been taking care of her and Joy.


    But Gu Shaoting was insistent. He felt that Shu Pan¡¯s father and Auntie Lu always had a beef with him and it was time for him to move them with his sincerity and to beg them for forgiveness.<div>


    It was a problem he had to solve sooner orter if he wanted to get back together with Shu Pan.


    One of his strengths was to face his problems bravely.


    Gu Shaoting was actually very nervous as he drove to Lotus Town.


    As they got closer to Lotus Town, his hands holding the steering wheel grew whiter.


    When they arrived, Gu Shaoting felt a little afraid. To think that he was the CEO of arge corporation who was unfazed by any problem, he felt his palms sweating at this moment.


    Shu Pan ignored him and went into the house.


    Shu Laide and the rest were having lunch. Auntie Lu had made a lot of delicious food and the three of them were having lunch at the dining table.


    Joy was sitting on Shu Laide¡¯sp. ¡°Joy, what would you like to eat? Grandpa will get it for you.¡±


    Joy was the apple of the entire family¡¯s eye and everyone doted on her.


    Auntie Lu said with a smile, ¡°Have some soup, sweetheart. Grandma has simmered it for a long time.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t Mommying to pick me up? Why isn¡¯t she here yet?¡± Joy pouted a little unhappily.


    ¡°She¡¯s on her way. Let¡¯s eat first.¡± Shu Pan told them that she would bete and asked them not to wait for her for lunch. No one expected Joy to make a fuss¡­


    Shu Pan happened to walk in at this time. She saw Joy¡¯s unhappy expression and asked, ¡°Joy, what¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°Mommy, you¡¯re here. I thought you forgot to pick me up.¡± Joy finally cracked a smile.


    ¡°Mommy won¡¯t forget. Hurry up and eat your lunch.¡± Shu Pan picked her up.


    ¡®Mommy, where¡¯s Uncle Gu?¡± Joy suddenly mentioned Gu Shaoting and a wave of nervousness swept over Shu Pan.


    ¡°Um¡­ He¡¯s outside.¡± Shu Pan pointed outside like a child who had done something wrong.


    ¡°Panpan, you¡¯re really something. Why didn¡¯t you ask your friend in for a home cooked meal?¡± Auntie Lu said reproachfully. It was insensible of her to not invite her friend in.


    ¡°Um¡­¡± Shu Pan didn¡¯t know what to say.


    ¡°Grandma, I¡¯ll go invite Uncle Gu in.¡± Joy jumped out of Shu Pan¡¯s arms mischievously and went to the door.


    Shu Laide was a little suspicious. Uncle Gu? Someone Panpan couldn¡¯t mention? He had a bad premonition.


    He got up and walked to the door. From afar, he saw a familiar figure pacing back and forth at the gate. Shu Laide stopped in his tracks and narrowed his eyes. Hmph, as he suspected, it was Gu Shaoting.


    How dare this b*stard show up at his house?


    He quickly walked out with his fists clenched. He then raised his hand and punched Gu Shaoting in the face.


    ¡°Gu Shaoting, you b*stard! I¡¯m the one who let your family down. You can take revenge on me. What did Panpan do wrong? She loved you.¡±


    Although Shu Laide was getting on with age, his punches were still powerful as he kept throwing them at Gu Shaoting.


    Gu Shaoting retreated but didn¡¯t fight back. He totally deserved this beating..

 Chapter 365 - 365: Heartache

    Chapter 365 - 365: Heartache


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Shu Pan felt that something was wrong when no one came back in after a long time. She stood up and walked out the door.


    Then, she saw her father waving his fist at Gu Shaoting.


    ¡°Mommy, why is Grandpa hitting Uncle Gu?¡± Joy asked anxiously.


    ¡°Stop, Dad. Watch your blood pressure. Don¡¯t get agitated.¡± Shu Pan quickly pulled Shu Laide back.


    Shu Pan saw that Gu Shaoting¡¯s face was ck and blue, and the corner of his mouth was bleeding.<div>


    Gu Shaoting coughed lightly before he said, ¡°It¡¯s okay. Let Dad punch me a few more times to vent his anger.¡±


    He wipe the blood from the corner of his mouth as he spoke.


    ¡°Who is your dad? Who are you calling Dad? You b*stard.¡± Shu Laide was still angry as he shouted.


    But he was tired from beating up Gu Shaoting. He leaned against the wall and panted. He was old after all. He had the will but not the stamina. Gu Shaoting had been let off easy.


    If he was ten years younger, he would have beaten Gu Shaoting half to death.


    Shu Laide then said with anguish, ¡°Look what you¡¯ve done. You almost ruined Panpan¡¯s life. Do you know how much she has suffered the past few years? He thought about the hardships his daughter had endured and felt as if he had been stabbed in the heart.


    Was there any father who didn¡¯t love his daughter? He med himself every day. His daughter ended up like this because of him.


    Gu Shaoting pursed his lips before he said, ¡°Dad, I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯ve let Panpan down. Please give me a chance to make it up to her and take care of her. I promise to make her happy every day.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t apologize to me.¡± Shu Laide waved his hand. ¡°You¡¯ve done wrong by Shu Pan. You won¡¯t be able to make it up to her in this lifetime.¡±


    He then punched Gu Shaoting hard in the chest.


    Gu Shaoting let out a muffled cough.


    ¡°I know. I¡¯ll do my best to make her and Joy happy.¡± Gu Shaoting promised.


    Shu Laide looked at Shu Pan¡¯s anxious expression. Was she worried about Gu Shaoting?


    Sigh, married daughters were cut apron strings. Let it be. Matters between the young were not something an old man like him could interfere in.


    Shu Laide looked at the few people around him and felt that there was nothing more for him to do. So, he walked back into the house with a long face.


    ¡°Who is it?¡± Lu Lifen asked.


    ¡°Who else? It¡¯s Joy¡¯s b*stard father.¡± Shu Laide said unhappily before he let out a heavy sigh.


    ¡°What? Gu Shaoting? Why is he here?¡± Auntie Lu was very surprised. This was totally unexpected.


    She had never heard Shu Pan mention him. No wonder Shu Pan was so indifferent when she introduced other men to her. She still loved Gu Shaoting!


    Auntie Lu said with a frown, ¡°What a frenemy couple.¡±


    Sighs filled the house while tension filled the air outside.


    ¡°Uncle, you¡¯re bleeding. Does it hurt?¡± Joy had a look of concern on her face.


    Gu Shaoting squatted down and caressed Joy¡¯s head. He then said softly, ¡°Uncle did something wrong and made Grandpa angry.¡±


    ¡°Really? Then Uncle must be more careful next time. You can¡¯t do something wrong again.¡± Joy said seriously like a little adult.


    ¡°Alright, Uncle will never make the same mistake again.¡± Gu Shaoting seemed to be saying that to Shu Pan.


    Shu Pan took out a tissue from her pocket and handed it to him.


    ¡°Clean yourself up. Why did you do it? I already said that my father still has unresolved feelings about you. He won¡¯t be nice to you.¡±


    Shu Pan felt something strange in her heart as she looked at the bruised and bleeding Gu Shaoting.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. I¡¯m willing to ept his beating if it helps him vent his anger.¡± Gu Shaoting said indifferently. This was already the best oue for him.


    ¡°You guys go in. I¡¯ll wait outside.¡± Gu Shaoting wouldn¡¯t dare enter the house without Shu Laide¡¯s permission..

 Chapter 366 - 366: Anger

    Chapter 366 - 366: Anger


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Shu Pan looked at him and sighed. Forget it, let him stay. Then, she took Joy¡¯s hand and returned to the house.


    Shu Laide and Auntie Lu sat there with heavy expressions. The atmosphere became awkward.


    Auntie Lu finally couldn¡¯t help but say, ¡°Panpan, is the Uncle Gu that Joy mentioned Gu Shaoting?¡±


    ¡®Yes.¡± Shu Pan nodded gently and then asked Joy to y in the room.


    ¡°Are you two together? Did he know that Joy was his daughter? Does he want Joy?¡± Auntie Lu suddenly thought of this.<div>


    ¡°He knew about it a long time ago and took good care of us. I didn¡¯t hear him mention custody of Joy,¡± said Shu Pan truthfully.


    ¡°Panpan, you can decide on this matter yourself. As long as you feel happy,¡± said Aunt Lu earnestly. Aunt Lu was also thinking that if Gu Shaoting turned over a new leaf and loved her and her daughter, it would be a good idea. After all, he was Joy¡¯s Daddy. It would be good for the child¡¯s growth.


    ¡°I just don¡¯t like that kid. Why should he divorce and do as he wants to?¡± said Shide angrily.


    ¡°Dad, you¡¯re already so old. Don¡¯t be angry. Take care of your health.¡± Shu Pan¡¯s lips twitched helplessly.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. I know my body. Panpan, you¡¯ve grown up. Daddy can¡¯t decide for you anymore. It¡¯s fine as long as you¡¯re happy.¡± Shu Laide only had one daughter. As long as his daughter was happy, he would be satisfied.


    Shu Laide was stretching his muscles at the side.


    Shu Pan knew that her father would feel ufortable if he didn¡¯t beat Gu Shaoting up.


    ¡°Panpan, go and call him in. It¡¯s not good for the neighbors to see him standing at the door,¡± said Auntie Lu.


    Shu Pan nced at Shu Laide. Seeing that he didn¡¯t object, she went out.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go in.¡± Shu Pan saw Gu Shaoting standing there as if he was being punished.


    ¡°Dad agreed?¡± Gu Shaoting still had to ask. If the old man disagreed, he would stand outside until he did.


    ¡°He didn¡¯t object.¡± After that, Shu Pan went in, and Gu Shaoting followed her.


    Perhaps he had stood there long and didn¡¯t move, but his feet were numb now.


    ¡°Dad, Auntie Lu¡­¡± After entering the door, Gu Shaoting didn¡¯t have his usual cold and domineering attitude as he greeted them carefully.


    Auntie Lu looked at his expression, which was hard to read.


    ¡°Sit down. Since you¡¯re looking for Panpan, I hope you¡¯re sincere and can let go of the hatred in your heart. Pan Pan has suffered these few years. It¡¯s not something an ordinary person can endure,¡± said Auntie Lu. Her voice was a little choked.


    ¡°I know.¡± Gu Shaoting felt nothing but regret and self-me.


    ¡°We won¡¯t get involved in your matters. You can make your own decisions.¡±


    After saying this, Shu Laide went into the room to y with Joy.


    Gu Shaoting and Shu Pan looked at each other. Gu Shaoting smiled from the bottom of his heart. Although his face hurt a little, it was all worth it. After staying at home for half a day, they set off for Bin City.


    This time, his mood was different from when he came.


    Gu Shaoting finally rxed a little.


    ¡°Send me and Joy to my ceter,¡± said Shu Pan, sitting in the front passenger seat.


    ¡°I¡¯m worried. It¡¯s not safe there. You should return to the house tomorrow and move back to Shuimu Qinghua. Tong Yuan has just been renovated. Leave it for some time before you move in.¡±


    Gu Shaoting returned to his usual authoritarian manner.


    Shu Pan looked at him and frowned.


    Gu Shaoting saw that she didn¡¯t look right. He said softly, ¡°I¡¯m perturbed. I don¡¯t know what else Lord Long and the others will do. Let¡¯s return to Shuimu Qinghua first and talk about itter, okay?¡± Gu Shaoting finally convinced Shu Pan..

 Chapter 367 - 367: A Good Show

    Chapter 367 - 367: A Good Show


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    The days passed day by day. Shu Pan¡¯s life was very fulfilling.


    The project with the Su Corporation was also on the right track.


    Ever since she saw Su Yuan that day, he had not appeared again. She heard from hispany that he had gone abroad.


    Shu Pan didn¡¯t take it to heart either. They had nothing to do with each other.


    After returning from the Su Corporation, Shu Pan first ced the blueprint in the cab. This was the blueprint that she had finalized with the other party.<div>


    As soon as she sat down, Tang Wei came over and quietly told her, ¡°You missed a good show in the Su Corporation this morning.¡±


    Tang Wei gloated.


    Shu Pan looked at her in surprise and asked, ¡°What show?¡±


    ¡°What else can there be? Didn¡¯t she hook up with a rich man recently? Look at the new bag she¡¯s carrying. It¡¯s more than 20,000 yuan and the shoes are more than 7,000 yuan. How can she afford them with her sry? They were all bought by that man. Isn¡¯t she showing off that she has a new boyfriend? But guess what? That man is already married.¡±


    Tang Wei said with a look of disdain.


    ¡°How did you know?¡± Shu Pan was impressed that Tang Wei was clear about other¡¯s private affairs.


    ¡°Everyone in thepany knows about it. The man¡¯s wife even made a scene in thepany. The wife is not easy to deal with. She pulled MO Lan¡¯s hair and chased after her. The scene was so spectacr that the director¡¯s face darkened. ¡±


    Shu Pan sighed in her heart. MO Lan¡¯s values were not right. Why was a good girl so vain?


    ¡°Anyway, people like her don¡¯t care about her reputation. Later, it was the security guards who came to help and took the wife away.¡± Tang Wei was used to the scene.


    ¡°She was called in by the director just now. She hasn¡¯te out yet.¡± Tang Wei couldn¡¯t sympathize with her.


    ¡°I see. Alright, the show is over. Can we get serious now, Miss Tang?¡± Shu Pan


    ¡°Boring.¡± Tang Wei pursed her lips and went back.


    Shu Pan was never keen on other people¡¯s stories. Everyone had their way of life.


    She could only say that she did not agree with them. Only birds of a feather flock together.


    Soon, MO Lan came out of the director¡¯s office with red eyes.


    She saw Shu Pan looking over, so she red at Shu Pan fiercely.


    Shu Pan felt that it was strange. It wasn¡¯t like she had provoked her.


    However, she could understand her mentality. After all, she would be pointed at everywhere in thepany with such a scandal.


    Shu Pan ignored her and continued to work.


    MO Lan was furious. That old woman was so hateful. Her face was hurting from the p.


    She didn¡¯t like anyone now. One of her cheeks had been pped and was swollen.


    She returned to her seat and felt even more ashamed when she saw the colleagues around her looking at her strangely.


    When it was almost time to get off work, Gu Shaoting called and asked Shu Pan to wait for him.


    ¡°Where are you taking me?¡± Shu Pan saw that he wasn¡¯t going home. She couldn¡¯t help but ask.


    Gu Shaoting didn¡¯t say anything. Joy also made a gesture of closing the zipper with her fingers.


    ¡°Why are you so mysterious?¡± asked Shu Pan.


    ¡°You¡¯ll knowter.¡± Gu Shaoting turned to look at her and then replied lightly.


    The car slowly drove to the entrance of a restaurant. It was obvious that this ce was a high-end ce.


    ¡°Why are you out for dinner again? It¡¯s so expensive.¡± Shu Pan felt that it was too expensive.


    ¡°Do you remember what day it is today?¡± Gu Shaoting asked, but Shu Pan seemed to have forgotten..

 Chapter 368 - 368: The Birthday Present

    Chapter 368 - 368: The Birthday Present


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    ¡°What day?¡± Shu Pan couldn¡¯t remember.


    ¡°Silly girl, today is your birthday. Have you forgotten?¡± Gu Shaoting had to remind her.


    ¡°Oh, right. I don¡¯t remember.¡± Shu Pan thought that birthdays were nothing to her. In her most difficult years, how could she be in the mood to remember her birthday?


    It had been a few years since she had celebrated her birthday.


    ¡°Mommy, happy birthday.¡± Suddenly, Joy took out a bouquet of roses from the back seat and handed it to Shu Pan.<div>


    Shu Pan was stunned. She looked at the red roses and couldn¡¯te back to her senses for a long time.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it beautiful? Mommy, this is a gift from Uncle.¡± Joy smiled at the side.


    Originally, Gu Shaoting wanted her to take a leave to celebrate. However, he knew her personality, so he had to surprise her after work.


    ¡°Thank you. It looks good.¡± Shu Pan hugged the flower and took a deep sniff. Shu Pan was a little surprised that Gu Shaoting was so romantic. This was the first bouquet she received from him.


    Gu Shaoting was relieved to see that Shu Pan liked it. Actually, he had asked Secretary Zhang for advice.


    Secretary Zhang told him that ording to his years of experience, no woman would dislike flowers although it was tacky.


    Gu Shaoting didn¡¯t want to be disturbed tonight, so he asked for a private room.


    Not long after they sat down, He Ming came over with Ye Xiaomeng.


    ¡°Girl, happy birthday.¡± Ye Xiaomeng couldn¡¯t believe her ears when she received Gu Shaoting¡¯s call inviting her.


    Gu Shaoting had never done such a thing. In the past, Shu Pan¡¯s birthday was always with her. After they divorced, Shu Pan didn¡¯t care about her birthday anymore.


    ¡°It¡¯s a gift for you. Open it when you get back.¡± When Ye Xiaomeng handed the gift to Shu Pan, she smiled mischievously.


    Shu Pan was baffled. The gift box was very exquisite and not very heavy.


    Shu Pan took the gift and ced it beside her.


    ¡°Thank you.¡± Shu Pan thanked her sincerely because Xiaomeng remembered her birthday every year.


    Everyone gathered together happily. Gu Shaoting helped Shu Pan with a lot of food, which made her scream repeatedly.


    Ye Xiaomeng was surprised but she was genuinely happy for her good friend.


    After dinner, Gu Shaoting carried Joy. Shu Pan followed behind, holding Ye Xiaomeng¡¯s gift.


    Gu Shaoting drove home. The two of them didn¡¯t speak on the way home. Shu Pan wanted to speak a few times, but she swallowed her words when she saw his cold expression.


    She felt that Gu Shaoting was a multi-faced person. Sometimes, he was cold like an ice cube. He could freeze people three feet away from him. Whereas sometimes, he was so gentle that it could melt people¡¯s hearts.


    When they got home, Shu Pan helped Joy take a shower. When she came out, Joy had fallen asleep.


    He was probably too excited today and tired.


    After calming down, Shu Pan suddenly remembered Ye Xiaomeng¡¯s gift. She waved it in her hand, but she couldn¡¯t guess what it was.


    It was an exquisitely wrapped gift box. Shu Pan opened it and asked, ¡°What did Xiaomeng give me?¡±


    After openingyer afteryer, Shu Pan was shocked.


    The exquisite gift box contained condoms. There wererge, medium, and small sizes, and there were also different vors.


    Shu Pan was a little confused. Oh my god! There was also a small box that contained a thin nightdress. It was not a dress, but a piece of cloth and two straps.


    Shu Pan thought of Xiaomeng¡¯s evil smile and knew that she was up to something.


    Shu Pan didn¡¯t know whether tough or cry.


    Fortunately, she didn¡¯t open the present in front of Gu Shaoting. Otherwise, she would be so embarrassed. She was unprepared..

 Chapter 369 - 369: Together (1)

    Chapter 369 - 369: Together (1)


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Just as Shu Pan was about to pack up the box, she saw a colorful note inside. It said, ¡°Girl, you must be surprised. This is the gift I prepared for you.¡±


    Shu Pan wished she could find a ce to hide. Xiaomeng¡¯s gift was too shocking.


    ¡°Panpan¡­


    Gu Shaoting¡¯s low voice suddenly sounded from behind, scaring Shu Pan. Her hands shook and she almost knocked over the gift box.


    She turned around in a panic and quickly hugged the gift box. Then, she asked,<div>


    ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡±


    She hugged it tightly. If Gu Shaoting knew that she was hugging all kinds of those things, what would he think?


    He would think that she was crazy. Just thinking about it made her feel embarrassed.


    ¡°What are you hugging? Is it the gift from Ye Xiaomeng?¡± Shu Pan didn¡¯t want to talk about this topic, but Gu Shaoting asked.


    ¡°Something for women.¡± Shu Pan blushed and replied perfunctorily.


    Gu Shaoting thought it was something personal, so he felt a little awkward. He quickly adjusted himself.


    Shu Pan opened the cab and ced the gift box inside before closing the door.


    After doing this series of actions in one breath, she finally calmed down a little. Why did it look like she had done something wrong?


    ¡°Come, I have a gift for you.¡± Gu Shaoting looked at her affectionately and waved at her.


    ¡°What is it?¡± Shu Pan saw that he was holding a red velvet box in his hand. It was obvious that it was a jewelry box.


    ¡°Open it and take a look. Do you like it?¡± Gu Shaoting handed the box to Shu Pan and asked expectantly.


    Shu Pan¡¯s heart was beating wildly.


    Shu Pan slowly opened the box and saw a ne inside. The ne was very delicate, but the pendant was very eye-catching and shiny. It was the word ¡°LOVE¡±.


    Shu Pan¡¯s face suddenly turned red as if it was on fire.


    ¡°How¡­ Why did you give me this?¡± Shu Pan was at a loss, so she stuttered a little.


    Gu Shaoting pointed at the ne and said, ¡°Do you like it? I asked the jewelry shop to customize this. Look at your name behind the letters.¡± There was an imperceptible joy in his smile.


    Shu Pan took a look. Indeed, there was her name. The words were very small, but they seemed to be branded on her heart.


    Why did she feel that Gu Shaoting had be romantic?


    Of course, she didn¡¯t know that it was all thanks to Gu Shaoting¡¯s love consultant, Secretary Zhang.


    Secretary Zhang¡¯s original words were, ¡°It¡¯s important to give a gift to a woman attentively. If you give her something expensive, she would only think that you are generous but she wouldn¡¯t be moved. However, if you put some effort into it, she would still be very touched even if the gift was small.¡±


    Gu Shaoting saw Shu Pan¡¯s reaction. He thought to himself that he would give Secretary Zhang a raise when he returned to thepany tomorrow.


    ¡°I like it very much. Thank you.¡± She looked at him with her bright eyes.


    Gu Shaoting was very satisfied.


    Gu Shaoting suddenly held Shu Pan ()¡¯s hand and put it to his mouth. Then he said, ¡°Panpan, give me a chance. I will do my best to make you a happy woman.


    I will only have you for the rest of my life.¡±


    Shu Pan¡¯s face was burning now, but her eyes were firm. She looked at Gu


    Shaoting and nodded solemnly. ¡°Okay.¡±


    As soon as she finished speaking, Gu Shaoting carried her up and spun her in a big circle.


    ¡°Shaoting, put me down quickly. I feel dizzy,¡± said Shu Pan.


    She knew that Gu Shaoting was too happy to do such a thing..

 Chapter 370 - 370: Together (2)

    Chapter 370 - 370: Together (2)


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Shu Pan felt weak in her limbs. She could only grab the corner of his clothes tightly with both hands.


    In the end, their breaths were a little hurried. Gu Shaoting¡¯s hand had already climbed into Shu Pan¡¯s clothes. Suddenly, Gu Shaoting woke up from his infatuation. The lingering and hot kiss came to an abrupt stop. Gu Shaoting reluctantly let go of Shu Pan.


    At this moment, Shu Pan¡¯s face was like a peach blossom. Her lips were smooth but slightly swollen, and her eyes were blurred.


    Gu Shaoting tried his best to restrain himself and didn¡¯t take another step forward. He respected Shu Pan.


    Shu Pan could hear Gu Shaoting¡¯s deep breathing. The warmth of his hands that were holding her seemed to be able to burn her.<div>


    ¡°You still have to work tomorrow. Go to bed quickly.¡± Shu Pan urged him in a low voice.


    Gu Shaoting saw Shu Pan¡¯s shy look. He wanted to give her some time to adjust, so he kissed her forehead and said goodnight before leaving.


    The next morning, Gu Shaoting got up very early. He couldn¡¯t sleep. He was restless when he thought of Shu Pan who lived next door. He rolled on the bed a few times but still felt hot inside.


    Hence, he woke up early to prepare breakfast.


    When Shu Pan walked out of the living room, she saw Gu Shaoting in a set of home clothes and an apron with Hello Kitty patterns. He was cooking congee in the kitchen and stirring it with a spoon.


    This scene was very pleasing to the eye. The cartoon apron hanging on his body looked a little funny, but Shu Pan felt inexplicably touched.


    She rarely saw him cook, but his serious look was handsome.


    Gu Shaoting turned around and saw Shu Pan leaning against the door.


    ¡°Morning. Why didn¡¯t you sleep a little longer? Breakfast will be ready soon. I made you some congee.¡± Gu Shaoting smiled warmly.


    ¡°I¡¯ve slept enough.¡± It was as if she had put down the heavy burden in her heart, so she felt rxed.


    After Shu Pan washed up, Joy also got up.


    During breakfast, Gu Shaoting helped Joy with some congee and took care of her meticulously.


    Shu Pan saw this and thought to herself, ¡®Should I tell Joy that Uncle Gu is her Daddy? Would she ept it? Or happier?¡±


    Gu Shaoting took care of Joy, but he didn¡¯t neglect Shu Pan.


    After breakfast, Gu Shaoting sent them to school and work.


    After sending Joy to kindergarten, Gu Shaoting turned the car around and drove to Shu Pan¡¯spany.


    When they were waiting for the traffic light, Gu Shaoting suddenly held Shu Pan¡¯s hand. Shu Pan, who was sitting in the front passenger seat, was shocked.


    Without Joy, the light bulb of a few kilovolts, Gu Shaoting seemed to be a little unscrupulous.


    ¡°Drive properly.¡± Shu Pan gently patted his hand. Her tone was a little helpless.


    Gu Shaotingughed. Hisughter was extremely pleasant to hear.


    Shu Pan was in a good mood the whole day, but Gu Shaoting was a little clingy and called her from time to time.


    Wasn¡¯t he the CEO? Wasn¡¯t he busy every day? Why was he so free?


    Gu Shaoting was indeed like a boy who had just fallen in love. His mind was filled with Shu Pan. He couldn¡¯t concentrate on his work.


    Secretary Zhang saw that Mr. Gu was full of smiles and looked imposing. He finally heaved a sigh of relief. If his suggestion did not work, he would probably have to be mentally prepared to go to Africa to develop a newpany.


    When Gu Shaoting called again, Shu Pan finally couldn¡¯t hold it in anymore and warned him fiercely, ¡°If you don¡¯t work hard, all the promises will be canceled.¡±


    Gu Shaoting was so scared that he quickly got back to work. No one would believe that their awe-inspiring Mr. Gu was such a person.


    It could only be said that love was so magical that it could change a person..

 Chapter 371 - 371: A Trouble

    Chapter 371 - 371: A Trouble


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Gu Shaoting and Shu Pan¡¯s rtionship improved by leaps and bounds. He Ming and Ye Xiaomeng¡¯s rtionship was not bad either. He Ming treated Xiaomeng like a treasure.


    But soon, He Ming and Ye Xiaomeng¡¯s troubles came.


    One day, He Ming was at work when he received a call from Mother He.


    On the phone, Mother He was in a hurry and told him to go home at noon.


    When He Ming heard this, he thought that something had happened to the two elders. He asked what the matter was. If it were important, he would go back immediately.<div>


    However, Mother He insisted that he go back at noon. She didn¡¯t want to affect his work, so she immediately hung up the phone.


    He Ming couldn¡¯t help but frown when he heard her words.


    He looked at his watch. It was already around 11 0¡¯clock. It was almost noon. Mom¡¯s phone call made him feel uneasy.


    He Ming instructed his assistant and then drove home.


    When he got home, only Mother He was there with Qiuqiu beside her.


    A man and a dog. The scene was very harmonious. However, Mother He¡¯s expression was a little heavy at the moment as if something big had happened.


    ¡°Ming, sit down. I want to ask you something.¡± Mommy He¡¯s tone lost its usual gentleness and became a little harsh.


    He Ming could not help but feel his heart tighten. It seemed like it was something big and rted to him.


    ¡°What is it? Mom, don¡¯t be so serious. Rx.¡± He Ming was a little flustered by her stare.


    ¡°Let me ask you. Was Xiaomeng abandoned after getting married and then got pregnant and had a miscarriage?¡± Mommy He sounded like she was interrogating a criminal.


    He Ming¡¯s heart skipped a beat. It had been so long since these things happened. How did his mother know about it now?


    ¡°Mom, what are you talking about? Did you get someone to investigate Xiaomeng?¡± He Ming asked uncertainly.


    ¡°But Ming, people willugh at you. Just like what the paper said, she¡¯s a second-hand good and used shoes. Can you ept such a title?¡± said Mommy He worriedly.


    ¡°Mommy, that was all in the past. Who doesn¡¯t have a past? If Xiaomeng encounters such a thing, I¡¯ll even feel more sorry for her.¡± He Ming knew a little about Xiaomeng¡¯s past. When he was pursuing her, she had already told him about her unbearable past.


    ¡°But Ming, you could have found a better, purer girl.¡± Mommy He thought about how someone had already sent this to her home. She reckoned that the person probably knew about it. What if He Ming was mocked about this matter in the future?


    ¡°Mom, everyone has a past. We only look at the future.¡± He Ming was baffled. Who did he offend? How did it be sent here?


    ¡°But Ming, people willugh at you. Just like what the paper said, she¡¯s a second-hand good and used shoes. Can you ept such a title?¡± said Mommy He worriedly.


    ¡°Mom, you shouldn¡¯t care too much about what other people think of you in this world. It¡¯s fine as long as I think it¡¯s good,¡± said He Ming earnestly.


    ¡°But¡­ Aren¡¯t you going to reconsider? After all, this is a major event of a lifetime.¡± He Ming¡¯s Mommy was still very concerned and couldn¡¯t let go.


    Xiaomeng was a good girl. It was her misfortune to encounter such a thing.


    If she was the girlfriend of another family¡¯s child, she would sympathize with her. However, she could not let go when it came to her family.


    ¡°Mom, don¡¯t you also think Xiaomeng is very good? Why do you care about the past?¡± The more He Ming thought about it, the angrier he became.


    He had to find out who was behind this..

 Chapter 372 - 372: Mom, Help Me

    Chapter 372 - 372: Mom, Help Me


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Mommy He sat there silently.


    He Ming had no choice but to express his stance again. ¡°Mom, no matter what you think, I will be with Xiaomeng. I love her.¡±


    After saying that, He Ming stood up and wanted to leave.


    ¡°Ming¡­¡± Mommy He seemed to want to persuade him again, but He Ming had already left.


    Mommy He slumped onto the sofa weakly. She knew He Ming valued friendship and would not be easily persuaded.<div>


    When Hu Shanshan returned home, she saw her Mommy calling to y mahjong.


    When she hung up the phone and saw her daughter, her expression was a little dazed.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Shanshan? Didn¡¯t you say that you were going to study at your Daddy¡¯spany?¡± Mommy Hu couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Why are you back so early?¡±


    ¡°I went for a while. It was so boring.¡± Hu Shanshan frowned impatiently.


    ¡°Mommy is going out to y mahjong now. Can you stay at home alone?¡± Seeing that she was not in a good mood, Hu Shanshan did not know if she should stay at home with her.


    ¡°Okay. You go ahead. I want to be alone,¡± said Hu Shanshan indifferently.


    Suddenly, she remembered the private investigator¡¯s report. She pretended to say casually, ¡°Mom, do you know? It turns out that Big Brother He¡¯s girlfriend was married and got pregnant before. She even had a miscarriage.¡±


    This was a breaking news.


    ¡°Shanshan, don¡¯t talk nonsense.¡± mommy Hu reprimanded her daughter. A girl who had never been in a rtionship, yet she kept talking about pregnancy and miscarriage. How inappropriate it was!


    ¡°Mom, I feel bad for Brother He. Think about it. How can a woman like her be worthy of Brother He?¡± Hu Shanshan felt that Ye Xiaomeng must have hidden it from Brother He. Otherwise, which man could ept it?


    ¡°But that¡¯s his choice. There¡¯s nothing to do with worthy.¡± Mommy Hu sighed. What a silly daughter!


    How could a mother not know what her daughter was thinking? However, she did not want her to fall too deep into it, so she reminded her in time.


    ¡°Mom, don¡¯t you want your daughter to have a good marriage?¡± said Hu Shanshan bitterly.


    ¡°Of course, Mommy hopes so. But marrying someone who doesn¡¯t love you won¡¯t bring you happiness.¡± Mommy Hu was experienced, so she understood very well.


    ¡°Mom, rtionships can be cultivated. I just like Brother He. Please help me.¡± Hu Shanshan dragged her Mommy and acted coquettishly.


    ¡°How can Mommy help you? Feelings can¡¯t be forced.¡± Mommy Hu looked at her daughter, who looked silly. She felt sorry for her.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you ask Auntie He to y mahjong? You can just pass this news to her inadvertently,¡± said Hu Shanshan. Although she had already sent the news that the private detective had found to Auntie He, she was worried that she would be soft-hearted. Now that it was said by someone else, the meaning was even more different.


    ¡°Is your information urate?¡± asked Mommy Hu. How did her daughter know about such a private matter?


    ¡°It must be true. I have a friend who knows her. She told me.¡± Hu Shanshan hid the fact that she had hired a private detective. She would not let her Mommy know about these things.


    ¡°You¡¯re so troublesome! You¡¯re always stubborn.¡± Mommy Hu was a little disappointed.


    ¡°Thanks, Mommy! I know you are the best to me.¡± Hu Shanshan finally smiled.


    After Mommy Hu left, Hu Shanshan followed her out.


    Ye Xiaomeng, let¡¯s see how long you can be smug. Do you think no one knows about your past?


    Hu Shanshan smiled darkly..

 Chapter 373 - 373: Being Laughed At

    Chapter 373 - 373: Being Laughed At


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Mother Hu met up with a few familiar friends to y mahjong at the usual ce.


    Mother He also came. She was a little depressed and didn¡¯t seem to be in the mood.


    Mother Hu saw this and asked with concern, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Mother He forced a smile.


    ¡°Sigh! I also know what you¡¯re annoyed about. It¡¯s about He Ming, right?¡± Mother Hu pretended tofort her.<div>


    ¡°He Ming? What¡¯s the matter?¡± Another mahjong friend said, ¡°Doesn¡¯t he already have a girlfriend? They¡¯re getting married soon. Just wait to have grandchildren. ¡±


    ¡°Have you heard? He Ming¡¯s girlfriend was married before. I heard that she even had a miscarriage,¡± said Mother Hu seriously. Her tone sounded like it was a pity.


    Mother He was stunned. How did she know about this? Didn¡¯t the mysterious person send this news to her home? Could it be that the person had also sent it to Mother Hut s house?


    Mother He was a little confused.


    As the saying goes, one should not wash one¡¯s dirty linen in public. The situation was still unclear, so it was better for her not to speak.


    ¡°Who told you that? This is false information,¡± said Mother He calmly.


    ¡°Shanshan¡¯s friend knows her. She recognized her when she saw the photo the other day,¡± said Mother Hu in an orderly manner, fooling the others.


    ¡°Then she must have gotten the wrong person. Xiaomeng is a good girl. Even if something happened in the past, it¡¯s all in the past.¡± Mother He was very protective of her people.


    ¡°Sigh! Girls these days are a little unclear. It¡¯s better to be careful and observe them more. After all, He Ming¡¯s qualifications are so good. He doesn¡¯t have to worry about getting a girlfriend.¡± Mother Huts words stunned Mommy He for a while.


    It had only been a short while. How did her friends around her know?


    ¡°It¡¯s fine as long as He Ming likes her. The child has grown up. As parents, we can¡¯t make the decision,¡± said Mother He indifferently.


    She didn¡¯t know why, but she just didn¡¯t like people talking about Xiaomeng like that.


    ¡°That¡¯s true. Children and grandchildren have their blessings.¡± The other mahjong friends winked at Mother Hu, telling her to stop talking.


    Mother He¡¯s expression had changed. Anyone with a discerning eye could tell that she was unhappy.


    Mother Hu nced at her and stopped talking.


    Mother He didn¡¯t have any interest in ying mahjong anymore, but she endured the game until it was over to make herself look fine.


    When Mother He got home, she looked exasperated. She put her bag down on the sofa and said, ¡°I¡¯m so angry. What does she mean?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± asked Father He. Wasn¡¯t she fine when she went out?


    ¡°Where¡¯s He Ming? Tell him toe back.¡± Mother He thought of something.


    Father He knew that her temper came and went quickly. So he sat at the side and read the newspaper, ignoring her.


    When Qiuqiu saw Mother Heing back, it hurriedly went to her feet. ¡°You¡¯re still the most considerate one, Qiuqiu.¡±


    Mother He held Qiuqiu in her arms and said to Father He, ¡°Old man, if Xiaomeng¡¯s reputation is affected, do you think we should agree to their rtionship?¡±


    ¡°Why not? I think Xiaomeng is a pretty good kid. Most importantly, He Ming likes her. Don¡¯t be an ugly person anymore. Reputation? Is it murder and arson? Or did she sell her body?¡±


    Father He was more clear-headed and felt that Mother He was overreacting.


    Women loved to let their imaginations run wild.


    ¡°No, if he gets pointed at by others, how can he live? Do you know? Xu Fang and the others knew about it and even pretended tofort me.¡±


    Mother He was a woman, after all, so she still cared about these things.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you ask He Ming toe back and ask him about the specific situation? Don¡¯t think about it blindly.¡± Father He suggested.


    He thought that he was a good judge of character. He wouldn¡¯t misjudge


    Xiaomeng..

 Chapter 374 - 374: Run Into A Colleague (1)

    Chapter 374 - 374: Run Into A Colleague (1)


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll call him.¡± Mother He called He Ming again.


    ¡°Mom, I¡¯m in a meeting. I¡¯ll call you backter.¡± He Ming hung up after saying that.


    ¡°Why did you lie to Auntie and say that you were in a meeting?¡± Gu Shaoting saw He Ming, who was sitting on the sofa in his office, lying through his teeth.


    ¡°Sigh! I don¡¯t know who wrote Xiaomeng¡¯s matter on a piece of paper and sent it to my mom. Now she has someints about Xiaomeng. I¡¯m still investigating to see who did it.¡± He Ming gritted his teeth as he spoke. It wasn¡¯t easy for their rtionship to stabilize, but now this happened.


    ¡°Is there such a thing? This is a target.¡± Gu Shaoting couldn¡¯t help but frown.<div>


    No one would do such a thing out of boredom.


    ¡°Yes. I¡¯ve already asked someone to investigate. I don¡¯t want to see my empress dowager for the time being before there are any results.¡± He Ming rubbed his temples. It was giving him a headache.


    ¡°If there¡¯s anything you need help with, just tell me.¡± Gu Shaoting could understand He Ming¡¯s feelings. If someone treated Shu Pan like this, he would probably fight the person to the death.


    ¡°Alright, thanks.¡± He Ming opened the door and went out.


    Gu Shaoting strolled to the floor-to-ceiling window. He couldn¡¯t help but think of Shu Pan again. His heart felt warm.


    What was she busy with now?


    ¡°Knock, knock.¡± The knock on the door interrupted Gu Shaoting¡¯s thoughts.


    ¡°Pleasee in.¡± Secretary Zhang came in with a few files.


    ¡°Mr. Gu, these are urgent documents. Please sign them.¡± Secretary Zhang put the folders down on the desk.


    Secretary Zhang was about to turn around and leave when Gu Shaoting stopped him.


    ¡°Secretary Zhang, what do you think women like the most?¡± Gu Shaoting started to ask the love consultant again.


    Fortunately, Secretary Zhang was experienced and had done his homework, so he answered easily.


    ¡°Women¡¯s favorite thing should be shopping. The second most important thing is romance. Take her out to do something romantic.¡± Secretary Zhang answered without hesitation.


    Gu Shaoting didn¡¯t know what romance was, so he thought of shopping. Shopping was not a stressful thing for him. As long as Shu Pan liked it, he could buy anything.


    Secretary Zhang saw that Mr. Gu was deep in thought. He knew that Mr. Gu was already satisfied with what he said.


    It wasn¡¯t easy to make a living by a boss¡¯ side. He had to be versatile.


    After a while, Gu Shaoting picked up a pen and started to read the documents. He wanted to finish it quickly and nned to take Shu Pan out shopping.


    Finally, it was time to get off work. Gu Shaoting could finally call Shu Pan because Shu Pan had previously stated that he could not call her at work unless it was an urgent matter.


    He now treated Shu Pan¡¯s words like an imperial edict.


    After fetching Shu Pan, Gu Shaoting said casually, ¡°Let¡¯s go shopping.¡±


    ¡°Shopping?¡± Shu Pan was a little surprised. In her impression, Gu Shaoting didn¡¯t like to go out. Whatever he wanted, he would specially send it to his door to choose. Why would he need to go out and squeeze in the crowd?


    ¡°Yeah! It¡¯s not bad to go out asionally.¡± Gu Shaoting said it very naturally.


    Shu Pan nodded although it felt weird to go shopping with him.


    Gu Shaoting saw that Shu Pan didn¡¯t say anything else. He thought that women indeed liked to go shopping.


    Their destination was the pedestrian street. There was a dazzling array of


    goods everywhere, as well as all kinds of special snacks.


    As long as you can think of it, it was all here.


    The most important thing was that this was a shopping area. There were all kinds of high-end and low-end things here.


    Shu Pan didn¡¯t have anything to buy, but women went shopping because of their mood..

 Chapter 375 - 375: Run Into A Colleague (2)

    Chapter 375 - 375: Run Into A Colleague (2)


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    It was rare for a big CEO like Gu Shaoting to apany her to such a ce. His aura was a little out of ce here.


    CEOs were impressive at work, but they were a little like an idiot regarding rtionships.


    Gu Shaoting held Shu Pan¡¯s hand. He didn¡¯t want anyone else to go with him. Whenever he came to pick her up, he would drive himself and did not like others to follow him.


    The two of them held hands and walked slowly. They chatted to foster their rtionship.


    ¡°Do you like toe here?¡± Gu Shaoting asked carefully.<div>


    If Shu Pan said she didn¡¯t like it, he wouldn¡¯t know how to coax her then.


    ¡°I do. All women like to shop. I¡¯m a woman, so I¡¯m no exception.¡± Shu Pan was very easy to satisfy.


    Gu Shaoting smiled in satisfaction, then pulled Shu Pan and continued to walk forward.


    ¡°Are you sure He Ming can take care of Joy?¡± Shu Pan thought about her daughter all the time.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Xiaomeng is there too. He has been a little troubled recently. Let him be busy and forget about his troubles.¡± After Gu Shaoting picked up Joy, he asked He Ming to take care of her so that he could take a walk with Shu Pan.


    Shu Pan nodded. ¡°Are you bored when you¡¯re out shopping?¡±


    Men didn¡¯t seem to like shopping.


    ¡°No. It feels pretty good.¡± As long as it was with Shu Pan, Gu Shaoting felt that it was fine.


    After walking for a while, they came to the most famous snack street on the pedestrian street. Shu Pan stopped in her tracks and tugged on Gu Shaoting¡¯s sleeve. ¡°Let¡¯s take a walk there.¡±


    Shu Pan pointed at the food street and said that this was her and Xiaomeng¡¯s favorite ce to visit. It had traces of their youth.


    Shu Pan sighed. It had been too long since she had been here.


    Looking at Shu Pan¡¯s hopeful eyes, Gu Shaoting smiled dotingly and said, ¡°Up to you.¡±


    No matter what time it was, there were always a lot of people on this food street. Every stall was crowded with people, and they had to queue up to buy things.


    Shu Pan nced at Gu Shaoting, who was beside her. He still looked calm andposed, without the slightest impatience.


    The aroma of food wafted over from the street. Shu Pan started drooling.


    She especially wanted to eat mutton skewers, so she pulled Gu Shaoting to line up at the back of the crowd.


    ¡°The mutton skewers here are especially delicious. It¡¯s an old brand. I haven¡¯t been here for a long time.¡± Shu Pan introduced it to Gu Shaoting.


    Shu Pan said as she felt like she was about to drool.


    Finally, it was Shu Pan¡¯s turn. She bought 10 skewers in one go.


    Gu Shaoting was a little embarrassed when he saw it. After all, he had never bought snacks outside. In his opinion, such things were very unsanitary.


    However, he didn¡¯t want to spoil Shu Pan¡¯s mood. He even took the initiative to get somemb skewers for Shu Pan.


    Shu Pan gave a skewer to Gu Shaoting. He would not touch it if it was before.


    But this time, he took it as if he was facing a great enemy.


    Shu Pan looked at him. ¡°Don¡¯t you like it? It¡¯s very delicious. It won¡¯t go wrong.¡±


    Shu Pan thought that he didn¡¯t like the food, but Gu Shaoting didn¡¯t dare to open his mouth because he thought it was contaminated with bacteria.


    However, he still said, ¡°I¡¯m not picky. I¡¯ll eat anything.¡±


    With that, he put the kebab into his mouth and bit it bit by bit. His mouth did not even touch the stick.


    Shu Pan watched him eat and sighed again. This man was so elegant when he ate. He ate street food like he was eating abalone.


    Shu Pan looked at herself andughed at herself. They were not on the same level.


    However, eating outside was just for fun, so there was no need to be so particr..

 Chapter 376 - 376: Run Into A Colleague (3)

    Chapter 376 - 376: Run Into A Colleague (3)


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Shu Pan shook her head and lowered her head to bite on the mutton.


    The meat was tender and smooth, and it was cooked just right. With the sauce, it was so delicious that she wanted to bite her tongue.


    Shu Pan ate without caring about her image. This was a side that Gu Shaoting had never seen before.


    Suddenly, Gu Shaoting reached out and wiped the corner of her mouth with his finger, ¡°Your mouth is oily. Is it really that delicious?¡±


    Gu Shaoting felt that Shu Pan was easy to satisfy.<div>


    ¡°Do you want another skewer?¡± Shu Pan asked thinking that it was better to be happy with everyone than to be happy alone.


    ¡°No, I¡¯ve had enough.¡± Gu Shaoting shook his head.


    Shu Pan saw that he really didn¡¯t want to eat, so she didn¡¯t force him. She threw away the bamboo skewer in her hand and picked up another skewer.


    Tonight, Shu Pan had thrown away her reservations. She wanted to be more unrestrained and be her true self.


    After eating the mutton skewers, the two continued walking forward. Shu Pan felt a little tired and when they saw a cafe, she sat down at the round table outside the shop.


    Gu Shaoting bought her a cup of milk tea. Just as he sat down, a voice came from behind him.


    ¡°Mr. Gu? Shu Pan?¡± MO Lan¡¯s voice rang out, full of disbelief.


    Shu Pan was so shocked that she almost fell off her chair.


    She quickly pulled away her chair and distanced herself from Gu Shaoting.


    Sigh, she is really unlucky. Just a simple outing and they met someone they knew.


    She slowly turned around and saw MO Lan holding hands with another colleague.


    Enemies were bound to meet on a narrow road. They looked at Gu Shaoting and Shu Pan in confusion.


    ¡°Mr. Gu, Shu Pan, what a coincidence to meet you here.¡± The other colleague was a straightforward youngdy who said whatever she wanted.


    Shu Pan¡¯s mind was nk. She didn¡¯t know how to exin their rtionship.


    Now was not the time to make it public. She could not help but purse her lips tightly. Her entire body was a little stiff, and her hands were clenched into fists unnaturally.


    Gu Shaoting saw Shu Pan¡¯s embarrassed and helpless look, then he looked at MO Lan and herpanion. ¡°Hello, what a coincidence to meet you here. I also met Shu Pan here. I am waiting here for Secretary Zhang.¡± He exined.


    His words were calm and his expression natural. He didn¡¯t look like he was lying at all, so the two people seemed to believe him.


    MO Lan thought to herself, ¡°Sure enough, Mr. Gu didn¡¯te with Shu Pan. It was just a coincidence.¡±


    Hmph, she thought that she could follow the CEO just because she met him. How shameless.


    MO Lan looked at Shu Pan with disdain.


    Shu Pan rxed a little when she heard Gu Shaoting¡¯s words.


    ¡°You guys don¡¯t have to worry about me and enjoy your shopping. I am about to leave.¡± Gu Shaoting was furious. A good date was ruined by these two people, but for Shu Pan, he endured it.


    He reminded them to leave as soon as possible.


    ¡°Yes¡­¡± Shu Pan replied softly. She subconsciously nced at him and then gave him a grateful look.


    Gu Shaoting is still the one who understood her the most and could help her out in time.


    She wasn¡¯t ready to make it public yet. Of course, Gu Shaoting also understood her. She had always been very hardworking and kept her work and personal life separate. She didn¡¯t want others to point fingers behind her back and say that she had a backer, so she hoped that their rtionship would be kept a secret.


    He loved her, so he respected her choices.


    Gu Shaoting looked indifferent. He nodded at them and left.


    He didn¡¯t even look at MO Lan and the others.


    MO Lan felt uninterested when she saw that the CEO had left. So, she pulled her colleague to the stall in front.


    Shu Pan quietly followed behind Gu Shaoting..

 Chapter 377 - 377: I’ve Always Been Here

    Chapter 377 - 377: I¡¯ve Always Been Here


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    ¡°Look at Shu Pan. Doesn¡¯t look like she¡¯s trying to get close to the CEO?¡± MO Lan nced in the direction Shu Pan went and said to her colleagues.


    ¡°They are probably going the same way. Shu Pan doesn¡¯t look like that kind of person.¡± The colleague defended Shu Pan.


    ¡°You can¡¯t judge a person¡¯s heart by their appearance. It¡¯s those who look innocent and pure on the outside that are more coquettish on the inside.¡± MO Lan said fiercely. She didn¡¯t know why, but she just didn¡¯t like Shu Pan. Shu Pan seemed to be able to easily obtain the things she worked hard for, so she hated Shu Pan.


    ¡°They¡¯re both unmarried now. It¡¯s fine even if she and Mr. Gu liked each other.¡± Her colleague felt that MO Lan had gone overboard with her words. They were all colleagues, so there was no need to nder others like that.


    ¡°Why are you helping her?¡± MO Lan said angrily.<div>


    ¡°I am just stating the tacts. All right, let¡¯s not talk about it anymore. Let¡¯s shop around. I heard that there¡¯s a shop over there that serves delicious beef offal.¡± Her colleague didn¡¯t want to discuss this with MO Lan anymore, so she dragged her away.


    Shu Pan looked at Gu Shaoting¡¯s somewhat lonely figure in front of her and felt so many emotions that she didn¡¯t know what to feel.


    Shu Pan was not in the mood to look at the snacks, clothing, essories, and all kinds of goods on the street.


    Gu Shaoting took time out of his busy schedule to go shopping with her. Why would she waste their precious time together for some inexplicable reason?


    They didn¡¯t steal or rob. They were open and aboveboard. Why should they hide their rtionship?


    That colleague just now had asked her to go shopping together, but she had declined.


    She still wanted to go shopping with Gu Shaoting and not with them. At that time, their expressions were a little strange, so she couldn¡¯t be bothered.


    At the corner, Shu Pan saw that she hadpletely gotten rid of MO Lan and the others. She was in the opposite direction from them. She walked quickly wanting to catch up with Gu Shaoting. She had never been so eager to see him.


    Suddenly, she was pushed by someone and Gu Shaoting disappeared in the blink of an eye.


    Shu Pan waspletely flustered. Only then did she think of having a phone. She quickly took out her phone and called Gu Shaoting.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Gu Shaoting¡¯s low and sexy voice sounded on the other end of the line.


    ¡°Where are you? Why did you disappear in the blink of an eye?¡± Shu Pan asked anxiously.


    ¡°Turn around. I¡¯m right behind you.¡± Gu Shaoting¡¯s voice sounded from behind.


    Shu Pan slowly turned around and saw Gu Shaoting¡¯s tall and straight body standing a few meters behind her, looking at her with a smile. For some reason, she felt like crying.


    Just like in the movies, Shu Pan slowly walked towards him and extended her right hand.


    Gu Shaoting held it tightly without hesitation.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you afraid of being seen?¡± Gu Shaoting teased her. He liked to see her flustered.


    Shu Pan pursed her lips and said gently, ¡°Aren¡¯t you here? I¡¯m not afraid.¡± Looking at him, her heart inexplicably rxed.


    Gu Shaoting suddenly pulled hard, and Shu Pan fell into his arms. He touched her head and thought, ¡°No matter when or where in the future, I will be there.¡± This was his promise to her.


    At this moment, Shu Pan felt a warm current flowing into her heart. The feeling of being loved by others was really good. Only by truly letting go of the shackles in her heart could she obtain true happiness. This was the current reflection of Shu Pan¡¯s mood.


    She couldn¡¯t help but wrap her arms around his waist and rub her face against his chest like a kitten.


    It had been many years since she had felt such a sense of security..

 Chapter 378 - 378: Rumors

    Chapter 378 - 378: Rumors


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Gu Shaoting and Shu Pan were a little distracted after meeting their colleagues. So they headed back after shopping for a while.


    Shu Pan thought that the incident on the pedestrian street was over. After all, it was a small matter and not worth mentioning.


    However, who would have thought that it would cause such a huge uproar in thepany?


    The next day, Shu Pan woke upte, so she came to thepany a littleter than usual, but she was notte.


    Because she was in a hurry, she didn¡¯t notice her colleagues¡¯ strange gazes just now.<div>


    When she sat at her desk, put down her things, and calmed down, she realized that a few colleagues were whispering to each other while looking at her.


    Shu Pan was very puzzled. How did she be the object of others¡¯ gossip behind her back?


    It seemed like nothing special had happened recently.


    Shu Pan shook her head and nned to get back to work. She had never been interested in gossip.


    She didn¡¯t want to know, but with Tang Wei around, it was hard for her not to know.


    Sure enough, when Tang Wei came out of the pantry and saw Shu Pan, she didn¡¯t even have time to put down the cup in her hand and walked over.


    ¡°Shu Pan, you¡¯re finally here. I¡¯m suffocating.¡± Tang Wei was gossipy.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Why is everyone looking at me like that?¡± Shu Pan asked in confusion.


    ¡°You don¡¯t know yet, right? Someone spread the news that you¡¯re advancing on Mr. Gu.¡± Tang Wei didn¡¯t know if the news was true, but it was spread methodically.


    Shu Pan was shocked. Her eyes widened as if she had seen a ghost.


    ¡°How could such a ridiculous thing spread?¡± Shu Pan frowned. Her advancing on Gu Shaoting has to be the biggest joke of the year.


    ¡°Yeah, I find it unbelievable too. If you were that kind of person, you wouldn¡¯t still be single.¡± Shu Pan didn¡¯t know whether tough or cry when she heard Tang Wei¡¯s words.


    ¡°Who spread it?¡± Suddenly, Shu Pan thought of MO Lan and another colleague whom she met on the streetst night.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. But someone said that they saw you with Mr. Gu togetherst night. It seemed like you were on a date.¡± When Tang Wei said this, Shu Pan guessed that it was MO Lan who spread the rumours.


    Shu Pan was suddenly furious. Why was MO Lan always staring at her like a mad dog?


    In her impression, she had never offended her before. This person¡¯s personality was twisted.


    ¡°No, it¡¯s just a rumour. We met by ident. MO Lan and another colleague met him too.¡± Shu Pan had always kept her personal life separate, so she didn¡¯t admit it.


    She felt that it was a white lie. After all, it was not nice to talk about personal matters at work.


    ¡°That goes without saying. MO Lan must have spread it.¡± Tang Wei knew MO Lan well and knew that she liked to gossip.


    ¡°Forget it. Let her talk if she wants to. After all, it involves the CEO. If she speaks nonsense and is found out, she will probably be fired.¡± Shu Pan felt tired. The best way to deal with people like that was to turn a blind eye.


    ¡°Oh right, don¡¯t take it to heart. These rumours will disappear in two days.¡± The work pressure in thepany was rtively high. They could only gossip a little, but it would soon be over.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Shu Pan smiled slightly, but there was a hint of helplessness in her smile.


    After Tang Wei left, Shu Pan fell into deep thought. It was difficult for her to keep quiet.


    Her rtionship with Gu Shaoting ultimately had to be made public, but not now. ¡®l¡¯ney nad just gotten togetner and needed time to get used to e otner.


    She Imew that Gu Shaoting wanted to make it public. He didn¡¯t want their interactions to be done secretly but she wasn¡¯t mentally prepared yet, so it was better to do itter..

 Chapter 379 - 379: Who Started The Rumors?

    Chapter 379 - 379: Who Started The Rumors?


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Shu Pan didn¡¯t take this matter to heart. She felt that it wasn¡¯t worth mentioning. Anyway, the mouth was on someone else. How much could you stop it?


    However, someone told Secretary Zhang about it.


    Secretary Zhang could only look up at the sky and sigh in his heart. ¡®Who is this long-life blind person? Mr. Gu treats Shu Pan like a treasure now. He can¡¯t bear to see her suffer any grievances. Now that such a thing has spread, isn¡¯t that person asking for it?¡±


    Secretary Zhang did not dare to waste any time. He knocked on the door and entered the office.


    ¡°Mr. Gu, I heard from the people at Sunrise that there are rumours in thepany that Miss Shu Pan is advancing on you.¡± While speaking, Secretary Zhang secretly nced at Gu Shaoting¡¯s expression.<div>


    Hearing this, Gu Shaoting¡¯s face darkened. ¡°Who started the rumour? I was the one who pursued her. How did she be the one who is advancing on me?¡±


    So that was what Mr. Gu was worried about. Secretary Zhang was a little speechless and felt like wiping the cold sweat off his forehead.


    ¡°Inform them that I will go to Sunrise tomorrow for site inspection.¡± Gu Shaoting thought for a moment and decided to go over to intimidate the workers there. He couldn¡¯t let Shu Pan suffer.


    No matter how much she suffered in thepany, she would never tell him.


    After a while, everyone in thepany received the notice. Everyone quickly tidied up the work at hand, worried that the CEO would be dissatisfied.


    The female employees thought about dressing up nicely for work the next day. After all, there were not many opportunities to show their faces in front of the CEO. It was already good enough to have one chance.


    The next day, thepany was bustling with activity. All the female colleagues were dressed up gorgeously. Those who did not know better would think that they were preparing to participate in a beauty pageant.


    Of course, Shu Pan was an exception.


    She had just asked Gu Shaotingst night why he suddenly decided toe to thepany for an inspection, but he didn¡¯t answer her directly. He only asked her if anything happened at thepany.


    Shu Pan thought for a moment and replied no.


    Then Gu Shaoting was a little unhappy and said lightly that he just wanted to see how thepany was doing.


    Shu Pan was baffled. Could it be that there were also a few days in a month when men were in a bad mood? How could his mood change so suddenly, Now that she saw her colleagues¡¯ reactions, she didn¡¯t know what to say.


    Finally, under everyone¡¯s expectant gaze, Gu Shaoting stepped into thepany with vigorous steps. He was tall and straight, wearing a silver-grey tailored suit. His short hair was a perfect match for his suit. He had wide shoulders and narrow hips, a typical triangle figure, like a clothes hanger.


    Gu Shaoting subconsciously looked at Shu Pan¡¯s position. The female colleagues were flirting, and Gu Shaoting couldn¡¯t help but frown.


    In the conference room, Gu Shaoting briefly made an official speech. ¡°Everyone has worked hard during this period. I¡¯m here to take a look. Don¡¯t be nervous. I hope that everyone can devote themselves to their work during working hours and develop Sunrise Architecture to another level¡­¡±


    What he meant was that he hoped that everyone would focus on their work and not talk about meaningless things.


    Although he had only briefly mentioned it, everyone knew what he was referring to. They couldn¡¯t help but tremble.


    They were a little unsure of the real purpose of Mr. Gu¡¯s visit.


    After the meeting, Gu Shaoting went to his office, and the others came out one after another.


    ¡°Shu Pan, do you think Mr. Gu heard some rumours? Otherwise, why would he suddenly say such things?¡± Tang Wei asked a little worriedly. If they really wanted to pursue the matter, she would definitely have a part to y because she usually liked to gossip.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think so.¡± Shu Pan wondered how he could be so resourceful. She didn¡¯t tell him when she went back home yesterday..

 Chapter 380 - 380: Warning

    Chapter 380 - 380: Warning


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi- Bo Studio


    How could a busy man like him have the time to care about such trivial matters?


    Shu Pan felt that he was just here to take a look at thepany.<div>


    Shu Pan started to work. Because of the CEO¡¯s arrival, everyone seemed to be very busy and worked very seriously.


    When it was almost time to get off work in the afternoon, Shu Pan was packing her things when she suddenly received a message on her phone. She opened it and saw that it was from Gu Shaoting. It was a short message: ¡°Come up.¡±


    Shu Pan was stunned. Ever since he added her on the messaging app, he would send her messages from time to time.


    Shu Pan looked at the two words on the phone screen thinking Gu Shaoting meant to ask her to go to his office.


    But why did he ask her to go up?


    They are not at thepany and everyone. Why couldn¡¯t they talk about it when they went back?


    Although she thought so, Shu Pan still slowed down her packing. She wanted to wait until everyone went out to eat before she quietly went up.


    ¡°Shu Pan, do you want to lunch together?¡± Tang Wei asked as she walked past Shu Pan.


    ¡°I¡¯m not going. I¡¯m not going to be a third wheel.¡± Shu Pan smiled.


    It turned out that Tang Wei and a male colleague in thepany had been chatting fervently recently. They had lunch together and Shu Pan was afraid that the guy would be awkward, so she gave them space.


    ¡°Annoying, we haven¡¯t even started anything.¡± Tang Wei was shy and walked away.<div>


    ¡°Aiyo, some people really think that they¡¯ve hooked up with the CEO. They¡¯re putting on airs.¡± MO Lan happened to pass by. She had always been sharp and mean.


    ¡°MO Lan, you were the one who spread the rumours in thepany yesterday, right?¡± Shu Pan asked with certainty.


    ¡°Shu Pan, you don¡¯t have any evidence, so don¡¯t nder me. However, you know what you¡¯ve done. Don¡¯t me others for criticizing you. Look, why others were not talked about? Something doesn¡¯t start with nothing.¡± MO Lan said clearly.


    Shu Pan knew she couldn¡¯t win against MO Lan, but if something like this happened again, she definitely wouldn¡¯t let it go.


    ¡°Have some conscience. God sees what you are doing. MO Lan, I¡¯ll let it go this time, but I hope there won¡¯t be a next time.¡± Shu Pan said fiercely and left.


    MO Lan looked at Shu Pan¡¯s back and gritted her teeth.


    She is now threatening people, the previous Shu Pan wasn¡¯t so tough.


    She would not believe that there was no one backing her up.


    When Shu Pan came out ot the bathroom and saw that all her colleagues had left, she picked up her bag and walked out of the office.


    When she reached the elevator, she looked left and right again. After making sure that there was really no one else, she walked into the elevator with relief and pressed the floor button for the CEO¡¯s Office.


    However, no matter how careful Shu Pan was, she couldn¡¯t escape a pair of eyes hidden in the dark.


    Those two cold eyes stared at her as she walked into the elevator and saw the elevator stop at the floor of the CEO¡¯s Office.


    Let¡¯s see what you say this time, pretentious one.


    Shu Pan reached the 28th floor. When the elevator opened, she bent and leaned out to see if there was really no one else.


    ¡°Miss Shu Pan,e in. Mr. Gu is waiting for you.¡± Secretary Zhang felt a little amused when he saw Shu Pan sneaking around.


    Shu Pan smiled awkwardly. ¡°Aren¡¯t you guys going downstairs to eat?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve already ordered takeout. I¡¯ve also ordered it for you and Mr. Gu. Hurry up and go in to eat.¡± Secretary Zhang heaved a sigh of relief when he saw Shu Pan. He was worried that Shupan wouldn¡¯te up, or else Mr. Gu would explode again.


    ¡°Ok, thank you. Do you know why he¡¯s looking for me?¡± Shu Pan wanted to know what Gu Shaoting wanted. It was impossible for them to just have a meal together.


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m really not sure. The CEO doesn¡¯t need to exin his actions to us.¡±


    Secretary Zhang led Shu Pan to Gu Shaoting¡¯s office..

 Chapter 381 - 381: No One Can Bully You

    Chapter 381 - 381: No One Can Bully You


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Secretary Zhang¡¯s clear tone made Shu Pan blush.


    There were already very few people on this floor. Now that it was lunchtime, it seemed even more empty.<div>


    ¡°Mr. Gu is inside. You can go in.¡± Secretary Zhang stood at the office door and said.


    ¡°Thank you.¡± Shu Pan nodded.


    Before she went in, she knocked on the door again and only went in when she heard the word e in.¡±


    Shu Pan rarely had the chance to enter the CEO¡¯s office. She looked around and was envious of such a big office for one person.


    The view was open. Although she was now with Gu Shaoting, she still felt nervous when she thought of the two of them together.


    When she entered, Gu Shaoting was on the phone. He asked her to take a seat first. Gu Shaoting used professional terms in his call, and Shu Pan was confused.


    She sat on the sofa and couldn¡¯t help but take a closer look at the office¡¯s simple and clean design.


    Gu Shaoting liked this kind of style. He never looked at thoseplicated and colourful things.


    After a few minutes, Gu Shaoting ended the call. He looked at Shu Pan and waved at her. ¡°Come here for a moment.¡±


    Shu Pan walked towards him, confused.


    Gu Shaoting pulled Shu Pan forward and she fell onto hisp. Shu Pan couldn¡¯t help but exim in shock.<div>


    ¡°Put me down quickly.¡± Shu Pan wanted to get off hisp hurriedly.


    ¡°I missed you so much.¡± Gu Shaoting whispered into her ear.


    Shu Pan¡¯s face and ears suddenly turned red. ¡°Let me get up first. We¡¯re in the office now.¡± Shu Pan said nervously. This person didn¡¯t know how to assess the location and situation.


    ¡°Why does it matter? Without my permission, no one wille in.¡± Gu Shaoting hugged her and was in a good mood.


    ¡°Don¡¯t mess around.¡± Shu Pan had no choice but to put on a stern face.


    ¡°All right, my queen. You must be hungry. Let¡¯s eat first.¡± Gu Shaotin took her hand to the sofa.


    Looking at the lunchboxes on the table, Shu Pan was a little stunned. How many people did Secretary Zhang think were eating?


    ¡°I asked Secretary Zhang to order your favourite dishes. Try how they taste.¡± Gu Shaoting opened the bag.


    ¡°Why did you call me up?¡± Shu Pan ignored his question and could not help but ask another question.


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me that someone in thepany was ndering you behind your back?¡± Gu Shaoting sounded a little angry. How dare someone bully his woman in his office?


    Shu Pan raised her eyebrows slightly, ¡°How did you know?¡±


    Who told him that? Could it be that he still had spies in thepany? Then didn¡¯t he know everything about her day in the office?


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter who told me, no one can bully you.¡± Gu Shaoting said firmly.


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing. It¡¯s just some rumours. It¡¯ll be fine in two days.¡± Shu Pan didn¡¯t mind. It wasn¡¯t her first time being the female lead of a scandal anyway.


    But Gu Shaoting¡¯s caring attitude still warmed her heart.


    ¡°But it¡¯s obviously nder. I was the one who pursued you. Why did you be the one who was advancing on me?¡± Shu Pan felt that Gu Shaoting was being silly. What did it matter who was advancing on whom? They were together now.


    What Shu Pan didn¡¯t like was that others were talking about her behind her back. She didn¡¯t steal or rob, and she walked with her head up and did the right thing.


    ¡°In the future, tell me if you feel wronged. Thepany can¡¯t tolerate such a petty person who likes to stir up scandals. I hope there won¡¯t be a next time. Otherwise, I won¡¯t be so easy to talk to.¡± Gu Shaoting stated his stance.


    His tone was very strong, but when it reached Shu Pan¡¯s ears, it made her heart feel sweet. She said in a voice that only she could hear, ¡°Okay..¡±

 Chapter 382 - 382: Ye Xiaomeng l s Troubles

    Chapter 382 - 382: Ye Xiaomeng l s Troubles


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Shu Pan could feel Gu Shaoting¡¯s intentions.


    During lunch, calls kepting in for Gu Shaoting.<div>


    Shu Pan looked at him. He was born to be a king. It was as if he could solve any difficult problem.


    As she thought about it, Shu Pan¡¯s eyes fell on Gu Shaoting¡¯s face, unable to move away.


    He looked mature and reserved, and his noble and elegant temperament could not be concealed. His good-looking face was even more attractive. No wonder every time he came to thepany, he would cause a sensation.


    Shu Pan was so engrossed in her thoughts that she didn¡¯t notice Gu Shaoting¡¯s gentle gaze on her.


    She shook her head, frowned, and pouted. Her expression was very diverse,


    and it was obvious that she waspletely immersed in her own world.


    Gu Shaoting couldn¡¯t help but wonder what her inner world was like.


    Perhaps Gu Shaoting¡¯s gaze was too passionate, Shu Pan finally came back to her senses.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Are you full just by looking at me?¡± Gu Shaoting teased.


    ¡°I¡¯m full.¡± Shu Pan saw that Gu Shaoting had also put down his chopsticks, so she started packing.


    ¡°I have a lounge here. Go in and lie down for a while.¡± Gu Shaoting suggested considerately.<div>


    ¡°No, I¡¯m going down. It¡¯s almost time to go to work.¡± Shu Pan did not dare to stay any longer.


    ¡°Shall we go back together tonight?¡± Gu Shaoting asked again.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I have a date with Xiaomeng tonight. She seems to be a little down recently, so I want to talk to her. You can go and pick Joy up after work.¡± Shu


    Pan arranged.


    Gu Shaoting looked at Shu Pan like a resentful woman.


    ¡°All right then.¡± What else could he say?


    Shu Pan opened the office door and looked around. When there was no one around, she quickly entered the elevator and returned to the office.


    The person in the dark was really patient. She looked at the video she had taken and smiled knowingly.


    This time, there was evidence. She couldn¡¯t quibble anymore.


    Not long after Shu Pan returned to the office, everyone returned one after another.


    Shu Pan heaved a sigh of relief and pretended to be busy.


    After work, she took a taxi to the ce where she had agreed to meet Xiaomeng.


    Xiao Meng was already sitting by the French window, looking a little lonely and not as cheerful as before.


    When she saw Shu Pan, she forced a smile.


    ¡°Girl, have a seat. I¡¯ve already ordered.¡± Because both of them knew what they liked to eat, Xiaomeng ordered together.


    ¡°Xiaomeng, what happened?¡± Ever since she got together with He Ming, she hadn¡¯t had such an expression on her face.


    ¡°Girl, do you think I¡¯m cursed? Why is happiness always so far away from me?¡± Xiao Meng said dejectedly.


    ¡°Xiaomeng, did He Ming bully you?¡± Shu Pan was confused. She didn¡¯t understand what was going on.


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t He Ming. I don¡¯t know who did a thorough investigation of my past and sent it to He Ming¡¯s Mom. Do you think the olddy can ept having such a daughter-inw?¡± Ye Xiaomeng only found out about it the day before yesterday.


    He Ming had been hiding it from her, but when he was showering that day,


    Mother He had called to nag at him. Worried that it was an emergency, Ye Xiaomeng answered the call. Before she could say anything, Mother He had already repeated the whole story.


    At that time, Ye Xiaomeng was stunned. She didn¡¯t expect her healed wound to be stabbed again.


    She had already forgotten about this matter, but now, it was once again open in front of her.


    Ye Xiaomeng¡¯s heart was in knots.. She thought that things would go well with


    He Ming, but now that such a thing had been made known to everyone, could


    there really be happiness?

 Chapter 383 - 383: Be Stronger

    Chapter 383 - 383: Be Stronger


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    ¡°How can there be such a person? Did you offend anyone?¡± Shu Pan asked. They were really in the same boat.


    Ye Xiaomeng thought for a moment and then shook her head. She couldn¡¯t think of anyone who would treat her like this.<div>


    The only person who had a conflict with her recently was Hu Shanshan. Could it be her?


    However, looking at her young age, she wouldn¡¯t havee up with such a vicious idea.


    ¡°Could it be her?¡± Ye Xiaomeng seemed to be talking to herself.


    ¡°Who? Who do you think did this?¡± Shu Pan asked. With someone to start with, it would be more convenient to check. It wouldn¡¯t be like finding a needle in a haystack.


    ¡°Hu Shanshan, the girl you met at DVst time. She¡¯s the daughter of Mother He¡¯s friend. She seems to be interested in He Ming.¡± The more Ye Xiaomeng thought about it, the more suspicious she felt.


    ¡°Jealousy can drive people crazy.¡± Shu Pan felt the same way because Tong Fei had done many irrational things because of jealousy towards her.


    ¡°I¡¯ll get He Ming to investigate, but what¡¯s done is done. Even if we find out who it is, it won¡¯t help.¡± Ye Xiaomeng¡¯s mood was at its lowest.


    Mother He probably had a problem with her now. After all, she had a disgraceful past.


    Ye Xiaomeng suddenly covered her face with her hands.


    ¡°Xiaomeng, be strong. He Ming already knew what you were like, but he¡¯s still with you. This proves that he loves you. Why do you care so much about what others think of you?¡± Shu Panforted him. The most important thing was He Ming¡¯s attitude.


    However, Shu Pan knew He Ming was a responsible person, so she was not concerned.<div>


    ¡°Girl, don¡¯t worry, I will slowly adjust.¡± Ye Xiaomeng didn¡¯t want her friend to worry.


    The two of them went home after dinner.


    After Joy finished her meal, Gu Shaoting yed with her for a while and then bathed her. Gu Shaoting was carrying Joy out of the bathroom when Shu Pan returned home. The white bath towel wrapped Joy into a ball, revealing her small round face, which made people want to kiss it.


    Shu Pan walked over and took over Gu Shaoting¡¯s work. She helped Joy put on her pyjamas and dried her hair.


    Just as she was about to coax her to sleep, Joy suddenly asked Gu Shaoting to tell her a bedtime story.


    Helplessly, Shu Pan could only give way. Gu Shaoting took out a bedtime storybook about the three little pigs and read it to her. Shu Pan also listened to it for a while.


    Gu Shaoting¡¯s voice was low, deep, and maic, even better than the voice of a broadcaster.


    Shu Pan was a little mesmerized by his voice. Worried that she would be coaxed to sleep by this charming voice, she quietly got up and walked to the living room.


    Ten minutester, Gu Shaoting coaxed Joy to sleep. When he came out of the living room, he saw Shu Pan sitting on the sofa, looking outside the balcony. His eyes softened a little, and he walked over gently.


    Shu Pan¡¯s heart tightened. Seeing him sit beside her, she subconsciously felt a little nervous.


    ¡°Is Xiaomeng alright?¡± Gu Shaoting asked. At the same time, he held one of Shu Pan¡¯s hands and gently kneaded it.


    ¡°She was a little down. After all, anyone who encounters such a thing will be unhappy.¡± Shu Pan sighed. What a twist. Why can¡¯t things calm down just for a


    while?


    ¡°He Ming will take care of it, don¡¯t worry.¡± Gu Shaotingforted her.


    ¡°It¡¯s veryte. Go to bed early.¡± After Shu Pan finished speaking, she was about to go back to her room.


    However, before she could pull her hand out, her body was pressed onto the sofa by the man.


    Shu Pan wanted to cry out in surprise, but Gu Shaoting¡¯s storm-like, domineering and forceful kiss suddenly swept towards her.


    Gu Shaoting had wanted to do it in the office today, but he knew that Shu Pan would definitely be shy. He was worried that she would be angry, so he held back. But now, he didn¡¯t want to hold back anymore..

 Chapter 384 - 384: Taking a Cold Shower

    Chapter 384 - 384: Taking a Cold Shower<div>


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    The strong masculine scent surrounded Shu Pan, causing her mind to go nk.


    Gu Shaoting was hugging her so tightly she couldn¡¯t move. Even if she gritted her teeth, he could still pry her mouth open and give her a French kiss.<div>


    The fierce and intense kiss made Shu Pan unable to resist at all. She couldn¡¯t dodge or break free.


    She was like a trapped animal, helplessly imprisoned by the man in front of her.


    Shu Pan¡¯s body went limp, and she fell into Gu Shaoting¡¯s arms. She was so tensed that the invisible thread in her heart was about to break at any moment.


    On her lips, it was still the man¡¯s lingering kiss, but it was not as intense as before. Now, it was gentle, and his heavy breathing scattered on her lips.


    He gently sucked on her lips, then reluctantly let go of her. He raised his head slightly and looked at her.


    After a while, Shu Pan¡¯s chest heaved up and down, and her breathing quickened. She took a deep breath and breathed in some air. Her long eyshes fluttered, and when she saw the desire in the man¡¯s eyes, she sucked in a cold breath.


    The living room instantly became quiet, so quiet that Shu Pan could clearly hear Gu Shaoting¡¯s rapid heartbeat.


    Shu Pan thought of something and moved. She looked up at him and saw that the fire in his eyes was burning even brighter, as if it could burn her.


    ¡°Shaoting¡­¡± She didn¡¯t know where she got the courage from, but she reached out her slender hand to caress his perfect, handsome face.


    ¡°Don¡¯t move.¡± Gu Shaoting grabbed her hand and spoke in a hoarse voice.


    The woman had no idea how charming she was now.<div>


    She didn¡¯t know how much willpower he used to restrain himself.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to sleep.¡± Gu Shaoting suddenly put down Shu Pan¡¯s hand and strode into the bedroom.


    Shu Pan looked at his leaving back and muttered to herself, ¡± Weirdo.¡±


    She had wronged Gu Shaoting. He went to the bathroom, turned on the cold water tap, and stood under the shower head to take a cold shower.


    Although Bin City was located in the south and wasn¡¯t as cold as the north, it waste autumn. It took a lot of courage to take a cold shower on such a night.


    Gu Shaoting was drenched in cold water, but the image of Shu Pan¡¯s shy and lovely face kept appearing in his mind. As he thought about it, he felt that the water wasn¡¯t cold enough and wished he could soak in the ice cer.


    There was a better solution, which was to go back to his room and let Shu Pan help him put out his internal fire. However, he didn¡¯t want to do that for fear of scaring her.


    Now, she was the person in his heart, and he respected everything about her. Unless she was willing, he was not willing to force her.


    After washing up in the bathroom for a long time, Gu Shaoting felt that the heat in his body had almost subsided before he came out.


    He put on a silk nightgown and walked to the balcony. He took out a cigarette, lit it, and took a few deep puffs.


    Gu Shaoting couldn¡¯t understand. He had always had good self-control over such things, so why does he keep losing control in front of Shu Pan?<div>


    Gu Shaoting smoked one cigarette, then took another one out of the cigarette box until it was empty.


    After staying on the balcony for a while, Gu Shaoting went back to the bathroom and brushed his teeth until the smell of cigarettes disappeared.


    Shu Pan returned to her room and fell asleep very quickly because she was a little tired.


    Before Gu Shaoting went to bed, he went to Shu Pan¡¯s room. Shu Pan was sleeping soundly; her breathing was even, and her beautiful face was slightly flushed, looking innocent and warm.


    Gu Shaoting looked at her lovingly. He wanted to lie down next to her for a


    while, but then he thought about it and decided not to. When faced with Shu Pan, his self-control was weak. He was worried that he would have to take another cold showerter..

 Chapter 385 - 385: Fever

    Chapter 385 - 385: Fever<div>


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    That night, Gu Shaoting didn¡¯t sleep at all, but Shu Pan slept soundly and had a wonderful dream.


    It was another beautiful morning. Shu Pan got up to prepare breakfast.<div>


    When she opened the door, she saw that Gu Shaoting¡¯s bedroom door was still open, and so was Joy¡¯s.


    Shu Pan took a look. Joy wasn¡¯t in the room. Could she be in Gu Shaoting¡¯s room?


    She looked at the door and saw Joy lying on the side of Gu Shaoting¡¯s bed, and Gu Shaoting didn¡¯t get up on time like usual.


    Joy looked at Gu Shaoting with her eyes wide open.


    ¡°Joy, it¡¯s time to brush your teeth and wash your face. Why are you still here?¡± Shu Pan said to Joy.


    ¡°Why isn¡¯t Uncle Gu up yet? I want him to send me to school.¡± After saying that, Joy climbed onto the bed.


    After a while, Joy said in surprise, ¡°Uncle Gu, why is your body so hot?¡±


    Shu Pan¡¯s heart skipped a beat. Gu Shaoting suddenly opened his dark eyes and looked at her, but there was no emotion in his eyes.


    She hurriedly went up and touched his forehead. It was shockingly hot. Shocked, she said to him, ¡°You¡¯re probably having a fever. Wait a moment, I¡¯ll go get the thermometer.¡±


    Shu Pan quickly went to get an electronic thermometer that Joy usually uses. After a while, the thermometer gave an rm. It was 39.5 degrees.


    ¡°You have a high fever.¡± Shu Pan was shocked. How could a healthy and strong person suddenly have a fever?<div>


    Only God knew that Gu Shaoting had taken a cold shower yesterday and even stood on the balcony for a while, letting the wind blow on him. No matter how strong his body was, it couldn¡¯t withstand the torment.


    It waste autumn now, the season where it was easy to catch a cold.


    ¡°Mommy, what should we do? Uncle has a fever. Does he need an injection?¡± Joy asked worriedly.


    ¡°Call the driver to send you two off.¡± Gu Shaoting spoke with shortness of breath. The fever made him look weak.


    ¡°What about you? I¡¯ll take you to the hospital for a check.¡± Shu Pan frowned. He had always been afraid of seeing a doctor.


    ¡°I¡¯ll just rest at home.¡± Gu Shaoting turned his back on her after he finished speaking.


    Shu Pan¡¯s expression turned even more worried. Was this person¡¯s brain fried? He still didn¡¯t want to go to the hospital with such a high fever.


    Suddenly, Shu Pan thought of something. She ran out and brought him a ss of warm water and two fever pills.


    ¡°Shaoting, get up and take your medicine.¡± Shu Pan said nicely.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to eat.¡± The man refused without thinking.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be like a child. Hurry up and eat.¡± When Gu Shaoting threw a tantrum, he was worse than Joy.<div>


    ¡°Uncle, are you afraid of taking medicine too? If you don¡¯t take the medicine, you won¡¯t get better. You have to be good. Just pinch your nose and eat it. It won¡¯t be bitter.¡± Joy said seriously like a little adult. She even crawled beside him and persuaded him.


    Gu Shaoting had no choice but topromise after being bombarded by the mother and daughter.


    He slowly sat up and took the medicine from Shu Pan. He took a sip of water and swallowed the medicine.


    ¡°Driver uncle will send you to school today. Be good.¡± ¡°Okay, Mommy, you stay at home and take care of Uncle Gu.¡± ¡°I¡­¡± Shu Pan was wondering if she should take a leave of absence.


    ¡°You guys go and get busy. I can take care of myself. I don¡¯t need anyone to apany me.¡± Gu Shaoting nced at Shu Pan, not wanting to put her in a difficult position.


    ¡°If the fever doesn¡¯t go down after taking the medicine, I¡¯ll apany you to the hospitalter.¡± Shu Pan saw that he had taken the medicine and let him lie on the bed, sweating.


    Then, she called to apply for leave. She was really worried to leave a sick Gu Shaoting alone at home..

 Chapter 386 - 386: Keeping Him Company

    Chapter 386 - 386: Keeping Him Company<div>


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Shu Pan got Joy ready before the driver arrived. Shu Pan sent Joy to school and then rushed home.


    In the bedroom, Gu Shaoting¡¯s eyes were still half-closed as if he was asleep. Shu Pan walked up to him and touched his forehead. It was still burning hot.<div>


    Shu Pan looked at Gu Shaoting and frowned. ¡°Are you really not going to the hospital?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t like hospitals,¡± Gu Shaoting said defiantly.


    ¡°Who likes hospitals? But you should still go if you are sick. You¡¯re not a kid. Why are you still afraid of medicine and needles?¡± Shu Pan had no choice but to persuade him. She was afraid that if his fever continued, it could lead to brain damage.


    Shu Pan saw his reluctance to move, opened his closet, and took out a casual ck top and a pair of gray khakis.


    She threw the clothes at him and said, ¡°Get up and get dressed.¡±


    Gu Shaoting stopped dawdling when he saw the annoyance on Shu Pan¡¯s face.


    He sat up unsteadily and changed.


    His footsteps were still unsteady as he walked out of the room. People with a high fever typically felt dizzy.


    Shu Pan helped him out and drove Gu Shaoting¡¯s car slowly forward.


    ¡°Can you drive any slower?¡± Gu Shaoting wanted to roll his eyes. A bike rider could move faster than them.


    At this speed, the cars behind them were tailgating each other.<div>


    ¡°Shut up.¡± She wasn¡¯t used to driving his powerful car, which would speed forward with a light tap on the elerator.


    That was why Shu Pan was driving so slowly.


    After they arrived at the hospital and parked, Shu Pan took him to the fever clinic. She registered for him, paid, and waited with him to get his drip.


    Gu Shaoting sat in the infusion area, waiting for the nurse to give him his IV drip.


    Because of his good looks, the young nurse¡¯s heartbeat elerated as she approached him.


    Shu Pan heaved a sigh of relief when she saw Gu Shaoting willingly ept his IV infusion.


    Gu Shaoting closed his eyes, and Shu Pan stared at his IV bag.


    ¡°Do you feel better?¡± Shu Pan asked worriedly.


    ¡°Hm.¡± Gu Shaoting responded.


    He was really a very good-looking person. His facial features were like carefully crafted pieces of art. Every inch of his face was elegant.


    He was slightly pale due to his illness and looked less domineering than usual.<div>


    ¡°Go to work.¡± Gu Shaoting caught Shu Pan looking at her watch a few times.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. I¡¯ll keep youpany. I¡¯ve asked my boss for a personal day.¡± Shu Pan insisted.


    While waiting, Shu Pan took her phone out of boredom and saw a text message from Ye Xiaomeng. ¡°Girl, it was really Hu Shanshan.¡±


    Although it was a cryptic sentence, Shu Pan knew that her best friend was referring to the vicious attempt to ruin her reputation.


    Shu Pan was speechless, but her heart ached for Ye Xiaomeng.


    As expected, men were trouble. This matter was caused by He Ming.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know yet. I¡¯m also very confused. He Ming would be furious if he knew.¡± Ye Xiaomeng didn¡¯t know what to do. After all, it wasn¡¯t something to be proud of, and she didn¡¯t want to publicize the matter.


    ¡°The most important thing now is to get Mrs. He¡¯s understanding. Old people care a lot about reputation.¡± What Ye Xiaomeng wanted was to do her best to regain Mrs. He¡¯s trust.


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m rooting for you. They¡¯re reasonable people. I hope this matter will be over soon.¡± Shu Pan consoled her before hanging up.


    One really couldn¡¯t judge a book by its cover. How could such a refined girl do something like that?


    ¡°What happened?¡± Gu Shaoting asked when he saw Shu Pan¡¯s indignant face.


    ¡°Flirtatious men are the worst. Xiaomeng¡¯s trouble was caused by an admirer of He Ming¡¯s.¡± Shu Pan sighed..

 Chapter 387 - 387: Caregiving

    Chapter 387 - 387: Caregiving<div>


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Gu Shaoting frowned. He was slightly surprised but it seemed reasonable. Jealousy could make women do crazy things.


    ¡°He Ming will take care of it. Don¡¯t worry.¡± Gu Shaotingforted her.<div>


    The IV drip was finally done and Gu Shaoting¡¯s fever slowly subsided.


    After they got home, Shu Pan realized that they needed groceries and went to the market to buy fresh ingredients to cook porridge for the man.


    The living room was quiet as Gu Shaotingy on the sofa with his head on a cushion and his eyes closed.


    Shu Pan thought that he was feeling sick again and gently ced her hand on his forehead. She was already very gentle, but she still roused the man.


    He opened his bloodshot eyes and looked at her pitifully.


    ¡°You¡¯ll be fine.¡± Her delicate palm was pressed against his forehead. His fever had subsided but he was still unwell and looked very weak.


    ¡°What do you want to eat for lunch?¡± Shu Pan asked. ¡°Anything.¡± The man gave a one-word answer.


    ¡°Shall I cook porridge?¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡±


    ¡°Then rest for a while. I¡¯ll wake you when I¡¯m done.¡± Shu Pan went into the kitchen after saying that.


    Gu Shaoting closed his eyes again. He really needed to catch up on sleep. Because of his illness and the medicine he had taken, he felt drowsy.<div>


    Shu Pan was busy in the kitchen. She tried her best to work quietly so as not to disturb him.


    After more than an hour, she made a pot of in porridge and three light dishes. She saw that Gu Shaoting was still sleeping and contemted if she should wake him.


    She walked up to him and bent over to check on him. He was usually a majestic person, but he looked like a child when asleep.


    This man was really handsome. His facial features were well-defined, and the contours of his face smooth.


    Shu Pan took advantage of his sleep and looked at him without restraint. Suddenly, the man opened his dark and bright eyes and stared at her.


    Shu Pan was startled because she was not mentally prepared.


    The man knew that Shu Pan was sizing him up and asked smugly, ¡°Am I handsome or what?¡±


    His narcissistic behavior was really annoying. It seemed that he got his strength back after a nap.


    Shu Pan¡¯s face was pink. ¡°Lunch is ready.¡±


    Shu Pan was about to walk away when the man stretched out his long arm and pulled her hard. Shu Pan lost her bnce and fell into his arms.


    Shu Pan struggled to get up, but the man hugged her even tighter.<div>


    ¡°Stop fooling around. Hurry up and eat. The food is getting cold.¡± Shu Pan said helplessly.


    ¡°No.¡± The man said like a child. Although he was sick, there was still a huge difference in strength between men and women. No matter how Shu Pan struggled, she could not break free.


    In the end, Shu Pan was a little out of breath. She gently punched his chest. ¡°What do you want?¡±


    The man smiled and said matter-of-factly, ¡°Nothing. I just wanted to hug you.¡±


    Shu Pan red at him and saw that his arm was exposed. She put her hand on his arm and threatened, ¡°If you don¡¯t let go, I¡¯m going to pinch you.¡±


    Because of her close proximity, Gu Shaoting¡¯s breathing got a little erratic. He also felt a certain part of his body swell.


    Gu Shaoting knew how difficult it was to get rid of his desire. It was the most urortaD1e tmng ror a man, so ne didn¡¯t re to continue.


    He let go of her and held her hand as they walked towards the dining room.


    ¡°Let¡¯s eat.¡± Gu Shaoting¡¯s voice was unusually hoarse.


    Gu Shaoting secretlyughed at himself. He had brought this upon himself. He had already tested his reaction to Shu Pan so many times, yet he still challenged his weak self-control.


    Shu Pan scooped him a bowl of porridge and the two of them lowered their heads to eat..

 Chapter 388 - 388: Silent Treatment

    Chapter 388 - 388: Silent Treatment<div>


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    As Gu Shaoting was sick and needed to be taken care of, Shu Pan didn¡¯t have time to ask how Xiaomeng was doing.


    This was indeed a tricky matter because He Ming had found out that Hu<div>


    Shanshan had hired a private detective to find dirt on Xiaomeng to smear her. However, he did not have any concrete evidence, so he couldn¡¯t take any action against Hu Shanshan.


    However, He Ming would remember her for stirring up this trouble.


    He Ming wanted to tear Hu Shanshan apart for causing so much pain and misery to Ye Xiaomeng. How had he offended this difficult woman?


    He Ming swore in his heart that when he had the chance, he would make Hu Shanshan regret doing this to Ye Xiaomeng.


    It was a Saturday and after some deliberation, He Ming decided to visit his parents again with Xiaomeng.


    He wanted to see his mother¡¯s attitude after she had some time to calm down.


    Ye Xiaomeng was still a little afraid.


    When they got there, He Ming¡¯s father was out fishing with his friends. Only Mrs. He was at home.


    Seeing that they came to visit, Mrs. He didn¡¯t wee them warmly with a smile like before. She was very cold.


    Xiaomeng was more sensitive and felt the change in Mrs. He¡¯s attitude the moment she walked in, but she still pretended to greet Mrs. He naturally.


    Mrs. He only nodded and then went into the kitchen.<div>


    Ye Xiaomeng¡¯s eyes dimmed. Although she had expected the silent treatment, she still felt terrible when she actually experienced it.


    He Ming¡¯s heart ached even more when he saw his mother¡¯s reaction. He walked closer to Xiaomeng andforted her. ¡°Don¡¯t think too much. Give her time. If she continues to be like this, we¡¯ll visit less often.¡±


    He Ming was a filial son, but if his mother was really so unenlightened, he could only be like this.


    His love for Xiaomeng would never change.


    Ye Xiaomeng nodded, touched. What had she done to deserve such a good man?


    ¡°I¡¯m fine. I¡¯ll go and help Auntie in the kitchen.¡± Xiaomeng squeezed his hand and went into the kitchen.


    ¡°Auntie, let me do the cooking. Please have a rest outside.¡± Xiaomeng said when she saw the busy Mrs. He.


    ¡°No need.¡± Mrs. He still gave her the cold shoulder.


    Xiaomeng felt a little at loss when she heard this.


    He Ming saw Xiaomeng¡¯s expression and chimed in, ¡°Mom,e have a rest outside. Let Xiaomeng cook and evaluate her skills.¡±


    Mrs. He reli Deuer wnen sne neara ner son say mat. AL least ner son still carea about her. ¡°Both of you go outside. I¡¯m fast.¡±<div>


    ¡°Thank you, Auntie.¡± He Ming pulled Ye Xiaomeng into his room.


    As soon as the door closed, He Ming hugged her tightly and whispered in her ear, ¡°Mengmeng, I¡¯ve made you suffer.¡±


    Ye Xiaomeng shook her head in his arms. ¡°It¡¯s okay. Her reaction is normal.¡± Although she said that, her eyes were filled with sadness.


    He Ming bore another grudge against Hu Shanshan. He must teach such a spoiled and selfish child a lesson.


    Mrs. He finished cooking and called them out to eat.


    When they were eating, He Ming picked up food for his mother and then praised her for her cooking. Although his mother didn¡¯t say anything, she felt really happy inside.


    Her son hadn¡¯t changed. He wouldn¡¯t forget his mother after he got a girlfriend.


    She felt a little guilty about her behavior. The two of them were so good together, but she tried to break them up.


    Ye Xiaomeng saw He Ming fussing over his mother and knew that he was doing it for her in hope that Mrs. He would change her mind.


    Mrs. He looked unperturbed, but she was starting to change her mind..

 Chapter 389 - 389: Company Dinner

    Chapter 389 - 389: Company Dinner<div>


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    After two days of rest, Gu Shaoting finally recovered.


    Shu Pan finally felt relieved.<div>


    Their lives returned to normal.


    Gu Shaoting sent Joy to school in the morning before he sent Shu Pan to work.


    This was their family time, so Gu Shaoting never let the driver fetch them.


    Shu Pan had also realized something over the past two days. She was no longer afraid of people finding out about her rtionship with Gu Shaoting.


    But because this was a private matter, they wanted to keep a low profile. They wouldn¡¯t announce it to the world and would just let nature take its course.


    So, when Gu Shaoting dropped Shu Pan off at the lobby of her office building, she no longer objected it.


    It was one thing to be seen, but life could also be very tiring if one cared too much about what others think of them.


    They were dating normally now. There was no need to make it look like a secret affair.


    In the beginning, she was afraid that people at work would gossip about them if they found out. But now, even if people at work didn¡¯t know, there would still be rumors.


    Therefore, Shu Pan epted it. There was no need to live for others. As soon as Shu Pan stepped into the office, she could feel her colleagues¡¯ excitement.


    Just as Shu Pan was puzzled, Tang Wei walked up to her and said, ¡°Shu Pan, you¡¯re really lucky. Today¡¯s your first day back at work after a week of leave and there¡¯s apany dinner tonight.¡±<div>


    So, this was the reason. Everyone was looking forward to a delicious meal at thepany dinner tonight. No wonder everyone was so excited.


    ¡°Is there anything worth celebratingtely? Why is there suddenly apany dinner?¡± Shu Pan asked Tang Wei after she racked her brain for a reason. ¡°It¡¯s what the CEO promised when he made his rounds here. Consider it an encouragement and reward for the employees.¡± Tang Wei sounded like senior management.


    Ah, that was the reason.


    ¡°You know what? I heard that dinner will be held at the Bin City Grand Hotel. That¡¯s really high-end, right? I heard that we¡¯ve booked a multi-function ballroom. It must have cost a bomb.¡± Tang Wei sighed. She had never received such treatment before.


    As expected, with money, one had options.


    Gu Group had never been ungenerous to its employees, so this was within reason.


    However, such a small matter was probably not noteworthy to Gu Shaoting.


    Otherwise, he would have mentioned it to her.


    ¡°Then you must eat to your heart¡¯s content tonight.¡± Shu Pan joked.


    ¡°Do you have to poke where it hurts? To hell with dieting.¡± Tang Wei¡¯s philosophy about losing weight was to pig out before dieting because how else would she get the energy to lose weight?


    Because of thepany dinner, everyone was more enthusiastic about work today.<div>


    When it was finally knock-off time, everyone rushed to clock out and set off for the Bin City Grand Hotel.


    The staff dinner was held on the second floor of the Bin City Grand Hotel, a multi-function ballroom that could amodate dozens of people.


    The room was set up with 5 banquet tables. Dinner would be attended by only employees of Sun Rise. No one from the parentpany would be joining them.


    Therge screen on the wall was ying the current top of the pops. The lively music made people even more excited.


    All the employees were smiling.


    And why not? Rising Sun was now a subsidiary of Gu Group. With a powerful ¡°godfather¡± like Gu Group, would Rising Sun even do badly?


    Therefore, all the employees were working very hard. After all, they were now effectively working for Gu Group, which was known to be generous to its employees in both sries and benefits.


    Dinner was scheduled for 7 p.m. but people arrived as soon as they got off work at 5:30 p.m. Almost everyone was there now, chatting and drinking happily.


    Just having a good time.


    By the time Shu Pan arrived, everyone was already seated.


    She waste, mainly because of a phone call from Gu Shaoting..

 Chapter 390 - 390: A Leaked Video

    Chapter 390 - 390: A Leaked Video<div>


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi- Bo Studio


    Gu Shaoting nned to attend Shu Pan¡¯spany dinner tonight but after thinking about it, he decided against it. After all, people would not be able to enjoy themselves with the big boss around.


    As soon as Shu Pan stepped into the ballroom, Tang Wei shouted, ¡°Shu Pan, over here.¡±<div>


    Tang Wei¡¯s voice was a little shrill and everyone looked at Shu Pan.


    Shu Pan was thin-skinned and blushed immediately.


    She had always kept a low profile and did not want to be the center of attention.


    Shu Pan finally came to Tang Wei¡¯s table.


    ¡°You guys have been enjoying yourselves for a while, right?¡± Shu Pan said with a smile.


    ¡°Yeah, I was going to wait for you, but you said you had something to do.¡± Tang


    ¡°Sorry, my dear Miss Tang. It was my fault. I¡¯ll punish myself with three soft drinkster.¡± Shu Pan pretended to surrender.


    ¡°Soft drinks? You think you can get away with that? You must drink alcohol to show your sincerity.¡± Tang Wei said.


    Shu Pan smiled and shook her head.


    When Shu Pan sat down, she realized that the person sitting next to her was another colleague she had met at the pedestrian streetst time.


    When she saw Shu Pan sit down, she leaned in and whispered, ¡°I didn¡¯t say a word about what happened that day.¡±<div>


    Although her colleague said that, Shu Pan knew that she was referring to the incident when she ran into her and Gu Shaoting at the pedestrian street.


    Actually, Shu Pan had guessed that it was MO Lan who spilled the beans because this colleague of hers was more introverted and didn¡¯t talk much. She didn¡¯t know why she would go shopping with MO Lan that day. It was quite unbelievable.


    Shu Pan smiled lightly and said, ¡°Thank you.¡±


    Shu Pan was thanking her for not causing trouble for her.


    At this moment, their director walked over with a ss of wine and said, ¡°Since all my colleagues are here, let me make a toast.¡±


    ¡°Thank you. Cheers.¡± Everyone raised their sses and drank.


    MO Lan, who was sitting at the next table, saw themotion and walked over as well. She then said meaningfully, ¡°Everyone is enjoying themselves, especially you, Shu Pan.¡±


    Shu Pan didn¡¯t understand what she meant. Why especially her?


    But MO Lan had always been a petty person. She often spoke insinuatingly and liked to talk behind people¡¯s backs.


    At this moment, a familiar melody yed on the big screen. It was a song sung by a celebrity that everyone was familiar with. Everyone was very excited and even pped their hands to sing along. The atmosphere was very lively.


    ¡°Shu Pan, why don¡¯t you sing something?¡± Tang Wei said that because everyone at her table arrived early and had taken their turns except Shu Pan.<div>


    ¡°Sure.¡± Shu Pan was suddenly game. It had been too long since she did karaoke. She didn¡¯t have the leisure to do so.


    Hence, she decided to do it. Shu Pan took the microphone and sang with the other colleagues. Her voice soft and gentle voice was unique and fascinated everyone. She even swayed left and right to the rhythm.


    Very soon, the song was almost over. Shu Pan felt very happy after singing.


    She saw that they were about to switch to the next song, so she handed her microphone to another colleague.


    At this moment, therge screen on the wall suddenly changed from karaoke to a video.


    Everyone gasped. Shu Pan was still confused about the situation.


    Then, someone shouted, ¡°Shu Pan, look at the screen.¡±


    Shu Pan slowly turned around and looked at therge screen. She then felt as if a bucket of ice water had been poured over her head. Her entire body froze.


    Her heart stopped beating momentarily.


    ying on the big screen was a video of her secretly looking for Gu Shaoting that afternoon when no one was around.


    The person in the video was sneaky, as if she was doing something shameful. Shu Pan felt very embarrassed and stood there not knowing what to do..

 Chapter 391 - 391: Embarrassment

    Chapter 391 - 391: Embarrassment<div>


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Shu Pan felt her mind go nk. Someone had secretly recorded this video. It was obviously someone from thepany who happened to be in the office at noon.


    But who secretly recorded this video?<div>


    The video had obviously been edited. It showed Shu Pan going into the CEO¡¯s office and staying there for almost an hour having lunch. The date time stamp on the video showed that it was almost the end of lunch break when she left Gu Shaoting¡¯s office.


    Someone deliberately edited it that way to let everyone know that she had been in the CEO¡¯s office for an extended period, engaging in something despicable.


    The first suspect that came to Shu Pan¡¯s mind was MO Lan.


    MO Lan had always been jealous of her and was always looking for trouble with her. It was most likely MO Lan who stalked and secretly recorded this video of her.


    Who else could it be other than MO Lan?


    Shu Pan seriously thought about every suspicious person in her office while strange gazes directed at her became hard to ignore.


    ¡°Shu Pan, are you okay?¡± Tang Wei, who was beside Shu Pan, nudged her hard and asked worriedly.


    Shu Pan clenched her fists. This time, she would not let go of anyone who framed her.


    After the video finished ying, the big screen started showing photos of Shu Pan and Gu Shaoting. There were also two photos with Joy in them.


    Shu Pan¡¯s initial shock and disbelief had turned into anger, and now calmness.


    She did not know what she had experienced.<div>


    Shu Pan didn¡¯t mind people knowing about her rtionship with Gu Shaoting, but she minded very much how it was exposed.


    Exposing their rtionship like that was an insult to her reputation, and she would not let the person off this time.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Shu Pan said softly.


    The big screen continued to show ambiguous photos of Shu Pan with the CEO.


    Everyone then made the connection to the CEO¡¯s super model ex-fianc¨¦e and rumors about his illegitimate daughter. With Shu Pan in the picture, what role could she y other than being the homewrecker?


    Dozens of Sun Rise employees looked at Shu Pan. There were all kinds of judgmental stares, discussions, and criticisms¡­


    She had once again be the target and the center of attention.


    These people didn¡¯t know the actual story and were just watching her embarrassment.


    ¡°How shameless. Don¡¯t criticize others when you¡¯re the same. She clearly knows that the CEO is engaged and yet she did such a thing.¡±


    ¡°Although the CEO had already called off his engagement, she might have seduced him before it was called off. Perhaps it was because of her that the CEO called off the engagement with his supermodel fianc¨¦e.¡±


    Someone finally broke the silence and spoke up. Then, one after another, discussions began.<div>


    Shu Pan didn¡¯t need to turn her head to know that the instigator was MO Lan. Who else would have such a mean voice?


    But MO Lan seemed to have forgotten that she was the mistress of a rich man whose wife hade looking for trouble with her at her ce of work.


    People were like this. They liked to gossip about others, but rarely reflected on themselves.


    ¡°You really can¡¯t judge a book by its cover.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, people aren¡¯t always what they seem. She looks like a nice person, but how could she do something like that in private?¡±


    ¡°Exactly. I despise her.¡±


    All kinds of usations, curses, and mockery could be heard.


    The scene was chaotic and seemed out of control.


    Shu Pan couldn¡¯t help butugh at herself. Thepany dinner seemed to have be an ambush meeting against her. What had she done to deserve this?


    She could haveughed off an intimate photo of her with Gu Shaoting. After all, she never intended to hide their rtionship for the rest of her life. But being exposed like that had turned her into a pariah despised by everyone..

 Chapter 392 - 392: Their Relationship Exposed

    Chapter 392 - 392: Their Rtionship Exposed<div>


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    These people all sat on their moral high horses and criticized Shu Pan without realizing that they were just following someone¡¯s lead to hurt her. They had no clue what was happening at all.


    ¡°Why would the CEO like a woman like her? She looks okay and has a good figure but no matter how good-looking she is, she can¡¯tpare to a supermodel, right? I guess men are just greedy for novelty. He¡¯s just ying her and may dump her soon.¡±<div>


    Somehow, there was a hint of jealousy in their words.


    It was exactly why MO Lan was so upset. How was she worse than Shu Pan? Why did the CEO only have eyes for Shu Pan whenever they met?


    That was the reason she was jealous. Her external attributes were clearly superior to Shu Pan¡¯s but the CEO never looked at her.


    Shu Pan heard the crowd¡¯s criticisms. Although she felt sad, words couldn¡¯t physically harm her.


    But she was more concerned about Gu Shaoting¡¯s opinion. She wondered what he would think if he saw such a video.


    Just as Shu Pan was lost in her thoughts, someone suddenly jeered, ¡°Director Wang, this is someone from your department, right? Do you want to weigh in on this?¡±


    Director Wang stood up as everyone expected and said, ¡°Actually, everyone knows the kind of person Shu Pan is. She does very good work. As for her private life, that¡¯s her business. Moreover, this kind of video doesn¡¯t prove anything. ¡±


    Director Wang didn¡¯t want to get involved at all. He knew that the CEO and Shu Pan had some kind of rtionship. It was obviously something serious when the CEO called in sick on Shu Pan¡¯s behalf.


    He wasn¡¯t sure if they were in a rtionship, so he couldn¡¯t say anything. However, what he said clearly defended Shu Pan.


    As soon as he finished speaking, MO Lanined, ¡°Director, you¡¯re too biased.¡¯


    Her words were filled with deep resentment.<div>


    Everyone knew that the director had reprimanded MO Lan when her boyfriend¡¯s wife came to find trouble with her at the office.


    And now, the director just brushed it off when Shu Pan was used of seducing the CEO.


    Wouldn¡¯t the staff bewless in the future? What code of conduct would exist then?


    ¡°Your situation is different from Shu Pan¡¯s.¡± Director Wang frowned. MO Lan was having an affair with a married man and ruining thepany¡¯s reputation. Also, was Shu Pan¡¯s involvement with the CEO something he couldment on? He wasn¡¯t bold enough to do that.


    MO Lan was so angry that her face turned red. Ultimately, the director favored Shu Pan over her.


    But on second thought, she figured that Shu Pan would probably leave Sunrise after such a fiasco. Everyone at the office would gossip about her after this scandal. Her only way out was to leave.


    A male colleague who was once interested in Shu Pan also shook his head in disappointment. It was as if he wasmenting his disappointment at Shu Pan when he worshipped her like a goddess.


    Shu Pan stood there quietly with an indifferent expression on her face.


    MO Lan, on the other hand, was staring at Shu Pan. Although she was angry at Director Wang¡¯s favoritism, she couldn¡¯t help but smile when she thought about Shu Pan¡¯s fate.


    It was as if it was her turn now to watch the spectacle.


    Like how the others were watching Shu Pan¡¯s show now.<div>


    ¡°Shu Pan¡­¡± Tang Wei looked at Shu Pan worriedly and gently tugged at her sleeve. ¡°I know it¡¯s not true. There must be another exnation.¡± ¡°Thank you for your trust.¡± Shu Pan replied with a helpless smile..

 Chapter 393 - 393: Slander

    Chapter 393 - 393: nder<div>


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    But did the truth matter anymore?


    Some stories were untrue to begin with, and when people spread them around, they got increasingly ridiculous. Eventually, who could tell if they were true or false?<div>


    But Shu Pan had to deal with this head-on eventually. She took a deep breath and gently patted Tang Wei¡¯s hand to tell her not to worry. Then, she straightened her back. With her head held high and her chest puffed out, she walked toward the big screen in her high heels.


    She had a small smile on her face as she looked around the ballroom.


    As she expected, everyone had gloating expressions on their faces as they watched her humiliation.


    Their eyes were filled with contempt and disdain, as if she was really the shameless homewrecker.


    She steadied herself before she said in a firm tone, ¡°I know very well who was behind this today. I will take legal action against this person for defamation.¡±


    ¡°You have the cheek to call this defamation? It¡¯s the truth and we¡¯ve seen the evidence. You still want to quibble?¡± Someone in the crowd said.


    Shu Pan was standing quite far away from the voice, so she couldn¡¯t tell who it was, but she saw MO Lan looking at her with a half-smile.


    Shu Pan then replied calmly, ¡°Then let¡¯s wait and see if I win the defamation suit. ¡±


    As Shu Pan was looking at MO Lan when she said this, MO Lan finally opened her mouth. ¡°You¡¯re such a shameless b*tch. How dare you say such things?¡±


    Shu Pan already knew that MO Lan was capable of defamation, but she didn¡¯t have any evidence. However, she wasn¡¯t about to take it sitting down.


    ¡°I have a clear conscience about the kind of person I am, but everyone here also knows the kind of person you are. Let¡¯s not confuse our characters.¡±<div>


    Shu Pan felt that MO Lan¡¯s personality was really warped to be able to distort the truth like that.


    Just as Shu Pan was about to speak again, someone in the crowd suddenly shouted, ¡°A woman like you should resign and leave so you don¡¯t embarrass yourself anymore.¡±


    Everyone treated Shu Pan with so little respect because they felt that even if she was in a rtionship with the CEO, she was probably just another ything that would be tossed when the CEO got bored.


    Because if the CEO had admitted that Shu Pan was his girlfriend, she would probably be showing off to everyone and doing whatever she liked. After all, being the CEO¡¯s woman was a privilege; she wouldn¡¯t be sneaking around like this.


    Another person then said, ¡°Should we inform the CEO about this? After all, this involves the CEO¡¯s private life too.¡±


    Shu Pan couldn¡¯t help but shudder when she heard this. In her mind, she was thinking how Gu Shaoting would react when he found out about this.


    At this thought, Shu Pan felt a little resentful towards him. After all, he was the culprit.


    If he hadn¡¯t called her into his office, would this have happened?


    Shu Pan suddenly felt a little wronged, but she still puffed out her chest and said fiercely, ¡°It¡¯s fine as long as you can bear the consequences.¡±


    She then walked back to her table. When she walked past MO Lan, MO Lan lowered her voice and said proudly, ¡°Shu Pan, I told you that I won¡¯t let you have it easy no matter the price.¡±


    MO Lan smiled smugly. Her smile hurt Shu Pan deeply. Why must MO Lan mess up her life?<div>


    What right did she have?


    Shu Pan red at her, then raised her hand and swung it at MO Lan.


    ¡°p!¡±


    The p was very loud, and everyone was stunned. Obviously, no one expected the usually elegant and refined Shu Pan to p someone.


    The ballroom fell silent; no one made a sound..

 Chapter 394 - 394: Getting Slapped

    Chapter 394 - 394: Getting pped<div>


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    MO Lan didn¡¯t expect Shu Pan to have the guts to p her. She was stunned and couldn¡¯t believe it.


    Even though Shu Pan was a woman, she was very strong when angry. A red handprint appeared on MO Lan¡¯s face in an instant. It was obvious how hard Shu Pan had pped her.<div>


    MO Lan covered the side of her face that had been pped as she scrunched up her face and yelled, ¡°B*tch, how dare you hit me?¡±


    When Shu Pan saw MO Lan scold her, she pped the other side of her face without thinking.


    It was useless to reason with such a person. A physical move worked better sometimes. After all, she had already tried talking.


    ¡°You think you can just p me?¡±


    MO Lan was furious after being pped twice in a row. She was not someone to be trifled with. She pounced on Shu Pan and grabbed her hair, cursing profusely. Shu Pan felt her scalp go numb as her hair was pulled, but she endured it.


    However, Shu Pan was not to be outdone. She also reached out and pulled MO Lan¡¯s hair.


    Shu Pan didn¡¯t expect that she would one day be a shrew and fight someone. Who would do it if they weren¡¯t forced into a corner?


    Shu Pan saw that MO Lan was wearing taller and thinner heels than her as she swayed left and right in their tussle. Shu Pan took advantage of it and pulled MO Lan to one side. MO Lan¡¯s center of gravity was unstable, so she swayed briefly before she fell to the ground with a thud.


    The way she fell to the ground was not very elegant. Her hair at the moment was already a mess and looked like a bird¡¯s nest. She was wearing a very short skirt, so she had a major wardrobe malfunction when she fell.


    Everyone seemed to be stunned; no one came forward to stop the fight. Only Tang Wei was anxious. She wanted to pull them apart, but she couldn¡¯t get close.


    MO Lan looked miserable. As the hotel ballroom was carpeted, the fall didn¡¯t really hurt but the way she fell andnded was really embarrassing.<div>


    She stood up with the help of a nearby chair and took off her high heels. ¡°Shu


    Pan, are you crazy? You did something wrong, and you are ming me?¡±


    MO Lan sounded indignant. She wanted to gain everyone¡¯s sympathy and make them think that she was an innocent victim. She wanted to cause a public outrage and make others help her deal with Shu Pan.


    MO Lan put on a pitiful expression. Shu Pan looked at her and found her extremely fake.


    But everyone saw Shu Pan p MO Lan first, so their eyes were on Shu Pan.


    With MO Lan¡¯s instigation, everyone joined in the scolding.


    ¡°How shameless. ¡± ¡®Get lost.¡¯


    ¡°What a disgrace.¡±


    All kinds of insults were hurled at Shu Pan.


    Shu Pan didn¡¯t look any better. Her hair was also in a mess. Her clothes were wrinkled, her stockings were torn, and her arm was scratched by MO Lan¡¯s long nails.


    She had also sprained her ankle when she was pulling MO Lan. She now felt a dull pain in her ankle when standing. Tang Wei noticed her strange behavior and quickly supported her.<div>


    Shu Pan felt a little dizzy from all the scolding. As she listened, she gradually could not see anything. Her vision became blurry.


    When would this farce end?


    ¡°Director Wang, what¡¯s going on?¡± Mr. Zhang¡¯s voice suddenly rang out from outside the ballroom.


    The chaotic ballroom instantly quieted down.


    Everyone looked over and saw Gu Shaoting walk in with his secretary, Mr. Zhang.


    ¡°CEO Gu¡­¡± Director Wang looked like he had seen his savior when he saw Gu Shaoting. He could finally stop worrying..

 Chapter 395 - 395: Standing Up For Her

    Chapter 395 - 395: Standing Up For Her<div>


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    ¡°What¡¯s going on? Why is everyone crowded together?¡± Gu Shaoting¡¯s voice was bone-piercingly deep.


    No one dared to make a sound.<div>


    Hearing Gu Shaoting¡¯s voice, Shu Pan quickly tidied her hair and stood up straight, but she was very confused. Why was he here?


    Didn¡¯t he say that he had a social engagement tonight?


    Mo Lan¡¯s heart skipped a beat too. She hadn¡¯t been able to figure out the CEO¡¯s attitude towards Shu Pan. If he wasn¡¯t interested in her, why did he keep her in his office for so long? If it were any other woman, he would have kicked them out long ago.


    But if he was interested in Shu Pan, why didn¡¯t he make it public? What was the point of being so sneaky?


    In the end, MO Lan concluded that CEO Gu was probably just greedy for novelty.


    Therefore, at this moment, she was smiling. She couldn¡¯t wait to see Shu Pan being abandoned, ridiculed, and reprimanded.


    The CEO might even think that this whole thing was a show put on by Shu Pan! After all, it was leisure hours and they weren¡¯t at work.


    Sigh, the poor thing didn¡¯t even know where she went wrong. What would happen to her?


    Gu Shaoting was tall and handsome as usual. He was wearing a silver-gray tailored suit. His expression was calm and his steps were elegant. When he walked, everyone couldn¡¯t help but look and make way for him.


    Everyone¡¯s eyes followed him as he walked.


    However, he only had eyes for Shu Pan, who was in the eye of the storm. He saw her clenched fists, pale lips, and her forced smile.<div>


    She was clearly smiling, but he could not feel the warmth in her smile.


    No one knew what Gu Shaoting was thinking. He wanted to beat someone up.


    The person most precious to him now was trapped in the crowd, feeling helpless and looking miserable.


    What a silly girl. If he didn¡¯te here, she probably wouldn¡¯t have called him for help.


    Shu Pan also looked at him, but she was a little nervous. After all, she looked like a crazy woman now.


    But she could feel him approaching, getting closer and closer¡­


    He loved her and his heart ached when he saw her appearance.


    Finally, he stood in front of her and called out softly, ¡°Panpan.¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡± Shu Pan felt a little shy after being called by her nickname in public.


    She responded to him softly as usual, but she did not dare to look him in the eye as she was disgusted by her own appearance.


    ¡°I¡¯m here for you.¡± His slender fingers gently caressed her face before he nted a gentle kiss on her forehead. His voice was deep and sexy as he continued, ¡°Shu Pan, I won¡¯t let off anyone who bullies you.¡±<div>


    At this moment, the people around them were gasping silently. They all looked as if they had seen a ghost.


    It was unbelievable. What was going on?


    Looking at their intimate behavior, everyone knew that they were lovers. There was no one-sided seduction at all.


    Those who scolded Shu Pan were now regretting their actions. It was all MO Lan¡¯s fault for misleading them.


    MO Lan herself was also stunned. She couldn¡¯t ept the reality when she saw Gu Shaoting treat Shu Pan like a treasure, his eyes filled with heartache, when he kissed her forehead.


    ¡°CEO Gu, look at the big screen.¡± Mr. Zhang walked over and pointed at the big screen at the front of the room.


    Gu Shaoting looked over, his brows tightly furrowed. This was clearly nder by someone with ill intentions. Why was Shu Pan targeted again?


    He turned his head and looked at his assistant. A bone-chilling light shed in his seemingly calm eyes. ¡°Mr. Zhang, investigate thoroughly and find out who


    did this..¡±

 Chapter 396 - 396: Can’t Afford to Offend

    Chapter 396 - 396: Can¡¯t Afford to Offend<div>


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi- Bo Studio


    Gu Shaoting¡¯s simple words made everyone shudder.


    His voice was like ice, so cold that it made people shiver.<div>


    Mr. Zhang replied quickly, ¡°Leave it with me, CEO Gu. I will definitely find out who did this.¡±


    Director Wang wiped the cold sweat off his forehead. He patted himself on the back for his decision to inform Mr. Zhang when things got out of hand. This was, after all, about the CEO¡¯s private life. It wasn¡¯t his ce to intervene.


    It was best dealt with by the person in question.


    Investigate thoroughly?


    Everyone in the room was scared when they heard that. The expressions they wore when mocking Shu Pan vanishedpletely.


    Everyone was on tenterhooks, worried that they would be implicated.


    ¡°Let me reiterate my point. If anyone dares to make things difficult for Shu Pan, they are making things difficult for me and I won¡¯t let them off.¡±


    Gu Shaoting¡¯s words were sonorous and forceful, and everyone felt even more apprehensive. They couldn¡¯t help but decide that they must never offend Shu Pan in the future.


    Shu Pan pursed her lips and finally looked up at Gu Shaoting. She looked at him quietly, intending to smile, but tears rolled down her cheeks uncontrobly.


    Gu Shaoting¡¯s heart wrenched when he saw her tears. He lowered his head to kiss away her tears, but she cried even harder. It took a long time before she stopped crying.


    Shu Pan¡¯s heart felt warm. Her heart was at ease now and she no longer felt helpless.<div>


    It felt good to have someone to lean on.


    ¡°Silly girl, you always have me. Don¡¯t be afraid of anything.¡± Gu Shaoting caressed her hair.


    He then looked up and scanned everyone in the room, his gaze cold and terrifying.


    MO Lan saw that things were going awry and wanted to hide in the crowd.


    ¡°Miss, you hurt my precious. Do you think this is the end of it?¡± Gu Shaoting¡¯s voice made MO Lan¡¯s heart jump to her throat.


    ¡°CEO Gu, Shu Pan hit me first. You can ask the people here. I¡¯m also a victim¡­¡± MO Lan tried to argue with a pitiful look on her face. But when she met Gu Shaoting¡¯s cold eyes, she was so scared that she quickly shut up.


    ¡°You must have provoked Shu Pan. So what if she hit you?¡± Gu Shaoting knew Shu Pan very well. She was the kind of person who wouldn¡¯t attack unless she was attacked first.


    Moreover, the other person must have gone overboard and pushed her over the edge.


    ¡°Did you make the video?¡± Gu Shaoting suddenly thought of this point. Why else would Shu Pan lose it?


    MO Lan looked at him timidly and didn¡¯t say anything for fear of making things worse because Mr. Zhang would find out eventually.


    ¡°Mr. Zhang, I won¡¯t allow the person who hurt Shu Pan to remain in thepany. And I¡¯ll take legal actions against those who ndered her.¡± Gu Shaoting¡¯s words were like a death sentence for MO Lan.<div>


    She was dumbstruck. Had she been fired from her job? Then all her efforts over the years would be in vain. Would she still be able to survive in this industry in the future?


    After MO Lan realized what happened, she tugged at Gu Shaoting¡¯s sleeve and begged, ¡°CEO Gu, please don¡¯t fire me. I won¡¯t do it again.¡±


    Gu Shaoting looked at her coldly before he flung her hand away. MO Lan fell to the ground again.


    She looked even worse with this fall. Her face was covered in tears and snot, and her makeup was ruined. She looked awful.


    Seeing that Gu Shaoting was unmoved, MO Lan tugged at Shu Pan¡¯s pant leg. ¡°Shu Pan, I will never argue with you again. Please persuade the CEO not to fire me. I¡¯ve worked hard all these years to get to where I am. Please¡­ I beg you.¡± MO Lan said in tears..

 Chapter 397 - 397: I Have Your Back

    Chapter 397 - 397: I Have Your Back<div>


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Shu Pan didn¡¯t know what to do as she looked at MO Lan, who was tugging at her pant leg.


    A pitiful person could also have hateful characteristics. It was not that Shu Pan did not MO Lan her a chance, but MO Lan just kept bullying her.<div>


    Shu Pan was at her limit now. She was not God and couldn¡¯t have mercy on those who had hurt her time and time again.


    So, she nced at MO Lan before she gently retracted her leg. MO Lan¡¯s hands were grabbing at nothing now.


    MO Lan saw that Shu Pan was unmoved, so she started wailing uncontrobly on the ground like a shrew.


    Everyone sighed when they saw this.


    Gu Shaoting simply frowned.


    Mr. Zhang¡¯s expression also changed as he quickly called the hotel to send in their security guards to escort MO Lan out.


    The ballroom quieted down in an instant and Director Wang asked everyone to return to their seats. It was bad enough that theirpany dinner turned into such a mess.


    Gu Shaoting held Shu Pan¡¯s hand to leave but the moment Shu Pan took a step, she cried out in pain from her sprained right ankle.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Gu Shaoting asked nervously.


    ¡°I think I sprained my ankle. It hurts.¡± Shu Pan said pitifully with watery eyes.


    ¡°Are you still going to act tough? Why didn¡¯t you tell me and let me handle it?¡± Gu Shaoting said unhappily. His heart ached terribly seeing her in so much pain.<div>


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to bother you with these trivial matters.¡± Shu Pan sniffed.


    ¡°Matters concerning you are never trivial. ¡± As soon as Gu Shaoting finished, he bent over and scooped Shu Pan up in front of everyone. He then strode out of the ballroom ignoring everyone around them.


    Shu Pan didn¡¯t expect Gu Shaoting to carry her. She thought he was a rather reserved person who would never do such a thing in public. It was really unexpected.


    Her face suddenly turned red as she buried her head in the nook of Gu Shaoting¡¯s neck. His unique masculine scent attacked her olfactory senses, confusing her.


    She secretly looked up at him. His handsome face was still calm but his messy footsteps revealed his anxiety.


    Shu Pan never thought that she would be in such a situation with him. Real life was indeed unpredictable.


    It wasn¡¯t until Gu Shaoting carried Shu Pan out of the hotel ballroom that the people in the room came to their senses. Everyone¡¯s eyes were filled with surprise.


    Was that their aloof and cold CEO? Everyone was stunned.


    Mr. Zhang looked at everyone and said, ¡°Please keep your eyes open when you want to offend someone in the future. You can¡¯t afford to offend everyone.¡± With that, Mr. Zhang left.


    Only then did everyone realize that they had been blind. Fortunately, they hadn¡¯t done anything unforgivable to Shu Pan.


    MO Lan wasn¡¯t so lucky though. Now that she had been fired, she probably wouldn¡¯t find such a good job in the future.<div>


    After all, like a shadow that eclipsed the sunshine of benevolence, notoriety always cast a long and dark pall over the brightest acts of goodwill.


    What happened here today would probably be known throughout the industry very soon.


    What did the CEO say just now?


    He referred to Shu Pan as his precious. Who would dare to offend her from now


    Tang Wei¡¯s jaw dropped the furthest. She had yet to recover from her shock.


    She was still looking in the direction they left with her eyes widened when she muttered to herself, ¡°So, Shu Pan is the CEO¡¯s girlfriend. They had been too low profile! Thank goodness I¡¯m with camp Shu Pan. MO Lan only has herself to me. She wouldn¡¯t be in trouble if she hadn¡¯t ndered Shu Pan.¡±


    Tang Wei had no sympathy for MO Lan. MO Lan didn¡¯t deserve sympathy. She was simply getting her retribution.


    Everyone broke out in cold sweat after they recovered from their shock, especially those who joined in the scolding. They felt guilty too..

 Chapter 398 - 398: The Happiest Person On Earth

    Chapter 398 - 398: The Happiest Person On Earth<div>


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Gu Shaoting drove Shu Pan home himself.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t her punishment too severe?¡± Shu Pan felt a little uneasy. After all, MO Lan¡¯s life was ruined when she got fired.<div>


    ¡°It¡¯s not. I was going to call the police but if I did that, she¡¯d probably end up behind bars. After all, stalking, secretly filming and ndering someone are not petty crimes.¡±


    Gu Shaoting knew that Shu Pan would feel bad, but he couldn¡¯tpromise on this kind of fundamental issue. He would not let this woman hurt Shu Pan again.


    When they arrived, Gu Shaoting got out of the car and carried Shu Pan upstairs.


    He didn¡¯t say anything in the elevator but she could feel his strong arms.


    She also secretly held his lean waist. She could feel his well-defined muscles through his shirt.


    She snuggled her head against his chest like a kitten.


    Gu Shaoting was slightly aroused, but Shu Pan didn¡¯t know that.


    Back home, Gu Shaoting gently put Shu Pan down on the sofa and went to the medicine cab to find medicated oil.


    He then sat next to Shu Pan and pulled her legs onto hisp and gently removed her stockings.


    Shu Pan had beautiful legs. They were fair, slender, and very sexy.


    Except for her right ankle, which was red and swollen.<div>


    The more Gu Shaoting looked, the deeper his brows furrowed.


    He held her ankle in his warm hands and gently rubbed it before he massaged it hard with some medicated oil.


    Looking at his serious expression, Shu Pan pursed her lips and said emotionally, ¡°Shaoting, I¡¯m so d I have you.¡±


    Gu Shaoting¡¯s hands stopped as if he was surprised by Shu Pan¡¯s sudden confession. After a long pause, he said gently, ¡°You only appreciate me now? Silly girl, I will always be good to you and make you feel like you are the happiest person on earth. Please know that I always have your back.¡±


    What should she do now?


    She really felt like crying!


    Shu Pan was clearly someone who didn¡¯t like to cry. She didn¡¯t even cry when she was so miserable before but she was constantly moved to tears by Gu Shaoting now.


    In the end, she held back her tears. Her life would only be filled withughter from now on.


    As Shu Pan had sprained her ankle, Gu Shaoting went to pick Joy up from Ye Xiaomeng¡¯s ce.


    Gu Shaoting was supposed to go to a social engagement tonight, and she was supposed to be at herpany dinner. Who knew that things would turn out like this? Her stomach was growling now.


    When Joy got home, she saw that Shu Pan¡¯s foot was injured. She said with a very worried face, ¡°Mommy, can you still walk?¡±<div>


    ¡°Of course. Mommy just identally sprained her ankle. I¡¯ll be fine soon, so you must always walk carefully, okay?¡± Shu Pan taught Joy something all the time.


    ¡°I will.¡± Joy nodded like a little adult.


    Shu Pan watched Joy grow every day. Her rtionship with Gu Shaoting was more stable now, so she would find an opportunity to tell Joy. After all, Gu Shaoting was Joy¡¯s father.


    Because Shu Pan¡¯s foot was injured, Gu Shaoting volunteered to cook dinner. Shu Pan watched the busy man in the kitchen from the sofa and felt a little uneasy.


    Gu Shaoting was in home clothes with his sleeves rolled up, looking very delicate.


    Joy asked curiously, ¡°Does Uncle Gu know how to cook?¡±


    ¡°Yes, he¡¯ll learn slowly.¡± In her memory, Gu Shaoting had cooked no more than ten times in the past. She really didn¡¯t know if he could make this dinner.


    He had been busy for quite a while now but he didn¡¯t seem to have started cooking. He was looking at the recipe, then at the pot, and back. He looked a little flustered.


    Shu Pan lowered her injured foot from the coffee table and hopped to the kitchen door..

 Chapter 399 - 399: He’s Daddy

    Chapter 399 - 399: He¡¯s Daddy<div>


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Shu Pan couldn¡¯t bear it when she saw Gu Shaoting sweating profusely. She said, ¡°Shaoting, why don¡¯t you let me do it?¡± Gu Shaoting turned his head and said, ¡°No need. Dinner will be ready soon.¡±


    Gu Shaoting then helped Shu Pan back to the sofa.<div>


    ¡°Uncle Gu, I¡¯m so hungry.¡± Joy pouted and rubbed her tummy.


    ¡°Soon.¡± Gu Shaoting regretted not ordering food delivery when he heard what his little darling said.


    He thought cooking was easy. Shu Pan always did it so effortlessly. He only decided to cook to express his love.


    But it looked like cooking required talent. Not everyone could do it well.


    Shu Pan thou?ht for a bit and said, ¡°How about this? I¡¯ll talk vou throuzh it.


    Help me move a chair into the kitchen.¡± After tonight¡¯s ordeal, her already hungry stomach was already growling.


    ¡°Alright.¡± Gu Shaoting nodded.


    In the kitchen, Shu Pan instructed Gu Shaoting to add oil and wait for the oil to heat up before adding vegetables to stir-fry.


    After half an hour, he finally finished cooking three dishes and a soup. They were all simple dishes, so it was rtively fast.


    ¡°Uncle Gu, your cooking is really delicious.¡± Joy was probably famished, so everything tasted like heaven to her.


    But Gu Shaoting was greatly encouraged by her words.<div>


    He said happily, ¡°Then Uncle Gu will cook more often for you.¡±


    He then turned to Shu Pan and said, ¡°Don¡¯t underestimate me. I feel that I shouldn¡¯t squander my talent for cooking.¡±


    Shu Pan was speechless. This man barely cooked a few extremely ordinary dishes and he had be arrogant?


    But she had to admit that God had given him a handsome face and a sharp mind.


    This man had hardly cooked but he managed to whip up a few tasty dishes with a little guidance.


    After dinner and a shower, Shu Pan and Joyy in bed while Gu Shaoting worked in the study.


    After bedtime story, Shu Pan and Joy started chatting.


    ¡°Joy, do you want to Imow who your father is?¡± Shu Pan asked.


    Joy suddenly widened her eyes. ¡°Is Daddying back from work?¡±


    Shu Pan patted Joy¡¯s head and said gently, ¡°Well, actually, Daddy has always been with you. Uncle Gu is your father.¡±


    ¡°Really? That¡¯s great, but why didn¡¯t you tell me before?¡± Joy was a little unhappy.<div>


    ¡°That¡¯s because Uncle is ying a game with you. A game where Uncle turns into Daddy.¡± Shu Pan could only make up a random excuse.


    ¡°Then I¡¯m going to find Daddy now.¡± Joy was so excited that she couldn¡¯t sleep.


    ¡°It¡¯s veryte now. Daddy is still working. We¡¯ll find him tomorrow morning, okay?¡± Shu Pan coaxed her.


    However, Shu Pan also understood how Joy felt. After all, she had never known who her father was. She must be really happy to finally know.


    Joy was a little disappointed when she heard that. Fine, she would find her father tomorrow.


    She counted many sheep before she fell asleep.


    Shu Pan also felt a myriad of feelings. It was because of her selfishness that her child was deprived of fatherly love.


    In a daze, Shu Pan fell asleep.


    She would let that man be surprised tomorrow morning.


    Gu Shaoting was busy until after midnight. He stood up and stretched before he went to Shu Pan¡¯s room. The mother and daughter were asleep with their heads touching.


    He lowered his head and gave them each a kiss before he left the room reluctantly.


    Gu Shaoting couldn¡¯t really fall asleep that night. It seemed that he hadn¡¯t been able to sleep well since Shu Pan and Joy came to live with him.


    Every time he closed his eyes, the image of Shu Pan¡¯s shy and lovely appearance would appear in his mind, and then he would need to take a cold shower.


    It seemed like he ought to speed up his pursuit of his wife..

 Chapter 400 - 400: Hello, Daddy

    Chapter 400 - 400: Hello, Daddy<div>


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Joy woke up early the next morning. She jumped out of bed and rushed to Gu Shaoting¡¯s bedroom before even brushing her teeth.


    ¡°Daddy, Daddy¡­¡± Gu Shaoting was still sleeping. He heard someone talking and thought it was a dream. Then, he opened his eyes and saw Joy lying next to him with her eyes wide open.<div>


    ¡°Sweetie, what did you say?¡± Gu Shaoting wasn¡¯t awake yet, so he didn¡¯t hear clearly what Joy said.


    ¡°Daddy¡­¡± Joy called out again.


    Gu Shaoting couldn¡¯t believe his ears. He asked Joy to call him again.


    This time, he finally heard clearly that Joy called him ¡°Daddy¡±.


    Gu Shaoting was very excited. He didn¡¯t expect Shu Pan to make them father and daughter so soon.


    He had been very anxious too, but he did not dare to show it because he was worried that Shu Pan would think that he was only interested in acknowledging his daughter and not serious about her. That was why he didn¡¯t say anything.


    Finally, the day he had been waiting for had arrived.


    ¡°Sweetie, I¡¯m sorry.¡± Gu Shaoting scooped Joy into his arms.


    ¡°Why did Daddy say sorry?¡± Joy asked innocently.


    ¡°Because Daddy did something wrong and almost lost you both. Fortunately, I met you and Mommy again. Daddy will never let go of you and Mommy¡¯s hands and lose you again.¡± Gu Shaoting was d that God gave him another chance.


    ¡°Okay, you must remember that, Daddy.¡± Joy said half-understandingly.<div>


    ¡°Yes. Let¡¯s pinky swear on it.¡± Joy hooked Gu Shaoting¡¯s little finger with hers. The two of them seemed to have endless things to say as they chatted in bed.


    Gu Shaoting loved the way Joy spoke intelligently .


    ¡°Joy, why are you here so early?¡± Shu Pan couldn¡¯t find her daughter in their room, so the first thing that came to mind was Gu Shaoting¡¯s room.


    As expected, the father and daughter had the same posture and expression as they curled up together in bed.


    Seeing Gu Shaoting¡¯s smile that was as warm as the spring breeze in March, Shu Pan guessed that Joy had called him Daddy, which was why he was so excited.


    ¡°Mommy, Daddy is stillzing in bed. I came here to wake Daddy up.¡± The little girl said Daddy multiple times in one sentence.


    ¡°Alright, both of you, get up quickly. I¡¯ve cooked breakfast.¡± Shu Pan¡¯s sprained ankle felt much better today after the medicinal oil massage. She could walk slowly without putting too much weight on her injured foot.


    Gu Shaoting saw Shu Pan walk in and immediately thought of her injury. He jumped out of bed to help her and asked nervously, ¡°Why are you walking?


    Your foot is still injured. Don¡¯t move around too much.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. I can walk slowly.¡± Shu Pan said nonchntly.


    ¡°Panpan, thank you.¡± Gu Shaoting said sincerely.<div>


    Shu Pan knew that he was referring to his reunion with Joy.


    Shu Pan shook her head silently. ¡°As long as it makes you both happy.¡±


    Gu Shaoting carried Shu Pan to the sofa. ¡°Better not move around too much.¡±


    Gu Shaoting then squatted in front of Shu Pan and checked her foot carefully. Her ankle was still a little red and swollen. He took out the medicinal oil and massaged her ankle again.


    ¡°Sigh, I¡¯m going to ask for leave again.¡± Shu Pan sighed at her frequent absence at work.


    ¡°You might as well stop working. Look how tired you are every day.¡± Gu


    Shaoting suggested.


    ¡°No, I¡¯m not afraid of being tired.¡± Shu Pan believed that women should have their own careers and not be essories to men. Moreover, she would be so bored at home with Gu Shaoting at work and Joy in school.


    Under Gu Shaoting¡¯s insistence, they had been living at Shuimu Qinghua. Now that he and Joy had reunited, he probably wouldn¡¯t let them move back to her ce..

 Chapter 401 - 401: A Bestie’s Concern

    Chapter 401 - 401: A Bestie¡¯s Concern<div>


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Shu Pan had no choice but to call her boss to ask for leave. Her director quickly agreed and granted her a few days of leave.


    Her boss¡¯ tone was unusually respectful.<div>


    Shu Pan knew that this would happen after her rtionship with Gu Shaoting went public, but she couldn¡¯t help but feel a little disappointed. She reckoned that everyone would treat her differently after the incident.


    Shu Pan didn¡¯t tell Ye Xiaomeng about the incident; she didn¡¯t want Ye Xiaomeng to worry about her. Given Xiaomeng¡¯s personality, she would be very angry too.


    Xiaomeng had enough worries of her own, so Shu Pan didn¡¯t want to burden her.


    Despite Shu Pan¡¯s non -disclosure, He Ming told Ye Xiaomeng what happened.


    As soon as Xiaomeng heard the news, she called Shu Pan. ¡°Girl, am I still your bestie or not? Why didn¡¯t you tell me right away when this thing happened? I so want to teach that b*tch a lesson.¡± As Shu Pan expected, Xiaomeng was very angry.


    ¡°Xiaomeng, I¡¯m fine now. Don¡¯t get too worked up. Besides, I pped her first, so I didn¡¯t lose out.¡± Shu Pan joked to appease Ye Xiaomeng.


    ¡°That really makes me look at you in a new light.¡± Ye Xiaomeng was very surprised. It was no surprise if she was the one who pped someone first but this was unheard of for Shu Pan.


    Shu Pan was known for her good temper. She usually endured being bullied. That woman must have gone overboard this time and pushed her over the edge.


    ¡°So, you shouldn¡¯t worry.¡± Shu Pan sighed. If MO Lan hadn¡¯t gone too far, she wouldn¡¯t have started a fight.


    ¡°Well done. You should stand up for yourself and not let others bully you.¡± Ye Xiaomeng could finally rx.


    ¡°Xiaomeng, how are you and He Ming?¡± Shu Pan had been so busytely that she had forgotten to call Xiaomeng to ask about her situation with He Ming.<div>


    ¡°Same old, same old. How else can we be?¡± Ye Xiaomeng was helpless when the matter was brought up.


    ¡°As long as He Ming still feels the same way about you.¡± Shu Pan could onlyfort her with this. After all, the person who would spend the rest of his life with Xiaomeng was He Ming.


    ¡°He Ming¡¯s attitude hasn¡¯t changed. After all, he knew about my history but his mother doesn¡¯t understand. Thest time we visited his parents, she was still very unhappy.¡± Ye Xiaomeng didn¡¯t feel good either but things had already happened and she couldn¡¯t turn back the clock.


    ¡°Give her more time. After all, old people aren¡¯t that open-minded. It¡¯s not something they would ept easily.¡± Shu Pan hated the person who investigated Xiaomeng to the bone. There were really all kinds of people in this world.


    The truth was, Mrs. He was still unyielding in her opinion of Xiaomeng. He Ming visited his parents alone the day before yesterday. His expression was glum when he got home, probably because he tried to reason with his mother again.


    He Ming had already found out that Hu Shanshan was behind the whole thing. One could only imagine how furious he was when he found out. He even swore that he would teach her a lesson someday.


    That day arrived soon.


    He Ming had already hired someone to tail Hu Shanshan, but she had been sticking to her routine, so he hadn¡¯t been able to find an opportunity to get back at her.


    However, the person who had been tailing Hu Shanshan just called and reported that Hu Shanshan called a friend and asked her out to Gunfang tonight.


    He Ming pondered over the information. It was Hu Shanshan¡¯s business to like to party and drink. Since she liked to cause trouble for others, he would cause trouble for her too.


    If Hu Shanshan hadn¡¯t gone after Xiaomeng, he would have let her off. But her antics had seriously jeopardized their rtionship. He would never forgive her.<div>


    He thought that he had always been nice to Hu Shanshan. He even helped her without hesitation thest time she was drunk.


    She wouldn¡¯t be so lucky this time..

 Chapter 402 - 402: Trouble At A Bar

    Chapter 402 - 402: Trouble At A Bar<div>


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Hu Shanshan had been in a good moodtely after she heard that Mrs. He wasn¡¯t very happy with Ye Xiaomeng¡¯s past.


    She also heard from her mother that Mrs. He looked unhappy thest few times they yed mahjong together.<div>


    She knew it. How could his mother not mind?


    Brother He was a filial son, so he would definitely take his mother¡¯s feelings into consideration.


    Even if she couldn¡¯t have He Ming, she wouldn¡¯t let that woman get what she wanted.


    Hu Shanshan smiled smugly.


    The oue was indeed something worth celebrating. She quickly called her friends and asked them out for a night on the town.


    He Ming arranged for two people to mess with Hu Shanshan after he found out. He was ready for a good show starring Hu Shanshan tonight.


    At around eight o¡¯clock in the evening, Hu Shanshan, dressed in a short denim skirt with a white halter top, the standard attire for hot girls out for a night on the town, went to Gunfang with her friends.


    Because they were celebrating, they were having fun and high on red wine and beer in their private room.


    ¡°Come,e, cheers. I¡¯m very happy today. I feel so gratified¡­¡± Hu Shanshan was already quite drunk and slurring her words. She theny down on the sofa, her eyes ssy.


    ¡°Good for you, Shanshan. You¡¯re really amazing. Are you sure that you¡¯ve done this wlessly?¡± Her friend asked worriedly.


    ¡°Absolutely. I won¡¯t let her have her way anyway.¡± Hu Shanshan burped after saying that.<div>


    ¡°You should have yed some tricks and climbed into handsome He Ming¡¯s bed long ago. He would be forced to take responsibility then.¡± Her friend suggested.


    ¡°What era do we live in now? Why should I still y that kind of trick?


    However, I do regret not grasping the opportunity when I had the chance.¡± Hu Shanshan said in a regretful tone.


    Her friend tsk-ed before she said disdainfully, ¡°It¡¯s still not toote. It¡¯s up to you to carve your own path.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure if that¡¯s still possible. He doesn¡¯t like me very much now.¡± Hu Shanshan sounded a little sad towards the end of her sentence.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be sad. Bottoms up!¡± They drank like fish, mixing different kinds of alcohol.


    In the end, Hu Shanshan copsed on the sofa.


    Her friend went to the bathroom because she needed to pee. She was so drunk when she left the private room that she forgot to close the door.


    Hu Shanshan was alone in their private room, copsed on the sofa, drunk as a skunk. Shortly after, someone pushed the door open. Hu Shanshan thought that it was her friend, so she didn¡¯t pay attention.


    ¡°Miss, can I buy you a drink?¡± Hu Shanshan was stunned. Why was it a man¡¯s voice and an unfamiliar voice at that? She forced her eyes open and immediately saw a man standing in front of her.


    Hu Shanshan got a shock and sobered up a little.<div>


    ¡°Sir, you¡¯re in the wrong private room.¡± Hu Shanshan was confused and nervous. A sense of fear welled up in her heart.


    ¡°No, I¡¯m not. I¡¯ve confirmed it.¡± The man spoke like a local hooligan.


    ¡°What do you want?¡± Hu Shanshan said angrily.


    ¡°Nothing much. I¡¯m an excellent citizen. I wouldn¡¯t dare to break thew. Don¡¯t worry.¡± The man said lecherously.


    ¡°Please leave quickly. My friend will be back soon.¡± Hu Shanshan tried chasing the man out. She was really scared. She was a delicate woman; there was no way she could fight off this man.


    ¡°Let¡¯s have a drink.¡± The man reached out to grab Hu Shanshan¡¯s arm.


    The stranger¡¯s touch made Hu Shanshan pull her hand back reflexively and stagger to her feet.


    She nced at the man, who looked to be in his thirties. He seemed quite drunk too judging from the stench of alcohol on his breath and body..

 Chapter 403 - 403: Getting Beaten Up

    Chapter 403 - 403: Getting Beaten Up<div>


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    The man didn¡¯t give up and reached out again, this time to hug Hu Shanshan.


    Hu Shanshan waspletely sober now.<div>


    But the strange man was very shameless and lustful. Hu Shanshan kept shouting anxiously, ¡°Don¡¯te near me.¡±


    The strange man ignored her shouts and pulled her into his arms.


    Hu Shanshan would not allow that. She tried hard to break free and kept kicking the man, but to no avail.


    This man was strong. He just held her wrist and kept scolding, ¡°You¡¯re just a b*tch asking for a beating.¡±


    Hu Shanshan felt a little hopeless. She wouldn¡¯t be able to fight off this man.


    She sneakily picked up a wine bottle from the table and was about to wave it at the man when her action was discovered.


    The man grabbed her hand, and the wine in the bottle spilled all over him. In an instant, the man flew into a rage.


    A pnded on Hu Shanshan¡¯s face. She immediately felt a stinging pain on her face, followed by numbness.


    Hu Shanshan was in total shock. What was going on? She just came out for a


    night on the town. How did she end up meeting a hooligan like this?


    He even pped her without reason. What could he be other than a lunatic?<div>


    Did he walk into the wrong room?


    Just as she was in a daze, the man got bolder and started to pull at her halter top.


    Hu Shanshan took a step back and held on tightly to the front of her halter top. The fear in her heart intensified.


    Why wasn¡¯t her friend back yet?


    What she didn¡¯t know was that her friend had been held outside the door by people who were sent here to teach her a lesson.


    An ignorant youngdy who thought that she could do whatever she wanted because her family had money. A spoiled brat who never considered others¡¯ feelings.


    The man in the room chuckled when he saw Hu Shanshan¡¯s reaction and reached out to grab her arm.


    He even stroked her arm lewdly. ¡°You¡¯re indeed a rich young miss. You¡¯ve taken good care of yourself. Your skin is like a peeled hard-boiled egg, so fair and smooth.¡±


    The man¡¯s obscene words and disgusting touch gave Hu Shanshan goosebumps.


    ¡°Stop, or I¡¯ll call the police.¡± Hu Shanshan sounded like she was about to cry.


    ¡°Call the police?¡± Clearly, Hu Shanshan¡¯s words had angered the man.<div>


    He forcefully yanked open the strap around her neck. Hu Shanshan was so scared that she was shivering. Her halter top had be undone, revealing her ck bra. Contrasted against her ck bra, her skin appeared even fairer.


    The man stared at her even more intently. Wow, he was really lucky today. Not only did he get paid, but he also got to enjoy such a good view.


    If he hadn¡¯t promised not to do anything illegal, he would have pounced on her now.


    The man was really aroused at the sight of Hu Shanshan hugging herself and sobbing.


    He had never met such a top-notch beauty.


    Although he couldn¡¯t do anything to her, he could still take a few photos and admire them when he had nothing better to do.


    At the thought, the man immediately took out his phone and snapped a few


    photos ot Hu Shanshan.


    She still looked so desirable in the photos.


    The man put down his phone in satisfaction.


    Hu Shanshan felt really desperate when she saw that. She felt like she was on the verge of a nervous breakdown.


    Why did that man take such photos of her? For whom did he take those photos?


    Hu Shanshan did not dare to specte further. She covered her face and cried even louder.


    She suddenly looked up and shouted at the man. ¡°B*stard, delete the photos. What are you trying to do?¡±


    ¡°Haha, don¡¯t you think it¡¯s a waste to keep these beautiful photos to myself? Of course they are to be appreciated by everyone.¡± The man shook his phone and said.


    ¡°Is it money you are after? Tell me, how much would it take for you to delete them?¡± Hu Shanshan tempted the man with money. Many problems in this world could be solved using money..

 Chapter 404 - 404: You’d Better Watch Yourself

    Chapter 404 - 404: You¡¯d Better Watch Yourself<div>


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    The man¡¯s eyes lit up when he heard the word ¡°money¡±.


    But at the thought of his employer, he didn¡¯t dare to act rashly.<div>


    ¡°Beauty, let me give you a piece of advice. Don¡¯t provoke people you shouldn¡¯t provoke. What happened now is a lesson.¡± The man told her. He had been hired to harass Hu Shanshan. It was obvious that she had offended someone.


    He had been paid to do this job. It would be hical of him to also receive a bribe from the victim. This kind of honor among thieves he still had.


    ¡°Who is it? Who sent you here?¡± Hu Shanshan forgot that she was naked and asked sternly.


    ¡°Think hard. Who have you offended?¡± The man actually didn¡¯t know who hired him. He got the job through a middleman.


    Hu Shanshan thought calmly when she heard that. The only thing she did recently was investigating Ye Xiaomeng.


    Could it be Brother He? But if he found out that she was the one who investigated Ye Xiaomeng, he would have confronted her directly.


    Besides, the private detective she hired was very discreet. She shouldn¡¯t have been found out so quickly.


    So, who sent this man?


    Hu Shanshan couldn¡¯t figure it out. She didn¡¯t think that she offended anyone.


    ¡°In any case, you¡¯d better watch yourself. Do more good deeds in the future and less immoral things. Otherwise, you¡¯ll have to bear the consequences.¡± After the man finished, he nced at her trembling body onest time before he left.


    After the man left, Hu Shanshan copsed on the sofa, clutching her torn halter top.<div>


    Her friend walked in shortly after and was shocked to see Hu Shanshan like that.


    ¡°What happened?¡± Hu Shanshan¡¯s friend quickly sat down and hugged her.


    Hu Shanshan finally rxed. She hugged her friend back and started wailing.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what happened either. A man came in, and then¡­¡± Hu Shanshan was crying so hard that she couldn¡¯t catch her breath. She did not want to recall what iust haDDened.


    Her friend patted her shoulder andforted her for a while.


    Her friend then suddenly remembered her own experience when she came back from the bathroom.


    On her way back, she identally bumped into someone and apologized. It was a small matter but the other person was unreasonable and got aggressive with her.


    She also wondered then why she had run into such a troublesome person. On hindsight, the whole encounter seemed premeditated.


    That person simply wanted to hold her back so she couldnt go back to the private room as someone was doing something bad to Hu Shanshan in the room.


    Who did Shanshan offend to deserve this? A woman¡¯s reputation was so important.


    ¡°You stay here and lock the door. I¡¯ll go find you a shirt.¡± Hu Shanshan¡¯s friend said when she saw that she had calmed down.<div>


    Hu Shanshan looked at her destroyed halter top. She definitely couldn¡¯t wear it anymore so she nodded.


    When Hu Shanshan got home, she was worried that her parents would see her, so she sneaked back to her room.


    After locking the door, she took off her clothes and went into the bathroom. She then turned on the shower and scrubbed every inch of her body, like she was removing ayer of skin off herself.


    The sound of sshing water drowned out her sobs. She was very worried about those revealing photos. If they were circted, the consequences would be unimaginable.


    The next day, Hu Shanshan ran a high fever, possibly due to the long shower or her ordeal at Gunfang. She was delirious and mumbling nonsense in bed.


    Mrs. Hu was very worried. Her daughter was fine yesterday. How did she be like this today? Was she possessed?


    Moreover, her daughter kept saying things like ¡°go away¡±.


    Seeing that something was wrong, Mrs. Hu quickly called an ambnce and went to the hospital with Hu Shanshan..

 Chapter 405 - 405: His Love Rival Is Back

    Chapter 405 - 405: His Love Rival Is Back<div>


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    When He Ming heard that Hu Shanshan fell sick because she was so frightened, he snorted coldly. She had gotten off easy.


    If she tried anything funny with Xiaomeng again, that wouldn¡¯t be the extent she¡¯d suffer.<div>


    It was another bright and beautiful morning. Rays of golden sunlight filtered through the windows into Shu Pan¡¯s room. Shu Pan opened her eyes and was turning over in bed when she was immediately startled awake by a warm breath. She opened her eyes and saw Gu Shaoting¡¯s dark eyes staring at her with affection.


    She didn¡¯t know how long he had been staring at her. It had been some time since he got into her bed. Joy was in her princess room next door. She had no idea when he came in.


    Shu Pan¡¯s face instantly turned red. She said angrily, ¡®Why did youe over to watch me sleep?¡±


    Gu Shaoting¡¯s thin lips twitched as he nced at her but he didn¡¯t say anything. He then lifted the nket and got out of bed.


    Shu Pany in bed, confused and a little annoyed. This man always did as he pleased. She wondered if she had slept ugly¡­


    He was so annoying, alwaysing and going without any warning.


    She checked the time and figured that it was almost time for her to get out of bed too. She still had to go to work today. She didn¡¯t have time to think nonsensical thoughts.


    After washing up, she walked into the living room and saw Gu Shaoting ying with Joy. He was really spoiling Joy rotten.


    It was as if he wanted to make up for his absence all these years. He gave Joy everything she asked for. No matter how Shu Pan persuaded him, he ignored her.


    She walked up to Joy and said, ¡°Joy, do you know who ising to see you tonight?¡±


    ¡°Who?¡± Joy asked excitedly.<div>


    ¡°Take a guess.¡± Shu Pan kept her in suspense.


    Joy tilted her head and thought hard. ¡°Is it Grandpa and Grandma?¡±


    ¡°No. Didn¡¯t you visit them not long ago? Wait a little longer before we visit them again.¡±


    ¡°Then who is it? Give me a hint, Mommy.¡± Joy pouted.


    Shu Pan thought for a moment and gave her a hint. ¡°Amusement park.¡± ¡°Is this Uncle Wen?¡± Joy¡¯s eyes immediately lit up.


    ¡°That¡¯s correct. He hase back from a faraway ce.¡± Shu Pan was very surprised when she got Wen Chi¡¯s callst night because he had been oversees for a while, studying, and then working. They had even briefly lost contact.


    When he called herst night and asked her to guess who it was, she was extremely happy. He was her very good friend. There was even a time when they almost dated. It was Mrs. Wen who reminded her of the reality. In any case, she had a special ce for him in her heart. He was just a very dear friend whom she missed very much.


    Joy pped her hands happily. ¡°Yay, I get to see him again. I haven¡¯t seen him for so long.¡±


    ¡°Do you miss him?¡± Shu Pan asked with a smile.


    ¡°Yes, Mommy. What about you?¡± The little girl nodded and asked Shu Pan back.


    ¡°Yeah, me too.¡± Shu Pan patted Joy¡¯s head.<div>


    Shu Pan also believed that Joy would miss him because those two had spent so much time together when Joy was little. They were very close.


    Gu Shaoting stood, feeling left out, as he watched the happy conversation between the mother and daughter. He felt like the unwanted guest who couldn¡¯t contribute to the conversation.


    He also had an iprehensible expression on his face. It seemed that this Wen guy was quite important to the mother and daughter¡­


    What kind of man was he? Gu Shaoting really wanted to meet Wen Chi.


    Shu Pan stood up and then saw Gu Shaoting. She saw that he was already dressed, but he had a frown and seemed unhappy.


    She was also stunned momentarily. ¡°Let¡¯s go to work first. We¡¯ll meet again when Wen Chi is here.¡±


    Shu Pan had nothing to hide from him..

 Chapter 406 - 406: Jealousy

    Chapter 406 - 406: Jealousy<div>


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Gu Shaoting was still expressionless. He nodded though, looking cool.


    Seeing that it was almost time, Gu Shaoting went into the bedroom to change. When he came out, he had a tie around his neck and was buttoning his sleeves. He walked toward Shu Pan and saidzily, ¡°Help me with my tie.¡±<div>


    Shu Pan lowered her head helplessly and helped him tie his tie seriously. His masculine scent kept assailing her nose.


    ¡°I haven¡¯t tied a tie in a long time. I wonder if it looks good,¡± said Shu Pan softly.


    Gu Shaoting looked at the top of Shu Pan¡¯s head. The fragrance of shampoo wafted over.


    He took a deep breath. Why was she smelling so good despite everyone using the same shampoo?


    Shu Pan folded and twisted her tie. Finally. She said to the man, ¡°Does it look okay?¡±


    Gu Shaoting tidied it with his slender fingers and it instantly looked even better. Shu Pan smiled. ¡°I¡¯m indeed rusty. The tie I tie was so ugly.¡±


    ¡°You can learn if you don¡¯t know how. This is your job in the future,¡± ordered Gu Shaoting.


    ¡°You¡¯re so annoying. You know how to tie and are much better than me.¡±


    ¡°I like it when you tie it for me.¡± Gu Shaoting raised his eyebrows. This person was annoying when it came to sweet things.


    ¡°You¡¯re better than me.¡± Shu Pan protested softly.


    After putting on his tie, Gu Shaoting looked at Joy. ¡°Baby, I heard that an uncle ising back. Is that right?¡±<div>


    ¡°That¡¯s right. It¡¯s Uncle Wen. He¡¯s a very handsome doctor. He can help people catch bugs.¡± In Joy¡¯s heart, doctors were there to catch bugs. Every time Joy was sick, Shu Pan would bring her to the doctor and tell her that she would recover after the doctor caught the bugs on her.


    Gu Shaoting felt bad when he heard that. Why was his daughter so happy when she mentioned Uncle Wen? Moreover, she was full of praise for him.


    Didn¡¯t Joy say that he was the most handsome? And he was the boss of a bigpany. Why did it change now?


    Gu Shaoting was jealous.


    However, he couldn¡¯t say anything in front of a child.


    He said gently, ¡°Then Daddy will treat him to a meal when I¡¯m free. Is it okay? I¡¯ll thank him for taking care of you all in the past.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s great! You¡¯re the best father in the world.¡± Joy could not help but p her hands.


    Shu Pan looked at them and was speechless.


    When he mentioned Wen Chi just now, why did he look like someone owed him millions? And why did he be a gentle and loving father in front of Joy now?


    After sending Joy to school, the two of them waved at her.


    Sitting in the car, the smile on Gu Shaoting¡¯s face disappeared. It became a little heavy. Then, he started the car and it sped off like an arrow.<div>


    Shu Pan looked at his strange expression and asked uneasily, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°Where are you and Mr. Wen going to have dinner? Gu Shaoting did not answer the question.


    ¡°His flight will arrive in the afternoon. I wonder if he can make it,¡± said Shu Pan.


    ¡°Then where do you n to eat? Or should I book a restaurant?¡± Gu Shaoting asked again as if he hadn¡¯t heard her.


    Shu Pan immediately looked at him in shock. ¡°Do you really n to have dinner with us?¡± Aren¡¯t you just being polite?¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t I?¡± Gu Shaoting asked with an ugly expression. His words were a little gnashing.


    ¡°No. It¡¯s just that we haven¡¯t seen each other for a long time. We must have a lot to talk about. You¡¯ll be bored and awkward. You still have a chance to see him.¡±


    Shu Pan had a good reason..

 Chapter 407 - 407: I Want to See Him

    Chapter 407 - 407: I Want to See Him<div>


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Gu Shaoting () heard Shu Pan¡¯s words and his face darkened. What did she mean? She didn¡¯t want him to meet Wen Chi?


    ¡°It¡¯s quite sudden for us to be together. Let me exin the situation to him first, and then you can meet. It won¡¯t be so abrupt this way.¡± Shu Pan tried her best to persuade him. This person was like a child, so she had to go along with his temper.<div>


    Gu Shaoting listened and frowned again. What did he mean by they were together suddenly? Was it sudden? They would be together for sure. It was inevitable.


    Shu Pan looked at him silently. Her eyes were full of pleading.


    She didn¡¯t mind, but she didn¡¯t know what Wen Chi would think. They hadn¡¯t seen each other for so long, yet she brought a man along? It did not sound appropriate.


    Besides, she knew that Wen Chi probably had other intentions. She would tell him, just not in such a way.


    She only had one male friend, and she didn¡¯t want him to be sad.


    Moreover, Gu Shaoting was not a person who liked to liven up the atmosphere. He often put on a poker face, so probably the three of them would just look at each other. What if the atmosphere turned cold?


    How awkward would that be?


    Just then, they arrived at the breakfast shop. Gu Shaoting stopped the car and leaned over to Shu Pan. He said firmly, ¡°I want to see him today anyway.¡±


    Shu Pan was speechless at such a domineering tone. It wasn¡¯t like she didn¡¯t want them to meet. Was there a need to do it today? Besides, Wen Chi had just boarded the flight. She wasn¡¯t even sure if she could meet him tonight.


    How could Shu Pan understand what Gu Shaoting was thinking? This person who Joy called Uncle Wen was once his strong opponent. His road to pursuing his wife may have been even longer if he were not sent abroad.


    Shu Pan didn¡¯t have the intention to register with him yet. He was afraid that it would cause more trouble, so he had to meet this person and show him his might.<div>


    Let him give up on Shu Pan.


    Gu Shaoting () had a good n.


    He sent Shu Pan to the entrance of thepany. Before she got out of the car,


    Gu Shaoting reminded her, ¡°Call me as soon as he arrives.¡±


    Shu Pan said unhappily, ¡°Let¡¯s wait until he arrives. We don¡¯t even know what¡¯s going on yet.¡±


    However, this answer was not satisfactory to Gu Shaoting. He thought that Shu Pan was just perfunctory.


    Shu Pan saw him frown again but she ignored him. She walked quickly into thepany.


    Ever since the incident at Bin City Hotel, Shu Pan stopped hiding. After her foot recovered, she started to go to work normally.


    Everyone in the office, except for Tang Wei, was respectful to her on the surface now. Although they would still talk about her in private, at least no one dared to offend her.


    After all, MO Lan was an example. Then, they found out that MO Lan was the one who had taken the video. Gu Shaoting felt that it was too easy for her to fire her.


    However, she couldn¡¯t stay in this industry anymore. This might be a big punishment for her.<div>


    Just live and let live. In the future, she should behave herself.


    They probably wouldn¡¯t meet each other in the future.


    When Shu Pan walked into the office, Tang Wei came up to her. ¡°Did the director tell you? There¡¯s a problem with the Su Corporation¡¯s case.¡±


    Seeing Tang Wei¡¯s solemn expression, Shu Pan¡¯s heart skipped a beat. ¡°What happened?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not too sure either. You can ask the director. I heard that they¡¯re not satisfied with one part of our blueprint. The project will be suspended now. Resuming the project will be subject to discussionter.¡±


    It was so serious that they had to stop the work. If they could notplete it on time, the consequences would be unimaginable.


    Tang Wei saw Shu Pan¡¯s heavy expression and quicklyforted her, ¡°Maybe it¡¯s not as serious as you think..¡±

 Chapter 408 - 408: He’s Waning

    Chapter 408 - 408: He¡¯s Waning<div>


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Shu Pan put down her things and hurried to the director¡¯s office.


    ¡°Director, what¡¯s going on?¡± Shu Pan asked nervously. She thought that the work had already started and everything was going smoothly, never expecting that there would be such a thing.<div>


    ¡°Yes. Mr. Su said that the blueprint needs to be changed. He wants to discuss it with us. Come with meter.¡± Director Wang sighed.


    Shu Pan nodded. She was a little surprised that Su Yuan had returned.


    When she went to the Su Corporation previously, she heard that he was overseas for a while.


    She even heard that his ex-wife was in trouble and that he was going to deal with it.


    It was hard to tell whether it was true or false.


    When they arrived at the Su Corporation, the CEO¡¯s secretary greeted them and asked them to wait in the conference room.


    Not long after, Su Yuan came in apanied by Director Lu.


    Shu Pan¡¯s first impression was that he had lost weight and looked haggard. Although he was still handsome, it was obvious that he had shrunk by half a size.


    Shu Pan didn¡¯t dare to look at Su Yuan openly. When she got closer, she would asionally nce at his face from the corner of her eyes. She found that his expressionless face was very pale. Under his beautiful eye sockets, there was a very obvious dark shadow.


    He probably hadn¡¯t had a good rest in a long time, which was why he had such serious dark circles under his eyes.


    Su Yuan walked to the main seat of the conference table and said, ¡°Hello, sorry to keep you waiting. Please take a seat.¡±<div>


    ¡°I¡¯m very sorry to have troubled you all. The main thing is that one part of the blueprint needs to be modified. Director Lu, take out the blueprint.¡± Su Yuan arranged.


    Shu Pan had always known that Su Yuan was a perfectionist, especially when it came to work. He had always been meticulous, so it was not strange for him to have such a request.


    Then, the two sides discussed the problem. In the end, they finally came up with a n. It only needed to be modified a little to be perfect. There was no need for major changes.


    This situation was much better than expected. It didn¡¯t take too long and should still bepleted on time.


    Shu Pan finally heaved a sigh of relief. She could finally rx after being tense for the entire morning.


    Director Lu and Director Wang were smart. They knew that Mr. Su and Shu Pan knew each other. Seeing that the business had been discussed, they left with a random excuse.


    Only Su Yuan and Shu Pan were left in the huge office.


    Su Yuan walked to the floor-to-ceiling window and looked at the bustling traffic outside.


    He didn¡¯t say anything, and so did Shu Pan.


    However, the atmosphere was a little awkward.


    Just as Shu Pan was about to say goodbye, Su Yuan suddenly said, ¡°Pan, do you think there¡¯s a cure for regret in this world?¡±<div>


    Su Yuan¡¯s tone was filled with an unusual annoyance.


    ¡°What?¡± Shu Pan thought that she had heard wrongly, so she asked.


    ¡°I wish I could turn back time and go back to our university days.¡± Shu Pan finally heard him this time.


    Shu Pan was stunned. He was already standing at the top of the pyramid. Wasn¡¯t this what he had been desperately pursuing?


    ¡°Su Yuan, you have to look forward.¡± Seeing that there were no outsiders here, Shu Pan called his name directly.


    ¡°Hehe! Everyone says that, but it¡¯s really hard to do it.¡± Su Yuan had everything now, but his heart felt even more empty and lonely.


    This time, when he went abroad because something happened to Zhou Jie. He had done hisst bit of responsibility. In the future, everything about her would have nothing to do with him.


    Su Yuan didn¡¯t know how long it had been since he had a good sleep. He was like a machine now, doing the same thing every day.


    He had no emotions, just like a walking corpse.


    He turned around and looked at Shu Pan. This woman used to love him as much as her life. In the end, he lost her. Now, he was not worthy of such a beautiful Shu Pan..

 Chapter 409 - 409: Do Not Meet

    Chapter 409 - 409: Do Not Meet<div>


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Shu Pan returned to thepany from the Su Corporation. She was not in a calm mood. When she saw Su Yuan¡¯s low mood, she also felt a little emotional. No matter what, it was impossible between them. She hoped that he was fine.


    As soon as she sat down, Xiaomeng called to invite her for dinner.<div>


    Shu Pan said awkwardly, ¡°Wen Chi is back. I wonder if he wants to have dinner with us. He called in advance yesterday.¡±


    Ye Xiaomeng couldn¡¯t help but be a little surprised. ¡°If you hadn¡¯t mentioned it, I would have forgotten about this person. Girl, your market is pretty good now.¡±


    Ye Xiaomeng joked.


    ¡°You¡¯re so annoying. What kind of joke is this? I¡¯m so frustrated now. Gu


    Shaoting is also going to have dinner with Wen Chi,¡± said Shu Pan helplessly.


    ¡°Gu Shaoting knows about his existence so quickly. He¡¯s too well-informed.¡± Ye Xiaomeng found it unbelievable.


    ¡°No, he overheard it when I was talking to Joy. He also overheard some of it when I was talking to Wen Chi on the phone. That¡¯s why he said he wanted to treat Wen Chi to a meal,¡± said Shu Pan in distress.


    Ye Xiaomeng immediately tried to persuade her, ¡®You mustn¡¯t let Gu Shaoting meet him. When these two men meet, they won¡¯t like each other. Gu Shaoting likes you, and Wen Chi is also interested in you. When two tigers fight, one of them will get hurt.¡±


    Shu Pan couldn¡¯t help but frown. ¡°I¡¯ve already made it clear to Wen Chi. He should have given up.¡±


    ¡°One can¡¯t give up on a rtionship just like that. Besides, he still has the right to pursue an unmarried man or woman. He¡¯ll still insist on whether you agree or not.¡± What Ye Xiaomeng said seemed to make sense.


    Shu Pan was a little confused. It was a good thing to be liked, but now, she only felt a lot of pressure and a headache.<div>


    ¡°Listen to me, girl. Don¡¯t let them meet. Otherwise, the scene will be very explosive. I¡¯m afraid you won¡¯t be able to hold on, ¡± said Ye Xiaomeng seriously.


    ¡°But¡­¡±


    ¡°Who are you going to help if they fight? Wen Chi has always treated you and Joy well. Can you bear not to help him? On the other hand, Gu Shaoting is Joy¡¯s father. He might even be your partner for the rest of your life. You can¡¯t just watch him get beaten up, right?¡±


    Shu Pan burst outughing. ¡°I think if they fight, I will help Wen Chi because he is gentle and can¡¯t defeat Gu Shaoting.¡±


    ¡°If you do that, Gu Shaoting will be upset. Hence, you shouldn¡¯t let them meet.¡± Ye Xiaomeng concluded.


    ¡°Xiaomeng, why don¡¯t youe along tonight?¡± Shu Pan felt that this was a good idea.


    ¡°I must be crazy. You can do whatever you want with this mess. Darling, let¡¯s meet again when you¡¯re free, ¡± said Ye Xiaomeng disloyally. ¡°You have no conscience.¡± Shu Pan had just finished speaking when Ye


    Xiaomeng hung up.


    Shu Pan felt a headacheing on.


    All these years, Chi had taken care of them silently. It would be a lie to say that she was not touched. He had always been caring for their well-being. She had always treated him as a good friend and benefactor.


    However, they couldn¡¯t be together. She was very sure now because ever since Mrs. Wen came to look for her, the fire in her heart had been extinguished.<div>


    Whereas the feeling that Gu Shaoting gave her now was very wonderful. Once she got close to him, her heart beat faster, her mind went nk, and she felt like her hormones were exploding.


    She raised her hand to look at the time. It was already noon. She nned to eat something and take a nap. She would talk about her future worriester.


    Just as she was about to go to the restaurant, her phone rang. She picked it up and saw that it was an unfamiliar number.


    Who was it?

 Chapter 410 - 410: A Surprise or A Fright

    Chapter 410 - 410: A Surprise or A Fright<div>


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Could it be the wrong number?


    She pressed the answer button. ¡°Hello, may I know who is on the phone?¡± ¡°I got off the ne. I¡¯m on my way to yourpany now. I¡¯ll be there in 20 minutes at most. Have you thought about what you want to eat?¡±<div>


    Upon hearing the voice, Shu Pan had a strange but familiar feeling. So it was Wen Chi.


    ¡°Chi? Why did you change your number? I thought you called the wrong number,¡± said Shu Pan.


    ¡°My phone ran out of battery, so I called you using this number.¡± Wen Chi smiled lightly. His voice was very clean and pleasant to listen to.


    ¡°I see. Let¡¯s find something to eat around mypany. I still have to work in the afternoon.¡± Shu Pan looked at the time. It was still sufficient.


    ¡°Okay. Anything is fine. I don¡¯t care. Panpan, I miss you. See youter.¡± On the other end, Wen Chi said this without warning and hung up.


    Shu Pan sighed and was a little confused. What should she do now? Should she tell Gu Shaoting?


    She didn¡¯t expect Wen Chi toe back early. Didn¡¯t he say that the ne would arrive in the afternoon? Why did hee back at noon?


    Shu Pan thought for a moment, then pursed her lips and immediately made a decision. Forget it. She wouldn¡¯t inform him. It would just be her and Chi to have lunch together.


    After she told Chi about the matter, she would see if there was a chance to have a meal together next time.


    Shu Pan immediately booked a nearby restaurant on the Inte. The reviews were not bad. Most importantly, the environment was quiet and suitable for chatting.


    Just as she was about to leave, Tang Wei came over.<div>


    ¡°Shu Pan, let¡¯s go eat together.¡± Tang Wei asked her out.


    ¡°Sorry, my friend will pick me upter. I¡¯m going out to eat. Do you want to join me?¡± said Shu Pan.


    ¡°Male or female?¡± Tang Wei was gossipy.


    ¡°Male. Have you satisfied your curiosity?¡± Shu Pan smiled and said unhappily.


    ¡°Got it. Why would I go? Be a third wheel?¡± Tang Wei guessed that Shu Pan and Mr. Gu were going to have lunch together. She thought enviously in her heart that the CEO was so considerate to apany Shu Pan for lunch at such a short time in the afternoon.


    ¡°It¡¯s just an ordinary meal. Don¡¯t think too much.¡± Shu Pan made it clear again, knowing that she had misunderstood.


    ¡°I¡¯m not going to join in the fun. You go ahead.¡± Tang Wei walked away.


    In the Gu Group, Gu Shaoting¡¯s slender and domineering figure stood by the French window, looking at the distant scenery. He should have been in a good mood, but his face was covered with ayer of frost, deep and mysterious now. At this moment, he was like a high and mighty emperor, trampling everything under his feet.


    Suddenly, his phone on the desk rang. He frowned and strode over. Then, he picked up his phone. ¡°Who is it?¡±


    ¡°Mr. Gu, it¡¯s me. Miss Shu Pan just left thepany and left in a ck car.¡± The person on the other end of the phone reported.


    ¡°Alright, you follow her. I want to know where they are eating. Also, you have to record their meeting,¡± ordered Gu Shaoting. His face was as ck as the bottom of a pot.<div>


    ¡°Alright, Mr. Gu. I¡¯ll do as you say. Don¡¯t worry.¡± As soon as he finished speaking, Gu Shaoting hung up.


    He knew that this woman would not tell him obediently. From her perfunctory tone in the morning, he knew her too well.


    D*mn it! Did she want to meet that Wen Chi in private? Didn¡¯t she tell Joy yesterday that they would meet together?


    Why was she so impatient now?


    How charming was that man? Joy missed him. And now, even this woman was also fascinated.


    Was she afraid that he would find out something, that was why she was meeting him secretly? This was too despicable..

 Chapter 411 - 411: A Surprise Kiss

    Chapter 411 - 411: A Surprise Kiss<div>


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    He was too careless, thinking that she had no other pursuers. He even thought that he could finally rest easy. He didn¡¯t expect that she still had such an old pursuer. Moreover, he was the real threat. He had known about this person¡¯s existence in the past, but he had been careless since he had appeared less often.


    Not long after Shu Pan came out, a ck car stopped before her.<div>


    Shu Pan looked carefully to see if this was Wen Chi¡¯s car. Suddenly, the car window opened and Wen Chi¡¯s smiling charming eyes were revealed.


    This was truly his unforgettable trademark.


    Wen Chi saw Shu Pan and he opened the car door. Immediately after, his slender and handsome figure got out of the car. He was still gentle and refined, apletely different temperament from Gu Shaoting. He was much thinner, but he looked quite energetic.


    Perhaps it was because of his profession as a doctor that Wen Chi always gave off a warm and refreshing feeling.


    ¡°Panpan, long time no see. Don¡¯t you recognize me?¡± Wen Chi revealed a bright smile. His thin lips curled into a charming smile as he looked at her seductively.


    ¡°Chi, it¡¯s been a long time. You¡¯re finally back.¡± Shu Pan looked at him and felt a little touched. After all, they hadn¡¯t seen each other for so long and she missed him. However, it was just the kind of longing between friends.


    ¡°Am I a little more handsome now? Is that why you¡¯re looking at me like that?¡± Wen Chi teased, looking smug.


    ¡°Yes, yes, yes. You look amazing. Is that enough?¡± Shu Pan said unhappily. He hadn¡¯t changed much in half a year and still liked to joke.


    ¡°You¡¯ve only seen me after so long, and that¡¯s all?¡± Wen Chi raised his eyebrows, looking sad and desperate.


    ¡°What else? What should I do?¡± Shu Pan said with a smile.


    ¡°Where¡¯s the hug? Where¡¯s the kiss?¡± Wen Chi¡¯s handsome face asked unhappily.<div>


    ¡°There¡¯s no need. We¡¯re already so familiar with each other. We¡¯re not foreigners either, so we don¡¯t have that kind of etiquette.¡± Shu Pan narrowed her eyes and rejected him.


    Wen Chi bit his thin lips and said, ¡°You¡¯re really heartless. To think that I missed you so much. I got off the ne, put my luggage away, and rushed over to your ce. But your performance was too disappointing. I can skip the kiss, but I must hug you. Let me feel whether I¡¯m dreaming and whether I¡¯m really back.¡±


    Shu Pan could only open her arms and hug him gently. Then, she said, ¡°Let¡¯s go. I¡¯ll take you to eat.¡±


    At this moment, Wen Chi smiled cunningly and kissed Shu Pan on the forehead. Shu Pan immediately red at him angrily. ¡°You kissed me secretly. D*mn it! You didn¡¯t keep your word.¡±


    Fortunately, it was lunchtime now, so no colleagues were passing by thepany. Otherwise, rumors would spread all over the ce, and she would be the promiscuous female lead again.


    Wen Chi quibbled, ¡°I said you don¡¯t have to kiss me, but not the opposite.¡±


    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go. If we don¡¯t leave now, I can¡¯t make it to work in the afternoon,¡± said Shu Pan to him, urging him to leave quickly.


    The entrance of thepany was a troublesome ce. It was better to leave quickly to avoid attracting any rumors.


    Wen Chi opened the door of the front passenger seat and bent like a gentleman, making an inviting gesture.


    ¡°Beauty Panpan, please get in the car.¡±


    Shu Pan looked at him and shook her head with a smile. Then, she sat in the front passenger seat and buckled her seatbelt.<div>


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that the ne will arrive in the afternoon? Why did you arrive early at noon?¡± Shu Pan asked in confusion..

 Chapter 412 - 412: Get Angry

    Chapter 412 - 412: Get Angry<div>


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    ¡°I miss you so much that I can¡¯t wait to return home. That¡¯s why I bring it forward,¡± said Wen Chi.


    ¡°Nonsense.¡± Shu Pan knew that this person loved to give surprises. He didn¡¯t know that it might be a shock to her.<div>


    Wen Chi¡¯s flightnded at around 11 0¡¯clock. He just wanted to give her a surprise, so he deliberately said that it would be in the afternoon.


    However, her expression did not seem to be surprised. She was only shocked.


    Wen Chi drove the car calmly. It felt good to be back in the familiarnd.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to go out again this time, right?¡± Shu Pan turned to Wen Chi.


    ¡°No need. I¡¯ll be back at the hospital after two days of rest,¡± said Wen Chi.


    ¡°Hmm. That¡¯s not bad either. After studying for so long, I reckon you can level up again when youe back.¡± Shu Pan felt that this was a good opportunity.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter to me whether I¡¯m promoted or not. I didn¡¯t study medicine for this. It¡¯s just because I¡¯m interested,¡± said Wen Chi nonchntly. Shu Pan appreciated Wen Chi for this. In this materialistic society, it was difficult to be indifferent to fame and fortune.


    However, Wen Chi was such a person. He didn¡¯t change at all.


    Soon, they arrived at the restaurant that Shu Pan had reserved. It was a table by the window and they could see the scenery outside.


    At the same time, a video was sent to Gu Shaoting¡¯s phone.


    Gu Shaoting picked up his phone when he heard the message. He clicked on the video on the screen. It was less than two minutes long, but it made him want to smash his phone.<div>


    What the h*ll was this? Shu Pan hugged him and he kissed her. She was still smiling and did not resist.


    Who gave him the right to kiss Shu Pan? This d*mn man!


    Gu Shaoting suddenly narrowed his eyes and a dangerous sneer shed across his eyes.


    Shu Pan, you¡¯re so bold! How dare she hug a man other than him and even let the man kiss her! She was courting death.


    Now Gu Shaoting had an unknown fire burning in his heart. It was really infuriating.


    Gu Shaoting thought for a moment, then picked up his phone and called Shu


    Pan.


    For a long time, no one picked up the phone.


    Gu Shaoting¡¯s fire burned even brighter.


    He grabbed the car key on the table and walked out of the office.


    ¡°You¡¯ve been out for so long. You must miss the food in Bin City. The food here tastes good. See if there¡¯s anything you want to eat.¡± Shu Pan handed the menu to Wen Chi.<div>


    ¡°Anything is fine. You know I¡¯m not picky. I mainly want to see you. Where¡¯s Joy? It¡¯s a pity that I didn¡¯t see her.¡± Wen Chi was anxious to see Shu Pan, so he didn¡¯t wait for Joy to finish her school.


    ¡°She¡¯s in the school.¡± As Shu Pan spoke, she looked at the menu and ordered. She was very serious and kept thinking about what was the best dish when she came here to eat.


    Wen Chi quietly watched her seriously ordering the dishes. Her fair skin, light eyebrows, and pink lips seemed to be more youthful and energetic than when he left.


    She gave off a very elegant and delicate feeling. This delicate and clean face that was filled with sweetness also made his mind go wild.


    Shu Pan looked up and saw Wen Chi staring at her with a burning gaze. She felt a little embarrassed.


    As it was almost one o¡¯clock in the afternoon, there were fewer people. The dishes were served very quickly.


    Wen Chi habitually gave Shu Pan her favorite dishes.


    ¡°Alright, hurry up and eat. You must be starving to catch a ne early in the morning. ¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s alright.¡± Wen Chi elegantly picked up a mouthful of food.


    The two of them stopped talking. Shu Pan was thinking about how to tell Wen Chi so that it would be easier for him to ept her being with Gu Shaoting..

 Chapter 413 - 413: A Sudden Appearance

    Chapter 413 - 413: A Sudden Appearance<div>


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    The two of them were almost done eating. Shu Pan looked at Wen Chi and found it difficult to tell him.


    She then thought, what if Wen Chi didn¡¯t mean it that way? Was she showing off by saying that to him? Wouldn¡¯t that be even more awkward?<div>


    She was in a dilemma.


    Wen Chi looked at her, frowning and pondering.


    ¡°Panpan, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Wen Chi asked with concern.


    ¡°Hmm¡­ Chi, there¡¯s something I want to tell you¡­¡± Shu Pan finally made up her mind to tell him.


    In front of the restaurant, a ck Mercedes-Benz came to a sudden stop. With a screech, it was as if sparks had appeared. The car had just stopped when a tall and muscr figure stepped out of the car. There was a hint of coldness and arrogance in his noble eyes. At this moment, his dark eyes were filled with intense anger.


    At this moment, a middle-aged man in a suit came up to him. ¡°Mr. Gu, they¡¯re sitting by the window. ¡±


    Gu Shaoting nodded, indicating that he understood. Then he handed the car keys to him before he quickly walked in.


    As soon as he entered the restaurant, he saw them sitting by the window. They were a handsome man and a beautiful woman. Those who did not know would think that they were a couple because the man was looking at the woman affectionately. It was a beautiful scene.


    However, this was infuriating in Gu Shaoting¡¯s eyes.


    This gaze was too reckless.


    Looking from his direction, Shu Pan had her head lowered, looking a little shy.<div>


    He looked at the man carefully. He was a little younger than him and looked very refined. His maic eyes seemed to be able to discharge electricity. It was estimated that many women would be infatuated with such a top-grade man. It was no wonder that Shu Pan and Joy were intimidated by him.


    Gu Shaoting narrowed his eyes and walked towards them with a dark face.


    Gu Shaoting seemed to be performing a face-changing trick when he was about to approach them. His anger immediately turned into a sinister smile. He walked over gracefully and naturally, then touched Shu Pan¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you wait for me? Let me entertain your friend.¡±


    Shu Pan was about to talk about her rtionship with Gu Shaoting when she suddenly heard a low voice. She turned around in shock and saw Gu Shaoting standing beside her. She was shocked and her mind went nk. She didn¡¯t tell Gu Shaoting that Wen Chi came back early. Neither did she tell him that they were at this restaurant. How did he know?


    Did he install a radar on her?


    Heavens! What was going on? The situation was getting a little out of hand.


    Shu Pan didn¡¯t even have time to introduce Gu Shaoting but he had already sat down beside her naturally and intimately with her. He grumbled, ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you to pick a better restaurant? Why did you choose such a restaurant? Is the food edible? Doesn¡¯t it seem very insincere?¡±


    Shu Pan waspletely dumbfounded. She didn¡¯t know how to continue. At the same time, she felt that Gu Shaoting could win the Oscar for Best Actor. She could feel his body freeze and his anger soar to the sky, but he still looked at ease with them as if he was chatting about ordinary things.


    Shu Pan watched as he put on an act, but she did not expose him. In the blink of an eye, she understood that this man did not believe her and sent someone to follow her. Otherwise, how could he find her here in such a short time?


    Wen Chi, who was sitting opposite him, was also shocked by this situation. Obviously, this man knew Shu Pan. Their actions were so intimate.. Did something happen while he was away? Why did it feel like the world had changed in just a few months?


    <div>

 Chapter 414 - 414: Dislike

    Chapter 414 - 414: Dislike<div>


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Wen Chi curiously sized up Gu Shaoting, who was sitting opposite him. He was tall and had perfect facial features. What surprised him even more was the strong oppression that this man exuded. He could feel it even when he sat opposite him.


    ¡°Panpan, who is this?¡± Although Wen Chi had already guessed it, he wanted Shu Pan to tell him personally.<div>


    ¡°He is¡­¡± Shu Pan was about to introduce him when Gu Shaoting suddenly interrupted her.


    ¡°Hello, let me introduce myself. I¡¯m Gu Shaoting, Shu Pan¡¯s man and Joy¡¯s father.¡± Gu Shaoting concisely revealed his identity.


    What was that? Shu Pan¡¯s man? Joy¡¯s father?


    Wasn¡¯t Joy the child of Shu Pan and her ex-husband? After the divorce, the child was taken care of by Shu Pan.


    Wen Chi¡¯s expression instantly became a little shocked.


    His heart felt like it was stuffed with cotton. Why did Shu Pan choose to be with her ex-husband? Didn¡¯t her ex-husband do a lot of bad things to her?


    ¡°So it¡¯s Mr. Gu, Shu Pan¡¯s ex-husband? I¡¯ve heard a lot about you.¡± Wen Chi remained calm and smiled faintly.


    Gu Shaoting¡¯s face immediately darkened. The term ¡°ex-husband¡± would soon be changed.


    ¡°He¡¯s Joy¡¯s father.¡± Shu Pan introduced him awkwardly.


    What was going on? The smell of gunpowder between the two men was getting stronger and stronger. She did not know what to say.


    Wen Chi¡¯s heart took a huge blow. He immediately widened his eyes and looked at Shu Pan. ¡°When did you guys get together? Have you forgotten the bast*rd things he did to you?¡±<div>


    ¡°Mr. Wen, please mind your words. What do you mean by the bast*rd things I did? That was a long time ago. I treat them like pearls and treasures now. Don¡¯t nder me.¡± The more Gu Shaoting looked at Wen Chi, the more he disliked him.


    This kid was a little out of line, wanting to nder his beautiful image in Shu


    Pan¡¯s heart.


    Everyone knew his intentions. It was obvious that he had bad intentions.


    Shu Pan wanted to say something but was interrupted by Gu Shaoting.


    Seeing that the two of them were going overboard, Shu Pan quickly said, ¡°Chi, don¡¯t worry. Shaoting is very good to me now. I¡¯m very blissful.¡±


    ¡°Are you nning to get married?¡± Wen Chi¡¯s eyes dimmed. Was he toote?


    Gu Shaoting immediately replied, ¡°Soon. The wedding will be held next year at thetest.¡±


    Shu Pan turned and looked at Gu Shaoting. Her eyes were full of astonishment. Was what he said true?


    They didn¡¯t even have a wedding ceremony. Gu Shaoting probably just wanted to make Wen Chi give up.


    Shu Pan didn¡¯t refute. Let Chi think so. He could pursue his happiness then.<div>


    Wen Chi couldn¡¯t believe it. He blinked his eyes and his heart rate elerated. He had only been away for half a year, but Shu Pan was already with her ex-husband and had ns to get married. It was a huge blow to him.


    Did she love this man that much? Or did it prove that women wouldn¡¯t love


    men if they weren¡¯t bad?


    ¡°Chi, do you want to eat anything else?¡± Shu Pan saw that the atmosphere was so awkward, so she casually found a topic.


    ¡°I¡¯m full.¡± What else to eat? Even delicacies were tasteless now.


    ¡°I haven¡¯t eaten yet, Panpan.¡± Gu Shaoting saw that Shu Pan¡¯s thoughts were on other men and he desperately tried to create a sense of existence.


    ¡°Then what do you want to eat?¡± Shu Pan waved to the waiter and was about to help Gu Shaoting order.


    When Wen Chi saw their interaction, his heart turned cold.


    Shu Pan stole a nce at him and saw that his face was stiff and a little pale. He was shocked by the sudden reality and did not know what to do.


    Shu Pan felt very guilty..

 Chapter 415 - 415: Unresigned

    Chapter 415 - 415: Unresigned<div>


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    She looked at Wen Chi apologetically. She didn¡¯t want to see him get hurt.


    It was good to cut off his thoughts as soon as possible. She hoped that he could find a better partner.<div>


    Shu Pan looked at Gu Shaoting and said, ¡°Your stomach hasn¡¯t been feeling well recently. Eat something easy to digest. Is congee okay? The congee here is not bad. It¡¯s very thick and smooth.¡±


    ¡°Alright, you decide.¡± Gu Shaoting finally revealed a genuine smile.


    Fortunately, there were few people, so the congee was served very quickly. Gu Shaoting didn¡¯t mean to eat, so he was full after eating a bowl.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you busy? Howe you have the time toe over?¡± Shu Pan turned her head and asked.


    Gu Shaoting looked deeply at Shu Pan, but his tone was a little bit gritted. ¡°No matter how busy I am, I should at least take time to greet your friends.¡±


    Opposite him, Wen Chi¡¯s heart sank to the bottom of the valley. He could not see the hidden swords between them. In his eyes, they were a loving couple.


    There was a hint of disappointment in Wen Chi¡¯s eyes. He felt that he didn¡¯t have to sit here at this moment. Moreover, he had almost finished his meal. He encouraged himself that as long as Shu Pan was not married, he still had a chance.


    ¡°Since you¡¯re all full, let¡¯s go.¡± Shu Pan wiped the corner of her mouth and felt that it would be better to leave early.


    Then, she called the waiter over. ¡°Bill.¡±


    ¡°This gentleman has already paid the bill. ¡± The waiter pointed at Gu Shaoting.


    Shu Pan was a little stunned. When did this happen?<div>


    Gu Shaoting had already put the money at the counter before he came over.


    ¡°We agreed that it would be my treat.¡± Gu Shaoting¡¯s eyes were deep and arrogant.


    Shu Pan was speechless. This person was childish sometimes.


    The two men stood up. They were both outstanding and particrly eye-catching.


    Gu Shaoting and Wen Chi belonged to two different types. Gu Shaoting was calm and reserved, with an imposing manner. Whereas Wen Chi was gentle and elegant, with a lot of affinities.


    Shu Pan walked in front, and the two outstanding men followed behind her. She immediately became the topic of discussion in the shop. Everyone was extremelv envious.


    Outside the shop, Shu Pan said to Wen Chi, ¡°Sorry, I didn¡¯t treat you well today. We¡¯ll meet againter when you¡¯re not busy. Joy misses you too.¡±


    ¡°Sure. I miss her too.¡± Wen Chi smiled with anticipation.


    After bidding them farewell, Wen Chi walked to his car and opened the door.


    He saw that they were still standing at the same spot from the rearview mirror. He turned the steering wheel and the car slowly moved forward.


    Seeing Wen Chi left, Shu Pan finally heaved a sigh of relief.<div>


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Are you reluctant?¡± said Gu Shaoting sarcastically.


    Shu Pan turned around and saw that Gu Shaoting¡¯s ck gem-like eyes were deep and furious, which made her a little nervous.


    ¡°Follow me.¡± With a gloomy voice, Gu Shaoting reached out and pulled Shu Pan towards his car.


    ¡°I still have to work in the afternoon.¡± Shu Pan protested, ¡± It hurts when you hold my hand. Let go.¡±


    ¡°Now that you know you have to go to work. Why didn¡¯t you think of this when you were dating other men?¡± Gu Shaoting loosened his hand, opened the door, and stuffed Shu Pan into the passenger seat.


    ¡°Open the door.¡± Shu Pan wanted to go out, but Gu Shaoting had already locked the door.


    Gu Shaoting walked around the car and opened the door on the other side. He sat in the car and took out his phone to y a video for her. His voice was cold, like ice in the winter, freezing her heart. ¡°Shu Pan, if you dare to let other men hug or kiss you again, you will bear the consequences.¡±


    Gu Shaoting warned in a low voice. He was driven crazy by her..

 Chapter 416 - 416: I Care About You

    Chapter 416 - 416: I Care About You<div>


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Shu Pan couldn¡¯t believe her eyes when she saw the protagonist in the video were none other than herself and Wen Chi. The moment of their meeting had been secretly recorded, and without a doubt, it was Gu Shaoting who had sent someone to spy on them.


    Shu Pan was furious beyond words.<div>


    ¡°Gu Shaoting, have you gone too far? What you¡¯ve done is an invasion of my privacy. I have the right to meet whomever I want, and you have no right to interfere.¡±


    Frustrated, Shu Pan kicked and pushed, but it was futile as Gu Shaoting had locked the car doors.


    Upon hearing Shu Pan¡¯s words, Gu Shaoting exploded in anger. Suddenly, he pulled Shu Pan towards him and vigorously wiped her forehead. The spot where Wen Chi had kissed her smooth and fair skin turned slightly red as Gu Shaoting continued his actions.


    Shu Pan couldn¡¯tprehend. When He first watched the video, his chest felt as if an invisible hand was squeezing it tightly, and the suffocating pain seemed to seep out from his heart.


    She had no idea of her importance in his heart, how much he cared for her, and if she held a special ce in his heart.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you?¡± Shu Pan shook her head, avoiding his touch.


    Gu Shaoting looked at her with her head slightly lowered, revealing a neck like that of a swan. Her fair skin,plemented by her beautiful face and red lips, was truly enchanting.


    He suddenly straightened Shu Pan¡¯s body and nted a kiss on her lips.


    Shu Pan felt he was too domineering, showing no respect for her.


    She pinched his arm, and only then did he release her.


    At that moment, her face was slightly flushed, and she stared straight at him.<div>


    The unexpected kiss had startled her, leaving her with a dazed expression. Slowly recovering from the shock, her eyes became a bit moist.


    Wasn¡¯t it just a meal with a long-lost friend? Did he have to react this way? It was unreasonable.


    It was too much. Did she not have any personal freedom? Shu Pan felt increasingly wronged, and tears, like broken strings, began to fall.


    Seeing her like this, Gu Shaoting regained his senses. He sighed with a tinge of heartache, gently pressing his forehead against hers. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Panpan. I¡¯m just afraid of losing you.¡±


    Shu Pan patted his shoulder, somewhat annoyed, and pushed him away. ¡°He¡¯s my friend. During my most difficult years, he was the one helping me.¡±


    Seeing her speak up for Wen Chi again, Gu Shaoting¡¯s face darkened. ¡°From now on, I¡¯ll be present whenever you meet, including Joy. She shouldn¡¯t meet him casually either.¡±


    ¡°Why? On what grounds do you interfere with me?¡± Shu Pan rubbed the spot on her forehead that he had reddened, angrily questioning.


    ¡°I don¡¯t like it. I¡¯m your boyfriend, and I¡¯m Joy¡¯s dad,¡± Gu Shaoting said, leaning towards her.


    ¡°Do you not realize how overbearing and unreasonable you are?¡± Shu Pan replied irritably.


    He was just too arbitrary, doing things without considering others¡¯ feelings.


    ¡°I¡¯m only like this with you because I love you,¡± Gu Shaoting suddenly said with a hint of grievance.<div>


    Shu Pan was slightly taken aback; she didn¡¯t expect him to say that. She often got angry with him, but she couldn¡¯t bring herself to hate him. She had something to say, but she let it go. Her voice softened, ¡°Don¡¯t do this in the future. Wen Chi is just a friend, nothing more.¡±


    Gu Shaoting looked at her but remained silent, feeling that he cared too much about Shu Pan..

 Chapter 417 - 417: Evil Intentions

    Chapter 417 - 417: Evil Intentions<div>


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Gu Shaoting snorted, ¡°Friend? Do you think he sees you as just a friend? Men don¡¯t genuinely treat a woman well; there¡¯s always an ulterior motive. Can¡¯t you sense his hidden agenda?¡±


    Gu Shaoting¡¯s words made Shu Pan furrow her brows.<div>


    ¡°And what about you? Is your kindness towards me also with ill intentions?¡± Shu Pan retorted.


    ¡°How can it be the same? My feelings for you are genuine,¡± Gu Shaoting said, feeling a surge of jealousy as she spoke up for Wen Chi.


    ¡°But Chi is different; he has always been respectful to me.¡± Shu Pan found him sometimes domineering and unreasonable.


    Gu Shaoting remained silent but cast a dangerous look at her. It was a warning, implying that if she continued defending him, she would be in trouble.


    Shu Pan pouted, mumbled a few words, and then fell silent.


    Because she saw his figure leaning directly from the driver¡¯s seat, Shu Pan was startled and quickly used her hand to push against his chest.


    ¡°Stop messing around; I¡¯ll bete.¡± Shu Pan said impatiently. What was supposed to be a beautiful lunch had turned into this mess.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you just skip it? Go back and rest this afternoon; you haven¡¯t taken a break at noon, have you?¡± Gu Shaoting said indifferently.


    ¡°No, one should have a sense of responsibility as a person. Work is not something you can do as you please.¡± Shu Pan nced disdainfully at Gu Shaoting, despite him being her boss, he was encouraging his employees not to work.


    ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll take you now.¡± Gu Shaoting had no choice but to start the car and head towards thepany.


    Back at the office, it was already past 2 p.m., and everyone was busy with their work.<div>


    Shu Pan quietly returned to her desk, feeling resentful towards Gu Shaoting once again. Colleagues probably had thoughts about her, thinking she had privileges and could bete as she pleased.


    ¡°Shu Pan, you¡¯re finally back!¡± Tang Wei saw her and immediately ran over.


    ¡°Nothing happened, right?¡± Shu Pan nervously asked, fearing Tang Wei would gossip again.


    ¡°No, where did you eat, and what did you eat? Wow, why are your lips so swollen? Did you have Sichuan cuisine?¡± Tang Wei suddenly eximed as if she had discovered a new continent.


    Shu Pan quickly used her hand to cover Tang Wei¡¯s mouth. ¡°Lower your voice; are you afraid people won¡¯t know I waste?¡±


    Tang Wei put her finger to her lips, making a gesture for speaking quietly.


    ¡°Have you spilled everything? What did you eat?¡± Tang Wei, the foodie, couldn¡¯t help asking.


    ¡°Just a popr restaurant near thepany, ordered some signature dishes.¡± Shu Pan said vaguely. She med Gu Shaoting for her swollen lips; she felt embarrassed just thinking about the scene.


    ¡°Oh, I want to try it next time.¡± Tang Wei touched her chin and said.


    ¡°Yeah, get back to work now.¡±


    ¡°Not bad, showing a bit of a bossdy¡¯s demeanor.¡± Tang Wei teased her.<div>


    ¡°Stop it.¡± Shu Pan rolled her eyes at her.


    After Tang Wei left, Shu Pan sat back at her desk. She couldn¡¯t help but recall Gu Shaoting¡¯s words during lunch, where he mentioned the wedding would take ce at thetest next year.


    Was he joking? Trying to make Chi retreat?


    Although they were together, Gu Shaoting had never mentioned marriage, let alone a wedding. Their first marriage was low-key, without any ceremony; they just got the certificate.


    Even though they were together now, the topic had nevere up.


    Forget it, she didn¡¯t want to think about it. Thinking about it would only bring trouble. She felt content with the current state of affairs and had no intention of changing it.


    Stepping into the confines of marriage required careful consideration..

 Chapter 418 - 418: I Want to See Uncle Wen

    Chapter 418 - 418: I Want to See Uncle Wen<div>


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    It was past 5 p.m. when Shu Pan left thepany. At the entrance, Gu Shaoting¡¯s exclusive car, a ck Mercedes of thetest model, was waiting for her. Apparently, Gu Shaoting had a preference for ck, as most of his cars shared the same color tone.


    Shu Pan opened the passenger door, finding Gu Shaoting inside the car, engrossed in reading documents. Shu Pan couldn¡¯t help but furrow her brows,<div>


    ¡°If you¡¯re busy, I can pick up Joy myself.¡±


    Gu Shaoting turned his head, giving her a faint look without saying a word.


    As Shu Pan settled into the car, fastening her seatbelt without ncing at him or engaging in conversation, the air inside the car became awkward. Both of them were not particrly talkative individuals.


    Finally reaching Joy¡¯s kindergarten, the little girl was already waiting with her backpack on her back.


    ¡°Daddy, Mommy, you¡¯re here! It took you so long; I¡¯ve been waiting for a while.¡± Having both Mommy and Daddye to pick her up made her the envy of her ssmates. Moreover, her Daddy and Mommy were the best-looking, and she felt quite proud of it.


    ¡°Sorry, there was some traffic, so we arrivedte.¡± Shu Pan casually offered an excuse.


    ¡°Mommy, you said Uncle Wen woulde back today. Where is he?¡± Joy looked behind them.


    Shu Pan patted her head and smiled, ¡°Yes, Uncle Wen is back, but he¡¯s a bit tired, so he went home to rest.¡±


    Gu Shaoting nced at Shu Pan, thinking that when this woman lied, she didn¡¯t need to prepare anything. It was all child¡¯s y.


    Everyone knew he was fatigued from the journey, yet he rushed over to see her the moment he returned. How dare she say there was no ulterior motive?


    Gu Shaoting was still upset about it.<div>


    He was generous about everything, except when it came to Shu Pan. After all, he cared about her.


    ¡°Oh, when can I see Uncle Wen then? I really miss him.¡± Joy said a bit disappointedly. She thought she would see him soon.


    Shu Pan looked at Gu Shaoting, her eyes seemed to say, ¡°It¡¯s up to you. Your daughter wants to see her Uncle Wen.¡±


    Gu Shaoting stood beside Shu Pan, listening to the little girl express her longing for Wen Chi. His chest felt stuffy, but he didn¡¯t stop Joy from missing Wen Chi. For a child, it was an expression of gratitude since he had taken care of Joy during the years he was absent.


    ¡°When do you want to see Uncle Wen? He¡¯s a bit tired today. How about tomorrow night?¡± Gu Shaoting asked Joy for her opinion. He spoiled Joy a lot, and her requests were almost always granted.


    ¡°Okay, thank you, Daddy!¡± Joy happily agreed.


    ¡°Contact Uncle Wenter and see if he¡¯s avable tomorrow night. I¡¯ll help you book a table at the restaurant.¡± Gu Shaoting said to Shu Pan.


    ¡°No need for the trouble; I can handle it myself.¡± Shu Pan felt it was unnecessary. She was afraid Gu Shaoting would book a too fancy restaurant, making them ufortable.


    ¡°Daddy, why don¡¯t youe with us tomorrow? I¡¯ll introduce Uncle Wen to you. Uncle Wen is so handsome.¡± Joy said earnestly.


    ¡°Oh, dear, you really know how to hit your Daddy.¡± Shu Pan thought.


    Gu Shaoting smiled wryly. In his daughter¡¯s heart, Uncle Wen held an important ce.<div>


    ¡°Sweetheart, Daddy has something to do tomorrow night and can¡¯t go with you. Maybe next time.¡± Gu Shaoting appeased Joy.


    ¡°Okay, then I¡¯ll go with Mommy.¡± Joy said happily.


    Gu Shaoting thought to himself, it would be great if the hospital kept arranging for Wen Chi to work out of town. Such childish thoughts..

 Chapter 419 - 419: Who Is More Handsome, Me or Uncle Wen?

    Chapter 419 - 419: Who Is More Handsome, Me or Uncle Wen?<div>


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    They had dinner outside before returning home. Joy urged Shu Pan to quickly call Uncle Wen to check if he was avable tomorrow night.


    Shu Pan dialed Wen Chi¡¯s number, telling him that Joy missed him and inquiring about his avability for the next evening. Wen Chi readily agreed.<div>


    Wen Chi initially suggested he would make the restaurant reservation, but Shu Pan promptly intervened. She knew Gu Shaoting¡¯s character well ¡ª when he said he would handle it, it meant he would, and she didn¡¯t want any potentialplicationster on.


    It was usually a minor matter where they met; she just followed his lead. It was rare for him to agree willingly.


    Shu Pan informed him that she had already booked a restaurant and would text him the detailster. Wen Chi acknowledged with understanding.


    Watching them chatfortably, Gu Shaoting felt ufortable. He couldn¡¯t fathom why he willingly arranged for his loved ones to meet his romantic rival. Seeing Wen Chi¡¯s agreement, Joy pped her hands joyfully and cooperatively went to freshen up.


    The next day, Gu Shaoting took Joy to school. The little girl, aware she would meet Uncle Wen that evening, specifically chose to wear her most beautiful dress¡ªa fluffy princess gown.


    Teasing her, Gu Shaoting asked why she dressed so nicely. The little girl confidently replied that since she hadn¡¯t seen Uncle Wen for a long time, and Uncle Wen was so handsome, she had to look good.


    Gu Shaoting felt a sensation of blood rushing to his head.


    Unable to resist, he asked Joy, ¡°Joy, do you think Daddy or Uncle Wen is more handsome?¡±


    Joy hesitated, looked at him, and then decisively said, ¡°Uncle Wen smiles more, and he looks best when he smiles.¡±


    Gu Shaoting, looking quite defeated, forced a wry smile, ¡°So, Daddy isn¡¯t handsome?¡±


    Quick tofort, Joy said, ¡°No, if Daddy doesn¡¯t frown so often, Daddy is even more good-looking.¡±<div>


    Gu Shaoting felt a bit better.


    ¡°Mr. Gu, are you sure it¡¯s a good idea to ask your daughter this? Children don¡¯t lie.¡± Shu Pan, hearing the conversation between the father and daughter, felt speechless. She never expected the usually formidable Gu Shaoting to ask such a silly question; it seemed like his IQwas offline.


    ¡°You heartless woman, do you also think Wen Chi is more handsome?¡± Gu Shaoting suddenly thought of this question. Was this woman beside him also of the same opinion?


    Nervously, he asked, but Shu Pan, seeing his serious inquiry, found it both amusing and exasperating. ¡°I¡¯m not telling you,¡± she teased, not expecting the usually confident CEO to be so uncertain.


    Gu Shaoting felt his behavior was somewhat ridiculous. Taking advantage of


    Joy¡¯s distraction, he reached over and pinched Shu Pan¡¯s waist.


    Shu Pan¡¯s face turned red all of a sudden. This person really had no shame; he didn¡¯t consider the asion at all. Gu Shaoting first dropped Joy off at the kindergarten and then escorted Shu Pan.


    When Joy left, and he was about to start the car, he noticed Shu Pan was also dressed attractively. She wore a floral chiffon long dress that, due to its elegant pattern, showcased her well-proportioned figure vividly.


    Gu Shaoting felt a bit ufortable; he rarely saw her dress like this. Was it because she was meeting Wen Chi tonight that she took special care to look so good?


    But he couldn¡¯t ask. He could only sulk in silence.


    He was determined to change the image he held in their eyes.<div>


    As they arrived at Shu Pan¡¯spany entrance, the car stopped. Shu Pan, carrying her bag, got out of the car. Gu Shaoting, with a meaningful gaze, warned her, ¡°I¡¯ll send you the restaurant addresster. Apany Joy properly when you meet him..¡±

 Chapter 420 - 420: Wen Chi Was Bombed

    Chapter 420 - 420: Wen Chi Was Bombed<div>


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Gu Shaoting¡¯s remark implied that he allowed them to meet generously because of their daughter, Joy. So, he advised Shu Pan not to consider herself the main character; she was just a supporting role apanying their daughter.


    Unable to resist, Shu Pan rolled her eyes at him. This petty man left her speechless.<div>


    Silently, Shu Pan turned and walked towards thepany. With every step, her skirt danced elegantly, appearing quite stunning. Gu Shaoting, gazing at her retreating figure, was lost in thought, momentarily unable to snap out of it.


    His woman was indeed beautiful. It would be even more perfect if he worried about her less on ordinary days.


    Shu Pan returned to the office. Shortly after sitting down, she received a text from Gu Shaoting. Upon checking, she discovered the address of the restaurant. Wow, the restaurant he booked was the most luxurious private dining ce in the city, only open to VIP guests, with an annual fee running into millions.


    Gu Shaoting had taken her there once before, and she had protested, insisting they shouldn¡¯t visit such an expensive ce again.


    Who knew how much money they¡¯d spend on just one meal?


    Why did he choose such a high-end restaurant this time? To show off to Wen Chi? To assert dominance? Such childish behavior.


    Nevertheless, looking on the bright side, maybe he genuinely wanted to express gratitude to Wen Chi.


    Shu Pan shook her head, dismissing these questions.


    After receiving the message, Shu Pan forwarded it to Wen Chi.


    Wen Chi, at home, was enduring Mrs. Wen¡¯s ¡°torture¡± when he received the text. He nced at it, and his expression froze.


    He had heard of this restaurant, exclusively open to VIP members. Clearly, Shu Pan didn¡¯t make the reservation; it was probably Mr. Gu, that hostile figure.<div>


    Dealing with him would be challenging.


    ¡°Wen Chi, are you even listening to me?¡± Mrs. Wen couldn¡¯t help raising her voice, noticing Wen Chi lost in thought and unaware of what she was saying.


    Mrs. Wen had been deeply concerned. He was talented, performed well at work, so why didn¡¯t he have a girlfriend?


    ¡°What did you say?¡± Wen Chi snapped back to reality, asking somewhat dazed.


    Mrs. Wen red at him impatiently. ¡°When will you seriously get a girlfriend? You used to talk about being busy and focusing on your career. Fine, I didn¡¯t press you then, but now that you¡¯re back, it¡¯s time to consider this matter seriously.¡±


    Despite her earnest advice, sometimes talking to him was like talking to a wall; he never seemed to listen.


    ¡°Mum, I know what I¡¯m doing. Don¡¯t worry,¡± Wen Chi consoled.


    ¡°Why shouldn¡¯t I worry? People your age already have kids, ¡± Mrs. Wen was agitated. How could she not worry?


    ¡°Are you still thinking about that Shu Pan?¡± Mrs. Wen suddenly thought of that name, asking with uncertainty.


    She stared at Wen Chi, wanting to see his reaction. As expected, Wen Chi gently smiled, ¡°Shu Pan is a good girl.¡±


    Mrs. Wen¡¯s face immediately darkened. She knew it. No wonder he refused to talk about having a girlfriend. He was still thinking about Shu Pan.<div>


    It¡¯s not that she thought Shu Pan wasn¡¯t good, but she felt Shu Pan wasn¡¯t suitable for her son. Her son, who was so outstanding, would be ridiculed by rtives and friends if he chose a divorced woman with a daughter. She had even approached Shu Pan before, and she had promised not to have any entanglements with Wen Chi. Was she going back on her word? Otherwise, how could this foolish boy remain so infatuated?


    The more Mrs. Wen thought about it, the more anxious she became. How could she make Wen Chi change his mind?


    ¡°I know she¡¯s a good girl, but she¡¯s not suitable for you. You better give up on her. I won¡¯t agree. If you insist on being with her, don¡¯t call me ¡®mom¡¯ anymore,¡± Mrs. Wen threatened.


    Wen Chi felt bitter. Even if he wanted to be with her now, he wasn¡¯t sure if he had a chance..

 Chapter 421 - 421: Imposingly Rich

    Chapter 421 - 421: Imposingly Rich<div>


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Mrs. Wen, seeing Wen Chi remain silent, grew increasingly frustrated. This extended to some resentment towards Shu Pan.


    ¡°Mom, don¡¯t worry. Maybe she doesn¡¯t find your son appealing,¡± Wen Chi joked, pretending to be nonchnt.<div>


    ¡°My son is outstanding. If she doesn¡¯t see it, it¡¯s her problem,¡± Mrs. Wen defended, unwilling to hear anyone speak ill of her son.


    Wen Chi could only smile bitterly; nothing he said seemed right.


    ¡°Mom, I won¡¯t be home for dinner tonight. Don¡¯t wait for me,¡± Wen Chi quickly changed the subject, realizing that discussing this further would lead nowhere.


    After work in the afternoon, Shu Pan swiped her card to leave the office and noticed Wen Chi¡¯s car parked at thepany entrance. Walking over, she saw Wen Chi had already stepped out of the car.


    ¡°I¡¯m picking up Joy and going straight to her. Why did youe?¡± Shu Pan was surprised that Wen Chi hadn¡¯t informed her of his visit.


    ¡°Get in; I can¡¯t wait to see Little Beauty Joy,¡± Wen Chi urged.


    Once Shu Pan got in the car, Wen Chi steered towards Joy¡¯s kindergarten.


    Wen Chi¡¯s car happened to pass by Gu Shaoting¡¯s car.


    Gu Shaoting watched Shu Pan sitting in the car, chatting andughing with Wen Chi. He felt a bit ufortable about it.


    But he had agreed to it; there was nothing he could do now.


    Upon arriving at the kindergarten, Joy had already run towards them. Wen Chi opened his arms, lifting Joy off the ground. ¡°Little Beauty Joy, did you miss Uncle?¡±<div>


    ¡°Uncle Wen, I missed you so much!¡± Joy hugged Wen Chi¡¯s neck and said with a sweet, childish voice. The happiness in her words was indescribable.


    Wen Chi looked at her affectionately, then lovingly kissed her cheek.


    ¡°Alright, get in the car quickly. The traffic here is terrible, and it¡¯s easy to get stuck,¡± Shu Pan reminded them as she watched the two¡¯s affectionate interaction.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± Wen Chi lifted Joy into the car.


    Soon, the car arrived at the restaurant Gu Shaoting had reserved. It was truly eye-catching, adorned with opulence everywhere. Joy felt extremely fascinated.


    They sat by the window.


    ¡°Mr. Gu didn¡¯te?¡± Wen Chi, looking around and not seeing Gu Shaoting, inquired Shu Pan.


    ¡°He has a prior engagement tonight, so he couldn¡¯t make it,¡± Shu Pan casually made up an excuse. If Gu Shaoting had shown up, she probably wouldn¡¯t havee, given the scene of yesterday¡¯s confrontation.


    ¡°What does he do?¡± Wen Chi seemed to have heard about it but didn¡¯t pay much attention. However, this time, he was somewhat curious.


    ¡°He¡¯s the big boss. He owns argepany with many employees. I¡¯ve been there once,¡± Joy interjected proudly, gesturing with her hands to emphasize the grandeur.


    Wen Chi was momentarily surprised, a mix of astonishment and awkwardness in his eyes. Gu Shaoting had seemed wealthy, but he didn¡¯t expect him to be such a big shot.<div>


    ¡°So, he¡¯s the big boss.¡± Wen Chi said with a hint of bitterness. Honestly, he nevercked in materialforts, and his career was decent. Still, he couldn¡¯tpare to the wealth Gu Shaoting possessed. Yet, he knew Shu Pan wasn¡¯t concerned about such things.


    Proudly, Joy said, ¡°Yes, Daddy¡¯s money is endless.¡±


    ¡°Joy, don¡¯t talk nonsense,¡± Shu Pan scolded, not approving of a child talking about money like that.


    ¡°Daddy said so. He said I¡¯m his little princess, and he has a lot of money to make sure I live happily,¡± Joy said with a hint of grievance. Wen Chi¡¯s face now wore apletely defeated expression..

 Chapter 422 - 422: Poor Mr. Gu

    Chapter 422 - 422: Poor Mr. Gu<div>


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Wen Chi didn¡¯t expect Mr. Gu¡¯s background to be so powerful; he couldn¡¯t help feeling a bit overwhelmed. If someone could genuinely love and take care of Shu Pan and her daughter, he would be genuinely happy for them.


    Mr. Gu wouldn¡¯t have to worry about money; Wen Chi believed he could provide them with happiness. At least, they wouldn¡¯t have to worry about their basic needs anymore, and Shu Pan wouldn¡¯t have to work so hard for their daily meals.<div>


    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s quickly order and eat. Are you both hungry?¡± Shu Pan didn¡¯t want Joy to praise Gu Shaoting and indirectly affect Wen Chi.


    Wen Chi smiled, his eyes narrowing into crescents. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m not that easily discouraged.¡±


    ¡°Children¡¯s words should not be trusted; he¡¯s just an ordinary person,¡± Shu Pan said nonchntly.


    ¡°Panpan, considering the current situation, I¡¯m happy for you and Joy. At least now you both have someone to take care of you, and it won¡¯t be like before.


    However, I also feel lost. We used to be together, but fate yed a trick on us. Do I really have no chance? Have you truly thought it through?¡± Wen Chi, unwilling to ept the situation, asked. He felt that fate had been unfair to him.


    Shu Pan knew his feelings, pursed her lips, and replied, ¡°Chi, thank you for taking care of us all these years. In my heart, you¡¯re my best friend, irreceable. You must find happiness and not let Auntie and others worry about you.¡±


    This time, Shu Pan bluntly rejected him in person because dragging it out would only make things more difficult for both of them.


    Wen Chi¡¯s heart tightened, feeling a mixture of emotions.


    Gu Group, CEO¡¯s Office


    The office was brightly lit.


    Secretary Zhang knocked on the door and entered, seeing Gu Shaoting standing by the floor-to-ceiling window. On the desk, a fast food meal sat untouched, ordered by the CEO himself. Zhang, concerned, asked, ¡°CEO, please eat something; it¡¯s getting cold.¡±<div>


    ¡°Sure, leave it. I don¡¯t feel like eating now,¡± Gu Shaoting replied indifferently.


    Secretary Zhang watched his back; despite his handsome appearance, he seemed lonely and deste at the moment.


    Where could Shu Pan and Joy have gone? Weren¡¯t they usually together for meals?


    Gu Shaoting¡¯s gazeplexly drifted into the distance, his mind in disarray. He really wanted to know what Wen Chi would say to Joy. Shu Pan would probably be sitting on the side, smiling and watching them chat. To outsiders, they might even seem like a married couple.


    The more he thought about it, the more anxious and ufortable he felt.


    He just wanted time to pass quickly so he could pick up Shu Pan and Joy, but why was time dragging on so slowly? It was agonizing.


    Time passed unnoticed. Wen Chi and Joy chatted a lot, and now it was gettingte.


    Joy was yawning. ¡°Let¡¯s go. I¡¯ll take you back.¡±


    Shu Pan wanted to lift Joy, but Wen Chi beat her to it, picking Joy up and walking out of the restaurant.


    At the restaurant¡¯s entrance, Gu Shaoting¡¯s car was already parked. Seeing theme out, he opened the car door to greet them. ¡°Let me handle it.¡± Gu Shaoting reached out and took Joy from Wen Chi.


    ¡°Mr. Gu, thank you for choosing this restaurant. It¡¯s been a wonderful evening,¡± Wen Chi sincerely thanked him.<div>


    Gu Shaoting remained cool, ¡°You¡¯re wee. Thank you for taking care of them.¡±


    ¡°Chi, it¡¯s gettingte. Be careful on your way home,¡± Shu Pan, seeing Gu Shaoting, thought she might be seeing things; she had thought he was genuinely busy. Now that he was here, it was even better¡ªno need to trouble Wen Chi..

 Chapter 423 - 423: Why Are You Here?

    Chapter 423 - 423: Why Are You Here?<div>


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Wen Chi was momentarily stunned; he hadn¡¯t expected Gu Shaoting to say such words. Still, he couldn¡¯t help but feel a hint of goodwill. Although still aloof, it was characteristic of his personality.


    Shu Pan was also surprised. It was rare for Gu Shaoting to speak so gently. After bidding farewell to Wen Chi, Shu Pan sat in the car with Joy, who seemed more awake now.<div>


    Gu Shaoting started the car and engaged in small talk with Joy while driving. Joy shared everything she had discussed with Wen Chi and what they had eaten tonight. However, Gu Shaoting¡¯s enthusiasm seemed low, and his face remained expressionless.


    ncing at him discreetly, Shu Pan sensed a mncholic atmosphere. She found Gu Shaoting¡¯s behavior tonight unexpectedly different. He didn¡¯t like Wen Chi, yet he had agreed to Joy¡¯s request.


    ¡°Have you had dinner?¡± Shu Pan asked with concern.


    ¡°Is it any of your concern whether I eat or not?¡± Gu Shaoting responded indifferently, hinting at his sour mood.


    ¡°Where did you eat then?¡± Shu Pan, sensing his displeasure, asked another question.


    ¡°In the office,¡± Gu Shaoting replied calmly.


    ¡°Daddy, why didn¡¯t you eat with us?¡± Joy asked in confusion.


    ¡°Daddy has to work, so he¡¯s busy,¡± Gu Shaoting patiently exined.


    ¡°Being a big boss doesn¡¯t seem fun at all,¡± Joy pouted. She didn¡¯t want to be a big boss if it meant no time for meals.


    Joy¡¯s innocent remarks amused the adults.


    ¡°If you¡¯re busy, you don¡¯t have toe in the future. Wen Chi can take us home,¡± Shu Pan couldn¡¯t help poking at him.<div>


    As expected, Gu Shaoting¡¯s gaze shifted towards her. ¡°I¡¯ll take care of the pick-up in the future. No need for others to do it.¡±


    Shu Pan thought it was best to go along with him for now. After all, he wasn¡¯t in a good mood.


    On the way back to the Shuimu Qinghua residential area, the roads were congested due to rush hour. By the time they reached home, it was already past 9 PM.


    Joy already showed signs of sleepiness, yawning and rubbing her eyes continuously. Being a child, once she felt sleepy, she was ready to sleep, unlike adults who could resist drowsiness.


    As soon as they arrived home, Joy took a bath, preparing for bedtime.


    When Shu Pan carried Joy out of the bathroom, she was almost asleep. Shortly after putting her on the bed, a steady breathing sound could be heard.


    Shu Pan gazed tenderly at Joy¡¯s delicate face for a while before quietly leaving the room with Gu Shaoting, closing the door behind them.


    Gu Shaoting suddenly reached back and held Shu Pan¡¯s hand. ¡°Panpan, I¡¯m hungry.¡±


    His burning gaze focused on her, and Shu Pan¡¯s face suddenly turned red.


    What did he mean by hungry? His eyes seemed to be burning with mes.


    ¡°What do you mean? Didn¡¯t you already eat?¡± Shu Pan asked, a bit teasingly.<div>


    ¡°I lied to you guys. I couldn¡¯t enjoy the meal alone, so I only had a couple of bites. Now my stomach is growling from hunger,¡± Gu Shaoting rubbed his stomach, as if to confirm he wasn¡¯t lying.


    ¡°If you¡¯re hungry, eat more. Back when it was just me and Joy, you used to eat alone when we weren¡¯t around,¡± Shu Pan said, not too pleased.


    ¡°I want to eat the noodles you cook. Can you make me a bowl?¡± Gu Shaoting rarely made such a request.


    Tonight, he just wanted to eat the noodles she made.


    ¡°Okay, you go take a shower. By the time you¡¯re done, the noodles should be ready,¡± Shu Pan arranged, ensuring they wouldn¡¯t eat toote..

 Chapter 424 - 424: I’m Not Going Back to My Room

    Chapter 424 - 424: I¡¯m Not Going Back to My Room<div>


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    As soon as the words fell, Shu Pan headed into the kitchen, and Gu Shaoting entered the bedroom.


    When Gu Shaoting emerged, a steaming bowl of noodles was already served on the table.<div>


    Gu Shaoting saw Shu Pan setting the bowl at the dining table. He walked over and naturally wrapped his arms around her slender waist. His firm chin rested on her shoulder, intimately pressing against her.


    ¡°Don¡¯t y around. Eat quickly; it¡¯ll get cold, and it¡¯s alreadyte,¡± Shu Pan gently protested.


    However, the man, seemingly oblivious, continued holding her delicate waist, gradually moving upward. Annoyed, Shu Pan swatted away his hands.


    ¡°Eat quickly.¡± With that, she pried open his hands and returned to the bedroom to shower.


    ¡°Sulky little thing,¡± Gu Shaoting looked at Shu Pan, embarrassed but secretly pleased. After all, she had provoked his unhappiness today.


    Shu Pan finished her shower, wearing a nightgown as she pushed open the bathroom door. To her surprise, she found Gu Shaoting lying half-reclined on her bed, evidently satisfied after a hearty meal.


    She was startled. ¡°Are you full?¡± Shu Pan asked.


    ¡°What do you think?¡± Gu Shaoting replied vaguely.


    ¡°Why are you in my room? Did you enter the wrong one?¡± Shu Pan asked, frowning.


    Gu Shaoting raised an eyebrow. ¡°I don¡¯t want to be alone. I want to sleep with you tonight.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Shu Pan thought she misheard, as he had never made such a request before.<div>


    ¡°It means exactly what you heard,¡± Gu Shaoting teased.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to.¡± Shu Pan instinctively covered her chest with her hand, eyeing him warily.


    Gu Shaoting looked at Shu Pan¡¯s nightgown. It wasn¡¯t a provocative style, but it was very attractive. She looked pure yet subtly alluring in it.


    Looking at her fair and slender legs below the skirt, he couldn¡¯t help feeling a bit heated.


    Simultaneously, Shu Pan was sizing him up. He wore a two-piece satin pajama set, but no matter what, he exuded a dignified air. Even in pajamas, he looked noble.


    Shu Pan was also a bit distracted. Why was her mind now upied with the strong and defined lines under his pajamas?


    ¡°I promise I won¡¯t do anything. Just sleep.¡± Gu Shaoting, aware of Shu Pan¡¯s thoughts, spoke up.


    Gu Shaoting sat up, then grabbed Shu Pan¡¯s hand. Shu Pan, off-bnce, fell into his arms.


    Shu Pan was frightened; her heart skipped a beat. Her red lips were about to call out.


    The man¡¯s hand quickly covered her small mouth, silencing her calls. His handsome face approached hers.


    His crisp masculine scent sprayed on her face, and Shu Pan felt a strange sensation in her heart.<div>


    ¡°Gu Shaoting, let me go.¡± Shu Pan struggled.


    Gu Shaoting chuckled, enjoying Shu Pan¡¯s coquettish demeanor. The small bedsidemp illuminated her face clearly.


    A pair of watery, intense eyes radiated passionate anger. A delicate, lovely nose, tempting for a kiss.


    Shu Pan couldn¡¯t break free, her pretty face blushing, ring at Gu Shaoting.


    Gu Shaoting smirked, and before she could process what was happening, a hand appeared behind her head. She helplessly watched as the man¡¯s domineering kiss sealed her alluring red lips.


    The man¡¯s kiss, forceful yet lingering, left Shu Pan unable to push him away, making the world around her momentarily nk.


    Shu Pan wasn¡¯t an inexperienced young girl; she had an idea of what was toe next. Her strength seemed to be gradually drained away..

 Chapter 425 - 425: Satisfied

    Chapter 425 - 425: Satisfied<div>


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Shu Pan felt a tingling sensation throughout her body, finding it difficult to resist.


    The man¡¯srge hand seemed reluctant to stay in ce, moving upward. He lowered his head to kiss Shu Pan¡¯s snow-white neck.<div>


    The man¡¯s hot body pressed closer to Shu Pan, and everything that followed seemed natural, unfolding effortlessly.


    In this moment, Gu Shaoting finally felt a sense of reality. The uncertainties and hesitations from tonight were trulypensated.


    As the night deepened, the time for lovers was just beginning.


    Early morning, Shu Pan, in a daze, heard a knock on the door. She immediately thought of Joy needing to go to school. Oh no, she had forgotten about it.


    ming Gu Shaoting, she sat up in bed, carefully listening to the faint knocking sound.


    It must be Joy; nowadays, the first thing she did every morning was look for


    Shu Pan.


    Previously, she used to sleep with Joy. However, she didn¡¯t know what Gu Shaoting had said to herst night, and now Joy insisted on sleeping alone, not with her.


    She had felt a bit lost for a while, no longer sensing the child¡¯s dependence on her.


    But it was fine. She had to let go eventually, fostering her independence.


    Now, she noticed Gu Shaoting wasn¡¯t in the room either. Where did he go?<div>


    Men always seemed to have endless energy. Shu Pan felt weak even moving.


    With disheveled hair, she opened the door to find a man and a child standing there. Shu Pan hastily adjusted the neckline of her nightgown.


    Gu Shaoting chuckled, appearing both satisfied and mischievous. Shu Pan shot him a stern look, then turned to Joy, who had already put on a sweet and gentle expression. ¡°Joy, wait for me for two minutes. I¡¯ll make you breakfast.¡±


    ¡°No need, Mommy. Daddy already made breakfast. Daddy said you¡¯re tired, so rest more.¡± Joy said sweetly.


    Shu Pan red at Gu Shaoting and wondered what nonsense he had told Joy.


    ¡°Hurry up, brush your teeth, and have breakfast. After that, you can go back to sleep,¡± Gu Shaoting covered Joy¡¯s eyes yfully, then leaned down to ce a kiss on Shu Pan¡¯s face.


    Shu Pan blushed instantly, ring at the culprit.


    ¡°Good morning kiss, my princess.¡± The man¡¯s mouth curved into an innocent yet cheerful smile.


    ¡°Send Joy to school first.¡± After saying this, Shu Pan felt a bit uneasy, recalling yesterday¡¯s events.


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll drop Joy off, and then I¡¯lle back to pick you up. Today, I¡¯ll apany you for a stroll.¡± Gu Shaoting continued, knowing Shu Pan didn¡¯t have work today.


    Shu Pan frowned. ¡°Aren¡¯t you busy today?¡±<div>


    ¡°Not busy. Besides, nothing is more important than you,¡± Gu Shaoting said with a smile, fully aware of the implications in Shu Pan¡¯s hungry gaze.


    ¡°Shut up.¡± Shu Pan knew what he meant.


    Seeing Shu Pan¡¯s shy expression, Gu Shaoting couldn¡¯t help but rememberst night¡¯s Shu Pan ¨C blushing and snow-like skin, utterly irresistible.


    Gu Shaoting mimicked a zipper motion near his mouth.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Shu Pan, already washed up, pulled Gu Shaoting towards the door.


    It had been a long time since they went out together. She wanted to nurture their rtionship.


    She had thought it throughst night; they were both adults, and now they were a couple. Doing things that couples do was only natural. So, she decided to let go..

 Chapter 426 - 426: Showing off

    Chapter 426 - 426: Showing off<div>


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Gu Shaoting took Shu Pan to the most bustling mall. Along the way, Gu Shaoting reverted to his usual demeanor¡ªaloof and unapproachable.


    It was mostly Shu Pan doing the talking. She asked a question, he replied with a brief answer or a nod.<div>


    Although Gu Shaoting didn¡¯t speak much, he never let go of Shu Pan¡¯s hand, holding it tightly as they strolled along.


    Wasn¡¯t this feeling a bit special?


    Because they rarely went out like this.


    But soon, they attracted attention. The man was handsome, and the woman was beautiful.


    Shu Pan wasn¡¯t particrly fond of leisurely shopping and didn¡¯t have anything specific to buy. Whatever she needed, she would directly enter a store and purchase it without dy.


    After a while, they entered a brand clothing store.


    It was a brand that Shu Pan had always wanted to buy but hesitated due to its high prices.


    This store sold scarves for thousands and new items for tens of thousands.


    It was a luxury in clothing. Shu Pan wouldn¡¯t have stepped foot in such a ce if Gu Shaoting hadn¡¯t brought her.


    Gu Shaoting had bought her gifts before. She was just thinking about how to repay him when this opportunity arose.


    Gu Shaoting didn¡¯tck anything, and she also wanted him to like it.<div>


    With the weather soon turning cooler, buying clothes would be practical. He should appreciate that.


    The clothes here wouldn¡¯t embarrass him.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go in and have a look.¡± Shu Pan eagerly grabbed his hand.


    ¡°Sure, let¡¯s go.¡± Gu Shaoting nodded.


    ¡°Wee¡­ M¡­ Mr. Gu¡­¡± The moment they stepped in, the staff¡¯s enthusiastic expression froze, and they stuttered, ¡°Mr. Gu¡­¡±


    Gu Shaoting looked bewildered. Was this one of his employees? He seemed to have no impression of her whatsoever.


    The saleswoman turned out to be MO Lan, who had been recently fired from the Gu Group. After being dismissed, she couldn¡¯t establish herself in the design industry, so she ended up working here as a saleswoman. ¡°Do you know me?¡± Gu Shaoting looked at her in surprise.


    He had no recollection of encountering such a woman.


    MO Lan¡¯s initially cheerful expression dimmed upon seeing Shu Pan. She had wanted to talk to Gu Shaoting about possibly returning to thepany, but seeing Gu Shaoting and Shu Pan holding hands so intimately, she abandoned the idea.


    Seeing MO Lan¡¯s re filled with resentment, Shu Pan involuntarily tightened her grip on Gu Shaoting.


    It was really unexpected to encounter such an enemy here. It¡¯s a small world indeed.<div>


    ¡°Miss, could you please show us these clothes?¡± Shu Pan pointed to a few new items.


    MO Lan gritted her teeth in anger, but another saleswoman quickly approached. ¡°Miss, are you buying these for your boyfriend? Wait a moment;


    I¡¯ll help you with that.¡±


    The saleswoman¡¯s sweet words instantly defused the awkwardness.


    Shu Pan smiled. She picked up a thin sweater from the shelf, a ssic style that she felt suited Gu Shaoting¡¯s temperament in terms of color and fabric.


    ¡°Try this on, what do you think?¡± Shu Pan held up the sweater against Gu


    Shaoting, then looked at him expectantly.


    Gu Shaoting liked it when Shu Pan took care of things for him.


    Although Shu Pan was somewhat ignorant, she knew that the clothes Gu Shaoting wore were all handmade, so she was worried he might find them ufortable.


    Shu Pan anxiously awaited Gu Shaoting¡¯s response. ¡°Okay,¡± Gu Shaoting agreed without hesitation..

 Chapter 427 - 427: Enemies on a Narrow Road

    Chapter 427 - 427: Enemies on a Narrow Road<div>


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    The staff saw that Gu Shaoting agreed, wanting to step forward to help him, but Gu Shaoting declined.


    ¡°I¡¯ll do it myself,¡± Gu Shaoting said, then took the clothes and entered the fitting room.<div>


    When Gu Shaoting came out, Shu Pan was somewhat stunned.


    With his height of over 1.8 meters, Gu Shaoting had no excess fat on him; he was a natural clothes hanger. He wore a sweater paired with casual pants, exuding an extra touch of elegance, making him look remarkably distinguished and handsome.


    Gu Shaoting nced back at Shu Pan, as if asking, ¡°How does it look?¡±


    Approaching him, Shu Pan helped tidy up Gu Shaoting¡¯s clothes. They were so close that they could both feel each other¡¯s warm breath.


    Already feeling a bit embarrassed, Shu Pan felt her face flush even more when Gu Shaoting¡¯s breath brushed against her neck.


    Meanwhile, MO Lan¡¯s eyes, filled with jealousy, were practically on fire. Her hands hanging at her sides clenched involuntarily; she wanted to pull Shu Pan away from Gu Shaoting and take her ce.


    How infuriating! Why did all the good things happen to Shu pan? Because of her, MO Lan couldn¡¯t establish herself in the industry and could only work as a saleswoman here. All of this was thanks to this woman in front of her.


    Shu Pan mainly ignored MO Lan¡¯s jealous gaze, thinking to herself that this person never changed; she always coveted men who had been taken.


    And she never reflected on herself, where her own problemsy. She always thought that finding a man with power and influence would provide her with security.


    But in reality? She had found many such men, but were any of them reliable?


    Indeed, as the saying goes, there is often a hateful side to a pitiful person, and MO Lan was such a person.<div>


    Shu Pan¡¯s lips curved slightly. As she was about to leave his side, her lips identally brushed against Gu Shaoting¡¯s cheek.


    Gu Shaoting¡¯s expression froze slightly, and Shu Pan stepped back, blushing, and asked, ¡°How is it? Do you like it?¡±


    ¡°I like it,¡± his voice was low and sexy. There was a faint smile on his usually aloof face, making him look particrly attractive.


    Seeing his expression, Shu Pan knew he had misunderstood her intention. She was asking if he liked the sweater, but he interpreted it as whether he liked her inadvertent kiss.


    Shu Pan felt a bit too shy to meet his eyes. She thought he was more reserved and would be shy, but in the end, the shy one turned out to be herself.


    Seeing the flirtatious exchange between the two, MO Lan felt a surge of anger. She inwardly cursed Shu Pan as a flirtatious woman who seduced men everywhere.


    Shu Pan ignored her presence, treating her as if she were invisible.


    Gu Shaoting went back to the fitting room to change clothes. When he came out, he saw Shu Pan asking about the price of the clothes.


    ¡°How much is this outfit?¡± Shu Pan asked.


    ¡°8999 yuan,¡± the salesperson replied enthusiastically.


    If it were before, Shu Pan probably wouldn¡¯t even consider looking at such an expensive outfit. But this time, for Gu Shaoting, she was willing to spend a lot.<div>


    Originally, Gu Shaoting said he would take her out and buy her something, but now that she found something suitable, she decided to buy it for him instead.


    Helping each other buy clothes could also be considered a kind of romantic gesture between lovers.


    Shu Pan didn¡¯t hesitate. ¡°Wrap it up.¡±


    Encountering such a decisive customer, the staff were ecstatic. Their attitude became even more enthusiastic. ¡®Ma¡¯am, this sweater also has a matching couple style. Would you like to choose one too?¡±


    Without even thinking, Shu Pan quickly waved her hand to refuse. ¡°No, I don¡¯t need it..¡±

 Chapter 428 - 428: Couple’s Sweater

    Chapter 428 - 428: Couple¡¯s Sweater<div>


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    D*mn it, if she bought another one, it would cost her another 8999 yuan, which meant she would be heartbroken, spending more than two months¡¯ sry.


    Shu Pan refused decisively. She wasn¡¯t foolish enough to buy such expensive clothes.<div>


    Just as Shu Pan refused, Gu Shaoting interjected, ¡°Please bring the other one for my wife to try on.¡±


    Wife? Was Gu Shaoting crazy?


    Shu Pan nced at him in astonishment. Seeing his calm expression, they indeed looked like a married couple.


    ¡°No need,¡± Shu Pan stopped the staff, then said to Gu Shaoting, ¡°Are you out of your mind? I have plenty of clothes, and I¡¯m not used to wearing such expensive ones.¡±


    ¡°As long as the clothes arefortable,¡± Gu Shaoting nodded at the salesperson, indicating for her to bring it.


    The female salesperson immediately brought out the clothes and handed them to Gu Shaoting. The women¡¯s sweater was slightly different from the men¡¯s.


    ¡°So you two are married. That¡¯s even better. You can wear matching outfits on some anniversaries. This style of sweater is a newlyunched design and is very popr,¡± the salesperson said eloquently, as expected of salespeople who knew what their customers liked to hear.


    Although she didn¡¯t know what others were thinking, Gu Shaoting seemed quite interested. He thought of Shu Pan and himself wearing the same clothes, and there was a strange feeling brewing in his heart.


    He took the clothes and led Shu Pan to the fitting room.


    Shu Pan could only ept the clothes reluctantly, but her heart was bleeding at the thought of her wallet soon being emptied.


    When Shu Pan came out, Gu Shaoting nodded in satisfaction. With her fairplexion, wearing the apricot-colored sweater made her look even fairer. The most dangerous part was the sexy corbone that Shu Pan revealed.<div>


    Gu Shaoting felt a bit impulsive, wanting to pull Shu Pan away.


    In a husky voice, Gu Shaoting asked, ¡°Do you like it?¡±


    Shu Pan looked at him, first nodding, then shaking her head vigorously, shaking it like a tambourine.


    ¡°Please wrap up these two items,¡± Gu Shaoting called the saleswoman.


    Shu Pan tugged at his hand, indicating that he shouldn¡¯t buy two items.


    ¡°Buy it if you like it,¡± he said in avish manner, but Shu Pan¡¯s heart was really aching.


    Forget it, just buy it. She could save some money in the future.


    Actually, Gu Shaoting had given her a credit card, but she wasn¡¯t used to using it, so she used her own.


    When Shu Pan was about to pay at the counter, Gu Shaoting had already handed over his bank card.


    Shu Pan was surprised that he brought his wallet; he didn¡¯t have this habit before.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Do you think I¡¯ll let you pay?¡± Gu Shaoting said arrogantly.<div>


    It was indeed male chauvinism.


    Although it was Gu Shaoting¡¯s bank card, Shu Pan felt heartache seeing such arge sum deducted. Gu Shaoting found it amusing to see her looking so pained. She was such a silly girl.


    Then he felt a bit bitter; he knew she had a tough time in the past few years, and this amount of money was a lot to her.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, buy what you like. I¡¯ll work hard to earn money,¡± Gu Shaoting gently stroked her head and said.


    ¡°Even if you can earn money, you shouldn¡¯t spend so extravagantly,¡± Shu Pan knew that Gu Shaoting¡¯s lifestyle was very luxurious. His clothes were basically all custom-made, andpared to these so-called luxury brands, who knows how much more upscale they were.


    But she had developed a habit of thriftiness, so she couldn¡¯t stand extravagance and waste.


    ¡°Okay, when we get married, you can manage it all,¡± Gu Shaoting whispered in her ear.


    ¡°Annoying,¡± Shu Pan¡¯s face instantly turned somewhat red.


    Shu Pan took the packaged clothes and held Gu Shaoting¡¯s hand, ready to leave.


    As she turned around, she saw MO Lan¡¯s envy and jealousy-filled eyes, and suddenly she felt that the money spent was worth it..

 Chapter 429 - 429: I Don’t Know Her

    Chapter 429 - 429: I Don¡¯t Know Her<div>


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    For someone as narrow-minded as MO Lan, making her jealous is the best way to get back at her.


    After walking out hand in hand with Gu Shaoting, Shu Pan asked him, ¡°Do you remember that salesperson from earlier?¡±<div>


    ¡°Which one?¡± Gu Shaoting said casually.


    ¡°The one who was quite pretty,¡± Shu Pan looked at Gu Shaoting earnestly.


    ¡°At that moment, the prettiest one was you. I only had eyes for you,¡± Gu Shaoting thought for a moment before saying, full of survival instinct.


    ¡°You¡¯re so mouthy. I was serious,¡± Shu Pan tapped his arm.


    Gu Shaoting shrugged casually, ¡°I know plenty of people. I can¡¯t possibly remember everyone.¡±


    Shu Panughed happily, ¡°You¡¯re such a heartless person. Do you remember the female employee you dismissed at the banquet hall in Bin Cityst time?


    That saleswoman was her.¡±


    Gu Shaoting pondered for a moment, ¡°So it was her. Firing her was letting her off lightly.¡±


    Gu Shaoting snorted inwardly. He was used to these vain women who relied on their looks to unt themselves.


    Although Shu Pan teased him about being heartless, she felt happy inside, especially since he remembered the woman who had hurt her foot.


    MO Lan had tried her best to get close to Gu Shaoting, using all her charms to seduce him. But in the end, Gu Shaoting didn¡¯t even remember her. It was quite ironic. After all her efforts, if she knew that Gu Shaoting had no impression of her at all, she would probably be infuriated.<div>


    And indeed, when MO Lan heard Shu Pan ask Gu Shaoting about the saleswoman, she was on the verge of exploding. Gu Shaoting actually imed not to know her. She remembered appearing in front of him on many asions, and she was quite attractive. How could he say he had no impression of her?


    Was he worried that Shu Pan would get angry, so he deliberately said he didn¡¯t know her?


    But no matter what the reason was, she felt both annoyed and angry, and there was even more resentment in her heart.


    MO Lan was so angry that she clenched her fists and stomped her feet.


    ¡°MO Lan, I don¡¯t care what happened before, but when you¡¯re working here, you represent our brand¡¯s image. Remember, the customer is God. Don¡¯t argue with customers. Luckily, the customer didn¡¯t make a fuss today. Otherwise, if there¡¯s aint, you¡¯ll be out,¡± the manager warned MO Lan, seeing her furious state, probably because she had just shed with a customer.


    MO Lan had always been arrogant. When she saw customers wearing designer clothes and looking wealthy, her attitude was very good, all sweet and lovely. But if she saw customers dressed normally, her attitude would changepletely, bing indifferent.


    The manager had wanted to talk to her for a while now but couldn¡¯t find the right opportunity. Today, seeing her seem to know these two customers, but her attitude was really notmendable.


    ¡°I understand, manager,¡± MO Lan bit her lip and replied quietly.


    Her eyes kept staring at the departing figures of Shu Pan and Gu Shaoting, and many malicious thoughts shed through her mind.


    Someday, she would seize the opportunity to crush Shu Pan under her feet.


    Shu Pan, don¡¯t be too smug. Those who offend me will not have a good ending. Be careful.<div>


    The ruthlessness in MO Lan¡¯s eyes was terrifying.


    The manager, seeing MO Lan¡¯s unrepentant attitude, shook his head and walked away. Such people would surely pay a heavy price for their actions..

 Chapter 430 - 430: Urgent Matters

    Chapter 430 - 430: Urgent Matters<div>


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Gu Shaoting took Shu Pan to several women¡¯s clothing stores again, and they returned home with their hands full of bags.


    Shu Pan noticed Gu Shaoting swiping his card without hesitation, while her own heart was pounding.<div>


    ¡°You bought too much,¡± Shu Pan reproached.


    ¡°Show me one piece every day,¡± Gu Shaoting whispered in her ear, then firmly wrapped his arm around her waist.


    With so many people around, Shu Pan felt shy. She pushed him hard, but he held onto her even tighter, pressing her body against his.


    Gu Shaoting was always elegant in his gestures, but his strength was unexpectedly great. Shu Pan couldn¡¯t pry his hands off with both of hers.


    What had gotten into him today? He was usually so reserved, but now he was acting like this in public.


    What was he thinking? asionally, he would act so unexpectedly, catching her off guard, and she couldn¡¯t keep up with his pace.


    Just when she wished she could disappear, Gu Shaoting paused, then released her, smiling gently. His maic voice could make anyone¡¯s ears melt.


    ¡°This is a thank-you gift for you.¡±


    A thank-you gift? The scene fromst night involuntarily shed through Shu Pan¡¯s mind, and she felt like she was blushing so hard that blood would drip from her face.


    Internally, she was in turmoil. Did he have to say such ambiguous things in such a public ce?


    ¡°Shut up,¡± Shu Pan blushed and scolded him.<div>


    ¡°Let¡¯s go. I¡¯ve devoted all my time to you today, including tonight. What do you want to do?¡± Gu Shaoting added the word ¡°tonight¡± ambiguously.


    ¡°I¡¯ll think about it carefully,¡± Shu Pan replied seriously. It was still early, and it wasn¡¯t time to meet Joy yet.


    ¡°Okay, take your time,¡± Gu Shaoting looked around, considering whether to find a ce to eat something. After all, he rarely went on dates with women. Suddenly, a jewelry store not far away caught his eye. Right, he should prepare for it.


    Hmm, he would give her a surprise. Gu Shaoting remained calm and turned to see that Shu Pan was still lost in thought.


    At that moment, Gu Shaoting¡¯s personal phone rang. He checked the number and said to Shu Pan, ¡°Wait for me here. I have to take this call.¡¯


    Shu Pan nodded. ¡°Sure, go ahead and take the call.¡±


    Gu Shaoting walked to a less crowded ce to answer the phone. Shu Pan felt a bit bored after shopping for so long and was a little thirsty.


    Seeing a nearby bubble tea shop, she walked over and bought two cups, intending to sit down and drink, just like everyone else, to rx during the date.


    Just as she was about to pay, Gu Shaoting hurried over. ¡°Panpan, I have an urgent matter to attend to.¡±


    ¡°Okay, go ahead,¡± Shu Pan understood him. With the responsibility of thousands of people¡¯s livelihoods on his shoulders, being busy was normal. It was already rare for him to take her out for a walk today.


    ¡°I¡¯ll take you home first,¡± Gu Shaoting was afraid of leaving her alone outside. After all, he had originally nned to apany her shopping.<div>


    ¡°No need. I can take a taxi home myself. I still want to shop some more. You go and take care of your business,¡± Shu Pan saw the concern on his face and guessed that this time, the problem was probably serious.


    She couldn¡¯t help, so she could only promise not to cause trouble for him.


    ¡°Okay, be careful on your own. Use the card I gave youst time. Buy whatever you like. I¡¯ll probably be busy untilte. Go meet Joy, don¡¯t wait for me.¡±


    Before Shu Pan could nod, Gu Shaoting hurriedly left..

 Chapter 431 - 431: Gu Huanhuan

    Chapter 431 - 431: Gu Huanhuan<div>


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Shu Pan seemed to see Gu Shaoting walk away so hastily for the first time. What could have happened?


    Suddenly, her heart was in turmoil again.<div>


    She remembered she hadn¡¯t reminded him to stay safe, so she tried calling his phone, but it kept ringing busy.


    She tried several times, but it was the same.


    Oh well, he¡¯s usually so decisive and calm. She believed he would handle whatever it was just fine.


    Shu Pan kept reassuring herself because he hadn¡¯t explicitly mentioned what the urgent matter was, so she didn¡¯t want to pry.


    After pondering for a while, Shu Pan decided to put her phone away.


    Since Gu Shaoting had left, Shu Pan didn¡¯t feel like continuing to shop. It was almost time to meet Joy.


    She decided to take a stroll and go meet Joy.


    If she didn¡¯t find something to do, she was afraid she would keep worrying about Gu Shaoting.


    At the same time, Gu Shaoting was driving to his second uncle¡¯s house.


    His private phone had just rung, and he felt a pang of worry. It was usually a family emergency when that phone rang.


    ¡°Shaoting, you¡¯re finally here. I¡¯ve been so worried,¡± Gu Shaoting¡¯s second uncle greeted him as if he were a savior.<div>


    ¡°Uncle, what happened?¡± Gu Shaoting¡¯s face also showed some anxiety, as it was rare to see his second uncle so distraught.


    ¡°Ah, it¡¯s your troublesome cousin, Huanhuan. She¡¯s back in the country, no longer abroad. She secretly went to interview with a talent agency and is now pursuing her dream of bing a star.¡± The second uncle¡¯s words were rushed and jumbled because he was so agitated.


    Though Gu Shaoting managed to grasp the gist of it, it was clear that his cousin, Gu Huanhuan, had returned to pursue a career in the entertainment industry afterpleting her studies.


    Huanhuan was his second uncle¡¯s favorite, born when he was much older, so she was cherished like a pearl.


    Growing up, she and Gu Shaoting had a close rtionship because they were the only ones in their family. Gu Shaoting treated her like a little sister and always catered to her requests.


    He was always there to clean up her messes whenever she got into trouble.


    This time, she had entered the entertainment industry, probably because she was afraid her family wouldn¡¯t approve and kept everyone in the dark.


    Her worry was justified; her family would definitely disapprove.


    What kind of ce was the entertainment industry? It¡¯s a melting pot of all sorts, with all kinds of people. Gu Huanhuan, as an innocent girl, was like a nk sheet of paper. How could she handle it? She only saw the morous side of being a star and didn¡¯t realize the sacrifices and dark aspects behind the scenes.


    This girl was really reckless. Usually, everyone spoiled her too much.


    ¡°Uncle, don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll talk to her and find out where she is.¡± Gu Shaotingforted him.<div>


    ¡°She¡¯s probably out with her friends. I didn¡¯t know anything until a friend told me she had filmed some advertisements and gained some fame, bing one of those inte celebrities. It¡¯s all a mess. I thought she was working at apany.¡± Gu Shaoting¡¯s second uncle got a headache whenever he thought of his daughter.


    His daughter, who used to be so well-behaved, why was she so stubborn about this?


    ¡°Don¡¯t get worked up. I¡¯ll talk to her. Grandpa shouldn¡¯t know about this, right?¡± Grandpa always stayed at the second uncle¡¯s house.


    ¡°How dare I tell the old man? Wouldn¡¯t that make him anxious too?¡± Gu Shaoting¡¯s second uncle sighed.


    ¡°Okay, if shees back, call me. I¡¯ll have someone look for her whereabouts now.¡± Gu Shaoting reassured his second uncle.


    ¡°Alright, thank you. Please try to persuade that girl.¡± With Gu Shaoting¡¯s words, the second uncle¡¯s suspended heart finally settled.


    He trusted Gu Shaoting¡¯s abilities..

 Chapter 432 - 432: Furious

    Chapter 432 - 432: Furious<div>


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi- Bo Studio


    After Gu Shaoting left, he immediately called a friend to help him find out where Gu Huanhuan was.


    At that moment, Gu Shaoting was sitting in a Mercedes-Benz driven by a chauffeur, speeding towards thergest entertainment venue in Bin City, the Kempinski.<div>


    The chauffeur had driven Gu Shaoting for so long and had never seen his face look so dark and troubled.


    Usually, for personal matters, Gu Shaoting would drive himself. Today, seeing his gloomy mood, the chauffeur suggested he drive instead, and Gu Shaoting, after a moment¡¯s thought, agreed.


    Gu Shaoting was so angry because of Gu Huanhuan. She really didn¡¯t know her ce, and he was determined to teach her a lesson.


    After about half an hour, the car finally arrived at the Kempinski.


    When Gu Shaoting got out of the car, his expression had improved significantly, but his face still wore a forbidding look, a warning not to approach him.


    ¡°Mr. Gu, you¡¯ve finally arrived,¡± a young man in his twenties approached Gu Shaoting with a sense of relief. Serving the Gu family¡¯s young master was not an easy task.


    ¡°Where is she?¡± Gu Shaoting asked with a stern face.


    ¡°Miss Gu is in VIP Room 206 on the second floor,¡± the man replied, feeling intimidated every time Mr. Gu wore that expression.


    He led the way, quickly guiding Gu Shaoting upstairs.


    Another VIP room? What was this girl up to? She really needed to be taught a lesson.


    As they approached the private room, Gu Shaoting¡¯s brows furrowed tighter and tighter.<div>


    All along the way were scantily d women, some of whom deliberately bumped into Gu Shaoting and even directly invited him to have a drink, but Gu Shaoting avoided them all.


    The ce was suffocating, filled with the stench of alcohol, and seeing couples embracing and kissing shamelessly in the corridor made Gu Shaoting¡¯s temples throb with anger. He felt the urge to tten the whole ce.


    Gu Huanhuan, this girl, had really gone too far this time. He hadn¡¯t realized she had this kind of capability before.


    ¡°Mr. Gu, we¡¯re almost there,¡± the man said when he saw Gu Shaoting¡¯s twisted forehead, eager to break the silence.


    Finally, they arrived at the door of Room 206. ¡°Mr. Gu, Miss Gu is inside,¡± the man said, relieved to finally fulfill his duty.


    Gu Shaoting opened the door and was greeted by a sight that made him deeply inhale. If he didn¡¯t have good manners and restraint, he might have smashed everything inside and thrown everyone out.


    The private room wasrge, dimly lit, and filled with an ambiguous atmosphere. Men and women sat on the couch, embracing each other. Their gaze was focused on the two people dancing passionately in the middle of the room.


    The woman was wearing provocative makeup, a camisole, and denim shorts, gyrating wildly, while the man, dressed in a ck shirt and tight ck pants, moved his body rhythmically. They would draw close and then pull away.


    Around them, men and women whistled and apuded. Especially the men present, their eyes were like hungry wolves fixed on the dancing woman.


    The scene was wild, everyone was excited.


    But in Gu Shaoting¡¯s eyes, it was infuriating. He took a step forward, took off his jacket, and wrapped it around the dancing woman.<div>


    In a cold voice, Gu Shaoting said, ¡°Gu Huanhuan, do you know what you¡¯re doing?¡±


    The dancing woman finally regained her senses and saw Gu Shaoting in front of her.


    Her heart sank. Why did it have to be her cousin? This was just her luck..

 Chapter 433 - 433: Teaching That Naughty Girl a Lesson

    Chapter 433: Teaching That Naughty Girl a Lesson


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Gu Huanhuan saw Gu Shaoting¡¯s grim face and felt a sense of impending doom.


    What wind blew her brother here? Since childhood, the person she feared most was her brother, although he doted on her.


    She had risen to fame with a single advertisement and was now starting to receive scripts. Her poprity was gradually increasing, and she relied solely on her own abilities. Her family knew nothing about it, so she hade out to celebrate with her colleagues and friends.


    Who would have thought she would be caught by her brother?


    Her current n was to pretend to be drunk and innocent.


    She blinked her beautiful eyes and reached out to tilt Gu Shaoting¡¯s chin. ¡°Who are you? Are you here to watch me dance? I¡¯ll dance for you now,¡± she said with a giggle.


    ¡°Gu Huanhuan, I¡¯ll give you a second. If you keep pretending to be crazy and acting stupid, you¡¯ll see how I deal with youter,¡± Gu Shaoting threatened, his face cold.


    Gu Huanhuan wanted to continue pretending to be drunk to fool Gu Shaoting, but hearing his words made her a bit nervous. She knew Gu Shaoting was a man of his word and could be very stern.


    She stole a nce at him, wanting to say something to him, but seeing his stern expression, she held back. Gu Shaoting didn¡¯t give her a chance to resist, grabbing her and leading her outside without a word.


    ¡°Friends, I apologize for the oversight. Enjoy yourselves. I have to leave now, but we¡¯ll y again next time,¡± Gu Huanhuan hastily said before leaving.


    Gu Shaoting covered her mouth, preventing her from saying anything more. There wouldn¡¯t be a next time.


    ¡°What are you doing, bro?¡± Gu Huanhuan finally found a chance to catch her


    breath and asked Gu shaoting discontentedly.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to talk right now. We¡¯ll talk when we get back,¡± Gu Shaoting said coldly, giving her a sidelong nce.


    Gu Huanhuan suddenly felt a chill.


    ¡°Bro, stop wearing that poker face. Don¡¯t you want to see me? It¡¯s been ages since west met, hasn¡¯t it? And now, besides me, who else would want to face that icy expression of yours? You¡¯re going to stay single forever with that attitude.¡±


    At the same time, she clicked her tongue sympathetically at Gu Shaoting¡¯s predicament.


    Gu Huanhuan pouted, seemingly sympathizing with Gu Shaoting, but in reality, she was somewhat reveling in his misfortune.


    Gu Huanhuan only knew that Gu Shaoting had divorced a few years ago, and she knew little about his ex-sister-inw, as she was abroad at the time.


    But could you me anyone? Look at her cousin¡¯s stern expression. It¡¯s enough to scare any woman away, although he¡¯s handsome and well-off.


    Gu Shaoting walked with a steady pace, pulling Gu Huanhuan along, still silent.


    Gu Huanhuan continued, ¡°You¡¯re in your thirties now. It¡¯s time to worry about your own lifelong affairs. Find a girlfriend and stop worrying Grandpa and the others. Of course, you need to change your attitude too, or else women will leave you like your previous wife did.¡±


    Was she plucking hairs at a tiger¡¯s mouth?


    ¡°Shut up.¡± He had to speak up when it came to Shu Pan. Gu Shaoting squeezed out the words through gritted teeth, wishing he could throw this drunken chatterbox to the side of the road.


    Although Gu Shaoting was irritated to no end by her, she was still his beloved sister.


    ¡°Bro, let go. I can walk on my own. It¡¯s not a good look to be dragging me around like this. After all, I¡¯m a public figure now,¡± Gu Huanhuan protested, trying to free herself from his grip.


    As long as she didn¡¯t mention being a star, he could control his temper. But once she did, he got even angrier.


    ¡°Are you going to keep acting up?¡± Gu Shaoting warned.


    Ignoring his warning, Gu Huanhuan continued to mutter discontentedly.


    Gu Shaoting shot her a re, ready to settle the scoreter.


    What a wonderful night it could have been. He should have been cuddling with Panpan, dreaming sweet dreams, instead of dealing with a drunkard like her..

 Chapter 434 - 434: Creating News

    Chapter 434: Creating News


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Gu Huanhuan continued to provoke as if she had no fear, ¡°Bro, I¡¯m all grown up now. I know what I¡¯m doing. Being a star has always been my dream. It¡¯s not about the money; it¡¯s about my passion. And now that I¡¯ve sessfully taken this step, bro, I hope you¡¯ll support me.¡±


    Gu Huanhuan knew that her family might already know about her entry into the entertainment industry because her dad had called in the afternoon, questioning her, and now her cousin had shown up at night.


    But this dream of hers, she was determined to pursue it.


    She also knew that the entertainment industry could be shady, but she would keep herself clean.


    Usually, it was all just for fun, a bit of acting. She didn¡¯t have the guts for the real deal.


    Gu Huanhuan nced left and right with her beautiful eyes and spotted a figure holding a camera not far away. She shed a cunning smile.


    She Imew that Bin City, thergest entertainment hub, was a ce many celebrities liked to visit. Many neers in the industry woulde here to try their luck and get some exposure.


    With her current level of fame, stirring up a bit of gossip would be perfect.


    Anyway, her cousin didn¡¯t have a girlfriend. What harm was there in using him a bit?


    ¡°Bro¡­¡± Gu Huanhuan suddenly stepped forward and hooked her arm around Gu Shaoting¡¯s, presenting a perfect profile.


    ¡°What?¡± Gu Shaoting was surprised by her actions. What mischievous idea did this girl have now?


    ¡°Nothing. Just wanted to call you over,¡± Gu Huanhuan said sweetly.


    ¡°I¡¯ll take you home. It¡¯ste, and we need to have a serious talk,¡± Gu Huanhuan approached, and Gu Shaoting wrinkled his brow at the smell of alcohol emanating from her.


    ¡°Okay, but I¡¯m going to your ce. If I go back like this, I¡¯m afraid my dad will have a heart attack from worry,¡± Gu Huanhuan stuck out her tongue. Usually, she would dress more modestly when visiting.


    ¡°You? Worried about your dad?¡± After finding Gu Huanhuan, Gu Shaoting had already spoken to his second uncle, telling him not to worry.


    Gu Huanhuan shrugged.


    Her goal was achieved. She believed that after those gossipmongers added fuel to the fire, tomorrow¡¯s news would feature intimate photos of the newly famous Huanzi and a man embracing.


    Oh, by the way, Huanzi was her stage name.


    She created some scandals, boosted her poprity, and then the next script¡­


    Thinking about it made her happy. Acting was her ultimate goal. Since she was young, she had a strong desire to perform. But her family probably didn¡¯t want her to pursue this career, so they ignored her training in this area. Luckily, she secretly studied it in college.


    The car arrived, and Gu Shaoting stuffed her inside. She was truly a headache.


    Panpan, on the other hand, was gentle and considerate.


    After a night of turmoil, Gu Huanhuan was probably tired. She fell asleep shortly after getting into the car.


    Gu Shaoting looked at her innocent face, now covered in makeup like a palette, and couldn¡¯t help but sigh. He realized he hadn¡¯t been paying enough attention to her. He needed to be more attentive in the future.


    The driver nced discreetly in the rearview mirror, thinking that this miss could really throw off their usuallyposed Mr. Gu.


    ¡°Mr. Gu, where are we heading now?¡± the driver asked.


    Gu Shaoting thought for a moment. It was toote to go back to Shuimu Qinghua, and it would probably disturb Panpan and Joy.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go to Tongyuan Vi,¡± Gu Shaoting rubbed his temples and replied.


    The driver turned the car around and headed towards Tongyuan.


    Gu Huanhuan slept soundly, but little did she know what consequences her actions would bring to Gu Shaoting..

 Chapter 435 - 435: Don ‘t Bother

    Chapter 435 - 435: Don ¡®t Bother<div>


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi- Bo Studio


    Tongyuan Vi had been renovated for some time now and was ready for upancy. Gu Shaoting had also hired a housekeeper, Mrs. Li, to take care of the ce and start organizing the rooms.


    Originally, Gu Shaoting nned to move in with Shu Pan and Joy in a while because the environment here was beautiful and spacious. But unexpectedly, the first one to move in was the troublemaker, Gu<div>


    Huanhuan.


    Upon arriving at Tongyuan, Mrs. Li immediately greeted them. ¡°Sir, what can I do for you?¡±


    ¡°Mrs. Li, please prepare a clean set of clothes and tidy up the guest room,¡± Gu Shaoting said before striding into the house with the sleeping Gu Huanhuan in his arms.


    Once inside, Gu Shaoting ced her in the bathtub and turned on the warm water, spraying it over Gu Huanhuan.


    ¡°Wow!¡±


    ¡°Help!¡± The girl, who had been sleeping soundly, used her hands to brush the water off her face while calling for help, taking a while to fully wake up.


    She raised her head, ring at Gu Shaoting. ¡°Bro, are you trying to drown me for my inheritance?¡±


    Gu Shaoting crossed his arms, his face dark. ¡°Look at yourself now, you look like a ghost. All you do is cause trouble.¡±


    Gu Huanhuan hung her head silently. She knew that if her cousin found out, it wouldn¡¯t end well. And look, she was right.


    She wondered if she had any reliable friends who could be introduced to her brother so he¡¯d have someone else to manage, giving him less time to bother her.


    Seeing her silent, Gu Shaoting¡¯s tone raised slightly. ¡°Gu Huanhuan, are you even listening to me?¡±<div>


    Gu Huanhuan looked at him, her lips trembling as if she was about to cry. ¡°Bro,


    I¡¯m already in my twenties, I¡¯m an adult. Why are you still controlling me?¡±


    ¡°Now you im to be an adult, but your actions are worse than a child¡¯s,¡± Gu Shaoting mocked.


    ¡°Bro, I¡¯m feeling cold. I want to get out,¡± Gu Huanhuan said, hugging herself.


    ¡°Stand still and reflect on your actions,¡± Gu Shaoting stared at her. ¡°You¡¯re wearing that andining about being cold?¡±


    ¡°Bro¡­¡± Gu Huanhuan felt discontented, but she dared not stir. She couldn¡¯t afford to defy Gu Shaoting; he was someone who responded better to gentleness than resistance.


    ¡°Do you even recognize me as your brother? Why do you make decisions without consulting the family?¡± Gu Shaoting looked at this girl, who seemed oblivious to her own limitations, and felt exasperated.


    ¡°Bro, I want to get up and sleep. I¡¯m tired.¡± Gu Huanhuan, feeling like a defendant in court, had long lost her patience and started to throw a tantrum. Gu Shaoting remained firm. ¡°Do you realize your mistake?¡±


    Gu Huanhuan remained silent. She couldn¡¯t admit her mistake; otherwise, everything she had worked for would vanish into thin air.


    Gu Shaoting raised an eyebrow, feeling helpless with this girl.


    The girl finally lifted her head, puffing up her cheeks. ¡°I¡¯m an adult, and I have the right to decide my own life. You don¡¯t even have a girlfriend yourself. Focus on your own affairs; you don¡¯t need to meddle in mine.¡±<div>


    Gu Shaoting scolded sternly, ¡°Just because you call me ¡®bro¡¯ doesn¡¯t mean I shouldn¡¯t discipline you. ¡±


    ¡°Is it because I called you ¡®bro¡¯ that you can be so harsh to me?¡± Gu Huanhuan burst into tears, disregarding her image.


    ¡°Crying won¡¯t help. Since we haven¡¯t resolved this today, no one will be sleeping,¡± Gu Shaoting said, massaging his temples where a dull ache was forming.


    ¡°Dictatorial¡­ oppressive¡­¡± Gu Huanhuan grumbled indignantly..

 Chapter 436 - 436: Stern Reprimand

    Chapter 436 - 436: Stern Reprimand<div>


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Gu Shaoting knew that this girl was feigning vulnerability, hoping to soften his heart. He was well aware of her intentions, so he remained resolute and refused topromise.


    ¡°Gu Huanhuan, let me repeat it once more: you¡¯re not suited for the entertainment industry. It¡¯s a cesspool, and look at you now, daring to go out dressed like that,¡± Gu Shaoting said solemnly.<div>


    This kind of girl thought being a celebrity meant glitz and mour every day, without realizing the various unwritten rules behind the scenes. Gu Huanhuan pouted. ¡°You all don¡¯t care about me anymore, or how I feel.¡± Tears were starting to well up in the young girl¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°Sir, the clean clothes are ready, and the guest room is tidied up,¡± Mrs. Li chimed in at the opportune moment, just as Gu Shaoting was about to reprimand Gu Huanhuan.


    ¡°Get yourself cleaned up first. I¡¯ll be waiting for you in the living room,¡± Gu Shaoting said before walking away.


    Gu Huanhuan made faces behind his back. Such a cold-hearted person, always with a stern face. No wonder he still didn¡¯t have a girlfriend.


    ¡°Miss, you should wash up quickly to avoid catching a cold. I¡¯ll make you some ginger teater,¡± Mrs. Li said. She didn¡¯t know who had been brought here, but seeing how much Mr. Gu valued her, she must be important.


    ¡°Mrs. Li, right? Thank you. Do you know if my cousin usually brings anyone else here?¡± Gu Huanhuan asked, observing the newly renovated vi. Despite Imowing her brother¡¯s extensive properties, the fact that someone had been assigned to look after this ce indicated that someone wasing to stay. But with such arge house, was it really just for him?


    Gu Huanhuan was brimming with curiosity.


    Mrs. Li, upon hearing her address Mr. Gu as ¡°cousin,¡± realized that who the girl was.


    ¡°Miss, I¡¯ve only been here for a short time, so I haven¡¯t seen anyone elsee. Mr. Gu has only visited twice and arranged for someone to buy some daily necessities,¡± Mrs. Li said, feeling awkvvard. Even if she knew more, she couldn¡¯t just gossip; working in such a wealthy household required discretion. ¡°Okay,¡± Gu Huanhuan said dejectedly. She had hoped to glean some gossip about her brother.


    ¡°In that case, I¡¯ll go prepare some ginger tea for you,¡± Mrs. Li said, noticing the cooling weather. The young girl seemed resistant to the cold and was dressed so lightly¡ªit would be strange if she didn¡¯t catch a cold.


    ¡°Thank you, Mrs. Li,¡± Gu Huanhuan said as she began to clean up. She was thinking of ways to coax her brother. Once he agreed, it would be as good as the entire family¡¯s approval.<div>


    Her brother had a lot of say in the household affairs.


    After Gu Huanhuan emerged and found the living room empty, she inwardly rejoiced, thinking she had dodged another lecture. Little did she know, things wouldn¡¯t go as she hoped.


    Gu Shaoting returned after just stepping outside for a smoke.


    ¡°Tomorrow, you¡¯re going back home. Find a decent job and behave yourself. Otherwise, if you want a position at Gu Group, you can pick it yourself,¡± Gu Shaoting cut to the chase, making a decision for her.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to,¡± Gu Huanhuan protested.


    ¡°Are you itching for trouble. Gu Huanhuan?¡± Gu Shaoting showed signs of


    growing anger.


    Although infuriated, Gu Huanhuan dared not push too far.


    Because she knew her cousin was always firm in his decisions. Though he spoiled her, he neverpromised on matters of principle.


    Throughout her childhood, she never did anything he forbade.


    Back then, it was normal for him to be strict. But now, in her early twenties, he still intervened.<div>


    Was there something wrong with him mentally or physically for not pursuing romantic rtionships and instead focusing on controlling her?


    Well, maybe nobody was interested in him anyway. Even as an incredibly beautiful girl, she thought bitterly, he still treated her with such a heart of stone. He deserved to be single..

 Chapter 437 - 437: Woman?

    Chapter 437 - 437: Woman?<div>


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    If Gu Shaoting knew what Gu Huanhuan was thinking deep down, he might have felt like strangling her.


    At this time, he should have been at home cuddling with Shu Pan, showering her with affection. But now? This troublemaker showed no remorse, still cursing him for being single?<div>


    ¡°Miss, Mr. Gu is doing this for your own good. You don¡¯t understand how dangerous society can be nowadays. You, as such an innocent young girl, are very likely to be taken advantage of,¡± Mrs. Li chimed in to help.


    ¡°Mrs. Li, even you¡¯re siding with him? That¡¯s too much. You¡¯re all bullying me!¡± Gu Huanhuan stomped her foot in frustration. If she went home, her budding entertainment career would be over.


    ¡°Alright, don¡¯t be angry. Have a bowl of hot ginger soup, don¡¯t catch a cold, and let¡¯s talk things out,¡± Mrs. Li coaxed.


    Gu Huanhuan wouldn¡¯t budge.


    She put on a childish look and ran to Gu Shaoting, massaging his back as she spoke, ¡°Cousin, let¡¯spromise. I¡¯ll report all my ns to you in the future, and I¡¯ll consult with you before taking any acting jobs, okay?¡±


    Her young, tender face was so endearing.


    Gu Shaoting couldn¡¯t bear to see her disappointed.


    ¡°I¡¯ve just signed on for a youth drama, very innocent. Just got the contract. I¡¯m waiting to join the crew. Brother, please be merciful. Breaking the contract would cost a lot of money,¡± Gu Huanhuan continued.


    The youngdy could be flexible. Gu Huanhuan lowered her posture, looking pitiful, making it hard for anyone to refuse her.


    Gu Shaoting pondered for a moment. She was his only cousin, and he couldn¡¯t bear to see her unhappy. Besides, it was rare for her to show enthusiasm for something.


    Who cared about the money? He knew if he didn¡¯t agree to her terms, who knows what kind of trouble this little troublemaker would causeter?<div>


    ¡°Fine, if you want to stay in the entertainment industry, I¡¯ll arrange for you a manager and two assistants. You must run any acting jobs by me first. If you don¡¯t agree or can¡¯t follow through, youe back to work at thepany immediately,¡± Gu Shaoting finally relented, at least ensuring that she wouldn¡¯t cause too much trouble under his watch.


    Gu Huanhuan had ten thousand reasons to disagree. With everything under his control, what freedom did she have left? But wise people knew when to yield, and she could only agree for now.


    ¡°Great, I knew you¡¯d always look out for me, cousin,¡± Gu Huanhuan¡¯s ttery rang loud.


    ¡°Alright, it¡¯s settled then,¡± Gu Shaoting nced at his watch; it was alreadyte.


    ¡°You¡¯ll sleep in the guest room here tonight. Someone wille to pick you up tomorrow and help arrange your schedule,¡± Gu Shaoting instructed, then stood up and walked towards the foyer.


    ¡°Cousin, it¡¯s sote. Aren¡¯t you staying over tonight?¡± Gu Huanhuan inquired.


    ¡°No, I¡¯m going back to Shuimu Qinghua,¡± Gu Shaoting replied without looking back.


    ¡°Strange. It¡¯s not like someone¡¯s waiting for him at home, and this is his house too. Is it necessary to go back sote?¡± She thought. ¡°Does he have a woman? Is that why he¡¯s in such a hurry to leave?¡±


    Tonight, he checked his watch several times.


    ¡°Hmm, something¡¯s up. I¡¯ll have to find out the truth when I get the chance.¡± She made the decision. If there really was such a great woman, she would make sure to thank her properly on behalf of the whole family.


    Gu Shaoting¡¯s head was still throbbing from that bratty girl¡¯s antics. When he got back home, the living room had a dim, warm light left on, a habit<div>


    of Shu Pan¡¯s. Whenever he didn¡¯t return, she would leave a light on to guide him.


    He tiptoed into the room and saw Joy sleeping soundly, with a smile on her face, probably dreaming sweet dreams..

 Chapter 438 - 438: A Familiar Back View

    Chapter 438 - 438: A Familiar Back View<div>


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    After checking on Joy, Gu Shaoting finally entered Shu Pan¡¯s room. Shu Pan seemed to be sleeping restlessly, so Gu Shaoting bent down and gently ced a kiss on her lips.


    As if sensing his presence, Shu Pan slowly opened her eyes and saw Gu Shaoting standing by the bed. His eyes had a hint of bloodshot, indicating his fatigue.<div>


    ¡°You¡¯re back?¡± Shu Pan¡¯s voice was soft and gentle. Gu Shaoting, however, seemed distracted.


    ¡°Yeah, you go back to sleep. I¡¯ll go take a shower,¡± Gu Shaoting replied, feeling a certain part of his body responding to the situation.


    How could a man who had just started night life resist such temptation?


    Gu Shaoting hurriedly took a shower as soon as he returned to the bedroom, wasting no time.


    When he returned to the room, Shu Pan was already awake, sitting at the bedside, looking at him with concern.


    ¡°What happened? Is it serious?¡± Shu Pan had been restless all night, fearing something serious had urred, hence Gu Shaoting¡¯s solemn expression.


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing. Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll tell you tomorrow. It¡¯ste. Go to sleep,¡± Gu Shaoting embraced Shu Pan, theny down beside her.


    ¡°But¡­¡± Shu Pan wanted to say more, but Gu Shaoting¡¯s hand on her waist began to wander restlessly.


    ¡°Not tired, huh?¡± Gu Shaoting murmured lowly in her ear, his breath tickling her face, sending shivers down her spine.


    Shu Pan quickly closed her eyes, but it was toote. Gu Shaoting was now very awake.


    In the early morning, Shu Pan was still half asleep when Gu Shaoting had already taken Joy to kindergarten and returned.<div>


    Half awake, Shu Pan noticed Gu Shaoting¡¯s return and panicked upon seeing the time¡ªit was already past 8 0¡¯clock. She quickly got up to get ready, realizing she was almostte.


    ¡®Why didn¡¯t you wake me up? I¡¯m going to bete, and my perfect attendance award will be ruined,¡± Shu Pan scolded Gu Shaoting.


    Ugh, why did men always have so much energy? She felt her legs weakening just thinking about it. It wasn¡¯t fair; did men never get tired?


    ¡°Take your time, no need to rush. What¡¯s a perfect attendance bonus anyway? I¡¯llpensate you,¡± Gu Shaoting casually remarked.


    Shu Pan shot him a re. She couldn¡¯t let him have his way all the time.


    Due to her rush, Shu Pan forgot to ask Gu Shaoting about what had happened the night before as they hurried to the office. When they arrived, she was five minuteste clocking in, making her even more resentful toward Gu Shaoting.


    As Shu Pan settled into her seat, she overheard someone exim, ¡°Oh my goodness, how could this happen?¡±


    The voice sounded sharp with excitement, drawing the attention of others nearby.


    Shu Pan looked up to see several colleagues gathered around, covering their mouths, seemingly in a mix of shock and excitement.


    Tang Wei, who enjoyed gossip, quickly joined them. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±


    A colleague pointed at theputer screen. ¡°It¡¯s a celebrity news report. My new favorite idol, Huanzi, is in a rtionship! How could she be dating already? She¡¯s so adorable! You know how popr her recent makeup advertisement is, and her career is just taking off. Why would she start dating<div>


    ¡°Huanzi? I remember her. I¡¯ve seen that ad. She¡¯s really innocent-looking and beautiful. I heard she¡¯s nning to star in a drama,¡± colleagues chimed in.


    Shu Pan wasn¡¯t interested in celebrity gossip, so she paid no attention.


    ¡°Hey, doesn¡¯t this figure look familiar?¡± The colleague scrolled down the screen, revealing a photo of a man from behind, surprising everyone..

 Chapter 439 - 439: Gossip

    Chapter 439 - 439: Gossip<div>


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    ¡°I¡¯ll take a look.¡± Tang Wei leaned in closer.


    ¡°It does look familiar, doesn¡¯t it? And what a sight! The man¡¯s silhouette is so tall and sturdy; I bet his face is just as handsome. And the woman, petite and slender, dressed so provocatively. Any woman would be captivated by them,¡± Tang Wei analyzed confidently, as if she were a love expert.<div>


    ¡°Mr. Gu?¡± Someone in the crowd eximed, as if making a remarkable discovery. ¡°Don¡¯t you think this silhouette looks a lot like our Mr. Gu?¡±


    Initially uninterested in gossip, Shu Pan¡¯s curiosity was piqued by her colleague¡¯sment, especially considering Gu Shaoting¡¯ste return the previous night. It seemed too coincidental. Her hand involuntarily opened the entertainment section of herputer¡¯s web browser.


    As Huanzi was a rising star, her news was prominently featured. In the entertainment section, she quickly found the article.


    In the photo, a man was holding a woman¡¯s hand, looking intimate.


    Though only a silhouette, Shu Pan found it oddly familiar, as she saw it every day now. Even in the dim light, the man¡¯s clothing and hair resembled Gu Shaoting¡¯s.


    Shu Pan reassured herself that she couldn¡¯t definitively conclude it was Gu


    Shaoting based solely on a few photos, especially ones showing only his back. Yet, deep down, she had a nagging feeling it was him, reinforced by the consensus among her colleagues.


    No wonder he had evaded the topic when she asked himst night. Did he not want her to know? Did he think she was naive and easily fooled?


    It was just too much.


    The more Shu Pan thought about it, the more aggrieved she felt. Last night, they had¡­


    She couldn¡¯t bring herself to finish the thought.<div>


    As everyone seemed convinced it was Mr. Gu, suddenly the chatter ceased, and her colleagues looked at Shu Pan with sympathy.


    Because they knew they were now a couple, yet Mr. Gu couldn¡¯t resist temptation, secretly meeting with a female celebrity behind Shu Pan¡¯s back.


    Still, they all understood. After all, for wealthy individuals, a wandering eye was considered normal. A young and attractive female celebrity was good for one¡¯s image. Who wouldn¡¯t like that?


    Shu Pan could feel everyone¡¯s eyes on her, and though she felt deeply disappointed, she pretended to be strong, busying herself with tasks as if nothing was wrong.


    In truth, only she knew the bitterness in her heart.


    Tang Wei also noticed Shu Pan¡¯s distress. She nced over and said, ¡°Upon closer inspection, it doesn¡¯t really look like Mr. Gu after all. There are so many people in the world, and plenty could have simr silhouettes.¡±


    Everyone knew Tang Wei was trying tofort Shu Pan, so they chimed in,


    ¡°Yeah, it couldn¡¯t possibly be Mr. Gu!¡±


    With that, they dispersed. Tang Wei walked over and gave Shu Pan¡¯s shoulder a reassuring pat. ¡°Are you okay? Don¡¯t overthink it. Things might not be as you imagine. And it might not even be Mr. Gu.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Tang Wei. I¡¯m fine,¡± Shu Pan replied with a faint smile, though it held a hint of resignation.


    ¡°Get back to work, you¡¯ve got this,¡± Tang Wei encouraged before returning to her seat. Shu Pan remained lost in thought, wondering if Gu Shaoting woulde clean to her when they went home today.<div>


    Considering his warmth towards her, he didn¡¯t seem like the type to betray her. Or was he simply trying to have the best of both worlds?


    The more Shu Pan thought about it, the more tangled her thoughts became.


    She wanted to call Gu Shaoting and ask him directly if he was the man in the news report. But she hesitated. What if he admitted it? What would she say then? Would she not be bringing humiliation upon herself?


    Throughout the day, Shu Pan¡¯s mind remained in turmoil, and even as she clocked out for the day, she still felt out of sorts..

 Chapter 440 - 440: Unable to Calm Down

    Chapter 440 - 440: Unable to Calm Down<div>


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    However, whenever Shu Pan thought of Gu Shaoting¡¯s behavior, it felt like there were tens of thousands of ants gnawing at her insides, causing her immense difort.


    Today, in the office, she endured many strange nces¡ªsome sympathetic, some gloating, some mocking¡­<div>


    Perhaps many were seeing her as a joke,ughing at her audacity to think she could hold onto the CEO with any charm.


    As she left the office at the end of the day, Shu Pan sent a message to Gu Shaoting, asking him to pick up Joy for her as she had something to attend to and wouldn¡¯t be able to make it.


    After that, she silenced her phone, dropped it into her bag, and walked out of thepany doors alone.


    They hadnt even been back together for two months, and he had already been involved with another woman. How could she bear this?


    Throughout the day in the office, she had endured, even though she was in agony inside. She maintained a facade ofposure, unwilling to show her weakness to others.


    But now, with no one else around, she dared to let down her mask.


    This was the perfect opportunity for her to clear her mind and contemte whether it was worth maintaining this rtionship with Gu Shaoting.


    Her mind was in turmoil.


    As people bustled past her on the street, each with a clear destination in mind, she alone wandered aimlessly, unsure of where to go.


    After walking around for a while, she grew tired and found a ce to sit down.


    Her hand instinctively reached for her phone, and she saw a dozen missed calls, all from Gu Shaoting.<div>


    Her heart stirred again¡ªwhat did he mean by this? It seemed like he was very concerned about her.


    Thinking of today¡¯s entertainment news, Shu Pan felt a surge of anger and frustration, casually tossing her phone back into her bag.


    Gu Shaoting was indeed frantic.


    Just before leaving work, he received a message from Shu Pan, but he didn¡¯t pay much attention, assuming she had something to do. He went ahead and picked up Joy.


    Afterward, he tried calling her, wanting to ask where she was and offered to pick her up himself. But there was no answer. He called again and again, realizing her phone must have been blowing up with notifications, yet still, there was no response.


    Gu Shaoting was extremely anxious, worrying if Shu Pan had encountered some trouble. Why else wouldn¡¯t she answer the phone?


    Joy seemed to sense her daddy¡¯s anxiety and obediently yed on the side.


    Shu Pan walked around aimlessly, knowing that Gu Shaoting would take good care of Joy, so she wasn¡¯t worried.


    As she strolled, her stomach growled, and she spotted the famous snack street ahead. She walked over, ordered some of her favorite snacks, and enjoyed them thoroughly.


    Her emptiness gradually filled with the delicious food, and she felt some energy returning.


    Suddenly, she had an epiphany. There was nothing to worry about. If she could be with Gu Shaoting, then great. If not, they would part ways.<div>


    Hadn¡¯t she been through this before? At worst, things would go back to how they were. Why make herself miserable? With that realization, her heart lightened.


    As the night grew darker, she hoisted her bag and headed home.


    Downstairs, she noticed the lights on their floor, and her heart twinged. Normally, she would eagerly return home, but now, she was somewhat afraid to face Gu Shaoting.


    As she reached for her keys, Gu Shaoting had already opened the door.


    ¡°Panpan, where did you go? I called you so many times, but you didn¡¯t answer,¡± Gu Shaoting said, relief evident in his voice as he saw Shu Pan return.


    ¡°I had ns with a colleague and went out for a walk,¡± Shu Pan lied, her tone neutral, masking her true emotions.


    ¡°Have you eaten?¡± Gu Shaoting asked with concern, noticing her subdued mood..

 Chapter 441: Do You Think Love Is a Game?

    Chapter 441: Do You Think Love Is a Game?<div>


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    ¡°I¡¯ve eaten something. What about you guys?¡±


    ¡°Joy had some noodles. I haven¡¯t eaten yet,¡± Gu Shaoting said pitifully, his mind preupied with worry for Shu Pan, unsure if she had encountered any danger, so he had no appetite.<div>


    ¡°Oh, then go ahead and eat something, and we can chatter,¡± Shu Pan said as she took off her shoes and headed straight to the living room.


    Gu Shaoting looked bewildered. He thought his remark would make Shu Pan nervous and prompt her to arrange dinner, but she seemed to ignore it altogether.


    What was going on? Had something happened to her?


    Following behind Shu Pan, he saw her chatting with Joy, looking like a devoted wife and mother, not much different from usual. He began to think he might have been overthinking things.


    After helping Joy take a bath and letting her y in her room, Shu Pan came out to the living room and saw Gu Shaoting sitting on the sofa.


    Gu Shaoting waved to her, indicating she should sit beside him.


    Shu Pan could feel his gaze on her as she approached him. ¡°Have you eaten?¡± she asked.


    ¡°I had some noodles left, so I ate them,¡± Gu Shaoting replied, sensing that she had something to say. ¡°Do you have something you want to talk to me about?¡±


    Shu Pan sat down beside him and looked at him, trying to discern something from his gaze, like guilt perhaps?


    But his gaze was firm and unwavering, showing no signs of wavering. She sighed softly and then spoke gently, ¡°Shaoting, why do you want to be with me? Is it because of Joy?¡±


    After saying it out loud, Shu Pan felt a lot lighter.<div>


    Ye Xiaomeng often said she was a person who stuck to her decisions, so when she decided to be with Gu Shaoting, she resolved to make it work and create a beautiful life together. But she didn¡¯t know what was going on in his mind. Was he just ying games or serious? She herself was confused.


    The rtionship was not solely determined by one person. It required mutual effort to maintain. Now that problems had arisen, they must face, and she had already prepared for the worst.


    Her personality tended to make her vulnerable in love because the other person always seemed to take advantage of her. So this time, she didn¡¯t want to be passive. Self-deception was not her style.


    ¡°Why do you have such thoughts? If I wanted children, there are plenty of women willing to have them for me. But why do I only want to be with you? We¡¯vee so far, and yet you ask me such a question?¡± Gu Shaoting sounded disappointed.


    He thought Shu Pan always understood him.


    ¡°Are you serious? What do you think is the most basic thing between partners? Let me tell you, it¡¯s honesty, it¡¯s loyalty,¡± Shu Pan said, her voice tinged with excitement.


    ¡°Do you think I¡¯m not serious? Not loyal?¡± Gu Shaoting¡¯s voice lowered, his gaze intense and inscrutable.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Shu Pan shook her head, her eyes slightly unfocused.


    Before she could finish speaking, Gu Shaoting pushed Shu Pan down onto the sofa, his hot lips meeting hers in a fiery kiss.


    Shu Pan was somewhat overwhelmed by his actions. Gu Shaoting held her tightly, as if he wanted to envelop herpletely.


    As he kissed her passionately, their lips and tongues intertwined, Shu Pan¡¯s mind went nk.<div>


    She struggled to push him away, but it was futile, only fueling his intensity.


    Finally, Shu Pan copsed into his arms, ovee by the clean and pleasant scent of Gu Shaoting. She found it hard to resist as his faint masculine aroma enveloped her senses.


    After a while, Gu Shaoting released her, and Shu Pan took a deep breath, feeling as if she had just been suffocated.


    She had always known Gu Shaoting to be mysterious and unpredictable, never able to guess what he would do next..

 Chapter 442: You ‘re the One I Want to Spend the Rest of My Life With

    Chapter 442: You ¡®re the One I Want to Spend the Rest of My Life With<div>


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Finally, Gu Shaoting sat up straight and looked at Shu Pan, her lips slightly swollen from his gentle kisses. His voice hoarse, he said, ¡°Shu Pan, I¡¯m telling you now, I love you. I am serious and loyal to you. You are the one I want to spend the rest of my life with.¡±


    Gu Shaoting¡¯s words caught Shu Pan off guard. His straightforward deration was unexpected.<div>


    It seemed like she hadn¡¯t heard him say something like this in a long time.


    Gu Shaoting sounded so certain, more determined than ever. Shu Pan was the one he wanted to be with for the rest of his life.


    ¡°Shaoting, you misunderstand me,¡± Shu Pan pursed her lips and continued, ¡°You can¡¯t im to love me while holding another woman¡¯s hand. That¡¯s not the kind of love I want. I want absolute loyalty, not just empty words of loyalty while you¡¯re with other women. I¡¯ve be aughingstock, do you understand how I feel?¡± Shu Pan¡¯s voice choked with emotion. Gu Shaoting frowned, ¡°What other woman? Whatughingstock?¡±


    Why didn¡¯t he understand anything?


    Shu Pan didn¡¯t expect Gu Shaoting to be so brazen. She was starting to lose respect for him.


    ¡°You have other women outside, and the whole world knows it. Do you think you can deceive everyone?¡± Shu Pan suddenly burst out in anger.


    ¡°Do you really not trust me? Do you think I¡¯m that kind of person?¡± Gu Shaoting said, leaning in to kiss her again.


    Shu Pan was prepared for this. She dodged and red at Gu Shaoting. ¡°Do you think every problem can be solved by doing this?¡±


    ¡°You want to use me, then make it clear to me so I know what I¡¯m being med for,¡± Gu Shaoting said helplessly.


    If he didn¡¯t know that Shu Pan wasn¡¯t the type to make baseless usations, he would have thought she was just being stubborn.


    As Gu Shaoting spoke, Shu Pan began to doubt herself. Maybe she had jumped to conclusions too quickly. After all, assuming Gu Shaoting was cheating just because of a glimpse of someone¡¯s back seemed unreasonable.<div>


    But upon further reflection, there was no smoke without fire. If there wasn¡¯t an issue with him, why was he the only one caught in the picture?


    She didn¡¯t want to keep this matter to herself. Some things needed to be addressed as soon as they were discovered. Letting it escte into an uncontroble situation would be unsightly.


    ¡°Do you not know what you¡¯ve done?¡± Shu Pan snorted coldly.


    ¡°I really don¡¯t know.¡± Gu Shaoting¡¯s expression was genuinely innocent; he was


    utterly bewildered.


    ¡°Unlock your phone and take a look at the entertainment news,¡± Shu Pan couldn¡¯t be bothered to argue further. She instructed him directly to see for himself, unwilling to waste any more words on him.


    Obediently, Gu Shaoting opened the news app on his phone and scrolled down to the entertainment section. With just a little scrolling, he stumbled upon a very familiar image.


    Wasn¡¯t this a picture of him with that annoying girl? How did it end up looking so ambiguous?


    No wonder Secretary Zhang had been casting furtive nces at him all day; she probably recognized the back of his head.


    If even Secretary Zhang thought so, no wonder Shu Pan was angry. She must have recognized him at first nce.


    Thinking along these lines, his anger subsided, reced by a sense of smug satisfaction. It proved that she cared about him, hence her reaction.<div>


    ¡°Well, what do you think? You don¡¯t recognize this person, do you? Have I wrongly used you?¡± Shu Pan pointed at his photo, demanding answers.


    Gu Shaoting looked at her. ¡°Do you really not trust me? If there¡¯s something, you can confront me face to face. From now on, you¡¯re not allowed to sulk and note home.¡±


    ¡°Does that mean you¡¯re admitting it?¡± Shu Pan¡¯s tone became more forceful.


    Suddenly, Gu Shaoting cupped Shu Pan¡¯s face and kissed her fiercely once again..

 Chapter 443: Let’s Break Up

    Chapter 443: Let¡¯s Break Up<div>


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    No, this time it wasn¡¯t a kiss, it was a bite, a punitive bite that quickly filled the space between their lips with a metallic taste.


    Shu Pan winced in pain and tried to push him away, resorting to pinching him forcefully, but Gu Shaoting remained indifferent.<div>


    Despicable.


    Finally, Shu Pan summoned all her strength and managed to shove him away.


    ¡°You admit it was you, right? Let me tell you, don¡¯t you dare touch me with hands that have touched other women. I find it disgusting!¡± Shu Pan yelled angrily.


    Shu Pan was fuming. Since the issue was out in the open, there had to be a clear resolution today, not like Gu Shaoting¡¯s usual tactic of avoiding the problem by resorting to such means.


    Shu Pan¡¯s calm demeanor and disdainful tone deeply wounded Gu Shaoting. He thought that after enduring so many hardships, they would understand each other better. However, the trust between them seemed so fragile.


    Suddenly, Gu Shaoting felt exhausted. Now he understood why she was upset, but why hadn¡¯t she confronted him directly from the beginning?


    ¡°That was me in the picture, but that girl¡­¡± Gu Shaoting hadn¡¯t finished speaking when Shu Pan interrupted him.


    ¡°Gu Shaoting, let¡¯s break up. Being together was a mistake.¡± Shu Pan covered her face with her hands as she spoke. She had fully epted this reality now.


    ¡°Shu Pan, is that how you see our rtionship? Do you think love is a game?¡± Gu Shaoting¡¯s face darkened. He hadn¡¯t expected Shu Pan to so easily utter the words ¡°break up.¡±


    ¡°You already have another woman, and she¡¯s younger and prettier than me,¡± Shu Pan¡¯s eyes suddenly turned red, tears welling up, but she pretended to be strong, holding them back.


    ¡°She¡¯s my cousin,¡± Gu Shaoting had to speak up.<div>


    ¡°Ha, what a convenient excuse. Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s too clich¨¦? Who are you trying to fool?¡± Shu Pan retorted sarcastically.


    His sister? Probably just a step-sister, right? She had been with Gu Shaoting for years and had never heard about any sister.


    Now, out of nowhere, a sister appeared, and they were even hugging and cuddling.


    Gu Shaoting saw Shu Pan¡¯s incredulous expression, and he was starting to get irritated. ¡°Shu Pan, I¡¯m not lying to you,¡± he said coldly before walking out onto the balcony.


    Feeling agitated, he lit a cigarette and then took out his phone, dialing Gu Huanhuan¡¯s number. ¡°You¡¯ve got 2 minutes. rify the entertainment news immediately, or your acting career ends here,¡± he said sternly into the phone.


    ¡°Bro, what¡¯s the big deal with the news? It¡¯s not like you¡¯ll lose anything, and no one knows it¡¯s you,¡± Gu Huanhuan protested on the other end of the line.


    Finally, an opportunity like this hade up. She dared to use her cousin for publicity.


    ¡°Gu Huanhuan, you¡¯ve got some nerve. You¡¯ve learned all sorts of nonsense in the entertainment industry¡­¡± Gu Shaoting began, his frustration was evident.


    ¡°Bro, I get it. I¡¯ll have my manager handle it right away,¡± Gu Huanhuan interrupted before Gu Shaoting could finish speaking.


    She wasn¡¯t crazy. If she let him handle it, she might really have to go back home.


    She knew her cousin was petty and narrow-minded. Hmph!<div>


    No wonder he wasn¡¯t liked by women. Gu Huanhuan cursed Gu Shaoting again.


    It was only now that Gu Shaoting realized why that girl had acted that way that night. She might not have learned much, but she sure knew how to y games. Unbeknownst to him, he had also been fooled by her.


    So, Shu Pan was sulking just because she recognized him, the silly girl.


    ¡°I¡¯ll find an opportunity to introduce someone to you,¡± Gu Shaoting decided it would be more convincing if Gu Huanhuan exined herself, rather than him trying to justify again, lest Shu Pan thought he was making excuses..

 Chapter 444: Are You Jealous?

    Chapter 444: Are You Jealous?<div>


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    ¡°What person?¡± Gu Huanhuan suddenly became interested and asked curiously.


    Gu Shaoting remained silent, maintaining an air of mystery.<div>


    ¡°You¡¯ll find out when the timees. Get some rest,¡± Gu Shaoting said before hanging up without waiting for her response.


    Ugh, he¡¯s teasing again, but she was really itching to know who Gu Shaoting would introduce to her. Could it be his girlfriend? If so, she really had to thank her.


    Gu Huanhuan began to look forward to that day.


    Gu Shaoting took one final drag from his cigarette, extinguished it, and then turned back to the living room.


    But Shu Pan was no longer there, so he hesitated for no more than a moment before entering the bedroom.


    Seeing Shu Pan quietly folding clothes, he walked over and gently hugged her from behind.


    Shu Pan was taken aback but didn¡¯t turn around or pull away.


    ¡°Silly, don¡¯t keep things to yourself in the future. I didn¡¯t lie to you; that girl is GU Huannuan, my secona uncle¡¯s aaugnter. YOU didn¡¯t Know ner Derore Decause she was studying abroad,¡± Gu Shaoting patiently exined.


    Shu Pan suddenly recalled something; he had mentioned having a sister before, but she never had the chance to meet her, and now she was all grown up.


    ¡°That girl came back to be a star after graduation, causing quite a stir in the family. That night, I was dealing with her matters, which is why I came homete and didn¡¯t tell you,¡± Gu Shaoting¡¯s deep voice echoed in her ears.


    The breath he exhaled made her feel a bit strange.<div>


    ¡°How is she now?¡± Shu Pan suddenly felt a little embarrassed, realizing she might have been unreasonable.


    ¡°I just called her to rify things. That little troublemaker just wanted some scandal for publicity,¡± Gu Shaoting said, sounding a bit frustrated.


    ¡°Oh,¡± Shu Pan nodded.


    ¡°Now you¡¯re not angry anymore, right? Can I interpret your behavior as jealousy?¡± Gu Shaoting teased, a faint smile ying on his lips.


    His previously gloomy mood finally lightened.


    ¡°¡­,¡± Shu Pan was speechless.


    Ugh¡­


    Shu Pan felt utterly embarrassed, her face turning red. Thinking about how she didn¡¯t rify things before getting upset, she wished she could just disappear into the ground.


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s not entirely my fault. You should¡¯ve told me beforehand,¡± Shu Pan pouted, partly ming Gu Shaoting.


    ¡°Okay, okay, it¡¯s all my fault, my queen. Are you not angry with me now?¡± Gu Shaoting said with a smile.


    Shu Pan leaned against him, listening to his strong heartbeat. She nuzzled into his embrace like a kitten, wrapping her arm around his lean waist.<div>


    ¡°I¡¯m not angry. Seeing the photos was disappointing because I felt like you betrayed our love. I can endure other people¡¯s ridicule, but it hurts,¡± Shu Pan said softly.


    In the end, their rtionship was too fragile and needed more nurturing, more trust.


    ¡°Give me more confidence in the future. You and Joy are the people I care about the most,¡± Gu Shaoting gently stroked her head, speaking tenderly.


    ¡°Oh, and tomorrow, I¡¯ll make time to introduce you to Huanhuan,¡± Gu Shaoting suddenly remembered.


    ¡°Are you sure?¡± Shu Pan felt a bit awkward, considering she used to be her sister-inw, and now she was with her brother.


    ¡°That girl owes you an apology. She shouldn¡¯t have caused so much trouble,¡± Gu Shaoting grumbled.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be too hard on her. I think she knows she was wrong.¡±


    Gu Shaoting couldn¡¯t help but lower his head and kiss Shu Pan. This time, his kiss was gentle, like a feather caressing her heart..

 Chapter 445: After the Gossip

    Chapter 445: After the Gossip<div>


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    In the morning, a gentle breeze lifted the delicate white gauze curtains by the window sill.


    Outside, the weather was clear and sunny. Shu Pan¡¯s eyshes fluttered slightly as she remained half-awake, feeling the nket draped over her smooth skin. Next to her, there was the warmth of another body.<div>


    She slowly sat up, feeling a soreness in her body that made her gasp. ncing at the red marks on her skin, her face flushed.


    Looking at the familiar man lying beside her, her heart softened.


    Moving her sore body, her gaze inevitably fell on the man.


    He was as handsome as ever, no, even more so in his peaceful slumber, serene.


    At this moment, the man was quiet, clean, devoid of his usual coldness, appearing more approachable.


    Shu Pan stared at him absentmindedly, recallingst night¡¯s misunderstanding. It only confirmed that he had already upied such an important ce in her heart.


    Her level of concern for him had surpassed imagination.


    Lost in thought for a while, Shu Pan hadn¡¯te back to her senses yet.


    But it seemed that the man was awakened by her movements, slowly opening his eyes.


    As soon as he opened his eyes, they met her gentle gaze.


    Shu Pan realized he had moved, but the thought of herself being unclothed made her cheeks flush again.<div>


    She quickly pulled up the nket to cover herself, avoiding Gu Shaoting¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you sleep a little longer?¡± Gu Shaoting asked, feeling irritated by yesterday¡¯s misunderstanding with her colleagues, which embarrassed her.


    ¡°I can¡¯t sleep anymore, it¡¯s already dawn,¡± Shu Pan replied, looking out the window before trying to get up.


    Gu Shaoting grabbed her wrist and pulled her towards him, causing her to fall into his embrace.


    ¡°Stop foolish around,¡± Shu Pan pouted.


    ¡°Tonight after work, wait for me to pick you up, and then I¡¯ve arranged to meet Huanhuan to introduce you two,¡± Gu Shaoting said, nting a gentle kiss on her forehead.


    ¡°Okay,¡± Shu Pan said softly, wrapping herself in the nket before heading to the bathroom.


    When Shu Pan arrived at thepany, everyone pretended to be busy, stealing nces at her from time to time. She ignored them, Imowing exactly what was going on. There was no need to rify such matters everywhere.


    Returning to her seat, Shu Pan took out her phone and browsed through entertainment news and social media. Strangely, the headline that was hot news yesterday seemed to have vanished without a trace today. It even gave Shu Pan a surreal feeling, as if the news was just a figment of her imagination, as if the incident never happened.


    Shu Pan guessed that this was probably Gu Shaoting¡¯s doing. He wouldn¡¯t let such false reports linger around. He must have taken care of it.


    Tang Wei quietly approached, nced at Shu Pan, and then asked with concern, ¡°Shu Pan, are you okay? You know the authenticity of entertainment news. It¡¯s all for entertainment, just a way to amuse the public, not necessarily true.¡±<div>


    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s true. I¡¯m fine, don¡¯t worry,¡± Shu Pan replied with a smile towards her.


    ¡°That¡¯s good then.¡± Tang Wei, seeing that she didn¡¯t seem to be forcing a smile, walked away reassured.


    Shu Pan then immersed herself in her busy work.


    At noon, Gu Shaoting called to ask how her day was going.


    Shu Pan knew he was worried that she might still be facing strange looks from others, so he called to check on her.


    Her heart warmed at his concern. Despite his outward appearance of coldness, he had a caring side too. It seemed he was increasingly concerned about her feelings and thoughts.


    She gently assured him that she was fine, and everything was okay..

 Chapter 446: In Law

    Chapter 446: In Law<div>


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    In the evening, after finishing work, Shu Pan walked out of thepany and stood at the entrance waiting for Gu Shaoting.


    Today, because Joy was invited by a ssmate to attend a birthday party, she didn¡¯t join them.<div>


    When Gu Shaoting drove up to pick up Shu Pan, many colleagues noticed.


    Various thoughts crossed their minds. Some thought, ¡°The CEO still values Shu Pan, otherwise why would hee to pick her up?¡± Others spected that Shu Pan was just vain, not caring that the CEO had found someone else and was still with him.


    Shu Pan didn¡¯t care about what others thought. She openly opened the car door and sat in the passenger seat. Gu Shaoting leaned over, fastened her seatbelt, and nted a kiss on her cheek.


    ¡°Everyone is watching,¡± Shu Pan reminded him, startled.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, I just want to show affection,¡± Gu Shaoting said, pulling her close.


    Shu Pan¡¯s face flushed red.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go, it¡¯ste,¡± she urged him.


    Because they were close by, everyone could see their interactions clearly, and this time, no one made wild guesses.


    They thought to themselves, ¡°We should butter up Shu Pan from now on. She might be the boss¡¯s wife soon.¡±


    It was normal for men to put on a show in public, so there was no need to make a big deal out of it.


    When Gu Shaoting and Shu Pan arrived at the private room in the restaurant, Joy hadn¡¯t arrived yet.<div>


    This private room was insisted upon by Joy because she imed to be a public figure now and didn¡¯t want to cause amotion.


    When Gu Shaoting heard this, he felt like he had a crow flying over his head. He never knew his sister was so self-absorbed.


    Shortly after Shu Pan sat down, she excused herself to go to the restroom.


    A whileter, Joy arrived. She was wearing denim overalls, sporting sses, and exuded youthful energy, the appropriate attire for her age.


    Gu Shaoting was finally satisfied.


    ¡°Bro, you said you¡¯d introduce me to someone. Howe it¡¯s just you?¡± Huanhuan patted his shoulder and remarked.


    ¡°You sit down, she went to the restroom,¡± Gu Shaoting replied casually.


    ¡°Bro, you¡¯re really not thoughtful enough. You got a girlfriend and didn¡¯t even mention it,¡± Huanhuan reproached, ¡®You made me go around telling people how great the CEO of Gu Group is, and many people eager for his help were lining up to introduce women to him, but you just turned them all away without even looking at them. If it weren¡¯t for your previous marriage, I¡¯d suspect your sexual orientation. ¡±


    Sigh! For the sake of grandpa, for the sake of the Gu Family¡¯s posterity, she also put in a lot of effort, you know?


    Seeing Gu Shaoting remain silent, Huanhuan continued, ¡°Bro, what kind of women do you actually like? Innocent ones? Sexy ones?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll find out soon enough,¡± Gu Shaoting said leisurely, picking up a teacup and slowly sipping his tea.<div>


    Huanhuan was very shocked. Although she had already guessed a bit, getting her brother to admit it in person wasn¡¯t easy.


    Just then, Shu Pan pushed open the door and entered.


    ¡°Why did it take you so long? I was starting to worry,¡± Gu Shaoting spoke up first.


    ¡°Oh, I happened to run into a ssmate I hadn¡¯t seen in a long time, so we chatted for a bit,¡± Shu Pan replied with a faint smile.


    Huanhuan waspletely stunned, as if struck by lightning. Her brother always surprised her in different ways.


    ¡°Come on, Huanhuan, she would be your inw,¡± Gu Shaoting beckoned to her.


    Shu Pan was once again startled by this unexpected address.


    ¡°Sister, hi¡± Gu Huanhuan called out sweetly. She was very cooperative. It seemed that she would soon be her inw.


    ¡°Hello, Huanhuan, right? You can call me Shu Pan,¡± Shu Pan said with a smile, looking gentle and lovely.


    Huanhuan was also a bit dumbfounded. Used to seeing women in the entertainment industry with heavy makeup, now seeing Shu Pan, she felt she was very clean and innocent, giving afortable feeling.. Moreover, she spoke softly, making women feel somewhat moved, let alone men?


    <div>

 Chapter 447: Dissing

    Chapter 447: Dissing<div>


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Gu Huanhuan kept staring at Shu Pan, making Shu Pan feel quite embarrassed.


    ¡°Someone is talking to you,¡± Gu Shaoting said to Huanhuan.<div>


    ¡°Oh, sorry, Sister Pan is too beautiful, I was just stunned, ¡± Huanhuan smiled.


    Shu Pan¡¯s face instantly turned red. She could only be described as delicate, and being called ¡°beautiful¡± by Huanhuan was truly an overstatement.


    ¡°Smooth talker¡­¡± Gu Shaoting chuckled, but there was pride in his tone. This girl was quite witty.


    Although she was a woman, he didn¡¯t like her looking at Shu Pan like that. His possessiveness was quite evident.


    ¡°Come, have a seat. What would you like to eat?¡± Seeing the interaction between the cousins, Shu Pan couldn¡¯t help but feel envious. After all, she was an only child and didn¡¯t have any cousins.


    ¡°Yeah. Sister Pan, you treat me so well. You don¡¯t know how my brother usually treats me. It¡¯s enough to make me shed tears.¡± Huanhuan held Shu Pan¡¯s hand, looking pitiful, almost as if she were about to shed a few tears.


    ¡°Gu Huanhuan, are you itching for trouble again?¡± Gu Shaoting threatened upon hearing herint.


    ¡°Sister Pan, you see, my cousin is scolding me again,¡± Huanhuan said confidently with Shu Pan by her side.


    ¡°Alright, Shaoting, let¡¯s order quickly. I¡¯m hungry,¡± Shu Pan looked at Gu Shaoting with expectant eyes, her gaze like autumn water, making Gu Shaoting somewhat unable to resist.


    ¡°Okay.¡± Gu Shaoting signaled the waiter to take their order.


    ¡°Sister Pan, thank you for putting up with my brother. He must be difficult to deal with,¡± Huanhuan whispered to Shu Pan, not daring to let Gu Shaoting hear herining about him.<div>


    Shu Pan was taken aback. She thought, ¡°Difficult to deal with? Not really. He¡¯s the kind of person who appears cold to outsiders but is warm to his family.¡± Besides, when you love someone, you tend not to see their faults.


    She smiled faintly and replied, ¡°No, that¡¯s just the impression he gives to outsiders.¡±


    Gu Huanhuan could tell that Shu Pan genuinely loved her cousin, not for any other reason.


    Because she noticed that Shu Pan was carrying a bag from an unknown brand and wearing non-designer clothes, all very ordinary.


    Normally, being with her cousin meant there was no need to worry about money at all, let alone designer brands. Yet she still insisted on dressing in her own style, not chasing after brand names or changing because she had a wealthy boyfriend.


    It was truly rare. And one more important thing was that she could control her cousin!


    Didn¡¯t you see? With just a nce from Shu Pan, her cousin became nervous. What a sight.


    The food arrived.


    Gu Shaoting immediately helped Shu Pan with the dishes and served her soup.


    This made Gu Huanhuan pout and whine beside them.


    ¡°What about me?¡±<div>


    ¡°Don¡¯t you have hands of your own? Take whatever you want,¡± Gu Shaoting said without even looking at her, while urging Shu Pan to eat more.


    Gu Huanhuan pouted, typical favoritism towards his girlfriend over his family.


    ¡°Huanhuan, what would you like to eat? I¡¯ll get it for you,¡± Shu Pan quickly asked, seeing Gu Shaoting neglecting Huanhuan.


    ¡°Ignore her, aren¡¯t you hungry? Eat quickly,¡± Gu Shaoting interrupted before Huanhuan could speak.


    ¡°Sister Pan, you eat. I¡¯ll get it myself. I have to watch my figure; I can¡¯t eat recklessly,¡± Gu Huanhuan finally felt a bitforted. Although her brother was annoying, he had found a good woman.


    ¡°What nonsense. You shouldn¡¯t be picky. Eat more; don¡¯t ruin your health just to be a star,¡± Gu Shaoting stopped eating and reproached her. ¡°Huanhuan, is being a star really so demanding?¡± Shu Pan asked curiously.


    ¡°Yeah, sister Pan, are you interested? I can introduce you to a director. With your looks, you¡¯ll definitely make it big,¡± Gu Huanhuanpletely ignored Gu Shaoting¡¯s presence as she encouraged Shu Pan..

 Chapter 448: Do You Want a Little Brother?

    Chapter 448: Do You Want a Little Brother?<div>


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Gu Shaoting¡¯s face immediately darkened upon hearing this. He thought to himself that in the future, he should keep Shu Pan away from Huanhuan as much as possible.


    This girl was just too unreliable.<div>


    ¡°I definitely couldn¡¯t do it, and I couldn¡¯t stand exposing my privacy like that either,¡± Shu Panughed and shook her head.


    She couldn¡¯t live that kind of lifestyle.


    ¡°That¡¯s a shame,¡± Huanhuan said disappointedly.


    ¡°Do you have any favorite celebrities? I can help you get autographs,¡± Huanhuan suddenly thought of it and asked.


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t follow celebrities, ¡± Shu Pan thought for a moment and then shook her head.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you think Lu Xiaofan is handsome? He has six-pack abs,¡± Huanhuan said excitedly.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know him,¡± Shu Pan looked confused.


    ¡°I¡¯ll show you a picture next time, and I can introduce you to him. We¡¯re from the same agency,¡± Huanhuan was very loyal, always willing to share good things.


    She didn¡¯t notice that face had turned as ck as the bottom of a pot.


    ¡°Huanhuan, don¡¯t corrupt your sister Pan. Be careful, or I¡¯ll deal with you,¡± Gu Shaoting gritted his teeth.


    He regretted introducing Shu Pan to Huanhuan. That girl was trouble, and he worried she might lead Shu Pan astray.<div>


    Huanhuan suddenly realized her mistake. She had gotten too carried away and forgotten about this person.


    ¡°Just kidding,¡± Huanhuan quickly apologized. She wasn¡¯t stupid. If her brother found out her intentions, she¡¯d probably be the first to suffer.


    ¡°From now on, stick to doing things honestly and don¡¯t have any crooked ideas,¡± Huanhuan knew he was referring to the recent gossip. Huanhuan rolled her eyes and replied, ¡°Got it.¡±


    Then, she turned to Shu Pan and said, ¡°Sorry, sister Pan, for the misunderstanding. I didn¡¯t mean to upset you.¡±


    Shu Pan felt embarrassed about her reaction.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, your cousin didn¡¯t exin it clearly,¡± Shu Pan shifted the me onto Gu Shaoting.


    It seemed he was the one caught in the crossfire without even moving.


    But Gu Shaoting dared not speak ill of Shu Pan; he could only re at


    Huanhuan.


    Huanhuan made a face at him.


    Shu Pan found their interaction very amusing.<div>


    After dinner, Gu Shaoting first dropped Huanhuan off at home, then they went to pick up Joy.


    Joy, being excited from having had a great time, kept chatting with Shu Pan, unable to fall asleep.


    Helpless, Shu Pan called Gu Shaoting tofort her while she went to take a shower.


    Gu Shaoting leaned against the bedside and then solemnly asked Joy, ¡°Joy, do you want a little brother?¡±


    ¡°Yes, little brothers are very cute,¡± Joy happily replied, because her ssmate had a cute little brother, tiny and fair, looking very fun.


    ¡°If you want a little brother, you need to go to bed early, and you have to sleep by yourself without Mommy apanying you. That¡¯s how Mommy will have a little brother for you.¡±


    ¡°Really? Then I¡¯ll sleep by myself from now on and go to bed early,¡± Joy said, covering herself with the nket and closing her eyes.


    Gu Shaoting smiled knowingly.


    In no time, Joy fell asleep.


    When Shu Pan came out of the shower and saw that Joy was asleep, she looked at Gu Shaoting with admiration.


    ¡°You¡¯re amazing, you managed to put her to sleep so quickly. Do you have any secrets?¡± Shu Pan asked him.<div>


    ¡°That¡¯s a secret,¡± Gu Shaoting said mysteriously, knowing he couldn¡¯t tell her.


    ¡°Okay, from now on, I¡¯ll leave it to you tofort her,¡± Shu Pan said, intending to leave Joy¡¯s room.


    Shu Pan was wearing a rather sexy nightgown tonight, a white silk gown thatplemented her skin beautifully, looking ethereal. Gu Shaoting couldn¡¯t help but stare, then he grabbed Shu Pan from behind.


    ¡°Let¡¯s work towards fulfilling Joy¡¯s wish,¡± he said, ignoring Shu Pan¡¯s protests as he closed the bedroom door..

 Chapter 449: Prepare a Surprise

    Chapter 449: Prepare a Surprise<div>


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    The next day, Gu Shaoting went to thepany in high spirits, and everyone thought something good had happened when they saw him.


    Gu Shaoting called He Ming over. ¡°Ming, can you help me contact a famous jewelrypany to design a unique ring? I want to propose to Shu Pan.¡±<div>


    Gu Shaoting got straight to the point.


    ¡°Congrattions,¡± He Ming sincerely congratted him.


    ¡°But nothing is certain yet. I¡¯m nervous and uncertain about what Shu Pan thinks,¡± Gu Shaoting admitted. He knew he really wanted to marry Shu Pan; the idea had been with him since they started dating. Now, the desire was stronger than ever. Shu Pan was so wonderful; he couldn¡¯t wait to make her his wife.


    ¡°Shu Pan will say yes, don¡¯t worry,¡± He Ming reassured him. With Joy around and Shu Pan¡¯s genuine affection for Gu Shaoting, which woman wouldn¡¯t want a family?


    ¡°What about you? Want to join us? It¡¯ll be fun, and we can even go on a honeymoon abroad together,¡± Gu Shaoting suddenly thought it was a great idea.


    ¡°Sigh, my mom is still very much against it. I don¡¯t know how to convince her,¡± He Ming said with a bitter smile.


    Gu Shaoting suddenly remembered he hadn¡¯t told Song Can about his n to marry Shu Pan.


    After theirst falling out, Song Can had been traveling abroad with friends frequently, so Gu Shaoting rarely saw her now.


    ¡°Give Auntie some time. Your persistence will probably convince her in the end,¡± Gu Shaoting felt helpless.


    ¡°Guess we have no choice,¡± He Ming nodded.


    ¡°I know a jewelry designer; I¡¯ll have him contact you. You can discuss the style you want,¡± He Ming offered.<div>


    ¡°Thanks,¡± Gu Shaoting walked to the window, thinking about how to surprise Shu Pan. This time, he wanted to give her a special proposal.


    His first marriage had been rushed, and he hadn¡¯t truly loved Shu Pan at the time, so both the proposal and the wedding had been casual affairs.


    He figured Shu Pan must have felt envious when she saw others in wedding dresses, but because she loved him, she silently endured the grievance.


    Every time he thought about the past, Gu Shaoting felt like a jerk.


    Fortunately, he still had a chance to make it up to her. So this time, he wanted to give Shu Pan a perfect wedding, leaving her with no regrets.


    He Ming quickly contacted the designer, known as a ¡°design genius,¡± who was now in high demand. Many people wanted him to design for them, but he selected clients carefully.


    Because of his familiarity with He Ming and knowing that this client was the CEO of the Gu Group, he agreed promptly.


    After all, such a client had no budget constraints for the ring, allowing him to design the best piece with full dedication. It was also an excellent opportunity for publicity.


    Gu Shaoting arranged to meet the designer at a tea house with a pleasant ambiance. He shared his ideas with the designer and suggested incorporating some modern trendy elements.


    After a lengthy discussion, they finally reached a consensus.


    Gu Shaoting urged the designer to work quickly. He really didn¡¯t want to wait any longer.<div>


    With the matter settled, he breathed a sigh of relief. Now, he had to n the proposal carefully.


    now declined most social invitations, opting to return home early.


    He cherished every moment with them, every second.


    Because he had once lost, he now treasured even more..

 Chapter 450: Annoying

    Chapter 450: Annoying<div>


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    It was a sunny weekend, and Shu Pan thought it would be nice to go out for a stroll.


    Gu Shaoting took Joy out to y golf. He had invited Shu Pan, but she wasn¡¯t interested. Instead, she decided to catch up with Xiaomeng, whom she hadn¡¯t seen in a while.<div>


    When Shu Pan called Xiaomeng, she was still in bed, seemingzy and unenthusiastic. However, she didn¡¯t want to spend the whole day in bed, so she got up.


    The two arranged to meet at the pedestrian street. They used to enjoy shopping at malls but now wanted a change of scenery.


    When Shu Pan saw Xiaomeng, she was surprised to see that she seemed even thinner than before.


    Wanting to catch up on Xiaomeng¡¯s recent life, they found a ce to have a drink and chat.


    ¡°Xiaomeng, why do you seem so down?¡± Compared to Shu Pan¡¯s radiant appearance, Xiaomeng seemed tired and worn out.


    ¡°Ah, girl, do you think I should keep going with He Ming? I¡¯m feeling really exhausted now.¡± Xiaomeng sighed.


    ¡°Has He Ming said something?¡± Shu Pan furrowed her brows, feeling guilty for neglecting Xiaomengtely due to being busy.


    ¡°No, that¡¯s the thing. He didn¡¯t say anything, and that¡¯s what¡¯s bothering me. It¡¯s hard for him to be caught in the middle, between me and his mom.¡± Xiaomeng¡¯s mood sank further as she spoke.


    ¡°Is his mom still hung up on that issue?¡± Shu Pan asked.


    ¡°She doesn¡¯t outright express it, but her attitude is always cold whenever I visit. It¡¯s like she¡¯s a different personpared to before.¡± Xiaomeng felt sad. She had finally found someone who cherished her, so why did this have to happen? She was even hesitant to visit He¡¯s home now, especially since He¡¯s mother didn¡¯t seem to like her.


    ¡°Xiaomeng, do you and He Ming have ns to get married? If you do, maybe having a child could soften her attitude.¡± Shu Pan suggested, thinking it could be a good solution.<div>


    Xiaomeng blushed instantly. ¡°Actually, we¡¯re not using contraception now, so we¡¯ll just let nature take its course. If it happens, we¡¯ll have the baby.¡±


    Shu Pan nodded.


    ¡°But, girl, do you think my miscarriagest time might have affected me? We haven¡¯t used contraception for several months, but there¡¯s been no sign of anything happening,¡± Xiaomeng suddenly felt worried. If she couldn¡¯t have a child, she would be left with no hope at all.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, don¡¯t overthink it. After all, the arrival of a child depends on fate. Maybe it will happen soon? Just rx,¡± Shu Pan reassured her, knowing Xiaomeng was under a lot of mental stress.


    ¡°Yeah, I hope so. And what about you? You look so happy. Everything going well?¡± Xiaomeng felt genuinely happy for Shu Pan, seeing her glowing with happiness.


    Shu Pan thought about how Gu Shaoting would cling to her every night, and her face flushed slightlv. He had no self-control: she would have to remind him to be more careful in the future.


    ¡°I¡¯m doing fine. But you should take care of yourself. If you¡¯re still worried, you can go to the hospital for aprehensive check-up. That way, you can feel more at ease,¡± Shu Pan suggested. After all, with modern medicine, many difficult conditions can be addressed.


    Thinking back to when she had trouble conceiving, she remembered sneaking off to the hospital for tests. That was the beginning of everything that followed.


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll find some time to go to the hospital,¡± Xiaomeng¡¯s heart was filled with a sense of foreboding. She couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that something wasn¡¯t right. Given her past experiences, she felt it was best to get checked out thoroughly..

 Chapter 451: Song Can’s Objection

    Chapter 451: Song Can¡¯s Objection<div>


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Shu Pan felt uneasy seeing Ye Xiaomeng¡¯s low spirits, but she felt helpless. All she could do was silently pray for better days for her friend.


    Xiaomeng had already endured so much hardship to find her current happiness; it would be cruel to take it away now.<div>


    After exchanging a few words, the heavy conversation dampened their spirits, and they soon parted ways after their shopping trip.


    When Shu Pan returned home and found that neither Gu Shaoting nor Joy had returned yet, she was surprised. Checking the time, she decided to call Gu Shaoting. The phone rang several times before he finally answered, on the verge of being automatically disconnected.


    ¡°Shaoting, why haven¡¯t you and Joye back yet? Have you eaten?¡± Shu Pan asked with concern.


    ¡°We¡­ have something to take care of. We¡¯ll be backter,¡± Gu Shaoting replied somewhat evasively, hinting at something he couldn¡¯t disclose to Shu Pan.


    ¡°Okay, then. I¡¯ll take a nap. Call me when you¡¯re back,¡± Gu Shaoting didn¡¯t want to borate, and Shu Pan didn¡¯t press further. Everyone had their own little secrets.


    Gu Shaoting was unsure where to start. While they were at the golf course, he received a call from Song Can, who had just returned from overseas and hadn¡¯t seen him in a long time. She asked him toe home, bringing Joy along as well.


    Joy was her granddaughter, but she had never called Song Can ¡°grandma¡± before.


    Initially, Gu Shaoting wanted to refuse because he hadn¡¯t discussed it with Shu Pan. But then he realized that since he was about to propose to Shu Pan, he needed to inform Song Can about it as well.


    So he took Joy back to the Gu family mansion.


    ¡°Daddy, whose house is this?¡± Joy asked curiously, not recalling ever being here before.


    ¡°This is Daddy¡¯s house, and it¡¯s also Joy¡¯s house. But right now, Grandma lives here,¡± Gu Shaoting patiently exined.<div>


    ¡°Grandma?¡± Joy was unfamiliar with the term.


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s Daddy¡¯s mom. You call her Grandma, okay?¡± Gu Shaoting rified.


    Joy nodded, seeming to understand.


    They had barely reached the doorstep when Song Can opened the door, having already heard their voices from inside.


    ¡°Oh my_ who¡¯s thig little darling?¡±


    Joy felt a bit shy. She nced at Gu Shaoting, who gave her an encouraging look, and then softly said, ¡°Grandma.¡±


    ¡°Good girl,e on in. Grandma bought some fresh fruits,¡± Song Can said, pulling Joy inside.


    Gu Shaoting followed behind, feeling like a transparent person.


    ¡°Mom, I want to talk to you about something,¡± Gu Shaoting said after letting Joy go y in the room.


    ¡°What is it?¡± Song Can responded absentmindedly. After all, now that her son was grown up and had his own decisions, informing her of his decisions was just a formality. He didn¡¯t really care about her opinion.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to marry Shu Pan soon,¡± Gu Shaoting announced solemnly.<div>


    ¡°What?¡± Song Can¡¯s brow furrowed upon hearing this sudden news.


    ¡°Just as you heard. I hope you¡¯ll attend our wedding and bless us,¡± Gu Shaoting said, expecting her opposition.


    ¡°Shaoting, haven¡¯t you reconsidered? You¡¯ve already been married once, and it ended in divorce. It proves that you¡¯re not suitable for each other. You have a child together, but that doesn¡¯t necessarily mean you have to get married again,¡± Song Can advised earnestly.


    If he remarried Shu Pan, she would likely be the subject of ridicule in high society.


    All of her friends¡¯ daughters-inw were either wealthy or talented. Unlike Shu Pan, who was so ordinary and couldn¡¯t assist Shaoting in any meaningful way..

 Chapter 452: I’m Not Asking for Your Opinion

    Chapter 452: I¡¯m Not Asking for Your Opinion<div>


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi- Bo Studio


    ¡°Mom, I¡¯m just informing you, not seeking your opinion,¡± Gu Shaoting spoke calmly.


    ¡°Are you trying to anger me? You¡¯re my son, would I harm you? With your status, you could find any woman you want. At the very least, find someone from a simr background who can assist each other,¡± Song Can said indignantly.<div>


    ¡°My career doesn¡¯t need someone to add luster to it,¡± he replied. He had never considered marrying into another influential family.


    Was he crazy? Was his happiness more important or was his career? He would work hard for his career.


    ¡°I disagree, and I won¡¯t attend your wedding,¡± Song Can said stubbornly.


    Gu Shaoting¡¯s eyes dimmed.


    ¡°Mom, I respect you, which is why I¡¯m telling you this now. Let me reiterate, I will only marry Shu Pan, and we also have a daughter, Joy. Don¡¯t you want the best for your granddaughter?¡± Gu Shaoting couldn¡¯t understand why Song Can didn¡¯t like Shu Pan.


    Shu Pan was always kind and respectful to others, including her. She always obeyed hermands.


    ¡°Suit yourself,¡± Song Can said with a sour expression.


    She regretteding back. Maybe it was better to settle abroad. Out of sight, out of mind. But now she was starting to feel attached to Joy.


    ¡°I¡¯lle back to see you when I have time,¡± Gu Shaoting said, seeing that the conversation was getting too heated to continue.


    ¡°When will you change Joy¡¯s name back to our family name? She¡¯s our Gu family¡¯s granddaughter. She should bear the Gu surname, not Shuts,¡± Song Can had thought about this for a long time but hadn¡¯t had the chance to bring it up.


    ¡°I haven¡¯t discussed this with Shu Pan yet. Anyway, she¡¯s our child. What does it matter what surname she has? Let¡¯s see what Shu Pan wants. If she wants to change it, she can, if not, then so be it,¡± Gu Shaoting felt this was a trivial matter. He wasn¡¯t that rigid.<div>


    ¡°No, it must be changed,¡± Song Can got angry seeing Gu Shaoting¡¯s indifferent attitude. Had he been enchanted by Shu Pan?


    ¡°Mom, don¡¯t worry about this. I have a n,¡± Gu Shaoting didn¡¯t want to upset her further, so he brushed it off lightly.


    ¡°Grandma, Daddy, are you fighting?¡± Joy suddenly came out of the room, hearing loud voices outside.


    ¡°No, your dad and I were just discussing something. Adults tend to speak loudly when they talk,¡± Song Can quickly replied, feeling remorseful for forgetting that Joy was still in the room.


    She was very clear about this. It wasn¡¯t good for a child¡¯s development to witness arguments between adults.


    ¡°Yeah, Joy, we¡¯re going home now. Mommy is waiting for us at home,¡± Gu Shaoting said, taking Joy¡¯s hand.


    ¡°Sweetie, remember to visit Grandma more often in the future, okay?¡± Song Can said, her eyes filled with indulgence, aplete contrast to her earlier angry expression.


    ¡°Okay,¡± Joy replied in her childish voice.


    Back at home, Shu Pan had just woken up.


    ¡°Here, I packed some snacks for you,¡± Gu Shaoting smiled slightly, feeling rxed only at home.


    ¡°That¡¯s great, I¡¯m hungry,¡± Shu Pan said coquettishly, her voice soft and sweet.<div>


    Seeing her yful demeanor, Gu Shaoting¡¯s heart skipped a beat.


    Fresh out of bed, her cheeks were rosy, her long hair casually tied into a ponytail with a few strands falling naturally, giving her azy yet charming look.


    Gu Shaoting was a bit mesmerized. Why did he feel like he couldn¡¯t get enough of her? He almost wanted to tie her to his waist.


    ¡°What are you staring at?¡± Shu Pan waved her hand in front of him.


    ¡°Nothing,¡± he grabbed her hand and kissed it.


    ¡°Stop fooling around, Joy is here,¡± Shu Pan tapped him lightly.


    ¡°Eat up. Why did youe back so soon today? Weren¡¯t you supposed to go shopping with Xiaomeng?¡± Gu Shaoting hung up his coat and casually asked..

 Chapter 453: Business Travel (1)

    Chapter 453: Business Travel (1)<div>


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    ¡°Xiaomeng wasn¡¯t feeling very well, so we just had a drink and came back,¡± Shu Pan sighed, clearly affected by Xiaomeng¡¯s mood.


    Gu Shaoting also understood the reason behind it, feeling helpless.<div>


    Just then, Gu Shaoting¡¯s phone rang. He walked to the living room to answer the call.


    ¡°Mommy, we¡¯re going to see Grandma today,¡± Joy whispered to Shu Pan.


    ¡°Grandma?¡± Shu Pan repeated, puzzled.


    ¡°Yeah, Daddy¡¯s mommy,¡± Joy raised her voice, afraid Shu Pan wouldn¡¯t know who she meant.


    ¡°Oh, what are you going there for?¡± Shu Pan asked, curious.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, I was ying, but they¡¯re speaking so loudly,¡± Joy tilted her


    head, thinking for a moment before replying.


    Shu Pan¡¯s hand paused as she was eating her snack. Were they arguing? What was it about? Was it because of her?


    Shu Pan nced at Gu Shaoting. He was still on the phone, speaking in anguage she didn¡¯t understand. Listening to his deep, maic voice, Shu Pan found herself momentarily distracted, feeling a bit embarrassed.


    After Shu Pan finished eating, Gu Shaoting ended the call. Joy had already gone to her room to y.


    He walked over, looking at her with affection, gently touching her hair.<div>


    ¡°Panpan, I have a business trip to France. I¡¯m leaving tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± Shu Pan suddenly snapped out of her daze, eyes widening. ¡°Why so sudden? Did something happen?¡±


    There had been no warning signs. Why did he suddenly have to go on a


    business trip? Surely something significant must have happened for him to leave so suddenly.


    ¡°There¡¯s a bit of an issue over there that needs my attention,¡± There were some problems with the coboration with Mr. John, and he needed to handle it personally.


    Shu Pan hugged him, nuzzling his chest, wrinkling her nose. ¡°How long will you be gone? Both Joy and I will miss you.¡±


    Gu Shaoting paused for a moment, seeming a bit moved. He rarely saw Shu Pan express herself like this. With a smile in his deep eyes, he replied, ¡°Really?


    Probably about a week.¡±


    Blushing, Shu Pan nodded. ¡°That long?¡±


    They had been spending every day together recently, so now that he suddenly had to go on a business trip, she was starting to feel a bit uneasy.


    ¡°I¡¯ll try toe back as soon as possible,¡± Gu Shaoting held her tightly, kissing her ear before finding her lips and kissing her directly. His hands started to wander a bit, but luckily, Shu Pan still had her wits about her and stopped him in time.<div>


    ¡°Don¡¯t, Joy is still here. Can¡¯t you see what time it is?¡± Shu Pan chided yfully. This man really didn¡¯t care about the asion or the time.


    Before, she had no idea that he, who was usually so cold and reserved, had such strong desires in this regard.


    Now, he was almost clinging to her every night, and she had no idea where he got so much energy from.


    ¡°Well, then you better make it up to me tonight,¡± Gu Shaoting whispered in her ear, leaving behind an ambiguous remark.


    ¡°Ugh, you¡¯re so annoying,¡± Shu Pan blushed and gave him a shy re.


    Because Gu Shaoting would be away on a business trip for so long, Shu Pan took on the role of the perfect wife and mother.


    She helped him pack his bags, opened his closet, which was filled with neatly hung shirts, trousers, and suits.


    Gu Shaoting loved watching Shu Pan organize his things. She looked like a virtuous wife, devoted only to him.


    Sure enough, that night, Gu Shaoting kept his promise, repeating his actions over and over until Shu Pan begged him to stop.


    Afterward, Gu Shaoting hugged Shu Pan. ¡°You¡¯ll have a lot on your tetely. If you need help, just ask He Ming. There¡¯s a lot going on here, and this time it¡¯s just me and Secretary Zhang going.¡±


    Shu Pan nodded, then asked, ¡°Don¡¯t you have anything to tell me?¡±<div>


    Gu Shaoting lowered his head to give her a kiss. ¡°I¡¯ll miss you.¡±


    Shu Pan frowned slightly, clearly unsatisfied with his response..

 Chapter 454: Business Travel (2)

    Chapter 454: Business Travel (2)<div>


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Gu Shaoting sensed her unease.


    ¡°Today, you and Joy went back to the Gu Family¡¯s mansion,¡± Shu Pan¡¯s tone was affirmative.<div>


    As soon as Gu Shaoting heard this, he knew that little traitor Joy had spilled the beans.


    ¡°Yeah, Mom came back from her trip, so I went to see her on the way,¡± Gu Shaoting didn¡¯t want her to feel burdened.


    ¡°Did you two have a fight?¡± Shu Pan asked cautiously.


    ¡°No, what nonsense are you thinking? Just wait for me toe back obediently,¡± Gu Shaoting hugged her even tighter.


    Shu Pan nodded obediently.


    Seeing her like that, Gu Shaoting couldn¡¯t resist.


    The night was still young.


    In the early morning, Gu Shaoting woke up promptly at seven because he had to catch a flight.


    Meanwhile, Shu Pan was still lying in bed, the covers slightly slipping off, revealing the bruises and marks all over her body.


    Gu Shaoting gently pulled up the covers for her, then got up and went to Joy¡¯s room.


    His phone was already on, and there was an iing call. ¡°Mr. Gu, it¡¯s almost time.¡±<div>


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll be down soon. You drive and wait for me downstairs,¡± Gu Shaoting said softly, worried about disturbing Shu Pan and Joy.


    After getting ready, he decided to stop by the bedroom before leaving. He leaned down and kissed Shu Pan. She seemed to sense it and slowly opened her eyes.


    ¡°Are you leaving so early?¡± Shu Pan¡¯s throat was dry, making her voice hoarse.


    ¡°Yeah, you don¡¯t have to go to work today. Just sleep a little longer. Joy hasn¡¯t woken up yet,¡± Gu Shaoting touched her cheek gently.


    Shu Pan had intended to get up to see Gu Shaoting off, but she was too exhausted to move. As he was leaving, she held his hand. ¡°Remember to call me when you get to France.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Gu Shaoting smiled gently.


    After Gu Shaoting left, Shu Pan felt the emptiness in the house and found it somewhat unsettling. Since it was the weekend and she hadn¡¯t visited her father and aunt in a long time, she decided to take Joy and go out.


    When they returned, both elders were undoubtedly overjoyed. Auntie Lu nced behind them, and Shu Pan found it odd.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Auntie Lu?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing. Isn¡¯t heing back with you?¡± Auntie Lu asked, displeased.


    Shu Pan smiled, ¡°He¡¯s on a business trip to France. Since it¡¯s the weekend, we decided toe back and visit you.¡±<div>


    Lu Lifen noticed Shu Laide taking Joy out and grabbed Shu Pan¡¯s arm. ¡°Panpan, has Shaoting mentioned anything about marriage to you?¡±


    Shu Pan shook her head. She hadn¡¯t really thought about it, and it seemed Gu Shaoting hadn¡¯t brought it up either.


    ¡°Are you foolish? A woman must have status and recognition,¡± Auntie Lu said, with a look of frustration.


    It was exasperating.


    Seeing Auntie Lu¡¯s reaction, Shu Pan felt a mix of annoyance and gratitude. ¡°Well, don¡¯t worry, Auntie Lu. Shaoting and I have only been together for a short time. We need time to adjust, especially since we¡¯ve been apart for so many years. Who knows if it¡¯ll work out?¡± Shu Panforted her. If Gu Shaoting didn¡¯t bring up marriage, she certainly wouldn¡¯t either. That would lower her value too much. It¡¯s not like she was desperate to get married.


    ¡°Your father¡¯s birthday is next month. Bring him back here, and we¡¯ll ask him what he thinks about it,¡± Auntie Lu suggested after a moment of thought.


    Shu Pan felt a bit stunned. Was this an attempt to pressure her into marriage?


    She smiled wryly, ¡°Auntie Lu, I know where I stand on this matter. Please don¡¯t worry.¡±


    ¡°When you two got married before, your father rarely inquired about anything happening at home on his birthday. But things are different now. If a man cares about you, he¡¯ll care about your family too,¡± Lu Lifen had always had some reservations about this son-inw.


    Now they would see how he behaved. If he wasn¡¯t the right person, they wouldn¡¯t agree..


    <div>

 Chapter 455: Why Not Pregnant?

    Chapter 455: Why Not Pregnant?<div>


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    ¡°Yeah, I understand. I¡¯ll let him know,¡± Shu Pan nodded, now observing his behavior.


    ¡°Please don¡¯t overburden yourself, okay?¡± Lu Lifen reiterated.<div>


    ¡°Okay,¡± Shu Pan replied, feeling deeply touched.


    Shu Pan and Joy stayed overnight, only leaving Bin City the next day.


    As soon as they arrived back at the Shuimu Qinghua residence, Gu Shaoting called. ¡°Just arrived?¡±


    ¡°Yes, we¡¯re here and settled in. Finally got a moment to call you,¡± Shu Pan said, feeling sorry for him after such a long flight.


    ¡°Take good rest. Call me whenever you¡¯re free,¡± Gu Shaoting redirected the conversation.


    ¡°What are you up to?¡± Shu Pan asked.


    ¡°Just went back to see Dad and Aunt Lu,¡± Shu Pan replied truthfully.


    ¡°Okay. If you need anything, ask He Ming. I¡¯ll be quite busy for the next few days,¡± Gu Shaoting said.


    ¡°Focus on your work. We¡¯ll take care of ourselves, ¡± Shu Pan felt he became more caring than before, warming her heart.


    After hanging up, Shu Pan felt a pang of longing. She was starting to miss him. His usual presence and care made his sudden absence hard to get used to.


    Ever since herst meeting with Shu Pan, Ye Xiaomeng had been feeling anxious about why she hadn¡¯t gotten pregnant yet.<div>


    Despite not taking any precautions for the past few months and engaging in frequent intercourse, she couldn¡¯t understand why she wasn¡¯t pregnant.


    Thinking about her recent menstrual cycle only made her feel a cold dread.


    During her periods, she experienced intense abdominal pain, so severe that she had to resort to drinking ginger water with brown sugar.


    Was it the aftermath of her previous miscarriage? Was there something wrong with her body? Was she unable to conceive?


    The more Ye Xiaomeng thought about it, the more confused she became. If she truly couldn¡¯t have children, she knew she and He Ming would inevitably part


    ways.


    She couldn¡¯t bear to burden He Ming, knowing he was an only child and didn¡¯t want him to carry the burden of being childless.


    Ye Xiaomeng felt hopeless.


    She couldn¡¯t bring herself to tell He Ming about her worries, afraid he would worry about her. He would surelyfort her and tell her not to worry.


    She Imew how much He Ming loved children. Every time he saw Joy, his eyes lit up, and he would often joke about having their own child who would be just as adorable.


    The thought of seeing disappointment in his eyes terrified her.<div>


    After careful consideration, Ye Xiaomeng decided to secretly visit the hospital to find out what was wrong.


    The next day, while He Ming was at work, Ye Xiaomeng took the day off and went to the hospital to see a reputable gynecologist.


    ¡°Doctor, I haven¡¯t been using contraception, so why haven¡¯t I gotten pregnant?¡± Ye Xiaomeng asked nervously.


    The doctor was a middle-aged woman in herte forties, who had seen too many young people fretting over not getting pregnant immediately, so she understood their anxiety very well.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, getting pregnant also depends on fate. Let me first prescribe some tests for you to check the results, and then we can tailor the treatment ordingly,¡± the doctor¡¯s wordsforted Ye Xiaomeng¡¯s anxious heart.


    She obediently followed the doctor¡¯s instructions, undergoing blood tests, ultrasounds, and other examinations. She couldn¡¯t help but feel envious as she watched many pregnant women with their husbands by their sides, proudly walking around with their baby bumps.


    The wait for the results was agonizing. During this time, He Ming called her to ask what she was doing, but she hastily made up an excuse and hung up.


    Sitting on the hospital bench, the strong scent of disinfectant stung her nose, making her feel nauseous. But what worried her more was the oue of her tests.


    Finally, she received the results. She didn¡¯t have the courage to open them herself, so she held onto them tightly and went to find the doctor..

 Chapter 456: Is There Something Wrong With Your Body?

    Chapter 456: Is There Something Wrong With Your Body?<div>


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    When Ye Xiaomeng handed the results to the doctor, she froze in ce, as if awaiting a verdict.


    She watched the doctor¡¯s expressions closely, her heart racing like a rollercoaster ride. Sometimes the doctor frowned, sometimes her face remained neutral.<div>


    ¡°Have you had a miscarriage before?¡± the doctor asked, setting down the results.


    Ye Xiaomeng¡¯s heart skipped a beat. Was there really a problem? Why would the doctor ask that?


    ¡°Yes¡­ Doctor¡­¡± Ye Xiaomeng felt her voice trembling.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be nervous. There are treatments for all kinds of problems, and yours isn¡¯t too serious. Just need to be a bit more careful,¡± the doctor paused for a moment, then continued, ¡°Your fallopian tubes have some adhesions, but not severe, and there¡¯s also some inmmation. I¡¯ll prescribe some medication to clear it up for you.¡±


    ¡°Okay, thank you, doctor,¡± Ye Xiaomeng¡¯s heart calmed down a bit. ¡°Refrain from intercourse for a while, ande back for a follow-up afterpleting the medication course,¡± the doctor advised.


    ¡°Okay.¡± Ye Xiaomeng took the prescription and went to get the medication.


    Coincidentally, Mother He hade to the hospital for a headache recently.


    She spotted Ye Xiaomenging out of the gynecologist¡¯s office from a distance.


    Mother He looked puzzled. Was Xiaomeng pregnant? She followed her to the pharmacy, her steps unconsciously following.


    Ye Xiaomeng waited for her turn, lost in thought due to her low spirits. She didn¡¯t notice the people around her.


    After getting her medication, she left.<div>


    Now, Mother He¡¯s heart was in her throat. She hesitated for a moment, then turned back to the doctor¡¯s office where Ye Xiaomeng had been treated.


    ¡°Hello, Doctor. My daughter-inw was just treated here. Her name is Ye Xiaomeng. Is everything okay with her?¡± Mother He asked, seeing that the room was empty.


    The doctor nced at her and replied, ¡°Patient confidentiality prevents me from disclosing that information. You can go back and ask her yourself.¡± Mother He could only leave with a sense of embarrassment.


    After seeing the doctor, Mother He returned home and immediately called He Ming.


    ¡°Mom, is everything okay?¡± He Ming was surprised to receive a call from his mother during work hours. She rarely contacted him at this time.


    ¡°Ming, I¡¯ve been having headachestely. Can youe home when you have time?¡± Mother He¡¯s tone was somewhat subdued.


    ¡°What happened? I¡¯ll take you to see a doctor.¡± He Ming said anxiously.


    ¡°I just saw the doctor and came back. They said it¡¯s just some nervous exhaustion and prescribed some medicine. I just need to rest well,¡± Mother He actually wanted to ask about Xiaomeng¡¯s situation.


    ¡°I¡¯lle back after work. If you need anything, just call me.¡± He Ming couldn¡¯t leave immediately due to some urgent matters today, but hearing that his mother had seen the doctor, he felt somewhat reassured.


    As soon as He Ming finished his work, he hurried back home.


    ¡°Mom, how are you feeling now?¡± He Ming asked anxiously as soon as he saw Mother He.<div>


    ¡°Much better. I¡¯ve been having trouble sleepingtely and sometimes feel a bit nervous, but resting well seems to help,¡± Mother He feltforted seeing He Ming¡¯s concerned expression. Her son still cared for her deeply; he wasn¡¯t the type to forget his mother after getting married.


    He Ming breathed a sigh of relief.


    ¡°Ming, do you and Xiaomeng n to have children together?¡± Mother He knew it would be difficult to convince He Ming to give up on Xiaomeng now.


    ¡°Yes, we¡¯ve been preparing for it,¡± He Ming answered honestly, hoping Mother He would let go of her prejudices.


    ¡°Has Xiaomeng shown any signs yet?¡± Mother He continued to inquire.


    He Ming remembered that Xiaomeng had just had her period recently, so he shook his head. ¡°Not yet, but we¡¯re still young, so there¡¯s no rush.¡±


    He Ming thought Mother He was concerned about whether Xiaomeng was pregnant, but in fact, Mother He wanted to know the purpose of Xiaomeng¡¯s visit to the hospital today..

 Chapter 457: Testing

    Chapter 457: Testing<div>


    Upon hearing He Ming¡¯s statement that Ye Xiaomeng had not yet be pregnant, Mother He became certain that Xiaomeng had gone to the hospital for medical treatment today.


    She couldn¡¯t help but furrow her brows. She was already dissatisfied with Xiaomeng, and now that she had a health issue, it was even more reason not to ept her.


    ¡°Ming, does Xiaomeng have any health problems?¡± Mother He asked directly, her chest tightening with anger.<div>


    ¡°No, she¡¯s fine. Did she mention any difort?¡± He Ming was puzzled by Mother He¡¯s question.


    ¡°Silly child, if she had any intention of holding onto you, why would she tell you about her health issues?¡± Mother He sighed.


    ¡°Mom, trust me, Xiaomeng is not that kind of person. She is kind and wouldn¡¯t lie to me,¡± He Ming felt helpless against his mother¡¯s bias.


    ¡°Not lie to you? Then did she tell you about her visit to the hospital today?¡± Mother He couldn¡¯t help but reveal.


    ¡°What? Xiaomeng went to the hospital? What happened to her?¡± He Ming hastily asked. Xiaomeng indeed hadn¡¯t told him about this today; he had thought she was at home all along.


    ¡°How would I know what¡¯s wrong with her? I asked the doctor, but they said it¡¯s confidential. I went to the hospital for a check-up today and saw her picking up medication,¡± Mother He felt that she needed to tell He Ming the truth. She knew her son¡¯s character very well; he was stubborn.


    ¡°I¡¯ll go back and ask her again.¡± He Ming saw that Mother He didn¡¯t have any objections and that his father would be back soon. He decided to leave.


    Because he was worried about Xiaomeng¡¯s condition.


    Mother He had long anticipated his reaction and didn¡¯t stop him, letting him go back and find out the truth.


    When He Ming returned home, he found Ye Xiaomeng resting. He walked over and gently kissed her.


    Xiaomeng immediately woke up and sat up straight.<div>


    ¡°Why did you finish work so early today?¡± Xiaomeng nced at the clock. Normally, he would still be at the office at this time.


    ¡°Nothing special, so I came back early,¡± He Ming replied, giving her a hug.


    Ye Xiaomeng nodded.


    ¡°Why are you still sleeping at this hour? Are you feeling unwell?¡± He Ming noticed Xiaomeng¡¯s tired expression and pretended not to know what was going on, asking casually.


    ¡°Yeah, feeling a bit tired,¡± Xiaomeng replied groggily.


    ¡°Xiaomeng, a friend saw you going to the hospital today. What¡¯s wrong? You have to tell me,¡± He Ming asked directly, as Xiaomeng didn¡¯t seem inclined to share the information herself.


    Xiaomeng¡¯s heart skipped a beat.


    Well, might as well tell him.


    ¡°He Ming, I need to tell you something,¡± Xiaomeng said solemnly. Seeing her serious expression, He Ming had a bad feeling.


    ¡®What is it?¡± He Ming¡¯s voice was low.


    ¡°The doctor said it¡¯s very difficult for me to get pregnant,¡± Xiaomeng said, looking at He Ming to gauge his reaction.<div>


    A hint of disappointment and shock shed in He Ming¡¯s eyes, but he quicklyposed himself.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, doctors can sometimes be wrong in their assessments, and with the advances in medicine today, many difficult conditions can be treated. We¡¯ll figure it out,¡± He Ming reassured her.


    Xiaomeng¡¯s mood suddenly sank. He couldn¡¯t ept the fact that she might have difficulty getting pregnant and was avoiding facing it.


    ¡°But what if it can¡¯t be treated? What if I can never get pregnant?¡± Xiaomeng voiced the worst-case scenario. Although the doctor said it wasn¡¯t a big problem, the uncertainty of getting pregnant was real. So, she wanted to see how He Ming would react.


    ¡°If that¡¯s the case, then it just means that it¡¯s not meant to be. We¡¯ll spend the rest of our lives together, just the two of us,¡± He Ming understood her concerns and firmly held her hand, making a determined promise..

 Chapter 458: Pretty Lucky

    Chapter 458: Pretty Lucky<div>


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Ye Xiaomeng felt both touched and heartbroken after listening. She secretly made up her mind to actively cooperate with the treatment to ensure that He Ming could be a father as soon as possible.


    She leaned against He Ming¡¯s chest, inhaling his clean scent, feeling a sense of peace in her heart.<div>


    He Ming¡¯s heart was like a mixed bag of emotions, unsure of what he was feeling.


    Gu Shaoting had only been on a business trip for 4 days, but it felt like years to him. He was consumed by a crazy longing for Shu Pan and Joy.


    Every time he had free time, it was alreadyte at night for them, and he couldn¡¯t bear to wake them up.


    He thought about bringing Shu Pan along on his next trip so that he wouldn¡¯t have to endure the pain of missing them.


    Gu Shaoting walked out onto the balcony of the hotel¡¯s presidential suite, looking at the beautiful night view outside, but he was indifferent because his mind was elsewhere.


    He thought about meeting Mr. John tomorrow and exining things to him so he could go home. He hoped everything would go smoothly.


    As usual, they met in Mr. John¡¯s office.


    They usually discussed business over video calls, so this face-to-face meeting was rare and they talked a lot.


    ¡°Shaoting, thank you for making the trip again. The problem with our execution here needs to be resolved. I hope we can cooperate based on mutual assistance.¡± Seeing Gu Shaoting, Mr. John felt much calmer. He didn¡¯t want him to make the trip in person if it wasn¡¯t absolutely necessary.


    ¡°No problem, you¡¯re wee. I hope we can have a pleasant cooperation.¡± Gu Shaoting said calmly.


    After chatting for a while, Gu Shaoting decided to take his leave.<div>


    Just then, the door was suddenly pushed open.


    ¡°Daddy¡­¡± apanied by a sweet voice.


    ¡°Charlene, mind your manners. Daddy has a guest today, and we¡¯re discussing important matters.¡± Mr. John pretended to scold.


    ¡°Sorry, I didn¡¯t notice.¡± Charlene stuck out her tongue apologetically.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I didn¡¯t notice,¡± Charlene stuck out her tongue.


    Gu Shaoting remembered Mr. John¡¯s daughter from their previous contract negotiations; it seemed she had a habit of barging in like this.


    ¡°Hello,¡± Gu Shaoting greeted.


    ¡°Big brother Gu, it¡¯s wonderful to see you back in France!¡± Charlene had previously pestered her dad about Gu Shaoting, but her requests had been


    L eJecueu.


    She hadn¡¯t expected to run into him today.


    ¡°Shaoting, I apologize for the interruption. This is my daughter, Charlene. You might remember her from ourst meeting,¡± Mr. John said with a smile, although his words carried a tone of scolding, his affection for his daughter was evident to anyone listening.<div>


    ¡°Oh, yes, I remember. Mr. John is indeed fortunate,¡± Gu Shaotingplimented.


    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s such a headache. She¡¯s working at mypany now, taking leave every other day, alwayste, no sense of discipline,¡± Mr. John sighed. However, he knew he was partly to me for spoiling her, being his only daughter, she was his precious gem.


    ¡°Daddy¡­¡± Charlene grumbled, annoyed that her dad wasining about her in front of Gu Shaoting.


    ¡°Daddy¡¯s not wrong about you,¡± Mr. John sighed, feeling a bit exasperated and unsure how to discipline her.


    ¡°Daddy, I want to visit Big Brother Guts country. Look, I¡¯ve been at yourpany since graduation, but I haven¡¯t gained any real experience,¡± Charlene pleaded. Last time, she didn¡¯t bring it up because she hadn¡¯t graduated yet, but she didn¡¯t want to miss this opportunity now.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be unreasonable,¡± but suddenly Mr. John also thought it was a good idea. He realized he had spoiled her too much, and if Shaoting could help guide her, it would be a form of training.


    Charlene pouted.


    ¡°Shaoting, I have an awkward request. I want Charlene toe to yourpany for some training. After all, she¡¯ll be taking over my position in the future. Please help mentor her,¡± Mr. John looked at Gu Shaoting, pleading..

 Chapter 459: Unable to Shirk

    Chapter 459: Unable to Shirk<div>


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Gu Shaoting felt truly conflicted upon hearing Mr. John¡¯s plea.


    Such a spoiled heiress, ustomed to having her own way¡ªhow could he possibly guide her?<div>


    Wasn¡¯t this just bringing trouble home? Who knew what kind of mess she might cause?


    Seeing Gu Shaoting hesitate without speaking, Mr. John spoke again, ¡°Shaoting, consider it a favor to me.¡±


    Seeing him plead again, Gu Shaoting had no choice but to agree.


    ¡°You¡¯re wee. It¡¯s not really helping; Miss Charlene is smart and capable.


    There¡¯s nothing much to teach her. It wouldn¡¯t hurt to go out and rx a bit, ¡± Gu Shaoting said lightly, knowing he couldn¡¯t avoid this matter.


    ¡°Great! Thank you, Big Brother!¡± Charlene wanted to scream with joy. She had been waiting for this moment for so long; now she could finally get close to Big Brother Gu. She had fallen for him at first sight when she saw himst time, but she had been longing for a chance. Now it seemed like fate was on her side.


    ¡°Thank you, Shaoting.¡± Mr. John then turned to Charlene and said, ¡°Listen to his guidance and don¡¯t cause any trouble.¡±


    ¡°Daddy, I understand. I¡¯ll go out to learn for a while ande back soon. I¡¯ll miss you,¡± Charlene¡¯s words were as sweet as honey, melting Mr. John¡¯s heart.


    Mr. John shook his head with a smile. She was truly a spoiled girl.


    Because Charlene needed to handle some paperwork, she didn¡¯t go back with Gu Shaoting. She would call himter when she arrived.


    With things settled, Gu Shaoting was eager to return home.<div>


    But he didn¡¯t tell Shu Pan the exact time of his return, nning to surprise her.


    After getting off the ne, he headed straight home. It happened to be the weekend, so they should both be at home.


    Shu Pan had just woken up when she suddenly heard some noise in the living room.


    ncing outside, she noticed it wasn¡¯t very bright yet. Could it be a mouse? But this was a high-end residential area; she had never seen mice here before. Could it be a thief?


    Shu Pan couldn¡¯t help but feel nervous. She had be quite paranoidtely, especially when Gu Shaoting wasn¡¯t around. She felt particrly secure when he was home.


    Before she could think too much, she suddenly heard the faint sound of a door opening from outside.


    Shu Pan became even more tense. She pulled the nket tighter around herself, watching the direction of the door in the dim darkness.


    Soon enough, she saw a tall, familiar figure at the doorway, apanied by Gu Shaoting¡¯s distinctive clean and refreshing scent.


    Shu Pan blinked, feeling stunned. Was she hallucinating due to missing him?


    But as the figure drew closer and became clearer, she immediately sat up in bed. ¡°Shaoting?¡±


    The man paused in his steps. Before he could say anything, Shu Pan had already thrown off the covers and rushed to the bedroom door. Gu Shaoting caught sight of her and immediately pulled her into his arms.<div>


    Turning on the light, Gu Shaoting furrowed his brows slightly. ¡°Why are you awake so early?¡±


    It was just past 6 in the morning.


    ¡°Well,st night, Joy and I went to bed very early.¡± Seeing Gu Shaoting, Shu Pan felt nothing but surprise; all her drowsiness vanished.


    She asked in amazement, ¡°Shaoting, why did youe back so soon? And without telling me beforehand?¡±


    Wasn¡¯t it supposed to be more than a week? It hadn¡¯t been that long yet.


    With one arm still holding her, Gu Shaoting reached out and gently smoothed her tangled hair. ¡°Missed you. From now on, whenever I go on a business trip, I¡¯ll make sure to take you with me.¡±


    Feeling a sweet warmth in her heart, Shu Pan responded, ¡°Taking me on a business trip? That¡¯s not like going on vacation.¡±


    As she spoke, Gu Shaoting had alreadyid her down on the bed. Hisrge hand touched her foot, and he felt a chill. He furrowed his brows..

 Chapter 460: Sudden Return

    Chapter 460: Sudden Return<div>


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Shu Pan was aware that her feet were cold, but that was just the way her body was.


    She chuckled innocently and shrugged, ¡°I didn¡¯t do it on purpose. It¡¯s just a condition I have.¡±<div>


    Gu Shaoting gently rubbed her foot in his palm, causing Shu Pan tough and squirm.


    Watching her radiant and adorable face, he hesitated for a moment, his gaze bing somewhat intense. Unable to resist, he bent down and kissed her lips repeatedly.


    After their lips parted, Shu Pan moved back slightly, then asked, ¡°How are things in France?¡±


    ¡°Everything¡¯s sorted out, don¡¯t worry,¡± Gu Shaoting reassured her, patting her head.


    ¡°Then you won¡¯t be going on any more trips soon, right?¡±


    ¡°No, not for the foreseeable future.¡±


    Shu Pan smiled happily upon hearing this.


    It had been several days since they hadst seen each other, and Gu Shaoting was taken aback by her charming demeanor. He suddenly tightened his grip on her hand, pushing her onto the bed, and kissed her passionately.


    ¡°Mmm¡­¡±


    It had been a while since they had been this intimate, and the feeling of kissing and embracing was exhrating.


    Shu Pan held onto his neck, responding to his kisses.<div>


    Gu Shaoting held her even tighter. Shu Pan hadn¡¯t expected him to be so excited. She looked into his eyes, which seemed eager and thirsty, like a parchednd craving moisture after a long drought.


    As his kisses grew deeper and the clothes were disturbed, she quickly grabbed his hand. ¡°Shaoting, stop, Joy will wake up soon.¡±


    Shu Pan remained rational. She had thought about this issue.


    ¡°I know,¡± Gu Shaoting¡¯s voice had be hoarse.


    Though he agreed, his actions didn¡¯t cease.


    Shu Pan almost sumbed to his tenderness. She struggled in his arms, ¡°Let me go, Joy ising.¡±


    But Gu Shaoting remained unfazed. He continued kissing her while saying,


    ¡°I¡¯ve locked the door.¡±


    ¡°Shaoting¡­¡± Shu Pan pouted, unaware that her shy demeanor only stimted Gu Shaoting further.


    His breath grew heavy as he left kisses on her body, leaving marks on her fair skin, which eased his mind.


    ¡°Mommy, are you awake?¡± Suddenly, there was a knock on the door from outside. It was evident that Joy had woken up. Fortunately, Gu Shaoting had locked the door.<div>


    ¡°That¡¯s enough,¡± Shu Pan¡¯s voice trembled slightly.


    Gu Shaoting reluctantly stood up, straightened his clothes, and then opened the door.


    ¡°Sweetheart¡­¡± Gu Shaoting reached out and lifted her up, then kissed her tender cheek.


    ¡°Wow, Daddy, you¡¯re back! I missed you so much, ¡± Joy hugged Gu Shaoting¡¯s neck, acting spoiled.


    Gu Shaoting¡¯s heart immediately melted.


    Before, he didn¡¯t mind going on business trips, feeling no attachments. But since he had Shu Pan and Joy, he wasn¡¯t keen on traveling anymore. He tried to delegate as much as possible. However, this time, it was inevitable. Mr. John was their biggest partner, and this matter required his personal intervention. ¡°Daddy missed you too,¡± Gu Shaoting carried Joy out of the room to give Shu


    Pan time to get dressed and freshen up.


    Father and daughter whispered in the living room.


    After seeing off the two, Gu Shaoting returned to the bedroom intending to catch up on some sleep because he was exhausted from the long flight. He slept until the afternoon and woke up to find it was almost 5 p.m., realizing he had slept the entire day.


    Remembering something important, he immediately called the designer who was working on the ring design.


    He had already contacted the designer before his business trip, but he didn¡¯t know if the design waspleted. This matter was now his top priority..<div>

 Chapter 461: Invitation

    Chapter 461: Invitation<div>


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    When Gu Shaoting called, the designer informed him that the concept was ready but it wasn¡¯t quite there yet; good things take time.


    Gu Shaoting instructed him to strive for perfection because he wanted to give her a truly unique ring.<div>


    After discussing some details with the designer, Gu Shaoting hung up the phone. ncing at the time, he realized it was almost time to pick up Shu Pan and Joy.


    While waiting at a traffic light, he received a call from his cousin, Gu


    Huanhuan.


    ¡°Brother, where are you? Is Shu Pan with you?¡±


    This girl was a real tterer, as long as she didn¡¯t cause trouble, he was grateful.


    ording to the people he arranged, she had been busy filming a youth idol dramately. Rumor had it that she was doing quite well and had garnered a group of fans. So, he felt reassured. Now, what did she want with Shu Pan?


    ¡°She¡¯s still at the office. I¡¯m going to pick her up now.¡±


    ¡°Then give me her phone number, I¡¯ll call her.¡± Gu Huanhuan was being secretive, not revealing why she needed to talk to Shu Pan.


    ¡°Why do you need to reach her?¡± Gu Shaoting knew this little devil was up to something mischievous and didn¡¯t want her influencing Shu Pan.


    ¡°We¡¯re having a celebration banquet, and many celebrities will be attending. I was wondering if she would be interested ining?¡± Gu Huanhuan knew that if she didn¡¯t tell Gu Shaoting, he wouldn¡¯t give up easily.


    During theirst meal together, she had mentioned that she would introduce celebrities to Shu Pan if given the chance. She wasn¡¯t kidding, and now the opportunity hade.<div>


    ¡°Your cousin-inw isn¡¯t interested,¡± Gu Shaoting promptly declined.


    ¡°Why not? You¡¯re not her, how do you know she wouldn¡¯t like it?¡± This was the first time Gu Huanhuan felt her brother was disying severe male chauvinism.


    ¡°Because cousin-inw¡¯s favorite person is me,¡± Gu Shaoting boldly stated, showing his thick skin.


    ¡°Eww¡­¡± Gu Huanhuan pretended to make a disgusted expression over the phone.


    ¡°You little brat¡­¡± Gu Shaoting chuckled helplessly.


    ¡°I don¡¯t care, just ask your cousin-inw to call me once you pick her up. Those kinds of events are boring, and I don¡¯t know anyone, so I want someone to apany me.¡± Gu Huanhuan lost her patience.


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll ask her, so you can give up hope.¡± Gu Shaoting said nonchntly. Shu Pan had never been interested in these kinds of social events, so he was confident she wouldn¡¯t go.


    ¡°Fine.¡± Gu Huanhuan hung up the phone, thinking to herself, she had never seen her cousin care about any woman like this before. It showed that he truly loved her to the core. Her cousin was the kind of person who once he made up his mind, it was for a lifetime.


    Gu Shaoting¡¯s car slowly approached the entrance of Shu Pan¡¯spany, and he saw her standing on the roadside in front, waiting for him.


    Today, she was wearing a white blouse paired with a knee-length dark green skirt and high heels, showing off her tall figure. The colorbination made her look fair and elegant.


    Gu Shaoting looked at Shu Pan, feeling a bit dumbfounded.<div>


    Why did he feel like she was bing more charming? He realized he had been blind in the past, wasting so much time.


    But perhaps it was the umtion of time that made them cherish each other more and love each other more deeply now.


    Shu Pan got into the car. ¡®Why aren¡¯t you resting at home?¡±


    Gu Shaoting leaned over to help her fasten her seatbelt and nted a kiss on her cheek.


    ¡°You¡¯re crazy.¡± Shu Pan really felt that this man did whatever he pleased without considering the asion. Dealing with coworkers all the time, it would be so awkward if they ran into each other tomorrow..

 Chapter 462: Attending the Banquet

    Chapter 462: Attending the Banquet<div>


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    ¡°There¡¯s one more thing. Huanhuan wanted to invite you to attend some banquet, but I declined on your behalf,¡± Gu Shaoting said, feeling it was unnecessary to tell Shu Pan.


    ¡°What banquet?¡± Shu Pan suddenly asked with interest.<div>


    ¡°Many celebrities will attend,¡± Gu Shaoting said casually, his tone somewhat cold.


    ¡°Really?¡± Recently, Shu Pan had be somewhat knowledgeable about celebrities and actors, especially with all the gossip circting in the office. Whenever a new drama aired, every detail about the actors would be thoroughly discussed. Tang Wei was particrly fond of sharing such information with Shu Pan.


    Now, Shu Pan realized that Huanhuan was quite famous too, especially after the incident with Gu Shaoting which had caused a media frenzy. The youth idol drama she was currently filming had gained a lot of attention even before its release, and many people were eagerly anticipating it.


    So when Gu Shaoting mentioned Huanhuan, Shu Pan suddenly felt proud. It was unbelievable that there was a big star around her.


    ¡°What? Are you interested?¡± Gu Shaoting¡¯s tone became a bit heavier.


    ¡°Um, I wonder if any of my favorite stars will be there?¡± Shu Pan muttered to herself.


    ¡°Do theypare to my handsomeness?¡± Shu Pan detected a hint of jealousy in the air. Sometimes this man could be so childish.


    ¡°You¡¯re the most handsome.¡± Shu Pan knew how to tter him; if she didn¡¯t go along with his wishes, she¡¯d face his punishments again. Just the thought of how he would punish her made Shu Pan¡¯s face turn red.


    Shu Pan¡¯s words sessfully mollified Gu Shaoting.


    ¡°Give Huanhuan a call back,¡± Gu Shaoting said as he drove, letting Shu Pan make the call herself.


    ¡°Huanhuan¡­¡± Shu Pan hadn¡¯t even started speaking when Huanhuan cut in eagerly.<div>


    ¡°Cousin-inw, my cousin already told you, right? How about it? Are you interested?¡± Gu Huanhuan asked anxiously.


    ¡°Hmm, that kind of asion isn¡¯t suitable for me to attend. It¡¯ll be full of celebrities, all morous and dazzling. We ordinary folks wouldn¡¯t fit in,¡± Shu


    Pan refused.


    ¡°Cousin-inw, many people will be there, just going to join in the fun. Mainly, I find it boring and want somepany. My good cousin-inw, you¡¯ll apany me this Saturday night, ¡± Shu Pan was the most easily swayed person, unable to resist Huanhuan¡¯s insistence, so she agreed.


    Gu Shaoting¡¯s face darkened upon hearing this, but he didn¡¯t want to interfere too much.


    Feeling somewhat guilty, Shu Pan pretended to gaze out the window.


    Saturday arrived quickly, and coincidentally, Gu Shaoting brought Joy along.


    When Huanhuan came to pick up Shu Pan, she received a stern warning from Gu Shaoting. If Shu Pan came back with even a hair out of ce, she¡¯d have him to answer to.


    First, Huanhuan took Shu Pan to a salon, intending to spruce her up. Her cousin


    was too old-fashioned; this time, she wanted to impress him. She personally picked out a cocktail dress for Shu Pan.


    When Shu Pan emerged, Huanhuan was speechless. She was wearing a light yellow dress with strapless neckline, revealing a hint of her chest through the silk ribbon.<div>


    Huanhuan hadn¡¯t realized Shu Pan¡¯s figure was so good. She usually dressed conservatively, so it wasn¡¯t apparent. No wonder her cousin was so nervous.


    Feeling exposed, Shu Pan nervously said to Huanhuan, ¡°Huanhuan, is this dress too revealing?¡±


    The dress was off-shoulder, and she wasn¡¯t wearing a bra, just pasties.


    ¡°Cousin-inw, this dress is perfect. It showcases your great figure without a doubt,¡± Huanhuan said while discreetly taking a photo of Shu Pan with her phone.


    She then sent the photo to Gu Shaoting with a message, ¡°Isn¡¯t my taste excellent?¡±


    She couldn¡¯t wait to see Gu Shaoting¡¯s reaction..

 Chapter 463: Mr. Gu Was Very Angry

    Chapter 463: Mr. Gu Was Very Angry<div>


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    However, Huanhuan still felt a bit afraid, because her cousin¡¯s temper was unpredictable. Sending this photo seemed to challenge his limits.


    Who told him to always boss her around? She wanted to drive him crazy. When Gu Shaoting heard his phone chime with a WeChat notification, he casually took out his phone and tapped it, thinking it was junk because very few people messaged him on WeChat; they usually just called.<div>


    He casually opened the message, but the corner of his eye caught something, freezing his movement and locking his gaze onto the screen.


    He stared at the screen for quite a while, and the more he looked, the tighter his brow furrowed, feeling a fire ignite in his heart.


    What kind of dress was she wearing? What was the difference between wearing it and not wearing it? Because of her fair skin, and the dress being a light yellow, the effect was stunning.


    As he looked, he felt a stirring in a certain part of his body.


    Unable to resist, he sent a message back to the audacious Huanhuan, ¡°If you make your cousin-inw wear such clothes, you can expect me to deal with you.¡±


    After sending the message, he irritably reached into his pocket, pulled out a cigarette, lit it, and smoked while continuing to gaze at Shu Pan¡¯s photo through the haze of smoke, his eyes scanning her chest absentmindedly.


    As he looked, he started to feel restless, taking drags from his cigarette and pacing around the room, while Joy yed in her room. He headed straight for the balcony.


    After a moment¡¯s thought, he picked up his phone and dialed Shu Pan¡¯s number.


    It rang for a while before she answered.


    ¡°Are you there?¡± Gu Shaoting suppressed his feelings, trying to sound as natural as possible.


    ¡°Not yet. Still at the salon picking out clothes,¡± Shu Pan replied, her ears still red from the embarrassment of the dress earlier.<div>


    Thankfully, Huanhuan had changed her mind.


    Originally, Huanhuan had insisted that the dress she was wearing was the most suitable for the asion. However, when her phone chimed with a WeChat notification, she nced at it, her expression changing slightly. Then she told Shu Pan that the dress seemed a bit revealing and she was worried she wouldn¡¯t befortable in it.


    Of course, Shu Pan always covered herself up tightly, so after Huanhuan spoke,


    ¡°Have you not chosen yet?¡± Gu Shaoting asked calmly.


    ¡°Uh¡­ no, not yet. I haven¡¯t found anything suitable yet,¡± Shu Pan replied, regretting agreeing to apany Huanhuan to the event. After all, she wasn¡¯t ustomed to such asions and would definitely feel ufortable.


    Gu Shaoting heard Shu Pan¡¯s hesitant tone and knew she was feeling guilty.


    He guessed that Huanhuan wouldn¡¯t have the courage to ask her to wear such a dress again.


    ¡°How about you don¡¯t go? Come back, let Huanhuan go by herself. If she wantspany, I¡¯ll find someone to apany her,¡± Gu Shaoting suggested. He didn¡¯t want Shu Pan to attend such an event; there were too many temptations, and the entertainment industry was full of mixed motives. Shu Pan¡¯s purity stood out, and he didn¡¯t want her to be influenced by any negative influences.


    Shu Pan was torn. She saw Huanhuan still diligently helping her pick out clothes and suddenly couldn¡¯t bring herself to speak up.


    ¡°Oh well, it¡¯s fine. Just consider it broadening my horizons.¡± She thought.


    Shu Pan consoled herself.<div>


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, I¡¯ll stay with her. Since I¡¯m already here, okay, I won¡¯t keep you. It¡¯s almost time,¡± she said, and as soon as Gu Shaoting responded, she hung up.


    ¡°Was that my cousin?¡± Huanhuan asked knowingly.


    ¡°Yeah, he was bored at home, so he called to check on me,¡± Shu Pan replied, feeling embarrassed to mention that he wanted her toe back.


    ¡°Oh, I see,¡± Huanhuan nodded. She didn¡¯t need to be told; she knew Gu Shaoting had called to encourage Shu Pan toe back, fearing she might dress provocatively.


    What a selfish man..

 Chapter 464: An Interlude at the Banquet

    Chapter 464: An Interlude at the Banquet<div>


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Gu Huanhuan felt that her brother was good in every way, except for his possessiveness, which was a bit strong.


    She did it on purpose. After all, her brother was so strict with her.<div>


    Nowadays, her assistants and managers were all arranged by him. She had no freedom at all, and she had to maintain a certain distance from everyone.


    But deep down, she wouldn¡¯t let Shu Pan wear very sexy clothes, just teasing her brother to make him nervous.


    Knowing Shu Pan¡¯s beauty, no one should bully her in the future.


    So, she helped Shu Pan pick out a rtively conservative dress, white in color, normal in the front but with a bit of back exposure. It was a new style from a brand,bining innocence and elegance.


    Gu Huanhuan chose a cool pantsuit for herself.


    ncing at the sky, she then pulled Shu Pan along. ¡°Ah,e on, let¡¯s hurry, or we¡¯ll bete.¡±


    Shu Pan nodded, wanting to go and return early. Because when they were leaving, Gu Shaoting touched her face and told her to make sure toe back early, notter than 10 0¡¯clock.


    His tone was unquestionable.


    If she didn¡¯t return on time, he would probablye to the venue to find her.


    At that moment, Shu Pan readily agreed to ensure a smooth departure.


    After all, she was just apanying Huanhuan. There were no important people or events there that could keep her for so long.<div>


    Ming waiting for him, holding a beer. Gu Shaoting knew he must have something on his mind since he rarely saw He Ming drink, unless he was upset.


    After settling Joy down since she hadn¡¯t taken her nap, she quickly fell asleep, Gu Shaoting and He Ming went to the balcony. There were tables and chairs there, and they sat down to chat.


    ¡°Is Shu Pan not at home?¡± He Ming asked. He had been here for a while and hadn¡¯t seen her.


    ¡°She went to a banquet with Huanhuan, ¡± Gu Shaoting said, his tone somewhat mncholic.


    He Ming knew Gu Huanhuan and was aware that she was now a celebrity, seemingly quite famous.


    ¡°Oh, no wonder,¡± He Ming clicked his tongue twice.


    ¡°What about you? Why are you so free tonight?¡± Gu Shaoting shifted the topic to him.


    ¡°Xiaomeng went home. She¡¯s been feeling downtely, so she went back to rx,¡± He Ming¡¯s tone grew even lower.


    Their rtionship with Xiaomeng had been full of twists and turns, and those were facts that left no room for turning back.


    Initially, he thought that if he had a child, his mother wouldpromise for the sake of her grandchild. But now, Xiaomeng was having difficulty getting pregnant.


    Gu Shaoting didn¡¯t know how tofort him. Every family had its own troubles.<div>


    When Shu Pan and Gu Huanhuan arrived, there were already many people there, and Shu Pan saw many faces that she could only see on television.


    They were really thin and beautiful.


    ¡°How is it, cousin-inw? It¡¯s lively, isn¡¯t it?¡± Huanhuan, despite being rtively new, had arge following.


    During the event, people even brought notebooks for her to sign.


    ¡°Yeah, they¡¯re all so beautiful,¡± Shu Pan eximed. She was truly broadening her horizons because Gu Shaoting rarely took her to such events. ¡°It¡¯s just okay. If you dress up, you¡¯ll be even more beautiful than them,¡±


    Huanhuanughed.


    ¡°Nonsense.¡±


    For some reason, when Shu Pan and Gu Huanhuan were talking, she suddenly felt a chill down her spine. She paused and nced around. The people behind her were all chatting with others, not paying much attention to her.


    But why did she feel something strange?


    Was it just her imagination? She always felt like someone was staring at her..


    <div>

 Chapter 465: Provoke

    Chapter 465: Provoke<div>


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    ¡°Cousin-inw, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Gu Huanhuan noticed her distracted demeanor and spoke up.


    ¡°Nothing,¡± Shu Pan said, though deep down she felt a bit unnerved.<div>


    She couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that someone was secretly watching her from the shadows.


    The gaze she felt carried with it a sense of sorrow, anger, and resentment, making her feel particrly unsettled.


    She felt like going back.


    When she looked back again, she saw a familiar figure not far away. Was that the source of the gaze?


    It had gradually faded from her mind, but encountering it again today brought back memories of the past.


    Would she hate herself? Because she loved Gu Shaoting, perhaps she believed she had taken him away from someone else.


    Huanhuan happened to spot a rising director, whose recent movie was quite popr, so she went over to say hello.


    She initially invited Shu Pan along, fearing she might get lost, but Shu Pan politely declined.


    She was there to meet people, not to join in the fun.


    As Huanhuan walked away, the familiar yet unfamiliar figure approached her. Feeling a bit nervous at the sudden approach, Shu Pan wondered what she wanted.


    ¡°Are you doing well, Shu Pan?¡± It turned out to be Tong Fei, holding a ss of red wine, gently swaying it.<div>


    Her voice was as sweet as ever, even making another woman envious.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine, thanks for your concern,¡± Shu Pan said coldly, not feeling there was anything worth discussing between them.


    After all, they were once rivals in love.


    ¡°Shu Pan, do you think you can live happily after stealing someone else¡¯s happiness?¡± Tong Fei sneered, her career plummeting due to this woman before her. She not only lost love but also struggled in her career.


    Tonight, she pulled some strings to get an invitation, as many investors and directors were present, and she was seeking an opportunity to get close to them.


    But seeing Shu Pan, she couldn¡¯t help but approach and say a few words, just to ease her own mind.


    Shu Pan really didn¡¯t want to pay any attention to her.


    She didn¡¯t look at all like someone troubled by love; she was wearing a low-cut dress, revealing a swath of snow-white skin, her bosom seemingly about to burst forth.


    Such a beauty was the prey of many men present, several of whom were staring at her intently.


    ¡°Ms. Tong, please watch your words. What do you mean by ¡®stealing¡¯?¡± Shu Pan couldn¡¯t help but retort.


    As she spoke, she nced subtly at Tong Fei, her gaze fixed on her, and their eyes met.<div>


    ¡°You know exactly what I mean,¡± Tong Fei responded defiantly. Seeing Shu Pan living increasingly well only made her more discontented.


    Why was she sofortable? If it weren¡¯t for her appearance, stealing Gu Shaoting away, she might have been Mrs. Gu by now.


    The more she thought about it, the angrier she became, feeling even more frustrated by theparison between her own miserable situation and Shu Pan¡¯s sess.


    Shu Pan didn¡¯t want to engage with her any longer. She had known all along that this person had a twisted mind. She turned to leave, but Tong Fei grabbed her.


    ¡°Why leave so soon? Won¡¯t you exchange a few pleasantries with me?¡± Tong Fei said, her tone biting.


    But Shu Pan had no intention of acknowledging her. She stared directly into her face and said, word by word, ¡°Good dogs don¡¯t block the way.¡±


    Tong Fei was immediately furious, but to maintain decorum, she gritted her teeth and said, ¡°Just you wait and see. Don¡¯t get too cocky.¡±


    Shu Pan frowned, her displeasure evident. She now regretteding out tonight, feeling thoroughly disappointed.


    Though there were many attendees at the banquet, most of them were savvy individuals, unlike the gossiping coworkers one often encountered..

 Chapter 466: Drugging

    Chapter 466: Drugging<div>


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Shu Pan noticed that Gu Huanhuan was still chatting, so she didn¡¯t want to interrupt her.


    Thinking about how she and Huanhuan had rushed through makeup tonight without eating much, her stomach growled loudly now.<div>


    She walked over to the dessert area, grabbed a te, picked up a few small pastries, and poured herself a ss of champagne. Her tolerance for alcohol wasn¡¯t very high, so a little should be fine.


    Carrying her snacks, she made her way to the lounge area. Tong Fei saw Shu Pan but acted as if she were invisible. This really got her stomping mad.


    She clearly didn¡¯t regard her at all.


    The current Shu Pan seemed more assertive than before, no longer the submissive little wife.


    ¡°Shu Pan, don¡¯t me me. You brought this upon yourself,¡± Tong Fei said, gripping her hand tightly.


    Her face contorted in anger.


    Gu Shaoting must have treated her like a treasure, making her look even more youthful now.


    And the designer dress she wore was definitely from an international brand, something she couldn¡¯t afford on her own. She was truly a sly fox.


    Seeing Shu Pan sitting alone eating, with no one around her, was a stroke of luck for Tong Fei.


    It was truly a heaven-sent opportunity.


    Tong Fei had noticed that Shu Pan hade in with Gu Huanhuan. Gu Huanhuan was now a rising star in the entertainment industry, gaining fame after appearing inmercials and now in films. She was practically a household name.<div>


    She couldn¡¯t figure out their rtionship. How did Shu Pan end up with her?


    She thought for a moment, then called over a waiter, slipped him some cash, and whispered a few words in his ear.


    The waiter¡¯s brow furrowed slightly.


    Tong Fei assured him that she was a friend, and they had just been chatting earlier.


    The waiter considered this and, finding it usible, trusted Tong Fei. In such social circles, everyone had reputations to uphold and wouldn¡¯t do anything untoward.


    He nodded and walked away.


    Following Tong Fei¡¯s instructions, he found Shu Pan, seeing her leisurely eating.


    ¡°Hello, are you Miss Shu pan?¡± the waiter asked knowingly, already aware that she was the person he was looking for.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Shu Pan replied, somewhat surprised. Why would a waitere looking for her? She was unfamiliar with such asions, and the only person she knew, Huanhuan, was chatting with someone else.


    Actually, if she had known this would be the situation, she wouldn¡¯t have apanied Huanhuan here; it was quite boring.


    While she was pondering, the waiter continued, ¡°Are you a friend of Miss Gu<div>


    Huanhuan?¡±


    ¡°Yes, why?¡± Shu Pan asked nervously, standing up. ¡°Is something wrong?¡±


    ¡°Oh, don¡¯t worry, it¡¯s nothing serious. Miss Gu just didn¡¯t notice you were here, so she asked me to find you. She¡¯s over there; you can go and find her,¡± the waiter exined, pointing in the direction.


    Shu Pan felt puzzled. She thought Huanhuan knew she was here. Why did she send someone to look for her? Was there something important?


    Quickly, she headed in the direction the waiter had indicated, scanning the area as she walked.


    As she moved away, Tong Fei approached. Without being noticed, she poured something into Shu Pan¡¯s champagne ss before swiftly walking away.


    Not finding Huanhuan, Shu Pan returned to her seat and dialed her phone. ¡°Huanhuan, were you looking for me?¡± Shu Pan asked as soon as the call connected.


    ¡°Nope. I¡¯m just discussing some matters with Director Ma. It won¡¯t take long. If you¡¯re tired, wait for me in the lounge, ¡± Huanhuan instructed.


    Huanhuan had gotten carried away in her conversation and neglected Shu Pan. She felt guilt for that.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. Take your time. I¡¯ll wait for you,¡± Shu Pan replied, feeling reassured that nothing urgent was happening. She picked up her ss and took a sip of champagne..


    <div>

 Chapter 467: Something Happened (1)

    Chapter 467: Something Happened (1)<div>


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Shu Pan found it difficult to adapt to such asions where people were hypocritical, showing harmony on the surface while engaging in backstabbing behind the scenes.


    ncing around, she realized she didn¡¯t know anyone. Since she wasn¡¯t keen on watching TV, she couldn¡¯t recognize any of the celebrities or actors present. Not being a fan of celebrities, she felt lonely here and started to miss her daughter and husband.<div>


    Unable to resist, she pulled out her phone and called Gu Shaoting. After a while, he answered, ¡°Is Joy asleep?¡±


    Not wanting to admit she missed him, she used Joy as an excuse. ¡®Yes, she¡¯s asleep. I¡¯m chatting with He Ming on the balcony.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± she sighed inwardly. What a dead-end conversation.


    ¡°When will you be back? Is Huanhuan causing trouble?¡± Gu Shaoting asked when he noticed she didn¡¯t continue speaking.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure yet. Huanhuan is chatting with some friends,¡± Shu Pan replied, her tone sounding somewhat forlorn.


    Gu Shaoting knew Huanhuan wasn¡¯t reliable; she had left her cousin-inw alone.


    ¡°Wait there; I¡¯lle to pick you up,¡± Gu Shaoting decided, realizing He Ming was there and could look after Joy. He was worried that if Joy woke up and found nobody at home, she might get scared.


    ¡°It¡¯s not appropriate. The event hasn¡¯t ended yet, and I promised to apany Huanhuan,¡± Shu Pan protested.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. I¡¯ll wait outside for you,¡± Gu Shaoting said before informing He Ming and leaving with his car keys.


    Shu Pan shrugged helplessly. It seemed Gu Shaoting¡¯s decisions were difficult to change.


    After hanging up the phone, Shu Pan suddenly felt overheated. She took another sip of champagne, but it only seemed to make her feel hotter.<div>


    In the crowd, Tong Fei couldn¡¯t help but smirk when she saw Shu Pan taking a few sips from her ss, her lips curling into a satisfied smile.


    Originally, the drink was prepared for a famous director; she wanted a role in one of his movies. But now, Shu Pan was benefitting from it. Thinking about what was going to happen next, Tong Fei felt like bursting intoughter. ¡°How long can you remain arrogant? If you be a wilted flower, will Gu Shaoting still want you?¡±


    Of course, she had already arranged the male lead, a well-known figure in the industry infamous for his inappropriate behavior. She had suffered at his hands before. Once, for an endorsement, he had taken advantage of her, and on another asion, he had drugged her, tormenting her all night long. The thought of those incidents still sent shivers down her spine. Seeing him today, he was the first person that came to mind.


    As Tong Fei kept an eye on Shu Pan, she also watched the male lead. Seeing Shu Pan touch her forehead and then stand up, looking around, presumably searching for the restroom, Tong Fei instructed someone nearby to inform her.


    Then Tong Fei approached the middle-aged man addressed as President Yang. He had a protruding belly and chubby fingers that seemed like they were about to ooze oil.


    ¡°President Yang, how have you been?¡± Tong Fei greeted him. ¡°It¡¯s been a while. Why haven¡¯t you contacted metely? Have you forgotten about me?¡±


    President Yang grinned, attempting to shake Tong Fei¡¯s hand. However, Tong Fei skillfully avoided it.


    ¡°Of course I remember you. Whenever something good happens, you¡¯re the first person I think of,¡± Tong Fei ttered him.


    President Yang chuckled, ¡°Hehe, then how about joining me for a drinkter?¡±


    Who was Tong Fei? How could she not sense his ulterior motives? But she wasn¡¯t naive. President Yang currently had no useful projects for her, but maintaining good rtions was still important. So, she had already prepared some sweeteners for him..


    <div>

 Chapter 468: Something Happened (2)

    Chapter 468: Something Happened (2)<div>


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    ¡°President Yang, rest assured, I¡¯ve got something good for you today,¡± Tong Fei said mysteriously, leaning in close to President Yang¡¯s ear.


    President Yang couldn¡¯t help but grin widely at her words.<div>


    Tong Fei was truly remarkable; she seemed to understand him well, even thinking of him when good opportunities arose.


    Tong Fei gestured towards the direction of the restroom. She had seen Shu Pan heading in that direction earlier. There were plenty of empty rooms over there, perfect for whatever they had in mind.


    Shu Pan felt strange, experiencing alternating sensations of cold and heat. She also had an intense craving for water or something icy.


    Something didn¡¯t feel right. Why was she feeling this way? It was all so inexplicable.


    What was happening to her? How did things suddenly take a turn like this? Was she falling ill? She had never experienced anything like this before.


    Shu Pan felt a sense of panic creeping in, but she urgently needed water to clear her head.


    Following the instructions of the waiter, she made her way inside. Turning a corner, she spotted the restroom and rushed to the sink, feeling like she had stumbled upon an oasis in the desert.


    She sshed water onto her face frantically, seeking momentary relief.


    However, the coolness was only temporary. Looking at her reflection in the mirror, she noticed her flushed cheeks and a dazed expression.


    Feeling increasingly hot and lightheaded, she decided to step outside to wait for Gu Shaoting to pick her up. He should be arriving soon.


    As she stumbled out of the restroom, she was suddenly confronted by someoneing towards her. She tried to dodge, but the person seemed to intentionally collide with her.<div>


    ¡°Sorry¡­¡± she began to say, but before she could finish, the person grabbed her hand, sending a jolt of surprise through her.


    ¡°Let go of me,¡± Shu Pan struggled, but she found it hard to exert force.


    Her face grew even redder, partly from the struggle and partly from the escting situation.


    The man stumbled back as she pushed him, but then he seemed intent on advancing towards her again.


    In the past, she might have dismissed her symptoms as just a fever, but because of her previous experience of being drugged, she immediately suspected that she had fallen victim to someone¡¯s plot.


    It must have been that ss of champagne. She had only taken a few sips, and she didn¡¯t feel intoxicated. Her face was flushed, and she felt overheated. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m not a bad guy,¡± the man¡¯s words startled Shu Pan.


    ¡®What do you want?¡± she demanded.


    Shu Pan kicked at him and furrowed her brow, desperately trying to evade his advances.


    But the man seemed oblivious, as if he hadn¡¯t heard her at all. In reality, his mind was in a fog, and he wasn¡¯t sure what he was thinking at that moment.


    The smell from his nostrils made Shu Pan feel nauseous, and suddenly, she vomited.


    ¡°Ew¡­¡± The man looked at her in disgust. It was a real mood-killer.<div>


    With all this mess, the mood waspletely ruined.


    Seeing her condition, it was clear that Shu Pan had been drugged. Tong Fei must have orchestrated this herself. It was hard to imagine she had this capability. It just showed that one should never underestimate the power of a woman with evil intentions. This was what happened.


    The man felt somewhat reluctant to leave. Opportunities like this didn¡¯te by often, and nobody was paying attention to this corner.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t leave now, I¡¯ll call for help,¡± Shu Pan red at him fiercely, her eyes like those of a trapped animal.


    The man clicked his tongue, noticing the sour smell of vomit in the air. After a moment¡¯s consideration, he walked away.


    What a shame, the man shook his head, feeling somewhat regretful. She was quite attractive. Used to seeing women heavily made up in the entertainment industry, encountering someone more naturally beautiful was refreshing. But to stumble into a situation like this¡­ it was truly disheartening..

 Chapter 469: Fortunately, I Arrived

    Chapter 469: Fortunately, I Arrived<div>


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Shu Pan breathed a sigh of relief as she watched him walk away, noticing her slightly disheveled clothes from the struggle, but thankfully not torn. Leaning against the wall, she slowly stood up.


    With difficulty, she retrieved her phone and dialed Gu Shaoting¡¯s number.<div>


    Quickly, he answered, his deep voice providing Shu Pan with a sense of security. Hearing his voice now, she felt like bursting into tears.


    ¡°Shaoting, I¡¯m¡­ in the restroom,¡± Shu Pan struggled to speak, her words


    disjointed, feeling as if thousands of ants were biting her.


    Before she could finish, her phone died.


    Gu Shaoting¡¯s heart skipped a beat. Shu Pan was in trouble; that was his first thought. He immediately parked his car and headed towards the banquet hall.


    Just as Shu Pan ended the call, without even waiting for another ring, he dialed Gu Huanhuan¡¯s phone.


    ¡°Bro, why are you calling?¡± Gu Huanhuan was unaware of Shu Pan¡¯s situation.


    ¡°Where¡¯s your cousin-in w?¡± Gu Shaoting inquired.


    ¡°I was looking for her too. She said she¡¯d wait for me in the lounge, but when I checked just now, she wasn¡¯t there. I got caught up in a discussion with friends and lost track of time,¡± Gu Huanhuan exined, filled with regret. She could almost feel her brother¡¯s wrath.


    Where could her cousin-inw be? Her phone wasn¡¯t answering either.


    ¡°Go check the restroom area,¡± Gu Shaoting instructed. Shu Pan had mentioned being in the restroom during their call.<div>


    ¡°Alright,¡± Gu Huanhuan replied anxiously. If something happened to her cousin-inw, it would be a nightmare.


    Gu Huanhuan searched the restroom thoroughly but found no sign of Shu Pan. Calling out her name yielded no response. Disappointed, she exited the restroom.


    Suddenly, she heard a muffled groan. Straining her ears, she realized it wasing from the stairwell.


    Stealthily, she approached and peeked inside, only to be petrified by what she saw.


    Shu Pan felt groggy and disoriented, her appearance slightly disheveled.


    There was vomit on the floor, her face flushed, and she seemed somewhat delirious.


    ¡°Cousin-inw¡­¡± Gu Huanhuan approached and helped Shu Pan up.


    ¡°It¡¯s hot¡­ so hot. I need water,¡± Shu Pan desperately tugged at her clothes.


    Struggling to resist, Gu Huanhuan quickly called Gu Shaoting. ¡°Hurry!


    Something¡¯s wrong with cousin-inw. We¡¯re by the stairs near the restroom.¡±


    Gu Shaoting immediately hung up and hastened his steps.<div>


    Seeing the flush on Shu Pan¡¯s face, Gu Huanhuan asked nervously, ¡°Cousin-inw, are you drunk?¡±


    Strangely, she didn¡¯t smell any alcohol.


    Shu Pan shook her head, her voice hoarse. ¡°No¡­ nothing. Help me¡­ call your cousin. ¡±


    Seeing her bewildered eyes, devoid of focus, Gu Huanhuan grew increasingly worried. ¡°He¡¯s almost here. We¡¯ll take you to the hospital soon.¡±


    ¡°Okay, as long as he¡¯sing,¡± Shu Pan felt something writhing inside her, along with a strange sense of desire.


    Gu Huanhuan was on the verge of tears. ¡°Cousin-inw, I¡¯m so sorry. I should have stayed by your side. Then this wouldn¡¯t have happened.¡±


    Filled with intense guilt, she deeply med herself. If only she hadn¡¯t gone to see her friends, none of this would have urred. She couldn¡¯t escape her culpability.


    ¡°No, it¡¯s okay,¡± Shu Pan tried to reassure her, but she found it hard to speak, feeling ufortable all over, as if she were in a furnace.


    ¡°Panpan¡­¡± Gu Shaoting finally caught up, immediately recognizing that Shu Pan had been drugged. Otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t be in such a dazed state, with impaired consciousness.


    He approached nervously and embraced her.


    As soon as Shu Pan felt Gu Shaoting¡¯s touch, it was like finding an oasis in a desert. She felt cool andfortable..<div>

 Chapter 470: Antidote

    Chapter 470: Antidote<div>


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Gu Shaoting could feel the burning heat emanating from her skin.


    ¡°Bro¡­¡± Gu Huanhuan felt relieved seeing Gu Shaoting¡¯s arrival, and she timidly asked.<div>


    ¡°I¡¯ll take your cousin-inw back. You wait here, I¡¯ll call the driver to pick you up,¡± Gu Shaoting knew what had happened to Shu Pan, so he didn¡¯t want Huanhuan to follow.


    He immediately called the driver to pick up Gu Huanhuan.


    ¡°Okay,¡± Gu Huanhuan, realizing her mistake, behaved exceptionally obediently.


    Gu Shaoting carried Shu Pan and briskly headed to the parking lot.


    Tong Fei had been eagerly awaiting the drama, thinking that the climax was about to unfold.


    It was about time, and she had just seen President Yang pass by.


    With President Yang¡¯s character, how could he let a beauty like Shu Pan slip by?


    Moreover, she had given her a sufficient dosage of the drug; even ady would turnscivious.


    Because she had been flirting with an investor just now, she hadn¡¯t seen President Yang walk out looking crestfallen.


    She waited anxiously, and suddenly, she saw Gu Shaoting carrying Shu Pan out.


    At first, she thought she was seeing things, but after a closer look, it was indeed Gu Shaoting, a figure deeply engraved in her memory. She couldn¡¯t be mistaken.<div>


    What¡¯s going on? Seeing Shu Pan bury her face in his chest, she couldn¡¯t discern anything.


    Had President Yang seeded?


    Tong Fei wasn¡¯t sure anymore. Had she escaped yet again?


    Tong Fei clenched her fists in frustration.


    Gu Shaoting, preupied with leaving quickly, didn¡¯t notice the people around him, including Tong Fei.


    He didn¡¯t think much about it, just finding the entertainment industry chaotic.


    Look, even such a high-end banquet could harbor such sordid affairs.


    It was truly incredible.


    Once in the car, he called He Ming, asking him to take care of Joy. There were still matters here, and he might need to trouble him tonight.


    He Ming readily agreed, asking what was wrong and if he needed any help.


    Gu Shaoting didn¡¯t know where to start, so he glossed over the details.<div>


    After arranging for the driver to pick up Huanhuan, he stepped on the gas pedal, heading to a nearby five-star hotel. This was the only arrangement possible under the circumstances.


    Shu Pan in the car kept moaning and pulling at her clothes.


    Gu Shaoting noticed from the corner of his eye that her skirt was already askew, revealing glimpses of her bra.


    It was a dire situation. Gu Shaoting couldn¡¯t stop her while driving, so he just elerated.


    Upon reaching a nearby five-star hotel, Gu Shaoting took off his jacket, wrapped her in it, and then booked a deluxe suite.


    After closing the door behind them, the already distressed Shu Pan still had some rationality left. She went into the bathroom, quickly took off her dress, and started showering with cold water.


    Hearing the rushing water, Gu Shaoting was rmed, worried she might catch a cold. He quickly joined her, adjusting the water temperature.


    Then he gently helped her wash up.


    Afterward, he dried her with a towel and carried her to the bed.


    The fire in Shu Pan¡¯s heart couldn¡¯t be extinguished. She tossed and turned ufortably.


    She loosened the towel herself, exposing her smooth, fair skin to the slightly cool air. If Gu Shaoting could still resist now, he would be a saint.<div>


    His gaze towards Shu Pan became intense, shining brightly. He moved closer to her.


    Shu Pan¡¯s body felt strange. She felt like she was on fire, scorching hot, while


    Gu Shaoting was like ice, every touch making her want to moan withfort.


    What was happening to her? She knew she had been drugged, but she had never reacted like this before.


    Gu Shaoting knew she had been given an aphrodisiac. He felt both heartache and anger. If he found out who did this, he wouldn¡¯t let them off lightly..

 Chapter 471: Regret

    Chapter 471: Regret<div>


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Gu Shaoting could feel her difort, but he was helpless.


    He regretted letting her and Huanhuan go to the banquet, it was really worrying.<div>


    ¡°I want water, I¡¯m thirsty,¡± Shu Pan felt like her throat was on fire.


    She clung to Gu Shaoting¡¯s neck, constantly pleading for water because she was extremely thirsty.


    Her eyes were slightly widened, blinking innocently.


    The man lowered his gaze, gently rubbing her tender face, ¡°Be good, let go of me now, and I can give you some water to drink.¡±


    Shu Pan couldn¡¯t understand what he meant, she just wanted water.


    As long as he was there, she would feel at ease.


    Gu Shaoting heard her request for water, but she refused to let him get up.


    Helplessly, he had to carry her off the bed to fetch water.


    Shu Pan hung onto him like a ko.


    Gu Shaoting finally managed to pour a ss of water, bringing it to her lips. She gulped it down in a few swallows.


    Her throat finally felt less ufortable, the coolness of the water providing some relief.<div>


    ¡°Panpan.¡±


    The man¡¯s Adam¡¯s apple bobbed as he called her name, his voice low and sexy, like the melody of a cello.


    Then, his deep gaze lowered, staring into her eyes with an intensity that sent shivers down her spine.


    Shu Pan let out a muffled sound, looking up at the man, feeling bewildered.


    In an instant, the man kissed her with astonishing speed.


    His kiss was passionate and lingering, leaving her powerless to resist.


    Shu Pan felt like this moment was the most real.


    The man didn¡¯t say another word, but his strong arms tightly embraced Shu


    Pan¡­


    The night was still young, and the romantic interlude between lovers had only just begun¡­


    Next Day<div>


    Shu Pan whimpered and woke up. Looking around at the unfamiliar room, she froze as memories ofst night flooded her mind like a tidal wave.


    She suddenly felt a dull ache in her head, shaking it slightly. How could this have happened? She still couldn¡¯t understand.


    Then she heard the sound of running water from the bathroom. She remembered that Gu Shaoting had arrivedst, so she guessed it was him inside, which relieved her. Thank goodness he came, otherwise she couldn¡¯t imagine what might have happened.


    Alone in the room, she slowly pulled back the covers and looked at herself in the mirror, feeling stunned.


    It seemed like the first time something like this had ever happened to her.


    And because of the drugs, she didn¡¯t feel like herself anymore. Thinking about it, she really wanted to find a hole to crawl into at this moment, it was so embarrassing.


    She covered her face with her hands, blushing as if she were about to bleed.


    She couldn¡¯t quite understand how attending a banquet had led to this. Who could have done this to her?


    She sat there, feeling anxious.


    Gu Shaoting must be furious, she thought, because he had initially refused to let her go, and she had insisted on apanying Huanhuan.


    Who would have thought something like this would happen?<div>


    Could it have been Tong Fei? She might still hold a grudge, thinking Shu Pan had stolen Gu Shaoting from her, so she wanted to retaliate.


    It wasn¡¯t impossible, but she had no evidence, so she couldn¡¯t be sure.


    But she probably wouldn¡¯t want to go to suchplicated gatherings in the future, because this lesson was unforgettable, wasn¡¯t it?


    She curled up, preparing herself for Gu Shaoting¡¯s scolding.


    Sigh, it¡¯s been a tough year, feeling like there¡¯s so much going on.


    She rubbed her temples, feeling helpless..

 Chapter 472: Investigation

    Chapter 472: Investigation<div>


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    While Shu Pan was lost in thought, Gu Shaoting emerged from the bathroom, a white towel draped around his waist, his physique strong and firm.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Gu Shaoting asked, seeing her covering her face, thinking there might be something else bothering her, and quickly approached her.<div>


    Shu Pan looked up, stunned. She saw numerous scratch marks on Gu Shaoting¡¯s body, knowing instantly whose handiwork it was. Shu Pan felt like banging her head against the wall.


    ¡°I have a headache¡­¡± Shu Pan pouted.


    ¡°That¡¯s normal, considering the drugs, ¡± Gu Shaoting said sympathetically.


    ¡°Yeah¡­¡± Shu Pan¡¯s gaze was somewhat dazed.


    ¡°What happened exactly?¡± Gu Shaoting furrowed his brows, puzzled. Shu Pan was naive; apart from knowing Huanhuan, she was unfamiliar with such settings and unlikely to ept drinks from strangers.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know exactly. A waiter came to me and said Huanhuan was looking for me. I left for a moment, then returned to the lounge. Feeling thirsty, I saw the champagne I had just been drinking on the table, so I took a few sips, had some snacks, and then started feeling dizzy and hot,¡± Shu Pan slowly recalled the events ofst night.


    She also wanted to figure out what had happened. Did she identally drink something, or was she deliberately drugged?


    ¡°Did you meet anyone at the banquet? Talk to anyone?¡± Gu Shaoting inquired.


    ¡°Yeah, I talked to Tong Fei,¡± Shu Pan replied, stealing a nce at Gu Shaoting¡¯s expression, knowing that Tong Fei was once his fianc¨¦e.


    Gu Shaoting frowned deeply upon hearing this.


    Why was she still in Bin City? Didn¡¯t he warn herst time to develop her career abroad?<div>


    If Shu Pan hadn¡¯t mentioned it now, he would have forgotten about this person.


    It seemed he needed to have He Ming investigate the matter. What exactly had happened?


    If it turned out to be her doing, then she shouldn¡¯t me him for not showing mercy.


    After all, he had given her a chance based on their past rtionship.


    Now they were strangers, so there was no sentiment to be considered.


    She¡¯d better pray that it wasn¡¯t her doing.


    ¡°Alright, I got it. I¡¯ll look into it,¡± Gu Shaoting reassured, patting her head.


    ¡°Oops, where are we now? What about Joy?¡± Shu Pan finally snapped out of her daze.


    ¡°With your condition yesterday, I booked a hotel room. Joy is at home, don¡¯t worry, He Ming is taking care of her,¡± Gu Shaotingforted her, knowing that she was most concerned about Joy.


    ¡°That¡¯s good,¡± Shu Pan nodded, feeling relieved.


    ¡°Your change of clothes is on the chair,¡± he gestured towards the prepared clothes arranged by the hotel staff.<div>


    Gu Shaoting lifted her from the bed, then settled her on hisp, his hand gently massaging her temples.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Shu Pan hesitated.


    Gu Shaoting remained silent, his gaze lowered as he moved his hand away from her temples, gently resting it on her abdomen, lost in thought.


    It was only when she spoke that he snapped out of it, ¡°Hungry?


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Shu Pan nodded. She had only eaten some snacks yesterday, and now her stomach was growling.


    Feeling a bit uneasy under his stare, Shu Pan hastily got off hisp and went into the bathroom with her clothes.


    Seeing her go in, Gu Shaoting took out his phone and dialed He Ming¡¯s number.


    ¡°He Ming, sorry to bother youst night. Is Joy awake? We¡¯re heading back now,¡± Gu Shaoting rubbed his forehead.


    ¡°She¡¯s awake, ordered breakfast, and is eating. You guyse back and join us for breakfast,¡± He Ming replied, understanding that something had gone wrong, but he didn¡¯t ask. Gu Shaoting would tell him..

 Chapter 473: So It Really Was Her

    Chapter 473: So It Really Was Her<div>


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Gu Shaoting and Shu Pan returned home, only to find He Ming coaxing Joy, who was upset because she woke up and didn¡¯t see Daddy and Mommy around.


    ¡°Daddy, Mommy, where did you go? Why didn¡¯t you take me?¡± Joy burst into tears.<div>


    ¡°Sweetheart, we had some work to attend to, it¡¯s adult stuff,¡± Shu Pan crouched in front of Joy, patting her head.


    Joy sniffled, looking quite forlorn.


    ¡°Next time, you have to take me with you wherever you go,¡± Joy pouted, bargaining.


    ¡°Alright,¡± Shu Pan chuckled at Joy¡¯s tearful smile, gently tapping her little nose.


    ¡°Come on, let¡¯s have breakfast before it gets cold,¡± He Ming reminded them. ¡°Okay, sorry for the trouble,¡± Shu Pan apologized to He Ming as she stood up.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be silly,¡± He Ming smiled faintly.


    Shu Pan led Joy to the dining table, while Gu Shaoting exchanged a nce with He Ming.


    He Ming followed him to the balcony, sensing that something serious had happened since they didn¡¯t return homest night.


    ¡°Brother Ting, what happened?¡± It must be something significant for them not toe backst night.


    ¡°Ting, have someone check the surveince footage from Binjiang Hotel¡¯s banquet yesterday, see who drugged Shu Pan,¡± Gu Shaoting¡¯s tone was stern, sending a shiver down He Ming¡¯s spine.


    ¡°Drugged?¡± He Ming was stunned. Who dared to take such a risk? Are they out of their minds?<div>


    It¡¯s no wonder Gu Shaoting was so angry. If anyone dared to treat Xiaomeng like this, he would probably tear them apart.


    ¡°Yeah, drugged with aphrodisiacs. It feels intentional, because Shu Pan said she only left for a while, came back, drank that ss of champagne, and then things went downhill,¡± Gu Shaoting said fiercely. It was truly despicable.


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll have someone look into it,¡± He Ming nodded.


    ¡°Also, find out who harassed Shu Pan. When we arrived, she seemed disheveled.¡±


    ¡°No problem, I¡¯ll get back to you as soon as possible,¡± He Ming understood Gu Shaoting¡¯s mood.


    After He Ming left, Shu Pan took a day off to rest at home.


    In the afternoon, Gu Huanhuan suddenly visited.


    ¡°Sis, how are you feeling?¡± Gu Huanhuan felt guilty for not being able to sleep wellst night. She had wanted to visit Shu Pan in the morning, but her brother said Shu Pan was still asleep, so she rushed over as soon as she found out she was awake in the afternoon.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine, don¡¯t worry,¡± Shu Pan smiled softly, knowing Gu Huanhuan was ming herself. In reality, it wasn¡¯t Gu Huanhuan¡¯s fault. If someone really wanted to harm her, it would have been unavoidable, just a matter of time.


    Gu Huanhuan¡¯s eyes were a bit red; she must have been quite frightened byst night¡¯s events.


    Seeing that Shu Pan was okay, she felt a bit relieved. She wouldn¡¯t dare to be so careless in the future.<div>


    Gu Shaoting had already scolded her thoroughly, but this time Gu Huanhuan didn¡¯t argue back. It was indeed her fault this time. If she had stayed by Shu Pan¡¯s side, perhaps this wouldn¡¯t have happened.


    Because she still had othermitments, Gu Huanhuan left after seeing that Shu Pan was okay.


    Around 5 0¡¯clock, Gu Shaoting came home. He had to rush back to the office at noon because of an urgent matter.


    ¡°Back already? Huanhuan just left,¡± Shu Pan was tidying up the coffee table.


    ¡°That girl dares toe again? Stay away from her in the future,¡± Gu Shaoting was now extremely cautious.


    ¡°It was an ident this time, don¡¯t me her,¡± Shu Pan persuaded. No one could have expected such a thing to happen. It was a lesson for herself to be more vignt in the future.


    Just as Gu Shaoting sat down, his phone rang.. He nced at it and immediately answered, ¡°Do you have any updates?¡±

 Chapter 474: Strange

    Chapter 474: Strange<div>


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    ¡°It¡¯s not much,¡± came He Ming¡¯s voice from the phone.


    Gu Shaoting paused, feeling somewhat uneasy. ¡°Why is it taking so long? It¡¯s been almost a day, and still no results?¡±<div>


    ¡°Yeah, because it involves privacy, it¡¯s been difficult to coordinate with the hotel,¡± He Ming sounded a bit frustrated.


    ¡°But there¡¯s some progress. I asked one of the waitresses at the hotel, and she said she saw Tong Fei and Shu Pan talking, and it seemed like they were having some kind of disagreement,¡± He Ming informed Gu Shaoting of the investigation¡¯s findings.


    Gu Shaoting remained silent, a faint suspicion forming in his mind.


    Wasn¡¯t using drugs a method Tong Fei excels at?


    ¡°Do you suspect Tong Fei?¡± He Ming asked, puzzled by Gu Shaoting¡¯s prolonged silence.


    ¡°It¡¯s possible. She and Shu Pan seem to have some grievances, and considering our previous interactions, she might still hold a grudge,¡± Gu Shaoting basically confirmed it was Tong Fei, but he didn¡¯t want to wrongly use her. He wanted her to admit it willingly, without any clever excuses.


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll have someone look into it further,¡± He Ming hung up.


    Ye Xiaomeng, who was nearby, overheard and asked anxiously, ¡°Did something happen to Shu Pan? How is she now?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s fine now, resting at home,¡± He Ming reassured her, pulling her to sit on the sofa.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on? Why do I feel like she¡¯s been getting into trouble more often since she got together with Gu Shaoting? Are they ipatible?¡± Ye Xiaomeng couldn¡¯t help but be sarcastic.


    ¡°Don¡¯t jump to conclusions. She¡¯s probably being intentionally targeted. We¡¯re still investigating,¡± He Ming hugged her reassuringly.<div>


    Ye Xiaomeng remained silent. ¡°How are you feelingtely? Don¡¯t stress too much. How about we take a vacation together? It might help to clear your mind,¡± He Ming kissed her.


    Ye Xiaomeng also felt a bit overwhelmedtely, especially with the pressure to have a child.


    Everyone understood the logic. Things didn¡¯t happen just because you wanted them to, especially when it came to having children.


    ¡°You¡¯ve been quite busytely, haven¡¯t you? Let¡¯s talk about it when you have time. I can ask Shu Pan¡¯s opinion then, and we can all go together, it¡¯ll be more lively,¡± Ye Xiaomeng replied somewhat absentmindedly, her mind wandering to which hospital had skilled doctors she could visit.


    He Ming understood her thoughts. He nned to talk to his mother about marrying Xiaomeng.


    Xiaomengcked a sense of security. She wanted to have a child and approval from Mother He. So, he wanted to provide her with what shecked.


    The next day, Shu Pan woke up to find Gu Shaoting already preparing breakfast.


    ¡°Darling, time for breakfast,¡± Gu Shaoting, wearing an apron, opened the door and called out to Shu Pan in bed.


    ¡°Okay,¡± Shu Pan responded quickly, swiftly getting ready.


    ¡°Panpan, there¡¯s something I¡¯d like to discuss with you,¡± Gu Shaoting hesitated, feeling a bit uneasy about bringing it up.


    ¡°Go ahead,¡± Shu Pan frowned slightly.<div>


    ¡°Are you tired from work?¡± Gu Shaoting asked cautiously.


    ¡°Not too much. Why do you ask?¡± Shu Pan looked at him, puzzled by his question today.


    ¡°How about quitting your job and staying at home? Don¡¯t overwork yourself. If you get bored, you cane to the office with me,¡± Gu Shaoting suggested. He didn¡¯t want her to be so tired, and with her by his side, he felt safer, not constantly worried about what might happen next.


    Shu Pan was surprised by Gu Shaoting¡¯s suggestion.


    ¡°I can manage for now. Let¡¯s consider it when I can¡¯t juggle family and work anymore,¡± Shu Pan felt that women needed to work to show their worth. If she stayed at home doing nothing every day, she would go crazy..

 Chapter 475: Furious

    Chapter 475: Furious<div>


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Shu Pan also sensed Gu Shaoting¡¯s thoughts. The recent series of idents had really shaken him. He believed that staying by his side was the safest option.


    There was a hint of disappointment on Gu Shaoting¡¯s face. Although he had anticipated the oue, hearing it still left him feeling a bit disheartened.<div>


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll quit when the family needs me more,¡± Shu Pan promised, seeing his expression.


    Gu Shaoting had just settled into his office when He Ming pushed the door open.


    ¡°Brother Ting, we found out. It was indeed Tong Fei who did it. She took advantage of Shu Pan¡¯s absence and spiked her champagne,¡± He Ming said indignantly. ¡°She even told the entertainment industry¡¯s notorious womanizer, Yang Yong, about it.¡±


    It was despicable.


    Gu Shaoting¡¯s face darkened instantly, like the harbinger of a storm, making people feel a little scared.


    ¡°Okay, I understand. I¡¯ll handle the rest. Thanks,¡± Gu Shaoting¡¯s voice sounded restrained, his expression showing his anger.


    He had given her chances, but unfortunately, she didn¡¯t appreciate them. Now, he wouldn¡¯t be polite anymore.


    Gu Shaoting couldn¡¯t quiteprehend Tong Fei¡¯s mindset. She loved her career more than anything, willing to sacrifice herself for it.


    She was no longer the Tong Fei he had known. If it weren¡¯t for Shu Pan¡¯s incident, he would have long forgotten about her.


    But since she chose to do this, she should be prepared for what was toe.


    ¡°What do you n to do?¡± He Ming could only mourn silently for Tong Fei. There was no use in saying anything now.<div>


    ¡°If she likes spiking drinks, let¡¯s spike hers. If she likes introducing people to President Yang, let¡¯s introduce her instead, then take photos and send them to the press,¡± Gu Shaoting said lightly, as if discussing today¡¯s weather. It was so natural.


    ¡°Go find someone and act when the time is right,¡± Gu Shaoting instructed. This time, he would make her regret why she ever provoked him.


    ¡°Mmm¡­ Alright.¡± Initially, He Ming had considered pleading for mercy on her behalf. After all, if they really went through with it, she would be done for. A woman¡¯s reputation was the most important thing.


    Tong Fei had no idea what she was about to face.


    After leaving the office, He Ming immediately arranged for someone to track Tong Fei, waiting for the right moment to strike.


    After two days of surveince, they finally got their chance.


    Tong Fei was scheduled for amercial shoot. She always carried a thermos with her to keep her voice in good condition. Inside, she kept some tonic supplements.


    While she was away shooting, He Ming¡¯s associate discreetly poured the aphrodisiac into the thermos, doubling the dosage.


    Then they waited for Tong Fei¡¯s reaction.


    Sure enough, when Tong Fei returned, she was thirsty. She casually poured herself a cup of red date and wolfberry tea that she had prepared herself.


    The warm water was soothing to her throat, veryforting. ncing at the time, she realized it was about time to leave. She called Zhou, her chauffeur, asking her to bring the car around.<div>


    Her career wasn¡¯t as sessful as before. Previously, thepany had provided her with a lot of support, but now it was just Zhou alone.


    Once she got into the car, Zhou informed her that President Yang had called and wanted to see her, saying he needed her advice.


    Tong Fei furrowed her brows.


    President Yang? Why would that lecherous man want to see her? It couldn¡¯t be for anything good.


    But she had no choice. After all, she relied on him now.


    ¡°President Yang, what¡¯s the matter? Do you need something?¡± Tong Fei spoke in a sweet and delicate voice.


    ¡°I¡¯ll send you an address. Come over.¡± With that, President Yang hung up, and Tong Fei received a text message on her phone..

 Chapter 476: The Revenge

    Chapter 476: The Revenge<div>


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Tong Fei was in a dilemma. She didn¡¯t know if she should go or not. It was not a good thing to go, but if she did not go, she would offend others.


    ¡°President Yang, I just happened to be filming. What¡¯s the matter?¡± Tong Fei continued to send a message.<div>


    ¡°Cut the crap. Come over now.¡± President Yang¡¯s tone was very impatient.


    Tong Fei had no choice but to let Xiao Zhou drive the car to the designated ce.


    On the way, Tong Fei started to feel that something was wrong. Did she have a fever? She felt that she was burning up.


    Moreover, her body was reacting strangely.


    This feeling was strange, but also somewhat familiar.


    She thought about it for a moment. She was filming in the studio today and did not go anywhere else. Moreover, the tea she drank was prepared by herself.


    Now that she was in society, especially in the moreplicated entertainment industry, she still had the awareness to protect herself.


    However, nothing had gone wrong. Why did she have such a reaction?


    It was not a fever. Her heart was very hot and stuffy right now.


    ¡°Miss Fei, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Zhou looked at Tong Fei in surprise. Her face was peach-colored, but her eyes were a little dazed.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. I want water.¡± Tong Fei tugged at her skirt. Her tone was a little impatient.<div>


    ¡°Do you want me to send you to the hospital?¡± Zhou asked worriedly. Why did it suddenly be like this?


    ¡°No need. Just send me to the ce I mentioned just now.¡± Tong Fei knew what


    her reaction was.


    At the moment, there was no way to figure out the problem. She had to solve the problem at hand first.


    ¡°Alright. Have some water.¡± Zhou handed her a bottle of mineral water.


    Tong Fei leaned against the chair. Her body was burning hot.


    When they arrived at the hotel, Zhou parked the car in the underground parking lot. Tong Fei sneakily got out of the car. Then, she put on her sunsses and coat and quickly walked into the elevator. She was worried that someone would recognize her.


    She had just knocked when the door opened. A hand reached out and pulled her in.


    At the corner of the hotel¡¯s premium suite, a person was holding a camera and facing the door. He quickly pressed the camera button.


    After a long time, Tong Fei came out. Her hair was a little messy and her clothes were a little wrinkled.


    She looked around and saw that there was no one else. She could not help but heave a sigh of relief.<div>


    She was somewhat awake now. She thought about the cause and effect of the matter and knew that something was wrong.


    She was drugged.


    She had experienced this before, so she knew how it felt.


    But who was it?


    She only drank a little of the red dates and wolfberry water that she had prepared throughout the filming. Could it be that someone had put it in at that time?


    She was too careless.


    Who could it be? Was it another artiste who waspeting with her for the endorsement?


    She had used some tricks to get the cosmetics endorsement. Did that artiste bear a grudge and want to take revenge on her? Did she want to ruin her reputation?


    That was all she could think of now.


    D*mn it! If she found out that it was that woman who did it, she would make her suffer.


    Tong Fei wanted others to know that she was not easy to deal with. She had seen a lot of scheming, so she knew how to deal with it.<div>


    Tong Fei thought as she walked, so she didn¡¯t notice the person who was taking photos of her behind her. She also didn¡¯t notice that President Yang followed her and watched her leave when she opened the door.


    President Yang was still thinking about it. Supermodels lived up to their reputation. The hag at home was iparable. It was because he had suffered at home that he called Tong Fei. Thinking about the mess the night before, he asked Tong Fei topensate him.


    However, he also promised to give her benefits and they did not owe each other anything..

 Chapter 477: The Photos Were Exposed

    Chapter 477: The Photos Were Exposed<div>


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Tong Fei could not imagine what was going to happen next.


    When she returned to the car, her head was still aching a little.<div>


    ¡°Miss Fei¡­¡± Zhou wanted to say something but hesitated. She knew what had happened.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Tong Fei waved her hand, telling her to go home as soon as possible.


    Tong Fei sat in the car and looked at the scenery outside the window. Her heart ached. How did she be like this?


    She felt that she was making her final struggle now. She had to use all means in her career to get a small endorsement.


    She suddenly thought of Gu Shaoting. Why didn¡¯t he love her?


    She still couldn¡¯t understand how she was inferior to Shu Pan. She was better than her In terms of appearance, figure, and knowledge.


    If Gu Shaoting hadn¡¯t broken off the engagement with her, she wouldn¡¯t be in this predicament.


    Therefore, she gritted her teeth whenever she thought of Shu Pan.


    Gu Shaoting had already received a message from the person who was following Tong Fei.


    He sat in his office and looked at the photo on his phone. His eyes couldn¡¯t help but darken.


    This was Tong Fei¡¯s fault. He would not allow such a dangerous person to exist by Shu Pan¡¯s side.<div>


    Now, his heart was not that strong. If Shu Pan had any trouble, he would be on tenterhooks.


    He flipped through the photos. There were photos taken this time and thest time. He knew what the consequences would be if they were exposed.


    But this time, he did not hesitate at all, nor did he feel any pity in his heart. With an expressionless face, he sent the photo to the newspapers he knew, giving them an exclusive.


    The next day, the newspapers, television, Weibo, and other media outlets were all reporting that ¡°Supermodel Tong Fei is dating a married man¡± and ¡°Tong Fei ispromising for endorsement.¡±


    With the photos as evidence, she could not clear her name this time.


    Some parts of the photo were even mosaicked. One could imagine the reason. It was as if a pot had exploded. Everyone was discussing this matter.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t see her as that kind of woman.¡±


    ¡°The entertainment industry isplicated indeed.¡±


    ¡°Such a woman should get out of the entertainment industry.¡±


    The news was spreading like wildfire outside, but the person involved was still sleeping.


    Zhou was burning with anxiety. She called Tong Fei many times, but no one answered.<div>


    In the end, she had no choice but to go to Tong Fei¡¯s house to find her.


    Tong Fei rubbed her hazy eyes and opened the door for Zhou.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Tong Fei was a little grumpy after waking up. After being woken up, she probably couldn¡¯t fall asleep.


    ¡°Something big has happened, Miss Fei.¡± Zhou¡¯s eyes were red with anxiety.


    ¡°What is it? Come in and talk. It sounds scary.¡± Tong Fei still didn¡¯t know what destructive thing had happened.


    ¡°Look at the entertainment news headlines on your phone and Weibo.¡± Zhou didn¡¯t know where to start.


    Tong Fei was confused, but she still did as she was told. She took out her phone and opened the web page.


    The headlines were full of her embarrassing photos and some scary headlines.


    Tong Fei was dumbstruck. She felt as if her soul had left her body.


    Was she being followedst night? Or was someone taking revenge?


    She couldn¡¯t tell what had happened.<div>


    She broke down and smashed her phone against the wall. Bang! The phone split into two.


    Tong Fei squatted on the ground, pulling her hair with both hands and wailing.


    It was over. Everything was over.


    Zhou saw that she was on the verge of copse. She did not know how tofort her. After all, no one could ept such a thing.


    Her reputation was ruined, and so was her career.


    She would probably be a public enemy and be despised by others.


    After all, such an immoral thing would be criticized by others.


    ¡°Miss Fei¡­¡± Zhou called out to her softly..

 Chapter 478: Collapse

    Chapter 478: Copse<div>


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    ¡°Zhou, tell me that this isn¡¯t real. It isn¡¯t real.¡± Tong Fei grabbed Zhou¡¯s arms and shook her.


    ¡°Miss Fei, calm down.¡± Zhou took the opportunity to grab her hand and hold her down.<div>


    ¡°Who is it? Who did it? Who framed me?¡± said Tong Fei nervously.


    ¡°Miss Fei,e over and sit down first. We¡¯ll discuss this further.¡± Zhou helped her sit on the sofa.


    ¡°Is there still room for negotiation? I think the whole world has seen it and isughing at me,¡± muttered Tong Fei to herself.


    Zhouforted her, ¡°Let¡¯s get to the bottom of this first before we hold a reporters conference to rify.¡±


    ¡°Heh! rification¡­¡± Tong Fei smiled bitterly with tears in her eyes. She knew that all of this was true. Whether it was the photos or the reports, they were all true. How could she rify it?


    Tong Fei suddenly stood up, pulled open the curtains, and looked downstairs. As she expected, there were already reporters standing downstairs.


    Such scandals were what these ¡°paparazzi¡± liked to dig up the most.


    ¡°What should we do?¡± Tong Fei paced back and forth in frustration.


    Zhou suggested, ¡°Miss Fei, why don¡¯t you go abroad to hide for a period?¡±


    Staying here now would only make them report more. Eventually, the truth might be distorted even more.


    ¡°But there will probably be no ce for me here once I leave.¡± Tong Fei was indignant. She had worked so hard to climb to her current position.<div>


    ¡°If you don¡¯t leave, there¡¯s no ce for you in this situation.¡± Zhou was about to yell out this sentence, but she suddenly stopped.


    ¡°Let me be quiet first.¡± After such a thing happened, the managementpany would probably give up on her.


    Zhou saw that she was still sober and calmed down a little, so she left first.


    Tong Fei sat still on the sofa. She couldn¡¯t figure it out no matter how hard she thought about it. Who leaked the news?


    Why didn¡¯t she notice it at all?


    And how did the person know that she went to the hotel to meet President Yang?


    Suddenly, she thought of something. There was a photo in the headlines that seemed familiar. The background was her home. It was taken when Gu Shaoting brought people to her housest time.


    Could it be that Gu Shaoting did this? She was a little unwilling to believe it. Did he already know that she was the one who drugged Shu Pan at the


    banquet?


    Was that why he wanted to take revenge on her?


    Tong Fei thought about it again and again. She definitely couldn¡¯t win against Gu Shaoting. She might as well listen to Zhou¡¯s advice and go abroad to hide. She woulde back after this matter faded.<div>


    As she thought about it, she immediately took action and began to pack her luggage.


    When Gu Shaoting returned home, he saw Shu Pan reading the entertainment gossip news. The news was about Tong Fei.


    He frowned, then walked to the TV and turned it off.


    ¡°Don¡¯t look at these non-nutritious things.¡± Gu Shaoting walked to her side and sat down.


    ¡°It¡¯s just some gossip.¡± Shu Pan pursed her lips. ¡°Do you think the report is true? Is she that kind of person?¡±


    Curiosity could kill a cat.


    ¡°Is it really important? It has nothing to do with us. Nothing happens for no reason. These are not groundless rumors, ¡± said Gu Shaoting lightly.


    ¡°Sigh! I just feel that it¡¯s such a pity,¡± said Shu Pan emotionally. One shouldn¡¯t take such a path no matter how difficult it is. Perhaps everyone¡¯s values were different.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it.¡± Gu Shaoting pulled her to sit on hisp. The woman in his arms was too soft-hearted, so he was worried.


    ¡°Got it.¡± Shu Pan nodded.


    ¡°Don¡¯t make me worry. Look, my hair has turned white.¡± Gu Shaoting stuck his head in front of her..<div>

 Chapter 479: The Birthday Celebration

    Chapter 479: The Birthday Celebration<div>


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    ¡°Yes, yes. You have white hair. You¡¯re an old man now.¡± Shu Pan pretended to be serious.


    Gu Shaoting smiled slightly and patted Shu Pan¡¯s buttocks. Then he said in an extremely dangerous tone, ¡°Hmph! Old man? Have you ever seen such a handsome old man?¡±<div>


    ¡°Alright. I was wrong.¡± Shu Pan raised her hands in surrender.


    ¡°Panpan¡­¡± His gaze was deep and serene, and his voice was low and hoarse as if the eighteen-year-old NV Er Hong Wine.


    She looked at him and into his eyes that were as deep as the vast starry sky. Listening to his maic and deep voice, she unconsciously reached out and wrapped her arms around his lean and strong waist.


    She didn¡¯t say anything, but he could feel her subtle movements and gaze in his heart.


    ¡°Panpan¡­¡± He called her name again in a hoarse voice and kissed her again. Their lips and teeth collided, and the kiss slowly deepened.


    At this moment, he only had her in his eyes, and so did she.


    The next day.


    It waste in the morning when Shu Pan slowly woke up. After the incident that happenedst time, she had taken a leave of absence to rest at home.


    She moved her body and felt a little weak.


    She opened her eyes and instinctively looked out the window. However, she


    didn¡¯t see Gu Shaoting.<div>


    She grabbed her phone and turned it on. It was almost noon. No wonder it was so quiet.


    She found it unbelievable. How could she sleep so well now?


    She got up and saw that Gu Shaoting and Joy were not at home, so she hastily made a bowl of noodles.


    She looked at the time and called her father.


    ¡°Dad, how have you been recently?¡± Shu Pan felt that she was quite unfilial since she rarely went back.


    ¡°I¡¯m pretty good¡­¡± Shu Laide wanted to say something, but Auntie Lu had already snatched the phone away.


    ¡°Panpan, your dad¡¯s birthday is next week. Are you free toe back? When the timees, I¡¯ll set a date for you and Shaoting toe back.¡± She had already mentioned it to Shu Pan thest time she went home, but she had almost forgotten about it.


    ¡°I¡¯m free. I¡¯ll ask him about this again. He¡¯s back from a business trip and has been quite busy recently. I don¡¯t know if he has time.¡± Even if Shupan had to ask for leave, she still wanted to go back to celebrate her father¡¯s birthday.


    However, she had to discuss it with Gu Shaoting to see if he had time.


    ¡°That¡¯s good. Remember to tell him. You guys can discuss it. We can amodate your time.¡± Auntie Lu had a purpose. She wanted to ask Gu Shaoting if he had any ns to get married. What was the point of wasting time like this?


    ¡°Alright, I got it.¡± Shu Pan didn¡¯t know Auntie Lu¡¯s purpose, so she didn¡¯t understand why Gu Shaoting had to go back.<div>


    Auntie Lu suddenly thought of Gu Shaoting¡¯s powerful mother. ¡°By the way, does Shaoting¡¯s mother know that you two are together? What¡¯s her attitude towards you now?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Auntie Lu. Don¡¯t worry. We don¡¯t live together, so we won¡¯t have a chance to see her. Besides, this matter depends on Shaoting¡¯s attitude.¡±


    Shu Pan felt a little guilty for making them so worried.


    ¡°That¡¯s good. If she bullies you, don¡¯t let yourself suffer. We¡¯re here,¡± said Auntie Lu firmly.


    ¡°Alright.¡± Shu Pan felt a lump in her throat and nodded her head in gratitude.


    Auntie Lu was about to finish what she wanted to say. Recalling Gu Shaoting¡¯s previous behavior, she reminded her again and again, ¡°Remember to ask him what I just said.¡±


    ¡®Yes, 1 will.¡±


    She looked at the time. Gu Shaoting and Joy hadn¡¯te back yet. Joy had dance ss today and would probably bete.


    Shu Pan turned on the TV and went into the kitchen to prepare dinner.


    She was nimble and familiar with housework, so she quickly prepared three dishes and a soup.


    She looked at the time. They were still not back yet. It was already half past six.<div>


    She thought for a moment, then dialed Gu Shaoting¡¯s phone..

 Chapter 480: Depression

    Chapter 480: Depression<div>


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi- Bo Studio


    The call was picked up only after a long time.


    Gu Shaoting was in a meeting when Shu Pan called. When he saw the caller ID, the cold expression on his face seemed to soften a little. He made a pause gesture, walked out of the conference room, and picked up the phone.<div>


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Gu Shaoting asked gently, but his voice sounded a little tired.


    Shu Pan¡¯s heart ached when she heard this.


    When she heard his voice, her soft voice rang out. ¡°Shaoting, are you still busy?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, it might take some time. I was busy just now and forgot to call you. Joy hasn¡¯t finished ss yet, right?¡± Gu Shaoting¡¯s voice was very soft. He was too busy today and forgot to call Shu Pan.


    He had neglected his duty!


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll pick Joy upter. You¡­¡± Shu Pan wanted to say that she should not disturb him so that he could settle the matter quickly, but she suddenly paused when the words were about toe out of her mouth. Instead, she said, ¡°Are you in the office now? I¡¯ve already prepared the food. I¡¯ll pack the food and then go pick up Joy. I¡¯ll go to the office to look for you for dinner.¡±


    Gu Shaoting thought for a moment and refused without hesitation. ¡°No, go home after you pick up Joy. Don¡¯t wait for me to eat. I don¡¯t know how long I¡¯ll be busy.¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. It¡¯s not toote anyway.¡±


    ¡°No need.¡± Gu Shaoting¡¯s tone sank a little, with a toughness that could not be rejected.


    Shu Pan¡¯s enthusiasm was instantly extinguished. She bit her lips and replied with an ¡°Oh.¡±


    Perhaps sensing her unhappiness, he paused for a moment before coaxing her again. ¡°Don¡¯te all the way here. It¡¯s too tiring. Besides, it¡¯s dark and not safe. I¡¯ll be back soon after I¡¯m done. Be good.¡±<div>


    He coaxed her like the way he did to Joy. Shu Pan suddenly felt a little shy.


    However, she was happy again when she knew that he cared about her.


    It was easy for her to worry about gains and losses.


    Shu Pan nagged like a wife, ¡°Then I¡¯ll make noodles for you when you finish your work. Don¡¯t be toote. You¡¯ve always had stomach problems. It¡¯s because of your work.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I know. I¡¯ll be careful.¡± The corridor of the office was very quiet. A few higher-ups were in the conference room, and everyone else had already gotten off work.


    He walked to the balcony and looked at the lights outside. The neon lights were chaotic and dazzled. Listening to Shu Pan¡¯s instructions, he felt exceptionally calm and warm.


    It was good to have someone who cared for his warmth and coldness. At least he was not alone now. He was not a walking corpse. He had warmth.


    After hanging up the phone, Shu Pan packed her things and went to pick up Joy.


    After returning with Joy, she ate and took a shower. Shu Pan looked at the time. It was almost 10 0¡¯clock and Gu Shaoting was still not back. Forget it. She would lie down first and then cook noodles for him when he came back.


    Hence, she waited for a long time. As she waited, she fell asleep on the bed.


    The next day, Shu Pan woke up very early. She thought it was night.<div>


    Gu Shaoting was a light sleeper, so he woke up when Shu Pan woke up.


    Only then did Shu Pan realize that she was lying on his chest. Shu Pan was hugging his medicine and finally regained consciousness. ¡°When did youe back? Why didn¡¯t you wake me up? You didn¡¯t eatst night, right?¡±


    ¡°I came backst night and made a ss of milk. Didn¡¯t you make soup? I drank a bowl too.¡±


    He just woke up, so his voice was a little hoarse. He hugged her gently and gave her a good morning kiss.


    ¡°Oh.¡± Shu Pan still med herself for being too sleepy..

 Chapter 481: A Business Trip

    Chapter 481: A Business Trip<div>


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Shu Pan was still rubbing her eyes.


    Gu Shaoting said, ¡°If you¡¯re tired, sleep a little longer.¡± He asked her and nned to get out of bed to see Joy.<div>


    He couldn¡¯t stand not seeing his precious daughter for a day.


    ¡°Don¡¯t go yet. I want to talk to you about something.¡± Shu Pan grabbed his hand.


    ¡°What is it?¡± Gu Shaoting was a little puzzled.


    ¡°Auntie Lu called today and said that my dad¡¯s birthday is next week. Do you have time to go back with me?¡± Shu Pan asked carefully.


    She didn¡¯t know what Gu Shaoting was thinking, so she didn¡¯t dare to decide for him.


    Gu Shaoting¡¯s eyes darkened slightly, and his tone was a little deeper than before. ¡°When?¡±


    ¡°Next week. The exact time hasn¡¯t been decided yet. It depends on us.¡± Shu Pan looked at him, wanting to see his expression.


    ¡°Then let me know when you set a time. We¡¯ll go back together.¡± Gu Shaoting had also thought of going back and telling them about his marriage with Shu Pan. After all, this was the basic respect.


    ¡°Alright.¡± Shu Pan said happily, ¡°I¡¯ll get up now and make breakfast for you.¡± Shu Pan went out eagerly.


    She was really easy to satisfy, unlike the others who were insatiable.


    Gu Shaoting smiled and shook his head. How childish she was!<div>


    At noon, Gu Shaoting suddenly called and said that he was going on a business trip for two days.


    It was a little sudden, but Gu Shaoting had been busy recently, so Shu Pan was not used to seeing him. However, she still felt a little disappointed seeing that he was not at home.


    Gu Shaoting just wanted to arrange his work as soon as possible so that he could prepare for the wedding in the following days.


    Moreover, the most important thing now was to move. Tongyuan had been renovated and had been ced there for so long, so he decided to move in.


    After they get married, the poption might increase in the future.


    He would give her a surprise when he came back from his business trip. Just as Shu Pan was deep in thought, Gu Shaoting called. ¡°Are you awake?¡± ¡°Yes. I¡¯m not sleepy anymore.¡± Shu Pan nodded.


    ¡°Remember to find something to eat. I should have brought you out on a business trip.¡± Now that he would be away from Shu Pan for some time, Gu Shaoting felt out of ce.


    Habits were a scary thing.


    Shu Pan understood the meaning behind his words and blushed.


    ¡°Go ahead. I¡¯m going to pack my things. I n to go to work next Monday.¡± It was too boring at home.


    Shu Pan hung up the phone and wanted to tidy up the study.<div>


    She looked at the white paper on the table and couldn¡¯t help but pick up a pen. Her mind kept picturing the image of herself and Gu Shaoting slowly getting older.


    Shu Pan picked up the pen and closed her eyes. Gu Shaoting¡¯s every move was already in her heart.


    She remembered that when she was married to Gu Shaoting, she secretly drew many portraits of him. Everything about him was deeply engraved in her heart.


    Now, as Shu Pan thought about it, her hand involuntarily started drawing.


    She nned to draw more portraits of him in the future. When she was old, she would take it out and look at it slowly.


    While Shu Pan was drawing, Ye Xiaomeng called. ¡°Girl, what are you busy with?¡±


    ¡°Nothing. It¡¯s like raising a pig at home now.¡±


    ¡°Are you alright? Let¡¯s have a drink tonight.¡± Ye Xiaomeng urged. She no longer held any hope for her pregnancy.


    Although the doctor didn¡¯t give her the ¡°death penalty,¡± their furrowed brows already exined everything.


    She didn¡¯t need anyone¡¯sfort or sympathy.


    Although He Ming said to let nature take its course, she had seen the longing in his eyes when he looked at other children.<div>


    Therefore, she was in a dilemma. She did not know how to choose..

 Chapter 482: About Marriage

    Chapter 482: About Marriage<div>


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    ¡°Xiaomeng, are you alright?¡± Shu Pan felt that Ye Xiaomeng was throwing caution to the wind.


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing bad about it. This is how life is.¡± Ye Xiaomeng mocked herself. She had lost her purpose in life.<div>


    In the past, she didn¡¯t care about what others thought of her. She just wanted to be happy. But now, she realized that she couldn¡¯t ignore what others thought of her living in this world.


    Not to mention others, just He Ming¡¯s mother had a problem with her now.


    When they first got together, she was so passionate and treated her so well. However, ever since she found out about what happened to her, her attitude had taken a 360-degree turn.


    It would be a lie to say that she wasn¡¯t disappointed.


    She was the mother of the man she loved, so she had to care about her feelings.


    She thought that the olddy liked children, so she wanted to get pregnant as soon as possible to make her happy. That way, she might ept her. However, she was now a woman who did not get pregnant easily. It was a huge blow to her one after another.


    Didn¡¯t they say that God was fair? Win a few, lose a few. That was how life was.


    But why was it unfair to her? She had thought this way more than once.


    Now that she was together with He Ming, she did not know how long she couldst.


    He Ming had mentioned marriage previously, but she hadn¡¯t heard him mention it again. She didn¡¯t know what he was thinking. She guessed that he was just taking it one day at a time and waiting for a miracle to happen.


    She didn¡¯t think too much about it now. What shoulde woulde. When it should be dispersed, it would be dispersed. There were many things that she couldn¡¯t control.<div>


    ¡°Xiaomeng¡­¡± Shu Pan heard the helplessness in her words and felt a little sad.


    Why did things turn out like this? Everything was originally developing in a good direction.


    ¡°Girl, don¡¯t worry about me. What about you? Did your man propose to you?¡± Ye Xiaomeng was good at changing the topic.


    ¡°No. I haven¡¯t heard him mention it.¡± Shu Pan felt that it was quite good now.


    She was free from the shackles of marriage and was veryfortable.


    However, her family and friends did not think so. They felt that marriage was the only way to have status and security.


    They were justcking that piece of paper now. She didn¡¯t value it that much.


    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me he is not serious about you.¡± Ye Xiaomeng frowned.


    Shu Pan was stunned. She didn¡¯t know how to answer.


    Thinking about Gu Shaoting¡¯s behavior, he didn¡¯t seem like that kind of person.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think so.¡± Shu Pan exined, her tone uncertain.<div>


    ¡°Anyway, you should give him some hints to see if he¡¯s sincere.¡± Ye Xiaomeng didn¡¯t want her friend to get hurt a second time.


    Shu Pan smiled. What hint? Should she tell him that she wanted to wear a diamond ring or that the wedding dress was beautiful?


    Just thinking about it made her feel a little funny.


    ¡°Okay, I got it. You have to be happy too. Let¡¯s wait for fate toe. Don¡¯t be anxious. Don¡¯t give up on yourself. Promise me, Xiaomeng.¡± Shu Pan was very worried that she would give up on herself. If that happened, it would be over.


    ¡°OK.¡± After chatting with Shu Pan, Ye Xiaomeng felt much better.


    After hanging up, Shu Pan fell into deep thought.


    She did not seem to have thought about the problem of marriage, but her rtives were very anxious. They felt that living together without a title was nothing.


    If he suddenly fell in love with someone else, she would have nothing left. She had experienced it once before. Was she going to experience it a second time?


    The more Shu Pan thought about it, the more confused she felt.


    Forget it. When he came back, she would test him again and see his attitude..


    <div>

 Chapter 483: Sudden Return

    Chapter 483: Sudden Return<div>


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Monday


    Shu Pan went to work as usual. Gu Shaoting said he would be back in two days, but his job was not done and thus the schedule was dyed. He had called her the day before yesterday to tell her about it. They had not contacted each other since.<div>


    Tang Wei saw Shu Pan and quickly walked over. ¡°Shu Pan, I feel so bored when you don¡¯te to work.¡±


    Shu Pan smiled and said, ¡°Nah! You¡¯re bored just because no one wants to hear your gossip. Tell me, what happened this time?¡±


    ¡°Annoying! I don¡¯t gossip.¡± Tang Wei pretended to be angry and stomped her feet.


    ¡°Nothing happened in thepany these few days, right?¡± Shu Pan asked casually.


    ¡°When everyone saw you taking leave, they all guessed that you were pregnant, stay at home and rest.¡± Tang Wei wrinkled her nose.


    ¡°What? How could there be such ridiculous news?¡± Shu Pan seemed to have been struck by lightning.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that normal? You see, our Mr. Gu is physically and mentally healthy, and you¡¯re normal too. We¡¯re all living together, so what¡¯s so strange about being pregnant?¡± Tang Wei was a little outspoken.


    Shu Pan quickly covered her mouth.


    ¡°Heavens! Look at where you are!¡± Shu Pan was furious. Tang Wei chuckled. ¡°Alright, I won¡¯t talk about it anymore.¡± How shameless!


    Tang Wei saw the director walking over, so they quickly left.


    Shu Pan sat in her seat and felt a headache. She should take fewer days off since the office was a ce full of gossip.<div>


    How could there be such absurd news?


    However, it was strange that there was no news about her stomach since Gu Shaoting and she didn¡¯t take any precautions these few months.


    She was careless and forgot about it, but they didn¡¯t hit it either. Was there something wrong with her? Shu Pan suddenly felt a little worried.


    She had to find time to see a doctor.


    Shu Pan hadn¡¯t been back for a few days, so she had a lot of work to do.


    When it was almost time to get off work at noon, Tang Wei came over to have lunch with her.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go out to eat together. How about it?¡± Tang Wei suggested.


    ¡°Where¡¯s your lover?¡± Shu Pan asked casually. The two of them were usually


    inseparable.


    ¡°He¡¯s not free. You¡¯re not having lunch with Mr. Gu, are you?¡±


    ¡°No, he¡¯s on a business trip.¡± Shu Pan put away the documents on the table and picked up her coat and bag.<div>


    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Shu Pan smiled. Who knew that she would see Gu Shaoting standing at the door when she turned around?


    Gu Shaoting was still wearing his usual silver-gray handmade suit. He stood straight at the door. His deep gaze fell on Shu Pan.


    Tang Wei saw it too and teased, ¡°I guess you can¡¯t have lunch with me today.


    Mr. Gu, you¡¯re here to pick Shu Pan up for dinner, right?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Mr. Gu nodded politely and hummed a single syble.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that it would take a few days? Why have youe back early? Are you done?¡± Shu Pan looked at him with a slightly ugly expression, thinking that he had not done his job.


    His expression seemed calm and was no different from usual. It was his usual cold temperament, and she was used to it. However, Shu Pan was slightly stunned when she met his sharp gaze. He seemed to have some signs of anger.


    Gu Shaoting didn¡¯t speak. He looked at Shu Pan quietly. His gaze was deep and focused. Everything around him seemed to be transparent.


    Tang Wei quietly stepped aside and left.


    Shu Pan didn¡¯t understand why he was acting so cold since he had just returned. He had such a strange reaction as if she had provoked him.


    She recalled for a moment. Wasn¡¯t everything fine?<div>


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Shu Pan approached him and asked softly.


    Gu Shaoting suddenly took Shu Pan¡¯s hand and walked out of thepany.


    ¡°Hey, this is apany! You have to pay attention to your image. Let go. I¡¯ll walk by myself.¡± Shu Pan was shocked. She didn¡¯t want to be the main character of gossip again.


    Gu Shaoting turned a deaf ear and walked straight to the car..

 Chapter 484: Furious

    Chapter 484: Furious<div>


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Gu Shaoting didn¡¯t say anything but kept walking forward.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Are you having a hard time at work?¡± Shu Pan asked carefully. She felt that he was a little strange today. Why did he suddenlye back?<div>


    She didn¡¯t hear him call her either. While she was deep in thought, Gu Shaoting had already hugged her waist.


    Shu Pan pursed her lips and frowned. ¡°Who provoked you?¡±


    Gu Shaoting stopped and looked at her with a deep gaze. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you answer the phone?¡±


    ¡°What call?¡± Shu Pan was confused. Gu Shaoting said something inexplicable the moment he opened his mouth.


    ¡°I¡¯ve called you since this morning, but no one picked up. I was worried, so I rushed back.¡± The moment Gu Shaoting saw her, his heart calmed down.


    Something had happened a while ago, so he was anxious and thought that something had happened when she didn¡¯t answer the phone. That was why he rushed back.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t hear my phone ring.¡± Shu Pan said as she took out her phone from her bag.


    When she saw it, she couldn¡¯t help but touch her forehead. Oh my god! It turned out that her phone was on silent. No wonder she didn¡¯t hear it. ¡°Look, my phone was identally muted! No wonder I didn¡¯t hear it.¡± Shu Pan showed Gu Shaoting her phone to prove that she wasn¡¯t lying to him.


    Gu Shaoting¡¯s face was still ugly. ¡°Don¡¯t you need to look at your phone? What if there¡¯s something urgent?¡±


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll be more careful in the future.¡± Shu Pan knew she was wrong, so she quickly apologized.


    This person loved to pretend to be deep, so she would let him continue to be cold and aloof.<div>


    Gu Shaoting opened the car door. Shu Pan sat in the passenger seat while he sat in the driver¡¯s seat. Just as Shu Pan was about to buckle her seatbelt, Gu Shaoting reached out and grabbed her head, pulling her towards him and kissing her crazily.


    His movements were wild and hurried, like a wild beast.


    Shu Pan was a little breathless from the kiss. However, she did not struggle. She Imew that he was angry, so she let him calm down. This was probably his way of calming down and beingforted.


    Simrly, she would look for him when she was unhappy.


    Gu Shaoting looked at the woman in front of him with an innocent look on her face. He wished to hit her butt a few times.


    ording to the original n, he would be back the day after tomorrow. However, he couldn¡¯t reach her early in the morning. Moreover, this was the first time such a situation had happened. She usually answered the phone very quickly. Therefore, he hurriedly assigned work to others and rushed back himself.


    All his worries were relieved the moment he saw her. However, an inexplicable anger rose in his heart.


    He was angry that she didn¡¯t pick up the call and didn¡¯t care about him.


    He had been away for a few days and would always call her when free. She had never taken the initiative to call him.


    God knows! Shu Pan was afraid of disturbing his work, so she didn¡¯t call him. She didn¡¯t expect him to be misunderstood like this.


    If Shu Pan knew, she would probably be furious.<div>


    In the end, Gu Shaoting even bit Shu Pan¡¯s lips, causing her to p him in pain.


    Only then did he let go of her. Finally, Shu Pan could breathe.


    ¡°Annoying¡­¡± Shu Pan could not help but re at him.


    The culprit smiled slightly. He then sat up straight, looked away, and started the car.


    Shu Pan looked at the scenery outside and noticed that the route was a little strange. She turned around and asked, ¡°Shaoting, where are you going now?¡± There was no restaurant here, and neither it was the way home.


    ¡°You¡¯re so disobedient. I¡¯m going to sell you.¡± Gu Shaoting made a cold joke.


    ¡°Annoying¡­¡± Shu Pan asked for a snub. She leaned back in her chair and prepared to take a nap..

 Chapter 485: New Home

    Chapter 485: New Home<div>


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Along the way, no one spoke anymore. Gu Shaoting drove seriously, and Shu Pan almost fell asleep in a daze.


    Shu Pan only sat up straight when the scenery in front of her was a little familiar. She asked Gu Shaoting in confusion, ¡°Isn¡¯t this Qiyuan?¡±<div>


    The reason why Shu Pan was so familiar with it was because Gu Shaoting had a vi here, and it was designed and renovated by her.


    The door opened and a security guard came over immediately. Gu Shaoting got out of the car and threw the car keys to the security guard. He turned around and saw Shu Pan sitting in the front passenger seat.


    ¡°Yeah, get out of the car. I¡¯ll bring you to our new home today.¡± After Gu Shaoting got out of the car, he held Shu Pan¡¯s hand and walked home.


    Shu Pan was a little shocked. Did he mean what she thought about their home?


    ¡°Are we going to live here in the future?¡± Shu Pan felt that it was too sudden and couldn¡¯te back to her senses. She had heard that this was his new house.


    ¡°Yes. The environment here is good and the ce is big. In the future, Shuimu Qinghua won¡¯t be enough to live in when there are more people in the family.¡± Gu Shaoting thought that if they got married in the future and had another child, they would have more space.


    But Shu Pan misunderstood. She thought that Gu Shaoting was talking about bringing Song Can and Grandpa over to live together.


    ¡°Come, let¡¯s go in. You were the one who designed it. You won¡¯t dislike it.¡± Gu Shaoting pressed the doorbell.


    Aunty Li heard the doorbell and quickly came over to open the door.


    ¡°Sir, Madam, you¡¯re back just in time. I¡¯ve already prepared the food.¡± She had started preparing when she received Gu Shaoting¡¯s call. She watched as Gu Shaoting held Shu Pan¡¯s hand and heard from him that they had a daughter.


    She directly addressed Shu Pan as ¡°Madam.¡±<div>


    Shu Pan was a little shocked when she saw that there was a butler at home. She was even addressed as ¡°Madam.¡±


    ¡°How is it? This is our new home.¡± Gu Shaoting looked at Shu Pan and said, wanting to see her expression.


    ¡°Our new home?¡± Shu Pan looked around in disbelief.


    The house had been furnished with a lot of high-end furniture. It was modern and very fashionable.


    It was said that the vis here were not something that ordinary people could buy. This was because money alone was not enough. Other than financial resources, the otherprehensive conditions of the owner had to be assessed.


    But soon, Shu Pan realized that this was a high-end brand project developed by the Gu Group.


    After it was built, Gu Shaoting left the best vi for himself.


    ¡°Panpan, this is Auntie Li. If there¡¯s anything in the future, you can look for her.¡± Gu Shaoting introduced.


    ¡°Madam, if there¡¯s anything, just tell me,¡± said Auntie Li modestly.


    ¡°Aunty Li, don¡¯t stand on ceremony.¡± Shu Pan felt very embarrassed.


    Previously, the family had only hired part-time workers but not a butler. She was a little nervous, then grabbed Gu Shaoting¡¯s hand and said softly,<div>


    ¡°Shaoting, this ce is so big.¡±


    She felt that it would be very empty for them to stay. There were many rooms and a lot of space.


    ¡°It¡¯s not big. It¡¯ll be fine when the poption increases. Moreover, the garden outside is very big. Joy can raise puppies and y on the swing.¡± Gu Shaoting drew a beautiful portrait.


    Shu Pan felt that she was just a normal person. It would be morefortable to live in a smaller ce, let alone let others serve her. She would be ufortable.


    Moreover, she felt that Shuimu Qinghua was the only ce that felt like home because they had lived there for so long and experienced so much. That ce was unforgettable.


    Every day, there would only be the three of them when they returned home. No outsiders would disturb them.


    On the contrary, people were waiting for her here. She heard from Gu Shaoting that he would even hire a gardener and chauffeur. If there were so many people around, it would be inconvenient for her to even say a word..

 Chapter 486: Inexplicably Moved

    Chapter 486: Inexplicably Moved<div>


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. There are only a few of us. There will only be more people at home during festive seasons. Familiarize yourself with the environment first so you can entertain guests in the future.¡± Gu Shaotingforted her, knowing that she was especially timid in an unfamiliar environment.


    Shu Pan panicked even more when she heard that. She had never had the experience of entertaining guests or hosting a party. Moreover, she felt a headachee on just thinking about Song Can¡¯s visits during festive seasons.<div>


    The uneasiness she felt made her stomach churn.


    ¡°Sir, Madam, why don¡¯t you eat first. Dinner¡¯s getting cold.¡± Auntie Li interrupted them at an appropriate time when they were chatting happily to remind them that it was time to eat.


    ¡°Oh right, now that you mention it, I¡¯m feeling quite hungry.¡± Shu Pan broke into a pleasant smile.


    Auntie Li¡¯s nervousness dissipated when she saw Shu Pan¡¯s smile.


    Her madam looked to be an easy-going person. She didn¡¯t have to worry too much about serving a difficult boss.


    The two of them sat at the dining table. Shu Pan¡¯s appetite was greatly increased as Auntie Li¡¯s dishes were delicious.


    The dishes were light but tasty. Shu Pan could just eat the dishes alone without any rice.


    It was the first time Auntie Li cooked for them. She was very pleased to see them eating happily.


    After dinner, Gu Shaoting said to Shu Pan, ¡°Let me show you our room.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± Shu Pan nodded and let Gu Shaoting hold her hand as they walked towards the master bedroom.


    Shu Pan felt a little emotional when she saw that the interior design of the room was simr to their room at Shuimu Qinghua.<div>


    She still remembered He Ming mention that Gu Shaoting had specially requested it.


    At that time, Shu Pan thought that He Ming was helping Gu Shaoting and Tong Fei renovate their wedding home and felt as if a knife had been plunged into her heart.


    Unexpectedly, the tables had turned and she was the one who ended up living here. She could not help but sigh at how unpredictable life was.


    She could see that their bedroom was decorated in the same style as their current one, except that it was much bigger.


    There was not only a walk-in closet, a dressing room, a bathroom, but also a small study. In short, it wasn¡¯t just a bedroom, but arge suite.


    Land was extremely expensive in a vi area like Qiyuan. It was already difficult to own a small bedroom here but Gu Shaoting owned a luxurious vi with a butler. One could imagine how rich he was.


    Although they were together, Shu Pan rarely asked about his assets.


    If he didn¡¯t offer information about such a private matter, she wouldn¡¯t ask either.


    Some people thought that Shu Pan was being silly, but it was a blessing being muddle-headed sometimes.


    ¡°Would you like to open the door and look inside?¡± Gu Shaoting led Shu Pan to the walk-in closet.


    ¡°Sure.¡± Shu Pan nodded. It was probably every woman¡¯s dream to have a<div>


    walk-ln closet.


    Women had a soft spot for walk-in closets. Shu Pan stepped forward and gently opened the door. Clothes, bags, and shoes were neatly ced in the closet. It looked like a boutique.


    Shu Pan was stunned. When did he prepare all this? It was really thoughtful of him.


    She looked through the neatly hung clothes, all in her size and still with their tags on. Shu Pan was so touched that her eyes turned red.


    It was a little frustrating that this man often did things that moved her.


    She then looked at the shoes. They were also her size and her favorite styles.


    She was touched, not because he had bought so many things for her, but because he really cared about her, the size of her clothing, the styles she liked, and so on.


    He wouldn¡¯t know these things if he hadn¡¯t been paying attention..

 Chapter 487: They’re All For You

    Chapter 487: They¡¯re All For You<div>


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Shu Pan turned around and looked at Gu Shaoting. ¡°Are all these for me?¡±


    Gu Shaoting nodded before he stepped forward and wrapped his arms around her waist from behind. He rested his head on Shu Pan¡¯s shoulder and whispered in her ear, ¡°Yes, they¡¯re all for you. Do you like them?¡±<div>


    ¡°I do.¡± No woman would dislike beautiful clothes, and Shu Pan was no exception. But she was more touched by his efforts.


    On the other side of the walk-in closet were Gu Shaoting¡¯s clothes. There were about a dozen tailored suits and many shirts. His suits were mostly ck or in different shades of gray while his shirts were either ck or white.


    Out the other door of the walk-in closet was their bedroom, which was twice as big as their current master bedroom.


    In the middle of the room was an especially eye-catching bed that lookedrger than a super king. It was so big that no matter how the two of them rolled in bed, they probably wouldn¡¯t fall off.


    At the thought of this, Shu Pan¡¯s face couldn¡¯t help but turn red. She didn¡¯t dare to turn and face him.


    ¡°I¡¯ll probably be busy for another two days. You two be good and wait for me at home.¡±


    She didn¡¯t know if he was doing it on purpose, but his breath when he spoke was in her ear and made her tremble uncontrobly inside.


    ¡°Will do.¡± Shu Pan nodded vigorously, but she didn¡¯t dare to turn around and look at him.


    ¡°Panpan¡­¡± Gu Shaoting called out to her affectionately.


    ¡°Hmm?¡± Shu Pan responded.


    Gu Shaoting turned her around to face him, and then lowered his head and kissed her fiercely. He had wanted to kiss her since they entered the bedroom. Why was he so obsessed with this woman before him? He felt like he couldn¡¯t leave her even for a day.<div>


    ¡°I¡¯ll bring you along wherever I go next time.¡± Gu Shaoting said. He couldn¡¯t help but think about her every day during his recent business trip.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll check my phone more often in the future. I¡¯m sorry for making you worry today.¡± Shu Pan¡¯s face was flushed from the kiss as she wrapped her arms around his lean but sturdy waist.


    ¡°Good.¡± Gu Shaoting felt slightly embarrassed. When did he be so needy? Shu Pan suddenlyughed. ¡°Are you angry today because I didn¡¯t answer your


    call?¡±


    Gu Shaoting felt even more embarrassed, but he nodded.


    He wanted her to know where she went wrong so she wouldn¡¯t make the same mistake again.


    ¡°I¡¯m really sorry. I¡¯ll be more careful in the future.¡± Shu Pan felt very guilty for making him rush home from work. She couldn¡¯t help but me herself for not learning her lesson.


    ¡°Alright, it¡¯s fine now. Stop ming yourself.¡± Gu Shaoting touched her head and said lovingly.


    ¡°If there¡¯s nothing urgent at work, don¡¯t go back to the office this afternoon. You can rest here.¡± Gu Shaoting suggested when he saw that she seemed a little tired.


    ¡°I can¡¯t. What will my colleagues think if I keep taking leave?¡± Shu Pan shook her head.


    Gu Shaoting then pulled her out of the master bedroom and opened the door to the room next door. It looked like a baby¡¯s nursery, very cartoonish and dreamy.<div>


    Gu Shaoting suddenly said seriously to Shu Pan, ¡°Panpan, I¡¯ve missed Joy¡¯s younger days and feel very regretful. Can I make it up by having another baby with you?¡±


    Shu Pan was shocked. He had never mentioned that he wanted another child. She had always assumed that he was happy having just Joy.


    Gu Shaoting saw that Shu Pan didn¡¯t say anything and asked again, ¡°Can I?¡± He was actually very nervous because he was worried that Shu Pan wouldn¡¯t agree.


    After all, he had done a lot of bad things in the past..

 Chapter 488: Are You Serious?

    Chapter 488: Are You Serious?<div>


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Shu Pan looked at him and asked, ¡°Are you serious?¡±


    ¡°Yes, very serious. Let¡¯s have another baby. This way Joy will have apanion and won¡¯t be so lonely. The room opposite the baby¡¯s nursery is Joy¡¯s princess room.¡± Gu Shaoting pointed to a room across the hall.<div>


    Shu Pan already knew that he spoiled Joy rotten.


    ¡°Okay, let¡¯s have another baby.¡± Shu Pan nodded. She couldn¡¯t help but feel the heat in her cheeks when she said that.


    However, when she thought about how she wasn¡¯t pregnant when they had unprotected sex, she couldn¡¯t help but say worriedly, ¡°But it¡¯s not like I can get pregnant just because I want to. What if I can¡¯t get pregnant again?¡± She felt that she wasn¡¯t the type to get pregnant easily.


    If she couldn¡¯t get pregnant, Gu Shaoting would be very disappointed, so she¡¯d better prepare him first.


    Gu Shaoting chuckled. ¡°Silly girl, you¡¯re such a worrywart. Let¡¯s just see how things go. We won¡¯t force it but I¡¯ll definitely work harder. Don¡¯t worry.¡± Gu Shaoting implied something that made Shu Pan blush even more.


    Shu Pan looked at the decorations in the room and felt touched.


    After surveying the rooms, Gu Shaoting brought Shu Pan out to the garden. It was very big and Auntie Li took good care of it.


    Gu Shaoting even installed a swing for Joy.


    ¡°Look, you can nt your favorite flowers and nts here. I n to build a kennel in that open space for Joy¡¯s future puppy.¡±


    Gu Shaoting had nned everything well.


    Shu Pan looked at him with smiling eyes. He had already thought so far ahead.<div>


    Gu Shaoting sent Shu Pan back to her office before lunchtime ended.


    ¡°How is it? Where did you go for romance with CEO Gu?¡± Tang Wei winked and smiled evilly.


    ¡°We just went home for lunch.¡± Shu Pan rolled her eyes at her.


    ¡°Do you think I¡¯m a three-year-old? Can you even make it back in time to cook?¡± Tang Wei didn¡¯t believe Shu Pan.


    Shu Pan didn¡¯t want to give her an answer, so she changed the subject, ¡°What did you have for lunch?¡±


    ¡°I had sd because I wanted to lose weight. Have you heard that ourpany annual party this year will be with our colleagues from Gu Group? It¡¯s probably going to be a formal affair. I need to keep my figure so I won¡¯t beughed at when I¡¯m in an evening gown.¡±


    Tang Wei had always been well-informed, so what she said was probably true.


    But Shu Pan had never been interested in such things, so she shrugged.


    ¡°Hey, at least show a little concern. After all, you¡¯re the future CEO spouse.¡± Tang Wei really admired Shu Pan¡¯s determination. No matter what, she was always so calm.


    ¡°Keep your voice down. People willugh at you if they hear something that¡¯s not even close to happening.¡± Shu Pan felt a little perplexed at Tang Wei¡¯s bluntness.


    ¡°What does it matter? It¡¯s just a matter of time.¡± Tang Wei felt that Shu Pan was too low-key.<div>


    There were probably still many people in Gu Group who didn¡¯t know that CEO Gu had a girlfriend.


    ¡°The director is walking over.¡± Shu Pan reminded softly.


    Tang Wei quickly returned to her desk.


    She wasn¡¯t afraid of anything, but she was afraid of the director¡¯s nagging.


    After Gu Shaoting sent Shu Pan back to her office, he called his subordinates and was relieved to find out that they were most or less prepared for the uing business trip.


    He then remembered the phone call from the designer the day before yesterday informing him that the ring was ready.


    He turned his car around and drove towards the designer¡¯s atelier.


    The designer¡¯s atelier was at a rtively remote location but people didn¡¯t mind searching for gold in distant mines. Many of his customers sought out the designer because of his reputation.


    When the designer brought out the ring, Gu Shaoting liked it at once. It was a ssical ring iid with diamonds.


    Furthermore, the designer had engraved Shu Pan and Gu Shaoting¡¯s names on the inside of the ring.


    If the ring was too extravagant, Shu Pan probably wouldn¡¯t wear it. Therefore, he asked for something that looked ordinary but had extraordinary meaning..<div>

 Chapter 489: Their Engagement Rings

    Chapter 489: Their Engagement Rings<div>


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Gu Shaoting took the rings and called to order a bouquet of roses.


    He knew that it was tacky but women loved these things¡­<div>


    Gu Shaoting didn¡¯t know about these things initially because he had never done such things before.


    It was his secretary, Mr. Zhang, who told him.


    Mr. Zhang said that a man had to do unforgettable things to make a woman fall head of heels over him.


    Women liked a sense of ceremony.


    Gu Shaoting was skeptical at first, but Mr. Zhang¡¯s confidence was evident as he said those things. Plus, his earlier suggestions hadn¡¯t failed, so Gu Shaoting decided to trust him again.


    Gu Shaoting saw that it was still early, so he went home to set things up first. He bought some steaks, spaghetti, and red wine. He nned to cook a candlelight dinner tonight.


    The only thing he cooked well was steak.


    He cut the steaks into heart-shaped pieces and marinated them. He would put them on the grill after he brought Shu Pan and Joy home.


    The flowers he ordered were also delivered on time. The 99 roses were blooming brilliantly, making people want to lower their heads and smell their fragrance.


    Everything was ready.


    Gu Shaoting picked up his keys and left the house. He went to pick Joy up first before he turned around to fetch Shu Pan.<div>


    Shu Pan was going to ask Xiaomeng out tonight but Xiaomeng was busy. Gu Shaoting also called to ask her to set time aside tonight for him.


    But he didn¡¯t tell her why.


    He was acting so mysterious that she felt uneasy the entire afternoon.


    When he finally picked her up, she asked impatiently, ¡°What¡¯s happening tonight?¡±


    Gu Shaoting smiled but didn¡¯t say anything before he started the car and drove home.


    When they arrived at home, Gu Shaoting opened the door and Shu Pan followed him in.


    The moment the door was opened, Shu Pan thought that they had entered the wrong house.


    The living room looked like a sea of flowers.


    The roses were blooming and the house was filled with the fragrance of flowers.


    Shu Pan covered her mouth in disbelief, afraid that she would scream. She was very shocked. Such a scene had never appeared in her life before.


    ¡°What¡­ What¡¯s this?¡± Shu Pan sounded a little incoherent.<div>


    Gu Shaoting didn¡¯t say a word as he pulled her to the middle of the sea of flowers. He then took out a red box and opened it. A pair of shiny rings appeared before Shu Pan¡¯s eyes.


    Gu Shaoting picked up her ring and went down on one knee. ¡°Panpan, marry me and we¡¯ll spend the rest of our lives together, okay?¡±


    Gu Shaoting¡¯s tone was very sincere, and Shu Pan was already moved beyond words.


    She didn¡¯t know how to react. She could only nod and said in a choked voice, ¡°Okay.¡±


    Gu Shaoting was over the moon. He put the right on Shu Pan¡¯s right ring finger and then looked at her lovingly. ¡°Do you like it?¡±


    Gu Shaoting felt inexplicably touched when he saw the ring on her fair and slender finger.


    This woman was finally going to be his wife again.


    Shu Pan touched the ring he had just put on her and nodded vigorously. ¡°I like it very much!¡±


    She then picked up the male ring from the box, grabbed his left hand and put it on his ring finger.


    Gu Shaoting didn¡¯t tell her that he had asked a designer to custom make these rings. The female ring had a very small ¡°Ting¡± character engraved on the inside, while the one he was wearing had a ¡°Pan¡± character engraved on the inside.


    He didn¡¯t understand romance, so this was the most romantic gesture he could think of.<div>


    Shu Pan smiled with tears in her eyes.


    Gu Shaoting couldn¡¯t help but hug her as he nted a kiss on her pink lips..

 Chapter 490: A Candlelight Dinner

    Chapter 490: A Candlelight Dinner<div>


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    His sexy thin lips felt slightly cold, probably due to nervousness.


    Shu Pan couldn¡¯t help but hug his waist tightly and kiss him back the way he had kissed her.<div>


    Gu Shaoting also grabbed her slender waist with his big hands, holding her tightly in his arms as he kissed her passionately.


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Shu Pan felt a little breathless.


    This man was usually cold and aloof, but when he wanted passion, he was like a hungry wolf and was very aggressive.


    ¡°Daddy, Mommy, what are you doing? These flowers are so beautiful.¡± Joy was also stunned by the roses in the living room.


    Joy spoke up after feeling neglected as she watched her parents hugging and kissing each other instead of ying with her.


    Gu Shaoting and Shu Pan felt as if a bucket of ice water had been poured over their heads. Only then did they realize that there was a gigantic third wheel in the living room with them.


    Shu Pan quickly let go of Gu Shaoting and walked up to Joy. ¡°That¡¯s a sign that Daddy and Mommy are in love. Mommy loves you too and that¡¯s why she kisses you often.¡±


    Joy half understood what she was told. So, people could just kiss whoever they loved?


    But the adult world was way tooplicated for her. She should just be an obedient child.


    ¡°Sweetheart, are you hungry?¡± Gu Shaoting squatted down and changed the subject.


    ¡°Yes, Daddy. Listen, my stomach is growling.¡± Joy replied seriously in her sweet and childish voice.<div>


    Gu Shaoting couldn¡¯t help but hug her and kiss her repeatedly. She was indeed the apple of his eye.


    ¡°Okay, Daddy will grill the steaks now.¡± Gu Shaoting got up to go to the kitchen.


    ¡°Let me do it.¡± Shu Pan held his hand. He rarely cooked, so she didn¡¯t know if he could do it.


    ¡°I¡¯ll do it today. I¡¯m very good at grilling steaks. You and Joy can sit and wait for dinner to be served.¡± Gu Shaoting squeezed her hand gently.


    Shu Pan nodded lightly. ¡°Okay then. Thank you for your hard work, Chef Gu.¡± Gu Shaoting went into the kitchen and started making dinner.


    Shu Pan felt emotional looking at the flowers in the living room. This was probably the most romantic thing Gu Shaoting had ever done in his life. She did not expect him to propose to her like that. She was totally unprepared mentally.


    He had never revealed any intention to get married, and she thought that they would just live together, but¡­


    Although she was a little perplexed over what she should do with these flowers, she was very touched.


    She walked over and bent down to take a whiff. The fragrance assailed her nose.


    Shu Pan broke into a knowing smile. Their love was like a boomerang that flew away for a while but found its way back.


    However, after going through so many twists and turns, she hoped that they would be happy in the future.<div>


    She turned to look at the man in the kitchen, who was busy grilling steaks with his features and facial contours looking perfect from the side.


    She couldn¡¯t help but walk over and hug his lean waist from behind, burying her head in his back.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Are you hungry too?¡± Gu Shaoting asked as he looked at the steak in the grill pan.


    Shu Pan nodded and then shook her head.


    ¡°Be careful. It¡¯s smokey in here. Go wait outside with Joy. I¡¯ll be done soon.¡± Gu Shaoting said gently.


    Shu Pan was really tempted to take a photo of this scene because the cold-faced CEO was grilling steak in an apron. What a rare sight.


    Shu Pan could not help but chuckle at the thought.


    She sat at the dining table with Joy. Shortly after, Gu Shaoting brought out their grilled steaks on tes..

 Chapter 491: Cheers, Wifey

    Chapter 491: Cheers, Wifey<div>


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    There was a heart-shaped steak on Shu Pan¡¯srge white porcin te, some spaghetti, and two slices of lemon. There was also a rose on the te where her knife and fork were ced.


    Shu Pan was so surprised today that she was stunned. She did not know what to say to express the happiness she felt.<div>


    Joy¡¯s te was smaller with her portion of the food.


    After Gu Shaoting sat down, he helped Joy cut her steak into small pieces so she could feed herself using her fork.


    He then brought out two long-stemmed sses and filled them with red wine that he had decanted.


    ¡°Daddy, what is that?¡± Joy asked curiously.


    ¡°Red wine. Only adults can drink it.¡± Gu Shaoting smiled. His little cutie was an inquisitive child.


    ¡°Oh, then I want to drink it when I grow up,¡± Joy said unhappily. Why were there so many things that only adults can do? It was so unfair to children.


    ¡°Sure. Then you must grow up quickly.¡± Gu Shaoting spoke as he picked up another piece of steak with Joy¡¯s fork.


    Very soon, Joy finished her dinner and went back to her room to y with her toys.


    The third wheel had finally left after all his efforts. Gu Shaoting smiled as he held up his ss. ¡°Come. Cheers, wifey.¡± Shu Pan blushed when she heard him call her ¡°wifey.¡±


    ¡°Cheers.¡± Shu Pan drank more tonight because she was happy.


    Gradually, she felt the heat in her face as the alcohol got to her head. ¡°Alright, we¡¯ve had enough today. I¡¯ll help you to the bedroom.¡± Gu Shaoting helped Shu Pan back to their bedroom and put her down on the bed, but Shu Pan refused to let him go.<div>


    ¡°Let go first. I¡¯ll go coax Joy to sleep.¡± Gu Shaoting helped Joy take a shower and told her a story before she was willing to sleep.


    Gu Shaoting was stunned when he got back to their bedroom. Shu Pan, who had showered at some point in time, was waiting shyly for him in bed, wearing a translucent pink nightie.


    Shu Pan actually wasn¡¯t that drunk. She just didn¡¯t know how to face Gu Shaoting, so she pretended to be drunk.


    She mustered up a lot of courage to put on this nightie, which she had bought when she went shopping with Xiaomengst time. She had already thought then that it was an impulsive buy.


    The nightie had been stashed at the bottom of the drawer since. She drank some wine just now to boost her courage because she wanted to reward him after all the efforts he put in tonight.


    Gu Shaoting kept staring at Shu Pan. It was rare for her to be so proactive.


    ¡°You look like a fool. Hurry up and take a shower.¡± Shu Pan felt a little embarrassed by his burning gaze.


    ¡°Alright.¡± Gu Shaoting came back to his senses and hurried to take a shower. ¡°Also, as agreed this afternoon, if we¡¯re going to have a baby, we¡¯ll have to work hard. ¡±


    After saying that, Gu Shaoting turned and went into the bathroom.


    Shu Pan was stupefied into stone. What was this man thinking all day?


    Listening to the sound of running water in the bathroom, Shu Pan blinked her beautiful big eyes as her mind wandered. He really took the matter of having a baby to heart.<div>


    Such obvious lustfulness¡­


    Shu Pan stared at the bathroom door like she was about to bore a hole through it.


    Gu Shaoting walked out of the bathroom elegantly towards her with only a bath towel covering his vital bits.


    Shu Pan felt inexplicably nervous and couldn¡¯t help but gulp as she watched him get closer.


    Gu Shaoting didn¡¯t say anything as hey down next to her and rolled her into his arms.


    Shu Pan wasn¡¯t a sexually open woman, but she wanted to surprise him tonight.


    Although she was hugging him tightly, her hands were trembling slightly. Her face looked like it was filled with blood, and she was too embarrassed to look at him..

 Chapter 492: Heartache For His Wifey

    Chapter 492: Heartache For His Wifey<div>


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    As expected, Gu Shaoting was aroused. He couldn¡¯t believe it. He seemed encouraged by her actions and took over. Shu Pan¡¯s mind went nk liked she had been tossed into the sky¡­


    Shu Pan didn¡¯t know anything after that. She just closed her eyes.<div>


    When she woke up from her dreamless sleep and looked around, she saw Gu Shaoting standing by the window in deep thought and dressed for the day.


    His posture was so upright with his chin slightly raised, the corners of his mouth curved and his eyes smiling.


    Shu Pan really admired him because she found it difficult to get out of bed


    while be looked as energetic as always.


    That was probably the difference between men and women.


    The man seemed to have heard the movement behind him as he slowly turned around. ¡°You¡¯re awake?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Shu Pan let out azy stretch that lowered the nket that was covering her body, revealing her fair shoulders.


    What a seductive little vixen¡­


    Shu Pan seemed to have felt Gu Shaoting¡¯s gaze. She quickly realized her bare shoulders and pulled the nket over herself again.


    She stayed still, her delicate face alluringly red like a ripe cherry.


    He walked up to her and sat down beside her before he gently caressed her hair. ¡°If you¡¯re really tired, rest a little longer. Wifey, let¡¯s move in to Qiyuan this weekend.¡±<div>


    Gu Shaoting figured that with Auntie Li¡¯s help at Qiyuan, Shu Pan wouldn¡¯t be so tired.


    Although the ce where they lived now was smaller, Shu Pan didn¡¯t like to hire people to help at home, so she did everything herself. In addition, she was working. It was inevitable that she would be tired. His heart ached when he saw her work so hard.


    Now that the vi at Qiyuan was ready, all they needed to do was to pack the more important belongings and move in.


    Since his proposal to herst night, he started to call her ¡°wifey¡±.


    Before that, he had always called her by her name, even during their first marriage. He had never addressed her so intimately, so Shu Pan couldn¡¯t help but sigh.


    However, she still felt tremendous joy in her heart. The best kind of love was when it was reciprocated.


    ¡°Okay, let¡¯s move in this weekend. Joy will be so happy.¡± Shu Pan nodded in agreement. They would have to move in sooner orter, so she might as well get used to their new home sooner.


    Seeing that it was already broad daylight outside, Shu Pan said with slight embarrassment, ¡°Please leave first. I¡¯lle out after I get dressed.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Gu Shaoting smiled, understanding her embarrassment.


    She jumped out of bed abruptly and rushed into the bathroom.


    ¡°Slow down, don¡¯t fall.¡± Gu Shaoting said as he watched her run away in a panic. His eyes sparkled with joy as he licked his lips subconsciously as though he could still taste her.


    But he soon shook his head in disappointment. The sexually proactive Shu Pan fromst night was gone. He missed her so much.<div>


    After everything was settled, Gu Shaoting went to the office in high spirits. He was beaming with joy all the way and everyone could see that he was in a good mood.


    His secretary, Mr. Zhang, said with a smile when he entered his office, ¡°Congrattions, CEO Gu, for winning over the woman of your dreams.¡± Mr. Zhang was a smart person and guessed what happened right away.


    ¡°Thank you for your suggestion.¡± Gu Shaoting replied with a smile. ¡°You¡¯re wee.¡± Mr. Zhang figured that a married man would be more hormonally bnced.


    That would be great as CEO Gu would be less entric in the future.


    After Mr. Zhang left, Gu Shaoting sat at his desk. He wanted to call Shu Pan but he put down his phone after thinking about it.


    They had just parted but he already missed her. He wished that Shu Pan was his secretary.


    However, before Gu Shaoting could make that happen, a candidate for his secretary had arrived..

 Chapter 493: Charlene Is Here

    Chapter 493: Charlene Is Here<div>


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    It was almost noon when Gu Shaoting looked at the time. Shu Pan was about to go for her lunch break. Just as he was calling her, his phone suddenly rang.


    ¡°Brother Gu, are you busy?¡± The caller¡¯s voice was sweet and familiar, but Gu Shaoting couldn¡¯t remember where he had heard it before.<div>


    ¡°Um¡­ You are¡­¡± Gu Shaoting tried to remember who the caller was but failed.


    ¡°It¡¯s Charlene. Has Brother Gu forgotten about me?¡± The caller said, sounding very disappointed.


    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s Miss Charlene. I¡¯m so sorry. I just finished some work and am still a little concussed.¡± Gu Shaoting finally remembered that she was Mr. John¡¯s daughter who was heading his way for an internship.


    ¡°Brother Gu, I¡¯m booked on a flight to your ce the day after tomorrow.¡± Charlene informed him.


    Gu Shaoting sighed in his heart. He was in a difficult position because Mr. John was an important business partner and he couldn¡¯t get out of doing him this favor.


    ¡°Okay, send me your flight information. I¡¯ll send someone to pick you up.¡± Gu Shaoting said.


    Charlene felt a little disappointed. Her Brother Gu was sending someone to pick her up instead of picking her up himself. But on second thought, it was understandable. After all, he was the CEO of a bigpany; he probably didn¡¯t have the time.


    But it was okay. She had plenty of time. When she arrived at his office and interacted with him every day, should she worry that he wouldn¡¯t develop feelings for her?


    At the thought of this, Charlene felt much better.


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll have to trouble Brother Gu then.¡± Charlene hung up happily and immediately sent him her flight information.


    She wished that time would pass more quickly so she could see her Brother Gu earlier.<div>


    She didn¡¯t have any man as outstanding as Brother Gu around her. This was also the first time she was so interested in a man. He was someone who made her heart flutter.


    She felt that he was the person she had been waiting for and that he was the right man for her.


    She had waited for so long for him to appear. She must work hard and not miss out on him.


    She had a chance as long as he wasn¡¯t married. Even if he was, he could still get a divorce, right?


    She was the master of her own destiny. Charlene secretly cheered herself on.


    She was born into a good family and was outstanding herself. Her life had been smooth sailing without any setback. She considered winning over Gu Shaoting a challenge.


    She had set herself the goal of sess only. Failure wasn¡¯t an option and the word ¡°failure¡± had never been part of her vocabry thus far.


    Shortly after Gu Shaoting hung up the phone, he got a text message. He opened it and saw Charlene¡¯s flight information.


    He read the message, called his secretary into his office, and forwarded the message to him.


    ¡°Mr. Zhang, the message I¡¯ve just forwarded to you¡­ Check the flight arrival time and pick her up from the airport with the driver. I¡¯ll also send you her phone number.¡± Gu Shaoting felt that he couldn¡¯t afford to neglect Charlene. If anything happened to her, he wouldn¡¯t be able to exin himself to Mr. John. ¡°Okay and she is?¡± Mr. Zhang clicked on the message and knew that it was a woman when he saw the name. He could not help but frown.


    He didn¡¯t think that this woman was in some kind of secret rtionship with Gu Shaoting. After all, he had worked for Gu Shaoting for so long and knew that he wasn¡¯t a yboy.<div>


    Moreover, he had just proposed to his ex-wife. They were still in the honeymoon stage of their rtionship and he wouldn¡¯t do such b*stardly things.


    ¡°She¡¯s the daughter of our French partner , Mr. John. She wanted to do an internship here. Let her learn from you when she¡¯s here. Don¡¯t give her ess to any important documents though. Some things are proprietary information after all.¡± After Gu Shaoting finished, he got ready to meet Shu Pan for lunch.


    ¡°I understand, CEO Gu. I¡¯ll definitely do the job well.¡± Mr. Zhang promised.


    ¡°Good. I knew that you will because if you don¡¯t, we still need people to develop our business in Africa.¡± Gu Shaoting patted his shoulder and said with a smile.


    Mr. Zhang¡¯s face darkened. This was another thankless assignment, sob¡­.

 Chapter 494: Celebrating Her Father’s Birthday

    Chapter 494: Celebrating Her Father¡¯s Birthday<div>


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    After briefing his secretary, Mr. Zhang, Gu Shaoting drove to Shu Pan¡¯s office to find her.


    Shu Pan wasn¡¯t surprised at all when she received his call because he was super clingy now.<div>


    Gu Shaoting wanted nothing more than to kiss her the moment she got into the car.


    ¡°What would you like to have for lunch?¡± Gu Shaoting asked sweetly.


    ¡°Anything is fine. Aren¡¯t you busy? Actually, I can just lunch with my colleagues on workdays. It¡¯s very tiring for you to run around like this.¡± Shu Pan felt bad that he was running around so much for her.


    Gu Shaoting just smiled.


    Shu Pan had no idea how much he looked forward to the time they spent together.


    At lunch, Gu Shaoting kept putting food into Shu Pan¡¯s bowl.


    ¡°Enough.¡± Shu Pan cried out when she saw him give her more food. She would definitely put on weight if she ate like this.


    ¡°Look at how skinny you are. Please don¡¯t go on a diet like other women.¡± Gu Shaoting reminded her gently because there were too many women who blindly pursue weight loss.


    ¡°I¡¯m not skinny but I won¡¯t.¡± Shu Pan didn¡¯t think she was skinny. She thought she was slightly chubby. She didn¡¯t understand Gu Shaoting¡¯s assessment of her weight.


    ¡°Anyway, I think you¡¯re skinny.¡± Gu Shaoting didn¡¯t want to discuss in public how she felt under his touch, so he ended the conversation with this statement.


    ¡°By the way, it¡¯s my father¡¯s birthday this weekend. Are you free to go back together with us?¡± Shu Pan suddenly remembered.<div>


    ¡°Yes. We¡¯ll go back together to celebrate Dad¡¯s birthday.¡± Was she kidding? He would find time to go back no matter how busy he was. His father-inw¡¯s birthday was too important an event. Besides, he wanted to tell them in person about remarrying Shu Pan.


    ¡°Great.¡± Shu Pan was happy that he cared about her father¡¯s birthday.


    The weekend soon arrived.


    Joy knew that they were going back to see Grandpa and Grandma. She was so excited that she hardly slept the night before.


    Gu Shaoting was driving when Joy sighed from the backseat. ¡°Daddy, Mommy, why don¡¯t we ask Grandpa and Grandma to live with us?¡±


    Joy liked her grandparents very much because they always doted on her and never raised their voices at her.


    ¡°You can invite them to live with us when you see themter. We¡¯re moving in to a big house. You can even have a puppy.¡± Gu Shaoting replied with a smile.


    Shu Pan gave him a sidelong nce; she didn¡¯t expect Gu Shaoting to say that. At least not based on his earlier attitude.


    She couldn¡¯t imagine what he was thinking as he still had grudges against her father.


    She didn¡¯t dare to ask if he had already forgotten all the grudges from before.


    But she also understood that if a person truly loved another, he would also love the other person¡¯s family and ept everything about her.<div>


    Gu Shaoting had never liked to go to his inws¡¯ house before. He was also indifferent to her father and Auntie Lu. Shu Pan finally understood this principle when she saw the contrast.


    As she had called her father and Auntie Lu when on their way, she could see them waiting eagerly for them before they arrived at their house. They had been looking out for them, paying attention to every passing car.


    Shu Pan saw them getting older by the day and felt sad.


    This visit, she would try to persuade them to move to Bin City so she could take care of them.


    As soon as the car came to a stop, Joy opened the door and ran out.


    ¡°Grandpa, Grandma, I miss you so much.¡± Joy said coquettishly.


    ¡°You¡¯re really my little sweetheart. Let Grandpa see if you¡¯ve grown taller?¡± Shu Laide picked Joy up andughed happily.


    With Joy around, he forgot all his worries.


    ¡°Dad, Auntie Lu¡­¡± Gu Shaoting and Shu Pan called out politely as they got out of the car.


    ¡°Hi, hi. It¡¯s good that you¡¯re back. Come on in.¡± Shu Laide was pleased. At least Gu Shaoting¡¯s attitude seemed respectful..


    <div>

 Chapter 495: Dad, We’re Getting Married

    Chapter 495: Dad, We¡¯re Getting Married<div>


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Once in the house, Gu Shaoting put the gifts they brought on the coffee table.


    Shu Pan was carrying a cake. Because it was packed well, the butter cream didn¡¯t melt and the cake was in good condition.<div>


    Auntie Lu was very d to see the entire family there and went into the kitchen happily to cook.


    Shu Pan saw that Joy was ying in the living room and her father and Gu Shaoting were both there, so she also went into the kitchen.


    ¡°Panpan, get out quickly. It¡¯s smoky and oily in here.¡± Auntie Lu stopped Shu Pan when she saw her walk in.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. It¡¯s not like I¡¯ve never cooked before. Let me help. It¡¯ll be faster this way.¡± Shu Pan said indifferently.


    ¡°Panpan, how is it? Did Shaoting mention marriage with you?¡± Auntie Lu asked quietly when she saw that no one else was around.


    Shu Pan was very touched. Although Auntie Lu was not her biological mother, her concern for her was no less than her biological mother¡¯s.


    She knew that Auntie Lu cared very much about marriage and didn¡¯t want her to be short-changed.


    ¡°Auntie Lu, don¡¯t worry. Shaoting has already proposed to me, and I¡¯ve agreed.¡± Shu Pan felt that she shouldn¡¯t have kept Auntie Lu worried.


    Auntie Lu beamed. ¡°Good, good.¡±


    If he had marriage in mind, he was serious about her and not ying around.


    Panpan had already suffered enough. She did not want her to be hurt again.<div>


    Shu Pan¡¯s eyes instantly turned red.


    She didn¡¯t know that she had caused Auntie Lu so much worry.


    In the living room, Shu Laide and Gu Shaoting, two grown men, were sitting quietly.


    But they were both drinking tea in synchrony.


    Gu Shaoting finally broke the silence. ¡°Dad, Panpan and I are getting married.¡±


    Shu Laide¡¯s hand that was holding his teacup froze. He took a sip of tea and said, ¡°Are you serious? You won¡¯t be talking about divorce again in a few days, right?¡±


    Shu Laide¡¯s words were quite sarcastic, and Gu Shaoting felt a little embarrassed.


    ¡°Dad, don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m serious. I¡¯ll make them happy.¡± Gu Shaoting said confidently.


    Shu Laide nodded. What else could he say? After all, his daughter was still in love with this man and he was Joy¡¯s father. It was the best thing for them to get married. It would be good for Joy¡¯s development too.


    Seeing that Shu Laide did not object, Gu Shaoting heaved a sigh of relief. He was very nervous on the way here.


    After a long time¡­<div>


    ¡°Time to eat.¡± Auntie Lu shouted as she brought out arge porcin bowl.


    Joy was the first to leave the living room.


    ¡°Grandma, I¡¯m ready to eat. I¡¯m hungry.¡± Joy¡¯s childish voice was especially likable.


    ¡°Alright, my sweet baby. I¡¯ll dish out soup for you first.¡± Auntie Lu was very happy. It had been a long time since the house was so lively.


    ¡°Come sit down and eat. It¡¯s simple homecooked food.¡± Auntie Lu was a little worried that she wasn¡¯t a good host.


    After all, Gu Shaoting rarely came to their house in the past. One could count with one hand the number of times he came here when he was married to Panpan. Moreover, he came and went in a hurry every time. She and her father weren¡¯t happy about it but they didn¡¯t want Shu Pan to be sad, so they kept quiet.


    Auntie Lu didn¡¯t know what Gu Shaoting liked to eat, so she asked Shu Pan. But Shu Pan told her that she didn¡¯t need to cater specially to him, that he would eat whatever was served. He wasn¡¯t picky about food.


    Auntie Lu wouldn¡¯t be too casual either. After all, he would be her future son-inw, so she made all her signature dishes.


    Gu Shaoting ate happily and praised Auntie Lu¡¯s cooking as he ate.


    Did the sun rise from the west today? This man actually knew how to tter Auntie Lu¡­


    Shu Pan saw Gu Shaoting in a new light. He had disdained doing such things in the past.<div>


    But he had changed for her.


    ¡°If it¡¯s delicious, then eat more.¡± Auntie Lu saw that someone appreciated her cooking and happily picked up more food for Gu Shaoting.


    The whole family was happy.

 Chapter 496: A Difficult Task

    Chapter 496: A Difficult Task<div>


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    After lunch, they went on to cut the cake.


    Joy sang her grandfather a birthday song and danced. Shu Laide hadn¡¯t been so happy in a long time.<div>


    His worry about Shu Pan¡¯s marriage was finally a weight off his mind.


    ¡°Dad, Auntie Lu, I¡¯d like to discuss something with you. We¡¯ll be moving to Qiyuan soon. We have plenty of room there and we¡¯d like you to move in with us. That way, we¡¯ll be able to take care of each other.¡± Gu Shaoting suggested knowing well that Shu Pan¡¯s biggest worry was her parents.


    ¡°Thank you for the thought, but your Auntie Lu and I are used to living here. It¡¯s also troublesome to move.¡± Shu Laide¡¯s main concern was the inconveniences if they moved in with their son-inw. They enjoyed their freedom too much.


    ¡°Qiyuan is a very nice ce. You¡¯ll be morefortable living there.¡± Gu Shaoting continued to persuade them.


    Shu Pan was very touched. It was enough that he had the intention.


    ¡°If you¡¯d like to have your own space, our ce at Shuimu Qinghua will be avable after we move out. You are wee to live there. If you continue to live here, we won¡¯t be able to take care of you if something happens.¡± Gu Shaoting said earnestly.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, we are not at that stage yet. We¡¯ll tell you when the need arises.¡± Shu Laide said gratefully.


    It seemed that Gu Shaoting had taken everything to heart this time, so he could rest assured.


    ¡°Are you nning to hold a wedding this time around?¡± Auntie Lu asked because other than registering their marriage, they didn¡¯t do anything else the first time they got married.


    Every woman dreamed about the day she donned a wedding gown. Shu Pan didn¡¯t have a weddingst time. Auntie Lu wondered if she could make up for it this time around.


    ¡°There will be a wedding. I¡¯ll let you know when the date is set.¡± Gu Shaoting said firmly.<div>


    He would give Shu Pan an unforgettable wedding this time around.


    ¡°Okay, we¡¯ll go to Bin City when we attend your wedding.¡± Shu Laide said.


    ¡°Daddy, so Grandpa and Grandma are not moving in with us?¡± Joy was slightly disappointed.


    ¡°No, they are not. If you miss them, Daddy will send you back here to y with Grandpa and Grandma during your school holidays, okay?¡± Gu Shaotingforted Joy.


    He understood how she felt. Joy grew up with her Grandpa and Grandma, so it was expected that she would miss them.


    ¡°Fine. I¡¯ll miss them when we go home.¡± Joy said dejectedly.


    Gu Shaoting patted her head.


    ¡­


    Mr. Zhang felt that the most difficult task in the world was to pick someone up at the airport.


    ording to the message sent by CEO Gu, Charlene¡¯s flight was scheduled tond at 2 p.m. He and the driver left for the airport at noon. He was worried that there would be a traffic jam on the way, so it was better to set off earlier.


    He was right. Traffic was bad on their way to the airport. When they finally arrived, there was also a sea of people in the airport. Announcements through the P.A. system mixed with noises from the crowd created a rather chaotic scene.<div>


    Mr. Zhang found the arrival gate and looked at the time. It was almost time, so he quickly took out a card with Charlene¡¯s name on it.


    He admired his foresight. The arrival gate would be packed with people when flightsnd and they had never met before. It was necessary to hold up a card for his guest.


    He was quite pleased with himself. Why did the heavens give him such a brilliant mind?


    Just as he was indulging in his narcissism, a slender figure walked towards him from afar.


    Mr. Zhang¡¯s heart raced as he watched the woman walk closer.


    She was really attractive. Many people at the airport were staring at her.


    It wasn¡¯t because of anything else but because she had a beautiful face and an elegant but slightly yful demeanor.


    The beautiful woman walked up to him.


    ¡°Are you Mr. Zhang? Did Brother Gu ask you to pick me up?¡± The woman wasn¡¯t just beautiful, she also had a sweet and gentle voice.


    ¡°Yes. Hello, you are Miss Charlene, right?¡± Mr. Zhang quickly snapped out of his daze.


    <div>

 Chapter 497: Probing For Information

    Chapter 497: Probing For Information<div>


    Trantor:Nyoi-Bo StudioEditor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    ¡°Yes, I am Charlene, sorry to trouble you.¡± Charlene replied gracefully.


    ¡°Don¡¯t mention it. It¡¯s my pleasure.¡± Mr. Zhang felt a little embarrassed. He felt that his hard work was worth it when he saw that the beautiful woman was also modest and polite.<div>


    He put away the card and turned to help Charlene with her bags.


    Charlene walked in front while Mr. Zhang followed behind with a trolley wondering the whole time if it was a good idea to have such a beautiful woman working at Gu Group¡­


    He also wondered what the beauty in front of him was thinking. She wouldn¡¯t be causing any trouble at work, right?


    When they got to the car, Mr. Zhang sat in the front passenger seat while Charlene sat in the back.


    Charlene and Mr. Zhang chatted about the sights, sounds and culture of Bin City as they drove.


    Suddenly, Charlene changed the subject and asked about Gu Shaoting.


    ¡°Brother Zhang, is Brother Gu very busy?¡± Charlene was smooth talker as she quickly changed the way she addressed Mr. Zhang from ¡°Mr. Zhang¡± to ¡°Brother Zhang¡±.


    ¡°Of course, he¡¯s busy. It¡¯s no easy feat for CEO Gu to manage such a bigpany.¡± Mr. Zhang¡¯s tone was filled with deep admiration.


    ¡°Yeah, I heard from my father that he¡¯s super impressive.¡± Charlene¡¯s tone was filled with pride too.


    ¡°That¡¯s for sure. But he¡¯s probably not going to be busy with thepany soon. I think he¡¯ll be busy with his significant life event in theing days.¡± Mr. Zhang could be a gossip sometimes, like how he was speaking cryptically now.


    ¡°His significant life event?¡± Charlene was shocked. What was going on? Although she had spent a lot of time overseas, she had majored in Chinese, so she knew the meaning of ¡°significant life event¡±.<div>


    She might have heard that he had a girlfriend, but she wasn¡¯t paying much attention. After all, there weren¡¯t many women worthy of her Brother Gu. Moreover, most men with sessful careers would not step into the tomb of love, marriage, so early in life.


    ¡°That¡¯s right. Not many people know about this, and I¡¯m telling you this in confidence now.¡± Actually, Mr. Zhang had his selfish motives. He wanted to tell her to warn her not to fall in love with the wrong man.


    Charlene didn¡¯t say anything. She looked out the window and thought to herself disdainfully, ¡°It¡¯s a little premature to talk about marriage, right?¡±


    ¡°Is she beautiful?¡± Charlene suddenly asked an unrted question.


    Women tend topare themselves to others. Mr. Zhang could not help but shake his head.


    ¡°Are you referring to the future CEO spouse? Of course, she¡¯s beautiful. Otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t have caught CEO Gu¡¯s eye.¡± Mr. Zhang was tempted to ask Charlene if she knew the obvious answer to her question.


    ¡°Did Brother Gu tell you what to do with me?¡± Charlene asked. She knew that familiarity bred romance, so she had to find out quickly.


    ¡°CEO Gu asked me to be your supervisor. You¡¯ll be working with me as an executive assistant.¡± Mr. Zhang replied.


    ¡°Okay, I look forward to learning from you, Brother Zhang.¡± Charlene was rather satisfied with this arrangement because she would be working closely with the CEO; there would be plenty of opportunities for him to grow fond of her.


    ¡°Don¡¯t mention it. We¡¯ll learn together.¡± Mr. Zhang replied modestly.


    They chatted happily all the way until they arrived at a hotel owned by Gu Group.<div>


    ¡°Miss Charlene, please have a rest at the hotel first. You must be tired after such a long flight. I¡¯ll bring you to see the apartment after you recover from your jeg.¡± Mr. Zhang didn¡¯t get to be Gu Shaoting¡¯s secretary for nothing. He was a very thoughtful executive assistant.


    After sending Charlene to the hotel to settle down, Mr. Zhang called Gu Shaoting. ¡°CEO Gu, I¡¯ve settled things for Miss Charlene. She¡¯ll officially start work on Monday. She¡¯s still jegged.¡±


    ¡°Okay, thanks. Good job. Take good care of her.¡± Gu Shaoting reiterated.

 Chapter 498: Go, Charlene, Go!

    Chapter 498: Go, Charlene, Go!<div>


    Trantor:Nyoi-Bo StudioEditor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    ¡°Will do.¡±


    Gu Shaoting trusted that Mr. Zhang would do a good job. After hearing that everything had been properly arranged for Charlene, he felt that he had done good by Mr. John and went back to his task at hand.<div>


    He was packing at home with Shu Pan for their move to Qiyuan.


    Qiyuan already had everything. All they needed to do was to pack a few important belongings and move in. He didn¡¯t expect his wife to deem almost everything important.


    When they were done packing, there were numerous big and small cartons of things to be moved. He would need to hire a mover.


    ¡°Wifey, we really don¡¯t have to go through so much trouble. We¡¯ll just buy whatever we need.¡± Gu Shaoting didn¡¯t know whether tough or cry.


    ¡°Don¡¯t waste what¡¯s still usable. These things will just collect dust if we leave them here.¡± Shu Pan said matter-of-factly.


    Joy was ted when she heard her father tell her about the big garden with a swing she could y in and keep a puppy.


    She wished that they would move in right away.


    ¡­


    After Charlene arrived at her hotel room and put down her bags, she looked at her phone and figured that Mr. Zhang had probably updated her Brother Gu that he had picked her up from the airport.


    Theoretically, her Brother Gu would call her to check if she was settling in alright.


    But her phone never rang.<div>


    She sat on the bed, staring at her phone. Her lips were mashed together in a hard line and her face looked depressed.


    What was going on? Did Brother Gu not care about her at all? Did he think that she was here to cause him trouble?


    She squeezed her phone as she made up her mind to call Gu Shaoting.


    Her call was picked up after a long time.


    ¡°Hello, who is this, please?¡± Gu Shaoting¡¯s deep and maic voice rang out over the phone. His voice sounded like a tantalizing blend of silk and honey that sent shivers down her spine with each word.


    Charlene was so stunned that she couldn¡¯t speak.


    ¡°Hello?¡± Gu Shaoting said again over the phone.


    Charlene finally snapped out of her daze and replied quickly, ¡°Brother Gu, it¡¯s Charlene. I¡¯ve arrived.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good. Have a good rest. I¡¯ll treat you to a meal tomorrow.¡± Gu Shaoting said because he was busy and figured that Charlene was tired after such a long flight.


    That was why he didn¡¯t offer to buy her a wee dinner right away.


    ¡°Alright then.¡± Charlene¡¯s voice was filled with disappointment. She wasn¡¯t tired because she had slept for a long time during her flight. She had travelled the world and was used to flying around.<div>


    But since Gu Shaoting responded that way, she didn¡¯t press on.


    It was still better for a girl to act more reserved. She had plenty of opportunities ahead and letting this one go was no big deal.


    After hanging up the phone, Charlene opened her suitcase and hung up the clothes that she had specially selected for her stint here. What she brought with her was just part of her wardrobe. The clothes that she had shipped herself had yet to arrive.


    She was worried about her unfamiliarity with this ce that she didn¡¯t know where to shop, so she brought a lot of clothes.


    A woman must dress to impress her love interest.


    She was starting work tomorrow. What should she wear to impress her Brother Gu?


    She must knock his socks off.


    She browsed and browsed until she decided on an above the knee pencil skirt, paired with a white silk blouse. It was a very professional ensemble.


    The professional ensemble was often the hardest to carry off but it entuated her curves.


    The skirt she picked was pink and her top was white. As the blouse was made of silk, it had a semi- translucent quality and made her look very alluring.


    Charlene smiled in satisfaction. She was young, beautiful, and smart. She was confident that she could win Brother Gu over.<div>


    Didn¡¯t people say that it was much easier for a woman to pursue a man?


    If Gu Shaoting didn¡¯t want to pursue her, she could always be the pursuer.


    She had always worked hard to get what she wanted. She believed that people had their destiny in their own hands.


    ¡°Go, Charlene, go!¡± She looked at herself in the mirror and secretly cheered herself on.

 Chapter 499: Her First Appearance At Gu Group

    Chapter 499: Her First Appearance At Gu Group<div>


    Trantor:Nyoi-Bo StudioEditor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    As Mr. Zhang was worried that Charlene didn¡¯t know how to get to the office, he and the driver waited for her downstairs of her hotel the following morning.


    When Charlene walked out from the hotel lobby, she saw Mr. Zhang standing beside the car and the astonishment in his eyes.<div>


    She knew that she had achieved the desired effect.


    ¡°Good morning, Miss Charlene.¡± Mr. Zhang averted his eyes and greeted Charlene when she got close. He then turned to open the car door for her.


    ¡°Good morning, Mr. Zhang. Just call me Charlene from now on. After all, we are going to be colleagues. There¡¯s no need to be so formal.¡± Charlene said gently.


    Her first step was to win the hearts of the people. Mr. Zhang had told her that he had worked for Gu Shaoting for several years. Just the sound of it made her think that Mr. Zhang was a star employee at Gu Group. Gu Shaoting must trust him a lot, so it was necessary for her to get his support.


    ¡°Please get in the car.¡± Mr. Zhang didn¡¯t dare to be informal with Charlene as he continued to treat her with utmost respect.


    ¡°Brother Gu will be in office today, right?¡± Charlene asked. She woke up very early today to dress and doll herself up for her Brother Gu. Everything would go to waste if he didn¡¯t go to work¡­


    Who was Mr. Zhang? Someone who got to his position knew how to read people. He frowned.


    Wasn¡¯t this Miss Charlene paying way too much attention to the CEO?


    Charlene felt a little awkward when Mr. Zhang didn¡¯t answer her. She quickly changed the subject, ¡°The weather is really nice today.¡±


    ¡°Yes, the weather is always nice in Bin City.¡± Mr. Zhang replied indifferently.


    When they arrived at Gu Group, as Charlene expected, she caused a sensation at the office.<div>


    People wondered if she was a new employee when they saw her. But when they saw her walk in with Mr. Zhang and how Mr. Zhang was so respectful to her, some guessed that she was CEO Gu¡¯s mistress.


    People were whispering to each other and Charlene enjoyed being the center of everyone¡¯s attention.


    Her head was high and her chest was puffed out as she walked in confidently in her high heels.


    It couldn¡¯t be helped because Charlene was too eye-catching. She was wearing a pair of white stilettos and her pink skirt wrapped tightly around her buttocks, making her waist look slender and her long legs wless and fair.


    Her light makeup made her look fresh and not gaudy.


    They rode the elevator straight up to the executive floor. There was another female executive assistant in the secretary pool area. Everyone called her Xiaoyu.


    Xiaoyu was a smiley and carefree girl.


    When she saw Charlene, she thought that she was the newly hired executive assistant.


    ¡°Xiaoyu, this is Miss Charlene. She will be working here in the secretary pool area. Kindly acquaint yourselves and support one another.¡± Mr. Zhang gave a quick introduction. Not everyone had arrived in office, so he would do the formal introductionter.


    ¡°Looking forward to learning from you.¡± Charlene said modestly. There was no harm being nice to people. Anyway, it was always good to build rtionships as soon as possible.


    After a little pleasantries, Mr. Zhang brought Charlene around the office so she wouldn¡¯t get lost finding her way around thepany.<div>


    The executive floor alone was huge. Charlene regretted wearing stilettos as her ankles hurt after they walked just the one floor.


    Mr. Zhang was an astute observer. He quickly noticed Charlene¡¯s strange behavior and said considerately, ¡°Why don¡¯t I show you the other floors some other time? You have time to slowly familiarize yourself with the office and thepany.¡±


    Charlene couldn¡¯t have asked for more as she staggered back to the secretary pool area.


    Mr. Zhang had other business to take care of, so he left after walking Charlene back to her desk.


    Charlene saw only Xiaoyu in the secretary pool area, so she walked up to her and asked casually, ¡°Has CEO Gu arrived in office?¡±

 Chapter 500: An Invitation

    Chapter 500: An Invitation<div>


    Trantor:Nyoi-Bo StudioEditor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Xiaoyu looked up and thought for a moment. She then looked at the time and said, ¡°He¡¯s probably in. I wasn¡¯t paying attention.¡±


    Charlene smiled and then asked, ¡°Do you get many opportunities to go into the CEO¡¯s office?¡±<div>


    ¡°Not really because Mr. Zhang is usually the one who interacts with CEO Gu.¡± Xiaoyu replied with an incredulous expression on her face.


    ¡°I see.¡± Charlene was lost in thought.


    She needed to think of a way to get close to Brother Gu. How else would she win him over?


    Charlene looked at the time. It was 9:30; her Brother Gu should have arrived in his office.


    She straightened her clothes, picked up a notebook and walked towards the CEO¡¯s office.


    ¡°Knock, knock¡­¡± Gu Shaoting was startled when he heard the knock on the door because he was saying sweet nothings to Shu Pan.


    Shu Pan also heard the knock on the end of the call, so she found an excuse and hung up.


    ¡°Pleasee in¡­¡± Gu Shaoting said in an annoyed tone because he didn¡¯t appreciate the interruption.


    ¡°Brother Gu, is this a bad time?¡± Charlene carefully poked her head in.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. Come in.¡± Gu Shaoting suppressed his annoyance when he saw that it was Charlene.


    ¡°Brother Gu, my presence here has troubled you.¡± Charlene said politely like a submissive little wife. She believed in the saying ¡°one step back today for two steps forward tomorrow¡±.<div>


    ¡°Not at all. If there¡¯s anything you don¡¯t understand, just ask. I asked Mr. Zhang to supervise you because I¡¯m quite busy and not always in the office.¡± Gu Shaoting¡¯s words made sense.


    Charlene stood beside Gu Shaoting¡¯s desk, all tall and charming with her beautiful, fair skin. Her every move exuded the elegance of a wealthy young miss. At this moment, her beautiful eyes were wandering with excitement.


    But no matter what her expression and thoughts were, Gu Shaoting seemed indifferent because he was thinking where he should take Shu Pan for lunchter.


    They worked at differentpanies at different locations and Shu Pan was busy with Joy when they were home. They didn¡¯t really get much couple time.


    Therefore, their two-hour lunch break was precious.


    ¡°Brother Gu, I have a few questions for you, but I don¡¯t want to disturb you at work. Is lunchtime today convenient for you? Let¡¯s have lunch together.¡± Charlene¡¯s invitation sounded so legit that it was difficult to decline.


    Gu Shaoting wanted to tell her to cut to the chase but held back when he saw her eager eyes.


    He also thought about how he hadn¡¯t yet weed her after she touched down on this foreignnd.


    ¡°Alright, let me get some work done first. Please ask Mr. Zhang toe along.¡± Gu Shaoting thought that having his secretary at their lunch would be better. He would ask Shu Pan for her opinionter.


    ¡°Thanks, Brother Gu. I shan¡¯t disturb you anymore.¡± Charlene was so happy that she wanted to dance. She didn¡¯t expect things to go so smoothly. As for Mr. Zhang, he would probably be too busy to join themter.


    After Charlene finished, she politely left Gu Shaoting¡¯s office.<div>


    Gu Shaoting finally had his peace. He shrugged as he wondered what young girls nowadays were thinking.


    He got down to work.


    It was almost noon when Gu Shaoting looked at the time. He called Shu Pan.


    ¡°Wifey, what are you doing? Come to my office. We¡¯ll have lunch together.¡± Gu Shaoting said as soon as the call was connected.


    ¡°All that running around is too much trouble. I¡¯ll just find something to eat my office cafeteria.¡± Shu Pan was reluctant.


    ¡°A friend has just arrived and it¡¯s a wee lunch.¡± Gu Shaoting said awkwardly.


    Shu Pan thought that Gu Shaoting was referring to one of his male friends, so she didn¡¯t take it to heart.


    ¡°You have lunch with your friend. I¡¯ll meet him some other time.¡± Shu Pan figured that they probably had things to discuss.

 Chapter 501: Minds Games

    Chapter 501: Minds Games<div>


    Trantor:Nyoi-Bo StudioEditor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Gu Shaoting sensed Shu Pan¡¯s reluctance toe over for lunch and didn¡¯t force the matter.


    He looked at the time. It was almost lunchtime. He walked straight to the secretary pool area.<div>


    ¡°Charlene, it¡¯s almost lunchtime, let¡¯s go,¡± Gu Shaoting said.


    ¡°Okay.¡± Charlene¡¯s sweet voice rang out. When she saw Gu Shaoting, she immediately grabbed her bag and excitedly walked out with him.


    ¡°Where¡¯s Mr. Zhang?¡± Gu Shaoting suddenly remembered not seeing Mr. Zhang in the secretary pool area just now.


    ¡°He¡¯s very busy today. I haven¡¯t seen him since he brought me in this morning.¡± Charlene replied.


    Actually, Charlene told Mr. Zhang that Mr. Gu wanted him to get some information from the sales department when she came out of Gu Shaoting¡¯s office.


    Mr. Zhang believed her since he saw her walk out of the CEO¡¯s office until he went to the sales department and was told that there was no such request, and he was mistaken.


    The back and forth had wasted a lot of time, so naturally, he missed the lunch appointment between Gu Shaoting and Charlene.


    Since Mr. Zhang was busy, Gu Shaoting didn¡¯t insist on waiting for him.


    Gu Shaoting and Charlene stepped out of the elevator together into the lunch crowd. The office lobby was extremely busy. The people who saw them together couldn¡¯t help but wonder if they were lovers.


    As Shu Pan kept a low profile and rarely came to Gu Group, many people didn¡¯t know that Gu Shaoting actually had a girlfriend.


    When they saw Joyst time, they assumed that she was Gu Shaoting¡¯s illegitimate daughter.<div>


    Charlene was secretly delighted as she looked at Gu Shaoting beside her. She wanted everyone to misunderstand that they were romantically involved.


    She felt even more smug when she saw everyone¡¯s inquisitive gazes. She believed that news about them being a couple would spread very quickly.


    Who in the country didn¡¯t know of Gu Shaoting? The current CEO of Gu Group was sessful and recognized by all as a dazzling star in the business world.


    His business persona aside, he was also a man worthy of women falling head over heels over him. Although there were very few photos of him in the public arena, the few out there were worthy of shrieks from any woman.


    Charlene saw a photo of him that really affected her. In that photo, Gu Shaoting was sharp-eyed, tall, and handsome in a ck tailored suit as he walked out of an airport via the VIP exit, surrounded by a group of bodyguards. She fell for him the moment she saw that photo.


    She knew that she had fallen for him even more now.


    It was a feeling she never had.


    They walked out of the office lobby under everyone¡¯s watchful eyes and spections.


    All Gu Shaoting had on his mind was Shu Pan. He didn¡¯t take the young girl¡¯s flirtatious thoughts to heart and just treated her as a friend¡¯s daughter.


    When they arrived at the restaurant, Charlene requested a small private room on the grounds that the main dining area was too noisy.


    Seeing that there were only two of them in the private room, Charlene felt like they were on a date, and her heart pounded nervously.<div>


    ¡°What would you like to have?¡± Gu Shaoting asked in his deep and maic voice as he handed her the menu.


    Charlene took the menu shyly and pretended to peruse through it to hide her nervousness.


    They finally put in their order. While waiting for lunch to be served, Charlene asked, ¡°Brother Gu, it must be hard for you to manage such arge corporation.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not that bad.¡± Gu Shaoting took a sip of tea.


    ¡°That¡¯s not true. Look at how my father is losing hair managing a bigpany. He¡¯s almost bald.¡± Charlene sighed.


    Fortunately, Brother Gu was not like her father.


    ¡°Brother Gu, when is it convenient for you? I would like to visit Auntie.¡± Charlene found out today that her mother had visited Gu Shaoting¡¯s mother before.


    She didn¡¯t want to waste the mom card and would like to get on his mother¡¯s good side as soon as possible.

 Chapter 502: Ulterior Motives

    Chapter 502: Ulterior Motives<div>


    Trantor:Nyoi-Bo StudioEditor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Gu Shaoting couldn¡¯t help but frown when he heard that.


    Charlene would like to visit his mother?<div>


    They were not that close, right?


    Charlene saw Gu Shaoting¡¯s reaction and suddenly thought that her request might have been too much.


    She couldn¡¯t wait to give herself a tight p. Didn¡¯t she understand the principle of haste making waste?


    She licked her lips awkwardly and said, ¡°Brother Gu, I¡¯m sorry. Maybe I¡¯m asking too much. I just thought that you are doing me a favor with this internship and my father has taught me to be grateful. That¡¯s why I wanted to visit Auntie. After all, she¡¯s your closest rtive.¡±


    Gu Shaoting had no choice but to give Charlene face since she brought up her father.


    He could only agree. ¡°Oh, maybe someday. My mother likes to travel everywhere nowadays. Sometimes, I don¡¯t even know where she is.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡± Charlene saw Gu Shaoting¡¯s expression turn normal and heaved a sigh of relief.


    Gu Shaoting had his own worries too. His mother didn¡¯t like Shu Pan and couldn¡¯t wait to break them up.


    She would probably like any woman who was presented to her now. She would think that anyone was better than Shu Pan, let alone a wealthy young miss like Charlene. She would happily shove her into Gu Shaoting¡¯s arms.


    His life was finally more peaceful now. He didn¡¯t want to invite any trouble.


    The two of them ate in silence. Charlene noticed that Gu Shaoting didn¡¯t like onions; he only ate fish and soup.<div>


    She made a mental note about his food preferences.


    The atmosphere in the private room was awkward as none of them spoke.


    Suddenly, a ringing phone broke the silence.


    Gu Shaoting picked up his phone and saw that it was Shu Pan calling. That was odd. Why would Shu Pan call him at this hour?


    He was usually the one who called her. This must be something urgent.


    He quickly press the answer button. ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Have you had lunch?¡±


    ¡°Shaoting, Joy¡¯s teacher just called and said that Joy has a high fever. I¡¯m going to take her to a doctor now.¡± Shu Pan was so anxious that she felt like her heart was in her mouth.


    ¡°What? Wait for me at your office lobby. I¡¯ming to pick you up now.¡± Although Gu Shaoting was anxious, his expression was still very calm.


    Shu Pan felt much more at ease when she heard his voice.


    After hanging up the phone, Gu Shaoting looked at Charlene and said apologetically, ¡°I have something urgent to attend to now, so I can¡¯t finish this wee lunch with you. Please stay and enjoy the meal. I¡¯ve already signed for the bill. Feel free to order more if you¡¯d like.¡±


    Gu Shaoting had already opened the door to the private room when he said that.<div>


    ¡°Brother Gu, is there anything I can help with?¡± Charlene had no idea what was going on.


    ¡°No need, thanks. Please stay and enjoy lunch.¡± Gu Shaoting left in a hurry after he said that.


    How did a perfectly good meal end up like this? Charlene still didn¡¯t know who Gu Shaoting was talking to, and what made him so anxious¡­


    She sat down dejectedly and was in no mood to eat. She didn¡¯t really care about the lunch anyway.


    She thought for a bit and then picked up her phone to call Mr. Zhang.


    ¡°Mr. Zhang, it¡¯s Charlene. Have you had lunch?¡± Charlene asked naturally in a very sweet voice.


    ¡°Not yet. I was just about to go eat.¡± Mr. Zhang felt a little down today. He felt that he had been yed by CEO Gu. He told him that the sales department had documents for him, but they didn¡¯t.


    ¡°Perfect. I¡¯m going to text you an address. Please join me for lunch. I¡¯ve already ordered.¡± Charlene invited him warmly.


    ¡°Sure, thank you in advance.¡± Mr. Zhang finally smiled. Not long after they hung up, he received a text from Charlene.


    He took a taxi to the address.


    One could tell at a nce that everything served at this restaurant was expensive.<div>

 Chapter 503: He Has A Fiancée?

    Chapter 503: He Has A Fianc¨¦e?<div>


    Trantor:Nyoi-Bo StudioEditor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Mr. Zhang thought to himself that rich young misses were indeed different. Even the food and drinks they consumed must be of the best quality or the most expensive.


    Mr. Zhang saw the table full of dishes as he sat down. He was so shocked that his mouth fell open in a gape of astonishment.<div>


    ¡°You¡­ You ordered so many dishes for yourself?¡± Mr. Zhang was starting to question his life. This kind of behavior was too extravagant and wasteful.


    ¡°No, these were ordered by Brother Gu. It¡¯s meant to be my wee lunch. He even asked me to invite you. But someone called Brother Gu just now and he suddenly left to deal with something urgent.¡±


    Charlene watched Mr. Zhang¡¯s expression closely, hoping to discover some non-verbal clues.


    ¡°Something urgent? It¡¯s probably a private matter. I¡¯m not aware of any emergencies at work.¡± Mr. Zhang blurted out.


    Charlene got the answer she wanted. She initially thought that it was Mr. Zhang who called Gu Shaoting away.


    It seemed like it was a private matter.


    ¡°Maybe. Maybe something happened to his family.¡± Charlene put down her chopsticks and said worriedly.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about CEO Gu. He can solve any problem.¡± Mr. Zhang said as he ate.


    ¡°Maybe it¡¯s about his girlfriend?¡± Charlene probed.


    ¡°Girlfriend?¡± Mr. Zhang paused before he said with a smile, ¡°Let me share a gossip with you. CEO Gu doesn¡¯t have a girlfriend, but he has a fianc¨¦e. They are probably getting married soon.¡±


    ¡°Fianc¨¦e?¡± Charlene was shocked; that wasn¡¯t an eptable answer to her.<div>


    She almost lost herposure, but fortunately, she managed to control herself. Mr. Zhang was busy eating and not paying attention to her.


    ¡°That¡¯s right. He just proposed not long ago. Their wedding is probably around the corner.¡± Mr. Zhang was very happy for CEO Gu as he finally got the woman of his dreams.


    After all the ups and downs, true love found its way.


    But he didn¡¯t want to tell Charlene too much. He just wanted to let her know that CEO Gu was taken.


    ¡°Brother Gu¡¯s fianc¨¦e must be as beautiful as a goddess.¡± Charlene sounded a little forlorn as she muttered.


    ¡°She¡¯s very gentle and considerate. A very nicedy.¡± Mr. Zhang didn¡¯t want Charlene to fall further for Gu Shaoting.


    He had already noticed Charlene¡¯s interest in his boss after spending two days with her. It was better for her to drop the idea as soon as possible.


    Her interest in CEO Gu was understandable. After all, most women who had met him fell for his charm.


    Charlene stopped talking and ate quietly.


    Only she knew how nd the food tasted in her mouth.


    She suddenly had a strong desire to meet Gu Shaoting¡¯s fianc¨¦e.<div>


    She wanted to see what she was like. Charlene didn¡¯t think that she was inferior to his fianc¨¦e. Brother Gu probably hadn¡¯t seen her good qualities because they had spent so little time together.


    Charlene sipped her soup slowly and her expression returned to normal.


    Gu Shaoting arrived at Shu Pan¡¯s office to pick her up.


    ¡°I ate a little lunch. What did Joy¡¯s teacher say? Why did she suddenly have a fever?¡± Gu Shaoting asked worriedly.


    ¡°It¡¯s probably a throat inmmation. She¡¯s been coughing the past two days.¡± It wasmon for children to catch a cold or get the flu.


    ¡°Then, it¡¯s probably not something serious.¡± Gu Shaotingforted Shu Pan quickly to ease her anxiety.


    ¡°Weren¡¯t you at a wee lunch? It¡¯s not nice to leave suddenly like that.¡± Shu Pan wondered if she had made a mountain out of a molehill.


    This wasn¡¯t the first time Joy had a fever. It happened throughout her childhood. She used to be strong and decisive and took Joy to the doctor right away when she had a fever in the past. But now that she had Gu Shaoting, she relied on him for everything.


    She would think of him for even the smallest thing.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. We¡¯re just ordinary friends.¡± Gu Shaoting said inly.


    Shu Pan didn¡¯t probe further after hearing his words.<div>


    When they arrived at the kindergarten, the two of them got Joy and took her to a hospital.

 Chapter 504: A Chance Meeting, Part 1

    Chapter 504: A Chance Meeting, Part 1<div>


    Trantor:Nyoi-Bo StudioEditor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Gu Shaoting didn¡¯t return to the office the entire afternoon. Charlene had been paying attention.


    She had also asked around and people told her that he had something on in the afternoon and wouldn¡¯t being back to the office.<div>


    Charlene was very disappointed. She was listless and distracted the whole afternoon. Xiaoyu called out to her a few times before she snapped out of her daze.


    ¡°Charlene, are you okay? You don¡¯t look well.¡± Xiaoyu asked with concern.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine. Maybe because I didn¡¯t sleep wellst night.¡± Charlene shook her head.


    Suddenly, Charlene¡¯s tone changed. ¡°Xiaoyu, have you met CEO Gu¡¯s fianc¨¦e?¡±


    ¡°CEO Gu¡¯s fianc¨¦e? Are you referring to the supermodel, Tong Fei?¡± Xiaoyu asked.


    ¡°Supermodel?¡± Why was Xiaoyu¡¯s description of Gu Shaoting¡¯s fianc¨¦e so different from Mr. Zhang¡¯s?


    The fianc¨¦e Mr. Zhang described was a woman who enjoyed staying at home and running the family, nothing close to a supermodel.


    ¡°Yup. CEO Gu had a supermodel fianc¨¦e, but there¡¯s news that they¡¯ve broken up, but I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s fake news.¡±


    Xiaoyu felt that life as a celebrity was hard as they had absolutely no privacy.


    Charlene felt like she was on an emotional roller coaster as she tried to figure out what was going on.


    ¡°If she¡¯s CEO Gu¡¯s fianc¨¦e, she probablyes here quite often and you guys would know if they¡¯ve broken up.¡± Charlene suddenly felt that Mr. Zhang had duped her.<div>


    But he didn¡¯t need to do that, right? She couldn¡¯t figure it out.


    The more she thought about it, the more frustrated she got. Things were much moreplicated than she had imagined.


    Never mind. She would stop thinking about it for now and go out and rx tonight.


    ¡°Xiaoyu, are you busy after work?¡± Charlene asked.


    ¡°No, I¡¯m going straight home.¡± Xiaoyu¡¯s family wasn¡¯t from Bin City. She lived alone and spent her afterwork hours alone too.


    ¡°I just arrived here and not familiar with Bin City. Would you like to go shopping with me after work?¡± Charlene said.


    ¡°Sure,¡± Xiaoyu readily agreed.


    After work, the two of them went straight to thergest shopping mall in Bin City.


    The mall was crowded and there was a dazzling array of goods. When Charlene shopped, she¡¯d just pick the best brands and buy whatever she wanted.


    She didn¡¯t care about the price. She only cared about whether she liked the item. Xiaoyu¡¯s heart palpitated when she saw Charlene¡¯s behavior.


    Nouveau riche. Charlene was one of them.<div>


    The two of them walked around for a bit, picking up items as they went, until their hands were full with shopping.


    They were all Charlene¡¯s shopping.


    ¡°Charlene, I think it¡¯s time to wrap up.¡± Xiaoyu was worried that they wouldn¡¯t be able to carry all her shopping home.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, soon.¡± Charlene was looking for brands that were more suited for middle-aged people.


    Although Brother Gu said that she didn¡¯t have to visit his mother, she must mind her manner. She¡¯d get his mother a gift so she¡¯d be ready to visit her whenever the opportunity came up.


    The boutique they walked into specialized in clothing for the middle-aged. It was a very famous brand.


    Even if Charlene seldom bought such clothes, she had heard of the brand.


    There were a few customers browsing in the boutique. One could tell from the way they dressed that they were all rich wives. Each of them had remarkable demeanor.


    Charlene finally had her eye on a shawl.


    As she did not know Mrs. Gu¡¯s height and weight, and whether she was thin or fat, she couldn¡¯t buy her clothes.


    A shawl was a better and more practical choice.<div>


    Just as Charlene was about to call the sales assistant to show her the shawl, the changing room door opened.


    An elegant and nobledy happened to be trying on the same shawl.


    When Charlene saw her, she couldn¡¯t help but sigh in her heart that the shawl really suited thedy. Whether the style or color, the shawl made her look extremely noble and elegant.


    Charlene couldn¡¯t help but say out loud, ¡°Madam, this shawl really suits you. I¡¯m going to get the same one as a gift for someone.¡±

 Chapter 505: A Chance Meeting, Part 2

    Chapter 505: A Chance Meeting, Part 2<div>


    Trantor:Nyoi-Bo StudioEditor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    When Song Can heard Charlene¡¯spliment, she couldn¡¯t help but turn around. She learned that the sweet voice belonged to a pretty, young girl with bags of shopping hanging off both her arms.


    The bags were all from luxury brands. This young girl obviously came from money.<div>


    Song Can was delighted. ¡°Youngdy, does this really look good on me?¡±


    Charlene nodded quickly.


    ¡°Very much so.¡±


    Song Can chuckled. What a lovely girl.


    Sigh, it was so much better to have daughters. Daughters were much more caring, unlike her son, who disregarded all parental advice when he was grown.


    Sometimes, when he came home, they would start arguing after just a couple of verbal exchanges. Grown sons never listened to their mothers.


    Plus, their arguments were always about Shu Pan. Song Can couldn¡¯t help but sometimes wonder if Shu Pan was the bane of her existence.


    Why did her son meet her? Gu Shaoting became like this probably under the influence of Shu Pan.


    She was so upset thest time that she went on yet another trip with her friends. Out of sight, out of mind. She had just arrived home yesterday.


    She didn¡¯t even tell Gu Shaoting that she was back. She figured that he didn¡¯t care anyway, so she couldn¡¯t be bothered to tell him.


    It wouldn¡¯t make any difference anyway.<div>


    She felt quite sad thinking about it. A girl she had just met could make her so happy while her son was so infuriating.


    ¡°It¡¯s really nice, Song Can. This shawl looks like it was designed for you.¡± Song Can¡¯s friend added when she heard Charlene¡¯spliment.


    Song Can felt like she was on cloud nine.


    ¡°Alright, since everyone says it looks good on me, I¡¯ll get it.¡± Song Can did not look at the price and was taking off the shawl to ask a sales assistant to wrap it up.


    Charlene peeked at the price tag and got a shock. Even when Charlene bought branded goods all the time, she was shocked at the price. The shawl cost a five-figure sum, but this richdy didn¡¯t even blink an eye and just asked the sales assistant to wrap it up.


    ¡°Just buy. You¡¯re the mother of the CEO of Gu Group. Why look at the price tag when you shop? Just get it if you like it.¡± Her friend teased.


    ¡°Please don¡¯t say that. I¡¯ll be the butt of people¡¯s jokes.¡± Song Can said unhappily. She only had this kind of false reputation. Gu Shaoting still wouldn¡¯t heed her advice.


    The more she thought about it, the angrier she got. That was why she couldn¡¯t be bothered to call him even when she was back.


    Charlene thought that she misheard this nobledy¡¯s friend. Did she just refer to thisdy as the mother of the CEO of Gu Group?


    There was only one Gu Group in Bin City, right? Could this nobledy in front of her be Gu Shaoting¡¯s mother?


    She couldn¡¯t believe her luck.<div>


    She had been racking her brain on how she could get close to Mrs. Gu and the heavens granted her a chance meeting like this¡­


    ¡°Xiaoyu, is thisdy CEO Gu¡¯s mother?¡± Charlene wanted to confirm.


    Xiaoyu thought for a moment and replied, ¡°I¡¯m not sure. She rarelyes to the office. She appeared once but left in a hurry. Thisdy looks to be her.¡±


    Charlene knew what she had to do. She walked up to Song Can and said, ¡°It still looks better on you.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re too sweet. Aren¡¯t you going to buy the same shawl?¡± Song Can saw that Charlene was empty-handed.


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t want to create a fashion faux pas for you. I¡¯ll find something else.¡± Charlene said cleverly.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be silly. What does it matter?¡± Song Can liked this girl.


    She felt an instant connection with her.


    ¡°What¡¯s your name, youngdy?¡± Song Can asked.


    ¡°Charlene.¡± She answered quickly.


    ¡°That¡¯s a nice name, as sweet as a person.¡± Song Can said with a smile.<div>


    Charlene felt a little shy.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know why I felt a sense of familiarity when I met you.¡± Charlene said fawningly.

 Chapter 506: Fate

    Chapter 506: Fate<div>


    Trantor:Nyoi-Bo StudioEditor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Song Can also took a liking to this young girl at first sight, probably because her own son was so troublesome, she always found other people¡¯s children adorable.


    ¡°If you two get along so well, why not spend more time together? Isn¡¯t it trendy nowadays to have godmothers and goddaughters?¡± Song Can¡¯s friend teased as she watched them chatting enthusiastically.<div>


    She knew Song Can was too lonely, always fretting over her son and his ex-wife.


    In fact, as her good friends, they had advised her many times to let go and trust that her son would find happiness.


    But Song Can couldn¡¯t do it. Because she liked Tong Fei before, she couldn¡¯t ept the one her son liked.


    People sometimes get more confused as they get older.


    ¡°Yeah, Charlene, we seem to hit it off. We should meet up for tea or shopping sometime. As we get older, we also want to bask in the vitality of the young,¡± Song Can said with a smile.


    ¡°Sure thing, Auntie,¡± Charlene felt thating out to shop tonight was a very wise decision. It seemed her sincerity had touched the heavens, giving her such a great opportunity. It must be said that the world was really small. In such a ce, she met the person she was looking for.


    Xiaoyu returned from the neighboring store and saw them chatting happily together, so she went over to greet them.


    Seeing that it was gettingte, Charlene and Song Can exchanged numbers, and then Charlene left with Xiaoyu.


    ¡°Charlene, was that really Mr. Gu¡¯s mother?¡± Xiaoyu asked, somewhat puzzled.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, I didn¡¯t ask,¡± Charlene didn¡¯t want Xiaoyu to know too much, to avoid unnecessary gossip.


    Back at the hotel, Charlene put away her loot and immediately sent a message to Gu Shaoting, ¡°Brother Gu, I didn¡¯t see you back at the office this afternoon. Are you okay?¡±<div>


    The message was full of concern.


    After sending it, she waited for a long time without hearing her phone ring.


    Charlene disappointedly set down her phone and decided to take a shower and go to bed.


    Just before going to sleep, her phone chimed. Charlene quickly picked it up and saw it was from Gu Shaoting, containing only one cold word, ¡°fine.¡±


    Charlene pursed her lips and slowly put down the phone, knowing that even if she replied, he probably wouldn¡¯t respond again.


    Shey in bed, tossing and turning, her mind a jumble of thoughts.


    In a daze, she thought of something. She should find an apartment first. It wasn¡¯t possible to keep staying in a hotel.


    Hmm, she would ask Secretary Zhang about it tomorrow.


    ¡­


    Because Joy had a high fever, Gu Shaoting and Shu Pan didn¡¯t dare to leave her side for a moment, taking care of her tirelessly.


    After Shu Pan gave Joy some fever-reducing medicine and was already exhausted.<div>


    ¡°You go and rest, I¡¯ll take over,¡± Gu Shaoting looked at Shu Pan with concern. Being a mother was truly admirable. He wasn¡¯t there when this happened. He wondered how she managed during that time.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. Aren¡¯t you signing a contract tomorrow? Get some rest. She has taken the medicine now. After her fever goes down, I¡¯ll wipe her sweat and then take a nap,¡± Shu Pan insisted, worried about Gu Shaoting¡¯sck of experience in taking care of a sick child.


    Gu Shaoting couldn¡¯t argue with her and could only listen.


    Throughout the night, Shu Pan dozed off for only half an hour.


    Worried that Joy might have another fever, Shu Pan felt dizzy when she woke up in the morning.


    Fortunately, Joy didn¡¯t have a fever again. Shu Pan took the day off to take care of her, while Gu Shaoting left early.


    Today, he had an early meeting and a contract signing.


    Seeing how tired Shu Pan was, Gu Shaoting arranged for Mrs. Li toe and help cook porridge and meals, allowing Shu Pan to rest for a while.


    It seemed like they needed to move to Qiyuan as soon as possible.

 Chapter 507: Complaining

    Chapter 507: Comining<div>


    Trantor:Nyoi-Bo StudioEditor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Shu Pan slept until noon, stretchingzily as she saw Joy quietly ying with her toys beside her.


    She reached out and touched Joy¡¯s forehead, relieved to find that her fever waspletely gone. A weight lifted off her heart.<div>


    ¡°Are you hungry, Joy?¡± Shu Pan¡¯s voice was hoarse as she just woke up.


    ¡°I had congee. Auntie gave it to me,¡± Joy said in her childish voice.


    ¡°That¡¯s good. You can go out. Mommy is getting up,¡± Shu Pan said, nning to change her clothes.


    After Joy left, Shu Pan¡¯s phone suddenly rang.


    ¡°Congrattions, Madam,¡± came Xiaomeng¡¯s voice from the other end of the line.


    ¡°Why are you calling me that?¡± Shu Pan said, a bit annoyed. She still felt a bit shy about this title.


    ¡°He Ming told me about it. I never thought Gu Shaoting could be so romantic. It¡¯s really surprising, isn¡¯t it?¡± Xiaomeng sounded somewhat sentimental.


    ¡°I guess he read it in a book. His emotional intelligence isn¡¯t that high,¡± Shu Pan quipped.


    ¡°When are you free? Let¡¯s go out and celebrate,¡± Xiaomeng suggested.


    ¡°Joy had a feverst night. She¡¯s fine now, but I need to keep an eye on her. I¡¯ll make ns with you when I¡¯m free,¡± Shu Pan said as she got out of bed and walked to the window.


    ¡°Is she okay now? Children are more prone to fevers and colds in this weather,¡± Xiaomeng said sympathetically.<div>


    ¡°I know, Xiaomeng. Have you checked yourself? Any issues?¡± Shu Pan brought up the topic again.


    ¡°They say everything¡¯s fine, but I still can¡¯t get pregnant,¡± Xiaomeng sighed heavily, feeling dejected.


    ¡°Don¡¯t dwell on it too much. Just go with the flow,¡± Shu Pan said, feeling helpless about the situation.


    ¡°Yeah, since I can¡¯t get pregnant, I don¡¯t n to marry He Ming either. His mom is probably already looking for a suitable match for him,¡± Xiaomeng said, resigned to her fate. Seeing He Ming avoiding her and answering his mom¡¯s calls, she knew it wasn¡¯t going to end well.


    She knew He Ming cared about her, but he was an only child, and she didn¡¯t want to make things difficult for him.


    ¡°Don¡¯t think like that. It¡¯s just that the timing isn¡¯t right. Rx,¡± Shu Pan advised.


    ¡°Heh, I¡¯vee to terms with it,¡± Xiaomeng said, feeling like she¡¯s always been unlucky. She thought meeting He Ming was a blessing from heaven, but who knew there would be such a hurdle?


    ¡°Xiaomeng¡­¡± Shu Pan sighed helplessly.


    ¡°Hey girl, do you have any timeter? How about we go out for a few days and rx?¡± Ye Xiaomeng suddenly suggested.


    ¡°Just the two of us?¡± Shu Pan asked.


    ¡°Yeah, I feel like I¡¯m suffocatingtely and I need to get out and clear my head,¡± Ye Xiaomeng felt like she needed some space to herself, especially since she felt caught between He Ming and Mother He.<div>


    Shu Pan thought for a moment. Joy¡¯s kindergarten would be on break soon, and she could send Joy to her dad and Auntie Lu¡¯s ce. It would be a good time for her to take a few days off.


    ¡°Sure, when Joy¡¯s on break next week, I¡¯ll send her to my dad¡¯s ce, and then we can go,¡± Shu Pan agreed.


    ¡°Is there any ce you really want to go?¡± Ye Xiaomeng asked.


    ¡°Not really, you decide,¡± Shu Pan felt that Xiaomeng had a broader range of experiences than her.


    ¡°Okay, do you want to let Mr. Gu know first? Will he agree? Or will he worry that I may lose you?¡± Ye Xiaomeng chuckled.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine, do I not have any freedom in my life? I¡¯ll let him know once we¡¯ve decided on a ce,¡± Shu Pan didn¡¯t think Gu Shaoting would object.


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll n out the route and then we¡¯ll decide,¡± Ye Xiaomeng was eager to have something to keep her busy and distract her mind. Her current job was rtively idle, with fewer business trips, so she had a lot of time to overthink things.


    Actually, He Ming had also suggested that she go somewhere, but this time she wanted to go on a trip with her bestie, leaving the men aside.

 Chapter 508: Difficulty in Company

    Chapter 508: Difficulty in Company<div>


    Trantor:Nyoi-Bo StudioEditor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    After finishing her conversation with Ye Xiaomeng, Shu Pan hung up the phone, finished washing up, and came out. Joy, seeing her, said somewhat unhappily, ¡°Mommy, you¡¯re so slow!¡±


    ¡°Sorry, sweetie, Mommy was chatting with godmother,¡± Shu Pan replied.<div>


    ¡°Madam,e and have your meal,¡± Auntie Li called out as she saw Shu Pane out.


    ¡°Auntie Li, just call me Shu Pan,¡± Shu Pan corrected her again. She really wasn¡¯t used to being called ¡°Madam,¡± and besides, she wasn¡¯t one yet. Who knows what might change?


    Auntie Li smiled. Madam really had no airs about her.


    ¡°Mommy, I¡¯m so bored at home,¡± Joy said, feeling a bit bored after staying home all morning.


    ¡°Where do you want to go then?¡± Shu Pan asked casually as she sipped her soup.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go to Daddy¡¯s office. I miss him,¡± Joy finally decided after thinking for a while.


    ¡°But Daddy is busy with work. We might disturb him if we go,¡± Shu Pan patiently exined.


    ¡°No, I want to go see Daddy,¡± Joy started to pout a little.


    Thinking about how Joy had just recovered from her illness, Shu Pan agreed.


    After finishing their meal, Shu Pan went back to her room, changed into a simple and elegant long skirt, put on a pair of slightly heeled shoes, and applied light makeup.


    ¡°Mommy, you look so beautiful today!¡± Joy, the little tterer, remarked.<div>


    ¡°Isn¡¯t Mommy always beautiful?¡± Shu Pan teased her.


    ¡°You¡¯re always beautiful, but today you¡¯re the most beautiful,¡± Joy said, grabbing Shu Pan¡¯s hand and leading her outside.


    ¡°Let Mommy make a call first, just in case Daddy is busy,¡± Shu Pan suggested worriedly. She thought it might be too abrupt for them to just show up.


    ¡°No, don¡¯t call. Mommy, let¡¯s surprise Daddy!¡± Joy, mischievous as always, wanted to surprise her dad. Hopefully, it wouldn¡¯t end up being a shock.


    ¡°Alright, we¡¯ll do it your way,¡± Shu Pan conceded. She med Gu Shaoting for spoiling Joy with his idea that daughters should be raised in luxury. Now Joy was getting a bit spoiled.


    The two of them arrived at Gu Group, and after getting out of the car, Shu Pan was feeling a bit hesitant.


    But Joy dragged her inside, looking happily.


    ¡°Hello, could you please inform Mr. Gu?¡± Shu Pan,ing for the first time for personal matters, wasn¡¯t sure what procedures to follow, so she decided to have the receptionist notify him.


    ¡°Sorry, do you have an appointment?¡± The receptionist, who had only been here for two months, was following protocol.


    ¡°No, if it¡¯s convenient, please let him know. Otherwise, I can also look for Secretary Zhang.¡± Shu Pan thought about it, worrying that Gu Shaoting might be in a meeting.


    ¡°Alright, let me check with the secretary¡¯s office.¡± The receptionist dialed the number for the secretary¡¯s office, but Xiaoyu and Secretary Zhang were both unavable, leaving only Charlene.<div>


    ¡°Hello, is Mr. Gu avable? There¡¯s a Ms. Shu looking for him,¡± the receptionist inquired.


    ¡°Do you have an appointment? If not, he won¡¯t see you. The CEO is very busy; he doesn¡¯t just see anyone who walks in,¡± Charlene frowned.


    ¡°She just asked to pass on a message; Mr. Gu will see her,¡± the receptionist replied, feeling pressured by Charlene¡¯s aggressive tone.


    ¡°Is it business or personal?¡± Charlene continued to inquire.


    ¡°Personal,¡± the receptionist replied, feeling a bit intimidated by Charlene¡¯s assertiveness.


    Personal matters? Who is this Ms. Shu? Are women nowadays so bold? Coming to the office and causing a scene?


    ¡°The CEO is busy,¡± Charlene said before promptly hanging up the phone.


    The receptionist looked bewildered, staring at the now disconnected call, feeling somewhat lost.


    ¡°Sorry, the CEO is busy,¡± the receptionist could only say.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± Shu Pan smiled, not wanting to make things difficult for her. She understood the rules of arge corporation.


    She crouched down to Joy¡¯s eye level and said, ¡°Sweetheart, Daddy is busy. How about we go home and wait for him there?¡±<div>

 Chapter 509: She Doesn’t Need Permission to Come

    Chapter 509: She Doesn¡¯t Need Permission to Come<div>


    Trantor:Nyoi-Bo StudioEditor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    ¡°No, I want Daddy,¡± Joy¡¯s eyes started to well up with tears.


    Shu Pan rubbed her temples, feeling a headacheing on.<div>


    ¡°Mommy, why don¡¯t you call Daddy?¡± Joy didn¡¯t want to surprise her dad anymore. Thatdy downstairs wouldn¡¯t let them up anyway.


    ¡°You, little troublemaker¡­¡± Shu Pan pinched Joy¡¯s nose affectionately.


    With a sigh, Shu Pan took out her phone and dialed Gu Shaoting¡¯s number.


    If Xiaomeng were here, she would probably say Shu Pan was being overdramatic. With her current status, she could simply take Joy upstairs.


    But that wasn¡¯t Shu Pan¡¯s style. She preferred to keep a low profile. She didn¡¯t want toe to thepany and be the center of attention, with everyone gossiping about her like she was some circus monkey.


    Just thinking about it made her scalp tingle.


    As Shu Pan called Gu Shaoting, he was in the midst of giving the upper management a piece of his mind.


    The executives were all feeling like they were being scolded like misbehaved children by Gu Shaoting.


    Seething with anger, Gu Shaoting initially considered ignoring the phone call. But when he saw it was from Shu Pan, he took a quick nce. Could it be that Joy was sick again?


    Seeing that it was almost time anyway, he waved his hand, signaling for them to leave.


    The executives couldn¡¯t help but breathe a sigh of relief. Who was this great savior who had rescued them?<div>


    As soon as the executives departed, Gu Shaoting quickly answered the call.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Honey?¡± Gu Shaoting asked anxiously, his tonepletely different from when he was reprimanding the executives just moments ago.


    ¡°Are you avable toe down to the lobby for a moment? Your precious daughter wants to see you,¡± Shu Pan didn¡¯t mention the receptionist¡¯s refusal. After all, they were just followingpany protocols, and she hadn¡¯t informed them of her identity.


    ¡°What? You¡¯re here at thepany? Alright, don¡¯t move, I¡¯ll be right down,¡± Gu Shaoting hurriedly headed downstairs.


    As the elevator doors opened, Gu Shaoting stepped out, his expression somewhat stern. He strode purposefully towards them.


    ¡°Daddy!¡± Joy immediately called out as soon as she saw her father.


    ¡°Little darling, are you all better now? Why didn¡¯t you ask Daddy to arrange for a driver to pick you up?¡± Gu Shaoting felt all his fatigue melt away when he heard Joy¡¯s voice.


    The receptionist on the side was stunned to see this scene unfold before her eyes.


    The little girl just now had called Gu Shaoting ¡°Daddy.¡± When did their CEO get married and have such a big daughter. That woman must be Mr. Gu¡¯s wife.


    She hadn¡¯t paid much attention before, but now, looking closely, she was indeed very beautiful. Slim figure, elegant posture¡­


    ¡°We decided toe out spontaneously. We didn¡¯t disturb you, did we?¡± Shu Pan interjected timely when she saw the two getting cozy.<div>


    ¡°No, it¡¯s fine. Let¡¯s go, upstairs.¡± Gu Shaoting held Joy with his left hand and Shu Pan¡¯s hand with his right.


    As they turned around, he said sternly to the receptionist, ¡°Remember, she cane whenever she wants.¡±


    The receptionist nodded vigorously, feeling both relieved and confused about who had just set her up in the secretary department.


    Seeing Gu Shaoting and his family leave, the receptionist quickly spread the gossip to others through internal channels.


    This incident was bound to shake the entire Gu Group.


    ¡°Feeling aggrieved?¡± Gu Shaoting asked with concern as they rode the elevator.


    ¡°No, not at all. You were busy, it wasn¡¯t right for me toe to thepany to find you. It blurs the lines between personal and professional matters,¡± Shu Pan genuinely felt it was no big deal.


    ¡°Don¡¯t spoil Joy too much. Look at how she¡¯s behaving now¡ªwillful and throwing tantrums¡­¡± Shu Pan took the opportunity to advise, hoping Gu Shaoting would understand her good intentions.


    ¡°I think Joy is just fine,¡± Gu Shaoting said with a smile.


    The news of Shu Pan and Joy¡¯s visit to Gu Group spread like wildfire within the corporation.


    <div>

 Chapter 510: I Don’t Believe What I Heard

    Chapter 510: I Don¡¯t Believe What I Heard<div>


    Trantor:Nyoi-Bo StudioEditor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Of course, Charlene learned about Shu Pan and Joy¡¯s visit a littlete because she hadn¡¯t left the secretary pool area. Later, Xiaoyu came back and informed her.


    ¡°Women and children? Calling Mr. Gu ¡®Daddy¡¯?¡± Charlene¡¯s eyes widened at the news.<div>


    ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s said to be a little girl over four years old, very cute. The girl¡¯s mom is gentle and kind-hearted, always speaking softly,¡± Xiaoyu said with a matter-of-fact tone, rying what she had heard passing by the administrative department.


    ¡°That¡¯s impossible, I don¡¯t believe it. Mr. Gu isn¡¯t married, how could he have a daughter?¡± Charlene retorted.


    ¡°But it was the receptionist who said it, so it¡¯s probably true. I heard Mr. Gu personally went down to bring them up,¡± Xiaoyu exined.


    ¡°Mr. Gu went down himself?¡± Charlene muttered to herself.


    ¡°Yeah, but I heard before that Mr. Gu had a daughter out of wedlock. It seems she¡¯s been to thepany before, but I wasn¡¯t here then, so I¡¯m not sure,¡± Xiaoyu said, thinking it wasn¡¯t such a big deal even if Mr. Gu did have a daughter.


    Some gossip about the boss was normal, who would take it seriously? Certainly not like Charlene, who seemed overly concerned.


    The phrase ¡°daughter¡± once again shook Charlene.


    She was just hearing this and that, not knowing what was true.


    She needed to find out and then get closer to Brother Gu. After all, knowing oneself and knowing the enemy results in a hundred victories.


    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s get back to work. Aren¡¯t you supposed to prepare a document for Mr. Gu?¡± Xiaoyu noticed Charlene was lost in thought and quickly reminded her.


    Charlene snapped back to reality and returned to her seat.<div>


    But even as she sat there, her mind was elsewhere.


    Could this be the rumored fianc¨¦e? The description matches up, unlike that Tong Fei.


    Gentle and soft-spoken? Was that the type Brother Gu likes?


    If she¡¯s the fianc¨¦e, was this child hers? Or was she willing to be a stepmother?


    But women nowadays were more materialistic; they would do anything for money.


    Her mind was in turmoil because she had just arrived and didn¡¯t know who to ask for urate information.


    Wait, why had she forgotten? Brother Gu¡¯s mother would surely know her son¡¯s situation best. Asking her would definitely yield urate information.


    Charlene made up her mind to invite her out for dinner on the weekend.


    During Charlene¡¯s daydreaming, Xiaoyu had efficiently prepared all the documents Mr. Gu needed.


    ¡°Charlene, I¡¯ll go and deliver the documents to Mr. Gu,¡± Xiaoyu said, holding the files. Usually, it was Secretary Zhang who did this, but she had been busy outside for the past few days, and they weren¡¯t sure if she was back yet.


    ¡°Xiaoyu, why don¡¯t you let me do it instead? I¡¯ve been cooped up in the office all day today, so it¡¯s a good opportunity for me to stretch my legs,¡± Charlene suddenly felt it was a good chance to take a look at that woman. Everyone described her as gentle, not pretty, so she probably wasn¡¯t very attractive.<div>


    Charlene thought scornfully to herself.


    ¡°Okay, thank you. If Mr. Gu isn¡¯t in, just leave it on his desk,¡± Xiaoyu instructed.


    ¡°Sure.¡± Charlene took the files from Xiaoyu and headed toward Gu Shaoting¡¯s office.


    As she approached the office, just about to knock, Secretary Zhang suddenly emerged from the elevator. She saw Charlene about to knock.


    ¡°Charlene, do you need something from Mr. Gu?¡± Secretary Zhang asked as she approached, noticing the files meant for Mr. Gu. Wasn¡¯t Xiaoyu supposed to deliver these? Looked like she was cking off again.


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m just delivering some documents to Mr. Gu,¡± Charlene gestured with her chin towards the files.


    ¡°I happen to have something to discuss with Mr. Gu. Let me take them in,¡± Secretary Zhang said, without waiting for Charlene¡¯s response, he simply took the files from Charlene¡¯s hand.

 Chapter 511: Meeting Song Can

    Chapter 511: Meeting Song Can<div>


    Trantor:Nyoi-Bo StudioEditor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Charlene could only watch as the files were taken away.


    She felt powerless.<div>


    But she was truly infuriated with Secretary Zhang. It was such a good opportunity.


    She was just curious about what the woman looked like.


    Seeing Secretary Zhang knock and enter, she had no choice but to return to her office.


    She sat at her desk, took out her phone, pondered for a while, and then dialed Song Can¡¯s number.


    Soon, the call was answered.


    ¡°Who is this?¡± Song Can¡¯s voice came through.


    ¡°Auntie, it¡¯s Charlene. Do you remember me?¡± Charlene¡¯s voice was sweet, making Song Can delighted.


    ¡°Of course, of course, Charlene! Why do you have time to call today?¡± Song Can asked with concern.


    ¡°I¡¯m at work, just wanted to ask if you¡¯re free to go shopping and have dinner this weekend?¡± Charlene asked.


    ¡°I¡¯m free.¡± How could she not be? Now that Shaoting has a wife, he¡¯s forgotten about his mother.


    She couldn¡¯t be bothered to call him. Every time they meet, it would end in an argument. Why bother causing herself more trouble?<div>


    ¡°That¡¯s great. Let¡¯s meet on Saturday. I just came back from France, not sure where the good restaurants are in Bin City, so I¡¯ll leave it up to you to decide.¡±


    ¡°Okay, see you then.¡± Song Can thought to herself that this child was really thoughtful, reminding her of Gu Shaoting and Shu Pan, which made her feel a bit downhearted again.


    Gu Shaoting held Shu Pan¡¯s hand while carrying Joy as they returned to his office. Luckily, it was during working hours, so there were few people around, and they took the CEO¡¯s private elevator.


    ¡°Are we disturbing you at work?¡± Shu Pan actually wanted to take Joy back home.


    ¡°No, I¡¯m almost done with work. You cane whenever you want, no need to worry about anything,¡± Gu Shaoting replied. In fact, he hoped that mother and daughter woulde, as it would give him more motivation to work. At this moment, Gu Shaoting noticed that Shu Pan had dressed up for the asion, looking fresh and elegant, giving off a beautiful aura.


    ¡°Mommy, Daddy said it¡¯s okay,¡± Joy mischievously remarked.


    ¡°You¡­¡± Shu Pan gave her a stern look.


    ¡°Daddy, can Mommy and Ie directly up next time? We waited downstairs for a long time, and it¡¯s tiring,¡± Joy whined.


    ¡°Sure, you cane straight up to find Daddy,¡± Gu Shaoting replied, feeling somewhat sorry for her. He inwardly criticized those who handled things downstairs.


    ¡°That¡¯s great!¡± Joy pped her hands happily.


    ¡°You see, you¡¯ve spoiled her. She starts making a fuss if she doesn¡¯t see you at noon. How will she manage when she grows up?¡± Shu Pan sighed softly.<div>


    ¡°My daughter is the best, and I¡¯ll give her the best of everything. She doesn¡¯t need to care about others¡¯ opinions,¡± Gu Shaoting said nonchntly, feeling that Shu Pan was overly worried.


    Shu Pan was speechless, feeling that she would be the one responsible for their child¡¯s upbringing in the future.


    Shu Pan and Joy stayed in Gu Shaoting¡¯s office until it was time to leave work. Since it was the end of the workday, there were still quite a few people around. As they descended in the private elevator, they found the lobby crowded with people.


    Obviously, everyone was curious about Shu Pan and Joy. They kept staring at them until Gu Shaoting shot them a cold nce, causing everyone to quickly avert their gaze.


    Shu Pan felt embarrassed, her face reddening involuntarily.


    After they left, the ce erupted into chatter.


    ¡°Wasn¡¯t that Mr. Gu¡¯s wife and child?¡± someone asked excitedly, as if they had stumbled upon some sensational news.


    ¡°I haven¡¯t heard that Mr. Gu got married. Where did the child and wifee from?¡± someone immediately countered.


    ¡°Celebrities sometimes marry quietly to avoid attention.¡±


    ¡°That makes sense.¡±


    <div>

 Chapter 512: Complaining

    Chapter 512: Comining<div>


    Trantor:Nyoi-Bo StudioEditor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Saturday, the sun was shining brightly, and Charlene got up, carefully preparing herself. She chose a verydylike dress, demure and elegant, wanting to make a good impression on Song Can.


    Around noon, she called Song Can, and the two arranged to meet at a Western restaurant.<div>


    ¡°Auntie, you¡¯ve aged really well. You look like my sister,¡± Charlene said, the first words out of her mouth causing Song Can to be at a loss for words.


    ¡°You sweet talker. I¡¯m getting old, unlike you young folks,¡± Song Can chuckled.


    Who didn¡¯t love apliment?


    ¡°Here, Auntie, take a look at the menu. What would you like?¡± Charlene eagerly handed the menu to Song Can.


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll have a medium-rare steak and a bowl of minestrone soup,¡± Song Can ordered, and Charlene followed suit, adding a sd.


    ¡°Charlene, aren¡¯t you from around here?¡± Song Can asked as they waited for their food.


    ¡°No, my dad is French, and my mom is Chinese. I¡¯m here mainly to study,¡± Charlene replied.


    ¡°I see, leaving home is not easy,¡± Song Can sighed.


    ¡°Auntie, what about you? Are your children not with you?¡± Charlene asked tentatively, feeling a bit nervous as she spoke.


    She watched Song Can¡¯s expression as she asked.


    ¡°Oh, don¡¯t even mention it. He¡¯s a headache, always worrying me,¡± Song Can became annoyed at the thought of Gu Shaoting.<div>


    ¡°Don¡¯t get too worked up, Auntie. Children and grandchildren bring their own blessings,¡± Charlene pretended to console her.


    ¡°If my son¡¯s girlfriend were half as sensible as you, I wouldn¡¯t be so troubled,¡± Song Can seemed to find a confidant in Charlene, starting to vent.


    ¡°I don¡¯t like the girl my son is dating,¡± she added without going into detail.


    ¡°Well, maybe your standards are too high, Auntie. As long as they love each other, it¡¯s fine,¡± Charlene thought Song Can wasn¡¯t the easiest person to get along with.


    With her sharp tongue, she probably demanded constant ttery. The moment things didn¡¯t go her way, she¡¯d likely start scolding people.


    ¡°Nothing much, but that woman is very petty and weak-minded, and she¡¯s not helpful to my son¡¯s career either,¡± Song Can continued toin, clearly not fond of Shu Pan.


    Now that Gu Shaoting disregarded her opinions and insisted on being with her, there was nothing she could do. She had already tried every trick in the book, from crying to throwing tantrums to threatening suicide, but Gu Shaoting remained indifferent.


    So now she just pretended they didn¡¯t exist. asionally, when Gu Shaoting called to greet her, she would angrily hang up the phone.


    Hearing Song Can criticize Gu Shaoting¡¯s girlfriend, Charlene felt secretly delighted. It seemed she had a strong opinion indeed.


    Charlene gently squeezed Song Can¡¯s hand and said, ¡°Auntie, don¡¯t be angry. It¡¯s not worth getting upset over.¡±


    Song Can smiled. ¡°You¡¯re right. I don¡¯t think about them much anymore. They don¡¯t appear in front of me anyway.¡±<div>


    ¡°The food¡¯s here. After we finish eating, we can go shopping properly,¡± Charlene changed the subject.


    She probably knew what she wanted to inquire about.


    Gu Shaoting had a girlfriend he was considering marrying, but she hadn¡¯t heard anything about a child.


    Either way, Gu Shaoting hadn¡¯t gotten married yet, and his mother didn¡¯t approve.


    She decided to build a good rtionship with her first. Who would know what might happen in the future?


    At home, Gu Shaoting couldn¡¯t help but sneeze. He was being thought of again.


    Joy would be going to her grandfather¡¯s house next Tuesday for a month. During these days while she was still at home, Gu Shaoting nned to spend as much time with her as possible. Although he hated to see her go, he understood his parents¡¯ longing to see their granddaughter.


    However, once Joy was away, he could have some alone time with Shu Pan. It didn¡¯t sound like a bad idea at all.

 Chapter 513: Coaxing Him

    Chapter 513: Coaxing Him<div>


    Trantor:Nyoi-Bo StudioEditor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Shu Pan was browsing online to see if there were any fun ces to visit. Xiaomeng had mentioned a trip to Singapore, Mysia, and Thand a couple of days ago, and after checking out the attractions today, Shu Pan was convinced they were worth visiting, especially Singapore, with its garden-like atmosphere, a ce she had been wanting to visit for a long time.


    However, she hadn¡¯t told Gu Shaoting about this yet. She nned to inform him tonight.<div>


    Yesterday, Joy had already gone to her grandfather¡¯s house, so Shu Pan finally had some time to prepare properly.


    She had already applied for leave and was ready to go at any time.


    Coincidentally, Xiaomeng called. ¡°Girl, get your documents ready. We¡¯re leaving the day after tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Shu Pan said happily.


    ¡°Remember to tell your man. Who knows, maybe he doesn¡¯t want you to go? It¡¯s finally peaceful without Joy here,¡± Xiaomeng teased, seeming to know Gu Shaoting inside out.


    Blushing over the phone, Shu Pan replied, ¡°There¡¯s nothing to be attached to. It¡¯s been a long time since I went out. I¡¯ll tell himter. But the thing is, I don¡¯t have much money, so I probably won¡¯t be able to buy much.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re worried he won¡¯t give you money?¡± Xiaomeng scoffed. ¡°Seriously?¡±


    ¡°Think about it. The man you¡¯re going to marry is a billionaire. He¡¯s loaded. Are you embarrassed to mention it to us?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. We don¡¯t talk about money now. I¡¯m not shallow,¡± Shu Pan defended herself.


    Xiaomeng couldn¡¯t help but chuckle. Some things never change.


    Around seven o¡¯clock, Gu Shaoting returned home with his hands in his pockets. ¡°Had dinner?¡±<div>


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Shu Pan chirped, bouncing over to him. ¡°I¡¯m nning to go on a trip to Singapore, Mysia, and Thand with Xiaomeng the day after tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°What? Are you nning to leave me at home?¡± Gu Shaoting used, his eyes betraying a hint of mncholy.


    Blushing under his intense gaze, Shu Pan took the opportunity to say, ¡°We¡¯ll only be gone for a few days. We¡¯ll be back soon.¡±


    After saying this weakly, she observed his expression. Gu Shaoting nced at her from the corner of his eye. ¡°Why suddenly decide to go on a trip? There were no signs. If you want to go, I can take you. ¡±


    ¡°I haven¡¯t been on a trip for several years,¡± Shu Pan pouted. ¡°Just a few days of rxation with Xiaomeng. She¡¯s not feeling well, and I¡¯ll apany her. You¡¯re so busy, when do you have time?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m okay with you going on a trip for a few days, but if you do, you owe me the benefits for those days,¡± Gu Shaoting hinted.


    ¡°What benefits?¡± Shu Pan¡¯s heart raced as he looked at her. Pretending to be clueless, she innocently turned her eyes. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±


    ¡°I can teach you,¡± Gu Shaoting said, then lowered his head to kiss her soft lips.


    After a moment, he released Shu Pan. ¡°Understood?¡±


    Shu Pan nodded shyly, her face flushing.


    ¡°In the future, you need to tell me in advance where you n to go. You can¡¯t just decide to leave suddenly,¡± Gu Shaoting still harbored some lingering concerns. Shu Pan being away for a few days left him feeling uneasy being alone at home.<div>


    ¡°Okay, I got it,¡± Shu Pan, feeling a bit stingy, wanted to roll her eyes at him, but she held back.


    Gu Shaoting¡¯s cold gaze softened under the light, but his expression stillcked warmth. ¡°When you get there, remember not to stir up trouble. Just the two of you going, honestly, I¡¯m not very reassured.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be careful,¡± Shu Pan nodded earnestly.


    Seeing her obedient demeanor, Gu Shaoting¡¯s brows rxed slightly as he patted her head. ¡°You¡¯re really troublesome.¡±


    Shu Pan pulled him closer and asked, ¡°Have you eaten?¡±


    She quickly diverted his attention.


    ¡°Yes, go take a shower quickly, and then I¡¯ll see if you need anything before you leave.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Shu Pan stuck out her tongue yfully, then hurried back to the bedroom.

 Chapter 514: Asking for Benefits

    Chapter 514: Asking for Benefits<div>


    Trantor:Nyoi-Bo StudioEditor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Shu Pan deliberately lingered in the bathroom for nearly half an hour, until Gu Shaoting knocked on the door impatiently before she slowly emerged.


    Loungingzily against the headboard, Gu Shaoting had grown tired of reading in bed. Seeing her appear, his expression softened slightly, and he waved her over. ¡°Come here.¡±<div>


    Shu Pan stood still, then touched her hair. ¡°I haven¡¯t dried my hair yet.¡±


    ¡°You washed your hair yesterday. Why are you washing it again tonight? You¡¯ve been at home all day, not sweating or anything,¡± Gu Shaoting¡¯s snow-like face furrowed in a cold expression. ¡°Hurry up. Look at the dark circles under your eyes¡­¡±


    Shu Pan¡¯s face flushed with embarrassment, and she muttered softly, ¡°Whose fault is it for these dark circles?¡±


    Gu Shaoting smirked, then lowered his pillow.


    Shu Pan covered her face in embarrassment. ¡°It¡¯s still early.¡±


    Then she hurried to blow dry her hair.


    She took her time drying her hair, but Gu Shaoting grew impatient with the noise of the hairdryer. He got out of bed and walked over to her on the wooden floor.


    He suddenly unplugged the hairdryer, catching Shu Pan off guard. Before she could react, Gu Shaoting bent down and effortlessly lifted her into his arms, carrying her toward the bed.


    Shu Pan pushed against his chest with both hands, then shyly said, ¡°Put me down. My hair isn¡¯tpletely dry yet.¡±


    ¡°I n to sleep at 11 o¡¯clock. If you¡¯re going on a trip for a few days, don¡¯t you think two or three hours won¡¯t be enough for these days¡¯ benefits?¡± Gu Shaoting supported her head, his deep eyes reflecting Shu Pan¡¯s pink cheeks.


    ¡°What¡­¡± Shu Pan stuttered, unable to imagine. ¡°How is that possible?¡±<div>


    ¡°You haven¡¯t tried, so how do you know it¡¯s impossible?¡± Gu Shaoting saw her nervousness and couldn¡¯t help but smirk.


    This little thing knew how to act first and reportter now. In the past, she consulted him for even minor matters. Now she was nning to leave the country for a trip without telling him, only informing him at thest minute. It¡¯s too much. If he didn¡¯t teach her a lesson, how would she learn?


    Gu Shaoting¡¯s scorching fingertips traced her tender lips, making Shu Pan tense up. She blinked, feeling his warmth enveloping her. Her heart raced as she looked into Gu Shaoting¡¯s eyes, which seemed both unfamiliar and familiar.


    It had been proven through practice that a person¡¯s ability was limitless.


    The human potential was endless.


    Shu Pan, tired and sleepy, shyly buried her face in the nket.


    Gu Shaoting embraced her from behind, holding her close.


    Shu Pan drifted off to sleep in a daze.


    The next day, it was Gu Shaoting who answered her phone, as he had to get up early for work.


    The voice of Ye Xiaomeng came through the phone, ¡°Girl, did you discuss with your husbandst night? We still need to book ne tickets, and time is tight.¡±


    Ye Xiaomeng¡¯s voice was cheerful, and her use of ¡°your husband¡± pleased Gu Shaoting. It was a good term of address, and Shu Pan¡¯s understanding of this wasmendable.<div>


    ¡°Help her with the booking. Send me your bank ount details, and I¡¯ll transfer the money to youter,¡± Gu Shaoting¡¯s cold tone echoed.


    Ye Xiaomeng was caught off guard by the sudden male voice.


    After a moment of shock, she hastily replied, ¡°No rush, it won¡¯t cost much¡­¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t like my wife spending other people¡¯s money,¡± Gu Shaoting¡¯s tone was irresistible.


    ¡°Alright.¡± With money involved, there was no reason to refuse.


    ¡°I covered the expenses for your trip this time. you book first-ss tickets and stay in a five-star hotel. It is safer. Always remind Shu Pan not to turn off her phone. If I can¡¯t find her, prepare to bear the consequences,¡± Gu Shaoting lectured Ye Xiaomeng extensively.

 Chapter 515: Your Man Is Very Generous

    Chapter 515: Your Man Is Very Generous<div>


    Trantor:Nyoi-Bo StudioEditor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Ye Xiaomeng was taken aback by Gu Shaoting¡¯s words.


    His tone was that of a domineering CEO.<div>


    But she also caught the main point: Gu Shaoting would cover all the expenses for their trip this time. Ye Xiaomeng was somewhat astonished.


    She didn¡¯t understand the world of the wealthy, but she was happy for her friend.


    A man loved you when he was willing to amodate and pamper you limitlessly.


    ¡°Alright, don¡¯t worry. I promise Shu Pan will have a great time, and not a single hair will be missing when she returns,¡± Ye Xiaomeng assured.


    Gu Shaoting hung up his phone and ced it back in its original position. Seeing her still asleep, he didn¡¯t disturb her. Instead, he bent down to nt a good morning kiss on her lips, then took a shower, changed into clean clothes, and went to work.


    When Shu Pan woke up, it was already past 10 o¡¯clock. She felt groggy as she sat up, noticing the empty space on the other side of the bed. It was cold to the touch, indicating that he had probably woken up early. She cursed him silently.


    It wasn¡¯t fair. Why could he go to work energetically while she struggled to get out of bed?


    She nced at the sun outside, feeling like it was scorching hot.


    She quickly called Xiaomeng, wanting to inform her.


    ¡°Xiaomeng, he agreed. Hurry up and book the ne tickets. We can depart tomorrow,¡± she said.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t Gu Shaoting tell you? The flight is scheduled for tomorrow afternoon at 1 p.m. The tickets are booked for first ss. I haven¡¯t even flown first ss before, so this is all thanks to you,¡± Ye Xiaomeng said with a beaming smile.<div>


    ¡°Why is it thanks to me?¡± Shu Pan was still confused, not understanding what Ye Xiaomeng meant.


    ¡°Gu Shaoting paid for both the hotel and the ne tickets. He¡¯s covering all the expenses for our trip. You¡¯ve found yourself a great husband. He¡¯s really generous. His contribution saved me a lot of money,¡± Ye Xiaomeng¡¯s heart skipped a beat when she received the transferred money.


    ¡°What? He transferred money to you and covered the expenses for our trip? When did this happen?¡± Shu Pan waspletely bewildered.


    This introverted guy never told her anything.


    ¡°At around 8 in the morning, you were still asleep. Anyway, hurry up and pack your things. Let¡¯s meet at the airport tomorrow. I¡¯ll send you the flight details shortly,¡± Ye Xiaomeng said before hanging up the phone.


    Left with just her phone in hand, Shu Pan was lost in thought.


    Having a husband was truly wonderful. He covered all the expenses for our trip, including the ne tickets and hotel.


    As for Gu Shaoting, he was really something. Silent as ever, but that¡¯s just how he always surprised her.


    After a while, she happily sent a message to Gu Shaoting, ¡°Honey, thank you.¡±


    Gu Shaoting, who was in a meeting, saw his phone vibrate. He nced at it casually, but instantly froze.


    He was internally shaken because ever since their engagement, he referred to her as ¡°Honey or Dear,¡± but she always addressed him by his name.<div>


    He chuckled to himself. She was too easily pleased.


    Seeing him smile, the people in the conference room dared not make a sound. They exchanged nces, unsure of what good news Mr. Gu had received.


    Gu Shaoting probably realized his slip-up. He pretended to clear his throat by coughing into his fist near his mouth, then said, ¡°Does anyone have anything else to add?¡±


    Everyone shook their heads, indicating there was nothing else.


    ¡°Alright then, let¡¯s conclude today¡¯s meeting. You may all disperse,¡± Gu Shaoting announced, and everyone let out a sigh of relief.


    They all stood up simultaneously and gradually filed out of the conference room.

 Chapter 516: Quite a High Awareness

    Chapter 516: Quite a High Awareness<div>


    Trantor:Nyoi-Bo StudioEditor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    After Gu Shaoting saw that everyone had left the conference room, he slowly stood up and walked to the window. Then, he took out his phone and dialled Shu Pan¡¯s number.


    After a while, Shu Pan¡¯s sweet voice sounded on the other end of the phone. ¡°Are you busy? Did you see my message?¡±<div>


    ¡°I saw it. Not bad. Your awareness is quite high.¡± Gu Shaoting¡¯s maic voice chuckled.


    Shu Pan¡¯s face turned red although she was on the phone.


    God knew how much courage she had to muster to send those two words.


    Now that Gu Shaoting had said it out loud, she couldn¡¯t help but feel a little shy.


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me that you transferred money to Xiaomeng to buy a ne ticket and book a hotel this morning?¡± Shu Pan suddenly thought of the matter andined. It made her feel a little silly in front of Xiaomeng.


    ¡°It¡¯s the same. As long as you¡¯re happy. You¡¯re sleeping like a pig. Are you sure I could wake you up?¡± Gu Shaoting said with a faint smile. Ever since they got together, Shu Pan didn¡¯t spend any of his money, which made him feel very frustrated. Usually, two people who loved each other wouldn¡¯t care so much.


    However, he vaguely knew what Shu Pan was thinking. She was worried that others would say that she was a gold digger.


    This was especially so when there was a financial dispute in their previous marriage. That was why she was so careful this time. His heart ached when he saw her like that and even more upset about how he treated her before.


    ¡°I have money too. You don¡¯t have to do this?¡± Shu Pan was very worried that money woulde into their rtionship. That would not be good.


    ¡°Don¡¯t say such things in the future. I don¡¯t like it. My money is also your money. We¡¯re family. Why do you have to divide it so clearly?¡± Gu Shaoting sounded serious.


    He wanted to resolve these issues. After all, they still had to live together for a long time in the future. What would happen in the future if there was a gap between them because of this problem?<div>


    Shu Pan was stunned when she heard him. She was shocked to hear him say that money was not an issue because she had always been careful with it.


    Instantly, her eyes reddened. ¡°All right, I understand.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m still busy with something. I¡¯ll call you when I¡¯m done. I¡¯ll take you out for a walk tonight.¡± Gu Shaoting looked at the time. He had to go, there would be guests visitingter.


    This was not the right time. He had wanted to apany Shu Pan. After all, she was going out for a few days. Who knew that he would be this busy?


    ¡°All right, then you should go get your things done.¡± Shu Pan hurriedly hung up the phone, worried that she would disturb his work.


    Sigh, why did she feel that she was starting to miss him even before she left the house? Look at how useless she was.


    At noon, Shu Pan was having lunch when the door suddenly opened. She turned around and saw that Gu Shaoting had returned.


    ¡°Why are you back? Didn¡¯t you say you were busy today?¡± Shu Pan said in surprise. Didn¡¯t he say that he was very busy on the phone this morning?


    ¡°I¡¯m done with being busy.¡± Gu Shaoting said briefly and then sat down at the dining table.


    Fortunately, Shu Pan cooked more. She was worried that if she wasn¡¯t at home for a few days and Gu Shaoting wasn¡¯t cooking at home, the food in the fridge would not be fresh. So she might as well cook more and not waste it.


    Shu Pan quickly prepared a bowl and chopsticks and scooped some rice for him.<div>


    Gu Shaoting elegantly picked up the food. Shu Pan¡¯s dishes were really delicious. Even if he didn¡¯t eat the rice, he could eat a lot of the dishes. The taste was rtively light, which was very suitable for people like him who often socialized and were used to big and heavy meals.


    After eating a few mouthfuls, Gu Shaoting said, ¡°After dinner, we will go out shopping and see what you need to bring for the trip.¡±

 Chapter 517: This Swimsuit Doesn’t Look Good

    Chapter 517: This Swimsuit Doesn¡¯t Look Good<div>


    Trantor:Nyoi-Bo StudioEditor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    When Shu Pan heard that, she paused for a moment and then looked at him with a frown. ¡°I don¡¯t have anything to buy?¡±


    She had her clothes, makeup, and everything she needed.<div>


    Gu Shaoting nced at her indifferently. ¡°Sunblock, swimsuits, and whatnot. Have you prepared them all?¡±


    Shu Pan was stunned. Did she have to bring those? Why didn¡¯t Xiaomeng tell her?


    To be honest, Xiaomeng thought that Shu Pan would know, but who knew that Gu Shaoting had to remind her? She was embarrassed.


    ¡°No, I thought of just bringing clothes.¡± Shu Pan muttered.


    ¡°Ok.¡± Gu Shaoting thought to himself, ¡°I¡¯ll have to take her out more often to see the world outside.¡±


    After lunch and cleaning up, the couple set off for thergest shopping mall in Bin City.


    ¡°Buy whatever you see that suits you. There¡¯s no need to look at the price.¡± Gu Shaoting patted her head lovingly.


    Shu Pan looked at him with disdain. His words sounded like the tone of a really rich man.


    Gu Shaoting knew what she was thinking from her eyes.


    ¡°Frugality is a traditional virtue of the Chinese nation, do you know that?¡± Shu Pan took the opportunity to educate him.


    ¡°All right, I got it, busybody.¡± Gu Shaoting dragged Shu Pan to a skincare product counter.<div>


    This was an international brand, and their sunblock was well-known. Gu Shaoting didn¡¯t think twice and asked the counterdy to bring a bottle over.


    Although Gu Shaoting said that there was no need to look at the price, Shu Pan still couldn¡¯t help but peek at it.


    The price was equally beautiful that her heart was thumping.


    Oh my god, she would only be away for a few days. If she bought stuff like this, she probably wouldn¡¯t even dare to estimate the cost of this trip.


    ¡°Shaoting¡­¡± Shu Pan tugged at Gu Shaoting¡¯s sleeve, but Gu Shaoting didn¡¯t seem to hear her.


    ¡°Hubby¡­¡± Shu Pan raised her voice. This time, she felt Gu Shaoting pause, and then he turned to her with a smile.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°This is too expensive. I am only going for a few days¡¯ trip, this is too wasteful.¡± Shu Pan¡¯s face was full of disapproval. Even if they had money, she couldn¡¯t spend it like this. She could use the money to do more meaningful things.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. You can apply it to your skin any day. The sun there is very hot, especially at the beach. I¡¯m worried that you¡¯ll get sunburned.¡± Gu Shaoting thought about how her skin was so soft and tender. How could it tolerate the sun¡¯s rays?


    Gu Shaoting told the receptionist to pack it up, then swiped his credit card and left.


    Gu Shaoting¡¯s purpose for buying things was rtively clear. After buying the sunblock, he brought Shu Pan to the swimsuit counter.<div>


    The colourful swimsuits dazzled Shu Pan¡¯s eyes.


    Her eyes were filled with swimsuits, some hanging and some on the models. Some designs were more conservative, but most of them were bikinis.


    Shu Pan blushed when she saw them. She couldn¡¯t imagine what she would look like in these swimsuits.


    The salesperson at the counter saw Gu Shaoting¡¯s extraordinary fashion and noble temperament holding Shu Pan¡¯s hands, she immediately came up to them and said enthusiastically, ¡°Sir, Miss, take a look, this is our new design. Let me show it to you.¡±


    The salesperson pointed at a pink bikini swimsuit worn by the model. It was thin in two pieces and tied with two thin straps at the back.


    As soon as Gu Shaoting saw the swimsuit, the image of Shu Pan wearing it immediately appeared in his mind. Because of her fair skin, well-proportioned and curvaceous figure, she would definitely be the centre of attention.


    He couldn¡¯t ept that. The more he thought about it, the more he frowned.


    He shook his head. ¡°This swimsuit doesn¡¯t look good.¡±


    The salesperson could not understand. This swimsuit was very suitable for Shu Pan. With her years of experience in selling swimsuits, if thisdy wore it, she would definitely amaze everyone.


    But she saw that Gu Shaoting¡¯s face was a little dark, so she didn¡¯t dare to continue promoting it.


    She nned to show him other styles.<div>

 Chapter 518: Objection

    Chapter 518: Objection<div>


    Trantor:Nyoi-Bo StudioEditor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    ¡°Only people with good figures can wear this swimsuit. I definitely can¡¯t.¡± Shu Pan saw the bikini and quickly shook her head. Moreover, it was so revealing. She didn¡¯t have the courage to wear it.


    ¡°Nonsense. You have fair skin and a slim and even figure. You look the best in a bikini. Do you want to buy one to try?¡± The salesperson saw Gu Shaoting¡¯s dark face and didn¡¯t dare to continue promoting. However, facing the gentle Shu Pan, she seized the opportunity, trying to sell her a set.<div>


    ¡°No, no, no.¡± Shu Pan waved her hands. What a joke. She could count the number of times she had worn a swimsuit since she was young.


    She always wore a two-piece swimsuit, just like her usual skirt.


    She had never tried a bikini before. She knew the shorings of her figure, so she would not expose them.


    ¡°Let me take a look at the one at the end.¡± Gu Shaoting pointed at a light-coloured one-piece swimsuit at the side.


    The salesperson quickly brought it over. ¡°Honey, what do you think of this one?¡± Gu Shaoting asked Shu Pan¡¯s opinion softly.


    When the salesperson heard Gu Shaoting¡¯s words, she finally understood.


    It turned out that this man didn¡¯t want his wife to dress so sexily, so he didn¡¯t want her to buy it.


    Shu Pan took a look. The one-piece was wrapped tightly and there was a skirt underneath.


    ¡°All right, I¡¯ll take this one. It looks good.¡± It was rare that both of them took a fancy to it. This shopping trip was smooth.


    However, because it is a branded piece, it was more expensive.


    The two of them came out of the shop and Shu Pan pulled Gu Shaoting, wanting to go home.<div>


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to shop around?¡± Gu Shaoting lowered his head and asked her.


    ¡°I¡¯m not shopping anymore. If I want to buy international brands, why don¡¯t I go shopping in Singapore?¡± Shu Pan felt that the things here were too expensive.


    She was already having heartache after buying two items.


    Gu Shaoting smiled and couldn¡¯t help but shake his head. This fool.


    Looking at the time, they returned home.


    When they reached home, Shu Pan immediately took out her suitcase and packed her luggage.


    Gu Shaoting looked at the time. If he went back to thepany, it would be almost time to get off work, so he sat by the bed and watched Shu Pan pack her things.


    The weather in Southeast Asia was rtively hot, so the clothes that Shu Pan chose were rtively cool.


    Gu Shaoting looked at the clothes she packed in her suitcase. The more he looked, the more he frowned.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you have any other clothes?¡± Gu Shaoting couldn¡¯t help asking.


    He bent down and took out a shirt that Shu Pan had just put into her luggage. He spread it open and said disdainfully, ¡°Look, this shirt is so thin and transparent. What¡¯s the difference between wearing it and not wearing it?¡±<div>


    Shu Pan took a look and saw that it was a white gauze blouse. She had bought it for some time and had bought it with Xiaomeng. She had not worn it yet and felt that it was a little see-through. It did not seem appropriate to wear it to work.


    But now that she was travelling in a foreign country where no one knew her, she didn¡¯t think it was a problem to wear it.


    And it wasn¡¯t as exaggerated as Gu Shaoting said. It was just a little transparent, but there was still a small strap inside.


    ¡°I think it¡¯s fine. It¡¯ll be cooler wearing this.¡± Shu Pan took the clothes from his hands and folded them into her luggage.


    Gu Shaoting felt a little ufortable. His wife wrapped herself up tightly at home. How could she dress like this when she went out to y?


    However, he could not say anything. He could only watch her pack it in.


    Finally, Shu Pan was almost done packing.


    She stood up and stretched.


    Shu Pan thought to herself, ¡°It¡¯s quite tiring to go on a trip. There are so many things to prepare.¡±


    She put her luggage aside and left the room.


    And Mr. Gu was left sitting there sulking.<div>

 Chapter 519: A Childish Move

    Chapter 519: A Childish Move


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Gu Shaoting watched as Shu Pan left and closed the door behind her. He sat there thinking.


    Then, he got up, picked up Shu Pan¡¯s luggage, opened it and did something that shocked everyone.


    He took out all the clothes that he didn¡¯t like from the luggage and put them back at the bottom of the wardrobe.


    He rummaged through Shu Pan¡¯s clothes and took out a few clothes that he thought were more decent before packing them in.


    He closed the zipper.


    Alright, he was finally at ease. He couldn¡¯t help but smile in satisfaction.


    Shu Pan was in disbelief when she saw Gu Shaotinge out of the room with a smile.


    He was still throwing a tantrum earlier when she was packing her things.


    Why did he change his attitude so quickly? As expected, men also had mood swings.


    ¡°What do you want to eat tonight?¡± Shu Pan asked. She didn¡¯t want to go out aftering back.


    ¡°I want sweet and sour pork ribs, duck soup, tomato scrambled eggs, pepper beef¡­¡±


    ¡°Stop.¡± Gu Shaoting wanted to continue but was stopped by Shu Pan.


    ¡°It¡¯ste at night. Eat something light. It¡¯s easier to digest.¡± Shu Pan was afraid that he would order eight to ten dishes. How could they finish them all?


    ¡°How many days will you be gone? I¡¯m probably going to starve. Let me eat my fill tonight.¡± Gu Shaoting said pitifully.


    Shu Pan couldn¡¯t help but roll her eyes at him. She would only be gone for a few days and he had to keep emphasizing as if she had abandoned him.


    However, she couldn¡¯t bear to reject his small request, so she nodded helplessly. ¡°Ok, I¡¯ll go buy groceries now.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll go with you.¡± In the eyes of outsiders, Gu Shaoting was a cold CEO, like he was wearing a mask. He would only reveal such a temperament when facing his own family.


    ¡°Ok, let¡¯s go. We¡¯ll go to the market nearby. The ingredients will be fresher.¡± Shu Pan changed into her shoes and prepared to go out.


    Gu Shaoting really enjoyed the time he spent with Shu Pan at home. He felt that it was the happiest time.


    The two of them held hands and walked slowly.


    After buying the groceries, Shu Pan started to prepare with Gu Shaoting¡¯s help. The two of them cooperated very well and a table of delicious food was served.


    During dinner, Gu Shaoting reminded her again and again, ¡°When you go to unfamiliar ces, don¡¯t talk to strangers, especially guys that are trying to hit on you. Ignore them. They have their ulterior motives.¡±


    Shu Pan nodded. ¡°I know. I¡¯m not a child.¡±


    Gu Shaoting wanted to blurt out that she was worse than a child.


    He was really worried because Shu Pan had never travelled far before.


    At night, the two of them sat on the sofa to watch the news. Shu Panid on Gu Shaoting¡¯sp and the two of them chatted aimlessly.


    ¡°When I am not at home, go back to the Qiyuan for meals. Auntie Li will cook there.¡± She was worried that if he ate outside, his stomach would not be able to take it.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, I¡¯ll arrange it. Since you¡¯re not around, I can get someone to move your things over. When youe back, we¡¯ll move to the Qiyuan, okay?¡± Gu Shaoting asked.


    Shu Pan looked at him and replied,¡± Sure, thanks for your hard work.¡±


    ¡°Just like that?¡± Gu Shaoting lowered his head in dissatisfaction.


    Shu Pan quickly nted a kiss on his cheek.


    The two of them kissed for a while more. Gu Shaoting looked at Shu Pan with a burning gaze. Shu Pan quickly sat up. She had to catch a flight tomorrow, so she had to sleep early tonight.


    Gu Shaoting looked at her and knew what she was thinking. He patted her and said dotingly, ¡°You heartless little thing.¡±


    Shu Pan¡¯s face was also a little red. She stood up shyly and said, ¡°Good night ¡± before returning to her room.


    Gu Shaoting thought that he wouldn¡¯t be able to see Shu Pan in a few days. How could he let her go so easily?


    Hence, he turned off the TV and went into the bedroom.


    It waste at night¡­

 Chapter 520: Special Delivery

    Chapter 520: Special Delivery


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    The next morning, when Shu Pan woke up, there was no one beside her. Gu Shaoting had already woken up.


    If it weren¡¯t for the exhaustion and the clothes scattered on the ground, she would have thought that she was dreaming.


    Gu Shaoting was really¡­


    She could not help but curse in her heart.


    He didn¡¯t even tell her that he was going to work. Did he not remember that she was leaving today?


    Shu Pan sat up, got out of bed, and went into the bathroom. After washing up, she changed into a clean set of clothes and came out to the living room.


    The house was quiet and she felt a little disappointed. She thought Gu Shaoting would be at home and send her to the airportter.


    She called Xiaomeng. ¡°Girl, are you ready? Remember not to bete. The ne doesn¡¯t wait for anyone.¡±


    ¡°I know. Will He Ming send you to the airport?¡± Shu Pan asked. If Xiaomeng went alone, they could go together.


    ¡°Yeah, he knew that I was leaving today and had been pestering me this morning and said that he would go to the office in the afternoon. I guess it¡¯s the same for your side?¡± Ye Xiaomeng thought that Gu Shaoting must have gone beyond that.


    Shu Pan replied vaguely.


    After hanging up the phone, Shu Pan¡¯s heart felt like it was stuffed with cotton. It was very ufortable.


    It really hurt when there was aparison.


    Usually, he would say that he cared a lot, but that was all nonsense. At the critical moment, he made such a mistake.


    Seeing the breakfast on the table, Shu Pan ate a little.


    Just as Shu Pan was in a daze, Gu Shaoting suddenly opened the door and came in. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you changed? Isn¡¯t it almost time?¡±


    ¡°Why are you back at this time?¡± Shu Pan asked tentatively, ¡°Did youe back to send me off?¡±


    ¡°What else?¡± Gu Shaoting nced at her lightly and then said, ¡°I have a conscience, unlike someone who acted first, abandoning her husband and daughter.¡±


    This usation was a little heavy, but it seemed to be the truth.


    Shu Pan smiled ingratiatingly and did not dare to refute.


    Shu Pan was a little ttered. Although she also hoped that he would send her off, she thought that he was very busy and would probably ask the driver to do it. However, she did not expect him toe back. What a big surprise!


    Shu Pan felt that Gu Shaoting was really spoiling her because she had be very pretentious now.


    Since when would she be disappointed because Gu Shaoting didn¡¯t send her off?


    ¡°What are you waiting for? Hurry up and have some breakfast. We have to arrive at the airport an hour early. There¡¯s still an hour ride to the airport. Are you ready?¡± Gu Shaoting asked with a frown.


    Shu Pan nodded. ¡°I¡¯m done. We can go out after changing.¡±


    ¡°We have to go, you have to act quickly.¡±


    Gu Shaoting sighed and rubbed the space between his eyebrows. He really couldn¡¯t understand a woman¡¯s world, especially his woman. Sometimes, she wouldn¡¯t y by the rules.


    He was a little suspicious that if he hadn¡¯te back, would she really have been able to catch the ne on time with her dawdling at home?


    Thinking about Ye Xiaomeng¡¯s personality, should he let them go on a trip together?


    On the way to the airport, Ye Xiaomeng called a few times, urging her to hurry up and telling her that they had already entered the airport through the VIP passage.


    Finally, they arrived at the airport. Gu Shaoting sent her to the boarding gate. While checking the tickets, Shu Pan looked for her passport in a hurry. When she got in, it was almost time. She hurriedly said goodbye to Gu Shaoting and ran to meet up with Ye Xiaomeng.


    Because she rarely went out, Shu Pan was a little flustered. She was also careless and did not know that she had to arrive early.


    ¡°Girl, you¡¯re finally here. I thought you¡¯d bete.¡± Ye Xiaomeng was as anxious as an ant on a hot pan.

 Chapter 521: Frustrated

    Chapter 521: Frustrated<div>


    Trantor:Nyoi-Bo StudioEditor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    ¡°Sorry,¡± Shu Pan murmured with a hint of regret.


    ¡°You, did Gu Shaoting send you here?¡± Ye Xiaomeng suddenly remembered to ask.<div>


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Shu Pan nced outside, sighed, thinking it would be like a scene from a TV drama where they could hug goodbye, but who knew it would end up like this? Chaotic and messy.


    They hurried onto the ne and settled into first ss. Shu Pan immediately took out her phone, finding a message from Gu Shaoting, ¡°Send me a text when you arrive in Singapore.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Shu Pan quickly replied. Looking at the message, she smiled sweetly, although his face just now was grim, he still cared about her deeply.


    What to do? She seemed to be missing him a bit. If Xiaomeng knew her thoughts, she would surely tease her for being sentimental.


    Sure enough, Xiaomeng noticed her, ¡°Look at you, smiling like a fool.¡±


    Shu Pan chuckled, ¡°It¡¯s my first time traveling far, and a man who isn¡¯t my dad sent me a text to check on me. Can¡¯t I be happy about it?¡±


    Xiaomeng shook her head with a smile, ¡°I know you¡¯re lovey-dovey, don¡¯t tease me.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you and He Ming love showing affection more?¡± Shu Pan remembered how they often made her feel like a third wheel.


    Xiaomeng suddenly smiled withplexity, in fact, they had a fight yesterday.


    Yesterday, Xiaomeng told him that she and Shu Pan were going on a trip, which surprised He Ming because she hadn¡¯t mentioned it before. It wasn¡¯t a big deal, going out to rx was fine, but Xiaomeng said she needed to calm down and think carefully about whether their rtionship should continue.


    This sentence irritated He Ming. Xiaomeng had such a negative attitude towards their rtionship all along.<div>


    Wasn¡¯t he trying hard enough?


    He angrily pounded the wall with his hand, making it bleed.


    Xiaomeng was a bit scared at that moment and hurriedly helped him bandage it.


    He Ming hugged her, solemnly swearing, ¡°I won¡¯t marry anyone else in this lifetime but Ye Xiaomeng.¡±


    At that moment, Ye Xiaomeng was touched to the point of tears mingling with her smile.


    But deep down, she felt a bitter pang because she knew there were too many objective reasons standing between them, issues that couldn¡¯t be solved just by their efforts.


    After that, Ye Xiaomeng dared not provoke him further. They settled into silence, and today, He Ming insisted on driving her to the airport. She remained silent throughout the journey.


    Her mind was in turmoil, unsure of what to do, hoping that her trip would bring some rity.


    ¡°Xiaomeng, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Shu Pan noticed herck of response and nudged her with her hand.


    ¡°Nothing, I¡¯m just happy for you. Gu Shaoting really cares about you now, he loves you,¡± Ye Xiaomeng replied.


    Shu Pan smiled as she leaned her head on Xiaomeng¡¯s shoulder.<div>


    Truly, seeing Shu Pan at this moment made Ye Xiaomeng¡¯s inexplicable mncholy disappear.


    Perhaps this world was just like that, filled with trials and happiness, and what was meant for you would eventuallye.


    ¡°Oh right, did you exchange for the new currency?¡± Ye Xiaomeng asked Shu Pan.


    Shu Pan blinked, shaking her head,pletely surprised by the question.


    ¡°I knew it. It¡¯s okay, I exchanged some. I¡¯ll give you a few when the timees.¡± With that, Ye Xiaomeng took out a few notes from her wallet and handed them to her.


    Shu Pan took them, nced at them, and then nned to put them back into her own wallet.


    ¡°Huh, when did my wallet get so bulging?¡± Shu Pan asked, puzzled.


    Furrowing her brow, she opened her wallet and suddenly widened her eyes. Inside were various notes of Singapore dors. Shu Pan was truly taken aback.


    Then she noticed there was a small note inside.

 Chapter 522: Envy

    Chapter 522: Envy<div>


    Trantor:Nyoi-Bo StudioEditor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Shu Pan picked up the note and read the line written inside, ¡°My dear, surprised? I was worried you might refuse it face-to-face. Have fun and don¡¯t hold back. PS, there¡¯s also a ck credit card in the wallet. Feel free to spend as you like, don¡¯t worry about saving for me.¡±


    ¡°Wow, didn¡¯t you already exchange a lot?¡± Ye Xiaomeng snatched her own new bills back from Shu Pan¡¯s hand, exasperated.<div>


    Too much, and here she was iming she wasn¡¯t prepared.


    It was so unfair. Shu Pan had no idea Gu Shaoting would do something like this. She hadn¡¯t been mentally prepared at all, and today¡¯s surprise was truly overwhelming.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t exchange any. I had no clue about this,¡± Shu Pan attempted to exin further, but Ye Xiaomeng had already seen the note in her hand and took it to read.


    ¡°Girl, you hit the jackpot! You¡¯ve married a super rich guy, and Gu Shaoting is so generous,¡± Ye Xiaomeng said enviously. ¡°He did this for you.¡±


    Shu Pan blinked, realizing perhaps only Gu Shaoting would do something like this.


    He had always been the one to help her with her luggage and carry her bags at the airport when she was too busy to handle them herself.


    Oh no, her heart was practically bursting out of her chest.


    Suddenly, Shu Pan didn¡¯t feel like going to Singapore anymore. She wanted to go back now and find Gu Shaoting, give him a warm embrace.


    She was truly touched. Usually, he was so quiet and reserved, not one for sweet words. But when it mattered most, he showed how amazing he could be.


    He always loved surprising her. Didn¡¯t he know that surprises were the way to a woman¡¯s heart? Especially a woman as easily moved as she was.


    Watching Shu Pan¡¯s delighted expression, Ye Xiaomeng let out a long sigh. ¡°I envy you. I was worried you wouldn¡¯t have enough money to spend because you said you didn¡¯t want to use Gu Shaoting¡¯s money, afraid of what people might say. But now, look at this. He¡¯s willingly handed it to you, along with a credit card with no spending limit. My heart can barely handle it.¡±<div>


    Shu Pan nodded in agreement.


    ¡°And he¡¯s so thoughtful, exchanging various denominations. With all these new bills, considering your personality, you probably won¡¯t be able to spend them all,¡± Ye Xiaomeng said, feeling both happy and a bit disappointed. Although He Ming hadn¡¯t done something like this, she usually managed his money, so she couldn¡¯t help but feel a bit envious.


    ¡°Yeah, I didn¡¯t expect it either. I thought he was just providing money for your flight and hotel,¡± Shu Pan¡¯s heart was filled with an indescribable sweetness. Truly, she was overwhelmed with gratitude.


    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s not dwell on that. Anyway, this time I¡¯m going to let loose and have a great time,¡± Shu Pan said. Seeing her in this state was much to Ye Xiaomeng¡¯s amusement.


    As soon as they arrived at the airport in Singapore, Shu Pan immediately sent a text to Gu Shaoting, ¡°Hubby, I¡¯ve arrived in Singapore. Don¡¯t worry, were the new bills from you?¡±


    Gu Shaoting, who was just about to finish work, couldn¡¯t help but smile at the word ¡°Hubby.¡± The little silly finally saw it. He thought it would take her a long time.


    ¡°Have fun and stay safe,¡± Gu Shaoting quickly replied.


    After receiving his message, Shu Pan¡¯s lips curled up high. Since he wasn¡¯t around, she mischievously replied, ¡°You¡¯re the most generous hubby in the world.¡± Followed by a string of flying kisses, kissing emojis¡­


    Shu Pan didn¡¯t care about the amount of money. She wasn¡¯t a shopaholic and wasn¡¯t very keen on shopping, but what mattered was his thoughtfulness.

 Chapter 523: Painful for the Spending

    Chapter 523: Painful for the Spending<div>


    Trantor:Nyoi-Bo StudioEditor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Gu Shaoting smiled satisfactorily as he read her message. ¡°Thank you¡¯s can wait until youe back. Just think about how you¡¯re going to thank me¡­¡±


    Shu Pan blushed involuntarily upon seeing his response.<div>


    At 7 p.m., the two checked into the hotel.


    The hotel porter escorted them upstairs, and upon seeing the super luxurious suite they had booked, Shu Pan was slightly taken aback. ¡°This¡­ this is too¡­ too extravagant. How much is it per night?¡±


    Ye Xiaomeng smiled but didn¡¯t say anything until the porter left. ¡°Gu Shaoting gave me a lot of money, so I booked something nicer.¡±


    Shu Pan was curious. ¡°How much did he give you? And how much is this suite per night? I¡¯m worried it¡¯s too expensive, and I won¡¯t be able to sleep.¡±


    ¡°Not much. I told him Singapore is rtively expensive, so it must be around ten or twenty thousand a day. Oh, and I also booked a seaside vi for us tomorrow. We can have a st,¡± Ye Xiaomeng said cheerfully, turning to open her suitcase.


    Shu Pan was stunned. Ye Xiaomeng, the spendthrift, ten or twenty thousand a day? Goodness, how many months¡¯ sry was that for her?


    ¡°Did he say anything to you?¡± Shu Pan asked, puzzled.


    ¡°Nope,¡± Ye Xiaomeng thought for a moment before continuing, ¡°Oh, but he did tell me to take good care of you since you haven¡¯t traveled far before. If we run out of money, we¡¯ll let him know. He wants us to have a good time.¡±


    Once again, Shu Pan was taken aback. So he had done so much behind the scenes.


    ¡°In fact, I¡¯m also testing him for you. It¡¯s not about how much money a man has, but whether he¡¯s generous enough to his wife. Obviously, Gu Shaoting is generous and outstanding. He even paid for my portion. Someone¡¯s covering our expenses, so let¡¯s n more trips in the future,¡± Ye Xiaomeng exined confidently.


    Shu Pan felt a pang of guilt. ¡°But isn¡¯t this burning money?¡±<div>


    ¡°Can you stop worrying? Your hubby¡¯s got so much money you can¡¯t even spend it all. Why are you fussing over this?¡± Ye Xiaomeng looked at her somewhat disdainfully.


    ¡°Hmph,¡± Shu Pan pouted.


    After resting for a while, the two went to the hotel restaurant for dinner.


    When they returned to the room, Shu Pan¡¯s phone rang. She grabbed it and hurried to the balcony.


    ¡°Have you reached the hotel?¡± Gu Shaoting¡¯s deep and sensitive voice came through the phone.


    ¡°Yeah, just got back from dinner. Have you eaten?¡± Shu Pan asked in return.


    ¡°I don¡¯t have much of an appetite when you¡¯re not home,¡± Gu Shaotingined.


    ¡°Don¡¯t talk nonsense,¡± Shu Pan scolded him shyly upon hearing his words.


    ¡°Really, have fun and stay safe. Come back soon,¡± Gu Shaoting said pitifully.


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll go visit Dad and Joy the day after tomorrow. Don¡¯t worry,¡± Gu Shaoting felt truly lonely without his wife and daughter by his side.<div>


    ¡°Okay, take care of yourself, eat more, don¡¯t stay upte. Love you.¡± Without waiting for Gu Shaoting¡¯s response, Shu Pan hurriedly hung up the phone. She had be bolder now.


    Gu Shaoting looked at the disconnected phone and knew she was feeling shy. For someone as reserved as her to say ¡°love you¡± over the phone took a lot of courage.


    ¡°Finished exchanging sweet nothings with your beloved?¡± Ye Xiaomeng teased.


    ¡°You just finished talking to He Ming, didn¡¯t you?¡± Shu Pan retorted with a smile.


    ¡°You said your greetings and hung up, unlike you guys still in the midst of confessing love,¡± Ye Xiaomeng remarked, indicating she had heard Shu Pan¡¯sst sentence. Shu Pan really wished she could find a hole to hide in.


    ¡°Ugh, annoying,¡± Shu Pan teased back with a re at Ye Xiaomeng, then opened her suitcase, intending to take out clothes for change.


    But as she opened the suitcase, she was shocked. Was this her suitcase? Why were the clothes arranged differently from how she had packed them originally?

 Chapter 524: Jealousy

    Chapter 524: Jealousy<div>


    Trantor:Nyoi-Bo StudioEditor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    She opened the suitcase again and looked at it, confirming that it was indeed her own suitcase. No doubt about it.


    Upon closer inspection, the clothes inside were ones she usually wore, but they weren¡¯t the ones she had packed. What on earth could be going on?<div>


    She vividly remembered that she had packed mostly light clothing at the time.


    But these clothes now were definitely not what she had packed. Clothes didn¡¯t just walk away on their own, and besides her and Gu Shaoting, there was no one else at home. So, if it wasn¡¯t him, then who could it be?


    Why would he swap her clothes?


    Did he not like them? But it wasn¡¯t like he was the one wearing them.


    Could it be¡­ could he think they were too revealing? So he didn¡¯t want her to wear them?


    The more Shu Pan thought about it, the more she felt that was the case.


    Suddenly, she remembered that day when he came outter, with a smile on his face, looking quite happy.


    So, he had done this.


    Such an immature man.


    But thinking that he cared about her enough to make such a gesture, she felt relieved all at once.


    However, she still needed to warn him. It was too disrespectful.<div>


    Shu Pan picked up her pajamas helplessly and walked into the bathroom.


    The next day, Shu Pan and Ye Xiaomeng woke up early, ready to start their sightseeing trip. They didn¡¯t want to waste time sleeping.


    So, they got up early to prepare. Shu Pan searched through her clothes for a long time but couldn¡¯t find a suitable outfit for shopping.


    ording to Ye Xiaomeng¡¯s n, they would first go shopping to see if they could find any cheap clothes.


    Finally, she found one that was rtively eptable.


    But as soon as she put it on, Ye Xiaomeng criticized it.


    ¡°Girl, seriously? We¡¯re here to have fun, not to work. Why are you dressed so formally?¡± Ye Xiaomeng was dumbfounded by Shu Pan¡¯s attire. It looked like she was going to the office.


    ¡°Check out my suitcase.¡± Shu Pan sighed and pointed to her luggage.


    Ye Xiaomeng was puzzled, but she looked into the suitcase as Shu Pan indicated. She was speechless when she saw the clothes inside.


    ¡°This¡­¡± Ye Xiaomeng didn¡¯t know what to say.


    ¡°It¡¯s Gu Shaoting¡¯s handiwork. He took out all the cooler clothes I nned to bring and reced them with these.¡± Shu Pan said helplessly.<div>


    ¡°What? I didn¡¯t think he¡¯d do something like this. Well, no worries, we have money. Let¡¯s go buy some new ones.¡± Ye Xiaomeng said with a smile.


    So, they went straight to thergest mall since they had a purpose now.


    Indeed, it was a shopper¡¯s paradise. Shu Pan and Ye Xiaomeng were both stunned.


    Especially Ye Xiaomeng, she wanted to buy everything.


    Soon, Ye Xiaomeng helped Shu Pan pick out a few items.


    On the spot, Ye Xiaomeng asked Shu Pan to change into a floral skirt, very cool and refreshing.


    Shu Pan seemed to have a different demeanor, very innocent.


    Ye Xiaomeng randomly picked up Shu Pan¡¯s phone, took a photo of her, and sent it to Gu Shaoting.


    She really wanted to see his reaction.


    After that, they continued shopping.


    In the afternoon, when they returned to the hotel and had just sat down, Gu Shaoting called.<div>


    Later than expected, probably because he was busy.


    ¡°Honey, where did you go today?¡± Gu Shaoting asked with concern.


    ¡°I went shopping with Xiaomeng, just got back. Tired but happy. The clothes here aren¡¯t expensive, so I bought a few.¡± Shu Pan had just finished speaking when she suddenly remembered Gu Shaoting¡¯s childish behavior.


    ¡°You¡¯re the one who swapped my clothes, aren¡¯t you?¡± Shu Pan said with certainty.


    ¡°Yeah, those clothes didn¡¯t look good. You can wear them at home from now on.¡± Gu Shaoting didn¡¯t deny it, admitting it openly and with good reason.


    Shu Pan couldn¡¯t help rolling her eyes. Since when did he start managing her wardrobe?


    ¡°It¡¯s a waste to buy clothes and not wear them.¡±


    ¡°No problem.¡± Gu Shaoting wanted to mention that the skirt she was wearing today was too short, but considering he had just been caught swapping clothes, he didn¡¯t dare to bring it up.

 Chapter 525: Complaining

    Chapter 525: Comining<div>


    Trantor:Nyoi-Bo StudioEditor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    After hanging up with Shu Pan, Gu Shaoting checked the time and realized it was still early. He remembered he hadn¡¯t contacted Song Can in a long time, so he picked up the phone and dialed her number.


    ¡°What? Do you still remember I¡¯m your mother?¡± Song Can¡¯s voice carried a hint of sarcasm.<div>


    ¡°Mom, why do you always say such hurtful things?¡± Gu Shaoting replied gently.


    ¡°What do you care about me for? Just focus on your wife and child.¡± Song Can¡¯s voice softened slightly upon hearing Gu Shaoting¡¯s tone.


    ¡°I¡¯lle back to spend time with you when I have the chance.¡± Gu Shaoting sighed. Changing Song Can¡¯s mindset would probably be difficult.


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t dare to trouble you.¡± Song Can said, feeling a bit resentful.


    ¡°Alright, mom, take care of yourself.¡± Gu Shaoting felt frustrated with his mother¡¯s attitude and realized there was no point in continuing the conversation.


    As soon as he hung up, He Ming walked in.


    ¡°Brother Ting, since you¡¯re going home to an empty house, why don¡¯t we go out for a drink?¡± He Ming suggested, feeling a bit bored and wanting someone to chat with.


    ¡°Sure.¡± Gu Shaoting grabbed his jacket and left with He Ming.


    They decided to have hot pot, mainly because it allowed them to eat slowly without worrying about the food getting cold.


    ¡°Shu Pan has only been gone for a day, and you¡¯re already like this, Ting. I kinda miss the old you.¡± He Ming noticed Gu Shaoting¡¯s distracted demeanor.


    ¡°I¡¯m just not used to it.¡± Gu Shaoting nodded.<div>


    He Ming remained silent, pouring himself a ss of beer.


    ¡°What about you? When are you nning to get married?¡± Gu Shaoting asked, concerned. He had been preupied with his own affairs with Shu Pantely and felt he had neglected his friend.


    ¡°Married? Haha, that¡¯s still a distant dream. My mom hasn¡¯t given her blessing yet, and Xiaomeng feels pressured since she¡¯s not pregnant.¡± He Ming replied, feeling frustrated.


    Xiaomeng was out traveling, and when he called her today, she said she was shopping and didn¡¯t have time. She had been acting hot and cold towards himtely, and he didn¡¯t understand why.


    ¡°It¡¯s tough. My mom has objections too, but I can¡¯t yield this time. I¡¯ve already lost once, and I can¡¯t afford another mishap.¡± Gu Shaoting shook his head, knowing the age-old problem of mother-inw and daughter-inw issues.


    ¡°I want to register with Xiaomeng first, but she refuses. She wants to register after getting pregnant, but pregnancy isn¡¯t something you can n for. Who knows when that¡¯ll happen?¡± He Mingmented, feeling overwhelmed by his situation.


    ¡°Sometimes we need to take a stand and not always listen to women.¡± Gu Shaoting shared his experience.


    ¡°Yeah, I need to stand firm,¡± He Ming agreed.


    They clinked their sses in agreement.


    Meanwhile, Shu Pan and Ye Xiaomeng, who were traveling, were also having a great time.


    Ye Xiaomeng indeed rented a luxurious vi, fully equipped with everything they needed, even allowing them to cook for themselves.<div>


    ¡°Xiaomeng,e and eat,¡± Shu Pan called out.


    ¡°We¡¯re not home, but men can have fun too. He Ming just sent a picture of him and Gu Shaoting drinking,¡± Ye Xiaomeng walked over and handed her phone to Shu Pan.


    Seeing Gu Shaoting in the picture made Shu Pan miss him even more.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay to rx asionally,¡± Shu Pan said nonchntly, realizing they must be out drinking, exining theck of phone calls.


    ¡°Come on, let¡¯s have a drink too,¡± she said, opening the fridge and taking out two bottles of beer.


    ¡°Yeah, cheers!¡± Shu Pan eximed happily.


    The sisters indulged themselves in eating and drinking.

 Chapter 526: Why Are You In My House?

    Chapter 526: Why Are You In My House?<div>


    Trantor:Nyoi-Bo StudioEditor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    The next day, Gu Shaoting thought for a moment and realized that there wasn¡¯t anything urgent to attend to. Recalling the sarcastic remarks from his mother, Song Can, during their phone call yesterday, he figured her mood might not be good. So, Gu Shaoting decided to go and visit her today.


    It was Saturday, and he had initially nned to visit his daughter, Joy, but he decided against it. He would go see his precious daughter tomorrow instead.<div>


    Leaving around 11 in the morning, Gu Shaoting drove back to the Gu family mansion.


    As he parked the car and walked into the courtyard, he suddenly heardughtering from inside the house, and it sounded somewhat familiar.


    Furrowing his brows, he quickened his pace and opened the front door.


    Upon entering, the two people in the room seemed taken aback and stopped talking abruptly, both staring straight at him.


    Gu Shaoting looked up and his brows furrowed even more.


    ¡°What are you doing in my house?¡±


    ¡°Big Brother Gu, what are you doing here?¡±


    Two voices spoke almost simultaneously, and Gu Shaoting was stunned to see Charlene in his house. How did she find her way here?


    He had politely declined her visit when he mentioned visiting his mother. How did she still manage toe? What was her intention? It was truly perplexing.


    ¡°Do you two know each other?¡± Song Can asked, looking puzzled.


    ¡°I¡¯m currently interning at Big Brother Gu¡¯spany,¡± Charlene chuckled lightly, then exined.<div>


    ¡°Oh, I see. This is my son,¡± Song Can introduced.


    ¡°It¡¯s such a small world. I bumped into Auntie while shopping, and then I found out Auntie is Big Brother Gu¡¯s mother. Fate works in mysterious ways, doesn¡¯t it?¡± Charlene remarked as if she had just discovered their mother-son rtionship.


    Truly, Charlene¡¯s expression revealed no ws whatsoever. If she were an actress, she would surely win an award.


    Gu Shaoting furrowed his brows, remained silent, and then sat down.


    ¡°You¡¯re such a busy person, why did youe back?¡± Song Can said, sounding irritated. With an outsider present, she didn¡¯t want to be embarrassed.


    ¡°I came back to see you. I¡¯ve been quite busytely,¡± Gu Shaoting replied nonchntly, disregarding her tone.


    ¡°Auntie, Big Brother Gu is indeed very busy. There are many matters in the corporation, and he¡¯s the CEO, so he has a lot on his te,¡± Charlene interjected, eager to exin.


    ¡°Sigh, he¡¯s my son. Do I not know what he¡¯s like?¡± Song Can red at Gu Shaoting. Fortunately, he hadn¡¯t brought that woman home to make trouble for her.


    Charlene smiled shyly, feeling she may have overstepped.


    She stole a nce at Gu Shaoting, who remained expressionless.


    Feeling uneasy, she wondered if Gu Shaoting thought she was meddling too much or had some ulterior motive.<div>


    Song Can seemed to sense Charlene¡¯s difort and reassured her, ¡°Charlene, don¡¯t be so tense. You¡¯re at Auntie¡¯s home now, not at thepany. You don¡¯t have to be so nervous.¡±


    Song Can thought Charlene was ufortable because she saw her superior, so she tried to reassure her.


    ¡°Okay, thank you, Auntie,¡± Charlene said softly, smiling gently.


    What a considerate girl. Looking back, who couldpare to Shu Pan?


    Seeing Gu Shaoting¡¯s demeanor, Song Can couldn¡¯t help but feel he was bewitched.


    ¡°Dinner¡¯s ready,¡± Song Can invited Charlene to eat.


    Charlene had mentioned her parents weren¡¯t around, and she hadn¡¯t had home-cooked meals in a long time, so she invited her over.


    ¡°Okay, Big Brother Gu, let¡¯s eat,¡± Charlene reminded when Song Can didn¡¯t call him.


    ¡°Ignore him, just sit down,¡± Song Can decided to treat Gu Shaoting as if he were invisible.


    Gu Shaoting didn¡¯t mind and casually sat down, picking up his chopsticks.


    At the dinner table, Song Can and Charlene chatted andughed, while Gu Shaoting ate without paying much attention.<div>

 Chapter 527: Shocking News

    Chapter 527: Shocking News<div>


    Trantor:Nyoi-Bo StudioEditor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    After finishing dinner and seeing that Song Can¡¯s mood seemed alright, Gu Shaoting decided it was time to leave.


    He mainly wanted to check on Song Can, and seeing her chatting andughing put his mind at ease.<div>


    ¡°Mom, you two keep talking, I have things to attend to. I¡¯ll head back now,¡± Gu Shaoting said. But as soon as he finished speaking, Song Can stood up and couldn¡¯t help but scold him, ¡°You¡¯ve barely been back for two minutes. If you really don¡¯t want toe back, then don¡¯t step foot in this house again. Just stay with your precious wife and daughter.¡±


    ¡°Auntie, don¡¯t be angry. Let¡¯s talk things out calmly. Don¡¯t let anger affect your health,¡± Charlene quickly interjected, trying to mediate.


    ¡°Sigh, so troublesome,¡± Song Can grumbled as she sat on the sofa.


    Nowadays, whenever the mother and son met, it was like a collision between Mars and Earth, creating a heated atmosphere.


    ¡°Mom, take care of yourself. I¡¯lle back to see you when I have time,¡± Gu Shaoting said worriedly. He knew that if he stayed any longer, Song Can would start venting her anger again. Now, as long as he intended to marry Shu Pan, his mother would disapprove.


    Sigh, he wondered how he could eliminate her deep-seated resentment.


    After Gu Shaoting left, Song Can still felt somewhat resentful.


    ¡°Charlene, you don¡¯t understand. Shaoting is an adult now and has his own ideas. As long as he thinks it¡¯s right, I don¡¯t need to be this angry. Just let him be,¡± Song Can exined, pretending to be calm. She hoped that the more they argued, the more likely Gu Shaoting wouldpromise and break up with that woman.


    ¡°Charlene, you don¡¯t know. I don¡¯t like her, really. She¡¯s so petty and immature. I don¡¯t know what Shaoting sees in her,¡± Song Can expressed her deeply ingrained belief, which was difficult to change.


    ¡°Maybe you¡¯ll slowly learn to ept her and be pleasantly surprised,¡± Charlene suggested.


    ¡°ept her? Forget it. It¡¯s not like I haven¡¯t epted her before. Weren¡¯t they like that before they got divorced?¡± What? Divorced? Were they together again after divorce?<div>


    Charlene was truly shocked by this news.


    Howe what she heard before wasn¡¯t like this? It¡¯s impossible. Thepany is so big, with so many people, how could no one know?


    ¡°Auntie, did Gu Shaoting get divorced?¡± Charlene asked uncertainly.


    ¡°Yes, but now they¡¯ve reconciled. Since they loved each other in the beginning, why did they divorce? Only to get back togetherter. What¡¯s going on? I¡¯ve always thought it was Shu Pan clinging to Shaoting, and my foolish son was blinded by her,¡± Song Can said, getting angrier as she spoke.


    ¡°Oh, you can¡¯t say for sure. Many women nowadays are shallow,¡± Charlene chimed in.


    ¡°Exactly,¡± Song Can said, feeling understood.


    ¡°Then let Gu Shaoting slowly discover her true colors.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s difficult. He¡¯s already in too deep, unable to see the beauty around him,¡± Song Can sighed, feeling the weight of keeping family matters private, but she couldn¡¯t hold it in anymore; she was so frustrated.


    Charlene held Song Can¡¯s hand and gently patted it, offeringfort.


    Seeing her upset, Charlene recounted many cultural insights and anecdotes from her previous travels, as Song Can had also been traveling to many countries recently. They foundmon ground and chatted animatedly, and Song Can finally let go of her frustration with Gu Shaoting¡¯s situation.


    But Charlene¡¯s heart was far from calm. She hadn¡¯t expected to learn such explosive news today. It was truly unexpected.<div>


    But at least Gu Shaoting was already divorced, he wasn¡¯t a married man. In that case, she wouldn¡¯t be seen as a home-wrecker.


    And if that woman was shallow, then it would be easier to handle. Money could solve such problems, which didn¡¯t seem like a big issue.

 Chapter 528: Be More Confident

    Chapter 528: Be More Confident<div>


    Trantor:Nyoi-Bo StudioEditor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Gu Shaoting left home and, seeing that it was still early, drove straight to Lotus Town to see Joy.


    Oh, how lonely and pitiful a man can be without his wife and daughter by his side.<div>


    Joy was overjoyed to see her daddy, which somewhatforted Gu Shaoting¡¯s saddened soul.


    ¡°Daddy, did Mommy go on a trip? Why didn¡¯t you go with her?¡± Joy asked, puzzled.


    ¡°Because Mommy went with your godmother, and boys aren¡¯t allowed,¡± Gu Shaoting feigned helplessness.


    ¡°Poor Daddy,¡± Joy said sympathetically.


    ¡°Are you having fun at Grandpa¡¯s house?¡± Gu Shaoting asked.


    ¡°Yes, I can y with the kids next door. Can I invite her to our house in the future?¡± Joy¡¯s innocent voice chimed in.


    ¡°Of course, you can invite your good friends to y,¡± Gu Shaoting said, patting her head. She was such a lovely child.


    In Singappore, after dinner at the hotel, Ye Xiaomeng decided to go swimming in the rooftop pool.


    They had only stayed at the vi for a day because it was too expensive, and both of them felt bad about it. So, they found another hotel with a garden outside.


    The highlight of this hotel was the rooftop pool, which offered a panoramic view of Singapore.


    Ye Xiaomeng dragged Shu Pan up to the rooftop.<div>


    Shu Pan had also changed into the swimsuit bought together with Gu Shaoting. However, as expected, Ye Xiaomeng didn¡¯t hold back her criticism of the swimsuit, deeming it worthless.


    ¡°Girl, you¡¯re here to travel and broaden your horizons. Why did you buy such a swimsuit that looks like it¡¯s meant for elementary school kids? My goodness, it¡¯s a one-piece with a little skirt!¡± Ye Xiaomeng didn¡¯t need to think twice to know that it was Gu Shaoting who had picked it out.


    It was just too much. There were so many restrictions on his wife¡¯s attire. What freedom did she have in life?


    Ye Xiaomeng pondered for a moment, then pulled out a pink bikini set from her bag. Originally meant for herself, she had brought three sets just in case, and now she could conveniently lend one to Shu Pan.


    Shu Pan was taken aback when she saw Ye Xiaomeng offering her the two pieces of fabric. ¡°I already have a swimsuit,¡± she said.


    ¡°If you wear that here, I won¡¯t even want to stand next to you,¡± Ye Xiaomeng said disdainfully. ¡°We¡¯re out here, no one will recognize us. We can have fun to our heart¡¯s content. Loosen up a bit; your man won¡¯t even know.¡±


    Seeing Shu Pan¡¯s reaction, Ye Xiaomeng thought she was concerned about Gu Shaoting. But upon further reflection, she realized she sounded like she was encouraging her to do something wrong.


    ¡°It¡¯s just that I¡¯ve never worn a bikini before. It might feel weird,¡± Shu Pan said, feeling a bit awkward.


    ¡°If you¡¯ve never worn one, all the more reason to wear it. Women need to show their elegance. If not now, then when? When you¡¯re old and gray?¡± Ye Xiaomeng looked at her friend, who seemed hesitant.


    ¡°Okay then,¡± Shu Pan took the swimsuit and went into the changing room.


    Ye Xiaomeng nodded in satisfaction.<div>


    When Shu Pan emerged, she looked a bit embarrassed, wrapping herself tightly in a towel.


    ¡°Girl, I feel like I¡¯ve been defeated by you,¡± Ye Xiaomeng rubbed her forehead, feeling a slight headacheing on.


    ¡°I¡¯m not used to it. It feels a bit¡­ ufortable. The straps don¡¯t feel very secure,¡± Shu Pan said softly.


    Ye Xiaomeng stared at Shu Pan until she slowly unwrapped the towel.


    Ye Xiaomeng¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Girl, do you know what you¡¯re missing out on? Confidence. You look so good in it. Why worry? It¡¯s such a waste.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± Shu Pan asked, unsure.


    ¡°Definitely,¡± Ye Xiaomeng replied. ¡°Give me your phone. Let me take a picture for you to see.¡±

 Chapter 529: Can’t Sit Still

    Chapter 529: Can¡¯t Sit Still<div>


    Trantor:Nyoi-Bo StudioEditor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Shu Pan hesitantly handed her phone to Ye Xiaomeng. Ye Xiaomeng adjusted the lighting and found a good angle, then snapped a photo.


    Then, when Shu Pan wasn¡¯t paying attention, she sent the photo to Gu Shaoting.<div>


    ¡°Look, isn¡¯t she beautiful?¡± Ye Xiaomeng said.


    In truth, Shu Pan had a well-proportioned figure with no excess fat, and her skin was fair. Wearing the pink bikini, she looked really good. What shecked was confidence.


    She had always felt insecure about her body, which is why she never had the courage to try.


    ¡°Well, since we¡¯re out here anyway,¡± Shu Pan said, taking Ye Xiaomeng¡¯s words to heart. She confidently settled into a lounge chair.


    ¡°What are you doing? Get up and let¡¯s swim,¡± Ye Xiaomeng pulled her.


    ¡°I¡¯m not very good at swimming,¡± Shu Pan said, feeling a bit afraid of the water.


    ¡°I¡¯ll teach you,¡± Ye Xiaomeng volunteered.


    ¡°Okay,¡± she said, willing to try anything.


    The two of them got into the water, and Shu Pan found that swimming wasn¡¯t as difficult as she had imagined.


    After ying around for a while, they got out of the water.


    The two of them were having a great time, but someone couldn¡¯t sit still.<div>


    Of course, that someone was Mr. Gu.


    Ever since he received the message from Ye Xiaomeng, he had been feeling uneasy.


    Didn¡¯t she buy a swimsuit? Why wasn¡¯t she wearing it? It seemed like she would be influenced by Ye Xiaomeng after all.


    Gu Shaoting stared at the photo, feeling like he was going to bore a hole into it.


    He paced around the room, then suddenly made a decision.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to Singapore tomorrow,¡± Gu Shaoting called He Ming.


    ¡°Why so suddenly? Is something wrong?¡± He Ming thought for a moment but couldn¡¯t recall anything significant happening recently.


    ¡°I need to clear my head,¡± Gu Shaoting felt a bit embarrassed to admit it outright.


    ¡°Clear your head? You¡¯re not going to find Shu Pan, are you?¡± He Ming couldn¡¯t believe he was being so clingy.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Gu Shaoting didn¡¯t mind admitting it at this point.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go together. Two days away won¡¯t hurt,¡± the two brothers decided happily.<div>


    Gu Shaoting discreetly called Shu Pan and found out where they would be staying tomorrow.


    Shu Pan and Ye Xiaomeng spent their days exploring nearby attractions and enjoying food and drinks in the evenings, sleeping in until they naturally woke up each day.


    On the third day at noon, Shu Pan was still half asleep, mainly because they stayed upte the night before, when a knocking sound came from outside.


    ¡°Who is it? Room service?¡± Ye Xiaomeng asked from the bed next to hers, then buried her head under the covers.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Seeing Ye Xiaomeng had no intention of getting up, and the knocking was getting louder, Shu Pan reluctantly got up, threw on a coat, and sleepily made her way to the door.


    Opening the door without looking outside, Shu Pan said, ¡°We don¡¯t need room service.¡±


    She was about to close the door when suddenly, it was forcefully pushed open.


    ¡°Honey, is this how you treat me?¡± Gu Shaoting¡¯s voice sounded mournful.


    Hearing Gu Shaoting¡¯s voice, Shu Pan thought she was still dreaming.


    This time, she was fully awake.


    She looked closely and saw that despite Gu Shaoting¡¯s disheveled appearance from rushing over, it didn¡¯t diminish his handsomeness at all. And standing next to him was He Ming.<div>


    ¡°Why are you here? Are you here on business?¡± Shu Pan asked, only able to think of this.


    ¡°Where¡¯s Xiaomeng? Can wee in?¡± He Ming asked.


    ¡°Just a moment.¡± Shu Pan closed the door and woke up Ye Xiaomeng.


    The two quickly freshened up, got dressed, and then opened the door.


    ¡°Why are you here?¡± Ye Xiaomeng also looked puzzled.


    ¡°We¡¯re starving. Let¡¯s put our luggage away and then find a ce to eat first,¡± He Ming hugged Xiaomeng and said.


    ¡°Alright,¡± everyone agreed.

 Chapter 530: Are You Here on Business?

    Chapter 530: Are You Here on Business?<div>


    Trantor:Nyoi-Bo StudioEditor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    The four of them found a restaurant and sat down, with Shu Pan and Gu Shaoting on one side, and Ye Xiaomeng and He Ming on the other.


    He Ming eagerly ordered food, his stomach growling loudly from missing breakfast due to catching their flight.<div>


    After they ordered, the waiter took the menu, and Shu Pan asked, ¡°Are you two here on a business trip?¡±


    He Ming looked at Gu Shaoting, who remained silent. Since it was his idea toe, He Ming decided to let him answer.


    Gu Shaoting nced at him, then cleared his throat and said, ¡°Not really busytely, so just thought we¡¯d take a break and learn from you guys.¡±


    ¡°Ah, I see. That¡¯s great, it¡¯s nice to havepany,¡± Shu Pan said happily without overthinking it.


    But Ye Xiaomeng¡¯s mind was sharp as a mirror. She knew Gu Shaoting must have seen the photo she sent. Otherwise, why would hee at this exact time? However, she didn¡¯t mention it, silently listening to their conversation. His actions showed how much he cared about Shu Pan, and that was enough for her.


    When the food arrived, Gu Shaoting didn¡¯t eat himself, but instead began serving Shu Pan, filling her bowl to the brim.


    ¡°That¡¯s enough, I can¡¯t eat all of this,¡± Shu Pan protested.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, I¡¯ll eat what¡¯s left,¡± Gu Shaoting said calmly.


    Shu Pan blushed instantly. This man didn¡¯t seem to care about speaking so intimately in front of others.


    After the meal, Shu Pan and Ye Xiaomeng went to the front desk to check out.


    Then they moved to a seaside vi in Sentosa.<div>


    The vi was spacious, with two floors, and they had no worries about disturbing each other.


    Gu Shaoting and Shu Pan stayed in a room on the second floor facing the sea.


    As soon as they entered, Gu Shaoting locked the door and then swept Shu Pan into his arms.


    ¡°Honey, I missed you so much,¡± Gu Shaoting said pitifully.


    ¡°Mmm, I know, I missed you too,¡± Shu Pan replied, her words cut off as their lips met.


    The two of them were like newlyweds, sweet and affectionate.


    However, Gu Shaoting hadn¡¯t forgotten about what needed to be addressed.


    ¡°Honey, did you go swimming?¡± Gu Shaoting asked, sitting on the sofa, unconsciously tapping the table.


    ¡°I did. I learned how to swim, but I¡¯m so tired,¡± Shu Pan replied, puzzled by his question.


    ¡°I remember we went shopping for swimsuits together. Why didn¡¯t you wear the one we bought?¡± Gu Shaoting asked directly, not beating around the bush.


    ¡°How did you know I didn¡¯t wear the one we bought?¡± Shu Pan widened her eyes, finding it unbelievable.<div>


    Did he have some sort of irvoyance? Or did he install a surveince device on her?


    There was no way anyone else could have told him. Only Xiaomeng knew she wore a bikini, but it couldn¡¯t have been Xiaomeng who told him. They were always together, and Xiaomeng encouraged her to wear it.


    ¡°I guessed,¡± Gu Shaoting said mysteriously.


    Shu Pan pursed her lips, realizing she had fallen into her own trap.


    ¡°I was going to wear it, but Xiaomeng said not to be restrained when we go out and to be confident,¡± confirming his guess.


    Gu Shaoting pursed his lips and said, ¡°Disobediencees with consequences.¡±


    His gaze bore into her, intense and burning.


    Shu Pan¡¯s face immediately flushed.


    She understood what he meant by his words.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. Everyone dresses like this,¡± Shu Pan thought to herself, finding him petty and narrow-minded.


    ¡°I don¡¯t care about others. But you can¡¯t dress like that in the future,¡± Gu Shaoting¡¯s tone was firm.<div>


    ¡°Dictator,¡± Shu Pan stamped her foot and then went back to her room.

 Chapter 531: Enemies Meet

    Chapter 531: Enemies Meet<div>


    Trantor:Nyoi-Bo StudioEditor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    With the addition of two gentlemen, they thought there would be more outings, but to their surprise, they¡¯ve been staying in the vi every day since their arrival.


    Shu Pan and Ye Xiaomeng were both getting bored. What was the point of spending money toe here if they weren¡¯t going out?<div>


    They both agreed it was time to go home.


    Gu Shaoting and He Ming didn¡¯t mind either way; their purpose wasn¡¯t about sightseeing, so whether they stayed or left didn¡¯t matter.


    Ye Xiaomeng regretted it deeply. Why did she have to send photos to Gu Shaoting?


    Now that they were here, her ns werepletely disrupted. She had nned to cool things down, but with He Ming¡¯s arrival, there was no time for her to calm down. He even mentioned registering for marriage as soon as they got back.


    Whom had she provoked?


    The four of them headed to the airport in grand style, the men handsome and the women pretty.


    But the faces of the two women weren¡¯t very good, truly returning home disappointed.


    Back at home, Shu Pan feltpletely exhausted.


    She decided to rest well before going back to work; after all, she hadn¡¯t used up all her annual leave.


    Days passed, but some people¡¯s moods changed.


    One day, Shu Pan was cleaning the house. Though there would asionally be a cleaningdy, sometimes she liked to do it herself.<div>


    Suddenly, her phone rang.


    ¡°Panpan, I left an important document in the study, can you check if it¡¯s on the desk?¡± Gu Shaoting¡¯s deep, sexy voice sounded.


    ¡°Okay.¡± Shu Pan recognized his urgency from his tone.


    She found the document on the desk.


    ¡°Can you bring it to the office for me? I need it urgently, and sending the driver back might take too long.¡± Gu Shaoting checked the time, feeling pressed for it.


    ¡°Sure.¡± Shu Pan hung up and quickly changed her clothes before heading out.


    She put on a loose-fitting top and jeans, looking more like a girl next door than her usual professional self, simple and refreshing.


    With a slim-strapped backpack on her shoulders and the document in her hand, she hurried out to catch a taxi.


    Since time was pressing, taking the bus would definitely be too slow, so she hailed a taxi at the entrance of the residential area.


    It was quite a feat to finally g one down, and she hurriedly made her way to the Gu Group.


    Fortunately, the rush hour traffic had subsided by now, and there were fewer vehicles on the road. She arrived at the Gu Group quickly.<div>


    Shu Pan got out of the car and entered the lobby of the Gu Group. Because she was in a hurry, she collided with someoneing towards her.


    Obviously, the other person wasn¡¯t paying attention either.


    ¡°Sorry.¡± Shu Pan apologized quickly, the documents in her hand falling to the ground. She picked them up and also helped the other person pick up theirs.


    ¡°Are you blind when walking?¡± The other person didn¡¯t ept the apology, their tone harsh.


    ¡°Sorry.¡± In fact, it wasn¡¯t all Shu Pan¡¯s fault; the other person wasn¡¯t paying attention either, which led to the collision.


    ¡°Which department are you from?¡± The person Shu Pan collided with turned out to be Charlene, her tone somewhat aggressive.


    ¡°I¡¯m here to deliver documents, and once I¡¯m done, I¡¯ll leave.¡± Shu Pan didn¡¯t want to dwell on it.


    ¡°I¡¯m in a hurry, sorry.¡± Shu Pan picked up the documents and quickly walked towards the elevator.


    In the CEO¡¯s office, Gu Shaoting was on the phone. When he saw Shu Pane in, his eyes lit up. Shu Pan, dressed like that, was a rare sight.


    With such a radiant demeanor, she looked like a freshly graduated college student.


    Shu Pan silently handed over the documents, then pointed towards the door with her finger, indicating she was leaving.<div>


    Gu Shaoting held her hand, then bid farewell to the other person and hung up the phone.


    ¡°I¡¯m going back, the documents have been delivered anyway.¡± Shu Pan didn¡¯t want to disturb him while he was working.

 Chapter 532: Unforgiving

    Chapter 532: Unforgiving<div>


    Trantor:Nyoi-Bo StudioEditor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    ¡°You going back is no problem, why not stay here with me?¡± Gu Shaoting said casually.


    ¡°You focus on your work. I have things to attend to. I¡¯m leaving.¡± Shu Pan disregarded his insistence, opened the door, and left.<div>


    As Shu Pan emerged from the elevator into the lobby, she saw the woman she collided with still standing there.


    Shu Pan initially wanted to diffuse the situation and hurry away, but Charlene caught sight of her.


    ¡°Hold on, you¡¯re just going to walk away after bumping into someone like that?¡± Charlene wasn¡¯t one to be trifled with. She seemed to have twisted her ankle when the collision happened.


    Because she was wearing stiletto heels today, she had twisted a bit when they collided. Fortunately, she reacted quickly and didn¡¯t fall to the ground, but the documents in her hand were scattered everywhere.


    Seeing her again, with such an innocent look, Shu Pan felt enraged. Why was it that she could bump into someone and be unscathed while she felt like a clown? The people around were probably reveling in her misfortune.


    Shu Pan froze at the stern tone. Slowly, she turned to face Charlene. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I had an urgent matter and wasn¡¯t paying attention. I apologize for bumping into you.¡±


    Technically, Shu Pan had already apologized, and both parties were at fault. This incident should¡¯ve been settled, but Charlene, in a bad moodtely, held onto every little thing.


    Moreover, for some reason, she just didn¡¯t like Shu Pan¡¯s innocent demeanor, which was so attractive and something shecked. Hence, she harbored unwarranted hostility.


    ¡°Is sorry enough? Will that heal my foot?¡± Charlene was adamant, refusing to let the matter go.


    ¡°What do you want?¡± Shu Pan was getting angry too. Even the most patient person would likely lose their temper in this situation.


    It was outrageous. Both were at fault, apologies had been made, yet she was being so unreasonable.<div>


    ¡°What do I want? Tell me, which department are you from? If there¡¯s something wrong with my foot, I¡¯ll know who to find.¡± Charlene, having joined thepany recently, didn¡¯t know many people. She believed Shu Pan was from thepany; otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t be moving around the office so freely.


    After all, thepany¡¯s security was tight, and it wasn¡¯t easy for strangers toe in, let alone deliver documents.


    ¡°I¡¯m not working here. If your foot is really hurting, please inform Secretary Zhang. He knows me. My name is Shu Pan.¡± Shu Pan didn¡¯t want to get entangled with her, nor did she want to tell her that she knew Gu Shaoting, lest she be used of taking advantage of her connection.


    ¡°Know Secretary Zhang? Who are you trying to fool? Anyone and everyone im to know someone important around the CEO.¡± Charlene snorted, clearly not believing what Shu Pan said.


    Shu Pan was truly defeated by her. Ah, who would have thought someone could be so petty?


    Such an innocent face, yet such a malicious heart.


    ¡°You can call Secretary Zhang, or if you really think your foot is injured, I can apany you to the hospital now.¡± Shu Pan said patiently. She didn¡¯t want to be a spectacle here, as it also concerned Gu Shaoting¡¯s reputation.


    Seeing her sincerity, and noticing more onlookers gathering around, Charlene didn¡¯t want to leave a bad impression.


    Then, she magnanimously said, ¡°Forget it, not worth my time. Hope you remember to open your eyes when you walk next time.¡±


    That was clearly a jab at Shu Pan¡¯s vision, truly malicious.


    Shu Pan was speechless. Oh well, she forgot to check the almanac before leaving today.<div>


    It was like being bitten by a dog. With that, she muttered ¡°Sorry¡± to Charlene and then left with her backpack.

 Chapter 533: Moving to a New House

    Chapter 533: Moving to a New House<div>


    Trantor:Nyoi-Bo StudioEditor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    As Shu Pan stepped out of the gates of Gu Group, Gu Shaoting called her.


    ¡°Are you home?¡± Gu Shaoting, having just finished his work, looked at the time and regretted not keeping Shu Pan back.<div>


    ¡°Not yet. I¡¯m waiting for a ride.¡± Shu Pan felt a bit downcast. Her good mood had been ruined.


    ¡°Still at thepany entrance?¡± Gu Shaoting asked, puzzled. It had been a while since she left, and he thought she would have reached home by now.


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Shu Pan¡¯s tone was somewhat subdued. It felt like she had stepped on something unpleasant, making her feel nauseous.


    ¡°In that case, don¡¯t leave. I¡¯lle down now. I¡¯ve finished my work. Let¡¯s move to Qiyuan today.¡± This matter had been decided long ago but kept getting postponed. Finally, everyone had some free time today.


    ¡°Okay.¡± Soon, Gu Shaoting came down and took Shu Pan¡¯s hand to the parking lot.


    Some people in thepany were stunned to see this scene. The news spread quickly, and everyone was discussing Mr. Gu¡¯s girlfriend.


    ¡°Mr. Gu¡¯s girlfriend is so youthful and energetic. She doesn¡¯t seem too old.¡± Some spected based on Shu Pan¡¯s appearance.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t they say Mr. Gu¡¯s girlfriend is a mature woman?¡± Others countered.


    ¡°They already have a grown-up daughter.¡± Everyone maintained a strong interest in gossip about their boss.


    Charlene scoffed at the conversation. A bunch of boring people.


    Gu Shaoting apanied Shu Pan back to Qiyuan. Auntie Li came out warmly to wee them when she saw them arriving at their new ce. She was delighted to know they were moving into Qiyuan.<div>


    Now things were getting lively.


    Auntie Li started preparing lunch.


    ¡°Panpan, you and Auntie Li stay at home. I¡¯ll arrange for some important things to be brought over.¡± After dropping off Shu Pan, Gu Shaoting hurried back to Shuimu Qinghua to arrange for transportation to move their belongings.


    ¡°Okay, be careful.¡± Shu Pan and Auntie Li entered the house.


    ¡°Okay, be careful.¡± Shu Pan and Auntie Li entered the house.


    ¡°Madam, please sit down and don¡¯t worry. Let me handle it.¡± Auntie Li stopped Shu Pan from getting involved.


    ¡°Auntie Li, just call me Shu Pan. It¡¯s okay, I¡¯m not busy anyway.¡± Shu Pan smiled.


    By the afternoon, most of the things that needed to be moved had been brought over. Setting up a new home required a lot of work, and one person couldn¡¯t handle it all, especially since they were moving into a two-story vi.


    Luckily, Auntie Li¡¯s help was invaluable. The two of them were busy untilte into the night, finally getting everything sorted out.


    The feeling of moving into a new home was wonderful.


    Shu Pan thought Joy would surely love it. Last time she visited her, Joy had said she wanted to invite her friends over to their new home.<div>


    Shu Pan had taken a long vacation and was finally returning to work.


    To be honest, her mindset had changed somewhat recently. She used to prioritize her career, but now, taking care of her husband and daughter at home, she found it quite fulfilling.


    However, recently Mr. Gu had been encouraging her to quit her job, saying she could go wherever she wanted, do whatever she pleased, wake up whenever she liked, listing all sorts of benefits. She was tempted, but she still declined. It didn¡¯t seem like the right time yet.


    A woman should have her own career to stay connected with society. Besides, working hadn¡¯t hindered her from taking care of her family. She could consider itter, especially after adding a new member to the family.


    ¡°Shu Pan, you¡¯re finally back from vacation. I missed you,¡± Tang Wei said, feeling sentimental when she saw Shu Pan.


    ¡°Is it because there¡¯s no one to gossip with, that¡¯s why you say you missed me?¡± Shu Pan chuckled, teasing her.


    ¡°Hey, don¡¯tugh at me again,¡± Tang Wei pouted.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it true though?¡± Shu Pan asked in all seriousness.


    ¡°It¡¯s not gossip; it¡¯s about your happiness,¡± Tang Wei said solemnly.


    ¡°My happiness?¡± Shu Pan was taken aback, struggling to understand. What did Tang Wei mean by that?


    <div>

 Chapter 534: You Will Be the Focus

    Chapter 534: You Will Be the Focus<div>


    Trantor:Nyoi-Bo StudioEditor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    ¡°Tang Wei whispered, ¡°Isn¡¯t Gu Group¡¯s anniversary celebration next month? How are you preparing? After all, you¡¯re practically the futuredy of thepany. Have you been practicing a dance routine with Mr. Gu?¡±


    ¡°What dance routine?¡± Shu Pan looked utterly perplexed. She hadn¡¯t heard anything about it, nor had Gu Shaoting mentioned it.<div>


    ¡°Oh my, you haven¡¯t prepared anything?¡± Tang Wei suddenly changed the subject. ¡°Maybe Mr. Gu wants to surprise you?¡±


    With that, Tang Wei excused herself and walked away.


    Shu Pan waspletely bewildered, feeling like she was in the dark.


    She got up and headed to the tea room to pour herself a cup of coffee. As she approached, she overheard a few female employees whispering excitedly about something, their faces lit up with enthusiasm.


    Now, while the office staff showed her respect to her face, they still gossiped about her behind her back. At least, no one dared to offend her again.


    Curiosity got the better of Shu Pan, and she nced over. At that moment, one of the female employees spotted her and immediately looked at Shu Pan with envy. She then said, ¡°Shu Designer, we envy you so much. You¡¯ll definitely be the center of attention at the annual dinner.¡±


    Shu Pan raised an eyebrow in surprise, wondering what exactly they were envious about.


    She asked, puzzled, ¡°Envious of what?¡±


    ¡°We envy you for being able to attend the grand banquet held by Gu Group. You know, it¡¯s going to be magnificent. Just thinking about it is so exciting,¡± the employees said in unison.


    ¡°If it¡¯s the annual dinner, won¡¯t you all be attending too? Why envy me?¡± Shu Pan couldn¡¯t help but find it amusing. Why were these young girls attaching so much importance to this?


    ¡°It¡¯s different. We¡¯re just supporting characters. You¡¯re the protagonist, and that night, you¡¯ll definitely be Mr. Gu¡¯s partner,¡± they exined eagerly.<div>


    ¡°Oh my goodness, how enviable! You¡¯ll be like a princess, attracting everyone¡¯s attention,¡± another chimed in.


    Shu Pan looked at them in shock, furrowing her brows. ¡°Is the annual dinner really that grand?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t know?¡± one of the younger girls said with an air of superiority. She proceeded to exin, ¡°Gu Group¡¯s annualpany celebration is always extravagant, with a super luxurious banquet. It¡¯s an honor just to attend, let alone be the center of attention at the banquet. I heard that even top-notch celebrities from around the world join!¡±


    Shu Pan was truly astonished. The anniversary celebration of Gu Group? Howe Gu Shaoting hadn¡¯t mentioned it to her?


    ¡°Shu Pan, don¡¯t worry. You¡¯ll definitely be a VIP. It¡¯s still some time away, so prepare yourself and take care of yourself. Strive to dazzle everyone that day,¡± one of them said.


    ¡°Shu Pan, please, can you take more photos for us? We¡¯re all the way in the back, and we probably won¡¯t be able to see the grand scene up front,¡± another pleaded.


    ¡°I heard they invited international superstars. If it¡¯s convenient, can you get their autographs for us?¡± yet another chimed in.


    Everyone was talking at once as if it were all true.


    Shu Pan could only give a dryugh and say, ¡°If I really get the chance, I¡¯ll definitely take more photos for everyone to see.¡±


    But it seemed like nothing had been confirmed yet.


    ¡°Shu Pan, you¡¯re such a kind person. Thank you in advance,¡± they said gratefully.<div>


    With her coffee in hand, Shu Pan walked into the office, her brows furrowed tightly. The anniversary celebration of Gu Group was next month?


    It seemed like Gu Shaoting hadn¡¯t mentioned it at all. But these young girls probably got it wrong. Gu Shaoting was quite clear about separating his personal and professional life. This celebration was a big event for thepany, and it¡¯s probably their business only.

 Chapter 535: Disappointment

    Chapter 535: Disappointment<div>


    Trantor:Nyoi-Bo StudioEditor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    So, she thought, these young girls would probably be disappointed because she might not necessarily be invited as a VIP.


    Shu Pan felt itchy with curiosity after everyone¡¯s remarks. In fact, she was tempted to call Gu Shaoting and ask if there was any truth to it.<div>


    But then she thought, what if he hadn¡¯t invited her originally, and her calling now would make her seem too eager? Perhaps he wasn¡¯t telling her to surprise her in the end?


    In truth, Shu Pan was quite calm inside. It was just the exaggerated words of the young girls that made her curious about experiencing it herself.


    After returning home in the evening, Shu Pan didn¡¯t bring it up. Gu Shaoting seemed busytely, spending most of his time in the study aftering back.


    Shu Pan had brought him tea and snacks a few times, and each time, he would ask for a goodnight kiss.


    Tonight, as usual, Shu Pan brought him tea.


    The scent of the clear tea wafted through the air, and Shu Pan could feel its fragrance even as she carried it. She took a sip stealthily. The tea was pure and mellow, leaving a lingering taste of fragrance on her lips. No wonder he liked it so much.


    ¡°Shaoting, here¡¯s your tea, and the egg tarts I made tonight,¡± Shu Pan ced the tea and snacks on his desk. The desk wasrge, so she wasn¡¯t worried about the documents getting in the way.


    ¡°Thank you, you¡¯ve worked hard,¡± Gu Shaoting nced up at her, then went back to reviewing the questionnaires.


    ¡°Are you going to be busyte tonight?¡± Shu Pan asked curiously. She was starting to envy him a bit now. Despite staying up several nights in a row, he still seemed remarkably energetic.


    ¡°Yeah, a bit. You go to bed early, don¡¯t wait up for me,¡± Gu Shaoting looked up again, his gaze softened. ¡°You¡¯ve been worrying about the house a lottely.¡±


    ¡°Not really, Auntie Li has been helping out. But why are you suddenly so busy?¡± Shu Pan asked, pretending to be curious. She suspected it had something to do with the uing anniversary celebration.<div>


    ¡°Just a lot going on. Meetings during the day, so I have to catch up on work at night,¡± Gu Shaoting smiled lightly, pressing his lips together.


    Shu Pan couldn¡¯t help but feel a bit disappointed. She thought he would tell her about the anniversary celebration, but he remained silent. While other employees were buzzing about it, she was left in the dark.


    Well, if he didn¡¯t want to talk about it, she wouldn¡¯t push him. Perhaps he had his own ns, or maybe he hadn¡¯t invited her at all? There was no need for her to make assumptions and ruin her mood.


    ¡°Okay then, don¡¯t work toote,¡± Shu Pan said before leaving the room.


    Gu Shaoting nodded. ¡°Okay.¡±


    Back in her room, Shu Pan felt empty inside. Joy wasn¡¯t around, and she felt a bit bored.


    She leaned against the headboard, picking up a book at random, but found it hard to focus.


    She couldn¡¯t deny that Gu Shaoting was attentive to her, but sometimes he seemed to overlook her feelings. Likest time, when he proposed to her. It was a simple gesture, and they hadn¡¯t even obtained the marriage certificate yet. He hadn¡¯t mentioned anything about a wedding either. Maybe he found it troublesome and didn¡¯t want to bother?


    Men could be careless sometimes, easily overlooking a woman¡¯s inner feelings.


    Shu Pan drifted off to sleep in a daze. She had no idea when Gu Shaoting returned to the room.


    Gu Shaoting gently took the book from Shu Pan¡¯s hand and leaned down to ce a kiss on her soft lips. He sensed that she had something on her mind tonight, but if she didn¡¯t speak up, he couldn¡¯t guess.<div>


    Well, it waste now. He would have to ask her about it tomorrow.

 Chapter 536: Family Banquet

    Chapter 536: Family Banquet<div>


    Trantor:Nyoi-Bo StudioEditor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    The next day, Shu Pan left before Gu Shaoting woke up. She left a note on the bedside table, saying she had already gone to work and didn¡¯t need him to drive her.


    He couldn¡¯t help but wonder if she was a bit upset. Normally, she would prepare a cup of warm water for him after waking up. Did she forget today, or did she intentionally not prepare it?<div>


    When Gu Shaoting woke up, he found breakfast prepared by Auntie Li on the table. He hurriedly ate a bit and then left.


    He decided to pick her up after work and have dinner together. He felt like he had been neglecting hertely.


    Both of them were busy all day, and they didn¡¯t exchange a single message.


    In the afternoon, even though there were still some unfinished tasks, Gu Shaoting shut down hisputer and left the office.


    When Gu Shaoting picked up Shu Pan and they entered the restaurant, he noticed something was off. She had been unusually quiet the whole day, not saying a word during the ride or in the restaurant. She seemed lost in thought, as if she didn¡¯t even notice him.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Is something bothering you?¡± Gu Shaoting asked, concerned, as he observed her expression.


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing,¡± Shu Pan shook her head, unsure where to start.


    She felt like she was being overly dramatic.


    ¡°If there¡¯s something you need to tell me, don¡¯t keep it to yourself,¡± Gu Shaoting said, his gaze prating.


    ¡°Okay,¡± Shu Pan smiled weakly.


    Gu Shaoting knew she had something on her mind, but if she didn¡¯t want to share, he couldn¡¯t force her.<div>


    ¡°Panpan, we¡¯ve just moved into a new house. I was thinking of inviting friends and family over this weekend to celebrate. What do you think?¡± Gu Shaoting asked for Shu Pan¡¯s opinion.


    ¡°Invite friends and family?¡± Shu Pan asked, puzzled.


    ¡°Yeah, have a little gathering. The vi has arge yard, so we can set up a buffet-style spread,¡± Gu Shaoting exined.


    ¡°Okay,¡± Shu Pan agreed, thinking it would be nice to introduce everyone to their new home.


    The weekend arrived quickly.


    On this day, both Gu Shaoting and Shu Pan dressed very formally.


    Gu Shaoting was dressed in a suit and looked even more handsome and dignified.


    Shu Pan wore a knitted dress, paired with high heels and a pink coat. Her hair was tied up high, giving her a vibrant and charming appearance.


    Gu Shaoting stood at the door with Shu Pan to greet the guests, formally introducing her to everyone.


    Every time a guest arrived, Gu Shaoting would hold Shu Pan¡¯s hand and introduce her earnestly, saying, ¡°This is my wife¡­¡±


    He repeated these words for most of the morning, showing no signs of impatience. What was even rarer was the faint smile in his eyes.<div>


    Watching him like this, it was impossible not to be moved. It was rare to see him so humble. He probably said more polite words to people today than he did in the past year.


    This version of Gu Shaoting, the more she looked, the more she liked. He was more down-to-earth now, no longer the aloof man he used to be.


    She suddenly felt relieved. Why bother about those trivial things?


    Looking at his profile, with his distinct features and clear lines, Shu Pan couldn¡¯t help but feel more drawn to him.


    Unconsciously, Shu Pan moved closer to him, and Gu Shaoting finally noticed her unusual behavior. He half-supported her and asked with concern, ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Are you tired from standing for too long?¡±


    Seeing Gu Shaoting¡¯s nervous look, Shu Pan felt a sweet sensation in her heart. She shook her head and said, ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡±


    She ced her hand in his palm. ¡°I¡¯m very happy today.¡±

 Chapter 537: Do You Know I’m Still Breathing?

    Chapter 537: Do You Know I¡¯m Still Breathing?<div>


    Trantor:Nyoi-Bo StudioEditor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Gu Shaoting¡¯s solemn introduction to their rtives and friends at the family banquet proved how much he cared about her feelings. What a joyful thing it was! She couldn¡¯t care less about whether her feet hurt or not.


    ¡°If you¡¯re tired, just sit down for a while. I¡¯m here.¡± Everyone would find out eventually, so there was no need to stand around and catch a cold.<div>


    Moreover, she had worn high heels just to look good while standing beside him. Seeing him like this, she couldn¡¯t help but feel sorry for him.


    ¡°Not tired,¡± she nced around. Nobody paid much attention to them. She tiptoed a bit and moved closer, whispering, ¡°I like standing with you to greet the guests.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Gu Shaoting¡¯s smile was radiant, and his response was firm.


    Joy had returned yesterday and was now showing her grandfather and mother-inw around.


    Shu Laide was relieved. Her daughter had finally weathered the storm, and she no longer had to worry about her.


    He Ming and Ye Xiaomeng had also arrived. Xiaomengughed at her when she saw her, teasing her for being a wealthydy now, living in a mansion.


    When Ye Xiaomeng stepped into the vi, she was truly amazed. It was a mansion she had only seen on television¡ªmodern yet cozy.


    She felt genuinely happy for Shu Pan and couldn¡¯t help but envy her. Thinking about herself, she felt a pang of bitterness.


    It wasn¡¯t that He Ming didn¡¯t treat her well. Whether he did or didn¡¯t, she had nothing to offer in return, and that was the most agonizing part.


    If she couldn¡¯t even have children, what right did she have to stay with He Ming? Although He Ming said he didn¡¯t mind, every time he got lost in thought after seeing someone else¡¯s child, she felt deeply saddened.


    Forget it, it was her friend¡¯s special day. She didn¡¯t want to dwell on those depressing matters.<div>


    Of course, an asion like this wouldn¡¯t beplete without Song Can.


    A few days ago when Gu Shaoting informed her, Song Can was so angry she felt like smashing her phone. She was thest one to know about such an important matter.


    Qiyuan, she knew it was developed by Gu Group and was selling like hotcakes at the time. But Gu Shaoting didn¡¯t tell her he kept a set for himself until now, and he moved in with his wife and daughter.


    The atmosphere was harmonious, but she felt like an outsider now. How absurd.


    When she saw her, Shu Pan felt very awkward and then whispered, ¡°Mom.¡±


    She really didn¡¯t know how to address her. And seeing her stern face, Song Can didn¡¯t respond to Shu Pan, so she could only stand there feeling lost.


    Gu Shaoting saw Song Can arrive and immediately went up to her. ¡°Mom, you¡¯re here. Didn¡¯t I ask the driver to pick you up?¡±


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t dare to trouble you. Do you still consider me your mother?¡± Song Can said indignantly, but because there were so many rtives and friends around, she deliberately lowered her voice, but the anger in her tone was evident.


    ¡°Mom, what are you talking about? This is also your home. You cane and stay anytime you want. Just pick whichever room you like.¡± Gu Shaoting hurriedly pacified her when he saw how angry she was. In fact, he knew Song Can¡¯s intention was not abouting to stay.


    She just wanted to feel relevant. She liked to be in control of everything, and she believed she should be informed first about everything.


    Seeing Gu Shaoting say this, Song Can felt much better. And seeing Shu Pan standing by without daring to say anything, she couldn¡¯t help but feel a little smug.<div>


    In this home, her son¡¯s word wasw. Just because she entered this home didn¡¯t mean she was the mistress. Dream on. She wouldn¡¯t have a say.


    Song Can snorted and then walked away, proud like a swan.


    ¡°Panpan, sorry, my mom has that kind of personality,¡± Gu Shaoting felt very embarrassed.


    ¡°I understand. I¡¯m not bothered by it,¡± Shu Pan smiled and said.

 Chapter 538: A Perfect Match

    Chapter 538: A Perfect Match<div>


    Trantor:Nyoi-Bo StudioEditor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Gu Shaoting hugged her,forting her.


    He felt ufortable being caught in the middle, but he couldn¡¯t offend his mother, or she might cause trouble for Shu Pan when he wasn¡¯t paying attention.<div>


    Gu Huanhuan, unlike her usual lively self, also dressed up very elegantly early in the morning, looking verydylike.


    Why was she being so obedient? Becausest time she took Shu Pan to attend a banquet, they almost got into trouble, and Gu Shaoting scolded her thoroughly. So now she¡¯s learned to behave.


    Shu Pan smiled and told her not to be too uptight. Last time was an ident, but Gu Huanhuan still felt uneasy. Now, she stayed close to Shu Pan, watching carefully, afraid that something might happen again.


    Almost all the invited guests had arrived. Gu Shaoting held Shu Pan and Joy¡¯s hands and walked to the front, introducing them to everyone and saying some polite words, inviting everyone to enjoy the feast.


    Although it was called a family banquet, it wasn¡¯t too formal. The main focus of such gatherings with close friends and rtives was onfort.


    The weather today was very nice, so the main venue for the family banquet was set up on thewn in front of the vi. After careful arrangement by professionals, the whole area looked romantic and cozy.


    There were flower stands everywhere, and more than a dozen long tables with light blue patterns were arranged into arge square table, filled with fine wines and delicacies for the guests.


    There were exquisite and delicious snacks, as well as various fresh dishes. Some fruits were even shaped artistically, making them visually appealing.


    Just looking at them made one¡¯s mouth water, arousing a hearty appetite.


    There were wines like red wine, brandy, whiskey, etc., perfect for indulging in a few sses.


    The guests, men and women, numbered over a hundred. The men were mostly dressed in suits like Gu Shaoting, while the women¡¯s attire varied, some wearing dresses, others wearing coats, each with their own charm.<div>


    This time, unfortunately, Grandpa couldn¡¯te due to health reasons. Due to his advanced age and limited mobility, he has been living at his second uncle¡¯s house.


    After the family banquet, Gu Shaoting nned to mention to Shu Pan about inviting Grandpa to stay with them. As he is Grandpa¡¯s only grandson, he feels Grandpa must be feeling lonely at the Gu Family¡¯s mansion. Now that they have Joy, he believes Grandpa would be happy to join them. He hasn¡¯t informed Grandpa of this good news yet.


    Previously, because his rtionship with Shu Pan hadn¡¯t been confirmed, he was worried that Grandpa would be disappointed, so he hadn¡¯t taken them to see Grandpa.


    Now seemed to be the best time.


    While Gu Shaoting was lost in thought, friends and rtives kepting up to congratte him.


    ¡°Shaoting, you and Shu Pan are truly a match made in heaven, a perfect couple. And you have such a lovely daughter too. Keep up the good work and have another baby.¡±


    Everyone offered their blessings, and Gu Shaoting nodded politely, saying, ¡°Thank you all for your blessings. I apologize for not being able to entertain you properly.¡±


    Upon hearing the mention of having babies, Shu Pan pursed her lips, a faint blush appearing on her delicate cheeks involuntarily.


    It seemed like a customary greeting among friends and rtives to inquire about this aspect.


    Many rtives were people Shu Pan hadn¡¯t met before because they hadn¡¯t held a wedding banquet previously. So many people didn¡¯t know they were already married. Seeing that they still hadn¡¯t hosted a banquet, but their daughter was already so big, they probably had many thoughts in their minds.


    But they were hesitant to express them in front of the hosts.<div>

 Chapter 539: Going to Visit Grandfather

    Chapter 539: Going to Visit Grandfather<div>


    Trantor:Nyoi-Bo StudioEditor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Shu Pan felt embarrassed when she thought about this, but she still found Gu Family¡¯s rtives to be approachable. They didn¡¯t pry into her background, which demonstrated their high quality.


    Perhaps this was how truly wealthy families should be¡ªeducated, refined, and well-rounded.<div>


    Shu Pan also felt fortunate that she hadn¡¯t been harassed or looked down upon by anyone. She suspected that it was Song Can who didn¡¯t like her.


    However, Song Can¡¯s manners weremendable. She didn¡¯t make things difficult for her in public.


    Although Song Can didn¡¯t approve of her, Shu Pan was still grateful to have met Gu Shaoting and found lifelong happiness. Despite their past separations, it made them cherish what they had even more.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? You seem lost in thought,¡± Gu Shaoting¡¯s deep and maic voice sounded in her ear, showing genuine concern.


    ¡°Nothing,¡± she shook her head and smiled gently at him, ¡°I just feel so happy.¡±


    Gu Shaoting reached out to touch her hair, then nted a kiss on her forehead, saying softly, ¡°We deserve to be happy.¡±


    He actually kissed her in front of so many people, making Shu Pan feel a bit flustered. Her blush made it hard for her to lift her head.


    Everyone chatted andughed, enjoying themselves with food and drinks.


    It wasn¡¯t untilte that the rtives and friends left.


    When Gu Shaoting and Shu Pan finallyy down to rest, it was around 11 o¡¯clock.


    Gu Shaoting suddenly remembered Grandpa and decided to discuss it with Shu Pan.<div>


    ¡°Panpan, let¡¯s find some time to visit Grandpa,¡± Gu Shaoting said earnestly.


    ¡°Grandpa? Sure!¡± Shu Pan replied excitedly. In their first marriage, when they were on the verge of divorce, the person she couldn¡¯t bear to leave behind was Grandpa. He had always been the kindest person to her, very affectionate. At that time, she regretted not being able to give him a great-grandchild.


    Since being with Gu Shaoting, she hadn¡¯t feltfortable suggesting they visit Grandpa on her own, fearing that it might lead to thoughts of reconciliation. So, she had been waiting for him to bring it up.


    And now he finally did.


    ¡°How about we bring Grandpa back here to live with us? That way, we can take care of him, and with Joy around, he¡¯ll surely be happy,¡± Shu Pan suggested.


    Little did she know that her thoughts aligned perfectly with his. It was as if they could read each other¡¯s minds.


    Truly, she was the person he loved.


    ¡°That sounds like a wonderful idea. I¡¯m all for it,¡± Gu Shaoting said happily.


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll tidy up the guest room on the ground floor tomorrow for Grandpa¡¯s convenience,¡± Shu Pan suggested.


    ¡°Great. Let¡¯s get some rest. We¡¯ll go to Second Uncle¡¯s house tomorrow to see Grandpa and bring him back,¡± Gu Shaoting couldn¡¯t resist nting a kiss on Shu Pan¡¯s lips.


    ¡°Mm.¡±<div>


    The next morning, after everyone had breakfast, they set off for Second Uncle¡¯s house.


    This time, Joy didn¡¯t go with Grandpa and Grandma because she liked their new home with its spacious yard and was nning to get a puppy.


    Seeing them leave so early, she was puzzled and asked, ¡°Daddy, where are we going?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re going to see Great Grandpa. When you meet him, you should call him that, okay?¡± Gu Shaoting patiently exined although Joy was still unfamiliar with the term ¡°Great Grandpa.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Joy replied, still somewhat confused.


    Shu Pan felt excited and guilty at the same time. It had been five or six years since shest saw Grandpa, and she didn¡¯t know how he was doing now. She felt ashamed for not being more filial.

 Chapter 540: Happy

    Chapter 540: Happy<div>


    Trantor:Nyoi-Bo StudioEditor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    When they arrived at Second Uncle¡¯s house, Shu Pan unexpectedly felt a bit timid, her feet almost frozen in ce.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Let¡¯s go in,¡± Gu Shaoting asked, puzzled by her hesitation.<div>


    ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m a bit scared,¡± Shu Pan nervously admitted, clutching onto his sleeve.


    ¡°Come on,¡± Gu Shaoting said helplessly, taking her hand.


    Grandpa Gu was currently recuperating at home. Recently, he had another bout of heart trouble. Although it turned out to be a false rm, the family was still concerned. They had hired a caregiver and had a doctor constantly monitoring him to ensure his well-being.


    They entered the house, and Second Uncle happened to be at home. After exchanging greetings, Second Uncle led them to Grandpa¡¯s room.


    A doctor in a white coat was examining Grandpa.


    Shu Pan felt even more nervous. Gu Shaoting, noticing her anxiety, naturally reached out and held her hand.


    Shu Pan¡¯s heart skipped a beat. His hand wasrge and warm. She looked up at him and could only see his handsome profile.


    Pushing open the door, they saw Grandpa resting with his eyes closed. Hearing the door open, he didn¡¯t open his eyes but asked, ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±


    ¡°Dad, Shaoting is here to see you,¡± Second Uncle teased, deliberately drawing out the suspense.


    ¡°Humph, hees every day. What¡¯s there to see? Tell him to use his time to find me a daughter-inw and give me a great-grandchild to hold,¡± Grandpa Gu said bluntly, full of vitality despite his age.


    Everyone chuckled at his words, understanding that his scolding was actually a good sign. It¡¯s just that his words were both amusing and touching.<div>


    ¡°Grandpa, we¡¯vee to see you,¡± Gu Shaoting said, leading Shu Pan and Joy to approach the bedside with quiet steps.


    Seeing Grandpa¡¯s current condition, Shu Pan almost burst into tears.


    ¡°Grandpa¡­¡±


    Her voice choked with emotion.


    At the sound of a familiar voice, Grandpa suddenly opened his eyes and looked towards the door.


    His gaze was still sharp, and with one nce, he spotted Shu Pan standing at the entrance.


    ¡°Grandpa¡­¡± Shu Pan stepped forward, holding his hand, ¡°I¡¯m sorry foring to see you sote.¡±


    ¡°Panpan, you¡¯ve worked hard these past few years¡­¡± Grandpa¡¯s heart was still as clear as a mirror.


    ¡°Grandpa, it¡¯s not hard¡­¡± Shu Pan¡¯s eyes welled up with tears.


    ¡°This¡­ who is this?¡± Grandpa suddenly noticed Joy standing beside them.


    Because of the emotional atmosphere, Joy dared not speak and remained quietly standing to the side.<div>


    ¡°Come, Joy, call him Great Grandpa,¡± Shu Pan beckoned to Joy.


    Joy was still a bit shy, but she timidly came to Shu Pan¡¯s side.


    ¡°Grandpa, Joy is mine and Shaoting¡¯s daughter, your great-granddaughter,¡± Shu Pan introduced softly.


    ¡°What? Your daughter¡­ so you were already¡­¡± Grandpa Gu couldn¡¯t continue, feeling a mix of emotions.


    That Shaoting, he was really over the line, letting his wife and daughter suffer so much.


    ¡°Yes, I was pregnant with Joy back then. But that¡¯s all in the past now, Grandpa. We¡¯re very happy now, so please don¡¯t worry about it,¡± Shu Pan hurriedly interjected, fearing that Grandpa would me Gu Shaoting, so she quickly reassured him.


    ¡°Panpan, you¡¯ve suffered so much, both you and Joy. Don¡¯t defend that rascal. I know what he¡¯s like,¡± Grandpa sighed heavily.


    Shaoting is indeed blessed, so now he can be with Shu Pan again.


    ¡°Great Grandpa¡­¡± Joy timely called out to Grandpa.


    Grandpa Gu was moved, saying, ¡°What a good child.¡±


    His voice was trembling.<div>

 Chapter 541: Grandfather’s Hope

    Chapter 541: Grandfather¡¯s Hope<div>


    Trantor:Nyoi-Bo StudioEditor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Grandpa Gu did not expect to see his great-granddaughter in his lifetime. He was ted.


    ¡°Great-grandfather¡­¡± Joy called out again.<div>


    ¡°Good.¡± Grandpa Gu patted Joy¡¯s head.


    ¡°Grandpa, all your wishes havee true. You can rest peacefully now.¡± Gu Shaoting said with a smile.


    The old man, who had been expressionless before, suddenly had a smile on his face. His eyes darted back and forth between Gu Shaoting and Shu Pan.


    ¡°Panpan,e and sit with Joy.¡± Grandpa Gu patted the edge of the bed and said.


    Shu Pan saw that the old man had lost weight, but he was still in good spirits, so she felt a little more at ease.


    ¡°This brat finally did something right. Panpan, it¡¯s really hard on you two.¡± The old man said sadly, ring at Gu Shaoting as he spoke.


    Gu Shaoting didn¡¯t refute, but he looked at the old man with a gentle gaze. It wasn¡¯t hard to see that he was filial to his grandfather.


    Thinking of all the difficulties between them, Shu Pan said sincerely, ¡°Grandpa, it¡¯s all in the past. We¡¯ll be very happy in the future.¡±


    ¡°What a good child.¡± The old master patted her hand. It was rare to find someone so considerate.


    The nurse pushed the door open and came in with medicine and a cup of water in her hands. It was time to take his medications again.


    ¡°There is nothing wrong with my body now. Why do I have to take so much medicine every day? It¡¯s almost turning into an addict.¡± When the old man saw the nursee in, he waved his hand, indicating that he was unwilling to take the medications.<div>


    Shu Pan smiled helplessly. Grandpa was like a child sometimes. Looking at him now, he looked a little like azy Joy.


    Shu Pan turned around and took the tray from the nurse¡¯s hand, indicating that she would do it. The nurse immediately revealed a grateful smile. Seemingly, serving the old man¡¯s medicine was a challenge.


    ¡°Grandpa, for the sake of your health, you still have to take your medications on time. Don¡¯t you want to spend more time with your great-granddaughter?¡± Shu Pan guided him slowly. There was a saying that when one was old, they would be a child and needed to be coaxed.


    The old man thought about it and agreed. Besides, his granddaughter-inw was still around. He couldn¡¯t let others see him like this, so he obediently took the medicine.


    When everyone saw this, they smiled from the bottom of their hearts. It seemed that only Shu Pan could control Grandpa Gu.


    ¡°Grandpa, I came here today to discuss something with you. You¡¯ve been staying at second uncle¡¯s house for so long. I want to ask you toe stay at my ce next. I¡¯ve moved to the Qiyuan now.¡± Gu Shaoting lowered his body and asked the old Master.


    ¡°This¡­¡± The old master was very tempted when he heard the offer. However, he didn¡¯t know what Shu Pan thought about the arrangement.


    After all, young people nowadays like to be free and did not want to stay with the elderly.


    Shu Pan saw the old master¡¯s hesitation and quickly said, ¡°Grandpa,e stay with us. It¡¯s lively and you have Joy to talk to you.¡± Shu Pan said.


    ¡°That¡¯s right, great-grandpa. I¡¯ll tell you stories too.¡± Joy said in a dignified manner.


    ¡°Alright.¡± Seeing that they were all so eager to persuade him, the old master agreed immediately.<div>


    That¡¯s great. Gu Shaoting and Shu Pan looked at each other and smiled.


    Gu Shaoting was very grateful to Shu Pan. She was a good woman who thought of him in every way.


    With Grandpa staying with them, they would be able to fulfil their filial piety.


    Gu Shaoting turned around and went to talk to his second uncle about the matter while Shu Pan and Joy were talking to Grandpa.


    Initially, the second uncle was worried about disturbing them, but seeing Gu Shaoting¡¯s insistence, he finally agreed.


    Shu Pan helped Grandpa pack his things and prepared to bring him home.

 Chapter 542: Awkward

    Chapter 542: Awkward<div>


    Trantor:Nyoi-Bo StudioEditor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Grandpa came to live with them. they were a happy and harmonious family.


    Gu Shaoting and Shu Pan¡¯s work was also gradually getting on the right track.<div>


    Gu Shaoting was still as busy as ever. It was only three days away from the Gu Group¡¯s anniversary celebration, but she hadn¡¯t heard him mention anything about it in the past few days. She thought it was fine, but then she thought, this is also a big matter, why didn¡¯t he talk to her about it?


    Shu Pan waited and waited. She was a little annoyed by her thoughts.


    He must have his reasons for not inviting her.


    Did he not want his employees to know about their rtionship?


    When he introduced her to his family and friends, he was serious and did not have any hypocritical expressions.


    So Shu Pan couldn¡¯t figure out what he was thinking.


    If he didn¡¯t tell her, she wouldn¡¯t ask him.


    Forget it, she won¡¯t ask for trouble.


    In thepany, the news of the Gu Group¡¯s anniversary celebration was also spreading like wildfire. Everyone was looking forward to the arrival of this grand ceremony. Even if they could only stand at the back, everyone was satisfied. They heard that A-list celebrities and international big-shots were invited to perform at the banquet. Everyone was very excited. They prepared gowns and did skin care. There were all kinds of things.


    Shu Pan was a little embarrassed. Everyone in thepany was saying that she would be the star of the banquet. They were all envious of her and hoped that she could stand in front and help them record a video so that they could watch itter.


    However, Shu Pan really wanted to tell everyone that she was just like everyone else. She is going as an ordinary employee of the branchpany. She did not receive any special invitation.<div>


    She could onlyin to Ye Xiaomeng about this matter. Ye Xiaomeng also found it strange that Gu Shaoting didn¡¯t invite her. Gu Shaoting treated Shu Pan like a treasure. How could he not treat her as a distinguished guest?


    ¡°Girl, why don¡¯t you ask Gu Shaoting? Could it be that he¡¯s too busy and forgot?¡± Ye Xiaomeng suggested to her. She felt that Gu Shaoting was a busy man, so perhaps he had forgotten about it.


    Moreover, men were more careless. Perhaps they really didn¡¯t take this matter to heart?


    Men might not understand what women like about rituals.


    Shu Pan didn¡¯t think so. She was in front of him every day and asked him what he was busy with, but he didn¡¯t tell her.


    ¡°Forget it, I am not going to ask. Besides, I¡¯ll be going too. It¡¯s good to be there quietly. I don¡¯t like to be high-profile.¡± Shu Pan said gloomily. In fact, she didn¡¯t really care if she could be invited to the opening dance or anything. The main thing was that Gu Shaoting didn¡¯t tell her about such a grand ceremony, so she felt neglected.


    But Ye Xiaomeng saw through her thoughts. ¡°You really don¡¯t mind?¡±


    Shu Pan felt a little embarrassed after being seen through by her. ¡°Ok, it¡¯s like what everyone said. I wanted to join in the fun. I heard that an A-list celebrity ising.¡±


    ¡°In your eyes, is there any other celebrity who can bepared to Gu Shaoting? Whether it¡¯s his looks or wealth, he¡¯s much better than those celebrities.¡± Ye Xiaomeng teased.


    Shu Pan didn¡¯t know whether tough or cry. However, she had nothing to say.


    ¡°Let¡¯s see if he will invite me.¡±<div>


    ¡°If he doesn¡¯t, will you be angry with him?¡± Ye Xiaomeng asked.


    ¡°A little, but it¡¯s not a big deal. I was being petty.¡± Shu Pan felt that she had be pretentious. It was not a big matter, but she was fussing over every ounce.


    After hanging up the phone, she felt even more depressed. Usually, Gu Shaoting said that he cared a lot about her, but why did he not care when it came to such moments?


    How annoying. Sometimes, even she couldn¡¯t understand him being so unfathomable.

 Chapter 543: Where Are We Going?

    Chapter 543: Where Are We Going?<div>


    Trantor:Nyoi-Bo StudioEditor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    At night, Gu Shaoting was still working overtime at thepany while Shu Pan took care of Joy.


    ¡°Mommy, are you unhappy?¡± The little girl crawled into her arms and asked in surprise.<div>


    ¡°No, Mommy¡¯s just tired from work.¡± Shu Pan was also very pleased to see that Joy was so sensible.


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll sleep with you tonight. That way, you won¡¯t be bored.¡± Joy was mischievous.


    ¡°Okay, thank you.¡± Shu Pan smiled and stroked her little head, then lowered her head to kiss her.


    At one in the morning, Shu Pan was still awake. In her arms, the little girl was curled up and sleeping soundly.


    Suddenly, she heard the sound of the door closing. She was startled. Gu Shaoting was back.


    Shu Pan knew that this house was very safe with a fingerprint system and whatnot. It¡¯s no one other than Gu Shaoting.


    Hearing the sound of steady footsteps outside the door, Shu Pan was even more certain it was him.


    She closed her eyes in a panic and pretended to be asleep because she suddenly did not know how to face him.


    Just as her thoughts were racing, the door was gently pushed open.


    Gu Shaoting had already gone to Joy¡¯s room to take a look. The little girl wasn¡¯t there, so he already knew that she must havee to their room.


    Sure enough, under the dim yellow light, the slender figure was holding Joy in her arms. The two of them slept quietly together.<div>


    Gu Shaoting walked to the bed and looked at them. He suddenly bent down to pick Joy up from Shu Pan¡¯s arms and carried her back to his room. When he returned, he looked at Shu Pan. He couldn¡¯t help but nt a kiss on her lips.


    After that, he saw that Shu Pan was not covered with a nket, so he tucked her in.


    Shu Pan¡¯s heart trembled violently.


    The scent of the man was still faintly lingering at the tip of her nose.


    Gu Shaoting took a look, then opened the wardrobe, probably to take some clothes to take a shower.


    Only then did Shu Pan heave a sigh of relief. Sigh, her heart was a little chaotic.


    After he left, she gently lifted her eyebrows. There was a trace of confusion in her blurry eyes. This man¡¯s considerate side had indeed touched her again.


    And that gentle kiss, as if he was treating some treasure, she seemed to be fascinated again.


    What was wrong with her?


    Just like that, she fell asleep in a daze. She had no idea when Gu Shaoting had fallen asleep.


    Morning<div>


    Shu Pan was still sleepy, but Joy was already ying by her bed. ¡°Joy, morning.¡±


    ¡°Mommy, youzy pig. The sun is about to shine on your butt. Why aren¡¯t you waking up?¡± Joy said with a smile.


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s Saturday today. Let Mommy sleep a little longer.¡± Shu Pan opened her eyes with difficulty, feeling that she couldn¡¯t get enough sleep.


    ¡°Where¡¯s Daddy?¡± Shu Pan suddenly noticed that Gu Shaoting was not in the room.


    ¡°Daddy is busy. He said that when you¡¯re awake, he wants you to get up. Daddy wants to go out with youter.¡± Joy thought about it seriously. Yes, that¡¯s what Daddy said.


    ¡°Did Daddy say where we were going?¡± Shu Pan found it strange. Why didn¡¯t she hear him say anything?


    ¡°It¡¯s a secret.¡± Joy kept her in suspense.


    Shu Pan smiled and got up.


    While Shu Pan got ready, Gu Shaoting came out of the study.


    He narrowed his eyes. He hadn¡¯t been paying much attention recently, but why did he feel that Shu Pan looked a little haggard? Was there something on her mind?


    ¡°Joy said we were going out. Where are we going?¡± Shu Pan could not help but ask.<div>


    ¡°Let¡¯s go. We¡¯ll know when we get there. Auntie Li will take care of Joy at home. Don¡¯t worry.¡± Gu Shaoting pulled Shu Pan out of the door.


    Along the way, Shu Pan was very curious. Where exactly were they going?


    Gu Shaoting drove himself. After about half an hour¡¯s drive, the car stopped in front of an unmarked bungalow.

 Chapter 544: Choosing a Gown

    Chapter 544: Choosing a Gown<div>


    Trantor:Nyoi-Bo StudioEditor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    It was a detached vi, and there were no other buildings around it. It was rare to see such a vi in this area of Bin City.


    ¡°Shaoting, why did you bring me here? What ce is this?¡± Shu Pan could not help but ask.<div>


    ¡°Make a guess?¡± Gu Shaoting said mysteriously.


    Shu Pan looked around. There were no signs. She really couldn¡¯t guess where they were.


    ¡°Heh, I brought you here to pick a gown.¡± Gu Shaoting didn¡¯t keep her in suspense and said straightforwardly.


    ¡°A gown?¡± Gu Shaoting changed so quickly that Shu Pan couldn¡¯t keep up.


    ¡°Yeah, the Corporation has an anniversary celebration the day after tomorrow. How can you miss it?¡± Gu Shaoting smiled elegantly at her and then looked straight into her eyes.


    Shu Pan was stunned. When she thought that he would not tell her about this, he had already made so much preparation.


    ¡°But¡­¡± Shu Pan stuttered. She thought about what she would do if she couldn¡¯t do the opening dance.


    This situation made her nervous for some reason.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go. I¡¯ll take care of everything. You don¡¯t have to worry.¡± Gu Shaoting said with a smile.


    The vi was built in a European style. The unique vault and windows with flowers formed the main structure of the vi.


    Shu Pan looked around again. There were really no brands or signs. If it wasn¡¯t for the fact someone guided her in, she wouldn¡¯t have been able to tell what was inside.<div>


    Gu Shaoting said that they were here to pick out a gown. It was obvious that this was a private fashion studio.


    Shu Pan didn¡¯t know much about fashion but she still had the basicmon knowledge.


    Other studios would advertise with great fanfare and ce their advertisements in the most obvious ces, unlike this studio, which did not even have a signboard.


    Unless there was a possibility that the studio was very famous and everyone knew about it. The don¡¯t need to bother putting up advertisement boards to promote themselves and everyone would know about their existence.


    What caught Gu Shaoting¡¯s attention was probably thetter situation.


    As she was also a design profession, she do have some knowledge about design. Such a unique studio really made people fantasize.


    Gu Shaoting held her hand and pushed open the door of this exotic vi.


    The moment she entered, Shu Pan was shocked by the luxurious interior design. She was an interior designer herself, so she knew that it must be expensive.


    She looked at Gu Shaoting uneasily, then tugged at the corner of his shirt and whispered, ¡°Shaoting, this¡­ must be expensive?¡±


    The interior decoration was so magnificent, how could it not be expensive?


    Gu Shaoting read her mind and patted her head, saying, ¡°It¡¯s okay. This ce is opened by a friend. She¡¯ll give you a friendly discount.¡±<div>


    ¡°Who said I would give a friendly discount? You, Mr. Gu, don¡¯tck money at all. If you don¡¯t take the opportunity to make a fortune, what am I waiting for?¡± Just as Shu Pan felt a little more at ease and was about to say something, ady suddenly came out from the room next door.


    She was about 40 years old, wearing a pair of jeans and a white shirt. She was wearing very simple clothes, but they revealed her elegant temperament.


    Shu Pan was a little stunned. She really didn¡¯t expect a woman to have such temperament. It was impossible to imitate her mannerisms.


    ¡°Judy, long time no see.¡± Gu Shaoting smiled and greeted her.


    From the way they greeted each other, it was obvious that they were familiar with each other.


    ¡°Shaoting, long time no see. What brings you here today?¡± Judy asked with a smile.


    ¡°I brought you some business. This is my wife, Shu Pan.¡± Gu Shaoting turned around and introduced her to Shu Pan. ¡°This is Judy, a designer.¡±


    ¡°Hello, nice to meet you.¡± Shu Pan nodded at her.

 Chapter 545: Designer Judy

    Chapter 545: Designer Judy<div>


    Trantor:Nyoi-Bo StudioEditor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    ¡± Hello, I¡¯m d to finally meet you.¡± said Judy enthusiastically.


    ¡°Help pick a gown for my wife. The day after tomorrow is my Corporation¡¯s anniversary celebration.¡± Gu Shaoting expressed his intention.<div>


    ¡°No problem. Leave it to me. I guarantee that Madam Gu will amaze everyone.¡± Judy said confidently.


    Gu Shaoting definitely believed that Judy had that kind of talent. He and Judy met in France. When they met, it was Judy¡¯s lowest point. At that time, her husband wanted to divorce her, and the custody of her children was not in her hands. She was also a famous Chinese designer at that time, but due to her family matters, she did not have the time to care about her work, causing her career to plummet.


    Later on, she met Gu Shaoting, who encouraged her and helped her get on her feet again. Then she returned to China and set up a studio. With her outstanding ability and the connections introduced by Gu Shaoting, she work spread quickly here. Her career was booming, and her children woulde to visit her.


    So she had always regarded Gu Shaoting as her benefactor, who had helped her when she was in the most difficult time.


    Usually, she didn¡¯t have many opportunities to repay him. Now that he had finally brought his wife for her to take good care of, she would definitely do her best.


    Judy looked at Shu Pan, and the more she looked at her, the more she liked her. Shu Pan gave people the feeling that she was very approachable and had a good temper.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go, I¡¯ll take you to pick some clothes.¡± Judy led Gu Shaoting and Shu Pan inside after she finished speaking.


    The vi was very spacious. The walls were hung with all kinds of famous paintings, and the rooms were filled with all kinds of artworks. The entire vi did not look like a fashion studio, but more like an art manor. It showed the owner¡¯s unique style everywhere.


    Judy led them up the long spiral staircase. ¡°The gowns are all on the second floor. I designed a new batch of gowns recently. You can choose themter.¡±


    When they went upstairs, Shu Pan suddenly realized that there seemed to be no other guests except for them. There were only a few staff members¡­She couldn¡¯t help but wonder if such a store could really make money. It felt like there was no one around.


    Judy seemed to have seen through Shu Pan¡¯s thoughts. She exined, ¡± All our clients have to make an appointment. This way, we can give our clients a better one-on-one experience.¡±<div>


    Shu Pan nodded. So that was the case. She could not help but feel a little embarrassed.


    The second floor was like a sea of clothes. There were all kinds of clothes hanging here, and a dazzling array of fabrics.


    Shu Pan was so shocked that she couldn¡¯t close her mouth. There were too many of them, and each of them was exquisite.


    Shu Pan subconsciously looked at Gu Shaoting. He seemed to have felt the difference in her gaze.


    ¡°Go and try. Choose what you like.¡± Gu Shaoting encouraged her.


    Shu Pan nodded and walked into the heaven of gowns. There were fishtail dresses, puffy dresses, pleated dresses, bareback dresses¡­ All kinds of beautiful clothes made her feel dizzy.


    Some were pure, some were sexy, some were refined, some were simple¡­There were all kinds of styles.


    Every design made her gasp in admiration.


    She looked at the clothes, but there was no logos on them. She guessed that they were all designed by Judy.


    She was really too talented.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Don¡¯t you like it?¡± Shu Pan, who was in a daze, suddenly felt arge palm on her waist. A deep and maic voice of concern suddenly entered her ears, causing her body to tremble slightly.<div>


    Shu Pan shook her head. ¡°I like them. They¡¯re all too beautiful.¡±


    ¡°Then why don¡¯t you try them on?¡± Gu Shaoting frowned.


    ¡°I wonder which one I should choose.¡± Shu Pan shook Gu Shaoting¡¯s arm and said coquettishly, ¡°Mr. Gu, why don¡¯t you help me pick one?¡±

 Chapter 546: You Are the Most Beautiful

    Chapter 546: You Are the Most Beautiful<div>


    Trantor:Nyoi-Bo StudioEditor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Shu Pan¡¯s voice rang in Gu Shaoting¡¯s ears, causing him to feel a jolt. He suppressed his inner emotions and said, ¡°Okay.¡±


    Afterwards, Gu Shaoting let go of Shu Pan and began earnestly selecting a gown for her.<div>


    He looked around but couldn¡¯t find any dress that made his gaze linger for a moment. It wasn¡¯t that the dresses weren¡¯t beautiful, but they didn¡¯t seem suitable for Shu Pan.


    He didn¡¯t want his wife to wear backless or sexy outfits.


    The too innocent ones also didn¡¯tplement Shu Pan¡¯s demeanor.


    After a while, he turned to Judy and said, ¡°Do you have any updated, more special designs?¡±


    ¡°I knew you¡¯d have sharp eyes. Anything ordinary, and you¡¯d surely overlook it,¡± Judy said with an expression that said, ¡°I know you well.¡±


    ¡°Come, Madam, please follow me,¡± Judy led Shu Pan to the adjacent room and took down a light blue evening gown from the rack. It was kept in excellent condition, without a single wrinkle. The gown was made of chiffon, and the fabric was exquisite. It had a nostalgic print that seemed to appear and disappear, but because of the designer¡¯s superb skill, it looked likeyers of ovepping subtle colors, so captivating that it was hard to look away.


    ¡°Try this one. It¡¯s my recent creation,¡± Judy proudly presented her achievement.


    Shu Pan nodded dazedly and then entered the dressing room.


    The process of changing clothes went smoothly. The gown seemed tailor-made for her, with every measurement just right. Judy couldn¡¯t help but exim in admiration when she saw Shu Pan in the dress. She adjusted a bit here and there, feeling that it could be even more perfect. Nodding slightly, she took a pair of scissors, squatted down, and suddenly cut off a piece near Shu Pan¡¯s ankle. Then, with a tug, the long gown reached Shu Pan¡¯s knees.


    Shu Pan was truly stunned. She didn¡¯t understand the world of designers; how could it be done like this? She had been so worried that the dress would be ruined by the cutting.


    But as Shu Pan looked up at her reflection in the mirror, she was once again astonished. The previous dress had been too long, making her appear shorter even with high heels. Now, with a portion of the skirt cut off, her beautiful legs were exposed, making her look stunningly elegant.<div>


    She had never worn such a beautiful gown before, and Judy¡¯s tearing technique showed no ws whatsoever. Truly, she was a top-notch designer.


    In her heart, Shu Pan was already bowing in admiration.


    ¡°You¡­ you¡¯re truly amazing,¡± Shu Pan stuttered with excitement.


    Judy smiled and said, ¡°I¡¯m just showcasing your best side. Clothes can vary from person to person, and clearly, this style suits you.¡±


    Judy looked satisfied and continued, ¡°It¡¯s so beautiful! Quickly show Shaoting and see his reaction.¡±


    Shu Pan shyly nodded as she looked at herself in the mirror.


    Stepping out, Shu Pan caught Gu Shaoting¡¯s gaze immediately, and his eyes didn¡¯t move away afterward.


    At this moment, Gu Shaoting found it hard to describe Shu Pan with appropriate words. All he could say was that she was too beautiful. He suddenly wanted to keep her hidden away, not allowing anyone else to see her captivating side.


    After being stared at by Gu Shaoting for a while, Shu Pan began to feel ufortable. She awkwardly asked, ¡°How is it? Do I look good?¡±


    Gu Shaoting nodded without speaking and waved for Shu Pan toe closer.


    <div>

 Chapter 547: I Want to Maintain a Good Figure

    Chapter 547: I Want to Maintain a Good Figure<div>


    Trantor:Nyoi-Bo StudioEditor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Shu Pan walked slowly to his side, and Gu Shaoting reached out, gently resting his hand on her shoulder. Then, he whispered softly in her ear, ¡°You are truly beautiful.¡±


    Such a straightforwardpliment, without any embellishment, caused a blush to spread across Shu Pan¡¯s fair face. Just as she was about to say thank you, Gu Shaoting whispered again in her ear, ¡°I really don¡¯t want others to see you like this. If only I could keep you in my pocket.¡±<div>


    His expression was serious, showing no signs of joking.


    Shu Pan felt like her face could almost drip blood.


    She looked at him with a hint of annoyance. Judy was still there, wasn¡¯t she? Wasn¡¯t he afraid of beingughed at for saying such things?


    Unable to resist teasing him, she said, ¡°If that¡¯s the case, maybe I should change into something else.¡±


    ¡°No, I want this outfit,¡± Gu Shaoting firmly refused, then turned to Judy. ¡°Pack it up, and put it on my ount. I¡¯ll take it with meter.¡±


    ¡°There might be some adjustments needed. If you¡¯re attending the banquet the day after tomorrow, have someonee to pick it up at noon,¡± Judy, a perfectionist, treated her designs like her children¡ªeverything had to be wless.


    ¡°Okay, thank you,¡± Gu Shaoting rarely expressed gratitude to clients.


    ¡°As long as you¡¯re satisfied,¡± Judy said happily.


    After seeing them off, Judy got to work on perfecting the outfit.


    Gu Shaoting and Shu Pan stepped out of the studio and checked the time¡ªit was almost dinner time. Gu Shaoting decided to take Shu Pan for a meal to fill their stomachs.


    Gu Shaoting was worried that Shu Pan might be hungry, so he ordered a table full of dishes. However, Shu Pan didn¡¯t seem to appreciate it much; she barely touched anything, just sipping water asionally.<div>


    At the dining table, Gu Shaoting was elegantly eating his meal when he noticed Shu Pan hadn¡¯t touched her food. His expression darkened, and he asked displeasedly, ¡°Are you full from drinking water? Why aren¡¯t you eating?¡±


    Shu Pan looked at the table full of delicious food and then looked at the water in her hand. Shu Pan nced at the table filled with delicious food, then looked down at her ss of water. Involuntarily, she swallowed and stubbornly said, ¡°I¡¯m not hungry.¡±


    As soon as she spoke, her stomach let out a loud growl.


    Gu Shaoting looked at her intently, waiting to see if she had anything else to exin.


    Shu Pan felt extremely embarrassed; her stomach was being so disobedient.


    ¡°Hmm?¡± Gu Shaoting raised an eyebrow, clearly not believing her words. The body¡¯s reaction was the most honest.


    Knowing she couldn¡¯t hide it anymore, Shu Pan pouted and honestly admitted, ¡°I just don¡¯t want to eat too much. The dress is very fitted, and if I eat too much these days, I might not fit into it or end up with a big belly, which would be embarrassing.¡±


    Hearing this, Gu Shaoting couldn¡¯t help but chuckle. ¡°I don¡¯t mind, and I don¡¯t think it¡¯s embarrassing.¡±


    Why care about other people¡¯s opinions?


    Seeing how earnest he was, Shu Pan couldn¡¯t help but smile. ¡°But what if I be really fat? Would you still not mind?¡±


    Gu Shaoting was taken aback, genuinely considering the question. It was hard to imagine Shu Pan bing overweight. She was always so careful with her meals, counting every grain of rice and asionally making a fuss if she ate a bit more.<div>


    ¡°Do you need so much time to think about it? Are you really going to mind?¡± Shu Pan couldn¡¯t help but feel disappointed. It seemed like all men were the same¡ªthey would mind if their woman became fat and ugly.


    ¡°I won¡¯t mind. Eat as much as you want, just don¡¯t ruin your health by trying to control it,¡± Gu Shaoting quickly replied, inwardly sighing at how women cared so much about their figures. Even Joy, asionally eating a bit more, would worry about getting fat, which left him feeling amused and exasperated.


    Ah, women were really a handful.


    Ignoring Shu Pan¡¯s objections, Gu Shaoting served her a bowl of rice and a bowl of soup, then watched her closely, insisting that she eat.

 Chapter 548: Why Don’t You Open It?

    Chapter 548: Why Don¡¯t You Open It?<div>


    Trantor:Nyoi-Bo StudioEditor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Time passed quickly, and the day of the celebration arrived.


    Early in the morning, Shu Pan returned to the office to finish some work she hadn¡¯tpleted. Tang Wei, seeing her there, widened her eyes in surprise.<div>


    ¡°Shu Pan, on such an important day, why are you still here at the office? You should be getting ready to appear in front of everyone in the best possible condition,¡± Tang Wei eximed.


    ¡°I still have a few things to take care of. Aren¡¯t you all working too?¡± Shu Pan replied nonchntly, smiling.


    ¡°But why should it be the same for you? You¡¯re the main character,¡± Tang Wei exaggerated, instantly lightening Shu Pan¡¯s mood.


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll be done soon,¡± Shu Pan chuckled and shook her head.


    Around noon, Gu Shaoting called her. ¡°Are you done with your work?¡±


    Originally, he had asked her not to go to work today, but he couldn¡¯t persuade her.


    ¡°I¡¯m done. I¡¯m nning to go pick up the dress now,¡± Shu Pan replied, checking the time¡ªit was almost noon, and it was time for her appointment with Judy.


    ¡°No need to go. I¡¯ve asked the assistant to pick it up. I¡¯m still busy here. Just go home and rest for a bit, then head straight to the stylist,¡± Gu Shaoting said. He didn¡¯t want Shu Pan to keep running around, so he had already arranged for the driver and assistant to pick up the dress from the studio.


    ¡°Alright then,¡± Shu Pan said before hanging up the phone.


    ¡°Mr. Gu is so considerate,¡± Tang Wei teased as she approached.


    ¡°Ah, you¡­ I¡¯m already nervous, and you¡¯re still teasing me,¡± Shu Pan pretended to be annoyed.<div>


    ¡°What¡¯s there to be nervous about? Mr. Gu has everything under control,¡± Tang Wei said, shaking her head. Shu Pan seemed to have it all¡ªa fortune that others worked hard to achieve seemed toe effortlessly to her.


    ¡°I¡¯m going back now. Resy assured. See youter,¡± Shu Pan said before leaving.


    Anniversary celebrations began in the evening, and everyone had gone to work as usual in the morning, although their minds were likely elsewhere.


    Xiaoyu was assigned to help Shu Pan with the dresses for the asion.


    She was quite happy to do so, as it meant she wouldn¡¯t have to sit in the office all day and could go out for a stroll.


    As she returned to the office carrying the delicate box, she bumped into Charleneing out.


    ¡°Xiaoyu, what are you carrying?¡± Charlene asked curiously, ¡°It looks exquisite, somewhat like a dress box, but I¡¯m not sure.¡±


    ¡°Oh, Secretary Zhang asked me to fetch this, it¡¯s a dress for the CEO¡¯s fianc¨¦e to wear tonight,¡± Xiaoyu said as she saw her.


    ¡°A dress?¡± Charlene frowned, ¡°Why such importance?¡±


    ¡°Is it pretty?¡± Charlene asked feigning interest.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t get to see, it was already packaged in the box when I arrived,¡± Xiaoyu shook her head.<div>


    ¡°I¡¯d love to have a peek, why not open it?¡± Charlene urged Xiaoyu to open the box; she just wanted to see what kind of dress that woman would wear. After all, her own dress had been carefully selected and cost a fortune.


    Charlene¡¯s goal was to dazzle everyone at the banquet.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s appropriate, besides, you¡¯ll see it tonight anyway,¡± Xiaoyu frowned. Curiosity kills, and if there¡¯s any issue with the dress, she¡¯d bear the responsibility. She wasn¡¯t that foolish.


    Seeing Xiaoyu unwilling, Charlene felt a bit displeased, though she didn¡¯t show it. ¡°Well then, I¡¯ll go attend to my own matters.¡±


    With that, Charlene left; she had plenty to do¡ªlike heading to the salon for some grooming and styling.


    As Xiaoyu watched Charlene depart, she couldn¡¯t help but sigh with relief. For some reason, being around Charlene always made her feel suffocated.


    Sometimes, the arrogance in her tone and the disdain in her eyes made Xiaoyu feel like they weren¡¯t from the same world.


    So, she gradually distanced herself from Charlene.

 Chapter 549: Meet Again

    Chapter 549: Meet Again<div>


    Trantor:Nyoi-Bo StudioEditor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Shu Pan followed Gu Shaoting¡¯s advice and returned home to rest for a while before waiting for the driver to pick her up for her styling appointment.


    In the afternoon, around 2 p.m., the driver returned. Gu Shaoting was too busy with his affairs today, so he couldn¡¯te back, but he assured her that he would pick her upter to go to the venue together.<div>


    Shu Pan was unfamiliar with all this, but Gu Shaoting had arranged everything. All she needed to do was get into the car and let the driver take her there.


    ¡°Madam, we have arrived, it¡¯s right here, the ce Mr. Gu arranged. I¡¯ll wait for you outside,¡± the car stopped in front of arge stylingpany.


    ¡°Alright, thank you,¡± Shu Pan said as she got out of the car and went inside.


    Soon, someone came to receive her. Since it was arranged by Gu Shaoting, Shu Pan didn¡¯t have to worry about anything.


    ¡°Miss, I¡¯m sorry, your Stylist is still with another client. You might have to wait for a bit,¡± the receptionist apologized.


    Actually, the appointment was made by thedy in front of her, but just now anotherdy arrived and insisted on having that Stylist. She caused quite a scene, fearing it might affect others, so they prioritized her.


    ¡°No problem, I¡¯ll wait,¡± Shu Pan said with a good attitude.


    She didn¡¯t really mind; any stylist would do for her. Besides, Gu Shaoting had arranged it, and she couldn¡¯t be bothered to change.


    Shu Pan waited in the VIP room.


    After a while, the receptionist came to inform her that it was her turn.


    As Shu Pan got up to walk inside, she almost collided with someone passing by.<div>


    ¡°Why is it you again?¡± Charlene turned her head, instantly annoyed. How could this person keep showing up everywhere? They bumped into each other at the officest time, and now they meet here.


    Shu Pan was also taken aback, her brows furrowed.


    ¡°This isn¡¯t exclusively your ce, why, can¡¯t Ie here?¡± Shu Pan couldn¡¯t help but retort. It seemed they were destined to meet again. Judging by her appearance, she was here for styling too, and she might be the one who cut the line as the receptionist mentioned.


    But then she thought, encountering her here wasn¡¯t surprising. If she was an employee of the Gu Group and attending the corporation¡¯s banquet tonight, it was normal for her toe here for styling. Judging by her demeanor and choice of venue, her position and background were probably not simple.


    Charlene hadn¡¯t expected Shu Pan to stand up to her. Seeing her gentle demeanor, she thought she was an easy target. Turns out she had quite a sharp tongue.


    In reality, Shu Pan treated people differently. Generally, she wouldn¡¯t make a fuss, understanding the importance of forgiving others. But when faced with someone so audacious, who insisted on ming others for their own mistakes, she couldn¡¯t help but retort.


    It was too much.


    ¡°Hmph, do you even know where you are? Styling here isn¡¯t cheap. Even if you¡¯re angling for a wealthy husband, you need to consider your own capabilities. Don¡¯t end up with empty hands and empty pocket,¡± Charlene looked Shu Pan up and down, noticing she wasn¡¯t wearing any designer clothes, indicating her financial status was probably not great.


    She was just trying to kindly remind her not to rely on looking pretty, as the expenses here were not insignificant.


    ¡°Thanks for your concern, but I don¡¯t need you worrying about this,¡± Shu Pan said calmly, before stepping inside and closing the door behind her.


    Charlene stomped her foot in frustration. It was outrageous. She swore not to cross paths with her again, or she¡¯d make her regret it.<div>


    Shu Pan treated the incident as a joke and shrugged it off.


    It just went to show, there were all sorts of people in the world.


    Sigh, she hoped not to encounter such a piece of work next time. It was exhausting just thinking about it.

 Chapter 550: Stunning Everyone (1)

    Chapter 550: Stunning Everyone (1)<div>


    Trantor:Nyoi-Bo StudioEditor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Shu Pan sat still as the stylist applied makeup to her face, sculpting her features.


    Feeling like a puppet, she couldn¡¯t help but think back to when Gu Shaoting hadn¡¯t invited her initially. She had harbored some resentment at the time, but now, attending the banquet didn¡¯t seem like such a good idea after all. It was quite a hassle though.<div>


    After two hours, it was finally done. Shu Pan looked at herself in the mirror and almost didn¡¯t recognize the person staring back at her. Was this really her? The reflection looked stunning.


    Her makeup was subtle, suitable for the light blue dress she was wearing. Her features were delicately enhanced, with rosy cheeks, luscious lips, and her hair elegantly styled. Shu Pan had always thought she wasn¡¯t suited for updos, but today she witnessed the master¡¯s skill firsthand.


    Around five o¡¯clock, Gu Shaoting called to say he was on his way to pick her up, as he had sent the driver ahead.


    Thinking about seeing Gu Shaotingter, and in such a grand attire, Shu Pan felt a mix of excitement and nerves. She wondered what his reaction would be.


    Who in Bin City didn¡¯t know about the Gu Group? With such a prestigious celebration, the invitees were all VIPs. Aside from the corporation¡¯s employees, the attendees were social elites and business partners.


    Each guest present had been carefully selected to attend, making it a great honor and a validation of their status.


    Around five in the evening, at the hotel¡¯s entrance, a ck luxury car pulled up. Security approached, opening the rear door with deference, only to be taken aback as a young woman emerged from the backseat.


    She was d in a striking cobalt blue off-the-shoulder mermaid gown, entuating her well-proportioned figure.


    The security guard dared not nce at her for too long, instead bending down to greet her as she emerged. The girl shed a smile, casting a nce towards her father who walked out from the other side. She reached out and looped her arm through his, a dainty hand clutching a chic diamond clutch. With each graceful step, her gown swayed like waves, leaving everyone¡¯s imagination running wild.


    She was Charlene. This time, she attended with her father. Adorned in her regal attire, she exuded an air of superiority, her beauty mingling with sophistication in a way many couldn¡¯t match.


    Of course, as an important partner of the Gu Group, Mr. John would definitely attend such a celebration. He also wanted to see how his darling daughter was doing.<div>


    As they approached the entrance, John nced at his daughter, nodding in approval. ¡°Shaoting really knows what he¡¯s doing. You look much moreposed now, not as restless as before. Your attire is impable for an asion like this, well done.¡±


    ¡°Daddy, I¡¯ve grown up. You have to trust me. I won¡¯t let you down.¡± Charlene disyed full confidence in front of her father. Tonight, she would surely captivate everyone and show Gu Shaoting who the real gem was. Comparison is necessary to know what¡¯s good.


    Deep down, Charlene couldn¡¯t fully ept the news of Gu Shaoting having a fianc¨¦e. With his excellence, how many could truly match him? Tonight, she would change his perception. Having her father by her side gave her an edge over others. She believed it would be twice as effective with his support.


    The golden gates swung open, and the guests inside turned to look. As theyid eyes on the girl in cobalt blue, they couldn¡¯t help but be dazzled. What a beautiful youngdy, her attire revealing her exceptional status.

 Chapter 551: Stunning Everyone (2)

    Chapter 551: Stunning Everyone (2)<div>


    Trantor:Nyoi-Bo StudioEditor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    ¡°Looks like someone new has entered the social scene,¡± someone asked in confusion.


    ¡°I think she¡¯s with her dad. He looks foreign, probably the daughter of some wealthy tycoon,¡± others murmured nearby.<div>


    Many male guests¡¯ eyes fell upon her, filled with admiration and envy, though none dared to entertain impure thoughts. They knew such a girl was only to be admired from afar, not pursued.


    After Charlene and her father entered, they noticed Gu Shaoting hadn¡¯t arrived yet. Most of the attendees were employees, and important guests had already been ushered to their seats.


    With only half an hour left before the celebration began, Gu Shaoting and Shu Pan arrived, fashionablyte. As soon as they stepped into the venue, whether conversing or drinking, all eyes turned towards them. For a moment, the entire hall fell silent, followed by a collective gasp.


    Whispers and murmurs filled the air as everyone looked on.


    The moment they saw Gu Shaoting¡¯s arm lightly around Shu Pan¡¯s waist, everyone erupted in chatter.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that Mr. Gu¡¯s fianc¨¦e? She looks familiar, doesn¡¯t she?¡± whispers circted among the crowd, with those from the subsidiarypanies already aware of their rtionship, but those from headquarters were taken aback.


    No one had expected this woman to capture Mr. Gu¡¯s heart. Seeing how caring Mr. Gu was towards her, it seemed he held her in high regard.


    Everyone watched in astonishment.


    No amount ofvish words could capture the stunning presence of this couple.


    Gu Shaoting, tall and handsome, exuded nobility in his tailored suit,manding attention as he entered the room.


    Beside him, Shu Pan appeared delicate and demure, clinging to his arm. Her heart raced with nerves, her palms sweaty. To maintainposure, she wore a serene expression, her eyes sparkling with a soft gleam. Adorned with a chic diamond hairpin, her long hair cascaded elegantly,plementing her light blue dress and adding to her allure.<div>


    At this moment, Shu Pan felt nervous but also happy. Finally, they were together, openly in front of everyone.


    Hand in hand, they entered the venue, asionally stealing nces at each other. In each other¡¯s eyes, they seemed to see the whole world.


    Everyone had to admit, they were truly well-matched.


    But one person was seething with anger¡ªCharlene. When she saw Gu Shaoting holding hands with Shu Pan as they entered, she waspletely stunned, unsure of how to react.


    Gu Shaoting bringing his fianc¨¦e was expected, but she never imagined his fianc¨¦e would be this woman.


    She had encountered her twice before, and there was a reason she found her disagreeable.


    However, Charlene couldn¡¯t deny Shu Pan¡¯s beauty. It was like a clear spring in the mountains, serene and elegant, giving afortable feeling without being overpowering.


    And Gu Shaoting, by her side, was modest and restrained, exuding a perfect aura. They truly were a perfect match.


    As Charlene watched, her hand clutching her handbag turned white with tension. She even felt the urge to step forward, to pull Shu Pan away from Gu Shaoting, to show everyone that she was more suitable for him than Shu Pan.


    She stared at them, her eyes burning with anger, seeing only their presence.


    Every smile and furrow of their brows, every gesture, seemed to mock her silently in her enraged eyes.<div>

 Chapter 552: Speech on the Stage

    Chapter 552: Speech on the Stage<div>


    Trantor:Nyoi-Bo StudioEditor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Charlene shook her head, snapping out of her thoughts.


    No, she couldn¡¯t just sit back and wait for things to happen. She needed to take the initiative. Opportunities favored the prepared.<div>


    Watching Shu Pan¡¯s nervous and somewhat restrained demeanor, Charlene couldn¡¯t help but feel disdainful. How provincial. She was determined to find an opportunity to show her that the upper echelons were no ce for an ordinary woman like her.


    Shu Pan rarely attended such events. Suddenly facing such a magnificent venue and various upper-ss individuals, she felt extremely uneasy. She was afraid of not doing well and embarrassing Gu Shaoting.


    Gu Shaoting seemed to sense her nervousness. He spoke gently, ¡°I¡¯m here. Don¡¯t be afraid.¡±


    Yes, he was here.


    Shu Pan couldn¡¯t help but straighten her posture, lifting her head.


    As they reached the front of the venue, the banquet officially began.


    The host took the stage, first giving a grand introduction to the history of Gu Group¡¯s development. Then, the host¡¯s voice rang out again, ¡°Now, we invite Mr. Gu Shaoting, the CEO of Gu Group, to the stage to deliver a speech. Over the past few years, Gu Group has achieved one brilliant sess after another, thanks to the decisive decisions and leadership of our young leader. Let¡¯s wee him with apuse.¡±


    As the host finished speaking, thunderous apuse erupted from the audience. Then, they saw Gu Shaoting swiftly stand up from his seat and stride confidently onto the stage. Dressed in a suit, his posture was erect, exuding an aura of authority thatmanded respect.


    As he stood on the stage, Shu Pan¡¯s gaze remained fixed on him, not moving an inch. This man would be her husband ¨C elegant in posture, with deep, mysterious eyes.


    Her hands involuntarily clenched into fists, and her heart pounded like a war drum in her chest, as she watched his tall, slender figure, her thickshes fluttering slightly.


    Perhaps Gu Shaoting felt it too, his gaze lifted slightly, meeting Shu Pan¡¯s. Then, a faint smile tugged at the corners of his lips, and in that moment of eye contact, they shared a knowing smile.<div>


    Yes, how could one not be enchanted? Gu Shaoting stood tall and imposing, moving with confidence and grace. His perfectly chiselled features exuded nobility, and as he stood on the stage, he seemed like a king, radiating dominance.


    Simrly, Charlene in the audience felt her heart about to burst from her chest. This man was simply too captivating.


    And it wasn¡¯t just her; all the young women in the audience felt their blood boiling with excitement. Gu Shaoting was the most perfect man they had ever seen, and to be noticed by him was a rare privilege.


    Gu Shaoting¡¯s speech was brief but impactful. Though he spoke sparingly, every word carried weight and power, resonating deep within the hearts of the listeners.


    As he stepped down from the stage amidst thunderous apuse, the host took the stage again, delivering an impassioned speech beforemencing the evening¡¯s entertainment program.


    The first performers to take the stage were a renowned female group, igniting the atmosphere with their performance.


    Everyone was thrilled; such spectacles were rare indeed.


    After Gu Shaoting stepped down from the stage, Mr. John waved to him. Gu Shaoting smiled and approached him.


    ¡°Shaoting, well done. The banquet is truly splendid,¡± Mr. John said, smiling.


    ¡°Oh, you¡¯re too kind. I must thank you foring all this way to support us. Please forgive anypses in hospitality,¡± Gu Shaoting replied politely.


    ¡°Let¡¯s skip the ttering. My daughter¡¯s presence here might have inconvenienced you,¡± Mr. John said gratefully.<div>

 Chapter 553: Idol

    Chapter 553: Idol<div>


    Trantor:Nyoi-Bo StudioEditor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    ¡°Daddy¡­¡± Charlene immediately pouted upon hearing her father saying she had caused trouble for Gu Shaoting.


    ¡°You, my dear, are indeed a little troublemaker,¡± John said to her with a hint of exasperation.<div>


    Only then did Gu Shaoting notice Charlene by his side, impably dressed and radiant, but he remained impassive, just casting a cursory nce her way.


    Feeling somewhat embarrassed, Gu Shaoting realized that Charlene had been at thepany for some time, and he had left her in the care of his secretary without much attention. Now, hearing Mr. John¡¯s remarks, he felt a pang of guilt.


    ¡°Brother Gu, the banquet is a great sess,¡± Charlene remarked, unwilling to be ignored. When she noticed Gu Shaoting looking her way, she returned his gaze with a charming smile.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Gu Shaoting nodded faintly.


    ¡°Brother Gu, could I have the pleasure of a dance with youter? I don¡¯t know anyone here, and Daddy doesn¡¯t dance,¡± Charlene pleaded with hopeful eyes fixed on Gu Shaoting.


    Gu Shaoting couldn¡¯t help but furrow his brow slightly. He only wanted to dance with Shu Pan and had no interest in dancing with anyone else.


    Seeing Gu Shaoting¡¯s hesitation and her daughter¡¯s eager expression, John intervened, ¡°Ah, Shaoting, you don¡¯t know that my daughter has been a dance enthusiast since she was a child. She used to be part of the school dance team. Whenever she sees people dancing, she¡¯s itching to join. If she doesn¡¯t dance tonight, she probably won¡¯t sleep. It¡¯s such a special asion, and it would mean the world to her.¡± John wore a helpless expression, yet one that was difficult to refuse.


    Gu Shaoting, seeing John speaking up, didn¡¯t want to disappoint him. He replied vaguely, ¡°We¡¯ll seeter. Actually, I¡¯m not fond of dancing.¡± His response left room for interpretation.


    With that, Gu Shaoting exchanged a few more pleasantries before taking his leave.


    Returning to his seat, Gu Shaoting noticed Shu Pan beside him, engrossed in watching the performances on stage. Coming back, she seemed entirely oblivious.


    She was so captivated that when Gu Shaoting gently wrapped his arm around her waist, Shu Pan jumped in surprise. When she turned around, she realized that the man by her side had returned without her noticing.<div>


    ¡°You¡­¡± Shu Pan saw Gu Shaoting and wanted to say something, but the man¡¯s gaze was already fixed on her. ¡°Is he that good-looking? Have you seen your idol?¡±


    Shu Pan was startled again. How did he know that her idol was performing onstage now?


    ¡°How did you know?¡± Shu Pan was extremely surprised.


    ¡°I heard it from Huanhuan. She even reminded me to fulfill your wish.¡± Gu Shaoting said coldly.


    Unexpectedly, she still had a favorite celebrity idol. And it couldn¡¯t be denied that the star performing on stage had charming features and a tall, sturdy figure, making him a dream lover for many women.


    Shu Pan felt a bit embarrassed after hearing this. Actually, she didn¡¯t have any celebrity crush herself. It was mainly because Huanhuan often whispered in her ear about how handsome certain stars were when they were together. Afterwards, she paid more attention when watching TV and gradually became more interested, either in their acting skills or their voice.


    Sometimes, she would tease along with Huanhuan, but who would have thought that Huanhuan would tell Gu Shaoting about it? It felt like a flock of crows flying over her head, cawing a few times.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to have a celebrity crush,¡± Gu Shaoting suddenly narrowed his eyes and leaned in, his tone somewhat ambiguous.


    Shu Pan looked at him speechlessly. Did appreciating a celebrity somehow bother him?


    ¡°I just appreciate his talent. Don¡¯t you think his singing is charming? His voice is like magic,¡± Shu Pan exined calmly, intending to tell him that she simply admired the person¡¯s talent.


    <div>

 Chapter 554: Jealous

    Chapter 554: Jealous<div>


    Trantor:Nyoi-Bo StudioEditor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Gu Shaoting¡¯s thin lips curled coldly. ¡°Is my voice not pleasant enough?¡±


    Shu Pan was really taken aback by the childishness of the man in front of her. Sometimes, dealing with him was really no better than dealing with Joy.<div>


    ¡°Huh?¡± Shu Pan couldn¡¯t react to his words for a moment, staring straight at him.


    Gu Shaoting¡¯s gaze grew heavier. ¡°In your eyes, who¡¯s more handsome, me or your idol?¡±


    Shu Pan was truly dumbfounded, feeling like she was looking at an alien in Gu Shaoting¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°Speak.¡± The man was getting annoyed, as if he cared a lot about this answer.


    Shu Pan blinked, feeling somewhat amused but also touched. His question showed that he cared about his ce in her heart.


    ¡°You.¡± Shu Pan was afraid he would do something unexpected again, so she quickly replied, her voice as soft as a mosquito¡¯s buzz.


    Gu Shaoting raised an eyebrow. ¡°Louder.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s you, you annoying ghost.¡± Shu Pan felt both annoyed and amused, then she yfully pped his hand.


    Gu Shaoting grabbed her hand and then leaned down to ce a kiss on it. Instantly, Shu Pan felt her heart racing.


    Gu Shaoting seemed satisfied now. ¡°Are you bored? Shall we go grab something to eat first? We¡¯ll have to danceter.¡±


    There was a long buffet table next to the hall, offering a variety of sumptuous dishes and many desserts that she loved.<div>


    ¡°No, it¡¯s not good. If I eat too much, I¡¯ll be afraid of showing a belly bulge, and it won¡¯t look good in the gown.¡± Shu Pan refused, fearing that people wouldugh at her if they saw herter.


    Gu Shaoting knew she cared about these things. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, you¡¯re so slim, it won¡¯t show no matter how much you eat.¡± Women were really hard to handle.


    Ignoring her objections, he took her hand and led her to the food area, helping her pick out some of her favorite dishes.


    ¡°Here, finish it. Otherwise, you¡¯ll have to deal with the consequences.¡± Gu Shaoting¡¯s tone brooked no refusal.


    ¡°Alright.¡± Shu Pan took the utensils carefully. She didn¡¯t want to waste anything, so she began to eat slowly.


    Gu Shaoting found it amusing to see her looking so pitiful, as if eating something was like drinking poison.


    The one-hour entertainment session had already ended, and after 8:30, it was time for the cocktail party and dance.


    This hall was a multifunctional one, so it could easily be converted for different types of events.


    Now it was everyone¡¯s time to enjoy, and they were all excited.


    ¡°I can¡¯t wait to see Mr. Gu¡¯s opening dance,¡± two girls nearby were whispering to each other.


    ¡°But we¡¯re not invited, are we?¡± one of them remarked.<div>


    ¡°It¡¯s a great honor just to be able to see it,¡± the other one sneered at her.


    ¡°True. Mr. Gu¡¯s opening dance will surely be with his fianc¨¦e.¡±


    Shu Pan had just finished her dessert, and honestly, it was quite delicious. It melted in her mouth, and she seemed to have forgotten about the worry of gaining weight in her gown.


    Gu Shaoting had just told her to finish eating and then join him at the front for their opening dance.


    Seeing everyone moving towards the front, Shu Pan knew it was almost time. She quickly put down her te and turned to leave.


    Suddenly, a waiter bumped into her. Shu Pan, feeling rushed and wearing high heels, lost her bnce. She tried to grab onto the edge of a nearby table, but someone bumped into her from behind, eximing, ¡°Oh, be careful!¡±


    With the force of the collision, Shu Pan stumbled and fell. Not only that, but in the process, she also pulled the tablecloth, causing the juice and pastries on the table to spill onto her clothes, creating a mess.


    Shu Pan was truly in a sorry state at that moment. She felt bewildered. Such a thing happening in this kind of setting left her feeling utterly helpless and on the verge of tears.

 Chapter 555: Framed

    Chapter 555: Framed<div>


    Trantor:Nyoi-Bo StudioEditor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    The loud noise had already caught the attention of everyone in the banquet hall. Shu Pany on the cold floor, her knees and arms throbbing painfully, leaving her feeling dazed for quite some time.


    Of course, to her, these physical pains were trivialpared to the embarrassment of the growing crowd around her, all wearing looks of curiosity and amusement.<div>


    She helplessly surveyed the scattered fruits and pastries all around her, sticky and messy. Looking down at her own ruined gown, her heart sank even further.


    At that moment, her mind was a nk, unable toprehend the unprecedented embarrassment she was facing.


    ¡°Are you okay?¡± The waiter who had bumped into her hurried over to check on her.


    Before Shu Pan could respond, she heard a familiar voice beside her, ¡°Always so reckless, aren¡¯t you? Now you understand the humiliation of making a fool of yourself in public.¡±


    Shu Pan looked up to see her¡ªwherever she went, it seemed, trouble followed. She couldn¡¯t have failed to notice that it was Charlene who had knocked her over.


    Charlene had been waiting for this opportunity all night. Finally, when Gu Shaoting had left, she had intended to arrange this through a waiter she had bribed. However, that idiot had bungled itpletely.


    Seeing Shu Pan still standing there after the collision, Charlene couldn¡¯t resist adding a little push to make her fall.


    Spotting Gu Shaoting approaching from nearby, Charlene pretended to offer help. ¡°You¡¯re so clumsy. Let me help you up.¡±


    Shu Pan, unable to bear Charlene¡¯s insincerity, pushed her away. She didn¡¯t need her fake sympathy. Such hypocrisy was something she had never encountered before.


    ¡°I know it¡¯s ufortable to fall, but there¡¯s no need to take it out on me,¡± Charlene said, sounding somewhat aggrieved.


    ¡°Panpan, what happened?¡± Gu Shaoting asked, having left only a short while ago, yet returning to find chaos.<div>


    As Gu Shaoting asked, he helped Shu Pan up.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, just got bumped identally,¡± Shu Pan said, seeing the concern on his face and trying to downy the situation.


    Gu Shaoting, seeing her disheveled state, thought it best to have someone help clean her up.


    ¡°What happened, Shu Pan?¡± Tang Wei, who loved watching drama, hurried over upon seeing the crowd gathering. To her surprise, she saw Shu Pan had fallen.


    Tang Wei quickly offered her support, and Gu Shaoting seized the opportunity. ¡°Could you please help her clean up?¡±


    With the banquet about to start, he couldn¡¯t leave as he was the host.


    ¡°Sure,¡± Tang Wei readily agreed.


    ¡°Shaoting, you should go attend to the guests. I probably won¡¯t be able to join you for the opening dance. Find someone else as your partner,¡± Shu Pan said, dismayed by the stains on her dress, feeling like she had ruined the event.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. What matters is that you¡¯re alright. Once I¡¯m done with my duties, I¡¯lle find you, okay?¡± Gu Shaotingforted her, knowing she must be feeling upset about what had happened.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Tang Wei assisted Shu Pan back to the lounge. After cleaning up and changing out of her gown, Shu Pan luckily had brought along a qipao just in case.


    Originally meant for toastster, she had to wear it now.<div>


    ¡°Shu Pan, how did this happen? It¡¯s such a shame. You and Mr. Gu¡¯s opening dance was a highlight for everyone else,¡± Tang Weimented.


    ¡°It¡¯s no big deal. I never really knew how to dance anyway, so it¡¯s not a loss for me,¡± Shu Pan said nonchntly.


    She wasn¡¯t upset about missing the dance; she was more troubled by messing up the event and possibly embarrassing Shaoting.

 Chapter 556: Dancing Partner

    Chapter 556: Dancing Partner<div>


    Trantor:Nyoi-Bo StudioEditor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    ¡°You¡¯re usually a very stable person. How did you encounter such a thing this time? It¡¯s unbelievable,¡± Tang Wei asked curiously.


    ¡°I identally bumped into someone.¡± Shu Pan couldn¡¯t be bothered to exin too much, and she didn¡¯t have any evidence.<div>


    ¡°Ah, forget it. You¡¯ll have plenty of chances to dance with Mr. Gu anyway.¡± Tang Wei could onlyfort her like this.


    Shu Pan shrugged helplessly.


    ¡°But Shu Pan, your current outfit is not bad either. It shows off your figure. Why don¡¯t you go out now?¡± Tang Wei¡¯s eyes lit up. She felt that the qipao on Shu Pan was really not bad. Her figure really looked good in anything.


    ¡°Later. It¡¯s probably starting now.¡± Shu Pan didn¡¯t want to go out yet. It was really too embarrassing just now.


    She was still a little overwhelmed.


    Sure enough, it didn¡¯t take long before the host¡¯s voice rang out. ¡°It¡¯s time for the ball. We¡¯d like to invite our Gu Group¡¯s CEO, Mr. Gu Shaoting, and Miss Charlene to dance the first opening dance for us. Please wee them. Let¡¯s give them a round of apuse.¡±


    Shu Pan heard the sound and opened the door. It was an unfamiliar name, but for some reason, she thought of the woman who often had conflicts with her.


    From Shu Pan¡¯s angle, she could see Gu Shaoting holding Charlene¡¯s hand on stage like a gentleman. Gu Shaoting¡¯s body was strong and his facial features were perfect. His temperament was noble and charming, and the girl he was holding hands with was naturally not bad either. She was noble like a goddess, beautiful and exquisite. Her every move revealed the demeanor of a youngdy from a wealthy family. She was definitely beautiful and elegant.


    Once they went on stage, everyone would probably think that these two people were extremelypatible.


    However, some people who didn¡¯t know what had happened were also confused. The woman who had entered with CEO Gu earlier wasn¡¯t this woman. Why was it a different woman when it was time to dance?


    Shu Pan thought the same when she saw this scene, although there was also another feeling of bitterness and jealousy. She remembered the warmth of his palm, but now he was holding someone else¡¯s hand.<div>


    Gu Shaoting bent down and stretched out his right hand in a gentlemanly manner. Charlene¡¯s heart was beating very fast. She finally got what she wanted.


    Originally, Gu Shaoting had wanted to skip the opening dance when he saw Shu Pan fall, but after the others started to make a ruckus and her father persuaded him, he finally agreed the day after that day.


    Charlene looked at the charming man who was like a prince in front of her. She slowly reached out her hand and ced it in his big palm.


    At this moment, she felt the glory of everyone¡¯s attention and felt extremely honored.


    Although she wasn¡¯t poor herself, she could cause even more envy from other people when she was with this man.


    Shu Pan¡¯s heart was sour. Actually, she also knew that she couldn¡¯t me Gu Shaoting because she messed it up, but she couldn¡¯t help but think about it.


    On the stage.


    The people at the banquet looked enviously at the handsome man and beautiful woman dancing on the stage.


    Charlene¡¯s dance was light and graceful. Gu Shaoting and Charlene rotated, hugged, and then let go in tacit understanding. The two seemed to have practiced many times and were able to handle it with ease. Their level and tacit understanding had reached the professional level.


    Everyone looked at their dance and could not take their eyes off the two of them.


    Actually, no one knew what Gu Shaoting was thinking. He just wanted time to pass quickly and finish the dance as soon as possible. Then, he wanted to go and see Shu Pan.<div>


    When he saw her fall to the ground just now, his heart ached for her. However, because of the staff and the VIP, he did not show any signs of anxiety. However, his heart was already burning.


    He was a little absent-minded, but Charlene was an expert. Every time he was absent-minded, she would guide him a little, so the two of them seemed to have a tacit understanding from the audience¡¯s perspective.

 Chapter 557: Unsatisfied

    Chapter 557: Unsatisfied<div>


    Trantor:Nyoi-Bo StudioEditor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Below the stage, Shu Pan¡¯s eyes were misty. She didn¡¯t want to watch anymore. Tang Wei saw that she was in a bad mood and looked at the scene outside. She knew what was going on, but she really didn¡¯t know how tofort her.


    ¡°Shu Pan, are you hungry? Shall I get you something to eat?¡± Tang Wei wanted to divert her attention.<div>


    ¡°I¡¯m not hungry. I just ate something. You didn¡¯t eat, did you? Then hurry up and go. I¡¯ll rest here for a while and then go out.¡± Shu Pan was quite grateful for her understanding. She did not need to beforted. That would make her look too pitiful.


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll be back soon.¡± Tang Wei was a little hungry. She had been careful with her food intake every day for tonight, so she didn¡¯t dare to eat too much tonight either. However, she couldn¡¯t stand it anymore and needed to eat something to fill her stomach.


    After Tang Wei left, Shu Pan¡¯s mind was filled with the figures of Gu Shaoting and Charlene dancing. How graceful and elegant, thebination of a handsome man and a beautiful woman, making others envious.


    Finally, the music for the first dance stopped and changed to another song, which meant that Gu Shaoting and Charlene had finished the first opening dance.


    Next, it was the guests who poured into the dance floor. They each brought their dance partners and enjoyed this wonderful night.


    Once it was over, Gu Shaoting couldn¡¯t wait to step out of the stage. Charlene caught up with him. She asked, ¡°Brother Gu, can we talk?¡±


    Gu Shaoting looked back at her and stopped.


    ¡°Is there anything else?¡± Gu Shaoting¡¯s brows were tightly knitted, and his tone was a little impatient.


    ¡°Brother Gu, thank you for tonight. I was very happy.¡± Charlene said shyly.


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing. Have fun. I still have something to do. I¡¯ll get going first.¡± Gu Shaoting strode forward after he finished speaking.


    ¡°Sigh¡­¡± Charlene still wanted to say something, but all she saw was Gu Shaoting¡¯s back.<div>


    Charlene was a little disappointed. She thought that after tonight, after she and Brother Gu danced a special dance, he would change his mind about her.


    After all, he would know who was more outstanding and who was more suitable for him.


    She did think that he would at leastpliment her or have a drink with her. However, she did not expect him to leave in a hurry as soon as the music changed.


    Was he going to find that woman?


    Charlene suddenly thought of Shu Pan and her heart was filled with anger. She was so angry that she wanted to stomp her feet. She had worked so hard and racked her brains, but in the end, she only managed to win him over just for the duration of a dance.


    Gu Shaoting¡¯s figure passed through the hall and then he came to the lounge. He saw Shu Pan sitting there alone, her eyes empty and her figure lonely. His heart tightened slightly and he walked in.


    ¡°Have you eaten your fill yet?¡± Shu Pan thought it was Tang Wei, so she didn¡¯t turn around. She only spoke when she heard the movement behind her.


    No one made a sound, so Shu Pan turned around and she was shocked.


    Gu Shaoting was standing behind her, his body shrouded in light.


    Shu Pan looked outside. It turned out that the opening dance was over and everyone was heading to the dance floor.


    ¡°Are you done dancing? Why aren¡¯t you entertaining the guests outside?¡± Shu Pan asked.<div>


    ¡°Why? Don¡¯t you want me to apany you? Miss Heartless, I wanted it to end as swiftly as possible so that I coulde and find you quickly.¡± Gu Shaoting sat beside her after he finished speaking.


    At this time, Gu Shaoting noticed that Shu Pan was wearing a short qipao. It turned out that she looked so charming in a qipao. It seemed like this was the first time he saw it.


    The color of the qipao was simple and elegant, making her look gentle and dignified. With her light makeup and her hair tied up, it gave off a retro feeling. Gu Shaoting was stunned. Did it mean that when he loved someone, no matter what she wore, he would always think that she was the most beautiful?

 Chapter 558: In My Heart, You Are the Most Beautiful

    Chapter 558: In My Heart, You Are the Most Beautiful<div>


    Trantor:Nyoi-Bo StudioEditor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    ¡°Have you rested enough? Shall we go out? I¡¯m hungry and want to eat something.¡± Gu Shaoting asked.


    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go.¡± Shu Pan held Gu Shaoting¡¯s arm and walked out of the lounge.<div>


    Although she was depressed when she saw him dancing with someone else, she felt relieved when she thought about how he was forced to do so.


    Moreover, the fact that he came to look for her right after the dance showed that he cared about her feelings.


    The moment she saw him, all her unhappiness disappeared.


    The two of them came to the buffet area. Shu Pan saw that Gu Shaoting looked very tired. Thus, she asked him, ¡°What do you want to eat? I¡¯ll get it for you.¡±


    Shu Pan couldn¡¯t bear to see him so tired.


    ¡°Do as you see fit! I¡¯ll eat whatever you take.¡± Gu Shaoting seemed to be really tired, so tired that he didn¡¯t even want to get food.


    Shu Pan nodded and then took the te to pick up food for him. She helped Gu Shaoting take a lot of his favorite dishes.


    Gu Shaoting was probably really hungry. When he saw the food, he immediately started eating without saying anything.


    Shu Pan sat opposite him and couldn¡¯t help but feel her heart ache for him.


    This man looked like he was shining brightly and was respected and worshipped by everyone. However, when he got busy, he really didn¡¯t even have time to eat.


    Shu Pan looked at him. It was really pleasing to the eye. Although he ate very quickly, he ate very elegantly.<div>


    Shu Pan also poured herself a ss of fruit juice and drank it slowly. Then, she watched him eat.


    Finally, when Gu Shaoting was almost done eating, he looked up, took the juice from her hand, and took a sip without hesitation.


    ¡°Hey, I drank from it just now.¡± Shu Pan reminded him since he had always been a germaphobe. He would probably dislike it even if it was touched by someone else, let alone drinking it.


    Gu Shaoting took another sip and said nonchntly, ¡°What does it matter? I don¡¯t mind.¡±


    Instantly, Shu Pan¡¯s heartbeat quickened.


    Seeing that he was full, she asked, ¡°Don¡¯t you have to entertain the distinguished guests anymore?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. It¡¯s enough. It¡¯s everyone¡¯s time now.¡± Gu Shaoting wiped his mouth with the tissue Shu Pan handed him.


    ¡°Who was the girl who danced with you just now?¡± Shu Pan still couldn¡¯t hold back her curiosity and asked.


    Tonight, this question had been brewing in her heart for a long time. She felt that anyone who could dance with Gu Shaoting must have a powerful family background.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Are you jealous?¡± Gu Shaoting suddenlyughed heartily, because all along, even when she saw him with other women, he could never tell what she was thinking and she never took the initiative to ask him.


    He was worried that she would let her imagination run wild, so he exined it to her immediately.<div>


    ¡°No, if you don¡¯t want to say it, then forget it.¡± Shu Pan pursed her lips.


    ¡°Ha, that¡¯s the daughter of our important French partner, Mr. John. He¡¯s here tonight too. I was just showing him some respect otherwise I wouldn¡¯t have danced tonight.¡± Gu Shaoting said helplessly.


    ¡°She¡¯s so beautiful. She¡¯s young and energetic.¡± Shu Pan suddenly said emotionally.


    Gu Shaoting smiled after hearing what she said. He replied, ¡°Her name is Charlene. She¡¯s studying with the Corporation¡¯s secretary. I don¡¯t really care if she¡¯s pretty or not. In my heart, you¡¯re the most beautiful.¡±


    Gu Shaoting¡¯s words stunned Shu Pan, and her face instantly blushed.


    ¡°You have a glib tongue.¡± Shu Pan said angrily. Then, she continued, ¡°I saw that you and Miss Charlene danced very well. Both of you looked like professionals.¡±


    Gu Shaoting¡¯s expression froze. He thought that she had been in the lounge and didn¡¯t know what was going on outside. He didn¡¯t expect her to join and spectate with the rest of the audience.

 Chapter 559: Drunk

    Chapter 559: Drunk<div>


    Trantor:Nyoi-Bo StudioEditor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    ¡°I¡¯ve practiced before. If you like to dance, I can apany you.¡± Gu Shaoting knew that she might feel ufortable, so he exined.


    However, he was secretly happy. She asked about them and that showed that she cared about him.<div>


    He also hoped that she could ask any questions she had and not keep them to herself. Men were sometimes careless and not so meticulous and would identally neglect her feelings.


    ¡°Yeah, you all have the same background, so it feels different from us.¡± Shu Pan said gloomily.


    Gu Shaoting raised his eyebrows and snorted, ¡°What¡¯s different? Don¡¯t let your imagination run wild.¡±


    ¡°Well, aren¡¯t you going to go over and propose a toast?¡± Shu Pan asked.


    ¡°It depends. If they are still interested in dancing, we won¡¯t disturb them for now.¡± Gu Shaoting was afraid that his stomach wouldn¡¯t be able to take it when he thought of drinking.


    ¡°Oh.¡± Shu Pan wasn¡¯t in high spirits.


    Gu Shaoting looked at her and thought that she was tired. After all, she didn¡¯t feel good about what happened tonight. She didn¡¯t want to face everyone again.


    ¡°You should go back and rest first. I¡¯ll go hometer.¡± Gu Shaoting looked at the time and realized that it was gettingte.


    ¡°Alright.¡± Shu Pan nodded in agreement. Really, she didn¡¯t really want to go out now because she still couldn¡¯t recover from the embarrassing incident that had just happened.


    ¡°Also, don¡¯t think about things you shouldn¡¯t think about. Anyway, you just have to remember that our family won¡¯t be separated.¡± Gu Shaoting stood up and reached out to her.


    Shu Pan ced her hand on his palm.<div>


    ¡°I¡¯ll send you to the door. The driver will send you back. I¡¯ll introduce these business partners and friends to youter at our wedding.¡± Gu Shaoting said.


    ¡°Okay. You have to be careful yourself. Don¡¯t drink too much. Your stomach can¡¯t take it.¡± Shu Pan reminded.


    After sending Shu Pan off, Gu Shaoting returned to the reception to deal with the VIPs.


    When she got home, she saw that Joy had already fallen asleep. Auntie Li was still awake and was in the living room. She said, ¡°Auntie Li, you¡¯ve worked hard tonight.¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about? It¡¯s not hard. Joy is very obedient. She fell asleep after watching television for a while,¡± said Auntie Li.


    ¡°Where¡¯s Grandpa? Is he asleep too?¡± Grandpa was living with them now, and she was very concerned about his health.


    ¡°Master is asleep as well. The nurse has checked on him. He fell asleep after taking the medicine.¡± Auntie Li said dutifully.


    Shu Pan nodded in relief. With Auntie Li was here, she felt much more rxed.


    Seeing that it was gettingte, Shu Pan went into the bedroom to take a shower.


    When she came out, she felt refreshed again. She probably wouldn¡¯t be able to fall asleep for a while.


    For some reason, she felt a little depressed and suddenly wanted to drink some wine.<div>


    She remembered that Gu Shaoting had opened a bottle of wine. She could drink a little before going to bed.


    With that thought in mind, she really went over. It was red wine, but she didn¡¯t know what year it was. She didn¡¯t dare to touch the other whiskey. A little red wine might make her drunk.


    She picked up the wine ss and poured herself a ss. She drank it. The spicy and sour taste made her frown.


    Then, she poured some more. After drinking it, she really felt a little dizzy.


    She returned to the bedroom and sat by the bed in a daze for a while. Her mind went nk, and then she fell asleep.


    Gu Shaoting was not so lucky at the cocktail party. People kepting to toast him, and he could not shirk them.


    Charlene had always been paying attention to Gu Shaoting. She saw him send Shu Pan away and thus she stuck close to him, following him everywhere as if she were someone to Gu Shaoting.


    Gu Shaoting gradually realized it and told her tactfully, but she seemed to turn a deaf ear to his words.

 Chapter 560: Does She Like You?

    Chapter 560: Does She Like You?<div>


    Trantor:Nyoi-Bo StudioEditor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Finally, the banquet came to an end.


    Gu Shaoting could finally get away and go home.<div>


    When it was almost 11:30, the door was pushed open and Gu Shaoting walked in. He closed the door gently and looked at the quiet atmosphere. He thought that they were probably asleep.


    He walked to Joy¡¯s room and took a look. Joy was sleeping like a little pig. Then, he returned to their bedroom and found that Shu Pan was also sleeping soundly. Her face was still a little red, and he could vaguely smell the smell of alcohol.


    He frowned. What was wrong with her tonight?


    He bent down and got closer. He took a whiff. It was the smell of red wine. She had actually drunk wine.


    From the moment he met her, the number of times she drank could be counted with both hands. She usually did not drink a single drop.


    He raised his eyebrows, not understanding what was going on.


    Could it be because he was dancing with Charlene? He had neglected his duty tonight and had not taken her feelings into consideration.


    If she were to dance with someone else, he would definitely not be able to stand it either.


    Smelling the smell of alcohol in the air and looking at the woman sleeping soundly on the bed, he was really helpless.


    He reached out to hug her and adjusted her position. She was leaning sideways and was very close to the edge of the bed. He was worried that she would fall off.


    Shu Pan¡¯s brain was a little dizzy because she had drunk some wine. Moreover, her stomach felt like it was churning.<div>


    Gu Shaoting helped her sit up and was about to carry her inside when he heard Shu Pan¡¯s gagging sound and was about to vomit.


    Fortunately, Gu Shaoting reacted quickly and carried her out of the bed, so she didn¡¯t vomit on the bedsheets.


    Gu Shaoting¡¯s face suddenly darkened. Why did this woman not know how to take care of herself? She clearly knew that she couldn¡¯t drink, so why did she still drink? She drank so much, wouldn¡¯t it hurt her stomach?


    Gu Shaoting had no choice but to carry her into the bathroom, clean her up, and change her into a set of clean clothes.


    At this moment, Shu Pan slowly woke up. She took a look and her mind slowly cleared up.


    ¡°Shaoting, what¡¯s wrong with me? You¡¯re back?¡±


    ¡°Did you drink?¡± Gu Shaoting asked.


    ¡°Yes, I drank two small sses, but it seems that my alcohol tolerance is really bad. I think I¡¯m drunk.¡± Shu Pan covered her face in embarrassment.


    ¡°Why were you drinking? Are you unhappy about something?¡± Gu Shaoting knew her very well.


    ¡°No, I just felt a little bored.¡± Shu Pan pursed her lips and replied.


    ¡°Is it because I danced with Charlene tonight that you felt ufortable?¡± Gu Shaoting was worried that she was unhappy because of this.<div>


    Shu Pan didn¡¯t speak and didn¡¯t look at Gu Shaoting.


    Actually, she didn¡¯t know what was going on. Although she thought that Gu Shaoting had no other choice and she was unlucky to encounter such a thing, now that she thought about it, she was pushed down by Charlene and then Charlene danced with Gu Shaoting. This proved that Charlene coveted Gu Shaoting and was interested in him.


    Thinking of this, she was unhappy.


    Actually, Charlene¡¯s conditions were much better than hers. After all, Charlene had a very capable father, but what about her? She had nothing. Anyone with discerning eyes would know that Charlene was more suitable for Gu Shaoting.


    She didn¡¯t know if Gu Shaoting really didn¡¯t know or if he was ying dumb.


    ¡°Does Charlene like you?¡± Shu Pan could not help but ask. This question made her feel very ufortable.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. You know how charming your Hubby is. There must be many women who like me, but I only like you.¡± Gu Shaoting said narcissistically.

 Chapter 561: Online News

    Chapter 561: Online News<div>


    Trantor:Nyoi-Bo StudioEditor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    In fact, Gu Shaoting faintly felt that Charlene was probably interested in him, but she didn¡¯t confess to him, so he wouldn¡¯t really be narcissistic enough to say anything to her.


    However, the silly girl in front of him was worried about nothing. The ce in his heart was small, and it was fully upied by a woman called Shu Pan.<div>


    ¡°Narcissist.¡± Shu Pan blurted out. Forget it, she didn¡¯t want to think about this problem anymore.


    She was now worrying about nothing and always making things difficult for herself.


    ¡°You always like to think nonsense. Are you usually too free? Looks like I have to find something to keep you busy.¡± Gu Shaoting patted her head.


    Gu Shaoting felt that giving birth to a little one would make her very busy. This seemed to be a good idea.


    Thinking about it, he put it into action. Gu Shaoting slowly kissed her.


    The night deepened¡­


    The next day, when Shu Pan woke up, it was alreadyte. She looked at the bed beside her and saw that Gu Shaoting had already disappeared.


    She closed her eyes and thought ofst night. She couldn¡¯t help but blush again. She got up speechlessly and saw Gu Shaoting sitting in the living room. She asked him, ¡°Don¡¯t you have work to do today?¡±


    ¡°The anniversary celebration has already ended sessfully. What else do I have to be busy with? I¡¯m leaving the rest to others.¡± Gu Shaoting said as he crossed his long legs.


    Shu Pan thought that he would go out and save herself the embarrassment. She had asked him some stupid questionsst night and she med it on being drunk. Now that he was not leaving, she felt a little embarrassed.


    She picked up her phone and returned to her room. She swiped the screen and entered the webpage. She saw some news shing out. There was a report on the Gu Group¡¯s anniversary banquetst night. She was curious and clicked on it.<div>


    After clicking on it, she regretted it. Why did she make things difficult for herself?


    What came into view was a headline with a picture of Gu Shaoting and Charlene dancing together. He leaned over slightly and Charleney in his arms. Their fingers were intertwined and their eyes were filled with affection. No matter how she looked at it, they looked like a couple in love.


    The moment Shu Pan saw the news, her heart was hit hard and she felt sour.


    She thought that this matter was over and that this topic could be moved on. Who knew that it would be revealed to everyone in such a way?


    She couldn¡¯t help but look at the words. Sure enough, the words were all praising Gu Shaoting and Charlene.


    The reporters were also very resourceful, digging up Charlene¡¯s family background and then reporting wantonly, saying that they were a talented schr and a beautiful woman, a match made in heaven.


    Shu Pan looked at the news and also pointed out morements. Theizens were also discussing this matter and expressed many opinions.


    Some people said that Charlene was young and beautiful, was educated, capable, and came from a good family. Basically, everyone expressed that only such an outstanding girl was worthy of a man like Gu Shaoting.


    Shu Pan sighed lightly and put down the phone in her hand. She didn¡¯t want to look at it anymore. The more she looked, the more frustrated she became.


    Even she herself felt that Charlene and Gu Shaoting were verypatible.


    Sigh.<div>


    ¡°Mom, Dad wants you to change quickly. We¡¯re going out to eat.¡± Joy suddenly ran in and said to her.


    ¡°Okay, Mommy will be out soon.¡± She smiled at Joy and decided to put aside her worries.


    She didn¡¯t know if it was because she was angry, but she carefully chose a V-neck dress that looked very charming. Then, she put on light makeup. Her lips were pink, and they looked so pink that water could drip out.


    When she walked out, Gu Shaoting¡¯s eyes lit up. She always gave him some surprises.

 Chapter 562: Unhappy

    Chapter 562: Unhappy<div>


    Trantor:Nyoi-Bo StudioEditor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    ¡°Mom, you¡¯re so beautiful. Will I be as beautiful as you in the future?¡± Joy asked happily, her ttery quite loud.


    ¡°Of course, you¡¯re Mommy¡¯s daughter. You¡¯re definitely prettier than Mommy.¡± Shu Pan was also a little vain and was instantly amused.<div>


    Gu Shaoting listened to the conversation between the mother and daughter and couldn¡¯t help but find it funny.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Gu Shaoting reached out his hand to Joy.


    The family of three went out.


    Along the way, Shu Pan was immersed in her own world and was very quiet. Gu Shaoting thought that she was afraid that talking would affect his driving, so he didn¡¯t ask much.


    When they reached the restaurant, Shu Pan held Joy and walked in first.


    After everyone sat down, Gu Shaoting asked Shu Pan to order while he talked to Joy.


    Seeing that she was still a little absent-minded after ordering, Gu Shaoting asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong? You look like you have a lot on your mind.¡±


    Shu Pan was stunned for a moment before shaking her head. ¡°I guess it¡¯s because I drank a littlest night. My head feels heavy and I feel dizzy.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t drink alcohol in the future. You usually don¡¯t drink at all. If you suddenly drink a little, you¡¯ll definitely feel ufortable.¡± Gu Shaoting tried to persuade her and his heart ached for her.


    ¡°Alright, I understand.¡± Shu Pan nodded.


    Finally, the dishes were served. Joy was excited when she saw the dim sum.<div>


    ¡°Mom, this is really delicious. You should try it too.¡± Joy picked up a piece and ced it in Shu Pan¡¯s mouth.


    ¡°Okay, Mommy will give it a try.¡± Shu Pan took a bite. She felt that it was average. She did not know if it was because she was in a bad mood that she did not know the taste of anything she ate.


    However, in order not to disappoint the child, she still pretended to exaggerate and said, ¡°Wow, it¡¯s really delicious. Joy, eat more.¡±


    Her words could fool Joy, but not Gu Shaoting.


    ¡°Mom, if it¡¯s delicious, you should eat more because I saw that you seemed a little unhappy. Your mood will improve after you¡¯re full.¡± Joy was a mischievous child. She spoke like an adult tofort her mother.


    Shu Pan was stunned. She did not expect Joy to say such a thing. It was really unexpected.


    Could it be that her unhappiness was written all over her face? Even Joy could tell, then what about Gu Shaoting? Did he notice?


    Shu Pan subconsciously nced at the man sitting opposite her.


    He looked away and ate elegantly. Shu Pan¡¯s emotions becameplicated. She didn¡¯t know if she was disappointed or d.


    If Joy could see the problem, could he not feel it? It was obvious that he did not pay much attention to her.


    However, she felt that it was good that he did not know. If he asked, she would not know how to answer him.<div>


    Thinking of this, she felt much better.


    In fact, Gu Shaoting knew every move Shu Pan made like the back of his hand. He didn¡¯t say anything because he wanted to see if she would take the initiative to tell him.


    Obviously, she didn¡¯t intend to tell him.


    Then, he heard her lying through her teeth. She smiled at Joy and said, ¡°No, Mommy isn¡¯t unhappy.¡±


    This woman was getting better at lying. However, a woman¡¯s heart was like a needle in the sea. Nothing had happened so early in the morning, so why was she feeling like this now?


    Gu Shaoting was really puzzled.


    He should just wait and see.


    Joy was almost done eating. She said, ¡°Dad, I¡¯m full. Let¡¯s go to the amusement parkter.¡±


    Joy looked at him expectantly.


    Gu Shaoting nodded and said, ¡°Okay, we¡¯ll go after we eat.¡±


    Gu Shaoting didn¡¯t want to see Joy disappointed.<div>


    ¡°Yay!¡± Joy pped happily.


    Shu Pan frowned and asked, ¡°Aren¡¯t you busy this afternoon?¡±


    Shu Pan was afraid that he would dy the business matters he had to attend to.


    ¡°No, my mission today is to apany you and your daughter.¡± Gu Shaoting said in a very neutral tone.

 Chapter 563: The Amusement Park

    Chapter 563: The Amusement Park<div>


    Trantor:Nyoi-Bo StudioEditor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    After eating, the family of three went to the amusement park.


    Because Joy was still young, she didn¡¯t dare to y those exciting events, such as roller coasters, frog jumps, and bungee jumping.<div>


    When they arrived at the small train, there were a lot of people lining up.


    ¡°Daddy, I want to y this.¡± Joy pointed at the small train and said.


    ¡°Alright, no problem.¡± Seeing that Shu Pan was a little tired, Gu Shaoting brought Joy to y.


    Gu Shaoting bought the tickets, and then it was their turn. He carried Joy and sat down.


    The two of them were having a great time. Shu Pan sat on a stool beside them and waited for them.


    Seeing the scene in front of her, Shu Pan felt warm in her heart. It was hard to imagine that Gu Shaoting would y with Joy.


    He had always been rich. If it was in the past, he would probably book the entire amusement park and y to his heart¡¯s content.


    However, that would lose the meaning of ying. It was more interesting to y with more people.


    Seeing Joy¡¯s smile, everything was worth it.


    Sometimes, she really hated herself for being so sensitive. That was why she couldn¡¯t think straight. Actually, Gu Shaoting didn¡¯t say anything now. He was still acting the same as before. She was probably thinking too much.


    She had trapped herself.<div>


    Just as she was deep in thought and distressed, the father and daughter came out.


    ¡°Mom, it¡¯s a pity that you didn¡¯t y.¡± Joy¡¯s little face was red from ying.


    ¡°As long as you¡¯re happy.¡± Shu Pan smiled.


    ¡°Come, let¡¯s go y on the pirate ship.¡± Gu Shaoting held Shu Pan¡¯s hand and walked forward, while Shu Pan held Joy¡¯s hand.


    ¡°I¡¯m not ying. You take Joy to y.¡± Shu Pan felt fear when she thought about it.


    Gu Shaoting nced at her and decided to let her participate in it instead of letting her imagination run wild.


    ¡°Mommy, let¡¯s y together, okay?¡± Joy begged.


    ¡°Alright then.¡± It seemed that she had no reason to reject them.


    ¡°Are you afraid? Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m here.¡± Gu Shaoting smiled at her.


    The three of them sat on the ship. Joy sat in the middle and buckled her seatbelt. The pirate ship started. Shu Pan was trembling from the beginning and screamed all the way.


    The pirate ship had reached mid-air in an instant andnded in an instant. Shu Pan felt her stomach churning and her heart skipped a few beats.<div>


    She really regretted apanying the father and daughter on this pirate ship. She had no time to think about anything now. Her attention was on the pirate ship.


    If Gu Shaoting was trying to distract her, then he had seeded.


    Under Shu Pan¡¯s great anticipation, the pirate ship finally stopped.


    Shu Pan slowly unbuckled her seatbelt and stood up. She felt as if she had just returned from the gates of hell.


    She was in a daze and was disoriented. Gu Shaoting held Joy.


    ¡°Mommy, isn¡¯t it fun?¡± Joy said excitedly. She probably couldn¡¯t tell that her mother was very pale.


    ¡°Yes.¡± Shu Pan didn¡¯t want her to be disappointed, so she nodded. She held her forehead and tried hard not to faint.


    Suddenly, an arm reached out from the side and pulled her into a firm chest, letting her rest in the man¡¯s embrace. At the same time, the man¡¯s hand gentlybed through the hair that fell on both sides of her face.


    Shu Pan¡¯s expression froze. Her heart was beating very fast. She didn¡¯t expect him to do this. His actions were so gentle as if they had magic.


    She was very happy, but her head couldn¡¯t bear the dizziness. She gently leaned into Gu Shaoting¡¯s arms to rest for a while. Finally, after a while, she felt much better and stood up straight.


    <div>

 Chapter 564: An Unimportant Person

    Chapter 564: An Unimportant Person<div>


    Trantor:Nyoi-Bo StudioEditor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    ¡°Mommy, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Lele saw her mother leaning against her father¡¯s arms and asked with concern.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. Mommy is a little timid. I¡¯m not as brave as you, Joy. Mommy still has to learn from Joy.¡± Shu Pan smiled.<div>


    ¡°Mommy, it¡¯ll be fine if youe a few more times next time,¡± Joy said seriously.


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll listen to you, Joy.¡± Shu Pan patted Joy¡¯s little head.


    Gu Shaoting looked at the time. It was already past five o¡¯clock. They had yed for so long and were very tired. They nned to go to the restaurant to eat before going back.


    Just as they arrived at the restaurant and were about to sit down to order, Gu Shaoting¡¯s phone suddenly rang. He was stunned for a moment. Why was there a call at this time? He took it out and saw that it was Charlene. He had saved her number before.


    He frowned. Why did she call? Was there something urgent? It shouldn¡¯t be business-rted. If there was something important to deal with, Secretary Zhang would have contacted him. But contacting him for a personal matter? They were not close.


    Seeing that Shu Pan hade over, he was worried that she would let her imagination run wild again, so he muted the phone and ignored her.


    Shu Pan looked at him strangely. Why didn¡¯t he pick up the phone when it rang?


    The phone rang for a long time, but no one picked up. The phone hung up automatically.


    Not long after, the phone rang again. Gu Shaoting nced at it and saw that it was still the same number. He suddenly felt a little angry.


    ¡°Is there something important? If you have something to do, you can go first. Joy and I will take a bus backter.¡± Shu Pan heard the phone ring again and thought that Gu Shaoting didn¡¯t answer the phone because he was concerned about their presence.


    So she reminded him.<div>


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. It¡¯s not an important person. There¡¯s nothing important or urgent either.¡± Gu Shaoting said lightly and then declined the call.


    The family¡¯s mood to have a good meal was ruined.


    ¡°Alright then.¡± Although Shu Pan said so, she was a little puzzled. She had called twice in a row. It was probably an emergency.


    But Gu Shaoting didn¡¯t answer. Why?


    Suddenly, she had an idea. Could it be that Charlene calling? That was why it was inconvenient for him to answer the call.


    Thinking of this, Shu Pan felt a little ufortable.


    If it really was Charlene, then it meant that she was interested in him, otherwise she wouldn¡¯t have chased him so relentlessly.


    What was even more hateful was that Charlene actually framed her to make a fool of herself just to dance with Gu Shaoting.


    ¡°Let¡¯s eat, you must be hungry.¡± Gu Shaoting saw Shu Pan was in a daze and reminded her.


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m hungry. Come, Joy, have some vegetables.¡± Shu Pan helped Joy pick up some food and covered up her loss ofposure.


    Shu Pan¡¯s guess was right. It was indeed Charlene. She wanted to strike while the iron was hot, but she remembered that she had just finished dancingst night, so she wanted to ask Gu Shaoting out for dinner tonight. Anyway, they were both not married, so she didn¡¯t need to feel guilty.<div>


    She was just giving Gu Shaoting another chance to choose.


    When she made the first call, she thought that he would pick up very quickly. However, to her disappointment, he did not pick up. She thought that he did not hear her, so she called again. However, after two rings, he actually declined the call.


    What did he mean by this? Did he not want to answer her call? Or did she offend him?


    Charlene instantly felt depressed. She couldn¡¯t guess what Gu Shaoting was thinking.


    Was it inconvenient for him to answer her call, or did he not want to answer her call?


    This made Charlene feel a trace of panic and unease.


    This morning, when she saw the news of her dancing with Gu Shaoting online, she thought there was hope because thements online were all saying that they were a perfect match.

 Chapter 565: Entanglement

    Chapter 565: Entanglement<div>


    Trantor:Nyoi-Bo StudioEditor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    She didn¡¯t know if Gu Shaoting and that woman had seen the news.


    So she had wanted to treat him to dinner tonight to test him, but now that he didn¡¯t pick up, she was a little confused.<div>


    From the first time she saw this man, she fell in love at first sight. She had a kind of determination to win him over. The closer she got to him, the more attracted she was to him.


    When they were dancingst night, everyone felt that they were very close and had a tacit understanding. Only she knew how gentlemanly Gu Shaoting was.


    He always kept a certain distance when he hugged her. He did not have any thoughts of wanting to take advantage of a woman like a man would. It was very simple. They were just dancing, and his mission was to finish the dance.


    Now, it seemed that she was the only one who was immersed in it. She was the only one who was performing. How could she be willing?


    Outsiders might think that she was very innocent, but only she knew that she was a very ambitious woman. She would fight to the end for what she liked.


    What should she do to attract Gu Shaoting¡¯s attention?


    It was almost 7:30 pm when Gu Shaoting¡¯s family of three had finished their meal. Gu Shaoting looked at Joy, who was rubbing her eyes in his arms. She was probably tired from ying today and wanted to sleep, so he picked her up and nned to go home.


    Shu Pan followed behind her, telling her to bear with it and not sleep. She would go home and take a shower before sleeping.


    Joy was already yawning and was so sleepy that tears were about to flow out.


    When they got home, Shu Pan quickly gave Joy a bath.


    Gu Shaoting was sitting in the living room when his phone suddenly beeped. There was a text message. He frowned, thinking it was a junk message. He opened it and saw that it was from Charlene.<div>


    The content of the message was to thank him for inviting her to the opening dance and giving her a very good memory. It was also to thank him for inviting her father.


    Gu Shaoting really felt that it was strange. This matter was nothing. Wasn¡¯t it already over? What was the point of bringing it up? What good memories? If Panpan heard this, what would she think?


    The more he thought about it, the more he felt that it was inappropriate. He directly replied, ¡°Don¡¯t take it to heart. I don¡¯t even remember.¡±


    After replying, he deleted the messages immediately.


    Sigh.


    He was really worried that there would be trouble again.


    The more he thought about it, the more he felt that he should bring forward the wedding ceremony with Panpan. The days were passing slowly and he didn¡¯t know if it would bring some changes.


    With that thought, Gu Shaoting slowly began to n.


    First of all, he had to register his marriage with Shu Pan and get the red booklet. Only then would he feel more at ease.


    Then, he would give her a surprise, a wedding that was unfamiliar to her. He wanted to give her an unforgettable memory.


    Next, he had to busy himself with his marriage.<div>


    Just as he was lost in thought, Shu Pan had already coaxed Joy to sleep and came out.


    ¡°Come,e here.¡± Gu Shaoting patted the spot beside him and waved at Shu Pan.


    Shu Pan listened to him and walked over. She sat down, and he retracted his hand. She snuggled into his embrace.


    Shu Pan was already a little tired. She narrowed her eyes slightly.


    Gu Shaoting looked at her expression and knew that she was tired. He said with some heartache, ¡°If you¡¯re really tired, go back to your room and rest. Let¡¯s go register tomorrow, okay?¡±


    Shu Pan, who was still sleepy and tired, suddenly woke up. Did she hear wrongly? ¡°Register our marriage?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ve always had a n for this. Unfortunately, the celebration was dyed. Now that I have time, you should give me a proper status.¡± Gu Shaoting pretended to joke pitifully.


    His expression amused Shu Pan. She asked, ¡°Are you serious? Are you not going to mull over it for a while more?¡±

 Chapter 566: Marriage Registration

    Chapter 566: Marriage Registration<div>


    Trantor:Nyoi-Bo StudioEditor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    ¡°I¡¯m really serious about it. Why should I mull over it? Do you have other ideas?¡± Gu Shaoting frowned.


    ¡°But aren¡¯t you afraid that you¡¯ll make the wrong choice? Does that Miss Charlene have any other thoughts about you?¡± Shu Pan still minded. It would be a lie to say that she didn¡¯t mind.<div>


    ¡°I can¡¯t stop her from having improper thoughts about me, but I¡¯m very sure that I don¡¯t have any thoughts about her. If you care so much about her existence, I can let her go back to France.¡± Gu Shaoting¡¯s expression was very serious. He really felt that there was no need to let such an irrelevant person interfere in his life.


    ¡°Have you seen the news online? The video and photos of you dancing with her have been circted.¡± Shu Pan finally said it. It was too ufortable to hold it in.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you not to look at those non-nutritious things? You¡¯ll only make things difficult for yourself if you see it. You just have to know in your heart what kind of people we are.¡± Gu Shaoting caressed her head. She was fine this morning, but she looked so serious after she came out of her room. So she had seen that kind of news.


    She was really a silly girl who knew how to dig into a dead end.


    ¡°But everyone says that you two are a perfect match, a match made in heaven?¡± Shu Pan said gloomily. When she saw thosements, she felt even more ufortable. The eyes of the masses were bright. What they said made sense.


    ¡°That¡¯s because they didn¡¯t see the photos of us together. When we get married, I¡¯ll get the reporters to help us take some good photos and post them. We¡¯ll see if we look morepatible.¡± Gu Shaoting said half-truthfully.


    ¡°Don¡¯t. If we go out like this, we¡¯ll be pointed at.¡± Shu Pan¡¯s head hurt when she thought of that scene. Even if they got married, it was a private matter between the two of them. There was no need for everyone to know about it.


    Shu Pan knew that Gu Shaoting wasforting her and he did not really want to announce it to the world. He was a person who valued privacy very much.


    However, his words proved that he didn¡¯t take Charlene¡¯s matter to heart. She looked at him and his gaze was clear and did not shrink back.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t say anything, it means that you agree.¡± Gu Shaoting said with a smile.


    ¡°Tyrannical.¡± Shu Pan said angrily.<div>


    The next day, Gu Shaoting got up early. He looked at the weather outside. The blue sky was as clear as if it had been washed by water.


    His mood was as good as the weather. Shu Pan had also woken up and picked out a beige dress. The fabric of the dress was yarn, making it look slender and elegant.


    Shu Pan looked at the full-length mirror and smiled with satisfaction. Gu Shaoting came in and his eyes lit up. Heplimented, ¡°Very beautiful.¡±


    He was not stingy with his praise, but Shu Pan was a little shy.


    ¡°Thank you. Where¡¯s Joy?¡± Shu Pan quickly changed the topic.


    ¡°ying in the garden with Grandpa.¡± The old man loved his great-granddaughter the most now, not his grandson. Gu Shaoting was very pleased to see that his grandfather was getting better.


    After moving here, the old man felt that his body was much stronger than before.


    It was probably a problem with his state of mind. There was nothing to worry about. His only grandson already had a daughter, so he had nothing to worry about.


    ¡°That¡¯s good. We¡¯ll let Auntie Li help to look after her for a while then.¡± Shu Pan said and walked out of the bedroom first.


    Shu Pan was still dawdling after breakfast, not nning to go out yet.


    ¡°Panpan, let¡¯s go. The marriage registration office is already open.¡± Gu Shaoting was a little anxious. He had been waiting for this day for a long time.<div>


    ¡°Alright, there¡¯s no hurry. They just opened the door.¡± Shu Pan said calmly.


    Gu Shaoting ignored Shu Pan¡¯s objection and pulled her out of the door.


    ¡°Hey, slow down. I¡¯m about to fall.¡± Shu Pan protested.

 Chapter 567: We’ve Received Our Marriage Certificate

    Chapter 567: We¡¯ve Received Our Marriage Certificate<div>


    Trantor:Nyoi-Bo StudioEditor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Gu Shaoting¡¯s driving skills were very good. He drove fast and steadily, and they soon arrived at the Civil Affairs Bureau.


    Seeing that there weren¡¯t many people, Gu Shaoting opened the car door and let Shu Pan get out.<div>


    Shu Pan looked at him with a graceful demeanor. The tailored suit made him look tall and slender, and his entire body exuded an aloof and self-restrained aura.


    They walked into the Civil Affairs Bureau, and the handsome man and beautiful woman immediately became the focus of the onlookers. They quickly filled in the information, and when it was their turn, the staff looked at them again and again with a puzzled expression.


    Then, she asked, ¡°Have you thought it through?¡±


    Shu Pan thought about how they were finally remarried and blushed. ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve thought it through.¡±


    Gu Shaoting saw that Shu Pan¡¯s face was a little red. He knew that she was shy, so he replied, ¡°Yes.¡±


    The staff responded and helped them with the procedures.


    The registration procedures werepleted very quickly. When she walked out of the Civil Affairs Bureau with Gu Shaoting, Shu Pan had a marriage certificate in her hand.


    Her heart felt like it had been knocked over, and she really did not know what to feel.


    She was married again and with the same person. She had be Madam Gu again.


    The waves and palpitations in her heart could not be calmed.


    ¡°Hello, Madam Gu. Please take care of me in the future.¡± Gu Shaoting couldn¡¯t close his mouth from smiling. He was a cold person to begin with, and it was obvious how happy he was in his heart when heughed like this.<div>


    ¡°Hello, Mr. Gu.¡± Shu Pan also smiled because of this novel title.


    The two of them looked at each other and smiled.


    The two of them found a Western restaurant to celebrate at noon. It was really a memorable day.


    Gu Shaoting was also full of emotions. He didn¡¯t expect that after going around this whole circle, the two of them could be together again.


    After dinner, they returned home. Gu Shaoting asked Shu Pan to give her marriage certificate to him. Shu Pan was puzzled. She asked, ¡°Don¡¯t you have one too? Why do you want mine?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll keep it safe for you.¡± Gu Shaoting said confidently. What he thought was that the marriage certificate would be in his hands in the future, and Shu Pan would never have the chance to divorce him again.


    His wishful thinking was very good.


    ¡°I can keep it myself.¡± Shu Pan was very puzzled, but she still handed the red book to him.


    ¡°There¡¯s no need to go through so much trouble. I¡¯ll just put them in the safe.¡± Gu Shaoting put away the marriage certificate that Shu Pan handed over like a treasure.


    Before he put it back into the cab, he looked at it carefully again and again. He couldn¡¯t help but think narcissistically, ¡°What a handsome man and a pretty woman. They¡¯re a match made in heaven.¡±


    Finally, after he had seen enough, he put the marriage certificates away in satisfaction.<div>


    In the afternoon, Ye Xiaomeng, whom she hadn¡¯t contacted for a long time, called. Shu Pan couldn¡¯t wait to tell her the news of her marriage registration, but when she thought of Xiaomeng and He Ming¡¯s current situation, she suppressed her joy.


    She only smiled lightly and said to her, ¡°Xiaomeng, Shaoting and I registered our marriage today.¡±


    ¡°Wow, congrattions, Girl. That¡¯s great. This time, you must live extremely happily.¡± Ye Xiaomeng choked up as she spoke.


    Others might not know her situation, but Ye Xiaomeng did.


    Ye Xiaomeng knew exactly what she had been through, so now that she had finally regained her happiness, she was happier than anyone else.


    ¡°Yes, thank you for your blessings. You too.¡± Shu Pan also said sincerely.


    She hoped that her happiness could be passed on to Xiaomeng, but she believed in He Ming. He wouldn¡¯t let them down, and they would definitely be happy.


    ¡°Have you thought of where to hold the wedding?¡± Xiao Meng asked.


    ¡°I never thought about that.¡± Although Gu Shaoting had mentioned it before, she wasn¡¯t sure if it was true.

 Chapter 568: High-Profile Confession Part 1

    Chapter 568: High-Profile Confession Part 1<div>


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    ¡°That¡¯s true. There¡¯s no need to care about those ceremonial things. After all, you¡¯ve registered your marriage, and you¡¯re officially Madam Gu.¡± Ye Xiaomeng said emotionally. Status was still very important to a woman.


    ¡°Mm, I¡¯ll just leave it up to him.¡± She was used to not having a wedding before. If there was no wedding now, she could still treat it normally.<div>


    ¡°Well, let¡¯s see what he does. You guys will probably celebrate tonight, so I won¡¯t disturb you. Let¡¯s meet again this weekend.¡± Ye Xiaomeng said with a smile.


    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s meet up when we¡¯re free.¡± Shu Pan thought about it. She was only free on the weekend. Today was a day off for all the employees in thepany. They had to go to work as usual tomorrow.


    After Ye Xiaomeng hung up the phone, she felt a little bitter. Panpan had found happiness, but where was her happiness?


    He Ming¡¯s attitude had always been the same, but she didn¡¯t know how long He Ming could hold on. Mother He often called to persuade him to break up with her.


    Her words were also very harsh. What was the use of a hen that couldn¡¯ty eggs? The He family was probably going to end its line of session in He Ming¡¯s generation.


    When Ye Xiaomeng first heard it, she almost broke down. She had encountered all kinds of words and strange looks in the past, but she could face them calmly because she didn¡¯t care.


    However, she loved He Ming, so she became very concerned about other people¡¯s gazes and opinions, especially his family.


    He Ming had already mentioned marriage a few times, but she pretended not to hear it. She also gave herself some time. If she really wasn¡¯t pregnant, she wanted to break up. She didn¡¯t want to be the sinner of the He family.


    He Ming loved her, but Xiaomeng didn¡¯t know how long his love for her couldst. She was afraid that he would regret it in the future, so she would make the decision.


    Ye Xiaomeng fell into deep thought and couldn¡¯te back to her senses for a long time.


    After dinner, Shu Pan looked at Gu Shaoting and Joy ying and thought that there was nothing to celebrate.<div>


    She nned to turn around and return to her room.


    ¡°Panpan, change your clothes. We¡¯re going out. The dew is heavy at night.¡± Gu Shaoting stopped her.


    ¡°Where are we going?¡± Shu Pan asked curiously.


    ¡°It¡¯s a secret.¡± Gu Shaoting kept her in suspense. Then, he continued, ¡°You¡¯ll know when you get there.¡±


    Shu Pan listened to him and changed into a thicker dress. She came out with a knitted cardigan in her hand.


    ¡°Daddy, Mommy, where are you going?¡± Joy saw them and asked with a pout. Her pout was so big that she could hang an oil bottle on it.


    ¡°Joy, stay home with Grandma. We¡¯ll be back soon.¡± Gu Shaoting coaxed Joy. He didn¡¯t want to bring such a big third wheel out.


    ¡°Alright then. You guys have toe back quickly. Otherwise, I¡¯ll be very bored.¡± Joypromised.


    Gu Shaoting pulled Shu Pan out of the door.


    Why was he being so mysterious? She saw that their car was driving towards the riverside.


    Shu Pan quietly looked at the night view outside the car window. Perhaps it was because she was in a good mood, but she felt that the night view outside was especially beautiful.<div>


    Finally, the car stopped by the river. Gu Shaoting got out first and then opened the door for Shu Pan. He made a ¡°please¡± gesture and Shu Pan got out like a queen.


    The wind by the river was indeed strong, but Shu Pan didn¡¯t feel cold when she put on her coat.


    Gu Shaoting held Shu Pan¡¯s hand and they walked to the riverside. They stood beside the fence. Shu Pan looked around and saw that there were quite a few people.


    Indeed, the night view here was the best in Bin City. There were many tall buildings on the opposite bank, and many couples came here for dates.


    ¡°Come, close your eyes.¡± Gu Shaoting said gently.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± Shu Pan¡¯s bright eyes twinkled under the neon lights.


    ¡°Be good and close your eyes. You¡¯ll knowter.¡± Gu Shaoting still refused to say anything else.

 Chapter 569: High-Profile Confession Part 2

    Chapter 569: High-Profile Confession Part 2<div>


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Shu Pan also wanted to see what he was up to, so she listened to him and closed her eyes.


    ¡°Wow, how romantic.¡± A cry of surprise suddenly sounded from the side.<div>


    ¡°How much did that cost?¡± Someone asked curiously.


    She heard all kinds of voices. Shu Pan was even more puzzled. What exactly happened?


    ¡°Alright, open your eyes.¡± Gu Shaoting¡¯s voice sounded.


    Shu Pan slowly opened her eyes.


    At night, thousands of lights shone like the Milky Way, and the skyscrapers were colorful.


    Suddenly, the neon lights on the skyscrapers facing them on the opposite shore suddenly turned into captions. ¡°Panpan, I Love U.¡±


    Shu Pan was not mentally prepared at all. When she suddenly saw the scene in front of her, she was really dumbfounded.


    The rows of words hit the most vulnerable part of her heart.


    The entire city seemed to be shrouded in a dream, and she felt that it was not very real.


    If she hadn¡¯t seen it with her own eyes, she wouldn¡¯t have believed that the beautiful scenery by the river would be even more beautiful because of her. It was really too shocking.


    Shu Pan seemed to be moved to tears for the first time. She never thought that Gu Shaoting would give her such a surprise.<div>


    Gu Shaoting looked at her touched expression. Then, he slowly hugged her from behind. His deep voice mixed with a hint of gentleness as he asked, ¡°Is it nice?¡±


    Shu Pan stared at it without blinking. A few secondster, another caption appeared on the screen. ¡°Panpan, I want you to be the happiest woman.¡±


    Gu Shaoting suddenly lowered his head and smiled. He whispered in Shu Pan¡¯s ear in a hoarse voice, ¡°I love you.¡±


    Shu Pan turned around and threw herself into his arms. Her heart was beating so fast that it didn¡¯t seem to belong to her.


    She had never thought that her Mr. Gu would make such a grand and high-profile confession for her.


    Gu Shaoting slowly helped her up from his arms and then slowly straightened her body. He saw that Shu Pan¡¯s eyes were red, probably because she was so touched.


    He kept staring at her. His gaze on her felt too hot, and she was suddenly a little embarrassed to face him. Although they were already husband and wife, she was still not used to his change in behavior.


    She looked at her hands, then nervously and hesitantly said, ¡°Why did you spend so much money? This probably cost a lot. Aren¡¯t we already married?¡±


    Although Shu Pan was touched, she felt her heart ache when she thought about the six-figure advertising fee that would be spent in just a few minutes.


    Such a location, such a high-rise building, and such a night view. Just thinking about it would cost money.


    The more Shu Pan thought about it, the more conflicted she felt.<div>


    ¡°Silly, although we¡¯re married, don¡¯t women like romance? And I owe you an unforgettable ceremony.¡± Gu Shaoting took out a white diamond ring from his pocket and said in a low voice, ¡°Panpan, are you willing to hold hands with me for the rest of your life? Let¡¯s never leave each other and be happy until we grow old.¡±


    As soon as Gu Shaoting finished speaking, Shu Pan¡¯s tears kept falling like broken beads.


    However, Shu Pan was smiling with tears in her eyes. Every woman would most likely be touched by such sweet words.


    She looked at the diamond ring and asked, ¡°Didn¡¯t you already buy a ringst time?¡± Her voice was a little choked. She was so touched that she cried.


    ¡°Which woman wouldin about having too many diamond rings? This ring is exquisitely made and is very memorable. Don¡¯t take it off.¡± Gu Shaoting put the ring on her hand, his gaze was gentle.


    The diamond ring shone brightly under the light.

 Chapter 570: An Extraordinary Surprise

    Chapter 570: An Extraordinary Surprise<div>


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Shu Pan felt that Gu Shaoting was the real master of love. He was usually silent and had never said anything sweet. Suddenly, he came up with such a grand confession. It was really tooplicated. She was definitely not his match.


    Shu Pan looked at the ring in her hand and nodded. She said, ¡°Okay, it¡¯s a deal. We¡¯ll be happy until we grow old.¡±<div>


    ¡°In this life, I only love you.¡± Gu Shaoting continued to whisper in her ear.


    Shu Pan was a little at a loss from his warm breath. After a while, she whispered with a sniffle, ¡°Don¡¯t spend money like this in the future. I understand your intentions.¡±


    Gu Shaoting finally smiled. He was very happy and cheerful.


    He said lovingly, ¡°Silly girl, don¡¯t worry about money. Your Hubby will make money, so you can spend as much as you want.¡±


    Shu Pan gently pounded his chest, but in the end, she was still pressed into his arms.


    Smelling his familiar scent and hot temperature, Shu Pan suddenly felt that his embrace was very warm on this cold riverside. She was a little reluctant to leave.


    She thought to herself, Gu Shaoting¡¯s calctions were very urate and he was too scheming. He chose to confess by the river. In this weather, it made his embrace even warmer.


    She slowly raised her head and looked at the words on the Jiang Building opposite her. They were still changing and blinking. The more she looked at them, the more shy she felt.


    ¡°Can you ask someone to turn off the subtitles? It¡¯s been ying for so long. It must be very expensive, right? Moreover, it would be embarrassing if others saw it.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s there to be embarrassed about? I just want everyone to know and envy you.¡± Gu Shaoting smiled and kissed her forehead. ¡°It¡¯ll be gone soon.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± Shu Pan was still staring at the words in a daze. Really, she had only seen such a scene in her dreams before.<div>


    Such a night view and such beautiful scenery, she probably would never see them again in the future.


    Suddenly, her heart skipped a beat. She took out her phone and quickly took a photo of the scene in front of her. ¡°This is the evidence. If you treat me badly in the future, I¡¯ll bring this out and show you.¡±


    Gu Shaoting smiled and didn¡¯t say anything, but hugged her even tighter.


    She was so kind, so beautiful, so gentle, how could he not love her?


    This little fool was really thinking too much. His heart was only so big. It was impossible for it to contain anyone else.


    In the future, he would never love another woman so much, except for her.


    Only after meeting her did he realize that love could be so beautiful.


    She was just a little elf. Unknowingly, he was deeply attracted to her.


    After a while, the words slowly disappeared and turned into colorful neon lights again.


    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go back. It¡¯s a little cold. Don¡¯t catch a cold.¡± Gu Shaoting said when he saw the caption disappear.


    Shu Pan looked at the scenery reluctantly before leaving with Gu Shaoting.<div>


    When the two of them returned home, Shu Pan thought about how Gu Shaoting had given her such a big surprise tonight. She wanted to give him a surprise too.


    Because Gu Shaoting had just received a call and went to the study.


    Shu Pan saw him leave and quickly went back to the bedroom to take a shower.


    Then she stood in front of the wardrobe and thought about it again and again. Finally, she bent down and took out the nightgown that was hidden at the bottom of the wardrobe.


    Shu Pan blushed and quickly went into the bathroom.


    She quickly took a shower and put on her nightgown. She looked at the mirror in the bathroom and took a few deep breaths.


    She secretly opened the bathroom door and found that Gu Shaoting had not returned yet. Shey on the bed and covered herself with the nket.


    She adjusted the light on the bedside table to a dim yellow.


    She narrowed her eyes slightly, but she was indeed very nervous.


    Gu Shaoting came in and saw Shu Pan lying on the bed. He thought she was tired and wanted to sleep.


    He quickly took a shower too. When hey down, Shu Pan pulled his hand away andy in his arms.<div>


    Gu Shaoting suddenly froze. He couldn¡¯t believe that Shu Pan would take the initiative.


    The night was getting deeper and deeper¡­

 Chapter 571: Envious Gaze

    Chapter 571: Envious Gaze<div>


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    The next day, Shu Pan woke up and looked at the time. She was about to bete.


    Gu Shaoting probably had something to do, and there was no trace of him in the room.<div>


    Shu Pan looked at herself in the mirror and was stunned. Her face turned red and white.


    Helplessly, she opened the wardrobe and took out a high-cored shirt to put on.


    Why did it look a little strange? She couldn¡¯t care less. Seeing that she was going to bete, Shu Pan quickly packed up and went out.


    When she arrived at thepany, Shu Pan quickly tapped in. When she sat in her seat, she realized why everyone was looking at her with a meaningful gaze.


    Shu Pan was a little puzzled when Tang Wei walked over. She looked at Shu Pan and asked carefully, ¡°Shu Pan, are you okay?¡±


    ¡°What happened to me? I¡¯m fine.¡± Shu Pan smiled.


    ¡°Actually, many things on the Inte are not real. You don¡¯t have to take it to heart.¡± Tang Wei seemed to be referring to something else.


    ¡°Hmm?¡± Shu Pan frowned, unable to react in time.


    ¡°It¡¯s about Mr. Gu and thatdy dancing. You can see it everywhere now. Didn¡¯t you see it?¡± Tang Wei was a little stunned. Didn¡¯t Shu Pan know about such a big thing? No wonder she came to work happily.


    ¡°Oh, I saw them. They danced quite well.¡± Shu Pan said lightly.


    Tang Wei couldn¡¯t stay calm at all. She looked at Shu Pan as if she was looking at an alien.<div>


    ¡°Shu Pan, are you in a daze from the shock?¡± Tang Wei felt that Shu Pan was crazy to praise her love rival.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. I¡¯m just telling the truth.¡± Shu Pan really didn¡¯t care about this matter now. After all, Gu Shaoting had already used his actions to tell her who he cared about the most.


    Now that they were married, they had to trust each other even more.


    Forget about the past as much as possible.


    After all, one had to look forward in life.


    Tang Wei looked at Shu Pan and shook her head. She looked like she wasmenting her misfortune and angry that she did not fight for it.


    Suddenly, Tang Wei saw that Shu Pan was wearing a diamond ring. She leaned closer and looked carefully.


    ¡°Wow, Shu Pan, what a beautiful ring! And it¡¯s a diamond ring. It must be expensive.¡± Tang Wei¡¯s attention shifted so quickly.


    The more she looked at the ring, the more she liked it.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure.¡± Shu Pan was telling the truth. She didn¡¯t know much about jewelry, but the things Gu Shaoting bought wouldn¡¯t be cheap.


    ¡°Could it be from Mr. Gil?¡± Tang Wei suddenly thought of this. Could it be that Mr. Gu felt sorry for Shu Pan and wanted to make it up to her?<div>


    Tang Wei increasingly felt that her guess was correct.


    Shu Pan didn¡¯t say anything. She wanted to keep a low profile about her marriage. After all, it was a matter between the two of them.


    ¡°I really didn¡¯t expect Mr. Gu to be such a meticulous person.¡± Tang Wei muttered to herself.


    Shu Pan picked up her cup and was about to go to the pantry. Just as she was about to go in, she suddenly heard the voices of two colleaguesing from inside. The two of them were thepany¡¯s loudspeakers. Usually, what they knew, the entirepany would know.


    ¡°Did you see that? Wearing high-cored clothes, you can tell what happened at a nce.¡± A short and plump female colleague said to another.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that so? Mr. Gu and that youngdy danced at the ball, and they looked sopatible. If she doesn¡¯t give it her all, she probably won¡¯t be able to keep her position.¡± Another tall and thin voice said, sounding a little happy.


    ¡°Sigh, but in the end, Mr. Gu still cares about her. Didn¡¯t you see the diamond ring she¡¯s wearing? It¡¯s so dazzling.¡± Another girl said enviously..

 Chapter 572: Rumors

    Chapter 572: Rumors<div>


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    ¡°A small ring is nothing. She¡¯s already appeased by that. Did you see the video on the Inte? That¡¯s the trulypatible couple of a handsome man and a beautiful woman.¡± One of the voices sounded a little sour.


    Shu Pan stood on the steps and was a little distressed. She didn¡¯t know if she should go in.<div>


    The two of them were chatting happily inside. If she went in alone, she would probably disturb them.


    Although their conversation made Shu Pan very ufortable, she didn¡¯t mind it now.


    There was no need to stoop to their level. She also felt that there was no need to exin. Whatever they thought, let them be.


    The gossiping in her ears did not stop.


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ve seen the photos online too. They¡¯re a perfect couple.¡± Another voice echoed.


    ¡°She probably came to work so happily because she was kept in the dark. She didn¡¯t know that her position was quickly reced,¡± said a voice sympathetically.


    Shu Pan didn¡¯t know whether tough or cry when she heard this. It seemed that everyone was worried about her.


    Sigh, seeing that the two of them had been inside for half an hour, Shu Pan also hurriedly filled her own water.


    She deliberately made some noise in the corridor outside and then coughed lightly.


    Sure enough, the voices inside stopped. Clearly, they knew that someone wasing.


    Shu Pan didn¡¯t say anything when she heard that. Then, she came in. The two people inside looked like Shu Pan, their faces red and white.<div>


    They were a little at a loss. They didn¡¯t know how much Shu Pan had heard.


    Shu Pan pretended not to hear anything and greeted them generously.


    The two of them awkwardly greeted Shu Pan and left dejectedly.


    Shu Pan smiled bitterly. She seemed to have always been thepany¡¯s news figure, the object of everyone¡¯s discussion.


    She was wondering if she should listen to Gu Shaoting and resign.


    This was the scene at that time.


    ¡°Panpan, this family needs you. Why don¡¯t you resign? You don¡¯t have to be so tired.¡± Gu Shaoting¡¯s heart ached when he saw her busy every day.


    ¡°No, if I quit and don¡¯t go to work, I¡¯ll be out of touch with society. I don¡¯t know anything about what¡¯s going on outside.¡± Shu Pan was very insistent because Auntie Li was the one doing the housework.


    She felt that she would be bored at home.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t youe to mvpany and be mv secretary? That way we can


    see each other every day.¡± Gu Shaoting thought that this was a good idea. This way, the two of them could see each other every day.<div>


    They could even go to work together. How nice would that be? When he missed her, he could see her at a nce.


    Shu Pan frowned. Wasn¡¯t it enough to face her at night? He would have to see her during the day too. Doesn¡¯t he feel tired of it?


    Moreover, thepany¡¯s workce was not a ce for romance.


    However, she was afraid that Gu Shaoting would be unhappy, so she couldn¡¯t reject him. She just said that she would wait and see.


    Her n was to give birth to another little one for him. That way, she could resign when she was busy.


    However, it was no use being hasty. The two of them did not take any safety measures, but there was no change in her stomach.


    She was a little anxious. Was there something wrong with her body? Logically speaking, she had already given birth to Joy, which proved that there was no problem with her fertility. Why was she still not pregnant?


    She had also read a lot of books and even searched on Du Niang. In conclusion, pregnancy was a natural process. It also depended on fate. Don¡¯t be anxious. The more anxious you are, the less likely it will happen.


    She was also an ordinary person, so she would be anxious and have such concerns.


    Shu Pan was pouring water in the pantry for a while, and her thoughts were pulled far away. She only came back to her senses when the water sshed on her hand..


    <div>

 Chapter 573: Bestie l s Whisper

    Chapter 573: Bestie l s Whisper<div>


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    After Shu Pan poured the water, she returned to her seat. She looked at the ring on her finger and smiled bitterly.


    Sigh, she knew that this would stir up trouble. However, when she thought about how it was his kind intentions, she did not mind.<div>


    Just as she was thinking about it, Gu Shaoting called and asked, ¡°Honey, do you want to have lunch together?¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯ll just eat with my colleagues in the cafeteria. Don¡¯t run around.¡± Shu Pan thought that there was indeed no need to run around for a meal.


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll pick you up tonight.¡± Gu Shaoting said pitifully.


    ¡°Uh¡­ I have a date with Xiaomeng tonight.¡± Shu Pan said with some difficulty. This was an appointment that had been made long ago.


    ¡°In other words, you¡¯re going to abandon me for the entire day?¡± Gu Shaoting said helplessly, thinking that he should be considered a newlywed now. How could there be such an insensible person?


    ¡°Hubby, just today, okay?¡± Shu Pan said coquettishly.


    Gu Shaoting heard his wife¡¯s pleading voice and agreed.


    After hanging up the phone reluctantly, Gu Shaotingughed at himself. He really looked like a standard family man.


    With Shu Pan and Joy, it seemed that he did not like socializing anymore.


    Now, after work, he liked to go back and apany the mother and daughter. He didn¡¯t want to go out with his fair-weather friends anymore.


    Alright, since his Honey was going to leave him alone again tonight, he would go back to apany his daughter.<div>


    After work in the afternoon, Shu Pan rushed to the ce where she had agreed to meet Xiaomeng.


    ¡°Girl, stand still and let me take a good look. What does the Madam of a super rich man look like?¡± Ye Xiaomeng joked.


    ¡°What nonsense are you talking about?¡± Shu Pan pouted.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that so? I heard that Mr. Gu even bought out the prime-time building advertisement to confess to you. It¡¯s really a big deal, but it¡¯s really romantic. I don¡¯t think many women have such an experience. It can be said that it¡¯s unforgettable.¡± Ye Xiaomeng said enviously. It wasn¡¯t that she didn¡¯t have such thoughts, but that she didn¡¯t have the money.


    That kind of advertisement was worth six figures per minute. It was simply burning money.


    When Shu Pan heard that, her face instantly turned red.


    ¡°How did you know?¡± Shu Pan said embarrassedly.


    ¡°I guess the whole of Bin City knows about it. Many people have posted it on their Moments.¡± Ye Xiaomeng had heard it from He Ming.


    ¡°Fortunately, they don¡¯t know me. Otherwise, it would be embarrassing.¡± Shu Pan heaved a sigh of relief. The inte was so developed now that everything would be known very quickly.


    ¡°What¡¯s so embarrassing about that? This is something to be envious of, okay?¡± Ye Xiaomeng couldn¡¯t help but roll her eyes at Shu Pan.


    ¡°Hehe, you¡¯re right about everything.¡± Shu Pan smiled.<div>


    ¡°Now that you¡¯re a rich Madam, I¡¯m going to leech a meal from you tonight.¡± Ye Xiaomeng held Shu Pan¡¯s hand and walked forward.


    ¡°What do you want to eat?¡± Shu Pan asked.


    ¡°Pork belly chicken, how about it? There¡¯s a very famous and delicious pork belly chicken restaurant in front.¡± Ye Xiaomeng loved the faint smell of pepper.


    ¡°Sure, I haven¡¯t eaten that for a long time either.¡± Shu Pan recalled the taste in her memory and could not help but swallow a few times.


    The two of them found a seat and sat down. Ye Xiaomeng ordered the signature pork belly chicken and two other dishes.


    While waiting for the dishes to be served, Ye Xiaomeng saw the diamond ring on Shu Pan¡¯s finger.


    ¡°Girl, that¡¯s great. The time has finallye for you. I¡¯m really happy for you.¡± Ye Xiaomeng said emotionally.


    ¡°Thank you. You have to be happy too.¡± Shu Pan held her hand. She knew what Xiaomeng¡¯s biggest problem was, but she was powerless to do anything about it.


    She hoped that Xiaomeng would be able to achieve her wish soon.


    The dishes were served. The pot was full of pork belly chicken, and the air was filled with the fragrance..


    <div>

 Chapter 574: Am I Pregnant?

    Chapter 574: Am I Pregnant?<div>


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Shu Pan and Ye Xiaomeng couldn¡¯t wait to start eating. They were famished after a day of work.


    They opened the lid of the pot, and the hot air blew into their faces.<div>


    Pork belly chicken, as the name implied, was a chicken wrapped in pork belly and then stuffed with ingredients.


    The soup was white and rich. It was really delicious.


    Ye Xiaomeng scooped a bowl for Shu Pan, then scooped a bowl for herself. She sat down with a smile, picked up the bowl, and started drinking.


    After drinking half a bowl, her stomach felt a littleforted and much morefortable.


    However, for some reason, just as she picked up a piece of chicken and brought it to her mouth, she felt a little ufortable in her stomach. She felt nauseous as if she wanted to¡­


    Vomit.


    ¡°Ugh¡­¡±


    She endured it, but in the end, she couldn¡¯t hold it in anymore.


    Shu Pan noticed her strange behavior. Her hand that was picking up food with her chopsticks paused and she looked over.


    Before she could react, Ye Xiaomeng¡¯s expression changed. She got up in a panic and ran to the bathroom.


    Shu Pan was shocked. She quickly put down her chopsticks and ran over.<div>


    ¡°Urgh, urgh¡­¡±


    Ye Xiaomeng didn¡¯t know what was going on either, but she felt like she was throwing up all her yellow bile.


    She didn¡¯t have time to think if she had eaten something wrong today.


    Her stomach felt like it was churning. It was really too ufortable.


    ¡°Xiaomeng, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Shu Pan asked worriedly, then patted her back slowly.


    After vomiting for a while, Ye Xiaomeng finally calmed down. She felt a gentle palm patting her back.


    ¡°Girl, I¡¯m fine. I probably ate something bad. I might have eaten something wrong today.¡± Ye Xiaomeng finally felt a little better. However, just as she finished speaking, she suddenly felt nauseous again. ¡°Ugh¡­ Ugh¡­¡±


    She vomited a few times. At this moment, the bathroom was filled with a stench. She could not help but frown when she smelled it.


    Thinking of Shu Pan who was behind her, she turned around and said to her,¡±


    Girl, you go ahead first. I¡¯m fine. I¡¯ll be back soon.¡±


    Shu Pan looked at her and didn¡¯t say anything. Then she turned to the dining table and poured a ss of warm water. She returned and handed the ss and tissue to Ye Xiaomeng. ¡°Wash your mouth and wipe your mouth.¡±<div>


    Shu Pan¡¯s eyes were filled with worry because Ye Xiaomeng¡¯s face was frighteningly pale, without a trace of blood.


    Ye Xiaomeng took the cup, rinsed her mouth, and wiped her mouth with a napkin. Then she slowly stood up and flushed the toilet.


    Phew, she finally felt better.


    ¡°Do you still feel ufortable?¡± Shu Pan went forward to support her and then brought her out.


    ¡°Much better.¡± Ye Xiaomeng said, ¡°Thank you, Girl.¡±


    Ye Xiaomeng thanked Shu Pan sincerely.


    hu Pan helped Ye Xiaomeng back to their table. Ye Xiaomeng looked at the delicious food on the table and really had no appetite at all.


    Now, even the most delicious food was difficult for her to swallow. ¡°Do you want some more soup?¡± Shu Pan asked. She had probably just vomited everything she had eaten.


    ¡°Alright, just a little.¡± Ye Xiaomeng felt that she could ept the soup, but she really didn¡¯t dare to eat vegetables.


    ¡°Xiaomeng, what did you eat today? ¡°Shu Pan asked.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t eat much I ate some congee this morning and a bowl of noodles at noon. I made them all at home. They¡¯re very clean. I used to eat like this. I don¡¯t see anything wrong.¡± Ye Xiaomeng thought about it and there was indeed nothing wrong with it.<div>


    Shu Pan was stunned. Then, she asked, ¡°Xiaomeng, when is your period?¡±


    ¡°Hasn¡¯te yet. Let me think about it. Eh, it seems like it¡¯s toote. It should havee a few days ago, but why are you asking about this¡­¡±


    Suddenly, Ye Xiaomeng froze and asked Shu Pan nkly, ¡°Girl, do you think it¡¯s possible that I¡¯m pregnant?¡±

 Chapter 575: Great Joy

    Chapter 575: Great Joy<div>


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Shu Pan¡¯s expression was also very serious. She nodded and said, ¡°It¡¯s possible. If you really are pregnant, that would be great, Xiaomeng.¡±


    Shu Pan was overjoyed.<div>


    Ye Xiaomeng also nodded excitedly. She recalled that she seemed to have been a little sleepy recently and had a bad appetite. She always felt stuffy in the chest.


    Could it be that she really had a little darling?


    She wasn¡¯t sure and she was afraid that she would be happy for nothing.


    ¡°Eat something, then go to the hospital tomorrow for a checkup to see if you¡¯re pregnant.¡± Shu Pan was still rtively calm.


    Ye Xiaomeng was really stunned because this was something she had never dared to imagine. Could it be that the heavens had opened their eyes?


    Just when she was about to give up, such a big surprise suddenly came.


    Shu Pan looked at her good friend with red eyes. She knew what children meant to Xiaomeng.


    Because Xiaomeng¡¯s condition was not easy to conceive, they did not think of it that way.


    But now that she heard her say it, it seemed like she was right. That was great.


    Because of the sudden surprise, no one was in the mood to eat anymore. They hurriedly ate a little and were full.


    Then Shu Pan sent Ye Xiaomeng back and said, ¡°Do you want He Ming to go with you tomorrow, or do you want me to go to the hospital with you?¡±<div>


    ¡°Girl,e with me. I¡¯m very nervous. Don¡¯t tell He Ming about this yet. What if I¡¯m not really pregnant? Wouldn¡¯t that disappoint him?¡± That¡¯s true. When the results were out, she would give him a big surprise.


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll take a leave of absence tomorrow to apany you. Be careful when you go back.¡± Shu Pan reminded.


    When she got home, she was surprised to see Gu Shaoting in the living room. He asked, ¡°Honey, you¡¯re back? Why are you so early?¡±


    Gu Shaoting looked at the clock on the wall. It wasn¡¯t even 7:30 yet. She always came back after nine whenever she met with Xiaomeng.


    It was really too unexpected toe back so early this time. Could something have happened?


    But Gu Shaoting saw that Shu Pan¡¯s expression was normal, so she should be fine.


    ¡°Yes, have you eaten?¡± Shu Pan asked casually.


    ¡°Yes, but you weren¡¯t home, so I didn¡¯t eat well.¡± Gu Shaoting protested.


    ¡°I¡¯ll try my best next time.¡± Shu Pan smiled.


    After returning to her room and thinking about it, Shu Pan was both happy and a little disappointed.


    If Xiaomeng was really pregnant, then there would be no more obstacles between her and He Ming. At least, his mother wouldn¡¯t dare to say anything.<div>


    But at the same time, she was a little disappointed. When would she herself have a little monkey?


    The more she thought about it, the more anxious she became.


    Gu Shaoting came in and saw Shu Pan sitting by the bed in a daze. He walked over and put his arm around her shoulder, then asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m just wondering when our little monkey wille.¡± As soon as Shu Pan finished speaking, she realized what she had blurted out, but it was toote to take it back.


    ¡°So you¡¯re thinking about this. Don¡¯t worry, Hubby will work hard. You¡¯ll get what you want soon.¡± Gu Shaoting patted her head and said with a smile.


    What a fool. Such things should be left to nature and should not be forced. In fact, he still wanted to spend some time alone with her. Joy was older and had her own space. If a little monkey came along, Shu Pan would definitely not have time to pay attention to him. Just thinking about it made him feel disappointed.


    ¡°What nonsense are you talking about?¡± Shu Pan was a little shy. Forget it, she didn¡¯t want to think about it anymore. She will rest well and bring Xiaomeng to the hospital for a checkup tomorrow.


    ¡°Let nature take its course. Don¡¯t think too much. Besides, we both have Joy.¡± Gu Shaoting was worried that she would feel stressed, so heforted her..

 Chapter 576: Nervous Mood

    Chapter 576: Nervous Mood<div>


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    The next day, Shu Pan took the day off early and went to pick up Ye Xiaomeng. When she saw Xiaomeng, she noticed a faint hint of dark circles under her eyes.


    ¡°Xiaomeng, were you so excitedst night that you couldn¡¯t sleep?¡± Shu Pan teased.<div>


    ¡°It¡¯s nerves, worrying about everything,¡± Ye Xiaomeng replied with a worried look.


    ¡°You always tend to overthink things,¡± Shu Pan said helplessly, though she understood Xiaomeng¡¯s concerns.


    At the hospital, despite arriving early, it was already crowded. Shu Pan asked Xiaomeng to sit down while she went to get her an appointment with a specialist.


    As Xiaomeng looked around, she saw pregnant women everywhere, their faces radiating happiness. She couldn¡¯t help but smile; if she were truly pregnant, her smile might be even brighter than theirs.


    After some effort, Shu Pan managed to secure an appointment, but they still had to wait their turn.


    ¡°Girl, what am I going to do? I¡¯m so nervous. Do you think something bad might happen?¡± Xiaomeng¡¯s mind was in turmoil.


    ¡°Nothing will happen, everything will be fine,¡± Shu Pan reassured her quickly.


    Xiaomeng was truly anxious. Last night, she had been alternating betweenughter and seriousness, leaving He Ming puzzled. He had asked her about it, but she just shook her head and said, ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡±


    She had almost told He Ming at one point but ultimately decided against it, fearing that the greater the hope, the greater the disappointment.


    Unconsciously, she ced her hand on her belly and silently thought,


    ¡°Mommy¡¯s little angel, are you really here?¡±<div>


    ¡°Number 12, Ye Xiaomeng,¡± the system called out just as Xiaomeng was lost in thought.


    Shu Pan heard it and came over to support her.


    Xiaomeng couldn¡¯t help but feel a little exasperated. ¡°Girl, you don¡¯t need to be nervous either. I can walk by myself; my belly is t. If youe over to help me, people willugh.¡±


    Shu Pan nced at her with a touch of annoyance. ¡°I couldn¡¯t care less about what people think.¡±


    Inside, Xiaomeng asked the doctor, ¡°Doctor, my period iste, and I¡¯ve been


    experiencing nausea and chest tightness. I¡¯d like to check if I¡¯m pregnant.¡±


    The kind elderly doctor replied, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll write a prescription for you to get a urine test and a blood test.¡±


    With that, the doctor handed Xiaomeng the prescription.


    Ye Xiaomeng took the prescription somewhat nervously and went to do the tests as instructed by the doctor.


    With Shu Pan¡¯s help nearby, the tests went by quickly.


    However, the wait for the results was agonizing.<div>


    Ye Xiaomeng tightly held Shu Pan¡¯s hand, feeling her palms be sweaty.


    Unconsciously, more than half an hour passed, and Ye Xiaomeng tremblingly approached theb window to collect the results.


    As soon as she received them, she eagerly looked at them.


    Instantly, her eyes slowly turned red, and she covered her mouth in disbelief. It was true; she had finally waited for her baby.


    No one could understand the excitement and joy in her heart. This was the moment she had longed for.


    Now she could face He Ming; he was going to be a dad. That fool should be ecstatic beyond words.


    Seeing Ye Xiaomeng¡¯s reaction, Shu Pan also guessed the oue, and she couldn¡¯t help but be moved to tears.


    This was wonderful; with a child on the way, everything would fall into ce.


    The two of them showed the results to the doctor.


    ¡°Congrattions, you¡¯re pregnant. The values all appear normal now. Just make sure toe back for your prenatal checkups on time,¡± the doctor said with a smile, knowing from their expressions that they had been eagerly anticipating this news.


    ¡°Thank you, doctor.¡± Even though they already knew the results, hearing it from a medical professional made all the difference..<div>

 Chapter 577: Preparing for the Wedding

    Chapter 577: Preparing for the Wedding<div>


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    On the way home, Ye Xiaomeng tightly clutched the test results, as if holding onto a precious treasure.


    Shu Pan, seeing this, felt deeply relieved. ¡°He Ming will be overjoyed.¡±<div>


    ¡°Yeah, but I¡¯m not telling him yet. Next week is his birthday, and I n to surprise him then,¡± Ye Xiaomeng said with delight.


    Shu Pan knew Xiaomeng was mischievous like that; she wouldn¡¯t just spill the beans to He Ming.


    Days flew by quickly. Gu Shaoting seemed busy these days, and whenever he received calls, he would avoid her. Shu Pan found it mysterious but didn¡¯t pry. After all, she didn¡¯t understand his work matters.


    One evening, Gu Shaoting looked at Shu Pan sitting on the couch and said,


    ¡°Honey, I have some work matters to attend to and will be away for a few days. If you need anything, remember to call me. And don¡¯t forget to miss me.¡± Seeing how busy he had beentely, Shu Pan could guess.


    ¡°Is it going to be difficult?¡± she asked anxiously, knowing that if he had to handle it personally, it must beplicated.


    Indeed, it wasplicated because it was part of Gu Shaoting¡¯s n. He intended to hold their wedding ceremony in Bali over the weekend.


    He wanted to surprise her, so he hadn¡¯t told her in advance.


    He knew she still had regrets about not wearing a wedding dress. Last time they were shopping together, she had lingered in front of a gown for a long time, until he approached her. She thought he didn¡¯t notice, but he saw every expression on her face.


    So, this time, he quietly made preparations. The day after they got their marriage certificate, he started nning. He chose Bali because it was the perfect wedding destination¡ªromantic, beautiful, with pleasant weather. The weather in Bin City was getting cold, and he worried she wouldn¡¯t get to wear a beautiful wedding dress there.


    ¡°Well, I think I can handle it. Don¡¯t worry, ¡± Gu Shaoting said with a smile.<div>


    ¡°Alright, then. Let me help you pack,¡± Shu Pan said, getting up to go to the bedroom to pack.


    ¡°No need. I¡¯ve already packed,¡± Gu Shaoting stopped her, then pulled her onto hisp, wrapping his arms around her waist.


    Resting his head on her shoulder, he nted a gentle kiss. Shu Pan felt ticklish but warm inside.


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ll manage. Don¡¯t worry,¡± Gu Shaoting said with a smile.


    ¡°Okay, that¡¯s good. Shall I help you pack?¡± Shu Pan stood up, intending to go back to the bedroom to pack.


    ¡°No need, I¡¯ve already packed,¡± Gu Shaoting stopped her, then pulled her onto hisp, wrapping his arms around her waist.


    Resting his head on her shoulder, he nted a gentle kiss. Shu Pan felt a bit ticklish but warm inside.


    The wedding was scheduled for Sunday, and today was Thursday. Gu Shaoting was flying to Bali tomorrow.


    Although Shu Pan had to work, she felt quite uneasy without Mr. Gu at home all of a sudden.


    After Mr. Gu left on his business trip, it seemed he got even busier. He called to say he arrived safely on the day hended, but since then, there had been no news.


    On Saturday, Gu Huanhuan suddenly came over. ¡°Sis, pack your bags. We¡¯re leaving for Bali this afternoon.¡±<div>


    Shu Pan was utterly surprised. ¡°Why are we going to Bali?¡±


    ¡°My brother arranged it. You¡¯ll find out when we get there,¡± Gu Huanhuan said mysteriously.


    What kind of scheme were these siblings plotting?


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, everything, including the ne tickets, is all taken care of. Joy will be looked after, so you don¡¯t have to worry. Just rx,¡± Gu Huanhuan assured her.


    When Gu Huanhuan heard her brother¡¯s n, she truly admired him. When did her brother be so romantic? He used to be so aloof and arrogant. Now? He was like a devoted husband and father, putting his wife and daughter first in everything.


    ¡°Okay.¡± Since it was arranged by Gu Shaoting, she was curious about what was going on and agreed to go.


    In the afternoon, Shu Pan and Gu Huanhuan took a direct flight to Bali. Upon arrival at the airport, the hotel sent a car to pick them up..

 Chapter 578: Hand in Hand

    Chapter 578: Hand in Hand<div>


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    On the way, the driver told them that the hotel was the most luxurious in the area, boasting over 2,000 square meters ofwns and more than 1,000 square meters of pristine beach.


    Gu Huanhuan thought to herself that the wedding would probably take ce on thewn.<div>


    Shu Pan also felt excited. This ce was truly stunning.


    She couldn¡¯t help but wonder why Gu Shaoting had chosen this ce. Was it for their honeymoon?


    Because many people loved to honeymoon here. Sunshine, sandy beaches, clear skies, crystal-clear waters¡­


    ¡°Sis, this ce is beautiful, isn¡¯t it? Enjoy it to the fullest,¡± Gu Huanhuan chuckled.


    Upon arriving at the hotel, the receptionist led them to a seaside vi. As soon as Shu Pan put down her luggage, the vi¡¯s private butler said, ¡°Miss Shu, please follow me.¡±


    Obviously, it was all arranged by Gu Shaoting, and everything was shrouded in mystery.


    Shu Pan grabbed Gu Huanhuan¡¯s arm and asked, ¡°What do you think my brother is up to? It doesn¡¯t seem like a honeymoon with all these people around. ¡±


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll tell you now. My brother wants to give you an unforgettable wedding.¡± Gu Huanhuan¡¯s words confirmed what Shu Pan had been thinking.


    Shu Pan suddenly felt moved. Really, this man had given her so many surprisestely, making up for her previous regrets.


    She knew that deep down, he regretted missing out on so much and wanted to make it up to her.


    Now she wanted to say, ¡°Darling, let¡¯s not dwell on the past anymore. Let¡¯s focus on the future and face it together.¡±<div>


    ¡°Are you touched? Really, sis, my brother has changed a lot since he met you. Thank you for making him live a more fulfilling life, not just like a work machine,¡± Gu Huanhuan said sincerely.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, we¡¯ll be fine,¡± Shu Pan nodded.


    ¡°Then, shall I take you to see the wedding venue first?¡± Gu Huanhuan suggested.


    ¡°Well¡­ Where¡¯s your brother? I¡¯d like to see him first,¡± Shu Pan said, feeling a bit embarrassed.


    Gu Huanhuan pped her forehead. Really, she was too careless. They were on their honeymoon, and a day without seeing each other felt like an eternity. How could she understand when she was single and alone?


    Before Gu Huanhuan could speak, the butler beside her smiled and said, ¡°Actually, the venue isn¡¯t ready yet. The staff are still setting up, and the flowers haven¡¯t been arranged. I suggest you take a look tomorrow when you get married. For now, Mr. Gu has already ordered Chinese food in the restaurant. Would you like to rest for a while before going over, or would you prefer to go now?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s go now. I¡¯m a little hungry anyway,¡± Shu Pan said.


    ¡°Alright.¡± The butler nodded and continued, ¡°After dinner, you can take a stroll or rx by the pool, or even go for a swim. Tonight, Mr. Gu is nning a barbecue party by the beach.¡±


    ¡°Wow, that sounds amazing! My brother nned everything perfectly,¡± Gu Huanhuan eximed happily. She was always eager to join in the fun.


    Shu Pan felt as sweet as honey inside.


    Mr. Gu had indeed nned everything to be full of surprises. She couldn¡¯t wait to see him and give him a passionate kiss.<div>


    She loved everything about the hotel and was eagerly anticipating the barbecue party at night. But where was the man who had given her so many surprises? Where had he disappeared to? Didn¡¯t he Imow she had arrived? Why wasn¡¯t heing to find her?


    Shu Pan picked up her phone and called Gu Shaoting. ¡°I¡¯ve arrived at the hotel,


    Mr. Gu. Where are you?¡±


    ¡°Ah, you¡¯ve arrived. Come over to the restaurant for dinner. I¡¯m a bit busy at the moment, but I¡¯lle find you as soon as I¡¯m free. Don¡¯t wander around, stay with Huanhuan,¡± Gu Shaotinq instructed. He was worried because she rarely traveled far. He didn¡¯t want her to get lost.. After all, they couldn¡¯t have a wedding without the bride tomorrow, could they?

 Chapter 579: The romantic Mr. Gu

    Chapter 579: The romantic Mr. Gu<div>


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    ¡°I got it,¡± Shu Pan¡¯s words barely settled before Gu Shaoting hurriedly hung up the phone.


    Shu Pan looked at the phone somewhat speechlessly. Things weren¡¯t quite as she had imagined.<div>


    After such a long time apart, shouldn¡¯t there have been a warm embrace first? But now she couldn¡¯t even see him.


    ¡°Looks like my brother is busy with wedding preparations. After all, organizing a wedding takes a lot of effort and there are so many details to attend to,¡± Gu Huanhuan said, noticing Shu Pan¡¯s disappointment, and quickly tried tofort her.


    ¡°I understand. He must be working hard,¡± Huanhuan said correctly. She hadn¡¯t been considerate enough.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go. Let¡¯s grab something to eat first,¡± Gu Huanhuan said, pulling Shu Pan along.


    True to its reputation, the restaurant in the upscale hotel served delicious food that almost made one bite their tongue.


    Shu Pan had a good appetite and ate quite a bit, while Gu Huanhuan, always a foodie, didn¡¯t care much about watching her figure at the moment.


    After dinner, it was already past 5 0¡¯clock, and guests started arriving one after another. He Ming and Ye Xiaomeng, Shu Laide and Auntie Lu, Joy, Auntie Li, and others all arrived.


    Shu Pan was pleasantly surprised. She hadn¡¯t expected everyone toe. She had thought it would just be a few close friends and rtives.


    ¡°Dad, Auntie Lu,¡± Shu Pan quickly went over. She had mentioned to them when registering, but she hadn¡¯t expected Gu Shaoting to bring them here as well.


    ¡°Panpan, this is wonderful! You must be the most beautiful bride, and Shaoting is so thoughtful, having the wedding in such a beautiful ce,¡± Auntie Lu said, shaking Shu Pan¡¯s hand.


    Shu Laide nodded in agreement, looking very approving.<div>


    ¡°Mom, why didn¡¯t you bring me with you?¡± Joy showed a bit of a sulkiness because her mom hadn¡¯t informed her abouting.


    Shu Pan looked apologetic. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. It won¡¯t happen again.¡±


    She Imew she had made a mistake. She had forgotten to bring Joy along.


    After settling them, Shu Pan went to find Ye Xiaomeng.


    ¡°Girl, are you trying to make us women jealous? Mr. Gu spoils you too much.


    Proposals, buying ad spaces for derations of love, and now a wedding in Bali. Are you trying to make us all green with envy?¡± Ye Xiaomeng couldn¡¯t help but feel a twinge of envy and resentment.


    ¡°Xiaomeng, you¡¯re here too? You need to be careful now, especially in the early stages. Don¡¯t overexert yourself,¡± Shu Pan said when she saw Ye Xiaomeng, feeling both happy and concerned. She pulled Xiaomeng aside and earnestly advised her.


    It was really not suitable to fly when one was just pregnant. It could be risky if one strained oneself too much.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ve consulted the doctor, and the flight is short. I don¡¯t feel tired at all. I know my body, so please don¡¯t worry,¡± Ye Xiaomeng reassured her. She was more nervous about the baby than anyone else. She had consulted the doctor, and they said it was fine.


    She didn¡¯t want to miss such an important moment with her bestie.


    ¡°That¡¯s good then,¡± Shu Pan said, helping her to sit down.<div>


    He Ming saw the two of them whispering to each other and didn¡¯t want to interrupt. He nced around and decided to go find Gu Shaoting, see if there was anything he needed help with.


    ¡°He Ming doesn¡¯t know yet, does he?¡± Shu Pan guessed. If he did, things probably wouldn¡¯t be like this.


    ¡°I haven¡¯t told him. If I did, I probably wouldn¡¯t be allowed to leave the house,¡± Ye Xiaomeng understood He Ming. He would definitely want her to stay home every day, fearing something might happen.


    ¡°Anyway, be careful. There are a lot of guests here. Don¡¯t push yourself to join in on everything,¡± Shu Pan said, genuinely worried about any potential mishaps.


    ¡°I know, Mother Shu, go take care of yourself. Tomorrow, you¡¯ll be the most beautiful bride,¡± Ye Xiaomeng teased her.


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll go attend to the other guests. If you need anything, just call me or He Ming,¡± Shu Pan said before gracefully leaving..

 Chapter 580: Barbecue Party

    Chapter 580: Barbecue Party<div>


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Shu Pan saw many rtives and friends, all of whom she had met at thest family gathering. She nodded politely and exchanged greetings with each of them. Everyone praised her for her obedient demeanor.


    However, there was one person who treated her indifferently, and that was Song Can, who had also attended the gathering. Initially, she had been reluctant toe because her son had grown up and no longer listened to her. She disagreed with the decision, but since the majority agreed, she had toe. Not attending would have brought disgrace to the family, as everyone knew about the strained rtionship between her and her daughter-inw. Moreover, if she didn¡¯te, Shu Pan would be the truedy of the Gu family, and everyone would start favoring her. So, despite her reluctance, she came out of necessity.<div>


    However, her attendance didn¡¯t mean she would show Shu Pan a pleasant expression. She found fault in the way Shu Pan greeted the rtives, deeming her behaviorcking the grace of a refineddy.


    ¡°Mom, you¡¯re here. Take a seat inside. You must be tired,¡± Shu Pan approached her with a forced smile, although she actually wanted to turn and leave, not wanting to face her coldness.


    But she didn¡¯t want to be rude in front of everyone.


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t dare,¡± Song Can retorted coldly.


    Feeling embarrassed, Shu Pan reminded herself that Song Can was her beloved man¡¯s mother, so she held back her difort.


    ¡°Mom, excuse me, I need to attend to other friends now. Have fun,¡± Shu Pan forced a smile.


    Finally out of Song Can¡¯s vicinity, Shu Pan felt relieved. She had felt suffocated during their conversation.


    Thankfully, they didn¡¯t live together, or the situation would have been unbearable.


    In the evening, everyone gathered on the beach for a barbecue. Dozens of people enjoyed the plentiful food and drinks provided by the hotel, creating a lively atmosphere of camaraderie among rtives and friends.


    Gu Shaoting and He Ming arrived at the barbecue party just a few minutes after it started. Mr. Gu, who had been by the seaside for a few days, was dressed in casual nants and a white shirt. adorned bv the orange glow of the sunset. His profile was cool and his demeanor graceful, but what was rare was the hint of a smile ying on his lips, captivating everyone¡¯s gaze.


    Gu Shaoting¡¯s eyes immediately fell on Shu Pan amidst the rosy glow. She looked gentle and ethereal in the sunset. He approached her quietly and then gently wrapped his arms around her waist from behind.<div>


    Shu Pan was startled for a moment, then turned to see Gu Shaoting. ¡°You¡¯ve worked hard,¡± Shu Pan said, noticing a hint of fatigue in his eyes.


    ¡°I¡¯m not tired. I¡¯m happy. Do you like it?¡± Gu Shaoting took the opportunity to hold Shu Pan¡¯s hand, gently bringing it to his lips and nting a soft kiss.


    ¡°Yes, I do. Thank you. It¡¯s unforgettable,¡± Shu Pan replied, feeling shy with so many people around, and quickly pulled her hand away.


    ¡°Bro, why did you just show up now? Your wife has been looking for you several times,¡± Gu Huanhuan teased Gu Shaoting, causing Shu Pan to blush even more.


    At that moment, other rtives from the family approached,ughing heartily. ¡°You¡¯ve chosen a wonderful ce. The weather is perfect. If we were getting married in Bin City, we¡¯d have to wear thick clothes.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, and there¡¯s so much seafood to enjoy. If it weren¡¯t for Shaoting¡¯s wedding, we probably wouldn¡¯t have had the chance toe to such a beautiful ce,¡± another rtive chimed in.


    ¡°My apologies for not greeting you properly. Please, help yourselves to more,¡± Gu Shaoting said with a faint smile.


    ¡°Shaoting, your mom is here too. I greeted her earlier, but she seemed a bit upset. You should go check on her,¡± Shu Pan suddenly remembered and mentioned to him..

 Chapter 581: Bachelor Night

    Chapter 581: Bachelor Night<div>


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    ¡°Alright, it¡¯s okay. I¡¯ll go check on herter. Don¡¯t worry too much. Weddings are supposed to be happy asions, and I don¡¯t want anything to disrupt ours. The fewerplications, the better. I¡¯m sorry you have to deal with this,¡± Gu Shaoting said somewhat helplessly, knowing there wasn¡¯t much he could do about his mother.


    ¡°Okay, no problem,¡± Shu Pan said, feeling a bit relieved.<div>


    ¡°Let¡¯s go eat something. I¡¯ve been busy all day and haven¡¯t had lunch yet,¡± Gu Shaoting said, taking Shu Pan¡¯s hand and leading her to the barbecue grill, where he picked up a grilled chicken wing.


    Shu Pan was taken aback and immediately felt sorry. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you say earlier? What else do you want to eat? Let me help you grill.¡±


    ¡°Grill some beef and shrimp for me,¡± Gu Shaoting said, watching everyone having a good time, feeling happy himself.


    Shu Pan focused on grilling for him. ¡°You¡¯ve worked hard, honey.¡±


    Gu Shaoting leaned in beside her and said, ¡°I won¡¯te to sleep tonight. Judy will deliver the wedding gown she customized for you to your roomter, and


    Huanhuan will apany you to try it on.¡±


    ¡°Where are you going?¡± Shu Pan blurted out.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t there a tradition that newlyweds shouldn¡¯t sleep together on the eve of the wedding?¡± Gu Shaoting paused for a moment, then continued, ¡°It¡¯s just for one night. It¡¯ll pass quickly.¡±


    His words felt awkward, as if Shu Pan was eagerly anticipating it. She blushed.


    She retorted somewhat indignantly, ¡°I¡¯m morefortable alone, but are you sure you don¡¯t want to see me in my wedding dress?¡±


    ¡°Not tonight. I¡¯ll save the surprise for tomorrow,¡± Gu Shaoting teased her.<div>


    ¡°Actually, He Ming and the others are throwing me a bachelor party tonight, starting at 11. I couldn¡¯t decline.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t get drunk,¡± Shu Pan reminded him.


    ¡°I won¡¯t. Tomorrow is an important day in my life, and I can¡¯t afford any mistakes,¡± Gu Shaoting said, even more nervous than Shu Pan.


    Shu Pan grilled a lot of food for Gu Shaoting, and he enjoyed it immensely. In fact, he didn¡¯t want to attend any bachelor party; he just wanted to be with his wife. But his friends had made it clear that if he didn¡¯t attend tonight, they would cause trouble during the wedding night.


    For the sake of an unforgettable wedding night, he reluctantly agreed.


    In the most inconspicuous corner of the party, Gu Huanhuan quietly grilled food while wearing a hat. In front of her were tofu, chives, shrimp, beef, and more.


    She tried to keep a low profile because most of the people there were friends, not rtives. However, someone still noticed her and struck up a conversation.


    Feeling a bit impatient, she couldn¡¯t help but think about how she used to dream of being a star. But ever since she became famous, she lost her freedom and privacy. She was starting to regret it.


    The men kept boasting about their achievements, how manypanies they owned, and how much property they had. Finally, they asked, ¡°Miss Gu, could I have your phone number?¡±


    Gu Huanhuan felt speechless. She couldn¡¯t stand people like this. She remembered meeting a fortune teller at the beginning of the year who said she would meet her true love this year.


    Now it seemedughable. Where was her true love? She didn¡¯t know, but she knew these were all just rotten peach blossoms.<div>


    ¡°Sorry, it¡¯s not convenient for me to give out my number. My agency has rules,¡± she replied politely, not wanting to offend the guest.


    The man was left feeling embarrassed and walked away.


    Looking around, Gu Huanhuan noticed that most people had left, feeling tired and heading back to their rooms.


    She quickly finished up what she was doing and decided to head back too. She had an important taskter: helping her cousin-inw try on her wedding dress..

 Chapter 582: Charming Bride

    Chapter 582: Charming Bride<div>


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Shu Pan checked the time; it was nearly 10 o¡¯clock, and the men had their own ns, having already shifted their focus elsewhere. Joy had been taken back to the hotel to sleep by her grandparents.


    Just now, Gu Shaoting had mentioned that the wedding dress had been delivered to her room. Due to Judy¡¯s priormitments, she couldn¡¯t make it, so Huanhuan would help herter.<div>


    Scanning the beach, she didn¡¯t spot Huanhuan. She called her and heard Huanhuan¡¯s soft, weak voice on the phone, ¡°I¡¯m at the vi. I might have overindulged in barbecue and feel a bit full, so I came back. Cousin-inw, when are youing back? We need to try on the wedding dresster.¡±


    Shu Pan chuckled softly, feeling sorry for her; she probably didn¡¯t dare to eat much usually, but today, she let loose a bit and overate.


    Being a star, maintaining one¡¯s figure could indeed be tough.


    ¡°Oh, by the way, cousin-inw, when youe back, could you bring me back two chicken wings?¡± Gu Huanhuan suddenly added.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you already full?¡± Shu Pan wondered, suspecting she might have eaten something bad.


    ¡°I want to eat themter. I haven¡¯t had chicken wings tonight,¡± she exined. Missing out on chicken wings during a barbecue would be regrettable.


    ¡°Alright, see youter.¡±


    After hanging up, Shu Pan grilled two chicken wings for her. Now Huanhuan wouldn¡¯t have any regrets this time.


    At ten o¡¯clock that night, Shu Pan returned to the hotel vi. Huanhuan eagerly grabbed the chicken wings and devoured them. They were so delicious, and she was lucky not to have missed out.


    Observing Huanhuan almost swallow the chicken bones, Shu Pan looked at her suspiciously, ¡°Are they really that good? Are you sure you¡¯ve eaten enough tonight?¡±


    Huanhuan nervously moistened her lips, ¡°I¡¯m full. Tonight¡¯s meal made up for a whole day¡¯s worth of calories.¡±<div>


    After they finished freshening up, Judy¡¯s assistant arrived with the gowns. Not only the bride¡¯s but also the bridesmaids¡¯ dresses had been designed.


    Huanhuan was serving as the bridesmaid, while one of Gu Shaoting¡¯s friends was the groomsman.


    Originally, they had intended to ask Ye Xiaomeng to be the bridesmaid, but she declined, citing a past experience of being left at a wedding, which she felt carried negative connotations, so they moved on.


    With Ye Xiaomeng not being the bridesmaid, He Ming definitely wouldn¡¯t want to be the groomsman either.


    Holding the gown in her hands, Huanhuan was almost moved to tears. ¡°I never imagined I would get to wear a gown designed by Ms. Judy. It¡¯s such an honor.¡±


    Shu Pan smiled knowingly. Indeed, Judy¡¯s designs were renowned worldwide. To have her design one¡¯s clothes required not just money but also connections, and it also depended on her mood. Not everyone could have the privilege of her craftsmanship.


    Judy¡¯s assistant had witnessed many such scenes before, so she wasn¡¯t surprised at all. She calmly said, ¡°Let¡¯s get you fitted.¡±


    As Shu Pan struggled to carry the incredibly long train of the wedding dress, worried about dirtying it, Huanhuan stepped in to help.


    The wedding dress, though seemingly simple, was intricate enough that one person couldn¡¯t manage to put it on alone. The train alone was three meters long, adorned with clusters of embroidered flower petals. The neckline of the dress was off-shoulder, delicately exposing Shu Pan¡¯s fair shoulders. The sleeves were also intricately embroidered with floral patterns,plemented by a gauzy veil draped elegantly over Shu Pan¡¯s head.


    Indeed, Shu Pan felt like she was living a dream as she adorned herself in the coveted wedding dress. It transformed her into a princess, exuding grace and allure.


    As Shu Pan admired the design of the dress, it resembled the one she had seen in the mall that day, but it exuded a stronger sense of style and was more captivating. After all, it was designed by a renowned fashion designer, ensuring it stood out.<div>


    Huanhuan, ustomed to seeing celebrities in gowns every day, was genuinely awestruck by the sight.

 Chapter 583: A Beautiful Wedding Dress

    Chapter 583: A Beautiful Wedding Dress<div>


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Shu Pan had always had a naturally innocent appearance, but now, with Judy¡¯s design, it highlighted her purity while also bringing out her allure.


    ¡°Cousin-inw, this is just too stunning. Ms. Judy truly is a master. This design¡­ it¡¯s just incredible,¡± Huanhuan eximed, her words stumbling a bit. She imagined her brother¡¯s reaction would be the same when he saw Shu Pan.<div>


    Looking at herself in the mirror, Shu Pan felt truly beautiful. It was her first time wearing a wedding dress, and now she understood why every woman had dreams of wearing one¡ªit truly could transform a woman into a princess.


    She was deeply moved; finally, she was wearing a wedding dress, and she had no regrets.


    She stared at her reflection for a long time, feeling like a fairy, almost wanting to take a picture to show Gu Shaoting.


    When did she start caring so much about his gaze?


    But she held back; showing him now would ruin the surprise for tomorrow.


    She really wanted him to see her looking beautiful and then see his reaction, like a stunned goose.


    The more she thought about it, the happier she felt.


    In short, she absolutely adored this wedding dress.


    In Huanhuan¡¯s words, this dress seemed tailor-made for her, unique and wless¡ªhow could it not be beautiful?


    Huanhuan had been extremely satisfied when she first saw her bridesmaid dress because Judy knew exactly what color suited her and how to entuate her figure to hide any ws. But now, seeing Shu Pan, she couldn¡¯t help but feel envious.


    In her heart, Huanhuan thought, ¡°If I ever get married, wearing a dress designed by Judy would be amazing.¡±<div>


    But then, in the next moment, sheughed at herself; marriage? She didn¡¯t even have a boyfriend now. Thinking about marriage was too far-fetched.


    ¡°Cousin-inw, if my brother sees you, he¡¯ll be speechless. So, you should get some beauty sleep early tonight and give him a big surprise tomorrow,¡± Huanhuan suggested.


    ¡°Okay,¡± Shu Pan replied, a hint of blush coloring her cheeks.


    ¡°I envy you, cousin-inw, being able to wear such a beautiful wedding dress,¡± Huanhuan voiced her inner thoughts.


    Shu Panforted her, ¡°Actually, when you truly meet the right person, it¡¯s about loving them for who they are. What wedding dress you wear isn¡¯t that important. It¡¯s just the icing on the cake. Being able to wear one is great, but it¡¯s okay if you can¡¯t. After all, it¡¯s just a formality. What really matters is mutual love and affection.¡±


    ¡°That actually makes sense,¡± Huanhuan nodded.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, when you get married, your brother will definitely ask Teacher Judy to design a unique wedding dress for you,¡± Shu Pan smiled, ¡°Seeing the wedding dress, are you starting to feel envious?¡±


    ¡°No, I think being single is fine,¡± Huanhuan blushed under Shu Pan¡¯s teasing.


    Shu Pan slowly took off the wedding dress, hung it up, knowing that tomorrow she would wear it to marry the man she loved most.


    It¡¯s truly incredible how things turned out.


    Everything was arranged. Following Huanhuan¡¯s advice, Shu Pan applied a face mask, feeling content.<div>


    She thought she¡¯d probably have trouble sleeping tonight.


    Just as she was about to count sheep, Gu Shaoting¡¯s call came through.


    ¡°Hey, what¡¯s up? Aren¡¯t you at the bachelor party? Howe you have time to call?¡± Shu Pan spoke softly, worried about disturbing others.


    Fortunately, Gu Shaoting had good hearing and could hear her clearly.


    ¡°Missed you,¡± his voice, with its maic charm, cast a spell over her.


    ¡°Are you nervous too?¡± Shu Pan teased him.

 Chapter 584: First Meeting

    Chapter 584: First Meeting<div>


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    ¡°I¡¯m not nervous. Marrying you is my biggest dream, and tomorrow is the moment I make that dreame true. I¡¯m just excited,¡± Gu Shaoting said, his words deeply moving.


    Shu Pan was taken aback, her cheeks flushing. This man really knew how to speak words of love that touched her soul.<div>


    She didn¡¯t know what to say. Her heart was overflowing with emotions. She wanted to say that she felt the same, that marrying him was the happiest thing for her.


    But the words stuck in her throat, and Gu Shaoting continued, ¡°How about you? Are you nervous? Is the wedding dress fitting well?¡±


    Gu Shaoting¡¯s voice, tinged with the huskiness ofte night, added to the allure.


    ¡°I am nervous. Worried that something might go wrong tomorrow. As for the wedding dress, well, you¡¯ll find out tomorrow,¡± Shu Pan replied, mastering the art of teasing.


    ¡°Hehe, now you¡¯ve got me looking forward to it even more.¡±


    ¡°Are you still partying? Have you been drinking?¡± Shu Pan asked with concern.


    ¡°Just a little bit. Don¡¯t worry, I know my limits. You should get some rest. Tomorrow will be a busy day, and you might be tired,¡± Gu Shaoting nced at the time. It was indeedte, and it was best to wrap things up soon, or he might struggle to get up tomorrow.


    ¡°Okay, goodnight.¡± After hanging up the phone, Shu Pan¡¯s mood remained unsettled.


    Tomorrow, she would be his bride, and she was truly happy.


    Due to nerves and excitement, Shu Pan found herself unable to sleep, resulting in faint dark circles under her eyes. It seemed that what she feared hade true.


    When the makeup artist came to do her makeup the next day and noticed the dark circles, she couldn¡¯t help but jest, ¡°Did you stay up all night, too excited about getting married today that you couldn¡¯t sleep, hence the dark circles?¡±<div>


    Shu Pan felt annoyed. ¡°You must find a way to cover up my dark circles. I must look beautiful today.¡±


    Shu Pan med Gu Shaoting. She had been about to fall asleep when he called again.


    Now, with two dark circles under her eyes, she couldn¡¯t help but feel self-conscious.


    The makeup artist diligently applied makeup to Shu Pan¡¯s face. Fortunately, Shu Pan had good skin, so she didn¡¯t need much makeup. They just needed to use some foundation to cover up her dark circles.


    Shu Pan vowed to herself that she would look absolutely stunning today, it was a once-in-a-lifetime asion after all.


    Understanding the bride¡¯s mindset, the makeup artist reassured her, ¡°You will be the most beautiful one today, I promise. You can trust me to make you look absolutely gorgeous.¡±


    Gu Huanhuan watched as Shu Pan applied makeup, knowing it was almost time to pick up the bride.


    She had finished her own makeup. Being in the entertainment industry, she couldn¡¯t afford to be ipetent in makeup skills. Hence, she had mastered the art but only for herself, not for others.


    With her makeup done, she nned to change into her bridesmaid dress in the adjacent dressing room.


    After exchanging greetings with Shu Pan, she entered the room. As she didn¡¯t expect anyone else toe in, she casually closed the door behind her.


    Just as she was about to change into her gown, the door suddenly swung open without warning.<div>


    Gu Huanhuan jumped in fright, momentarily unable to react. Clearly, the person who opened the door was just as surprised; he hadn¡¯t expected to walk into the wrong room.


    Gu Huanhuan eximed, ¡°Pervert!¡± before quickly using her clothes to cover herself.


    Wen Chi was stunned by her usation. He quickly apologized, ¡°Sorry, I walked into the wrong room.¡±


    ¡°Close the door immediately!¡± Gu Huanhuan was furious. How could such a thing happen?


    Wen Chi finally realized his mistake and promptly shut the door.


    Finally regaining herposure, Gu Huanhuan hurriedly put on her gown and zipped it up.

 Chapter 585: Is There Such a Handsome Pervert?

    Chapter 585: Is There Such a Handsome Pervert?<div>


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Gu Huanhuan nced at the man, not paying much attention, but she could tell he wasn¡¯t a good person. His flirtatious eyes indicated he was likely to stir up trouble.


    However, his voice sounded gentle and clean, giving off aforting vibe. He appeared refined and courteous, but who would have thought he was a pervert? Truly, looks could be deceiving.<div>


    The more Gu Huanhuan thought about it, the angrier she became. Everyone here today was attending a wedding. Was he here for the same reason? Whose friend was he? Her brother¡¯s?


    She doubted her cousin-inw would have such sleazy friends.


    Gu Huanhuan vowed that if she encountered him again, there would definitely be a showdown.


    Wen Chi also found the situation perplexing. He hade to attend Shu Pan¡¯s wedding but hadn¡¯t anticipated this awkward encounter.


    Initially, upon hearing about Shu Pan¡¯s marriage, he had been feeling down and uninspired about everything.


    But someone had invited him to her wedding, and it took him a while to decide to attend.


    Months ago, she had already told him that they were impossible.


    And his mother was one of the obstacles. He couldn¡¯t do much about it. If Shu Pan¡¯s beloved was him, he would have persisted. But since it wasn¡¯t, what was the point of holding on?


    He figured it was better to let her go, allowing her to love and live freely without worries.


    As long as she was happy, what did it matter to him?


    They still kept in touch but less frequently, and their interactions had be more distant.<div>


    Mainly because Shu Pan wanted to avoid any misunderstandings. She believed that since it was impossible between them, she shouldn¡¯t give Wen Chi any false hope so that he could find someone more suitable for him.


    Wen Chi was a good man, the best she had ever met. He had a good temperament, impable character, high intellect, and was handsome to boot. Someone as wonderful as him was beyond her league.


    So, it was better for them to revert to being friends. That way, they wouldn¡¯t feel awkward when they met.


    Nevertheless, Wen Chi still wanted to see the girl he loved happy.


    So, when he received the invitation, he ultimately decided to attend.


    He figured that once the wedding started, Shu Pan would be even busier, and it would be difficult to find a moment to talk to her. So, after arriving at the venue, he wanted to find Shu Pan and offer his blessings in person.


    However, when he asked one of the venue staff, they mentioned that the bride was in the dressing room on the other side, getting ready. He walked over, knocked on the door, and heard a voice say, ¡°Come in.¡± But when he opened the door, he saw a girl changing inside.


    He was momentarily stunned and couldn¡¯t react otherwise. He quickly nced at the girl, who was beautiful and had a strong personality, but her character seemed a bit¡­


    He assumed she must be severely nearsighted because she had called him a ¡°pervert.¡± At that moment, he wanted to ask, ¡°How could I possibly resemble a pervert?¡± He had never shown any interest in women who threw themselves at him, and he always treated women with respect in his profession. He had never had any other thoughts.


    Why had he opened the wrong door and been called such a name?


    Nevertheless, the girl¡¯s cry snapped him out of his daze, and after closing the door, he felt bewildered.<div>


    He had wanted to surprise Shu Pan, so he hadn¡¯t told her he would being beforehand. Now, it seemed he would have to call her instead.


    Just as he was about to make the call, the door of the makeup room next to him opened, and a person came out, carrying a makeup bag.


    Wen Chi quickly approached and asked if the bride was inside.


    The makeup artist, noticing his well-groomed appearance and charming demeanor, was about to speak when Wen Chi interjected, ¡°I¡¯m her friend and I wanted to offer my blessings in person.¡±


    Being scrutinized for a moment, Wen Chi assumed the makeup artist was concerned he might be a bad person, so he quickly rified his intentions.

 Chapter 586: Wen Chi’s Blessing

    Chapter 586: Wen Chi¡¯s Blessing<div>


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    The makeup artist looked at Wen Chi and didn¡¯t think he seemed like a bad person, so she pointed to the makeup room with her finger. ¡°The bride just finished her makeup and she¡¯s inside. If you want to see her, go ahead quickly, she¡¯ll be changing soon.¡±


    Wen Chi expressed his gratitude and quickly said, ¡°Thank you so much.¡± Finally, He didn¡¯t have to worry about missing her.<div>


    As Wen Chi approached the door, his heart was still pounding. It had been so long since they had seen each other, and he was indeed a bit nervous. He suppressed his excitement, then knocked on the door. A familiar voice from inside said, ¡°Come in.¡±


    Shu Pan was still looking at herself in the mirror, wondering if the dark circles under her eyes werepletely covered.


    Hearing the knock, she thought it was the makeup artist returning something she had forgotten or maybe it was Huan Huan, so she didn¡¯t turn around, still earnestly examining her face.


    It really had to be said, that clothes make the man, and makeup adds to the allure.


    Under the makeup artist¡¯s skillful hands, she looked like apletely different person.


    Look, her face in the mirror had a faint peach-colored blush on her fairplexion, making her look more lively. Her willow-leaf eyebrows were delicately arched, her nose petite and exquisite, her lips rosy and enticing, and most importantly, the faint dark circles under her eyes had been cleverly concealed by the makeup artist.


    Shu Pan smiled satisfactorily. Just as she was admiring herself, she realized why the person who had juste in hadn¡¯t made any noise or spoken.


    She turned around slowly, somewhat incredulously covering her mouth.


    ¡°Chi¡­ Wen Chi¡­¡± Shu Pan doubted whether she was hallucinating. How could he be here?


    She hadn¡¯t even told him she was getting married today.


    ¡°Panpan, you look so beautiful. I hope you¡¯ve been well.¡± Wen Chi remained as gentle and refined as ever.<div>


    If it weren¡¯t for the unmistakable sound of his voice in her ears, she wouldn¡¯t have believed it.


    Wen Chi walked slowly towards her, looking at her exquisite makeup. Yes, the girl he loved was going to marry someone else today. He thought he had truly let go, but standing in front of her now, he realized he still cared deeply. His heart felt like it was being pricked by thousands of needles.


    But he pretended as if everything was fine, remaining calm andposed.


    ¡°Wen Chi, thank you foring,¡± Shu Pan said, regardless of how he knew she was getting married today. As long as he was here, it was enough.


    ¡°Yeah, Panpan, you must be happy. I¡¯ll silently wish you well always. If he doesn¡¯t treat you right, you must tell me,¡± Wen Chi said softly.


    But those words warmed her heart. Wen Chi was still the same as before, unchanged.


    Shu Pan fought back tears, worried about ruining her makeup. She nodded repeatedly. ¡°I will, Wen Chi. I will make sure to be happy, and I wish you to find your true soulmate soon.¡±


    Wen Chi chuckled self-deprecatingly. A true soulmate? It would probably be difficult now.


    But to ease Shu Pan¡¯s worry, he smiled. ¡°I will, don¡¯t worry.¡±


    He looked at her one more time, etching her most beautiful appearance deeply into his mind.


    From now on, as a wife, she couldn¡¯t be as carefree as before, doing as she pleased.<div>


    Wen Chi felt sentimental. All he could do now was to wish her well.


    ¡°It¡¯s about time. Don¡¯t dy the auspicious moment. Get ready soon. We¡¯ll catch up when we have the chance in the future,¡± Wen Chi nced at his watch. It was almost time. Being able to meet her alone and bless her in person was enough for him. He was content.


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ve been neglectful today. Have fun,¡± Shu Pan said apologetically. She knew she hadn¡¯t had time to take care of him today.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me. Just be a beautiful bride,¡± Wen Chi said with a smile.

 Chapter 587: So You Know Each Other

    Chapter 587: So You Know Each Other<div>


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Just as the two were finishing their conversation, Wen Chi was about to leave when Gu Huanhuan rushed in.


    ¡°Sis, are you ready?¡± Gu Huanhuan¡¯s voice preceded her.<div>


    ¡°All set,¡± Shu Pan replied quickly, seeing Gu Huanhuan¡¯s hurried appearance.


    It wasn¡¯t until Gu Huanhuan regained her senses that she noticed there was someone else standing beside Shu Pan.


    ¡°It¡¯s you, the pervert?¡± Gu Huanhuan blurted out. Even if he turned to ashes, she would remember him.


    She had never encountered anything like this before in her life. It was simply outrageous.


    To think that he had the audacity toe here again, to her cousin-inw¡¯s ce. He must have nerves of steel.


    Gu Huanhuan frowned at him.


    ¡°You¡­ You know each other?¡± Shu Pan asked uncertainly.


    ¡°It was a misunderstanding,¡± Wen Chi exined.


    ¡°Misunderstanding?¡± This guy, he just casually brushes it off as a misunderstanding. But then again, would any pervert admit to being one?


    ¡°Yeah, I didn¡¯t know you were inside. I came to find Shu Pan,¡± Wen Chi said innocently, feeling wronged himself. It was his first time being called a ¡°pervert¡±.


    He was really unfairly used, okay?<div>


    Looking at the girl in front of him, so refined and sweet, why did she have to speak so harshly?


    ¡°Do you even know who I am?¡± Gu Huanhuan asked arrogantly.


    ¡°No, I¡¯ve never seen you before.¡± Was she some kind of big shot?


    Wen Chi carefully went through his memory, but he really had no recollection of her.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you watch TV asionally?¡± Gu Huanhuan couldn¡¯t help feeling speechless at his answer.


    Hermercials were so famous, aired on popr channels. If he just turned on the TV asionally, he would have seen them.


    ¡°I asionally watch the news and sports. I never watch those dramas and stuff,¡± Wen Chi replied honestly.


    ¡°Hmph, I see.¡± No wonder he didn¡¯t recognize her, not even a little.


    Thinking about the pathetic attempts at flirtation fromst night¡¯s barbecue party, who wouldn¡¯t recognize her?


    The worst part was, this guy had seen her changing clothes.


    In ancient times, she would have had to marry him.<div>


    ¡°Huanhuan, let me introduce you. This is my friend, Wen Chi. It¡¯s probably a misunderstanding. Please don¡¯t worry about it. Chi is not that kind of person,¡± Shu Pan said, sensing the tension. She understood the situation and quickly tried to smooth things over.


    In her mind, Gu Huanhuan thought, cousin-inw, some people are good at putting on a facade, but who knows what they¡¯re really like underneath.


    However, she could tell that Shu Pan valued this friend a lot, probably very close. It was her big day, no need to cause trouble or be unhappy.


    So, she tried to suppress her anger and said, ¡°Cousin-inw, it¡¯s okay now. You must change into your gown, otherwise they¡¯ll be here soon.¡±


    Gu Huanhuan¡¯s implication was clear: it was time for the unwanted guests to leave and stop being a nuisance.


    Wen Chi, being astute, quickly responded, ¡°You guys get ready. I¡¯ll leave first.¡±


    Gu Huanhuan nodded in satisfaction. He was someone who could read the room.


    ¡°Okay, let¡¯s keep in touch, Chi,¡± Shu Pan said as Wen Chi turned to leave.


    ¡°Hmph¡­¡± Gu Huanhuan couldn¡¯t help but re at him.


    ¡°Sorry about that, Huanhuan,¡± Shu Pan said, amused by her childishness.


    ¡°Cousin-inw, why are you apologizing? It¡¯s not your fault,¡± Gu Huanhuan said, annoyed at being nced at for no reason.<div>


    ¡°Huanhuan, if you really get to know Chi, you¡¯ll find that he¡¯s a great guy. He¡¯s kind, knowledgeable, and humorous¡­¡± Shu Pan tried to change Gu Huanhuan¡¯s perspective a bit.

 Chapter 588: Picking Up the Bride

    Chapter 588: Picking Up the Bride<div>


    Trantor:Nyoi-Bo StudioEditor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Upon hearing Shu Pan¡¯s words, Gu Huanhuan was stunned. She didn¡¯t know the specifics of the situation, so she refrained from expressing any opinions.


    She just wanted to assess the situation based on her own experiences.<div>


    ¡°Alright, cousin-inw, don¡¯t forget you¡¯re the star today. Come on, let me help you change into your wedding gown,¡± Gu Huanhuan quickly diverted Shu Pan¡¯s attention away from the man. Indeed, time was running out, and there was much to do today.


    Around 11 a.m., Gu Shaoting and the groomsmen came to pick up the bride.


    Gu Huanhuan and others blocked the entrance, refusing to let them pass.


    ¡°Huanhuan, let me in quickly,¡± Gu Shaoting said impatiently.


    ¡°Bro, today is not like any other day. If you don¡¯t perform well today, you might not be able to bring the bride home,¡± Gu Huanhuan teased him. It felt good finally to have the upper hand. Usually, he kept her under his thumb.


    Gu Shaoting felt a headacheing on after hearing Gu Huanhuan¡¯s words. His cousin was mischievous, and he didn¡¯t know what she might do next.


    ¡°Huanhuan, how much do you want in the red envelope? Or which design catches your eye? I¡¯ll buy it for you,¡± Gu Shaoting persisted. Beneath the veneer of wealth, there must be a way, he thought. He knew Gu Huanhuan¡¯s weak spot.


    She often pestered him to buy things. Given such a good opportunity, it would be a shame not to exploit it.


    Gu Huanhuan¡¯s eyes lit up at the suggestion. This was indeed a good opportunity.


    She blocked the entrance and reached out her hand. ¡°No more words. Bring out all the red envelopes, and you cane in.¡±


    Shu Pan, hearing this from inside the room, couldn¡¯t help but chuckle. Indeed, red envelopes had their charm.<div>


    Last night, Huanhuan had been doing her homework, racking her brains to think of ways to tease the groom and groomsmen. She even wrote down ideas in a notebook, saying she would make her cousin make a cheesy public deration of love.


    Who would have thought that as soon as Gu Shaoting mentioned money, she would abandon her principles and switch sides?


    Upon hearing Gu Huanhuan¡¯s words, Gu Shaoting felt ted. He knew her so well, and he knew this tactic would work.


    Soon after, thick stacks of red envelopes were pushed under the door. Gu Huanhuan held them in her hands, the thickness almost too much for her to grasp.


    Momentster, Gu Shaoting¡¯s deep voice came from outside the door, ¡°All the red envelopes have been given. There¡¯s not a single one left. Open the door now.¡±


    Gu Huanhuan was worried that they might be filled with just a few cents or one yuan, so she opened one to check. To her satisfaction, they were all 100 yuan bills.


    She was pleased. She admired people who were straightforward and tactful like this. She said, ¡°You cane in now, Brother. And make a heartfelt deration of love to cousin-inw.¡±


    ¡°Panpan, I love you. I was a jerk before, but I¡¯ll make you very happy in the future¡­¡± Gu Shaoting¡¯s deration was interrupted as the door swung open.


    Gu Huanhuan looked at her cousin standing at the door and couldn¡¯t help but think he really looked cool and handsome today.


    Today, Gu Shaoting wore a royal blue suit jacket with a matching vest and white shirt underneath. He adorned his corbone with a deep red bowtie, paired with trousers in the same color scheme and ck leather shoes, revealing a hint of ankle. The handmade suit entuated his handsomeness, with his facial features looking deeply chiseled and three-dimensional, as if he were the perfect creation of an artist.


    Upon seeing him enter, Shu Pan also held her breath. Mr. Gu was already handsome enough on a regr day, but in the designer gown, he appeared even more debonair and noble. How could someone be this handsome?<div>


    And he was her husband. Suddenly, she felt proud.

 Chapter 589: A Love Declaration

    Chapter 589: A Love Deration<div>


    Trantor:Nyoi-Bo StudioEditor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Shu Pan¡¯s heart was pounding now, her cheeks flushed red. Thankfully, ayer of veil covered her face. Otherwise, she would surely be embarrassed.


    How was it possible that even after being together with Gu Shaoting for so long, she still couldn¡¯t get enough of him?<div>


    She watched as he walked towards her step by step.


    Peeking through the veil, she saw him staring at her, lost in thought. Suddenly feeling shy and nervous, she lowered her head and tightly grasped the fabric of her wedding gown.


    Gu Shaoting was also overwhelmed with excitement. This incredibly beautiful woman was his wife. The thought filled him with pride.


    Suddenly, Gu Shaoting dropped to one knee and handed the bouquet of flowers to Shu Pan.


    Quietly, she epted it. Even through the veil, she could smell the fragrance of the flowers, refreshing her senses.


    Then, she heard him whisper in a voice only they could hear, ¡°Panpan, you look absolutely stunning today. I love you.¡±


    His deep voice entered her ears, and Shu Pan felt her face flush with heat, her cheeks and ears turning crimson.


    Gu Shaoting bent down, bringing his face close to hers. They could feel each other¡¯s breath.


    They stood there quietly, gazing at each other affectionately. This was what happiness looked like.


    Silently, Shu Pan reached out and wrapped her arms around his neck, burying her face in his chest, listening to Gu Shaoting whisper sweet words in her ear.


    These were the sweet nothings meant only for each other.<div>


    ¡°Bro, have you had enough hugs? We need to go to the wedding venue,¡± Gu Huanhuan interrupted as she saw them embracing for a while and noticed the guests arriving outside. She knew she was being insensitive, but today¡¯s business was important.


    Upon hearing that, Shu Pan quickly let go of his hand. Fortunately, Gu Huanhuan reminded her. Due to Ye Xiaomeng¡¯s condition, Shu Pan didn¡¯t want her to join in the excitement, and it was all Gu Huanhuan, the bridesmaid, who was handling everything.


    Gu Shaoting, however, didn¡¯t let go. He scooped Shu Pan up around the waist and carried her towards thewn where the wedding was being held.


    As Shu Pan looked at the weather outside¡ª the azure sky, the fresh air, the faint fragrance of flowers everywhere¡ª she couldn¡¯t help but marvel. The weather was perfect, neither too cold nor too hot.


    Worried about tripping, Shu Pan hugged Gu Shaoting¡¯s neck tightly. However, as they approached thewn, which still seemed quite far away, Shu Pan couldn¡¯t help but say, ¡°Put me down, I¡¯ll walk myself.¡±


    ¡°No need, I¡¯m not tired,¡± Gu Shaoting replied. He didn¡¯t find it difficult to carry her at all, despite her weight.


    A few minutester, Shu Pan finally caught sight of thewn where the wedding was being held. It was her first time seeing it, and she was stunned. The ce was truly beautiful, facing the sea, adorned with an array of flowers, lush greenery covering thewn.


    The wedding venue was set up like a fairytale world.


    Look¡ª in this fairytale world, the first thing one would pass through was an archway adorned with pink roses. Inside, a long red carpet wasid out, with flowers on either side, leading all the way to a beautiful gazebo adorned with flowers and sheer fabric at the end of the carpet.


    This was where they were going to hold the wedding ceremony, and Shu Pan couldn¡¯t help but feel pleasantly surprised.


    On either side, friends and family had already taken their seats. Shu Pan recognized many familiar faces.<div>


    Gu Shaoting put her down at one end of the red carpet and said, ¡°I¡¯ll be waiting for you up front.¡± With that, he walked straight towards the gazebo where the wedding ceremony was to take ce.

 Chapter 590: The Wedding

    Chapter 590: The Wedding<div>


    Trantor:Nyoi-Bo StudioEditor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Shu Pan watched as he walked away, feeling deeply touched. He had put so much thought into arranging such a memorable wedding for her.


    Just then, the voice of the wedding emcee broke the silence.<div>


    The wedding had begun, and the bridal march music began to y.


    Shu Laide and Joy approached her. Shu Laide held Shu Pan¡¯s hand, while Joy helped adjust her dress.


    ¡°Mommy, you look so beautiful, like a princess. Will I get to wear such pretty clothes too someday?¡± Joy said enviously. To her, Mommy was the most beautiful mommy in the world.


    She wished she could have clothes just like Mommy¡¯s.


    ¡°You will, sweetheart. When you grow up, you¡¯ll meet someone you love, and you¡¯ll look even more beautiful than Mommy,¡± Shu Pan replied, amused by Joy¡¯s innocent words.


    Shu Laide looked at Shu Pan, his heart filled with mixed emotions, feeling a lump in his throat.


    His daughter was now a wife and a mother.


    The daughter he had raised was finally going to wear a wedding gown and walk towards another man, hand in hand, to spend a lifetime together.


    Finally, he had waited for this moment, to walk his daughter down the aisle and entrust her into another man¡¯s hands.


    Step by step, he led Shu Pan through the floral arch, handing her over to Gu Shaoting.


    This scene deeply moved Shu Pan, her eyes welling up with tears. She nearly cried, fearing her makeup might smudge.<div>


    Amidst the shower of petals, Gu Shaoting held Shu Pan¡¯s hand as they walked towards the emcee.


    Feeling even more nervous, Shu Pan tightly squeezed Gu Shaoting¡¯s hand.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be nervous, I¡¯m here,¡± Gu Shaoting whispered softly.


    Shu Pan nodded, pressing her lips together.


    The wedding emcee cleared his throat and began speaking, starting with the customary thank you to all the rtives and friends for their presence, then proceeded to recount the groom and bride¡¯s journey of acquaintance and love.


    Soon, it was time for the most anticipated part of the entire wedding: the ring exchange.


    ¡°May I ask the handsome groom if you are willing to take Miss Shu Pan, this beautiful and enchantingdy beside you, to be your wife? Through sickness and health, poverty and wealth, are you willing to spend your life with her?¡± The emcee inquired.


    Gu Shaoting responded firmly, ¡°I do, very much so.¡±


    The guests chuckled at his response.


    Shu Pan found it amusing as well, but she also felt deeply moved.


    The emcee seemed pleased and then turned to Shu Pan. ¡°And may I ask the beautiful bride, if you are willing to marry this handsome andpelling groom beside you? Through sickness and health, poverty and wealth, to be together till death do you part?¡±<div>


    ¡°I do.¡± Shu Pan replied firmly, looking through her veil at Gu Shaoting before giving her answer.


    ¡°Excellent! Our bride and groom are deeply in love with each other. Pleasee forward, exchange rings to symbolize your unwavering devotion to love. Now, let the bridesmaids and groomsmen present the rings.¡± The emcee announced loudly.


    They exchanged rings as a symbol of their love, and then Gu Shaoting slowly lifted Shu Pan¡¯s veil. Their eyes met, filled with nothing but each other.


    Without waiting for the emcee¡¯s announcement, Gu Shaoting pulled Shu Pan close, nting a passionate kiss on her lips.


    The emcee, noticing this, couldn¡¯t help but tease, ¡°Though the groom is not following the script, we understand. When marrying such a beautiful bride, a bit of impatience is only natural.¡±


    The guests couldn¡¯t help butugh.


    Shu Pan wished she could disappear into the ground; this man never followed the rules.


    Gu Shaoting couldn¡¯t bear to part from Shu Pan¡¯s lips, gazing at her with such tenderness it seemed his eyes could drip with emotion.


    ¡°Honey, we¡¯re finally married,¡± he said, believing this time was the true marriage in his heart.


    ¡°Mm,¡± Shu Pan¡¯s voice choked with emotion, on the verge of tears from the overwhelming sentiment.


    <div>

 Chapter 591: Destined

    Chapter 591: Destined<div>


    Trantor:Nyoi-Bo StudioEditor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    After the ceremony, everyone began to move to the banquet area, where plenty of delicious food had been prepared.


    Shu Pan held the bouquet in her hands, and every unmarried girl had their eyes on it. She originally wanted to give it directly to Xiaomeng, to share the joy, but Xiaomeng smiled and declined, saying it wouldn¡¯t work that way.<div>


    So Shu Pan stood in front, with her back to everyone, and a crowd of girls eagerly waited, hoping to catch the bouquet. It was believed that whoever caught it would be the next one to get married.


    Gu Huanhuan looked disdainful at this tradition. She had no interest in joining the fray. As someone without even a boyfriend, what use would catching the bouquet serve? She¡¯d rather go find something to eat. After all, she had been busy all morning and was now starving.


    Wearing her bridesmaid dress, Gu Huanhuan headed towards the food area. Just then, Shu Pan tossed the bouquet high into the air, and everyone scrambled to catch it.


    Somebody identally bumped into Gu Huanhuan, causing her to stumble. Just as she was about to kiss the ground, a strong arm wrapped around her waist, preventing her fall. She was just about to say ¡°thank you¡± when the bouquetnded in her arms, and she found herself leaning against the person supporting her.


    Gu Huanhuan felt her head spinning in embarrassment.


    What on earth? She didn¡¯t want this! Why did the bouquet have to fall into her arms? She was a powerful and invincible beauty, aiming to make it big in the entertainment industry!


    ¡°Miss, while my embrace may be sturdy and warm, do you really feelfortable leaning on me like this?¡± a voice beside her sounded, teasingly.


    Gu Huanhuan snapped back to reality, feeling a bit bashful. ¡°Sorry,¡± she mumbled.


    At the same time, she turned her head and saw him? Her cousin-inw¡¯s friend, Wen Chi.


    Gu Huanhuan suddenly felt a surge of anger. This person was definitely bad luck for her. Why did she always have such encounters with him? It was like they were destined to be enemies.


    ¡°Why is it you again?¡± Gu Huanhuan said, annoyed.<div>


    ¡°It¡¯s me, but I guess I¡¯m your savior, huh? If it weren¡¯t for me catching you, you¡¯d be kissing the ground by now,¡± Wen Chi furrowed his brow, feeling like today was not his lucky day. Attending Panpan¡¯s wedding was already enough to annoy him, but to have consecutive encounters like this? It was too much.


    But women were always unreasonable. He had encountered his fair share of them, but the one before him was exceptionally irrational.


    ¡°I¡¯d rather fall on the ground,¡± Gu Huanhuan retorted stubbornly.


    If it weren¡¯t for him, she wouldn¡¯t have caught the bouquet. Who knew if that thing was cursed? What if it attracted a bunch of unwanted admirers? It was just too risky.


    Wen Chi felt utterly defeated by her. He realized he was asking for trouble. From now on, if he saw her in trouble, he¡¯d just sit back and enjoy the show.


    In the eyes of others, Gu Huanhuan¡¯s luck was unbelievably good. Not only did she catch the bouquet, but she also stumbled right into the arms of a gorgeous guy. Just look at him, so refined and charming, those peach blossom eyes were simply mesmerizing.


    All the other women couldn¡¯t help but envy her luck. Why couldn¡¯t they be the ones to stumble into someone like him?


    Gu Huanhuan watched as everyone¡¯s gaze focused on Wen Chi, feeling a twinge of disdain. ¡°Are they all blind? Can¡¯t they see he¡¯s just a facade? All glitter and no substance.¡±


    She really wanted to expose his true colors to everyone. But seeing their expressions, she hesitated. Even if she did speak up, would anyone believe her?


    Gu Huanhuan resigned herself to her misfortune. After all, her luck had been terrible this year.


    With a sigh, she turned to Wen Chi and said, ¡°Hmph, I won¡¯t lower myself to your level.¡±<div>


    With that, she briskly walked away.

 Chapter 592: You Must Be Happy

    Chapter 592: You Must Be Happy<div>


    Trantor:Nyoi-Bo StudioEditor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    At this moment, someone in the crowd recognized Gu Huanhuan. ¡°Isn¡¯t that the celebrity Huanzi? Am I seeing things?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, the more I look, the more it seems like her. It really is her,¡± someone confirmed.<div>


    The chatter continued, but Wen Chi wasn¡¯t interested and left.


    After tossing the bouquet, Shu Pan changed out of her wedding dress and into a red qipao, entuating her graceful figure.


    Gu Shaoting led her in toasting with the guests, and everyone was in high spirits.


    He Ming and Ye Xiaomeng also joined in.


    Shu Pan quickly pulled Ye Xiaomeng aside. ¡°Xiaomeng, are you okay? Do you feel ufortable anywhere?¡±


    Shu Pan had been on edge all day.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine, just not very hungry, feeling a bit queasy,¡± Ye Xiaomeng said, feeling like her morning sickness was kicking in a bit early. ording to the books, some people didn¡¯t experience symptoms until two months in. But everyone¡¯s different, and she was just more sensitive.


    But no matter how tired or difficult it got, she weed it all. This was the baby she had longed for.


    ¡°You¡¯re being too reckless. Tell He Ming as soon as possible, so you both can be careful,¡± Shu Pan frowned.


    ¡°I know, you¡¯ve only just be Madam Gu, and you¡¯re already nagging. Watch out, Mr. Gu might find you annoying,¡± Ye Xiaomeng joked, thinking Shu Pan was overly anxious.


    ¡°I¡¯m not afraid,¡± Shu Pan said nonchntly.<div>


    ¡°Are you nning to honeymoon here?¡± Ye Xiaomeng looked around at the surroundings, which were excellent.


    ¡°Yeah, we¡¯re considering it. I rushed here and have been so busy preparing for the wedding that I haven¡¯t had time to rx,¡± Shu Pan finally breathed a sigh of relief. Honestly, she used to envy brides, but now that she was one herself, she realized how agonizing it could be.


    ¡°I envy you. If it weren¡¯t for the pregnancy, I¡¯d definitely stay and enjoy,¡± Ye Xiaomengmented.


    Actually, He Ming had suggested staying for a vacation, but she had brushed it off.


    ¡°Opportunities wille in the future,¡± Shu Pan reassured her.


    As the guests finished their meals and departed, some leaving, some staying, everyone had their fun.


    Because Gu Shaoting and Shu Pan decided to stay for their honeymoon, Shu Laide took Joy back home first.


    Wen Chi had something to attend to, so he was leaving too. Shu Pan walked him for a while, and then Wen Chi suddenly stopped.


    ¡°Panpan, can I hug you onest time?¡± Wen Chi¡¯s words were barely out before he had Shu Pan in his arms.


    ¡°Panpan, you must be happy.¡± This was their final embrace.


    ¡°Okay.¡± Shu Pan felt a tinge of sadness; she owed Chi too much.<div>


    Gu Shaoting observed their interaction from not too far away.


    His brows were furrowed tightly.


    This guy had no shame, hugging someone else¡¯s wife too. Gu Shaoting regretted inviting him to the wedding in the first ce. Originally, he had hoped to make him give up, but now he seemed even more shameless. It was infuriating.


    But what could he do? He couldn¡¯t intervene in Shu Pan¡¯s social interactions since they had discussed it before.


    He stood there, eyes fixed on them, until Wen Chi finally let go of Shu Pan.


    Gu Shaoting¡¯s tense nerves finally rxed.


    Shu Pan reluctantly bid farewell to Wen Chi. In her heart, Wen Chi was like an elder brother. She would always remember his kindness.


    ¡°He¡¯s gone.¡± Gu Shaoting¡¯s tone was sour.


    ¡°Why do I smell jealousy in the air?¡± Shu Pan pretended to sniff.


    ¡°You¡¯re getting bolder. Haven¡¯t you forgotten that you¡¯re now Madam Gu?¡± Gu Shaoting remarked.


    ¡°I know. It was just a farewell hug between friends, nothing more.¡± Shu Pan exined.<div>


    Hearing her exnation, Gu Shaoting didn¡¯t say anything further. After all, he wasn¡¯t petty.

 Chapter 593: Song Can’s attitude

    Chapter 593: Song Can¡¯s attitude<div>


    Trantor:Nyoi-Bo StudioEditor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Most of the rtives and friends had left, leaving only close rtives like Shu Laide and Song Can.


    For dinner, they nned to have a meal together as two families. It was their first time sitting together since their children got married.<div>


    Shu Laide was happy and tried to engage Song Can in conversation. Unfortunately, Song Can remained with a stern expression, as if someone owed her millions.


    Seeing this, Shu Laide felt uneasy.


    Was her son¡¯s wife being treated this way because Song Can didn¡¯t approve of her daughter-inw? Otherwise, why would she act like this?


    Shu Laide had always known that Shaoting¡¯s mother didn¡¯t like Shu Pan, but he hadn¡¯t realized it was to this extent, refusing even to put on a facade.


    He couldn¡¯t help but worry. Was his daughter truly happy in such a family? Even with her husband¡¯s love, with such an attitude from her mother-inw¡­


    The more Shu Laide thought about it, the more uneasy he felt, furrowing his brow.


    Shu Pan had seen everything her father was feeling, and she felt guilty for causing him such worry.


    She usually kept her troubles to herself, and she only mentioned Song Can briefly, not telling him how she truly felt, as if Song Can were invisible.


    Sigh! It was helpless. She had grown ustomed to Song Can¡¯s indifference over time.


    But now, seeing her father¡¯s expression, she felt inexplicably sad.


    Gu Shaoting was infuriated by his mother¡¯s attitude towards his father-inw and wife. He couldn¡¯t understand why, even after they got married, she refused to ept Shu Pan.<div>


    What was she holding on to? Shu Pan had always been polite to her, despite not being from the same background as the people she preferred.


    But one¡¯s birth couldn¡¯t be chosen. Besides, with his current financial status, they didn¡¯t need anyone to add to their fortune.


    He felt it was necessary to have a talk with her. How would his father-inw view him now? He had sworn to him that he would treat his daughter well and make her happy, but now his own mother was causing trouble for her.


    However, he couldn¡¯t make the situation too awkward. He smiled at Shu Laide and said, ¡°Dad, we might need a few more days here. We¡¯ll leave Joy in your care.¡±


    ¡°No problem, it¡¯s rare for you to visit. Have fun while you¡¯re here, and we¡¯ll take good care of Joy,¡± Shu Laide replied, looking at the well-behaved Joy.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t I take Joy? I have some free time anyway,¡± Song Can interjected upon hearing Gu Shaoting¡¯s words.


    ¡°No need,¡± Gu Shaoting replied nonchntly.


    Song Can¡¯s expression instantly darkened, feeling quite unhappy. What did he mean?


    She was the child¡¯s grandmother, wasn¡¯t she better suited than an outsider? Now everyone was so capable, huh, did they still see her as anything?


    ¡°I¡¯m the child¡¯s grandmother, why can¡¯t I take care of her? Is there a problem?¡± Song Can seemed to be picking a fight with Gu Shaoting.


    ¡°You usually spend little time with the child. It¡¯s okay for a short while, but for a few days, you definitely won¡¯t be able to handle it,¡± Gu Shaoting¡¯s reasoning seemed hard to argue against.<div>


    Song Can suppressed her anger. He had a point. Taking care of a child would restrict her.


    Shu Pan stole a nce at Gu Shaoting, then gently nudged him under the table with her foot, hoping he would speak more politely and not provoke Song Can. After all, she was his mother.


    Gu Shaoting nced at her and then lightly held her hand under the table, unnoticed by anyone.


    Shu Pan¡¯s face flushed instantly. She red at him. Was he always so oblivious to the situation?

 Chapter 594: Honeymoon

    Chapter 594: Honeymoon<div>


    Trantor:Nyoi-Bo StudioEditor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    After Shu Laide and Joy had returned, it was time for Shu Pan and Gu Shaoting¡¯s honeymoon.


    This honeymoon was something Gu Shaoting had longed for. With no one to disturb them, it was just the two of them, quietly enjoying this serene time.<div>


    Gu Shaoting held Shu Pan¡¯s hand as they walked slowly along the beach. Trees swayed gently, and a soft breeze yed with Shu Pan¡¯s hair. Neither of them spoke, their shadows asionally ovepping as they walked.


    Taking in the scenery before her, Shu Pan couldn¡¯t help but feel a sense of nostalgia and overwhelming happiness.


    Everything now seemed like a dream to her. She almost couldn¡¯t believe it was real.


    After walking for a while, Gu Shaoting suddenly stopped and looked at her intently.


    ¡°Why are we stopping?¡± Shu Pan asked, puzzled. The weather was so nice, and the scenery was beautiful.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go back,¡± Gu Shaoting said, pulling her back without giving any reason.


    ¡°But it¡¯s still early. Why go back now?¡± Shu Pan found it strange to waste such a beautiful view.


    ¡°There are plenty of things we can do, like¡­¡± Gu Shaoting didn¡¯t finish his sentence, but Shu Pan could tell from his intense gaze what he meant.


    Pretending not to understand, Shu Pan blushed. She was a bit shy.


    Back at the vi, Gu Shaoting drew the curtains.


    The next morning, they woke up slightlyter than usual.<div>


    Even Gu Shaoting was still asleep.


    Outside, the lively sounds of nature filled the air. Birds chirped, flowers bloomed, and a few seagulls circled outside the window, adding to the picturesque scene.


    Shu Pan opened her slightly drowsy eyes and found herself lying in Gu Shaoting¡¯s arms.


    At that moment, Gu Shaoting was sleeping soundly. His handsome nose, sharp eyebrows, and long eyshes resembled a small fan.


    Unable to resist, Shu Pan ran her hand along his face.


    Suddenly, her hand was caught by arge palm.


    Shu Pan then realized that Gu Shaoting had already opened his eyes at some point.


    In fact, Shu Pan¡¯s waking movements had already roused him. He turned over and hugged her. ¡°Hungry?¡± he asked.


    As soon as he spoke, Shu Pan¡¯s stomach grumbled loudly.


    Embarrassed, Shu Pan said, ¡°Yes, I¡¯m starving. Let¡¯s get up; I want to go outside and explore.¡±


    If she stayed in the room for a few days, she¡¯d probably go crazy.<div>


    Gu Shaoting pinched her nose. ¡°Whatever you say. We¡¯ll go at noon.¡±


    And indeed, they went at noon. Gu Shaoting had the hotel send up some food, and after they ate their fill, they headed to the beach.


    Bali was truly a paradise for vacationers, with its blue skies, greenery, fragrant flowers, and stunning scenery. Along the way, they saw many attractive women dressed in revealing attire.


    Especially at the beach, there were countless women showing off their figures in bikinis.


    This ce was a vacation destination all year round, attracting many tourists.


    Shu Pan noticed that everyone was carefree and bold, wearing swimsuits without inhibition. Wherever they went, they could see groups of beautiful women.


    Although Shu Pan didn¡¯t have the courage to wear a bikini, she didn¡¯t want to stand out too much either. She wore shorts and a tank top, with a thin jacket over it.


    Gu Shaoting wore beach shorts and a in T-shirt. Both of them wore flip-flops.


    Gu Shaoting held Shu Pan¡¯s hand as they casually strolled along the beach.


    ¡°Do you want to go swimming?¡± Gu Shaoting felt that walking like this was boring.


    ¡°No, thanks. I¡¯m not much of a swimmer,¡± Shu Pan replied. She envied those who could gracefully swim like mermaids, but she couldn¡¯t. Just the sight of water made her weak in the knees.<div>

 Chapter 595: Admirer

    Chapter 595: Admirer<div>


    Trantor:Nyoi-Bo StudioEditor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    ¡°I¡¯ll teach you,¡± Gu Shaoting said without hesitation, taking Shu Pan to change into swimsuits.


    ¡°No, I¡¯m scared,¡± Shu Pan refused, resisting. Just the thought of getting into the water made her feel weak.<div>


    ¡°It¡¯s a survival skill. There¡¯s nothing wrong with learning. It coulde in handy in the future,¡± Gu Shaoting persuaded earnestly. Learning to swim could help her in various situations.


    ¡°But¡­¡± Shu Pan hesitated, still feeling afraid.


    ¡°How about this? I¡¯ll buy you a swim ring. You can y in the water with it first to get used to it,¡± Gu Shaoting suggested, noticing a shop nearby selling swim rings.


    ¡°Okay.¡± With a swim ring, Shu Pan could ept it. Getting into the water with it wouldn¡¯t be so bad. She actually wanted to learn, but her fear held her back.


    Gu Shaoting led Shu Pan to the small shop near the beach. Inside, there was a girl dressed provocatively, catching Shu Pan¡¯s attention.


    Ignoring the girl, Gu Shaoting casually looked at the swim rings in the shop.


    The shop owner¡¯s eyes lit up when she saw Gu Shaoting, thinking he was quite handsome. She approached him enthusiastically,pletely disregarding Shu Pan beside him.


    Unfortunately for her, Gu Shaoting didn¡¯t spare her a nce. He simply pointed at a yellow swim ring and said, ¡°I¡¯ll take this one.¡±


    The shop owner, trying to be flirtatious, said, ¡°Sure thing.¡±


    Handing the swim ring to Gu Shaoting, she smiled flirtatiously and asked, ¡°Hey handsome, where are you from?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m here on my honeymoon with my wife,¡± Gu Shaoting replied coolly, unfazed by her attempts at flirtation. He had encountered such situations too many times before.<div>


    Feeling awkward, Shu Pan realized that the shop owner¡¯s question wasn¡¯t about their honeymoon.


    After Gu Shaoting paid, he held Shu Pan¡¯s hand and walked away.


    Gu Shaoting had developed a habit of holding her hand whenever they went out. When Shu Pan asked him about it yesterday, he said he was afraid she might get lost in a foreign country.


    As they walked away, Shu Pan couldn¡¯t help but feel indignant. ¡°That was too much, too audacious. I was standing right beside you, yet that shop owner dared to openly flirt with you!¡±


    It¡¯s fortunate that Gu Shaoting was not an ordinary person, with such goodposure.


    ¡°Feeling jealous?¡± Gu Shaoting chuckled softly.


    ¡°Not really, just¡­¡± Shu Pan couldn¡¯t find the right words.


    But it was understandable. Anyone would get upset in such a situation. With someone openly flirting with her husband, could she really pretend not to notice?


    Of course, Gu Shaoting wasn¡¯t one to encourage attention from others, so the topic could be dropped.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go, I¡¯ll teach you how to swim.¡± Gu Shaoting led Shu Pan to change into a conservative one-piece swimsuit and headed towards the water.


    There were many people vacationing on the beach, probably many of them here for their honeymoon, just like them.<div>


    Groups of people were scattered around, having a great time.


    Shu Pan felt nervous when she saw the blue sea. She had once nearly drowned in the shallow area of a swimming pool, which was a humiliating experience.


    Now, just touching the water made her apprehensive. After all, the water was too shallow for a swim ring. Gu Shaoting held her hand and guided her towards deeper water.


    ¡°Shaoting, I¡¯m scared,¡± Shu Pan said when the water reached her belly button. She didn¡¯t have the courage to go any further.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, I¡¯ll support you. You can put on the swim ring now. Try to float and feel the pressure of the water,¡± Gu Shaoting patiently and gently instructed Shu Pan.


    With Gu Shaoting by her side, Shu Pan gained confidence and slowly slid her hands across the water.

 Chapter 596: Rescue

    Chapter 596: Rescue<div>


    Trantor:Nyoi-Bo StudioEditor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Shu Pan yed for a while and felt she was no longer so scared.


    Slowly, she became bolder and stopped swimming with the hoop. Gu Shaoting held her hand before her while she sshed the water with her feet.


    Not far away, a group of young men and women were frolicking.<div>


    They were indeed young, with a hint of sophistication, probably out for leisure.


    Among them, several girls were quite good-looking, but the one with the most attractive appearance seemed somewhat absent-minded, frequently ncing toward Shu Pan¡¯s direction.


    Of course, she wasn¡¯t looking at Shu Pan but at Gu Shaoting. Such a handsome and patient man was indeed rare.


    When the others saw this, they also praised him. ¡°Wow, he¡¯s so handsome.¡±


    More and more people looked over, but Gu Shaoting and the others ignored them.


    Indeed, that elegant and aloof demeanor was just captivating, making it hard for people to look away.


    ¡°What abination of a handsome man and a beautiful woman,¡± remarked one of them.


    ¡°The girl¡¯s looks are just average,¡±mented the most beautiful and innocent-looking girl.


    ¡°She¡¯s not bad, quite pure-looking, with a gentle demeanor. I reckon men would like that,¡± remarked her friend beside her.


    ¡°Hmph¡­¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s go y in the water. Why do you care so much about others?¡± Her friend pulled her toward deeper waters.


    As she was somewhat absent-minded, she stumbled and fell when a wave suddenly crashed over her. The worst part was that her legs cramped up, and the water seemed to engulf her in an instant.<div>


    The face of the beautiful girl¡¯s friend turned ashen, screaming desperately, ¡°Help, Snow is drowning!¡± The surrounding people looked at each other, feeling hesitant because their swimming skills were just average.


    Gu Shaoting had also noticed it. He asked Shu Pan to go ashore and then dived into the water.


    ¡°Shaoting, be careful.¡± Shu Pan reminded nervously.


    Since Gu Shaoting was nearby, he soon arrived at the scene. Seeing the drowning girl, he swam over, hooking his arm around her upper body and then dragging her toward the shore.


    As the rescue was timely, Snow regained consciousness shortly after reaching the shore. After coughing up a few mouthfuls of seawater, she was mostly fine, and nothing was serious.


    The moment she opened her eyes and saw Gu Shaoting before her eyes, her lips curled up, and her heart thumped.


    ¡°Snow, are you alright? This gentleman has saved you.¡± Her friend¡¯s voice was trembling from fear.


    Snow¡¯s eyes lit up. He was her benefactor!


    She struggled to sit up and said gratefully, ¡°Thank you for saving me.¡±


    Seeing that she was alright, Gu Shaoting responded casually, ¡°It¡¯s just a small effort. Remember to pay attention to safety when ying in the water.¡±


    ¡°Shaoting, are you alright? You scared me to death.¡± Shu Pan felt that her soul had left her body and had yet to return.


    Seeing the seawater engulf him had frightened her to the point of feeling weak in the knees.<div>


    ¡°I¡¯m fine, silly girl. Don¡¯t you know how good my skills are?¡± Gu Shaotingforted her gently. His swimming skills had reached the professional level.


    Gu Shaoting put his arm around her shoulder.¡± Alright, it¡¯s gettingte. Let¡¯s go back.¡±


    He left after saying that.


    ¡°Hey¡­¡± Snow wanted to say something, but Gu Shaoting and the others had already walked far away.


    ¡°I¡¯m so angry.¡± Snow stomped her feet. She wanted to ask for his contact information so that she could thank him in the future, but she was interrupted by that woman.


    Her friend knew her temper, so she dared not say anything.


    ¡°Snow, why don¡¯t we go back as well? We¡¯ll meet again if meant to be, and we can thank him then,¡± her friend suggested.


    Snow thought about it and was no longer in the mood to continue ying. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±

 Chapter 597: Testing

    Chapter 597: Testing<div>


    Trantor:Nyoi-Bo StudioEditor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Back at the vi, Shu Pan freshened up.


    It was indeed disappointing that such a thing had happened.


    ¡°Am I not right? Isn¡¯t staying in the vi more fun after all? Gu Shaoting quipped intentionally.<div>


    Shu Pan rolled her eyes at him.


    In the subsequent few days, they had a lot of fun.


    Going out for fun during the day and returning to their own world at night, those days were nothing short of delightful.


    For the past few days in Bali, they indulged in various activities, exploring every nook and cranny of the ind. Shu Pan captured many beautiful photos, enough to cherish for a long time.


    A weekter, they packed their luggage and flew back.


    As soon as Shu Pan set foot in Bin City, she felt her own ce was still the best, providing a sense of familiarity.


    The first thing Shu Pan did when she got home was to call her father. She wanted to take a day off to pick up Joy.


    However, Joy had a little rabbit now and still wanted to stay at her grandfather¡¯s house.


    Shu Pan let her be thinking that she didn¡¯t have to go to school now.


    After thinking for a while, Shu Pan called Ye Xiaomeng she was worried about.


    ¡°Girl, you finally decided toe back, huh? Had so much fun that you forgot all about us?¡± Ye Xiaomeng¡¯s voice soundedzy as if she had just woken up.


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s quite fun.¡± Shu Pan then immediately asked, ¡°How are you feeling now? Does He Ming know by now?¡±<div>


    ¡°I vomited so much, and it¡¯s so ufortable.¡± Ye Xiaomeng didn¡¯t expect pregnancy to be so miserable.


    ¡°Then does He Ming know about it?¡±


    ¡°No, he doesn¡¯t, as he has been very busytely, and his mother often asks him to go back.¡±


    Ye Xiaomeng appeared indifferent.


    ¡°Ask him to go back?¡± Shu Pan frowned. Why did he go back?


    ¡°Yeah, it probably wasn¡¯t any good thing anyway, so I didn¡¯t ask.¡± Now, she just wanted to sleep every day.


    ¡°You should tell him as soon as possible.¡± Shu Pan was really afraid that something unexpected would happen.


    ¡°Girl, I actually have my own selfish motives. I want to see if he really doesn¡¯t care if I can conceive.¡± Ye Xiaomeng suddenly wanted to test him to see if he really didn¡¯t care or was lying.


    ¡°Why do you have to do this? What if he cares? What are you going to do? Leave him?¡± Shu Pan disagreed with this approach. After all, lovers could not withstand testing.


    Many couples broke up because of such a thing.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. I just want an answer. Life will go on as usual,¡± Ye Xiaomeng said indifferently.


    ¡°In short, the baby in your stomach is your priority,¡± Shu Pan said solemnly.<div>


    ¡°Okay, I know. What about you? You should be pregnant with a honeymoon baby this time,¡± Ye Xiaomeng teased.


    ¡°Let nature take its course.¡± If Shu Pan worried about this, she was worried that she would have a nervous breakdown.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll look for you if there¡¯s anything.¡± Ye Xiaomeng said goodbye to Shu Pan after saying this.


    Actually, Ye Xiaomeng was afraid that Shu Pan would be worried, so she only told her the good things.


    Lately, she noticed that He Ming had been looking very solemn. He always came back veryte and sometimes was so tired that he would fall on the bed.


    When she asked him about it, he always said he was alright. How could he be alright?


    However, she didn¡¯t press him since he was reluctant to tell her. Nevertheless, she felt it should be rted to her.


    She felt conflicted now. If his mother knew she was pregnant, she might reluctantly ept her. But was this really the oue she wanted?


    Forget it. She would tell He Ming when he came back to make him happy.


    Just as she thought of this, her stomach churned again. She quickly went to the washroom and vomited.


    When would this ordeal end? Each time she vomited, her throat hurt, feeling dizzy and lightheaded.


    She struggled to support herself as she stepped into the living room. Barely had she sat down when the front door at the entrance was pushed open.<div>

 Chapter 598: Confession

    Chapter 598: Confession<div>


    Trantor:Nyoi-Bo StudioEditor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Ye Xiaomeng turned to look over as she heard the sound and saw He Ming enter.


    He Ming was stunned. He probably didn¡¯t expect Ye Xiaomeng to be sitting in the living room.


    ¡°Have you eaten?¡± Ye Xiaomeng asked.<div>


    ¡°Yes, what about you?¡± He Ming asked. He seemed to have long not eaten with her for some time.


    ¡°Yeah, I had some noodles.¡± Ye Xiaomeng had no appetite, so she ate some noodles. If not for the child, she wouldn¡¯t have eaten at all.


    He Ming pursed his lips and sat down next to Ye Xiaomeng.


    Ye Xiaomeng saw that he seemed to have something to say, but it was probably too difficult to say, so he looked hesitant.


    Ye Xiaomeng¡¯s heart heart suddenly sank. She initially intended to tell He Ming about the pregnancy, but now she could not utter a sound.


    ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± In the end, it was Xiaomeng who broke the silence.


    ¡°Mmm¡­ Xiaomeng¡­ My mom hasn¡¯t been well recently and has been hospitalized¡­¡± He Ming finally told her the reason.


    It turned out that his mother was sick. That was why he had been leaving early and returningte recently.


    ¡°Is it serious?¡± Ye Xiaomeng asked nervously.


    ¡°It has now stabilized¡­¡± He Ming said.


    But Ye Xiaomeng knew that he was still hiding something from her.


    If she were fine, he wouldn¡¯t have such an expression.<div>


    He Ming licked his lips and continued,¡± Xiaomeng, I¡¯ll probably be quite busy during this period. If my mother is discharged, I¡¯ll probably have to go back and stay home for a while to take care of her. Her emotions aren¡¯t very stable right now.¡±


    So this was the reason why he found it difficult to speak.


    Ye Xiaomeng was suddenly a little disappointed. After what happened to his mother, could she not let him go home and take care of her?


    After being with him for so long, did she still not understand him? Was she such an unreasonable person?


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. Go back and take good care of Auntie.¡± Ye Xiaomeng said, pretending to be rxed, not wanting him to worry.


    ¡°But you¡­¡± He Ming wanted to speak but was immediately interrupted by Xiaomeng.¡± You don¡¯t have to worry about me. I will take care of myself.¡±


    Baby, Mommy would grow stronger moving on.


    ¡°I¡¯lle back to see you when I have time. You have to eat on time.¡± He Ming reminded.


    ¡°Alright.¡± Ye Xiaomeng nodded.


    He Ming looked at her and patted her head. ¡°It¡¯s been difficult for youtely.¡±


    Ye Xiaomeng shook her head.


    Seeing that she was okay, He Ming got up and walked toward the bedroom.<div>


    He wanted to pack some clothes for change.


    Ye Xiaomeng watched him leave and didn¡¯te back to her senses for a long time.


    Not long after, He Ming packed his things and came out with a small bag.


    ¡°Take good care of yourself. I¡¯ll be back soon,¡± He Ming said, with a hint of reluctance but mostly resignation, torn between familial duty and romantic affection.


    He Ming left after saying that.


    Ye Xiaomeng suddenly felt much more rxed. There was no need to hesitate about whether to tell him about the pregnancy now. She decided to wait until he finished his tasks.


    Ye Xiaomeng recalled all the moments with He Ming. Everything had been smooth sailing except for Mother He¡¯s objectionter on. She also understood what the olddy¡¯s concerns were. Now that she was pregnant, was she more confident now?


    Mother He was sick, and He Ming had never asked her to visit her together with him. Was it his mother¡¯s idea because she didn¡¯t want to see her?


    No matter what, she had to be courteous. She thought she should visit her before she was discharged.


    As for whether she would see her or not, that was her problem.


    With this thought in mind, Ye Xiaomeng felt more cheerful.


    She touched her tummy and said, ¡°Baby, please give Mommy strength. Let¡¯s work hard together and make your grandmother ept us.¡±<div>

 Chapter 599: Admirer

    Chapter 599: Admirer<div>


    Trantor:Nyoi-Bo StudioEditor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Ye Xiaomeng was a person who kept her word.


    The next day, she woke up very early and went to the market to buy a chicken raised at home. Then she returned home to boil soup.


    She put a lot of effort into boiling the soup. She removed the chicken skin, cut it into pieces, and ced them in a y pot. She brought it to a boil over high heat, then simmered it over low heat.<div>


    As she was worried it would be oily, she scooped out the oil floating on it.


    Although she felt ufortable, she endured it.


    Finally, waves of fragrance wafted from the pot.


    Ye Xiaomeng carefully packed it up and put it in a thermos.


    When she asked He Ming where he wasst night, she found out which hospital and unit his mother was in.


    She put on a loose-fitting dress and left with a thermos.


    When she arrived at the hospital, the smell of disinfectant assaulted her senses, and she felt a little nauseous.


    She quickly walked to the elevator and wanted to take the elevator to the floor where Mother He was.


    At the corner, she saw the elevator door open. Suddenly, a familiar figure came out from inside. She was about to go up and greet He Ming but saw a beautiful woman apanying him. She had a chin-length bob and a tall, elegant figure, exuding a sense of intellectual beauty.


    The two of them chatted as they walked. They looked very familiar with each other and ignored the people around them.


    When Ye Xiaomeng saw this scene, she felt tens of thousands of ants were biting her heart. So this was why he had been so busy recently?


    Even after He Ming and the beauty had walked far away, Ye Xiaomeng still stood in a daze, looking lost.<div>


    Her mind was nk, and she couldn¡¯t figure out what to do next.


    Who was that girl? His friend? Rtive? But it¡¯s so early. Would rtivese to visit so early?


    That was all she could think of. She looked at the thermos in her hand and wondered if she should send it up. Would she be humiliated?


    She stood there like a fool for a long time until she saw He Ming return after sending the short-haired beauty off. He then took the elevator up.


    She thought for a moment. She had taken so much time to boil the chicken soup, and it would be a waste not to send it up.


    Hence, she moved her feet and pressed the elevator button to go up.


    After she went up, she immediately found Mother He¡¯s ward.


    Mother He was hospitalized because of a heart problem. She was probably fine now. She heard from He Ming that she could be discharged after a checkup in two days.


    Ye Xiaomeng walked over nervously. Perhaps He Ming had just gone in, so the door was not closed.


    The voices of Mother He and He Ming came from inside.


    ¡°Has Yao Ning gone back?¡± Mother He asked with concern.


    ¡°Yes, I just sent her off.¡± He Ming replied.<div>


    ¡°Mmm, she¡¯s indeed a good child. She still recognizes me after such a long time. It¡¯s all thanks to her that I¡¯m hospitalized this time.¡± Mother He¡¯s words were filled with gratitude.


    He Ming didn¡¯t say anything.


    Mother He continued, ¡°I have a deep impression of this little girl. When you were studying, she always liked toe to our house. I can tell she likes you very much,¡± Mother He said cheerfully.


    Mother He was immersed in her memories. He Ming sighed. ¡°Mom, that was all in the past. Why are you still bringing it up?¡±


    ¡°Is she married?¡± Mother He suddenly thought of something and asked.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure. It¡¯s a personal matter,¡± He Ming said casually.


    ¡°Ming, Yao Ning is a good girl. She has a good job, too. She¡¯s much better than that person.¡± Mother He didn¡¯t mention names, but everyone knew she meant that Ye Xiaomeng wasn¡¯t as good as Yao Ning.


    ¡°Mom, rest well. Don¡¯t worry about those trivial things.¡± He Ming really felt helpless.

 Chapter 600: Determined

    Chapter 600: Determined<div>


    Trantor:Nyoi-Bo StudioEditor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Ye Xiaomeng could hear their conversation clearly from outside the door.


    She tightened her grip on the thermos, her hand turning white.


    It turned out that she was an admirer. She must be an outstanding person to impress Mother He so intensely.<div>


    Ye Xiaomeng stood by the door, hesitating. It didn¡¯t seem right to go in now. The mother and son were chit-chatting.


    After thinking for a moment, Ye Xiaomeng went back with the thermos.


    When she got home, Ye Xiaomeng sat on the sofa for a while and thought about it. She then called her boss to apply for time off. Knowing Xiaomeng¡¯s temperament, she would probably leave on her own ord if not given the time off, the boss agreed.


    Ye Xiaomeng sat at the dining table and poured the chicken soup into a bowl. She had taken so much effort to boil it, so she didn¡¯t want to waste it.


    She then drank it spoonful by spoonful. The baby probably knew that the mother was sad today and thus didn¡¯t make trouble. She took a bowl of soup and even ate several pieces of chicken.


    After eating, she cleaned up the dishes and returned to the bedroom. She took out her suitcase and packed some clothes that she wore often.


    After packing everything, she sent a WeChat message to He Ming, telling him that something happened at home and she needed to go back for a while.


    After sending the message, she took out her suitcase and left the house.


    She felt that she needed some time to calm down. She knew He Ming did not change but might under his mother¡¯s persuasion.


    She wanted to give him some time to think about it. Everyone should calm down for a while.


    When she got into the car, He Ming called.


    ¡°Mengmeng, why so sudden? What happened at home? Do you want me to drive you?¡± He Ming asked with concern as soon as the call connected.<div>


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing. I suddenly missed home. Take good care of Auntie. I¡¯m fine. I just want to rx.¡± Ye Xiaomeng said casually. Her heart indeed ached when she heard his nervous tone.


    ¡°Alright, if there¡¯s nothing else at home,e back soon.¡± He Ming sounded a bit down.


    ¡°Yes, I know.¡± After saying that, Ye Xiaomeng hung up.


    Sitting in the car and looking at the scenery along the way, her thoughts became even more chaotic. She decided to set aside her worries for now and deal with themter.


    Ever since Song Can attended Gu Shaoting¡¯s wedding, he had been depressed after returning home.


    They were already married, and it was a fact that could no longer change.


    She couldn¡¯t stop him, and her son didn¡¯t listen to her. Now, she was like an outsider, and no one cared about what she said.


    One day, she happened to be at home when Charlene suddenly came to visit.


    She was somewhat surprised because Charlene hadn¡¯t contacted her for a while.


    ¡°Auntie, you must have been very busytely. I came twice, and you weren¡¯t at home,¡± Charlene said coquettishly.


    ¡°I went to attend a wedding.¡± Song Can didn¡¯t want to mention it to anyone.


    ¡°Wedding? Did you go abroad?¡± Charlene asked casually.<div>


    ¡°Yes, it was Shaoting¡¯s wedding.¡± She spoke of her son¡¯s wedding as if it was someone else¡¯s.


    ¡°What? Brother Gu¡¯s wedding? Is he married?¡± Hearing this news, Charlene was like a bolt out of the blue. How could it be? There was no sign of it at all.


    She hade to inquire about Brother Gu because she had not seen him in thepany for so long.


    It turned out that he was away getting married. It was too hard to ept.


    ¡°Yeah, he married Shu Pan. It was useless no matter how much I object to marrying Shu Pan.¡± Song Can gritted her teeth as she spoke.


    ¡°I see. No wonder he didn¡¯t show up recently.¡± Charlene said dejectedly.


    She would no longer have a chance, would she?


    She really couldn¡¯t ept it. She believed she was better than that woman. Didn¡¯t Brother Gu see clearly? Or was he blinded by something?


    He would regret it in the future.

 Chapter 601: Lost and Disoriented

    Chapter 601: Lost and Disoriented<div>


    Trantor:Nyoi-Bo StudioEditor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    After hearing the news of Gu Shaoting¡¯s marriage, Charlene was no longer in the mood to chat with Song Can.


    She left the Gu Family¡¯s mansion with an excuse, looking lost and disoriented.


    She was in a daze, at times ring with anger. The news came too suddenly, and she was devastated by the heavy blow.<div>


    Brother Gu had gotten married discreetly.


    She had admired him for so long, but now she really felt her faith copse.


    She alone wandered on the street, thinking about Gu Shaoting and Shu Pan.


    She couldn¡¯t understand why Gu Shaoting liked and married Shu Pan when she was so ordinary that she could be easily found on the streets.


    Was it just because she gave birth to a daughter for him? Was it true that a child would make the mother noble?


    She really couldn¡¯t think of any other reason.


    She thought if that was the reason, then she believed Gu Shaoting did not truly like her but felt obligated to give his child a home.


    Thinking of this, she felt more at ease.


    Marriage could also end in divorce, after all. Finally feeling a bit less depressed, she walked into a high-end women¡¯s clothing store and decided to dress herself up nicely.


    She didn¡¯t believe that she couldn¡¯t attract Brother Gu. She was in the right ce and still had an advantage.


    Shu Pan started work on the third day after her honeymoon. She had told the manager about it before, so only the manager knew that she was on marriage leave.


    After she returned, she didn¡¯t give out wedding candies to keep a low profile. She was thinking of treating everyone to a meal after a while.<div>


    ¡°Shu Pan, you¡¯re finally back to work. I¡¯ve been so bored recently.¡± Tang Wei pouted.


    ¡°It¡¯s because there hasn¡¯t been any gossip recently.¡± Shu Pan smiled.


    ¡°You¡¯re so annoying. How can you say that? There hasn¡¯t been anything interesting recently.¡± Tang Wei sighed.


    ¡°Where¡¯s your Prince Charming?¡± Shu Pan asked. She looked depressed and didn¡¯t look like someone who was in love.


    ¡°Don¡¯t talk about it. It¡¯s over,¡± said Tang Wei dejectedly.


    ¡°When did this happen? Howe I didn¡¯t hear of it?¡± Shu Pan asked in surprise.


    ¡°It¡¯s not an honorable thing to go around talking about heartbreak.¡± Tang Wei didn¡¯t even want to mention it.


    Her ex-boyfriend was a scumbag, ying around with two women. He developed feelings for one of their colleagues over time and only admitted it when she caught them in the act.


    Scumbag! Scumbag!


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. The next one will be better,¡± Shu Panforted her and said.


    ¡°Shu Pan, keep a close eye on Mr. Gu. I heard that there are many beautiful women in the headquarters.¡± Tang Wei reminded her.


    In today¡¯s era of instant rtionships, some people would just drift apart along the way. They couldn¡¯t withstand the realities of life and thus lose sight of their original intentions.<div>


    ¡°If something really happens, I can¡¯t control it anyway.¡± Shu Pan didn¡¯t mind. There was no need to stay together if it really came to that point.


    At around 11 o¡¯clock, the director called Shu Pan to the office.


    ¡°Shu Pan, you¡¯ve just started work and haven¡¯t been assigned any work. Is it convenient for you to deliver a document to the headquarters of the Gu Group?¡± The director asked because he knew she would asionally have lunch with Mr. Gu.


    ¡°No problem. Just pass me the document. Should I give it to Secretary Zhang?¡± Shu Pan agreed readily.


    ¡°Yes, thank you.¡± After saying that, the director handed the document to Shu Pan.


    Shu Pan looked at the time. It would be almost noon when she arrived at the Gu Group.


    She wondered if Shaoting would ask her out for lunch. She thought to herself while packing her things.


    Just as she was about to leave, Gu Shaoting called.


    ¡°Honey, what are you doing?¡± Gu Shaoting¡¯s deep voice always sounded so pleasant.


    ¡°I was just about to go to the Gu Group to deliver a document to Secretary Zhang,¡± replied Shu Pan.


    ¡°Alright,e up to my office after you¡¯re done.¡± Gu Shaoting immediately made the arrangements.


    <div>

 Chapter 602: Attracted by the Beautiful Scenery

    Chapter 602: Attracted by the Beautiful Scenery<div>


    Trantor:Nyoi-Bo StudioEditor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Shu Pan paused. ¡°You¡¯re still at work. Is that okay?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. I¡¯m not busy today. I can have lunch with you,¡± Gu Shaoting said casually. What was more important than apanying his wife?


    ¡°Alright, see youter.¡± Shu Pan hung up the phone and hurried left.<div>


    Meanwhile, Charlene was dressed in her newly bought dress and looked graceful in the Secretary pool area. She was racking her brain, trying toe up with a good reason to invite Gu Shaoting to lunch.


    She thought he probably wouldn¡¯t decline. A gentleman wouldn¡¯t decline ady¡¯s invitation.


    But she had to have a good reason.


    Sitting there in deep thought, she frowned andughed at times.


    Xiaoyu saw her appearance and felt it was quite scary.


    At this moment, Shu Pan was already walking down the street, holding onto the document in her arms, waiting for the traffic lights. Under the sunlight, her lustrous ck hair was tied up, with a few strands gently dancing around her cheeks. Her pure and clean face looked a little rosy under the sunlight and caught the attention of passersby, leaving them stunned.


    When she arrived at the lobby of the Gu Group, Gu Shaoting had already arranged for Secretary Zhang to wait for Shu Pan there.


    When Shu Pan saw Secretary Zhang, she said warmly, ¡°Secretary Zhang, sorry to have kept you waiting.¡±


    ¡°Mrs. Gu, I should be the one to say thank you. I¡¯ve troubled you to make a trip here.¡± Secretary Zhang knew that they were already married.


    Shu Pan blushed. She was really not used to this form of address and felt somewhat embarrassed.


    ¡°Just call me Shu Pan,¡± Shu Pan said shyly.


    ¡°This¡­ We can¡¯t mess things up.¡± Secretary Zhang muttered in his heart. If Mr. Gu found out that he called his wife by her name, he would probably arrange for him to go to Africa to develop a new market.<div>


    Lately, he had been whispering in his ear quite frequently about how the market there was maturing, indicating it was time to send someone over.


    With such casual remarks, he couldn¡¯t help but feel a bit nervous. What if he unintentionally upset him? Wouldn¡¯t that spell trouble for himself?


    Therefore, he had to remain cautious. But no matter how prudent he was, it was unquestionable that pleasing Mrs. Gu was imperative. After all, Mrs. Gu was undoubtedly the apple of Mr. Gu¡¯s eye now.


    Shu Pan looked at Secretary Zhang¡¯s solemn expression and could not help butin deep down. He had probably been with his boss for a long time, so he had already learned his essence.


    After Shu Pan handed the document to Secretary Zhang, she initially wanted to text Gu Shaoting to tell him that she was waiting in the lounge area on the first floor. However, Secretary Zhang said Mr. Gu wanted her to be in the office.


    ¡°Mrs. Gu, this way, please.¡± Secretary Zhang made an inviting gesture.


    Secretary Zhang then walked in front while Shu Pan followed behind.


    The elevator went up swiftly and soon reached Gu Shaoting¡¯s floor.


    The floor was spacious and quiet.


    Shu Pan walked along the corridor and couldn¡¯t help but look out the window, admiring the scenery from above. It was a rarely beautiful sight in the sky.


    As expected, one could only see further if they stood high.


    As she was lost in the mesmerizing beauty of the scenery, she suddenly noticed that Secretary Zhang ahead had stopped walking and was smiling at her.<div>


    Shu Pan instantly felt embarrassed and awkward. She looked at Secretary Zhang apologetically, but he seemed carefree about the situation.


    He did not mean tough at her. Shu Pan¡¯s reaction was indeed normal. Even someone like him, who often looked at it, would sometimes be shocked by the beautiful scenery before him.


    Moreover, she only came asionally.


    ¡°It¡¯s beautiful, isn¡¯t it? Sometimes, I also like to stand here and admire the view when I¡¯m free. After all, the Gu Group Building is the tallest in the Bin City,¡± Secretary Zhang said proudly.

 Chapter 603: Caught By (1)

    Chapter 603: Caught By (1)<div>


    Trantor:Nyoi-Bo StudioEditor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Shu Pan looked around. Indeed, it far surpassed the surrounding tall buildings.


    Shu Pan nced at it with a sense of longing before saying to Secretary Zhang, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    She came to the door of Gu Shaoting¡¯s office and gently knocked on the door. Shu Pan only gently pushed the door open when she heard him say, ¡°Pleasee in.¡±<div>


    ¡°Mr. Gu, Mrs. Gu is here,¡± Secretary Zhang said.


    It was unsure if Gu Shaoting was pleased by the mention of ¡°Mrs. Gu¡±. He smiled at Secretary Zhang to indicate that he was aware of it.


    Secretary Zhang was shocked. He had known him for so long but rarely seen him so amiable. True enough, Mrs. Gu was very charming.


    Shu Pan stood awkwardly by the door, gazing at Gu Shaoting¡¯s overly extravagant office. In her heart, she couldn¡¯t help but sigh repeatedly. It was only at this instant that she deeply realized the extent of this man¡¯s capabilities and the nobility of his status.


    At the same time, she was also proud. This man was born strong, and he was her husband.


    In their ordinary everyday life together, she had almost forgotten that he was the CEO of the Gu Group, the ultimate decision-maker. Standing in his office now, she deeply understood that her husband was an extraordinary figure.


    Secretary Zhang definitely wouldn¡¯t overstay and make himself unwee. He quietly exited and casually closed the door.


    Shu Pan walked over nervously. Although he was her husband, he had another identity here. He was her superior, so she was a little nervous when she saw her superior.


    Gu Shaoting looked at his wife¡¯s actions with amusement. This man seemed to have the ability to see through everything.


    ¡°Come over.¡± Gu Shaoting smiled and waved at Shu Pan. It was funny to see her so reserved.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you busy? I¡¯ll sit on the sofa and wait for you.¡± Shu Pan could feel his burning gaze.


    Gu Shaoting saw through her thoughts. Silly wife!<div>


    He got up, walked to her side, and grabbed her arm.


    Shu Pan subconsciously stepped back and pressed her hand against his chest. ¡°Don¡¯t act rash. It¡¯s an office here. Hurry up and do your work. We¡¯ll go out for a meal after work.¡± It was rare for Shu Pan to have the rationality to say so much.


    ¡°Kiss me. Give me mental motivation. I¡¯ll be more motivated to work.¡± Gu Shaoting was like a child asking for candy.


    Shu Pan watched as this person acted shamelessly, but she could do nothing. She saw that the door was closed.


    Then, she boldly nted a kiss on his cheek.


    After that, Shu Pan said unhappily,¡± Is that enough?¡±


    Gu Shaoting raised his eyebrows, obviously dissatisfied with her perfunctory attitude.


    Shu Pan looked at the bright light shining in from the window. It shone on the man¡¯s handsome face, and he looked charming and noble. She looked into his eyes just now. They were really deep and bottomless. Her thick eyshes trembled.


    Shu Pan stared at him for a long time. When she came back to her senses, her face could not help but blush.


    Shu Pan felt somewhat intimidated and dared not look at him. She sensed that her courage had diminished.


    Gu Shaoting smiled mysteriously. How did his wife be so fascinating? It turned out that she would be shy on such an asion.


    Was it because of him?<div>


    Shu Pan became anxious. What was this man up to?


    She quickly patted him and said nervously, ¡°Gu Shaoting, what are you doing? Are you crazy?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going to teach you now,¡± Gu Shaoting said seriously.


    Shu Pan looked around. Indeed, it far surpassed the surrounding tall buildings.


    Shu Pan nced at it with a sense of longing before saying to Secretary Zhang, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    She came to the door of Gu Shaoting¡¯s office and gently knocked on the door. Shu Pan only gently pushed the door open when she heard ¡°Pleasee in.¡±


    ¡°Mr. Gu, Mrs. Gu is here,¡± Secretary Zhang said.


    It was unsure if Gu Shaoting was pleased by the mention of ¡°Mrs. Gu¡±. He smiled at Secretary Zhang to indicate that he was aware of it.


    Secretary Zhang was shocked. He had known him for so long but rarely seen him so amiable. True enough, Mrs. Gu was very charming.


    Shu Pan stood somewhat awkwardly by the door, gazing at Gu Shaoting¡¯s overly extravagant office. In her heart, she couldn¡¯t help but sigh repeatedly. It was only at this instant that she deeply realized the extent of this man¡¯s capabilities and the nobility of his status.


    At the same time, she was also proud. This man was born strong, and he was her husband.


    In their ordinary everyday life together, she had almost forgotten that he was the CEO of the Gu Group, the ultimate decision-maker. Standing in his office now, she deeply understood that her husband was an extraordinary figure.<div>


    Secretary Zhang definitely wouldn¡¯t overstay and make himself unwee. He quietly exited and casually closed the door.


    Shu Pan walked over nervously. Although he was her husband, he had another identity here. He was her superior, so she was a little nervous when she saw her superior.


    Gu Shaoting looked at his wife¡¯s actions with amusement. This man seemed to have the ability to see through everything.


    ¡°Come over.¡± Gu Shaoting smiled and waved at Shu Pan. It was funny to see her so reserved.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you busy? I¡¯ll sit on the sofa and wait for you.¡± Shu Pan could feel his burning gaze.


    Gu Shaoting saw through her thoughts. Silly wife!


    He got up, walked to her side, and grabbed her arm.


    Shu Pan subconsciously took a step back and pressed her hand against his chest. ¡°Don¡¯t act rash. This is the office. Hurry up and do your work. We¡¯ll go out for a meal after work.¡± It was rare for Shu Pan to have the rationality to say so much.


    ¡°Give me a kiss. Give me some mental motivation. I¡¯ll be more motivated to work.¡± Gu Shaoting was like a child asking for candy.


    Shu Pan watched as this person acted shamelessly, but she could do nothing. She saw that the door was closed.


    Then, she boldly nted a kiss on his cheek.


    After that, Shu Pan said unhappily,¡± Is that enough?¡±<div>


    Gu Shaoting raised his eyebrows, obviously dissatisfied with her perfunctory attitude.


    Shu Pan looked at the bright light shining in from the window. It shone on the man¡¯s handsome face and he looked charming and noble. She looked into his eyes just now. They were really deep and bottomless. Her thick eyshes trembled.


    Shu Pan stared at him for a long time. When she came back to her senses, her face could not help but blush.


    Shu Pan felt somewhat intimidated and dared not look at him. She sensed that her courage had diminished.


    Gu Shaoting smiled mysteriously. How did his wife be so interesting? It turned out that she would be shy on such an asion.


    Was it because of him?


    Shu Pan became anxious. What was this man up to?


    She quickly patted him and said nervously, ¡°Gu Shaoting, what are you doing? Are you crazy?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going to teach you now.¡± Gu Shaoting said seriously.

 Chapter 604: Caught By (2)

    Chapter 604: Caught By (2)<div>


    Trantor:Nyoi-Bo StudioEditor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Shu Pan¡¯s ears were burning, and she dared not look right into his eyes, feeling very shy.


    She knew this man had a motive for asking her toe to the office.


    He was too detestable. It was at the office now. Did this man not care about the asion?<div>


    Shu Pan red at him.


    Gu Shaoting looked at her bashful expression, and his heart fluttered.


    At the same time, Charlene was doing her makeup in front of the mirror in the office. She wanted to present her most perfect side. She had always been very confident in herself. That woman could notpare to her at all. She believed that Brother Gu was only blinded for a moment.


    One day, he would discover her charm.


    The other people in the office looked at her and gave her strange looks. Charlene had long gotten used to this.


    However, most people were envious. They knew that Charlene¡¯s family background was good, and she had even danced with the CEO. She might have the chance to be the CEO¡¯s wife in the future.


    Because Gu Shaoting and Shu Pan¡¯s marriage was rtively low-key, many people didn¡¯t know about it.


    Many people thought that their boss was single.


    Therefore, when Charlene was putting on makeup, many people guessed she was going on a date with the CEO.


    After Charlene did everything, she looked at the time. It was almost time to get off work. This time was just right.


    After getting up, she walked elegantly and pressed the button for Gu Shaoting¡¯s floor under everyone¡¯s respectful escort.


    She indeed enjoyed this kind of treatment very much. It was as if she was the boss¡¯s wife patrolling thepany now.<div>


    Charlene stood in the elevator with her hands sped together. She was a little nervous, and her palms were sweating.


    The corners of her lips curled up slightly. Thinking she was about to see Gu Shaoting, she looked forward to it even more. A touch of shyness rushed to her face.


    After a while, the elevator opened with a beep. Charlene walked out and headed towards Gu Shaoting¡¯s office.


    The heavens were really helping her. Secretary Zhang was coincidentally away for a while, and Charlene¡¯s figure came to the door of Gu Shaoting¡¯s office as if she had entered a deserted ce.


    The others saw Charlenee up. Although they didn¡¯t know why she came up, thinking of her identity, they didn¡¯t ask much. After all, she had a close rtionship with the CEO.


    Some people didn¡¯t know that Shu Pan was inside. When they saw Charlene, they all smiled friendly at her.


    Shu Pan felt better for her not toe to Gu Shaoting¡¯s office anymore in the future because this person was too detestable. So this was the purpose of calling her here.


    ¡°How is it? Hubby taught you well, right?¡± Gu Shaoting said proudly.


    Shu Pan wanted to kick Gu Shaoting, but as ady, she endured it.


    Just as Gu Shaoting was about to speak, the door was suddenly pushed open, apanied by a joyful voice. ¡°Brother Gu¡­¡±


    A female voice suddenly barged in. Gu Shaoting¡¯s eyes were sharp, and his hands were fast. He immediately hugged Shu Pan in his arms and used his strong body to block her to allow her some time.


    He didn¡¯t want anyone to see Shu Pan¡¯s current appearance, even though he could recognize the voice. It was Charlene¡¯s voice.<div>


    Shu Pan sobered up immediately. At the same time, she couldn¡¯t help but tremble slightly, feeling utterly embarrassed. How would she face others in the future?


    She leaned into Gu Shaoting¡¯s arms tightly and swiftly tidied herself up. She couldn¡¯t help but reach out to hit him.


    She didn¡¯t see clearly who was at the door, but she could tell that the voice belonged to someone Gu Shaoting knew, and it was very familiar.


    ¡°Get out.¡± Gu Shaoting shouted coldly after looking at Charlene.

 Chapter 605: Furious

    Chapter 605: Furious<div>


    Trantor:Nyoi-Bo StudioEditor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    After pushing the office door halfway, Charlene stared wide-eyed with her mouth agape at the scene before her, finding it difficult to believe. What did she see?


    Her mind instantly went nk, and she couldn¡¯t think. She was truly hurt by the scene in front of her.


    In her understanding, Gu Shaoting was cold and arrogant and didn¡¯t seem like someone who would behave as such in the office.<div>


    The scene was like a knife stabbing into her heart, causing her to stop breathing in an instant.


    ¡°Get out. Don¡¯t you understand humannguage?¡± Gu Shaoting¡¯s cold voice sounded again, tinged with tant anger.


    Gu Shaoting was truly angry. How could someone dare to barge in so recklessly?


    Gu Shaoting¡¯s cold words were like an icy cer in winter, sending shivers down the spine.


    Only then did Charlenee back to her senses and hurriedly closed the door.


    She stood outside the door in a daze, not knowing what to do.


    Shu Pan heard the sound of the door closing and quickly pushed Gu Shaoting away. Her hands were not agile, and she was flustered. She felt so embarrassed.


    She had never been like this in the office and was bumped into.


    Gu Shaoting¡¯s heart ached when he saw her like this. ¡°Honey, we¡¯re husband and wife, and it¡¯s normal. You don¡¯t have to be so nervous.¡±


    Gu Shaotingforted her and even helped her tidy up her clothes.


    Shu Pan¡¯s face blushed intensely. She bit her lower lip and asked, ¡°Who is she?¡±


    Nheless, Shu Pan was d that it was a girl who came in. Otherwise, she would be too embarrassed to face anyone.<div>


    ¡°It¡¯s not someone important. Don¡¯t take it to heart,¡± Gu Shaoting said casually. However, he was wondering in his heart why she hade. Wasn¡¯t Secretary Zhang outside? Why didn¡¯t he stop her?


    It was indeed apse in duty, poor Secretary Zhang! He only stepped out for a while, and who would have expected thatdy to show up?


    Secretary Zhang had juste out of the elevator when he saw Charlene biting her lip and standing by the door of Mr. Gu¡¯s office, face ashen. He was shocked. Why was she here? It was too scary.


    ¡°Charlene? Why are you here? Is there anything?¡± Secretary Zhang asked in confusion. He didn¡¯t seem to have anything to ask her toe up.


    Charlene¡¯s gaze instantly became sharp. She did not answer Secretary Zhang¡¯s question but asked, ¡°Who is the woman in Mr. Gu¡¯s office?¡±


    She knew Brother Gu¡¯s wife was not from the headquarters, so she was unlikely his wife. Who was that woman then?


    Who was so bold to do such a thing in broad daylight?


    ¡°What woman? There are no women in Mr. Gu¡¯s office!¡± Secretary Zhang forgot about Shu Pan for a moment.


    ¡°I saw it all.¡± Charlene thought Secretary Zhang was trying to cover up for that woman.


    ¡°What? Did you see her? Could it be Mrs. Gu?¡± Secretary Zhang suddenly eximed.


    He remembered now. He was doomed. Charlene saw Mrs. Gu inside. Seeing her appearance, she must have been reprimanded by Mr. Gu.


    He dared not think further.<div>


    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Charlene shook her head as she couldn¡¯t see clearly.


    ¡°Oh my God! What¡¯s so important that made youe up here?¡± Secretary Zhang said anxiously.


    It was not her first day at thepany. Didn¡¯t she know the rules?


    ¡°I have some private matters to discuss with Mr. Gu.¡± Charlene stopped talking and didn¡¯t say what had happened.


    ¡°This is apany, a workce. It¡¯s definitely wrong for you toe up and barge into the office like this,¡± Secretary Zhang said earnestly.


    Charlene pursed her lips as if she couldn¡¯t care less.

 Chapter 606: Unresigned

    Chapter 606: Unresigned<div>


    Trantor:Nyoi-Bo StudioEditor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    ¡°You wait here for a moment. I¡¯ll check if Mr. Gu has time to see you,¡± Secretary Zhang knew she wouldn¡¯t be satisfied unless she saw Mr. Gu.


    Charlene was a smart woman. She knew that if that woman didn¡¯t leave, Brother Gu wouldn¡¯t see her. And if that woman did leave, Secretary Zhang would need to inform her.


    So she nodded. ¡°Okay, thank you.¡±<div>


    Charlene walked over to the adjacent lounge and sat down, waiting quietly for the news.


    As she sat in the lounge, her expression became increasingly grim. Images of Gu Shaoting and that woman entwined together kept popping up in her mind, their affection evident.


    The more she thought about it, the more anxious and angry Charlene became. How much did Brother Gu like that woman? It was during working hours, yet he called her over, and they were being flirtatious in the office? It was infuriating.


    What was so special about that woman? Why did he like her so much? Charlene suddenly felt at a loss.


    Secretary Zhang nervously approached the office door and lightly knocked.


    ¡°Mr. Gu¡­¡± Secretary Zhang called out.


    ¡°Come in,¡± Gu Shaoting replied tersely.


    Secretary Zhang¡¯s heart skipped a beat as he nervously entered. Mr. Gu was sitting sternly at his desk, while Mrs. Gu looked somewhat uneasy on the sofa.


    ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Gu Shaoting asked, his gaze sharp.


    ¡°Um¡­ Charlene said she needed to see you,¡± Secretary Zhang answered truthfully.


    ¡°What for?¡± Gu Shaoting asked, frowning.


    ¡°She said it was private, but I¡¯m not sure,¡± Secretary Zhang regretted giving such a foolish answer. He might just end up annoying Mr. Gu.<div>


    Gu Shaoting¡¯s brow furrowed even more tightly.


    ¡°Shaoting, if you¡¯re busy, I¡¯ll head back to thepany first. We can have dinner together tonight,¡± Shu Pan heard someone was looking for her husband, so she quickly stood up and suggested.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± Gu Shaoting couldn¡¯t imagine what Charlene wanted with him. Something private? That was unlikely.


    ¡°And her?¡± Gu Shaoting asked.


    ¡°She¡¯s in the lounge¡­¡± Secretary Zhang quickly replied.


    ¡°Where were you just now?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mr. Gu. I went to the administrative department to fetch some documents. It was only a moment, and then she suddenly barged in,¡± Secretary Zhang thought of Charlene¡¯s pale face and Mrs. Gu¡¯s anxious expression, and he had a vague idea of what might have happened.


    Ah, this Charlene was really a handful, always causing big trouble.


    ¡°Never mind, let her in,¡± Gu Shaoting sighed heavily, his handsome face clouded with displeasure.


    ¡°Of course,¡± Secretary Zhang nodded and went out to open the door.


    But when Secretary Zhang pushed open the door to the lounge, he was dumbfounded. The room was empty. Where had everyone gone?


    Secretary Zhang searched high and low, but couldn¡¯t find anyone. Perhaps it wasn¡¯t something important after all, otherwise why would she leave? What a troublesome situation.<div>


    Finding no one, Secretary Zhang went back to report to Gu Shaoting.


    Charlene had been waiting in the lounge, but after a while without seeing the womane out, she didn¡¯t want to stay with her. She hoped to be alone with Brother Gu, so she left.


    Next time, she would make another appointment. But she was also angry. It was a waste of effort; she had spent a long time getting ready.


    ¡°You see, I told you there was nothing to worry about,¡± Gu Shaoting said to Shu Pan after hearing what Secretary Zhang said.


    Shu Pan nodded, and the two of them left.


    Leaving Secretary Zhang looking bewildered, he wiped his forehead, feeling relieved. Fortunately, Mr. Gu was in a good mood today and didn¡¯t me him. But such mistakes must not be made again.


    He thought for a moment, then sent a group email to all the staff.

 Chapter 607: The Perfect Daughter-in-law

    Chapter 607: The Perfect Daughter-inw<div>


    Trantor:Nyoi-Bo StudioEditor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Gu Shaoting and Shu Pan were on their honeymoon, so their life together was as sweet as honey.


    They were like conjoined twins, doing everything together.


    Gu Shaoting was especially happytely because there were new developments in the corporation. They were nning to move Sunrise, thepany where Shu Pan currently worked, back to headquarters.<div>


    Well, this time they had considered Gu Shaoting¡¯s opinion.


    This way, he couldmute to work with Shu Pan.


    He hadn¡¯t told Shu Pan about this good news yet.


    While Gu Shaoting was thrilled, He Ming was struggling.


    His mother had fallen ill, and he had to take care of her. Being a filial child was not easy. If Xiaomeng were at home, he could asionally go back to see her. Seeing her wouldfort him and make him less tired.


    Buttely, he had been busy because his mother had suddenly fainted, which had scared him. After that, he didn¡¯t dare to leave her side. When everything was fine, he remembered that Xiaomeng hadn¡¯t called him for a while.


    He hadn¡¯t called her either. Had something happened between them?


    Lost in thought, He Ming was interrupted by his mother¡¯s voice.


    ¡°Ming, what are you thinking about?¡± Mother He asked.


    ¡°Nothing, how are you feeling today?¡± He Ming snapped out of his daze and asked with concern.


    ¡°Much better, thanks to Yao Ning. She¡¯s my lifesaver now,¡± Mother He said gratefully.


    ¡°Okay.¡± He Ming replied, but it was evident that Mother He wasn¡¯t satisfied with his response.<div>


    Furrowing her brows, she raised her voice, ¡°Is that it? Thank her for me.¡±


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll take her out for dinner to thank her,¡± He Ming said helplessly. He knew what his mother was getting at, but the person he liked was Xiaomeng.


    ¡°Yeah, remember, don¡¯t forget,¡± Mother He finally smiled contentedly at her son¡¯s words.


    He Ming felt relieved seeing his mother finally smile.


    Two days ago, she had scared him half to death. That morning, without any warning, she had suddenly fainted. Fortunately, Yao Ning hade to check on her and had taken action, saving her. It was a case of low blood sugar causing her to faint.


    And because Yao Ning was a healthcare professional, she remained calm andposed in such situations.


    Because they caught it early, she quickly regained consciousness, and now she was fine.


    But Mother He regarded Yao Ning as a lifesaver, particrly liking her, especially since she was a doctor.


    Mother He believed having a daughter-inw who was a doctor was a matter of great pride.


    And with a doctor in the family, she didn¡¯t have to worry about falling ill with no one to care for her.


    The more she thought about it, the more reliable she found Yao Ning. Sotely, she had been desperately trying to match He Ming with Yao Ning.


    She could tell that Yao Ning was interested in He Ming. As for He Ming, he hadn¡¯t been in touch with Xiaomengtely, and she wondered if they had quarreled and broken up.<div>


    Honestly, Xiaomeng wasn¡¯t bad at all; she was a good girl. It¡¯s just that she couldn¡¯t have children, which was a fatal w. He Ming was an only child, so did they want the family line to end with him?


    Then, how could she face the ancestors of the He family in the future?


    So she had to oppose this matter.


    For now, He Ming still listened to her rtively well and didn¡¯t defy her. Once he truly saw Yao Ning¡¯s good side, he would be grateful to her for finding him such a good daughter-inw.


    Mother He couldn¡¯t help but smile as she thought about it.


    He Ming remained silent. Whatever his mother thought, as long as she was happy and healthy, that was all that mattered.


    After all, he was set on Xiaomeng. Once his mother was discharged from the hospital, he would drive to pick her up.

 Chapter 608: Yao Ning

    Chapter 608: Yao Ning<div>


    Trantor:Nyoi-Bo StudioEditor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Just as He Ming and Mother He fell silent, Yao Ning approached.


    ¡°Auntie, how are you feeling today?¡± Yao Ning truly lived up to her name, tall and graceful, with a gentle and charming demeanor, exuding an intellectual beauty.


    Mother He became increasingly satisfied the more she looked at her.<div>


    She smiled and said, ¡°I¡¯m fine now, everything¡¯s okay. No need to worry.¡±


    ¡°Good to hear.¡± Yao Ning smiled faintly.


    Then she turned to look at He Ming beside her, and couldn¡¯t help but feel a little stunned, followed by a blush creeping onto her cheeks.


    Yes, Yao Ning liked He Ming. Back when she was in school, she admired him. At that time, she often found reasons to visit his house, seeking some presence.


    But He Ming didn¡¯t seem to notice, remaining as he was before.


    Yao Ning was unwilling to give up. She worked hard in school, got into a prestigious university, and finally became a doctor. She felt she was now worthy of He Ming. But she heard from ssmates that he had a girlfriend.


    The news of him having a girlfriend never ceased. She was disappointed to the point of giving up.


    But heaven helps those who help themselves. Her sincerity eventually touched the heavens when Mother He fell ill, and she was assigned to her department.


    She was secretly delighted, finally having a reason and an excuse to interact with He Ming.


    Over the past few days, she saw how happy Mother He was and how satisfied she seemed with her.


    She pretended not to notice, wanting to see He Ming¡¯s reaction. After several encounters, he remained indifferent to her, treating her like an ordinary ssmate, nothing special.


    She felt disappointed. She thought he might be indifferent to her because he had a girlfriend. But after observing for some time, no woman came to visit him.<div>


    What was going on? Why didn¡¯t he ept her? She couldn¡¯t figure it out.


    She knew she was outstanding, with good conditions herself, and there were plenty of people trying to introduce boyfriends to her. But she just liked He Ming.


    ¡°Ming, say something¡­¡± Mother He saw He Ming was silent. She had to remind him.


    He Ming knew what his mother¡¯s intentions were and didn¡¯t want her to worry.


    He Ming spoke up, smiling at Yao Ning, ¡°Thank you, Yao Ning. How about we grab a meal together sometime?¡±


    Yao Ning was taken aback, not expecting He Ming to invite her. Instantly, she felt overjoyed.


    Great, He Ming finally responded to her.


    ¡°You¡¯re too polite, it¡¯s just a small matter, nothing to worry about,¡± Yao Ning replied politely.


    ¡°Really appreciate your help, my dear old ssmate. You¡¯ve been a great help during my mother¡¯s hospitalization,¡± He Ming emphasized the term ¡°ssmate¡± deliberately.


    Since he wasn¡¯t interested in her, there was no need to give her false hope or engage in any ambiguous rtionship.


    ¡°Alright then, let¡¯s have dinner tonight, don¡¯t stand me up,¡± Yao Ning saw this as a good opportunity, finally having some time alone with him.


    ¡°Sure, see you then,¡± He Ming nodded, but inwardly, he was somewhat absent-minded. He wanted to quickly call Xiaomeng. They hadn¡¯t been in touch for so long, he wondered how she was doing.<div>


    Yao Ning checked Mother He¡¯s condition and found everything was fine.


    ¡°Auntie, you¡¯re all good now. You can be discharged. Congrattions,¡± Yao Ning informed Mother He of the good news after the examination.


    ¡°Really? That¡¯s wonderful, you¡¯re amazing,¡± Mother He said happily upon hearing the news. She was starting to feel nauseous from the hospital disinfectant smell and was relieved to finally be getting out.


    Yao Ning smiled shyly, not wanting to take credit.


    ¡°Mom, I¡¯ll go help you with the discharge procedures,¡± He Ming said eagerly upon hearing that his mother could be discharged. He was thrilled.

 Chapter 609: Anxious

    Chapter 609: Anxious<div>


    Trantor:Nyoi-Bo StudioEditor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    He Ming left the ward quickly, thinking that once his mom was discharged, he could go find Xiaomeng. He hastened his steps towards the hospital¡¯s billing counter.


    In the ward, Mother He was chatting with Yao Ning, holding her hand.


    ¡°Yao Ning, you¡¯re such a good girl. Do you have a boyfriend?¡± Mother He asked directly, without beating around the bush. If she was going to introduce a potential partner to her son, she needed to know all the details.<div>


    ¡°Auntie¡­¡± Yao Ning blushed shyly.


    Being experienced, Mother He understood the implication right away.


    ¡°Yao Ning, what do you think of my son?¡± Mother He asked tentatively.


    ¡°He Ming is great,¡± Yao Ning, being clever, wouldn¡¯t miss Mother He¡¯s a hint. She quickly expressed her stance.


    After admiring He Ming for so long, would she finally have a chance?


    ¡°Hehe, that¡¯s good then,¡± Mother He chuckled. It wasn¡¯t self-praise; her son was indeed so outstanding that there were few who wouldn¡¯t like him.


    ¡°Auntie, you¡¯ve been in the hospital for so long. Why haven¡¯t you seen He Ming¡¯s girlfriende to visit you?¡± Yao Ning asked casually.


    After all, she had always heard about his girlfriend but hadn¡¯t seen any other womene to visit.


    Wasn¡¯t it strange? Even if she was busy, shouldn¡¯t she have made time to visit her boyfriend¡¯s mother who was ill?


    Upon hearing Yao Ning mention He Ming¡¯s girlfriend, Mother He immediately thought of Xiaomeng, and her expression darkened.


    ¡°They probably broke up. I haven¡¯t seen them in contact recently anyway. Besides, I didn¡¯t approve of her,¡± Mother He¡¯s tone was firm.


    Yao Ning was stunned. She hadn¡¯t expected this situation. Did He Ming and his girlfriend break up?<div>


    ¡°Auntie, what He Ming likes, outsiders can¡¯t interfere with,¡± Yao Ning seemed to be stirring up trouble.


    ¡°How can they not interfere? I¡¯m his mother. If he marries Xiaomeng, it would mean cutting off our family¡¯s future. I won¡¯t allow it,¡± Mother He said indignantly. She didn¡¯t want to meddle in her son¡¯s rtionships, but seeing him so blindly obsessed, she felt responsible for waking him up.


    Yao Ning felt conflicted. So it was Auntie He¡¯s opposition, not He Ming¡¯s rtionship with his girlfriend, that caused the issue. Hearing this, she suddenly felt very disappointed.


    Just then, He Ming returned.


    ¡°It¡¯s all sorted out, Mom,¡± He Ming efficiently helped pack things up.


    ¡°Good,¡± Mother He nodded.


    ¡°Yao Ning, thank you for everything during this time,¡± He Ming expressed his sincere gratitude.


    ¡°You¡¯re wee. We¡¯re friends after all,¡± Yao Ning smiled gently, her lips forming a long arc.


    ¡°Then tonight, when you finish work, I¡¯lle pick you up for dinner,¡± He Ming¡¯s thoughts were straightforward. He just wanted to quickly repay the favor and not owe anyone anything.


    Yao Ning¡¯s heart skipped a beat when she heard this. Was he asking her out on a date? That would be wonderful.


    ¡°Okay,¡± Yao Ning nodded shyly.


    Mother He watched quietly, smiling inwardly.<div>


    Great, her wish to hold her grandchild might not be far off now.


    After settling Mother He at home, He Ming stepped outside and impatiently dialed Xiaomeng¡¯s number.


    But no one answered after several tries.


    He was getting anxious. Had something happened since they hadn¡¯t been in touch for days?


    No, he decided. Tomorrow, he would go to Xiaomeng¡¯s house and check on her.


    He then called Shu Pan, wanting to inquire about Xiaomeng¡¯s situation.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t Xiaomeng at home? We haven¡¯t been in touch for a few days. Is everything okay?¡± Shu Pan received He Ming¡¯s call, sounding worried.

 Chapter 610: Not Stopping

    Chapter 610: Not Stopping<div>


    Trantor:Nyoi-Bo StudioEditor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    ¡°Oh, no worries. She went back home a few days ago. I¡¯ve been busytely, and when I tried calling her today, she didn¡¯t pick up. I just wanted to ask if she¡¯s been in touch with you these past few days?¡± He Ming quickly exined, concerned that Shu Pan might misunderstand.


    ¡°No, I¡¯ve been busy too. Is everything okay with her?¡± Shu Pan asked, sounding worried.


    ¡°I¡¯ll go pick her up tomorrow,¡± He Ming said, realizing he might have been too anxious. Perhaps she just didn¡¯t have her phone with her.


    Ah, he thought, getting flustered had made him forget everything else.


    Now that he had calmed down, he realized he might have been too nervous and overly concerned about Xiaomeng.<div>


    Xiaomeng, that scatterbrain, often forgot to bring her phone. It wouldn¡¯t be unusual for her to miss a call.


    He smiled to himself. Indeed, busy minds lead to chaos.


    ¡°Alright, keep me updated,¡± Shu Pan instructed.


    ¡°Got it,¡± He Ming readily agreed.


    ¡°He Ming, um¡­ did Xiaomeng say anything to you before she left?¡± Shu Pan remembered Xiaomeng¡¯s pregnancy and brought it up.


    ¡°No, why?¡± He Ming thought for a moment. Xiaomeng didn¡¯t say anything specific before she left.


    ¡°Oh, never mind then,¡± Shu Pan thought Xiaomeng might have her own ns, so she didn¡¯t tell He Ming.


    After He Ming hung up the phone, he felt a bit mncholic. It had been a long time since hest saw Xiaomeng, and he missed her terribly.


    Back at home, Mother He waved him over, gesturing for him to sit down, then she asked him directly.


    ¡°Did you and Xiaomeng break up?¡± Mother He got straight to the point, not beating around the bush.


    ¡°How could that be? We¡¯re not breaking up,¡± He Ming replied sternly.


    ¡°Are you trying to kill me? Forget about Xiaomeng¡¯s past, just tell me about your ns now. How long have you been thinking about having a child? Do you have one?¡± Mother He said loudly.<div>


    ¡°Mom, calm down, take care of yourself, let¡¯s talk properly,¡± He Ming said, concerned not to upset her since she was in delicate health.


    ¡°Fine, I¡¯m not angry. But tonight, you¡¯re going out to dinner with Yao Ning, and you better take a good look at the girls around you,¡± Mother He insisted, convinced that Xiaomeng had bewitched him, otherwise he wouldn¡¯t be so stubborn.


    There were so many outstanding girls around him. How had he not noticed?


    ¡°Okay, okay, I promise,¡± He Ming quickly agreed.


    He had already nned to take Yao Ning out to dinner, so it wasn¡¯t a big deal.


    Mother He finally quieted down. She just didn¡¯t believe that He Ming wouldn¡¯t listen to her.


    After all, he was her son, and she knew him very well.


    Seeing that the old man at home had stopped making a fuss, He Ming breathed a sigh of relief. He thought to himself that when Xiaomeng came back, they would have to work even harder.


    They needed to strive to have a cute baby as soon as possible, so they wouldn¡¯t have so many issues.


    Around five in the afternoon, Mother He urged He Ming to drive to pick up Yao Ning.


    When He Ming arrived at the hospital¡¯s entrance, he was just about to make a call when he saw Yao Ninging out, perfectly timed.


    He drove slowly towards her, then honked the horn lightly.<div>


    Yao Ning, lost in thought, jumped a little at the sound, but when she saw it was He Ming, her eyes lit up. As He Ming parked and got out of the car, he opened the passenger door for Yao Ning, who gracefully stepped inside.


    He Ming had booked a table at a Western restaurant without much thought. He simply felt that the environment there was quieter and more conducive to conversation, and after a busy day at the hospital, Yao Ning could use some peace and quiet.


    But as a gentleman, he still wanted to ask the beautifuldy for her opinion.


    ¡°Yao Ning, is there any restaurant you particrly want to go to? Or any dish you¡¯d like to eat?¡±


    ¡°Anything is fine, I¡¯m not picky. You decide,¡± Yao Ning smiled softly.

 Chapter 611: A Romantic Dinner

    Chapter 611: A Romantic Dinner<div>


    Trantor:Nyoi-Bo StudioEditor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    ¡°I¡¯ve booked a Western restaurant for lunch, so let¡¯s go with that. The atmosphere there is usually quiet,¡± He Ming suggested.


    ¡°Okay, Western food sounds good. It¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve been to one,¡± Yao Ning replied, impressed by He Ming¡¯s thoughtfulness. He knew she was busy and didn¡¯t like crowded ces.


    ¡°As long as you like it,¡± He Ming said as he drove towards the restaurant.


    When it came time to order, He Ming let Yao Ning choose, showing consideration for her preferences. These gestures made Yao Ning feel deeply moved. The man she liked was indeed exceptional¡ªhandsome, attentive, and gentle. How could she not like him?


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ve ordered everything. Take a look and see if it suits your taste,¡± Yao Ning said, looking across at He Ming, her eyes seemingly brimming with affection.<div>


    He Ming, of course, could feel the intense gaze from across the table. Feeling somewhat ufortable, he pretended to pour water for both of them.


    ¡°He Ming, did you hear about it? Lin Li, the former ss beauty, got divorced not long ago,¡± Yao Ning sighed. She and Lin Li had both liked He Ming back then, but after knowing He Ming¡¯s attitude, Lin Li had turned to the embrace of a wealthy second-generation.


    After three years of marriage without children, the wealthy man fell for a hotel receptionist, and Lin Li couldn¡¯t bear it, so they divorced.


    It was truly a pity. In this society, finding two people who truly loved each other and could stay together forever was indeed not easy.


    He Ming was a bit stunned upon hearing this. He remembered Lin Li, who was beautiful and gentle. But at that time, he wasn¡¯t interested, so he had rejected her confession.


    ¡°The divorce rate these days is quite high,¡± He Ming said, not knowing what else to say but feeling a pang of emotion.


    ¡°Yeah, if two people don¡¯t love each other, there won¡¯t be any happiness in the end, right, He Ming?¡± Yao Ning asked.


    ¡°Of course, that¡¯s undeniable.¡± So his bride for life would only be Xiaomeng.


    ¡°Right, right,¡± Yao Ning nodded.


    As they enjoyed their meal, He Ming helped Yao Ning with her food, behaving like a true gentleman.


    The scene of the two dining together was observed by Shu Pan, who couldn¡¯t quite understand it.


    Was He Ming really like that? Just today he called Xiaomeng, looking so nervous, and she remembered every word he said.<div>


    She had been ming Xiaomeng for not telling He Ming about her pregnancy in time.


    How could it be that in just a moment, he¡¯s having a romantic dinner with another woman,ughing and chatting?


    Was He Ming also someone who says one thing and does another, ying both sides?


    Suddenly, Shu Pan felt disheartened. Xiaomeng was pregnant now, and if she found out, the consequences would be unimaginable.


    Ironically, Gu Shaoting had been taking her out for dinner a lottely, saying they needed some alone time together, since they were still in their honeymoon phase.


    Today he had chosen a famous Western restaurant, where reservations were usually required in advance, and there was even live music and flowers¡­


    Just as Gu Shaoting stepped away to take an important call, she nced around and saw He Ming. It must be fate.


    He Ming probably didn¡¯t notice her, and the woman across from him, with her eyes full of affection, clearly had feelings for him.


    She didn¡¯t know what their rtionship was, but she couldn¡¯t justify it if he was seeing someone else behind Xiaomeng¡¯s back.


    Was there trouble brewing between them? Why was one heading home and the other making ns with another woman? What was going on? She was utterly confused.

 Chapter 612: Chatting Joyfully

    Chapter 612: Chatting Joyfully<div>


    Trantor:Nyoi-Bo StudioEditor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    The more Shu Pan thought about it, the more furrowed her brow became.


    She thought to herself, she definitely couldn¡¯t tell Xiaomeng about this; it might upset her and could even harm the baby in her womb.


    But to act as if she hadn¡¯t seen anything at all? She couldn¡¯t ept that. What if He Ming really had something going on with that woman? Wouldn¡¯t she be covering for him then?


    She decided she had to warn him.


    Lost in thought, Shu Pan didn¡¯t even notice when Gu Shaoting returned to sit across from her.<div>


    Gu Shaoting waved his hand in front of her eyes, finally snapping her out of her reverie.


    ¡°What are you thinking about? You seem so lost,¡± Gu Shaoting asked, puzzled. He had only taken one phone call and returned, yet she seemed like a different person.


    Weren¡¯t they just fine during the performance and dinner?


    ¡°Shaoting, do you think all men like to y both sides? Saying one thing to your face and doing another behind your back?¡± Shu Pan couldn¡¯t help but voice her doubts. She figured Gu Shaoting, being a man, would understand better.


    ¡°Hold on, dear, where did thate from? You¡¯re painting everyone with the same brush. Not all men are like that,¡± Gu Shaoting thought to himself, feeling a bit defensive. After all, he wasn¡¯t like that.


    ¡°Sorry, I spoke too generally. But I really can¡¯t wrap my head around it. Look at the 8,¡± Shu Pan didn¡¯t want to falsely use anyone. With Gu Shaoting as a witness, He Ming wouldn¡¯t be able to y innocent.


    Upon hearing Shu Pan¡¯s words, Gu Shaoting turned curiously and looked in the direction she indicated. His expression changed as he saw He Ming dining with another woman, seemingly having a good time.


    Of course, the woman wasn¡¯t Xiaomeng, which exined Shu Pan¡¯s strong reaction.


    Gu Shaoting was quick toe to He Ming¡¯s defense. ¡°She¡¯s probably just a friend. It¡¯s normal for friends and ssmates to have dinner together.¡±


    Shu Pan remained silent, continuing to stare at Gu Shaoting. ¡°So you¡¯re telling me you¡¯ve never taken a female friend out for dinner, especially not to a romantic Western restaurant like this?¡±


    ¡°No, I haven¡¯t,¡± Gu Shaoting refuted.


    He thought, ¡°He Ming, I can¡¯t help you with this anymore.¡± The atmosphere here was for couples on dates. The dim lighting and ambiguous ambiance spoke for themselves.<div>


    ¡°But that doesn¡¯t necessarily mean anything. I¡¯ll find a time to ask him about it. After all, he treasures Xiaomeng like a treasure and wouldn¡¯t do anything to betray her,¡± Gu Shaoting thought. He knew there were many fickle-hearted men out there, but He Ming wasn¡¯t one of them.


    ¡°Let¡¯s hope so, or I won¡¯t let it go easily,¡± Shu Pan said firmly.


    Because of He Ming¡¯s situation, this little episode had also affected them.


    Seeing that they had finished eating, Shu Pan didn¡¯t feel entirely at ease, so Gu Shaoting decided to settle the bill and head home.


    Before they left, they nced at He Ming, who was still chatting away. Gu Shaoting could only feel sympathy for him.


    ¡°Oh, He Ming, there might be a ss reunion next month,¡± Yao Ning suddenly remembered. ¡°It¡¯s organized by Liu Peng, you know, the chubby guy from before.¡±


    ¡°A ss reunion? That sounds good. It¡¯ll be nice to catch up with everyone,¡± He Ming nodded in agreement.


    ¡°Consider yourself invited, then. We¡¯ll let you know the detailster,¡± Yao Ning thought it would be another opportunity to see him.


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll try to make time for it,¡± He Ming nced at the time; it wasn¡¯t early anymore.


    ¡°Are you full? Would you like dessert? Oh, right, girls usually love desserts. Let me order a dessert for you,¡± He Ming was truly thoughtful. Yao Ning was touched. She didn¡¯t want to miss out on this man.

 Chapter 613: She’s Missing

    Chapter 613: She¡¯s Missing<div>


    Trantor:Nyoi-Bo StudioEditor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    He Ming was truly the most outstanding guy she had ever met. Otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t have been foolishly infatuated for so long.


    Initially, when she found out he had a girlfriend and probably even considering marriage, she was heartbroken and ready to give up. But fate intervened. When He Ming¡¯s mother fell ill and happened to be in her department, she crossed paths with He Ming again. Wasn¡¯t this fate?


    She had secretly observed to see what kind of person He Ming¡¯s girlfriend was. But after waiting for so long, she never showed up. It didn¡¯t make sense. How could she not visit her future mother-inw when she was sick? It indicated a terrible rtionship, didn¡¯t it?


    She stole a nce at He Ming, who was earnestly ordering dessert for her. It warmed her heart.


    When the dessert arrived, she savored it spoon by spoon, reluctant to finish it too quickly. She wanted to spend more time with him.<div>


    Finally, they finished eating, and He Ming settled the bill.


    In the car, Yao Ning looked at He Ming. His hands were distinct, strong, and powerful, making her heart flutter.


    Suppressing her excitement, she pretended to be calm and said, ¡°He Ming, Auntie needs to rest well after recovering. Don¡¯t stress her out.¡±


    He Ming nodded appreciatively. ¡°Okay, thank you.¡±


    He Ming dropped Yao Ning off at her house. Initially, Yao Ning wanted to invite He Ming inside, but she quickly reconsidered. It wouldn¡¯t be appropriate, and she didn¡¯t want him to think she was too forward.


    So after getting out of the car, she waved to He Ming, reminded him to drive safely, and gracefully walked away.


    After Yao Ning left, He Ming started the car and drove home.


    Early the next morning, He Ming told his mother he had to go out for something. His mother thought he was going on a business trip and reminded him to be careful.


    He nodded and left.


    If his mother found out he was going to see Xiaomeng, she¡¯d probably get angry again.


    For now, it was best to avoid stirring up more trouble.


    He Ming bought fruits, tea leaves, and nutritional supplements and headed to Xiaomeng¡¯s house.<div>


    It took him 40 minutes to drive to Xiaomeng¡¯s house, and the closer he got, the more nervous he became. Even though he had visited Xiaomeng¡¯s parents before, meeting elders always made him a bit tense.


    With the gifts in hand, He Ming pressed the doorbell.


    After a moment, footsteps approached from afar, and He Ming straightened his posture.


    Suddenly, the door opened, and Father Ye poked his head out, looking surprised to see He Ming.


    ¡°He Ming, howe you have time toe over? Did Xiaomenge back with you?¡± Father Ye asked happily after regaining hisposure.


    ¡°Xiaomeng¡­ she happened to have something to do. I was just passing by on a business trip, so I came to see you and Auntie,¡± He Ming replied,pletely flustered by Father Ye¡¯s question.


    From Father Ye¡¯s words, it seemed that Xiaomeng hadn¡¯t returned home at all. Where could she be? Why would she lie to him?


    Where could she have gone? Or had something happened to her?


    The thought that Xiaomeng might be in trouble made He Ming break out in a cold sweat.


    But to avoid worrying Uncle Ye, he managed to calm himself down. After entering the house, he handed over the gifts in his hands.


    ¡°Silly boy, it¡¯s good that you¡¯re here. Don¡¯t spend money recklessly,¡± Father Ye scolded gently. Although he hadn¡¯t seen He Ming much, he could judge character. He knew He Ming was upright and treated his daughter well, and that was enough for him.


    His daughter had been hurt once by a wrong person, and this time, he just hoped Xiaomeng could find happiness.<div>


    As a father, his expectations were low. As long as his daughter was happy and treated well, that was all he wished for.


    He didn¡¯t seek great wealth; as long as they werefortable, it was enough. That was their parents¡¯ wish.

 Chapter 614: Crazy

    Chapter 614: Crazy<div>


    Trantor:Nyoi-Bo StudioEditor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    ¡°Uncle, it¡¯s nothing valuable, please don¡¯t worry about it,¡± He Ming looked at the kind-hearted Father Ye, feeling a pang of sadness.


    A father¡¯s heartfelt concern, he could understand.


    ¡°Wait a moment, I¡¯ll ask Auntie to make a delicious meal for you, let¡¯s have a simple lunch together,¡± Father Ye said warmly.


    ¡°No need, Uncle, I¡¯ll be leaving soon,¡± He Ming replied. He had no appetite for food now; all he wanted was to hurry and find Xiaomeng.


    He felt extremely anxious, wondering where Xiaomeng could be.<div>


    He med himself deeply; he had been neglecting Xiaomengtely, leading her to the idea of running away from home.


    In the vast sea of people, he didn¡¯t even know where to start looking for her.


    ¡°Don¡¯t say such nonsense; it¡¯s a rare asion for you to visit. How can you leave without eating?¡± Father Ye¡¯s warmth was truly hard to resist.


    Just then, Mother Ye happened to return from buying groceries. Her eyes lit up when she saw He Ming.


    ¡°He Ming, you¡¯re here?¡± Mother Ye looked at her son-inw with increasing fondness. Then she turned to Father Ye and said, ¡°Old man, why didn¡¯t you call me? I could have bought more groceries.¡±


    ¡°Auntie, I¡¯m just passing by on a business trip and decided to drop by to see you both. I¡¯ll be leaving soon, so there¡¯s no need to go to any trouble,¡± He Ming said, genuinely wanting to avoid inconveniencing the elderly couple.


    ¡°Auntie is nimble, it won¡¯t take long,¡± Mother Ye said as she entered the kitchen.


    ¡°He Ming, have you been busytely?¡± Father Ye engaged him in conversation.


    ¡°It¡¯s been alright,¡± He Ming nodded.


    ¡°He Ming, Xiaomeng can be a bit stubborn sometimes. I hope you can be more patient with her. She¡¯s kind-hearted, but she can be a bit impulsive at times,¡± Father Ye said, mixing praise and criticism.


    Truly, the concerns of parents know no bounds.


    Father Ye only had this one precious daughter, and he definitely wished for her happiness and joy.<div>


    ¡°Uncle, Xiaomeng is wonderful. Meeting her has been my blessing. I should thank you for raising such a great daughter,¡± He Ming said sincerely.


    ¡°That¡¯s wonderful to hear,¡± Father Ye replied, visibly relieved, finally letting go of a big worry.


    ¡°Uncle, you can rest assured, I¡¯m serious about this,¡± He Ming assured him.


    ¡°Alright,¡± Father Ye seemed to choke up a bit.


    Soon, Mother Ye came over, announcing that dinner was ready.


    Father Ye and He Ming walked over to the dining table. ¡°Would you like some wine?¡± Father Ye asked.


    ¡°No, Uncle, I¡¯ll be drivingter,¡± He Ming waved his hand to decline.


    ¡°Yes, driving safely is the priority,¡± Mother Ye insisted.


    ¡°He Ming, has Mengmeng been busytely?¡± Mother Ye asked with a furrowed brow.


    ¡°Well, she¡¯s been okay. Why, is something wrong?¡± He Ming inquired.


    ¡°She hasn¡¯t been back for a while, and she¡¯s been calling home less often,¡± Mother Ye missed her daughter.


    ¡°Oh, when she has time, we¡¯lle back more often,¡± He Ming also felt a pang of regret; he had been neglecting the two elders too much.<div>


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, you both are busy with your careers. Just call us when you have time,¡± Mother Ye was understanding.


    ¡°Alright,¡± He Ming replied, but his mind was preupied with thoughts of Xiaomeng. Even though the table was filled with delicious dishes, he couldn¡¯t taste any of them.


    After hastily finishing the meal, He Ming made an excuse and left.


    Father Ye and Mother Ye didn¡¯t dare to keep him when he said he had something to attend to, fearing that it might be an urgent matter.


    The first thing He Ming did after leaving was to call Xiaomeng, but the call went unanswered. He was truly frantic.


    With no one picking up the phone, it automatically disconnected.


    He Ming sent a text message to Xiaomeng, asking her to contact him as soon as possible.


    Feeling like a headless fly, he had no choice but to head home for now.

 Chapter 615: Is There a Problem Between You Two?

    Chapter 615: Is There a Problem Between You Two?<div>


    Trantor:Nyoi-Bo StudioEditor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    He Ming returned home to familiar surroundings, a home carefully decorated by Xiaomeng, which exuded warmth in every corner.


    Every nook and cranny of the house was meticulously clean, reminding him of Xiaomeng tidying up. He felt like he was experiencing hallucinations.


    He tossed his car keys onto the coffee table and slowly sank onto the sofa, covering his face with his hands, deeply pondering where the problem might lie.


    She seemed perfectly normal recently, except for feeling a bit down for a couple of days after returning from Shu Pan¡¯s wedding. He guessed it was due to envy.


    But he was nning a surprise for her too. Why envy others?<div>


    He hadn¡¯t even had the chance to tell her yet, so why would she run away from home?


    Her silent departure left him clueless.


    He thought about her friends. Shu Pan was her bestie, but she hadn¡¯t even told Shu Pan. Her other friends were just acquaintances, unlikely to go out together.


    He ran his hands through his hair, feeling utterly lost.


    Finally, he had no choice but to pick up his phone and call Shu Pan.


    ¡°He Ming?¡± Shu Pan sounded uncertain. ¡°Did you bring Xiaomeng back?¡±


    Because she knew he was going to Xiaomeng¡¯s house today.


    ¡°No, Xiaomeng is missing,¡± He Ming said, distressed.


    ¡°Missing? What do you mean missing?¡± Shu Pan suddenly raised her voice, startling He Ming.


    ¡°Xiaomeng didn¡¯te back. She¡¯s not at home. I don¡¯t know where she went,¡± He Ming regretted not paying more attention to Xiaomeng recently.


    ¡°Have you been to her house?¡±


    ¡°Yes, she hasn¡¯t contacted you?¡± He Ming thought Xiaomeng would have contacted Shu Pan.<div>


    ¡°No, how about this, I¡¯ll give her a callter. If she picks up, I¡¯ll ask her to contact you,¡± Shu Pan felt that Xiaomeng sometimes acted impulsively, so she probably didn¡¯t think much about it.


    ¡°Okay, thank you,¡± He Ming said gratefully.


    After hanging up the phone, Shu Pan immediately called Xiaomeng, but no one answered.


    She tried again, but still no response.


    Shu Pan started to feel anxious. Could Xiaomeng be deliberately not answering the phone to spite He Ming?


    But it was impossible for her to ignore everyone¡¯s calls.


    Just then, the phone suddenly rang, breaking the silence in the room.


    Shu Pan checked and saw that it was Xiaomeng calling. She felt a wave of excitement and quickly answered the call.


    ¡°Xiaomeng, where have you been? We¡¯ve all been worried sick,¡± Shu Pan didn¡¯t wait for the other person to speak, she hurriedly said.


    ¡°Girl, calm down, I¡¯m fine. I just came to the beach for a couple of days. I¡¯ve been feeling downtely, needed to clear my mind,¡± Xiaomeng exined.


    ¡°Well, you should have told He Ming. He¡¯s been going crazy worrying about you,¡± Shu Pan thought Xiaomeng was being clueless.


    ¡°His mom hasn¡¯t been feeling well recently, so I didn¡¯t tell him, didn¡¯t want him to worry,¡± Xiaomeng didn¡¯t know why, but she just didn¡¯t want to tell He Ming. The image of him walking out of the elevator with the beautiful woman that day kept reying in her mind.<div>


    ¡°Xiaomeng, do you remember there¡¯s a little one inside you? Are you feeling ufortable anywhere?¡± Shu Pan worried that Xiaomeng was being careless, especially after finally getting pregnant.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine, I¡¯ve checked with the doctor. And I¡¯m just nearby, not going far,¡± Xiaomeng was more anxious than anyone. She just needed to clear her mind, afraid it might affect the baby.


    ¡°That¡¯s good. He Ming has been calling you many times, why didn¡¯t you answer? And why didn¡¯t you return his calls after seeing missed calls?¡± Shu Pan finished, then asked softly, ¡°Is there a problem between you two?¡±

 Chapter 616: I Have Something to Tell You When I Get Back

    Chapter 616: I Have Something to Tell You When I Get Back<div>


    Trantor:Nyoi-Bo StudioEditor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Ye Xiaomeng was taken aback by Shu Pan¡¯s words and took a moment before responding, ¡°No, everything¡¯s the same as before.¡±


    From Xiaomeng¡¯s hesitant reply, Shu Pan could guess what the problem might be. She then thought back to the scene at the restaurant the other day and couldn¡¯t help but wonder, did Xiaomeng feel upset because she thought He Ming was seeing someone else?


    But He Ming¡¯s behavior didn¡¯t seem like that of someone cheating, not with how worried he appeared.


    ¡°Sometimes what you see isn¡¯t necessarily the truth. When you see something, you must gather the courage to ask about it. Don¡¯t be afraid, and don¡¯t keep it to yourself, or you¡¯ll only make yourself miserable,¡± Shu Pan didn¡¯t know the exact reason behind Xiaomeng¡¯s distress, but she wanted to address it early on.


    ¡°Since when did you be a love expert?¡± Xiaomeng chuckled, grateful to have a bestie like Shu Pan.<div>


    ¡°Nonsense. Call He Ming back soon; he¡¯s really worried,¡± Shu Pan felt it was fair to give He Ming a chance, especially since he¡¯s the father of the child. Besides, things might not be as they seem.


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll head back soon too,¡± Xiaomeng felt it was enough; she had been a bit stubborn. It was time to face reality.


    After hanging up, Xiaomeng called He Ming.


    ¡°Mengmeng, you finally called me back! Are you okay? Where have you been?¡± He Ming was truly frantic, his words now jumbled.


    ¡°He Ming, don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m fine. I¡¯ve been at the beach for two days. I¡¯ll be back tomorrow, and there¡¯s something I need to tell you when I get back,¡± Xiaomengforted him, eager to share the news of her pregnancy with him.


    She couldn¡¯t wait to see his silly reaction.


    After spending two days clearing her mind, Xiaomeng felt much calmer now.


    She also figured out a lot of things. Happiness, she realized, had to be actively pursued. If she continued to be pessimistic, He Ming would soon grow tired of her.


    ¡°Okay¡­¡± He Ming felt nervous hearing Xiaomeng¡¯s serious tone about wanting to talk when she returned. What could it be? Was she going to break up with him?


    Phew, no way!!


    He Ming¡¯s heart was fragile now, unable to handle any more shocks. These past two days, Xiaomeng had really scared him.


    ¡°I¡¯ll hang up then,¡± she said. After all, she¡¯d be back tomorrow.<div>


    ¡°I¡¯ll drive over to pick you up tomorrow,¡± He Ming still couldn¡¯t shake off his concern.


    ¡°No need, it¡¯s convenient for me to catch a ride here. Just wait for me at home,¡± Xiaomeng tly refused. She was tired of running around.


    Finally, He Ming¡¯s heart settled down.


    Thankfully, nothing bad had happened. But when she got back, he still needed to talk to her seriously. She must inform him before going out for fun. She shouldn¡¯t make it seem like she was running away from home, worrying everyone.


    With her phone in hand, Xiaomeng gazed at the sea outside, her thoughts spinning.


    Her happiness, her husband, she would protect with all her might. No one had the right to make her give up.


    The next day, Xiaomeng checked out of the hotel early, packed her bags, and set off for home.


    As soon as she reached the lobby, she saw He Ming standing at the entrance, probably waiting for a while.


    ¡°Why are you standing here?¡± Xiaomeng asked, puzzled. She hadn¡¯t told him when exactly she¡¯d be back.


    He couldn¡¯t have been standing here like a fool all morning.


    It seemed like he had been waiting for a long time.


    Suddenly, she felt a pang of guilt.<div>


    Seeing her asking so earnestly, with concern in her eyes, He Ming noticed that Xiaomeng, who had returned from her break, seemed a bit different from usual. But he couldn¡¯t quite put his finger on what exactly was different.

 Chapter 617: Have You Gained Some Weight?

    Chapter 617: Have You Gained Some Weight?<div>


    Trantor:Nyoi-Bo StudioEditor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    He Ming held Xiaomeng¡¯s hand as they walked upstairs.


    ¡°What¡¯s the matter you want to talk to me about?¡± He Ming had been thinking about this all day.


    Xiaomeng pouted and then gave a soft smile. ¡°Let¡¯s go home first, we¡¯ll talk about it there.¡±


    He Ming raised an eyebrow. ¡°Can¡¯t tell me now? Is it good news or bad news? Let me prepare myself mentally.¡±


    The more she teased him, the more he wanted to know.<div>


    ¡°Like I said, I¡¯ll tell you when we get home. Why do you keep asking? Not cute at all,¡± Xiaomeng ignored him and unlocked the door.


    In fact, Xiaomeng felt much better after she had figured things out.


    She let out a long sigh of relief.


    ¡°He Ming, am I the woman you want to spend your life with?¡± She suddenly looked at him with eager eyes.


    ¡°What are you randomly thinking about now?¡± He Ming couldn¡¯t understand what women were thinking all day long.


    ¡°Tell me, am I?¡± She shook his arm.


    ¡°You¡¯ll be my wife, my lifelongpanion,¡± He Ming said firmly. From the beginning, he wasn¡¯t ying around.


    ¡°Couples also get divorced, right? In today¡¯s society, divorce is pretty normal, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°No, you¡¯re the only wife I¡¯ll have in my lifetime, there won¡¯t be anyone else.¡± He Ming looked at her, speaking earnestly and solemnly.


    ¡°Okay, I believe you.¡± Xiaomeng threw herself into his embrace, wrapping her arms tightly around his waist.


    Having been with He Ming for so long, Xiaomeng knew he was the kind of person who did what he promised. He might not easily makemitments, but once he did, he would do everything in his power to fulfill them.


    So she didn¡¯t have much to worry about. External factors could be ovee as long as they were united in purpose.<div>


    All she had to do now was to trust him wholeheartedly.


    As Xiaomeng contemted, she ced He Ming¡¯s hand on her abdomen. ¡°Feel it, what do you sense?¡±


    He Ming, being a bit thick-skinned, didn¡¯t catch on immediately. ¡°Are you gaining weight?¡±


    Xiaomeng couldn¡¯t help but roll her eyes at him. ¡°Try again.¡±


    He Ming¡¯s warm and sturdy palm gently moved over her abdomen. Squinting slightly, he earnestly pondered what she was trying to express.


    But despite his efforts, he couldn¡¯t figure it out. ¡°Are you¡­ feeling unwell? Should I massage it for you?¡±


    ¡°No, that¡¯s not it. Guess again, there¡¯s a prize if you get it right.¡± Xiaomeng was really starting to feel defeated by his dullness. What if their child inherited his slowness? How would she manage?


    In truth, it wasn¡¯t entirely He Ming¡¯s fault. He was afraid to think in that direction, fearing he might guess wrong and upset Xiaomeng.


    ¡°Are you trying to say¡­?¡± Suddenly, a hint of a smile flickered in He Ming¡¯s eyes. Even though it was a joke, he said it with such seriousness.


    Seeing his intense gaze, Xiaomeng instantly understood where his thoughts had gone. She couldn¡¯t help but pat him. ¡°He Ming, why are you so slow? Can we still have a pleasant conversation?¡±


    How could there be such a clueless man? She had dropped hints, both direct and indirect, but he still couldn¡¯t figure it out. Now she was worried that if their child inherited his personality, it would be beyond words.


    Facing such a blockhead was enough, but to have another one? It would truly drive her crazy.<div>


    ¡°What does it mean then?¡± He Ming gave up guessing. Women¡¯s minds were like needles in the sea. How could he know what challenge she was throwing at him?


    Xiaomeng couldn¡¯t help but find it amusing and exasperating at the same time. This man seemed sharp on the surface, but when faced with situations like this, he could be incredibly dense.

 Chapter 618: I’m Pregnant

    Chapter 618: I¡¯m Pregnant<div>


    Trantor:Nyoi-Bo StudioEditor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Ye Xiaomeng looked into his eyes and said very seriously, ¡°I¡¯m carrying our child.¡±


    Her lips curled into a long arc.


    Her gaze remained fixed on his face, wanting to see his reaction.


    ¡°What?¡± He Ming seemed to have heard ¡°our child¡± and couldn¡¯t believe his ears, so he asked again.


    ¡°You heard me right. Yes, I¡¯m pregnant. We¡¯re having a baby,¡± Ye Xiaomeng said each word carefully.<div>


    This time, He Ming listened very attentively and clearly understood that Xiaomeng said they were having a baby.


    In that moment, he realized, ¡°Ah!¡± and then lifted Ye Xiaomeng up, spinning her around.


    ¡°Put me down, I¡¯m dizzy,¡± Ye Xiaomeng called out.


    ¡°Oh, right, I¡¯m just too excited, forgot about that. Are you okay?¡± He Ming asked nervously.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Ye Xiaomeng understood his excitement, remembering how she felt when she first found out.


    ¡°Mengmeng, this is really wonderful. We finally have our little angel,¡± He Ming¡¯s eyes seemed to shine, this was the best news he had ever heard.


    Just yesterday, he was worried that Xiaomeng hade back to break up with him, but he never expected such joyous news.


    He wanted to call everyone and announce that he was going to be a dad.


    Fortunately, his rationality stopped him.


    ¡°Is it a boy or a girl?¡± He Ming asked, ¡°It would be best if it¡¯s a lovely daughter.¡±


    He Ming imagined a little girl, so adorable.


    ¡°You¡¯re silly, it¡¯s not even two months yet. How could we possibly know?¡± Ye Xiaomeng looked at his current expression and thought he was being a bit silly.<div>


    She was really afraid this news would make him go silly.


    ¡°Oh, right.¡±


    ¡°No matter if it¡¯s a boy or a girl, they¡¯re both our child, and I¡¯ll love them equally as long as they¡¯re healthy,¡± Ye Xiaomeng¡¯s eyes were filled with maternal love.


    ¡°Definitely, I¡¯ll give her a hundred percent of my love,¡± He Ming¡¯s expression was very tender.


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m hungry. I feel like having noodles,¡± Ye Xiaomeng rubbed her belly. She tended to say whatever she fancied eating at the moment.


    ¡°I¡¯ll cook for you now, and tomorrow I¡¯ll find a domestic helper to take care of you. That way, you won¡¯t have to tire yourself out. You can just tell the helper what you want to eat,¡± He Ming thought about the importance of nutrition during pregnancy. Since his cooking skills were not great, it was better for Xiaomeng to cook less now that she was pregnant.


    At that moment, he regained his understanding and started nning for the future.


    ¡°Okay, just hire a part-time helper then,¡± Ye Xiaomeng didn¡¯t like having strangers around the house frequently.


    ¡°Sure, I¡¯ll follow your lead.¡± Pregnant women call the shots.


    ¡°Darling, we need to register soon, or else our little one might end up undocumented,¡± He Ming felt that the timing of the baby¡¯s arrival was perfect. ¡°Baby, thank you so much.¡±


    He had mentioned registering for marriage several times before, but Xiaomeng always found excuses to avoid it. Now, she couldn¡¯t avoid it any longer, right?


    ¡°Yeah, there¡¯s still time. No rush. I have to tell my parents about this first, and you need to tell your mom too. I don¡¯t know how she¡¯ll react¡­¡± Ye Xiaomeng was still worried that Mother He might not agree. After all, prejudices weren¡¯t something that could be easily let go of.<div>


    ¡°My mom will definitely be happy. This is her grandchild, something she¡¯s been looking forward to for a long time,¡± He Mingforted her. He thought his mother would be very happy too.


    He might be wrong this time. Previously, Mother He would probably have been very happy, but now with the perfect Yao Ning in the picture, things might not be as straightforward.


    Women¡¯s thoughts were more delicate than men¡¯s, and Ye Xiaomeng wasn¡¯t as optimistic as He Ming.


    ¡°Let¡¯s talk to them first,¡± Ye Xiaomeng still cared a lot about the feelings of the elders. After all, a marriage without blessings wouldn¡¯t be happy.

 Chapter 619: He Ming’s Reaction (1)

    Chapter 619: He Ming¡¯s Reaction (1)<div>


    Trantor:Nyoi-Bo StudioEditor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    ¡°Alright, we¡¯ll find a time to go back and tell her,¡± He Ming nodded.


    ¡°Yeah, you go back first and talk to her, see how she reacts,¡± Xiaomeng was worried that her presence might upset her, especially since her body was still recovering. It would be better to be cautious.


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll go back and talk to her in a couple of days,¡± He Ming helped Xiaomeng sit down, then turned to the kitchen to cook noodles for her.


    Watching He Ming¡¯s busy figure in the kitchen, Xiaomeng felt a warm feeling in her heart, just as she had imagined.


    He Ming was also looking forward to the arrival of the child. A child who was eagerly anticipated would be happy. Regardless, they would both strive to give him a happy home.<div>


    During the meal, Ye Xiaomeng looked at the table and saw tomato and egg noodles.


    ¡°Let¡¯s eat first. I cooked tomato and egg noodles. See how it tastes. I¡¯ll find a domestic helper as soon as possible,¡± He Ming had put in a lot of effort to cook this bowl of noodles.


    Ye Xiaomeng saw the orderly noodles in the bowl, with the tomatoes cooked slightly translucent and the eggs garnishing the noodles.


    Not bad, it looked appetizing.


    ¡°Okay, let me dig in then,¡± Ye Xiaomeng picked up her chopsticks and started eating with gusto.


    The noodles were slippery and chewy. Ye Xiaomeng had almost finished half the bowl in no time.


    Sitting across from her, He Ming noticed her eating pace slowing down and couldn¡¯t help but say, ¡°Eat a little more.¡±


    ¡°Eating too much can easily make you gain weight,¡± Ye Xiaomeng said, but she had no intention of eating less.


    Now she wasn¡¯t just eating for herself; she also had to take care of the child in her belly. Eating more would provide the child with the nutrients needed for proper growth.


    ¡°A little weight gain is good,¡± he smiled slightly, thinking of Xiaomeng with a big belly, looking like a penguin. He found it adorable.


    ¡°Getting fat will make you ugly.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing wrong with that.¡±<div>


    ¡°Are you sure?¡±


    ¡°Yes, you¡¯ve always been the most beautiful in my eyes, no matter how your body changes,¡± He Ming stroked her head, urging her to finish the remaining noodles quickly.


    After finishing the noodles, Ye Xiaomeng went back to the room to take a shower, feeling sticky all over.


    He Ming cleaned up the dishes and utensils, and when he returned to the room, he found Ye Xiaomeng already fast asleep in bed.


    He Ming walked over and gently kissed her forehead and lips before leaving the room, closing the door behind him.


    Excitedly, He Ming went to the study, intending to focus on his work as usual. However, he found himself unable to concentrate at all. He reached for a cigarette but then remembered Ye Xiaomeng and the baby in the room, so he immediately threw the cigarette into the trash.


    He decided to quit smoking. Secondhand smoke is not good for pregnant women and babies, and even though he usually avoided smoking around them, there would always be a lingering smell in the air.


    He Ming couldn¡¯t stop thinking about what Xiaomeng had said.


    She said she was carrying their child.


    At that moment, he didn¡¯t know what he was feeling because he was so happy. He almost couldn¡¯t find words to describe it.


    He realized he had wanted her to have their child even more than he had imagined.


    He believed that a marriage with children would definitely go a long way and be even happier.<div>


    After spending some time in the study, He Ming found it boring and decided to go back to the room. He didn¡¯t want to leave Xiaomeng¡¯s side for a moment.


    He unconsciously tiptoed to her side, standing silently beside the bed, watching her sleeping peacefully.

 Chapter 620: He Ming’s Reaction (2)

    Chapter 620: He Ming¡¯s Reaction (2)<div>


    Trantor:Nyoi-Bo StudioEditor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    As He Ming gazed at Xiaomeng, she suddenly opened her eyes, and their gazes intertwined in the air.


    ¡°Done with your work?¡± she asked drowsily.


    ¡°Yeah, nothing left to do,¡± he replied, sitting down beside her and holding her hand.


    ¡°Do you want to take a nap?¡± Ye Xiaomeng noticed the redness in his eyes, and he looked exhausted.


    Definitely tired, as He Ming hadn¡¯t been able to sleep properly for several nights worrying about Xiaomeng.<div>


    Now that he knew she was pregnant, he was too excited to sleep.


    ¡°Today, you told me you¡¯re pregnant with our child? You¡¯re not joking, are you?¡± He paused for a long time before squeezing out that simple sentence.


    Hearing his question, Ye Xiaomeng was truly speechless.


    Could her pregnancy have caused He Ming to develop dementia? She was genuinely worried.


    ¡°It¡¯s true.¡± This man must really care, hence his silly reaction.


    How should she respond to him?


    ¡°Xiaomeng¡­¡± He said her name again, looking incredulous.


    Then, Mr. He made an unexpected move. He gently ced his hand on Ye Xiaomeng¡¯s belly and said tenderly, ¡°Baby, I¡¯m your daddy, nice to meet you. Don¡¯t give your mom a hard time, or Daddy will have to punish you when youe out.¡±


    Having just brushed up on his knowledge of pregnancy, He Ming knew that women experience a lot during pregnancy, especially in the first trimester with morning sickness. He was worried Xiaomeng might be experiencing an exaggerated reaction.


    Ye Xiaomeng was moved and felt silly at the same time. Did all men be silly when their wives were pregnant?


    She didn¡¯t know about others, but Mr. He definitely did.


    ¡°She¡¯s only the size of a soybean, can she understand what you¡¯re saying?¡± She looked at him with a gentle smile.<div>


    As Ye Xiaomeng spoke, He Ming remained silent for a while, his gaze fixed on her, his thoughts unclear.


    ¡°Mr. He?¡± Ye Xiaomeng waved her hand in front of his eyes,ughing. ¡°What are you thinking about?¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯m thinking that our baby will surely be the most beautiful and intelligent. Even though she¡¯s small now, I¡¯ll talk to her every day, so she¡¯ll recognize me when she¡¯s born. That¡¯s what it says in the books,¡± He Ming said earnestly.


    After speaking, he climbed onto the bed andy down beside her, instinctively wanting to pull her into his arms. But then he remembered she was pregnant and restrained himself, retracting his hand nervously, unsure where to put it.


    It was the first time Ye Xiaomeng had seen him so awkward. She couldn¡¯t help but chuckle, rolling over quickly to his side. Just as she was about to speak, she heard He Ming¡¯s stern voice, ¡°Lie down properly, don¡¯t move around, be careful of the baby.¡±


    Ye Xiaomeng blinked innocently, then said intively, ¡°Mr. He, you¡¯re not going to ditch your wife as soon as you have a child, are you?¡±


    He Ming looked helpless. He wasn¡¯t nning to ditch his wife as soon as they had a child; he had just heard many women describe childbirth as a harrowing experience, so he was worried and thought they should be careful.


    Oh, it¡¯s really worrying. What if Xiaomeng hasn¡¯t even given birth yet, and all his hair turns white?


    Ye Xiaomeng nestled into his arm, sighing contentedly. ¡°He Ming, don¡¯t worry too much. Neither I nor the baby are that fragile.¡±


    He Mingy beside her, stiff as a board, afraid to move lest he identally hurt her.

 Chapter 621: We Will Be Together Forever

    Chapter 621: We Will Be Together Forever<div>


    Trantor:Nyoi-Bo StudioEditor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Ye Xiaomeng continued, ¡°But about the pregnancy, don¡¯t go telling everyone. People say you should wait three months before announcing it.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡± Regardless of whether there was such a saying, he would follow her advice and refrain from boasting to Gu Shaoting for now.


    In truth, he really wanted to boast to Gu Shaoting. After all, Gu always seemed content with his daughters, which was too smug. He needed to knock him down a peg.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go to sleep then, I want to rest a bit more,¡± Ye Xiaomeng shifted, pressing her face against his chest and giving him a nudge.


    ¡°Okay.¡± He nodded, still stiff and cautious.<div>


    He gently patted her back, like soothing a child to sleep.


    Ye Xiaomeng had been feeling sleepytely, and soon drifted off, but He Ming couldn¡¯t sleep. With their child in her belly, he found himself pondering more.


    Would it be a boy or a girl?


    Would the child resemble him or Xiaomeng?


    He hoped for a daughter, one who would be like her mother, with a personality as positive and joyful no matter what life threw at her.


    After some contemtion, he gingerly ced hisrge hand on her belly again. Though it was still small, he could feel nothing, yet it seemed as if he could sense a tiny heartbeat beneath his touch.


    It was a truly marvelous experience.


    He used to be carefree, never considering marriage, but now, here they were, expecting a child.


    He willingly epted his role as a husband and a father.


    They say children are the continuation of their parents¡¯ lives, so they would always be bound by this connection.


    ¡°He Ming¡­¡± Ye Xiaomeng murmured his name in her sleep.


    ¡°Hmm?¡± He Ming listened attentively, wondering what else she wanted to say.<div>


    ¡°Will we always be together? Will anyone ever separate us?¡± She spoke softly, but He Ming heard her clearly. It seemed she was so insecure, even though she was fast asleep, she still fretted over such matters.


    Though her eyes remained closed, and she appeared to be deep in slumber, He Ming nodded earnestly, his expression serious, ¡°Of course, we¡¯ll always be together. No one will ever separate us.¡±


    As long as Xiaomeng didn¡¯t change her mind, they wouldn¡¯t be separated.


    He wasn¡¯t sure what Xiaomeng was thinking, but he was more than willing to follow his heart. He loved Xiaomeng more than he loved himself.


    Since they had been together, he had always felt this way, firm and unwavering, never hesitating.


    The next day, Ye Xiaomeng woke up rtively early, opening her eyes to feel the warmth beside her. She was surprised, thinking it might be her imagination.


    Turning her head, she saw the handsome He Ming still lying in bed, showing no intention of getting up for work.


    ¡°Awake?¡±


    His voice sounded above her head as she saw him half-lying next to her, still dressed in his pajamas.


    ¡°You¡¯re not busy today? Not going to work?¡± Hadn¡¯t he umted a lot of work recently?


    ¡°Today¡¯s a day off,¡± he said.


    ¡°Why? It¡¯s not because I¡¯m pregnant, is it? But it¡¯s just the beginning now, there are still several months to go, are you not going to work every day?¡± Ye Xiaomeng looked defeated, feeling speechless.<div>


    She could tell from his expression that he wasn¡¯t going to work because she was pregnant.


    Having a baby was a happy asion, but she didn¡¯t want him to make too big a deal out of it. After all, every woman would go through this process, nothing special, and certainly shouldn¡¯t let it affect his work.


    ¡°I¡¯m happy,¡± he said with a stubborn smile.

 Chapter 622: The Nervous Mr. He

    Chapter 622: The Nervous Mr. He<div>


    Trantor:Nyoi-Bo StudioEditor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    ¡°But raising a child requires a lot of money, we need to work hard now,¡± Ye Xiaomeng urged earnestly.


    Silly woman, did she think he also had a fixed sry, and like her, he had already spent this month¡¯s money before the month even started?


    ¡°I know, but I¡¯ll earn the money, you just focus on taking care of yourself and the baby,¡± He Ming didn¡¯t want her to strain herself. Her job often required travel, and in her current condition, it definitely wasn¡¯t suitable for her to be running around.


    ¡°I still want to go to work, I¡¯ll exin the situation to my boss and avoid traveling for a while,¡± she didn¡¯t want to quit her job just because she was pregnant. She still needed to work hard to earn money for form, she definitely didn¡¯t want to bepletely dependent on him.


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll apany you,¡± He Ming said again.<div>


    Ye Xiaomeng sighed internally.


    Wasn¡¯t he being a bit too overprotective?


    He had heard that many expectant fathers were like this, but did he have to be too?


    He Ming looked at her helpless expression and found it amusing.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want you to apany me, just focus on your own work,¡± Ye Xiaomeng red at him fiercely.


    He Ming fell silent for a moment.


    Actually, he really wanted to keep her by his side at all times. He understood her; she tended to distance herself from others when busy.


    If he forcibly stopped her from going to work, she would definitely be unhappy, and thest thing he wanted was to make her unhappy.


    After thinking all night, he came up with this solution: he could apany her to work or have here to theirpany.


    That way, he could keep an eye on her at all times and feel reassured.


    Ye Xiaomeng threw off the covers and got out of bed, a bit agitated, so her movements were a bit forceful. Sure enough, He Ming eximed in surprise, ¡°Darling, slow down.¡±


    Hisrge hand promptly supported her waist, stopping her from moving recklessly.<div>


    ¡°Mr. He, I have to say, you don¡¯t need to be so nervous about everything during pregnancy, it¡¯s really making a mountain out of a molehill. Pregnancy isn¡¯t as scary as you think. In the past, women would work in the fields even when they were pregnant with several children. Don¡¯t be too delicate,¡± she really felt the need to exin this to him.


    He Ming opened his mouth to say something, but in the end, he remained silent.


    Ye Xiaomeng got up and headed to the bathroom, with He Ming closely following behind.


    ¡°Mr. He, I¡¯m going to brush my teeth and wash my face,¡± Ye Xiaomeng looked back at him.


    ¡°I¡¯ll apany you. The floor of the bathroom is slippery, I¡¯ll support you,¡± He Ming disregarded Xiaomeng¡¯s eye roll.


    ¡°Mr. He, you¡¯re putting a lot of pressure on me like this, rx,¡± Ye Xiaomeng patted his chest.


    If she had known he would react like this, she should have kept it from him in the first ce.


    He Ming fell silent.


    Was he so nervous because she was the one who would be giving birth?


    ¡°Hurry up and freshen up, have breakfast, and do whatever you need to do,¡± Ye Xiaomeng urged him to leave.


    ¡°Do you dislike me?¡± He Ming said with a hurt expression.


    ¡°Yes, I do. I¡¯m currently very annoyed with you.¡±<div>


    He Ming looked visibly wounded.


    ¡°Okay, after I drop you off at work, I¡¯ll go back to thepany,¡± He Mingpromised.


    ¡°Fine, that¡¯s settled,¡± Ye Xiaomeng really wanted to knock him out. Wasn¡¯t it annoying to be watched like this every day?


    He Ming watched as Xiaomeng changed clothes in the dressing room and had breakfast. His gaze followed her the whole time.


    Ye Xiaomeng didn¡¯t want to pay attention to him anymore. Originally, she didn¡¯t want him to drive her to thepany, but seeing the worried look in his eyes, she softened and agreed to let him drive her.


    After He Ming dropped Ye Xiaomeng off at thepany, he turned the car around and headed back to the He residence.


    He had something important to do.

 Chapter 623: An Unexpected Visitor

    Chapter 623: An Unexpected Visitor<div>


    Trantor:Nyoi-Bo StudioEditor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    He Ming¡¯s mind was set on resolving this matter as soon as possible ¨C getting married.


    This was a big deal. He had been putting it off for so long, but now that things were finally looking up, he was determined to seize the opportunity.


    In truth, he hadn¡¯t given it much thought. Whether Xiaomeng was pregnant or not, he wanted to marry her. But Xiaomeng insisted on getting pregnant before agreeing to marry him.


    Fortunately, luck was on his side, and he had finally found his happiness.


    All he could think about now was humming a tune. He felt more confident now, and he couldn¡¯t wait to show off to Brother Ting.<div>


    On the way back to the He residence, he found the scenery along the road more enchanting than ever before, truly delightful to behold.


    He parked the car and rang the doorbell.


    After a moment, the door opened, revealing a graceful face behind it.


    He Ming was taken aback for a moment, wondering if he had gone to the wrong house. But no, this was indeed his home.


    ¡°He Ming, you¡¯re back?¡± Yao Ning asked gently.


    He Ming furrowed his brows slightly. ¡°Oh, Yao Ning, you¡¯re here.¡±


    After entering the house, He Ming¡¯s mother cast a cold nce at him.


    ¡°So, you remember toe back? Unlike Yao who evenes to see me after her night shifts?¡± There was a hint of sarcasm in Mother He¡¯s words.


    ¡°Auntie, I just happened to be passing by to see you. After all, I was the one taking care of you in the hospital, so I feel responsible to check up on you,¡± Yao Ning hurriedly exined, afraid that He Ming might misunderstand her intentions.


    ¡°Yao Ning, thank you. I appreciate youing even though you¡¯ve been busy,¡± He Ming expressed his gratitude.


    ¡°Don¡¯t mention it. As long as Auntie is okay, I¡¯m relieved,¡± Yao Ning said with a smile.


    Mother He couldn¡¯t help but take a liking to Yao Ning more and more. Look at her, so elegant and with such a good temperament. No matter how you looked at it, she seemed outstanding.<div>


    ¡°Come, Yao Ning, have a seat. Have some fruit. We¡¯ll have lunch hereter, and I¡¯ll make something delicious for you,¡± Mother He said with a smile.


    ¡°Auntie, you don¡¯t have to bother. Just rest well. I¡¯ll be leaving soon to get some rest myself, and I have afternoon rounds to attend to,¡± Yao Ning noticed the look on He Ming¡¯s face, sensing that he wasn¡¯t very weing towards her. To avoid further embarrassment, she spoke up.


    ¡°You stubborn child, since you¡¯re here, you should at least have a light meal,¡± Mother He reproached.


    ¡°Thank you for your kindness, but I really can¡¯t¡± Yao Ning declined politely.


    ¡°Stay and have a meal since you¡¯re already here,¡± He Ming finally spoke up.


    Yao Ning felt a surge of joy. So, he also wanted her to stay.


    ¡°Well, it would be a bit of trouble for Auntie,¡± Yao Ning said, feeling somewhat embarrassed.


    ¡°Haha, not at all. I¡¯ve been cooking for decades. Later, make sure you finish all the dishes,¡± Mother He said before disappearing into the kitchen.


    ¡°He Ming, have you been busytely?¡± Yao Ning noticed the faint dark circles under He Ming¡¯s eyes.


    She didn¡¯t know that it was because Xiaomeng was pregnant and He Ming was too excited to sleep.


    ¡°Not too bad. And you? There¡¯s never a day in the hospital that isn¡¯t busy,¡± He Ming replied with a faint smile.


    For a moment, Yao Ning was stunned. Truly, she had many outstanding individuals around her, but someone like He Ming was rare.<div>


    ¡°Yes, but it¡¯s fulfilling,¡± Yao Ning pretended to avert her gaze.


    Suddenly, both fell silent, the atmosphere bing somewhat awkward.


    ¡°I¡¯ll go help Auntie in the kitchen,¡± Yao Ning said, breaking the silence before walking away.


    He Ming felt a headacheing on. He rubbed his temples, intending toe back and tell Mom about Xiaomeng¡¯s pregnancy and their marriage ns.


    But with an outsider present, it wasn¡¯t very convenient.


    He would see how things unfoldedter.

 Chapter 624: Let’s Go Together

    Chapter 624: Let¡¯s Go Together<div>


    Trantor:Nyoi-Bo StudioEditor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    He Ming sat for a moment, checking the time. Xiaomeng had been at work for an hour now. He wondered how she was doing.


    Thinking quickly, he picked up his phone and walked to the balcony, dialing Ye Xiaomeng¡¯s number. ¡°Mengmeng, how are you feeling? Is the baby giving you any trouble?¡± He Ming asked with concern.


    Ye Xiaomeng was a bit speechless. Since arriving at thepany, she had simply been sitting at her desk, not doing much.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. Don¡¯t worry so much. Just focus on what you need to do,¡± Ye Xiaomeng replied, truly exasperated with him.


    ¡°Alright, just take care of yourself. Call me if anything happens,¡± He Ming said, sounding pitiful.<div>


    He felt like his status at home was getting lower and lower. It was quite miserable.


    Having one¡¯s face snubbed while feeling secretly happy was a twisted feeling he couldn¡¯t quiteprehend.


    After hanging up, he stood there in a daze, lost in thought.


    When Yao Ning emerged from the kitchen, she saw He Ming standing on the balcony, a smile on his face as if basking in the spring breeze, making him even more charming.


    She stared at him until he turned around and noticed her.


    Feeling embarrassed, Yao Ning turned her face away, caught red-handed.


    He Ming walked into the living room.


    ¡°Auntie says dinner is ready,¡± Yao Ning said to He Ming.


    ¡°Okay.¡± As He Ming approached her, Yao Ning could feel his presence.


    It was reassuring.


    During dinner, Mother He and Yao Ning were the ones conversing, while He Ming quietly ate. He figured he wouldn¡¯t be able to discuss marriage with his mother today.


    After dinner, He Ming thought Yao Ning might stay, so he nned to make an excuse to leave. But as soon as he mentioned leaving, Yao Ning said she had to return to the hospital in the afternoon.<div>


    ¡°Ming, how nice. Why don¡¯t you take Yao Ning home? It¡¯s on the way,¡± Mother He quickly suggested.


    Now, He Ming couldn¡¯t refuse even if he wanted to.


    ¡°Would that be too much trouble?¡± Yao Ning asked cautiously, clearly hoping He Ming would offer to take her.


    ¡°Not at all,¡± He Ming said helplessly. His mother¡¯s ¡°on the way¡± was a bit of a stretch; where he was going and the hospital were in opposite directions. But it wasn¡¯t difficult to give someone a ride.


    While He Ming exchanged pleasantries with Mother He and Yao Ning, he dialed Xiaomeng¡¯s number again.


    Xiaomeng was infuriated every time he called every hour to check on her. She wished she could just turn off her phone to avoid his interruptions.


    But then, to prevent further disturbance at work, she actually did turn off her phone.


    Staring at her now dark screen, Ye Xiaomeng fumed, ¡°Mr. He, let¡¯s see how you¡¯ll disturb me now.¡±


    Finally, peace and quiet. She could focus on her work.


    He Ming was dumbfounded when he heard the phone turn off. He never expected her to have the guts to do that.


    Driving Yao Ning back to the hospital, He Ming remained silent as Yao Ning recounted their school days, smiling without speaking.


    The atmosphere was rtively rxed, and Yao Ning secretly wished the hospital was farther away so she could spend more time with He Ming.<div>


    Finally arriving at the hospital, Yao Ning bid farewell to He Ming after getting out of the car.


    He Ming nodded and then started the car towards Ye Xiaomeng¡¯s office.


    But then, what¡¯s this? Her phone suddenly turned off.


    Xiaomeng would probably regret her decision now because Mr. He, unable to reach her by phone, was heading straight to her office.


    As he arrived, he carried trays filled with coffee, milk tea, cakes, and snacks, intending to treat everyone to an afternoon tea.


    Seeing Xiaomeng¡¯s boyfriend for the first time, everyone started teasing.

 Chapter 625: A Woman?

    Chapter 625: A Woman?<div>


    Trantor:Nyoi-Bo StudioEditor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    When He Ming entered, everyone¡¯s gaze was fixed on him, and the female colleagues looked at him with starry eyes.


    He Ming was still dressed casually, looking handsome and remarkable. Standing at the doorway, his eyes immediately found Ye Xiaomeng¡¯s figure.


    Xiaomeng wanted to pretend not to recognize him, but his gaze was too intense for her to feign ignorance.


    With a forced smile, Xiaomeng approached and said somewhat shyly, ¡°What brings you here?¡± She was puzzled; after all, his sudden appearance caught her off guard.


    ¡°Your phone wasn¡¯t reachable, so I got worried and rushed over,¡± He Ming exined. After all, now she was his top priority.<div>


    ¡°I¡¯m fine. You¡¯re busy with work, so you should go back,¡± Xiaomeng urged. She didn¡¯t want to be the center of attention like an animal in a zoo.


    He Ming suddenly realized he had be the center of attention in the office, with many people looking over.


    He wanted to keep a low profile, but reality wouldn¡¯t allow it.


    He politely nodded to everyone.


    ¡°Hey mister, where did youe from? You¡¯ve got such a beautiful girlfriend,¡± remarked a colleague sarcastically.


    ¡°I work at a smallpany. Thank you for yourpliment,¡± He Ming replied with courtesy, showing humility.


    Xiaomeng looked at him differently now. Before, he didn¡¯t like exchanging such polite words with strangers.


    But Xiaomeng couldn¡¯t help but massage her temples, feeling a headacheing on. She thought to herself, ¡°What is this guy up to? Doesn¡¯t he realize he¡¯s disrupting my work?¡±


    ¡°I told you so. If he¡¯s willing to let his girlfriend work so hard, his financial situation must be just average,¡± another colleague sneered from the crowd.


    He might look presentable on the outside, but who knows what¡¯s going on behind the scenes?


    He Ming heard the remarks, but he didn¡¯t care. He was mature enough to ignore whatever others said.


    Ye Xiaomeng was even less concerned. She was alwaysid-back, and she knew He Ming¡¯s capabilities. In the Gu Group, he was second to none.<div>


    So, she just smiled and then grabbed his hand to leave.


    ¡°I¡¯ll wait for you at the coffee shop across the street after you finish work. You¡¯ll be off soon anyway,¡± He Ming said, checking the time. It was almost time for her to get off.


    ¡°Okay,¡± Ye Xiaomeng still felt it necessary to rify things with him.


    After Xiaomeng got off work, she went straight to the coffee shop to find He Ming. He Ming ordered a piece of cake for her, and Xiaomeng couldn¡¯t refuse. She had no immunity to desserts.


    After finishing the cake, He Ming suggested taking a stroll.


    As soon as they got into the car, Xiaomeng suddenly caught a faint scent of perfume. It wasn¡¯t heavy, but during her pregnancy, she had be sensitive to smells. She immediately noticed it.


    It couldn¡¯t be He Ming¡¯s scent because it was a bit sweet, with a hint of floral fragrance, the kind women wore.


    Xiaomeng suddenly felt a bolt from the blue. She hadn¡¯t expected that within just a few hours, another girl would have been in He Ming¡¯s car. But he seemed reluctant to tell her.


    ¡°He Ming, where did you go just now?¡± Xiaomeng probed.


    ¡°I went home. Why?¡± He Ming was somewhat surprised by Xiaomeng¡¯s reaction, as he didn¡¯t think he had done anything wrong, so he didn¡¯t see any harm in it.


    Xiaomeng felt even worse. Such things were hard to prove, and he wouldn¡¯t admit it anyway.


    <div>

 Chapter 626: Perfume

    Chapter 626: Perfume<div>


    Trantor:Nyoi-Bo StudioEditor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    ¡°He Ming, were you with someone just now?¡± Xiaomeng asked.


    He Ming thought for a moment before replying, ¡°No, it was just me.¡±


    He definitely couldn¡¯t let Xiaomeng know about this. The past was the past.


    Xiaomeng really wanted to ask loudly, whose perfume scent was in the car? Most people wouldn¡¯t be able to detect it, which was probably why He Ming wasn¡¯t so concerned.


    Just as she thought about it, Xiaomeng suddenly felt her stomach churn. She quickly covered her mouth with her hand, got out of the car, and started vomiting.<div>


    It was unbearable, and she couldn¡¯t vomit anything else, just dry heaves.


    He Ming was slow to react. When he realized the issue, he quickly got out of the car and gently patted Xiaomeng¡¯s back.


    ¡°Why is this happening? Could it be that the cake just now wasn¡¯t fresh?¡± He Ming asked in confusion.


    ¡°No, I was fine just now, and my stomach didn¡¯t hurt. I only felt like vomiting after smelling the perfume in your car,¡± Xiaomeng said, feeling it was time to be honest.


    She needed to know the answer, or she would keep thinking about it. And if she didn¡¯t rify now, such things could happen again.


    ¡°Perfume scent? I don¡¯t wear cologne,¡± He Ming sniffed his clothes but didn¡¯t notice anything unusual. It was the same as before.


    ¡°Not on you, it was in the car. I smelled it right away. It was very sweet,¡± Xiaomeng insisted on her point.


    He Ming was stunned. It couldn¡¯t be. He had only dropped off Yao Ning, could it be her? But he didn¡¯t notice anything, did he?


    No wonder they say pregnant women are sensitive, but this was too much. He had simply dropped her off and left, hardly worth mentioning.


    Because he was about to forget it altogether. Really, he didn¡¯t think much about it.


    Right now, he was mostly thinking about his wife and child.


    But it seemed he still had to consider the pregnant woman¡¯s emotions. It was better to be honest.<div>


    ¡°Other than you, only my mom¡¯s doctor rode in my car. I dropped her off and she left soon after.¡±


    He Ming gave a brief exnation, but he didn¡¯t tell Xiaomeng that Yao Ning was not only his mother¡¯s attending physician but also his ssmate.


    But he was afraid Xiaomeng might misunderstand. After all, she was a woman, and women tended to overthink things. Now that she was pregnant, it was even more important to keep her calm and stress-free.


    ¡°A doctor?¡± Xiaomeng couldn¡¯t help but think of the short-haired beauty at the hospital. She and He Ming seemed sopatible, so well-matched. Could she be Mother He¡¯s doctor? It seemed they were quite familiar with each other, probably not just walking out side by side with He Ming.


    ¡°Yeah. What¡¯s wrong?¡± He Ming¡¯s casual demeanor seemed to irk Xiaomeng a bit.


    ¡°Could it be an old me?¡± Xiaomeng¡¯s words carried a bit of a sting, not so pleasant to hear.


    Where did she get that from? Women just loved to overthink things.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it? In a few months, I¡¯ll be a big fatso. I¡¯ll be ugly and fat. What should I do then?¡± Xiaomeng¡¯s tone grew more petnt as she spoke. She didn¡¯t feel very secure, especially considering how outstanding He Ming was and how many beautiful women there were.


    ¡°No, you¡¯ve always been beautiful in my eyes,¡± He Mingforted her. He had never realized how unreasonable pregnant women could be.


    ¡°Really?¡± Xiaomeng felt a bit embarrassed. She had only brought up the doctor¡¯s situation. How did it turn into a conversation about her?


    ¡°Whatever you be, I¡¯ll love you just the same,¡± He Ming promised. Pregnant women were the greatest.


    Xiaomeng seemed satisfied with this answer, and the matter of the perfume was temporarily put to rest.<div>


    He Ming sighed. From now on, he would only drive Xiaomeng. He wouldn¡¯t give rides to anyone else.

 Chapter 627: Looking for Him (1)

    Chapter 627: Looking for Him (1)<div>


    Trantor:Nyoi-Bo StudioEditor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    In the following days, He Ming remained in a state of nervousness.


    It wasn¡¯t until a weekter, when he was sure that Ye Xiaomeng wasn¡¯t as fragile as he had imagined, that he began to return to a more normal state.


    During this time, their days passed by calmly yet warmly.


    Ye Xiaomeng was increasingly getting into the groove, thoroughly enjoying the feeling of being cared for.


    Her colleagues even dubbed He Ming as the ¡°perfect man¡±.<div>


    During this time, Shu Pan was extremely busy and had little time to contact Ye Xiaomeng. The main reason was that theirpany had moved back to Gu Group¡¯s headquarters. Today was the day they were packing up and preparing to move.


    ¡°Shu Pan, just thinking about it makes me so happy. Finally, we¡¯re part of the headquarters too. Feels like we¡¯re walking on air,¡± Tang Wei eximed happily.


    Shu Pan couldn¡¯t help but feel indifferent. She figured the one who must be thrilled was Gu Shaoting. It would make it easier for him to pick her up since they would be in the same ce now.


    Before, Gu Shaoting always had a driver whenever he went out. But now, whenever he was with her, he preferred to drive himself. He said he didn¡¯t like having outsiders around when they were together.


    ¡°Well, shouldn¡¯t you be more concerned about your sry and benefits after moving to the headquarters?¡± Shu Pan chuckled.


    ¡°Of course, but mainly because there are so many handsome guys at headquarters. We, from the design department, can neverpete with that. Even if there¡¯s a handsome guy, after wracking his brain to produce design sketches, he¡¯d be prematurely bald,¡± Tang Wei¡¯s words had a hint of sarcasm, but they might very well be true.


    Their department really couldn¡¯t find two handsome guys.


    ¡°Alright, then make sure to seize the opportunity when you¡¯re there,¡± Shu Pan teased her.


    ¡°Absolutely, and don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll be sure to keep you updated on Mr. Gu¡¯s news once we¡¯re there,¡± Tang Wei winked at her, looking quiteical.


    Shu Pan was taken aback. Had she really not thought about all this? After all, trust was paramount when two people were together.


    With the corporation arranging transportation, the move was quicklypleted.


    Shu Pan stood in the lobby of Gu Group, feeling a wave of emotion wash over her.<div>


    The most important thing was that they could now work together,mute together.


    After seeing the ambiguous scene between Gu Shaoting and Shu Pan in the officest time, even Charlene, after catching a glimpse of it, had exploded with anger.


    This time, she had received the news early, knowing that the branch was moving over, knowing that that woman would be working in the same building as her in the future. Her face instantly darkened, bing extremely unsightly.


    Now, sitting in her office, her entire face contorted with rage, her slender fingers tightly gripping the folder, her knuckles turning white.


    Originally, she had thought that she could seize the opportunity first. But now that woman was here, did she still have that chance?


    She didn¡¯t even have the only advantage she had before.


    Falling in love over time had always been her strategy, but now that woman was here. If she shamelessly clung to Brother Gu, where would that leave her?


    After all,st time she had done such things in the office, and there might be even more disgraceful behavior toe.


    Charlene¡¯s heart was filled with resentment and hatred. Was she, Charlene, in Brother Gu¡¯s eyes, really inferior to an ordinary woman? What did Shu Pan have besides bearing his child? In terms of looks, temperament, family background, and social status, she was no match for Charlene. Why did Brother Gu, if he wanted a woman, choose someone inferior in every aspect?


    Even though Brother Gu was already married, for some reason she still couldn¡¯t ept it. If they were together, Brother Gu would definitely not choose that woman.

 Chapter 628: Looking for Him (2)

    Chapter 628: Looking for Him (2)<div>


    Trantor:Nyoi-Bo StudioEditor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Charlene sat in the office, pondering over things, the more she thought, the angrier she became.


    This woman probably married Brother Gu just because she bore his child. For the sake of the child, to give her a status, Brother Gu probably thought so too.


    Charlene¡¯s hand clenched into a fist, just like her heart, tightly grasped by something.


    Suddenly, Charlene thought that since they were both in thepany now, she should properly meet this woman.


    No time like the present, she would go meet her now.<div>


    Charlene found the floor where Shu Pan was located in less than five minutes.


    She nced around, a scornful smile ying at her lips, then she walked in with graceful steps.


    Shu Pan had just finished arranging her desk, brewed herself a cup of coffee, and sneaked a moment of rxation on the balcony of the pantry. Looking down at the bustling streets below, and then thinking about where she was, she felt a wave of emotion.


    This was her husband¡¯spany.


    She was truly proud of him, managing such argepany wasn¡¯t easy, but he did it.


    But he also endured hardships unknown to others.


    She looked around, it was an imposing building, staring at the dazzling huge ss curtain wall, imagining her man in his office, strategizing, she felt a warmth in her chest.


    ¡°Miss Shu, hi, can we talk for a moment?¡± Charlene saw Shu Pan on the balcony, saw no one around, and walked straight over.


    Shu Pan¡¯s thoughts were interrupted, she turned her head slowly, ¡°Who are you?¡±


    ¡°Hmph, don¡¯t y dumb. Didn¡¯t we meet at the anniversary celebrationst time? I believe you remember it vividly,¡± Charlene didn¡¯t beat around the bush.


    Shu Pan¡¯s face instantly stiffened and changed color. So it was her.


    That day she had heavy makeup on, dressed in a gown like a star, she was indeed unrecognizable now.<div>


    Charlene was also seeing Shu Pan face-to-face for the first time, and her heart skipped a beat. She hadn¡¯t expected Shu Pan to have a more charming aura in person than in photos, making her very pleasant to look at, and the more she looked, the more attractive she seemed.


    Shu Pan was also sizing up Charlene at close range¡ªelegant, beautiful, young, exuding the air of an aristocraticdy.


    For a moment, neither of them spoke, both silently appraising each other.


    Charlene smiled first, her eyes carrying a hint of confidence and pride. She approached Shu Pan and said, ¡°I¡¯m Charlene, currently Brother Gu¡¯s assistant.¡±


    Shu Pan was momentarily stunned, but quickly regained herposure. She smiled slightly at Charlene and replied, ¡°I wonder what Miss Charlene needs from me?¡±


    As she asked, Shu Pan felt a tinge of bitterness. So, Charlene was Gu Shaoting¡¯s assistant. From her attire, behavior, and even her father, Shu Pan could tell that Charlene came from an extraordinary background. But why would she willinglye here to be a mere assistant? And why did she address him as ¡°Brother Gu¡± instead of ¡°Mr. Gu¡±?


    It seemed they were quite familiar with each other, but Shu Pan had never heard Gu Shaoting mention her. Was he avoiding the topic? Or did he think it was unnecessary? Or was he intentionally hiding something?


    Suddenly, Shu Pan couldn¡¯t quite understand, couldn¡¯t think clearly.


    ¡°The reason I¡¯m here to see you, I¡¯m sure you¡¯re not clueless about it, right?¡± Charlene was straightforward, leaving no room for Shu Pan to y dumb.


    Shu Pan could only feign ignorance. ¡°I really don¡¯t know. We¡¯re not acquainted, are we? I can¡¯t even say we¡¯ve met before.¡±


    Charlene smirked mockingly. ¡°We both know the same man, and that¡¯s enough.¡±


    Shu Pan¡¯s brow furrowed suddenly. Didn¡¯t she know they were already married?<div>

 Chapter 629: A Little Arrogant

    Chapter 629: A Little Arrogant<div>


    Trantor:Nyoi-Bo StudioEditor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    ¡°Miss, the man you¡¯re referring to is my husband and the father of my daughter,¡± Shu Pan¡¯s tone was stern.


    ¡°And so what?¡± Charlene¡¯s tone was arrogant.


    Shu Pan immediately sensed hostility from her, along with ack of respect. She probably was a spoiled child, used to taking things from others. But was her husband a toy?


    ¡°And what do you mean?¡± Shu Pan said impatiently.


    ¡°I hope you¡¯ll divorce. You know very well how you managed to climb up to Brother Gu. You know what¡¯s going on,¡± Charlene said angrily.<div>


    ¡°Heh, since when does my marriage depend on your say-so? What do you have with my husband?¡± Shu Pan really didn¡¯t want to deal with her anymore. This person was just insane.


    She thought for a moment. There hadn¡¯t been anything strange about Gu Shaotingtely. He stuck to her whenever he had free time, never leaving her side, and he left work on time, rarely going on business trips. She hadn¡¯t noticed anything amiss.


    ¡°Do you think you can secretly have a child and threaten Brother Gu into marrying you? Only women like you would do such a thing.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the biggest joke of the year, but you¡¯re right. I did use the child to pressure him, but there¡¯s nothing I can do. He willingly agreed,¡± Shu Pan taunted.


    She didn¡¯t want to waste her breath on her anymore. It was an insult to her intelligence.


    Did she really think Gu Shaoting, the man she knew, could be bound by a child? How many women would havee after him to have his children?


    ¡°You¡­¡± Charlene was so angry her face turned red.


    ¡°Miss, you¡¯re still young, with a bright future ahead. We love each other very much, and you can¡¯t destroy that. Honestly, you can go ask Gu Shaoting. If he says he doesn¡¯t love me and wants a divorce, I¡¯ll leave without a second thought, without any ties to him,¡± Shu Pan said confidently.


    Perhaps it was herposure and confidence that left Charlene stunned, standing there dumbfounded.


    ¡°Miss, I have other matters to attend to. Please do as you please.¡± With that, Shu Pan intended to turn and leave.


    Charlene couldn¡¯t believe that Shu Pan would dismiss her like this. Her expression turned serious. ¡°Ms. Shu, let¡¯s talk.¡±


    ¡°If you want to discuss work-rted matters, I¡¯m willing. But if it¡¯s about anything else private, I¡¯m afraid I can¡¯t apany you.¡± Shu Pan had no interest in conversing with her. Charlene¡¯s arrogant attitude and insolent tone had really rubbed her the wrong way.<div>


    ¡°We¡¯re going to talk about Brother Gu,¡± Charlene began.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think we have anything to discuss. If you have any issues with him, it¡¯s between you two, and it doesn¡¯t concern me.¡± Shu Pan was about to leave, determined this time.


    ¡°Do you even know the meaning of shame?¡± Charlene suddenly raised her voice. ¡°Flirting with men in the office is disgraceful and brings shame upon women.¡±


    Shu Pan¡¯s hand paused on the doorknob, her face flushing red. So, she had seen.


    ¡°We¡¯re married, and what we do is none of your business. Honestly, stop lusting after other people¡¯s husbands. There are some boundaries one should never cross.¡± Shu Pan thought she was dealing with a lunatic. Really, she felt like suggesting a visit to the psychiatrist. This woman seemed seriously disturbed.


    ¡°How shameless. So, this is how you lured Brother Gu in,¡± Charlene sneered.


    Shu Pan didn¡¯t say a word. She opened the door and walked out.


    Charlene stamped her foot in frustration. This woman was truly despicable.

 Chapter 630: Unhappy

    Chapter 630: Unhappy<div>


    Trantor:Nyoi-Bo StudioEditor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Shu Pan stepped out onto the balcony, not returning to her seat but remaining where she stood, wearing a discontented expression.


    She didn¡¯t want her colleagues to see her like this; her emotions were in turmoil, and she needed a quiet ce away from everyone.


    It was unbelievable¡ªwhat did that woman think she was? Was there such a shameless woman?


    Shu Pan felt like she must be delusional.


    But even as she thought this, she couldn¡¯t help but resent Gu Shaoting in her heart. Why was he so easily entangled in romantic troubles?<div>


    It used to be Tong Fei, and now it was Charlene.


    It was all so inexplicable. She had been in such a good mood, and now it was all ruined in an instant.


    Charlene¡¯s words kept reying in her mind.


    Thankfully, Gu Group was quiterge, so the chances of running into each other were probably low, especially since they worked in different departments and on different floors.


    Charlene watched Shu Pan leave, still somewhat taken aback.


    Every time she thought of their scenes in the office, a strong sense of jealousy welled up within her. The thought of being kissed by Brother Gu, such an outstanding man, was intoxicating.


    But for now, she had to bide her time. She had to remain patient; she was confident that Gu Shaoting hadn¡¯t noticed her because Shu Pan had captivated his heart with her charm.


    Understanding the minds of other men might be easy, but Gu Shaoting¡¯s mind was unfathomable, as deep as an ancient well with no visible bottom.


    While Shu Pan was lost in thought in the pantry, Tang Wei came over to call her to the cafeteria, snapping her back to reality.


    With a heavy heart, Shu Pan and Tang Wei made their way to the cafeteria.


    ¡°Shu Pan, what¡¯s wrong? Why do you look so down?¡± Tang Wei found it strange. She was fine in the morning, so why the sudden change?


    ¡°Nothing.¡± Shu Pan didn¡¯t want to borate. She didn¡¯t even know where to start; after all, it wasn¡¯t something to be proud of.<div>


    She just considered it encountering a lunatic.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be sad. I¡¯ll take you to eat something delicious now. Do you know? I found out that ourpany¡¯s cafeteria is amazing. There are so many cuisines; you can try something different every day.¡± Tang Wei changed her tune quite quickly, suddenly making it about ¡®ourpany.¡¯


    ¡°You, weren¡¯t you trying to lose weight?¡± Shu Pan teased her, amused by her sudden enthusiasm.


    ¡°I¡¯ll worry about that after I¡¯m full. We¡¯ve just arrived at the newpany. I haven¡¯t properly tried the food in our cafeteria yet. Do I even love mypany?¡± It was all twisted logic.


    ¡°You just love making excuses for yourself, don¡¯t want to lose weight.¡± Shu Pan saw through her.


    In the cafeteria, Tang Wei quickly found a table and went to get food.


    Shu Pan was also looking around, oblivious to what was happening in the cafeteria.


    Someone nearby said, ¡°Wow, even Mr. Gu is here for lunch? Or is he just here to inspect?¡±


    ¡°Wow, the CEO is really handsome. His girlfriend must be so lucky.¡± Someone swooned.


    Following everyone¡¯s gaze, Shu Pan indeed saw Gu Shaoting and his secretary, Yang, approaching.


    The cafeteria suddenly became lively.


    It was rare for everyone to have the chance to see the CEO here.<div>


    Was he nning to eat here too? Some girls even hoped for a chance encounter.


    As Shu Pan watched him get closer, her heart suddenly raced. What should she do? Why was this man so charming all the time?


    Just a moment ago she was angry with him, but now seeing him, she wasn¡¯t anymore.


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you answer your phone?¡± Gu Shaoting ignored everyone¡¯s gaze and walked straight up to Shu Pan, asking.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t hear it. I just silenced it.¡± Shu Pan nced at her phone, indeed showing several missed calls.


    As Shu Pan looked at him, she suddenly wanted to ask him about Charlene.

 Chapter 631: Still Very Tempted

    Chapter 631: Still Very Tempted<div>


    Trantor:Nyoi-Bo StudioEditor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Gu Shaoting looked at her innocently. He had been calling her phone repeatedly with no answer, so he decided toe to her department to surprise her, only to find out she was out having lunch with colleagues.


    ¡°Why did you suddenlye over?¡± Shu Pan really wasn¡¯t ustomed to being the center of attention.


    Clearly, many people still didn¡¯t know they were married, and some didn¡¯t even know they were together.


    Then, the gossiping voices nearby began.


    ¡°Why is the CEO talking to her? What¡¯s her rtionship with the CEO?¡± someone asked in confusion.<div>


    ¡°Yeah, she¡¯s not even that pretty,¡± someone added, their tone sour.


    ¡°Since you¡¯re already having lunch here, let¡¯s eat together.¡± Gu Shaoting sat down opposite them.


    His secretary quickly went to fetch two servings of food. Having been by Gu Shaoting¡¯s side for so long, he knew his taste very well.


    ¡°Okay.¡± Shu Pan felt like she was being stared at by all the eyes around her.


    ¡°Mr. Gu.¡± Tang Wei¡¯s heart raced when she saw the CEO, not out of admiration, but out of nervousness.


    She was someone who trembled at the sight of her superiors, let alone someone as high-ranking as the CEO.


    But she noticed everyone¡¯s attention was on them, and she couldn¡¯t help feeling a bit proud. Being the center of attention wasn¡¯t so bad, even if it wasn¡¯t exactly focused on her.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Gu Shaoting nodded.


    During the meal, Gu Shaoting noticed Shu Pan wasn¡¯t eating much, so he picked up a piece of vinegar-scented spare ribs from his own te and offered it to her. He knew she liked it and thought it might whet her appetite.


    Everyone was stunned by Gu Shaoting¡¯s gesture.


    Feeding each other from their tes? Wasn¡¯t that something only couples did?


    Turns out, the seemingly cold Gu had such a considerate side.<div>


    Everyone couldn¡¯t help but feel envious, thinking they were truly happy.


    ¡°I can¡¯t eat anymore.¡± Seeing the pieces of vinegar-scented spare ribs, she would usually enjoy them, but now they seemed a bit overwhelming.


    She wondered if it was because of Charlene¡¯s words that her mood was down, so she really didn¡¯t have much appetite now.


    ¡°You ate very little today. Is it because the food doesn¡¯t suit your taste? Shall I take you out for something else?¡± Gu Shaoting asked with concern.


    Shu Pan shook her head, but seeing his caring eyes, she suddenly felt touched and quietly picked up a spare rib.


    It tasted pretty good, sour and sweet, very appetizing.


    Gu Shaoting felt relieved when he saw her start eating.


    Tang Wei, on the side, was also stunned.


    Oh my, being exposed to this, it¡¯s going to be hard to find a boyfriend in the future. With Mr. Gu setting such high standards, it¡¯s going to be tough.


    Tang Wei sighed again, feeling that Shu Pan was truly happy.


    But now she was also a boss, yet she didn¡¯t put on airs at all, still the same as before. Such a rare trait. It was probably because of this that the god of happiness always favored her.


    The secretary was used to seeing this kind of thing every day.<div>


    It was quite stimting. He used to have a girlfriend, but she was too clingy, always wanting to be together 24/7, which got on his nerves, so he broke up with her.


    Now he was single again.


    But he was resilient. Seeing Mr. and Mrs. Gu being affectionate, he could still calmly eat his meal.


    He nced at the girl across from him, probably from the same department as Mrs. Gu, whom he had seen before.


    She was watching them being lovey-dovey.


    He waved his hand in front of her.


    Tang Wei snapped out of it, seeing the secretary. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡±


    The secretary gestured to the seats nearby, and Tang Wei immediately understood.


    Then the two of them picked up their utensils and moved to the nearby table, leaving space for the lovebirds.

 Chapter 632: Punishing

    Chapter 632: Punishing<div>


    Trantor:Nyoi-Bo StudioEditor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Gu Shaoting and Shu Pan didn¡¯t notice that everyone around them had moved to nearby tables.


    ¡°How¡¯s it going? Are you getting used to it here?¡± Gu Shaoting asked as he noticed she had nearly finished eating.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± It was only the first day, and already there were people protesting at the door. It was a bit irritating.


    But she didn¡¯t say it out loud. The situation wasn¡¯t clear yet, and she still didn¡¯t understand what was going on.


    Gu Shaoting felt that she seemed a bit down.<div>


    ¡°Are you tired? After we finish eating,e to the lounge in my office and take a good nap,¡± Gu Shaoting suggested.


    ¡°No.¡± Shu Pan suddenly eximed.


    What a ridiculous idea. They had already been seen together that day. If it happened again, who knew what people would say?


    Gu Shaoting furrowed his brow, looking at Shu Pan, not understanding why she suddenly became so agitated.


    ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re okay?¡± Gu Shaoting asked again.


    ¡°Um¡­ Do you have a lot of girls admiring you around you?¡± Shu Pan finally couldn¡¯t help asking.


    ¡°Of course. Haven¡¯t you seen how outstanding your hubby is?¡± Gu Shaoting said, trying to lighten the mood with a joke.


    Little did he know, as soon as Shu Pan heard this, her face immediately darkened.


    So he knew about it but still allowed this situation to exist without avoidance. Was it because he enjoyed it?


    Did men like this?


    Seeing her serious expression, Gu Shaoting couldn¡¯t help but say, ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re okay? You really don¡¯t look well.¡±


    ¡°Do you enjoy the admiration of young girls?¡± Shu Pan asked calmly.<div>


    ¡°I only enjoy your admiration. Why does this vinegar-scented spare rib smell so sour? Is there a lot of vinegar in it?¡± Gu Shaoting pretended to sniff the air with his nose.


    ¡°Hateful ghosts,¡± Shu Pan chuckled.


    ¡°Why are you still so silly? Just remember that we love each other, and you don¡¯t need to care about what others think,¡± Gu Shaoting said, knowing that someone must have said something to her again.


    Shu Pan tried to read something from his face, but he looked genuinely sincere.


    The back-and-forth between the two of them made them forget about the surrounding audience.


    Just seeing Gu Shaoting walk towards Shu Pan surprised everyone, and then seeing him feed her, such an intimate gesture, made it clear that their rtionship was deep.


    It was probably only a matter of time before everyone knew.


    Shu Pan didn¡¯t really care. After all, they were already married, and any gossip couldn¡¯t hurt her anymore.


    But she had always been low-key, so appearing so conspicuously in front of everyone this time was indeed not easy.


    Shu Pan watched Gu Shaoting eat his meal calmly and gracefully, enjoying every bite.


    While Gu Shaoting and Shu Pan were engrossed in conversation, the secretary and Tang Wei were also chatting enthusiastically.


    Through their conversation, they discovered they both enjoyed ying games, giving them amon topic.<div>


    Finally finishing their meal, Shu Pan still couldn¡¯t argue with Gu Shaoting. He took her hand and led her into the office.


    ¡°In the future, after you¡¯ve eaten,e up here to rest,¡± Gu Shaoting instructed.


    ¡°That¡¯s not a good idea. After all, this is thepany. Let¡¯s avoid stirring up any gossip,¡± Shu Pan really didn¡¯t want to give people something to talk about. After all, it was best to keep public and private matters separate in the workce.


    ¡°Should I issue a statement within thepany since we¡¯re husband and wife?¡± Shu Pan knew he would follow through on what he said, so she didn¡¯t dare to argue further.


    There was nothing wrong with taking a break somewhere.


    As Shu Pan thought this, Gu Shaoting had already taken her to the lounge.

 Chapter 633: Class Reunion (1)

    Chapter 633: ss Reunion (1)<div>


    Trantor:Nyoi-Bo StudioEditor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    When it was time to leave work in the evening, Shu Pan had originally nned to leave with Gu Shaoting, but because he had some social engagements, she went home first.


    With Joy not around, she felt a bit bored. Thinking that she hadn¡¯t contacted Xiaomeng in a few days, she decided to give her a call.


    After a while, the call was finally answered.


    Before Shu Pan could speak, Xiaomeng began toin, ¡°Girl, I don¡¯t want to have a baby anymore. It¡¯s too hard.¡±


    After being pregnant for two months, Xiaomeng¡¯s morning sickness had be severe. She couldn¡¯t keep anything down, even water, and she was particrly nauseous every morning and evening.<div>


    He Ming couldn¡¯t do anything to help her, and he felt helpless watching her suffer.


    He Ming was so worried that he consulted authoritative obstetricians and gynecologists, but they all told him that this was a normal reaction in the early stages of pregnancy and that it would pass in time.


    Seeing Xiaomeng suffer so much from vomiting, but those doctors told him it was a normal reaction, made him want to curse for the first time.


    He had already instructed the housekeeper to prepare some light and nutritious food suitable for pregnant women, but Xiaomeng still couldn¡¯t keep anything down, even throwing up after just a sip of water.


    It felt like she was vomiting bile.


    Shu Pan could really empathize with Xiaomeng¡¯s feelings because she had experienced the same when she was pregnant with Joy, vomiting to the point of exhaustion.


    ¡°Hang in there. By the fourth month, these symptoms are usually much less severe, and you¡¯ll find everything tastes delicious,¡± Shu Pan Shu Pan could really empathize with Xiaomeng¡¯s feelings because she had experienced the same when she was pregnant with Joy, vomiting to the point of exhaustion.


    ¡°Hang in there. By the fourth month, these symptoms are usually much less severe, and you¡¯ll find everything tastes delicious,¡± Shu Panforted, reassuring Xiaomeng that this was a necessary process.


    ¡°Is that possible?¡± Xiaomeng was truly fed up with vomiting.


    ¡°Yeah, what about He Ming? Is he at home?¡± Shu Pan asked, knowing that in such situations, it¡¯s important for the baby¡¯s father to be around to support and participate, which could help the pregnant woman.


    ¡°He¡¯s gone out, saying something about a ss reunion,¡± Xiaomeng replied.


    ¡°A ss reunion?¡± Shu Pan was surprised.<div>


    ¡°Yeah, well, just take care of yourself at home and call if you need anything,¡± Shu Pan said.


    After chatting for a bit more, they hung up.


    Xiaomeng looked at the time; it was past 8 o¡¯clock. Since bing pregnant, she had developed a habit of sleeping early. She decided to go to bed and not wait for He Ming. Who knows when he¡¯ll be back?


    He Ming was starting to regret attending the ss reunion. Originally, he had wanted to stay home with Xiaomeng because her recent reactions had been really intense, so he had been sticking close to her every step of the way.


    Yesterday, Yao Ning had sent a message saying that she had organized a dinner gathering with more than ten ssmates.


    When he arrived, he found that many of his ssmates had changed, losing the innocence they had in their school days. After being introduced as the deputy general manager of Gu Group, they all came over to greet him warmly, offeringpliments left and right.


    He hadn¡¯t been there long when Yao Ning arrived.


    Yao Ning looked a bit different tonight, having traded her usual whiteb coat for a dress, which gave her a radiant appearance.


    Most of their ssmates were already married, so they kept teasing He Ming and Yao Ning for being single.


    When Yao Ning arrived, she deliberately found a seat next to He Ming, and this time, people evenmented that they looked like a couple.


    As Yao Ning looked at He Ming¡¯s profile, her face flushed red.


    Throughout the evening, Yao Ning kept ncing at He Ming.<div>


    Was she starting to like him more and more? What should she do?


    asionally, He Ming would turn his head and exchange a few words with her, but he didn¡¯t have any other thoughts in mind except for when he could leave the gathering and go back to be with Xiaomeng.


    He couldn¡¯t help but worry about Xiaomeng being home alone.

 Chapter 634: Class Reunion (2)

    Chapter 634: ss Reunion (2)<div>


    Trantor:Nyoi-Bo StudioEditor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Around 9 o¡¯clock, after dinner, some ssmates started urging everyone to continue the gathering at KTV for a second round.


    He Ming was feeling anxious, he really wanted to go back home.


    But how could his colleagues let him leave so soon?


    They insisted on He Ming staying, persuading him from all sides. In the end, with their insistent hospitality, He Ming reluctantly agreed to stay for a while longer, promising to have just one drink before heading back.


    ncing at the time, considering Xiaomeng¡¯s usual habits, he figured she would be getting ready to sleep by now.<div>


    Still feeling uneasy, he decided to call Xiaomeng.


    Xiaomeng answered the phone groggily, telling him to take care and not to drink too much before promptly hanging up.


    Hearing her voice, He Ming knew she was already asleep, which put his mind at ease as he joined his ssmates for the next round.


    There were about ten people in total, men and women, who booked a private room.


    Yao Ning looked especially beautiful tonight, sticking close to He Ming throughout the evening. Anyone unaware of their situation would have thought she was his girlfriend.


    In this kind of setting, not drinking seemed a bit awkward, didn¡¯t it?


    Amidst the enthusiastic toasts from his ssmates, He Ming also had a drink, but he was worried about driving back safely, so he declined any further toasts.


    Interestingly, Yao Ning, however, seemed to impress everyone. She had three consecutive sses of red wine, and although the alcohol content wasn¡¯t high, it was still a bit too much for her.


    Suddenly feeling dizzy, she leaned towards He Ming, who instinctively caught her and helped her sit on the couch.


    He then poured her a ss of water. ¡°Yao Ning, are you okay?¡±


    Seeing her in this state, He Ming was concerned that she might be getting drunk.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± Yao Ning smiled sweetly at him, realizing that it wasn¡¯t a dream. The man she had loved for so many years was indeed standing right in front of her, genuinely concerned for her well-being.<div>


    ¡°Have some water; it helps with the dry throat after drinking,¡± Yao Ning took the water cup from He Ming and drank it slowly, feeling surprisingly sweet despite being just in water.


    Around 11 o¡¯clock, the gathering finally came to an end. Everyone went their separate ways back home.


    ¡°He Ming, could you give me a ride?¡± Yao Ning asked.


    ¡°Sure, let¡¯s go,¡± He Ming replied casually. He probably had forgotten about the promise he made a few days ago not to let any other women ride in his car.


    Typical case of ¡®out of sight, out of mind¡¯.


    Yao Ning was a bit unsteady on her feet, so He Ming quickly went to support her and they walked together.


    Yao Ning truly enjoyed sitting in the passenger seat of He Ming¡¯s car. She couldn¡¯t help but fantasize about a future where this seat would be exclusively hers.


    Watching He Ming focus on driving, she waspletely captivated.


    Finally, they arrived at the entrance to her residential area. He Ming got out of the car, opened the door for her, and helped her out. While He Ming wasn¡¯t looking, Yao Ning discreetly left her lipstick under the passenger seat of his car before carefully getting out.


    At that moment, she didn¡¯t think much about it; she just wanted to create more opportunities for them to meet. If he had a girlfriend and found¡­


    Well, that would be even better.


    ¡°He Ming, thank you. Would you like toe up for a cup of coffee?¡± Yao Ning, emboldened by the alcohol, invited He Ming to her ce.<div>


    ¡°No, it¡¯ste. You should go home and rest,¡± He Ming politely declined.


    ¡°Okay, then take care on your way back,¡± Yao Ning said before heading home herself.


    He Ming felt anxious, wondering if Xiaomeng was sleeping soundly.


    Unbeknownst to them, a storm was brewing¡­

 Chapter 635: Morning Vomiting

    Chapter 635: Morning Vomiting<div>


    Trantor:Nyoi-Bo StudioEditor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    He Ming arrived home around midnight, muchter than usual. He tiptoed into the bedroom and saw Ye Xiaomeng curled up, a sleeping position that showed ack of security. He felt a pang of heartache, especially seeing how she had been tormented by morning sicknesstely, her face looking noticeably thinner.


    He caught a whiff of the lingering scent of smoke and alcohol on himself and furrowed his brow. He decided to take a quick shower.


    When he emerged from the bathroom andy down beside Xiaomeng, she instinctively snuggled into his arms. He smiled faintly and closed his eyes.


    The next morning, as soon as Ye Xiaomeng woke up, she felt an overwhelming wave of nausea. She quickly got out of bed and rushed to the bathroom, leaning over the toilet, but since she hadn¡¯t eaten anything yet, nothing came out. She felt drained of energy.


    He Ming woke up the moment she got out of bed and followed her to the bathroom, gently patting her back. After a while, Xiaomeng turned to him with a smile and said, ¡°Many pregnant moms experience this, it¡¯s a normal reaction. Don¡¯t worry.¡±<div>


    As she stood up slowly, He Ming hugged her tightly. Just as he was about to say something, Xiaomeng reached out and brushed his furrowed brow, saying softly, ¡°Stop frowning all the time, it¡¯s not very appealing.¡±


    Her voice was gentle, like a feather caressing his heart, both endearing and worrying him. After all, he had never encountered such a situation before, and it was truly rming.


    He held her close, resting his chin on her head, and whispered, ¡°Mengmeng, we only need one child. You shouldn¡¯t have to suffer like this anymore.¡±


    Xiaomeng smiled gently. ¡°Are you sure?¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± He Ming replied earnestly. He truly didn¡¯t want her to endure any more pain. Compared to having a child, she was more important. Lately, she couldn¡¯t keep anything down, and she had lost so much weight that it felt like she could be blown away by the wind.


    Two days ago at the prenatal check-up, the doctor said the fetus was healthy, but they advised the pregnant woman to supplement her nutrition and eat a bit more.


    This worried He Ming because Xiaomeng was very obedient to the doctor¡¯s orders. Even though she couldn¡¯t eat much due to nausea, she still tried her best.


    She said she could starve herself, but she absolutely couldn¡¯t starve the baby. He Ming was deeply moved. She had sacrificed a lot for their child.


    He Ming regretted letting her get pregnant. He didn¡¯t realize how torturous it could be. If he had known, he would have preferred not to have a child.


    ¡°In fact, it¡¯s just because it¡¯s early pregnancy, and it¡¯s our first one. We¡¯re nervous, that¡¯s why it¡¯s like this. With more experience, it won¡¯t be the same for the second or third child,¡± Xiaomeng said in a rxed tone, as if she wasn¡¯t the one who had been gasping for breath just now.


    To her, one child wasn¡¯t enough. They should have at least two, so they could keep each otherpany. And when they encountered problems, they would have someone to discuss with. Unlike only children, they would be lonely.


    Seeing her animated expression, He Ming felt even more affectionate towards her.<div>


    ¡°Okay, rinse your mouth now,¡± He Ming said, handing her a ss of warm water.


    Xiaomeng looked at him and noticed his furrowed brow. She couldn¡¯t help but say, ¡°Nagging man.¡±


    Hearing her nickname for him, He Ming couldn¡¯t help but smile wryly.


    He figured that during her pregnancy, he would probably grow a few more gray hairs.

 Chapter 636: Angry

    Chapter 636: Angry<div>


    Trantor:Nyoi-Bo StudioEditor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    He Ming thought women were truly great. They endured a lot for their children.


    Ye Xiaomeng took the warm water from He Ming and rinsed her mouth.


    Looking at He Ming¡¯s serious face, a mischievous idea suddenly shed through her mind.


    She pouted her lips and said with a mischievous gleam in her eyes,¡± Darling.¡±


    She knew men would have cleanliness obsessions, and He Mings¡¯s was rather severe. She had just finished vomiting, and it made one nauseous just by looking at it. Therefore, seeing He Ming¡¯s furrowed brow, she just wanted to tease him.<div>


    She just wanted to see his helpless expression.


    However, Ye Xiaomeng was wrong this time.


    Ye Xiaomeng was stunned, puzzled as to why things didn¡¯t go as she had imagined. She was a little dumbfounded. He was beside her when she vomited just now, yet he didn¡¯t seem repulsed.


    Silly girl, even someone ugly could transform into a beauty during pregnancy.


    He stared at her with his deep gaze and smiled. ¡°Does it make you feel better?¡±


    Before he could finish, Ye Xiaomeng felt nauseous again and ran back to the toilet bowl to vomit.


    This feeling was very ufortable, and her stomach was like having spasms from all the vomiting.


    However, even though Ye Xiaomeng was struggling, she enjoyed the process.


    Her strong reaction proved that the child was doing fine. This was the fruit of their love, so she epted it willingly, no matter how it tortured her.


    It was a sweet burden. After a few months, when the child was born, she would not need to struggle anymore.


    She vomited for a while before stopping, then stood up and pouted, ¡°The baby is a little naughty.¡±


    He Ming furrowed his brows tightly.<div>


    ¡°Is it going to be like this until the delivery?¡± He Ming asked with a solemn expression.


    ¡°No, it depends on an individual¡¯s physical constitution. Usually, it will stop by the fifth month,¡± Ye Xiaomeng exined, hoping she wasn¡¯t an exception. She was worried about her eating habits and the baby not getting enough nutrients, which could be harmful.


    He Ming remained silent and helped her over to rinse her mouth. He then carried her to the room and gently ced her on the bed.


    Just as he was about to get up, she grabbed him. ¡°Don¡¯t you feel annoyed being tormented by me like this every day?¡±


    Ye Xiaomeng asked seriously, worried that he would find it annoying.


    ¡°What silly thing are you talking about? You¡¯re the one who¡¯s struggling.¡± He Ming said as he affectionately stroked her head.


    ¡°What time is it now? It¡¯s almost time for me to go to work.¡± Ye Xiaomeng looked outside and saw that the sky had brightened up.


    He Ming¡¯s expression darkened when he heard that. It was something that made him very angry. She was in such difort, yet still insisted on going to work every day, iming she needed to earn money for baby form.


    He felt offended. He was perfectly capable of providing for their child and her. He wanted so much to tell her this, but he hesitated because she had a strong self-esteem, and she might feel insulted saying such things to her.


    However, he really didn¡¯t want her to go to work during this period.


    He had given her his bank card a long time ago but rarely received any deduction notifications from the bank. Previously, she would still buy some things, but now that she went to work, she would spend her own money.


    He didn¡¯t understand why she had this change. Was she afraid that people would say that she was greedy for money?<div>


    However, this was something between them. Lovers shouldn¡¯t be concerned about such matters, should they?


    He felt bad about her not spending his money. They would be husband and wife soon, so it should be a matter of ¡°ours¡± rather than ¡°yours¡± and ¡°mine¡±. However, knowing Xiaomeng was very insistent, he could only give up.


    He would talk about this matterter.

 Chapter 637: The Lipstick Controvercy (1)

    Chapter 637: The Lipstick Controvercy (1)<div>


    Trantor:Nyoi-Bo StudioEditor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    ¡°You¡¯re feeling so ufortable, just rest at home,¡± He Ming persuaded.


    ¡°It¡¯s actually better to keep myself busy. Then I won¡¯t keep thinking about this matter.¡± Ye Xiaomeng felt that going to work allowed her to move around a bit, and she didn¡¯t have to stay cooped up at home every day.


    She knew her health well.


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll change my clothes and drink milk before I leave.¡± Ye Xiaomeng got up to look for her clothes after saying that.


    ¡°I¡¯ll prepare milk for you.¡± He Ming walked out and closed the door.<div>


    They headed out with everything ready.


    He Ming drove the car out, and Ye Xiaomeng took the passenger seat. Thepany wasn¡¯t far away, just two subway stops away.


    However, He Ming insisted on sending her to and from work every day.


    Sitting on the seat, Ye Xiaomeng suddenly felt something underneath the cushion.


    She flipped open it and was dumbstruck. It was a lipstick. It was definitely not hers because she dared not try such a bright color.


    Ye Xiaomeng nced at the brand; it was a luxury brand. The owner must have had a good financial situation to afford such a brand.


    Ye Xiaomeng remained calm and collected. With her current status, it was not appropriate for her to make a scene. She reckoned that even if she were to interrogate him, she would not find out anything.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± While driving, He Ming saw Xiaomeng¡¯s dazed expression from the corner of his eye.


    ¡°No¡­ nothing¡­¡± Ye Xiaomeng didn¡¯t know how to ask him.


    When did it drop? How did it drop here?


    ¡°If you feel tired at work, call me to pick you up,¡± He Ming reminded her.


    ¡°Okay. By the way, how was your ss reunion yesterday?¡± Ye Xiaomeng probed.<div>


    ¡°Nothing special. It¡¯s just a few ssmates having dinner,¡± He Ming said casually.


    ¡°Did any admirers or first loves attend?¡± Ye Xiaomeng said jokingly.


    He Ming was stunned and looked at her. ¡°They were all male ssmates.¡±


    He Ming thought she was pregnant now, prone to overthinking, and more sensitive. So, he decided to avoid discussing the topic.


    He didn¡¯t realize that women had zero tolerance for mistakes, more so deceit.


    She might have treated it as a white lie if he had said that he didn¡¯t know. But since she knew he was lying, it was a different story.


    Someone at the ss reunion dropped the lipstick when he sent her homest night because it was not there when he fetched her from work.


    ¡°Oh.¡± Ye Xiaomeng¡¯s expression momentarily turned subdued as she stared out of the window, lost in thought.


    When they arrived at thepany, Xiaomeng got out of the car and walked straight into thepany. He Ming only returned to his senses when he saw her out of his sight.


    Since Xiaomeng discovered the lipstick, she had been at a loss. She felt deeply unsettled.


    She didn¡¯t know whether to confront him or not. There was a limit to a person¡¯s endurance, and it was impossible to ept lie after lie.


    Feeling helpless, Ye Xiaomeng called Shu Pan.<div>


    ¡°Xiaomeng? Are you alright?¡± Shu Pan was a little surprised that Xiaomeng would call her at this hour.


    ¡°Are you avable tonight?¡± Ye Xiaomeng asked.


    ¡°Yes, I am. What¡¯s the matter?¡± Shu Pan felt something must have happened to Ye Xiaomeng, and she sounded a little low.


    ¡°Girl, He Ming is probably having an ambiguous rtionship with his female ssmate behind my back.¡± Ye Xiaomeng told Shu Pan about the matter and wanted her opinion.


    ¡°He Ming? He¡¯s having an ambiguous rtionship with others?¡± Shu Pan found it hard to believe. Everyone had seen for themselves how much he loved Xiaomeng.


    ¡°Yes, I wouldn¡¯t believe it in the past, but I¡¯m pregnant now. Look at me. I¡¯m so ugly.¡± Ye Xiaomeng was very unconfident now, especially in front of He Ming.


    She felt that herplexion had deteriorated since she was pregnant, and her overall mental and physical state wasn¡¯t as good as before.

 Chapter 638: The Lipstick Controversy (2)

    Chapter 638: The Lipstick Controversy (2)<div>


    Trantor:Nyoi-Bo StudioEditor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Seeing the lipstick in his car now, she would be even more prone to overthinking.


    After all, a woman had seated and left a lipstick with ulterior motives.


    Did she do this because she wanted her to find out and make a scene so that she could reap the benefits?


    She wouldn¡¯t do as she wished, but He Ming¡¯s attitude of hiding it was really despicable.


    He thought she was a fool that he could manipte, but he was wrong.<div>


    She would ask him nicely. What was his intention?


    ¡°Don¡¯t overthink. Take good care of your pregnancy and ask him properly when the timees,¡± Shu Pan persuaded.


    ¡°How about we meet up tonight and talk?¡± Shu Pan continued, but Ye Xiaomeng wanted to go back and ask He Ming tonight.


    She was straightforward and didn¡¯t like to beat around the bush.


    Ye Xiaomeng thought about the matter all day and thus was gloomy and depressed.


    In the past, she wouldn¡¯t overthink. But now that she was pregnant, she was worried about many things.


    Soon, it was at night, and He Ming came to pick Ye Xiaomeng up.


    On the way home, Ye Xiaomeng was silent without uttering a sound. She was brewing her emotions and determined not to let him lead the conversation this time.


    ¡°Xiaomeng, what do you feel like eating?¡± He Ming asked with concern.


    ¡°Anything.¡± Xiao Meng¡¯s voice was a little stiff.


    ¡°Then let¡¯s go for noodles, okay?¡± She ate a lot of noodles that day and didn¡¯t vomit.


    Xiao Meng seemed to have guessed what he was thinking.<div>


    ¡°Alright. He Ming, did you send anyone home yesterday?¡± Ye Xiaomeng couldn¡¯t help but ask.


    ¡°No, I didn¡¯t. Why did you ask this?¡± He Ming felt that it was better to avoid unnecessary trouble. Xiaomeng had been unreasonabletely. He didn¡¯t see the point of getting worked up over trivial matters.


    When Ye Xiaomeng heard what he said, she took out the lipstick angrily and asked fiercely, ¡°I found this in the passenger seat. Whose lipstick is this?¡±


    He Ming was stunned and frowned. ¡°Isn¡¯t it yours?¡±


    However, upon closer inspection, it was indeed not Xiaomeng¡¯s favorite color. It was bright red. Moreover, Xiaomeng rarely put on makeup after she was pregnant and basically did not use lipstick anymore.


    He Ming felt very regretful. He had indeed shot himself in the foot.


    It would not have been a big deal if he had told the truth. After all, it was normal to send his ssmates home.


    However, he was rather puzzled. How could it be such a coincidence? There was only a lipstick on the seat. It was such a personal item.


    He Ming suddenly felt as if he was on fire. Since he was young, he had never understood the feeling of being wronged. Only now did he know how scary it was.


    ¡°I remember now. It indeed isn¡¯t yours. I guess my ssmate dropped it when I sent her home yesterday.¡±


    He Ming felt that it was better to be frank. She would find out anyway. Moreover, there was nothing between them in the past.


    Sitting on the sofa, he looked at Xiaomeng¡¯ with a sorrowful expression. Suddenly, he grabbed his hair tightly as if he wanted to pull off all the hair on his body just to rify this matter. ¡°If you insist on me saying it, I really didn¡¯t do anything unfaithful to you. I really don¡¯t know how that lipstick ended up in the car. Besides you, I really don¡¯t have any other woman.¡±<div>


    Ye Xiaomeng sneered. ¡°How many men would openly admit to having an affair outside? You usually like to be in the car the most. Tell me, did you get in the car with another woman behind my back¡­¡±


    She couldn¡¯t continue speaking. Just thinking about that scene disgusted her. Sometimes, she reallycked confidence in love and marriage. It was through seeing his efforts and witnessing his devotion to her that made her believe in love.


    Now, she hoped that he would not disappoint her.

 Chapter 639: What Else Are You Hiding From Me?

    Chapter 639: What Else Are You Hiding From Me?<div>


    Trantor:Nyoi-Bo StudioEditor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Ye Xiaomeng had always been thankful to have met He Ming, believing it was a blessing from above. However, now she dared not think that way anymore. It seemed that even the heavens weren¡¯t particrly favoring her.


    She didn¡¯t know why he lied to her. If he had openly admitted to sending a female ssmate home, she wouldn¡¯t have thought much of it, as it¡¯s only natural.


    However, he was ambiguous or hesitant, which made her feel something amiss.


    She said calmly, ¡°He Ming, I think I¡¯m very amodating in that aspect. I don¡¯t have anything to say about what you like. But now that I¡¯m pregnant, there¡¯s no way¡­¡±


    Ye Xiaomeng choked up and couldn¡¯t continue.<div>


    ¡°Mengmeng, no, I didn¡¯t.¡± He Ming was so anxious that he wanted to kneel to her.


    ¡°Think about it. Recently, other than the asional social gatherings after work, I¡¯ve always been back home very quickly. The rest of the time, I¡¯m at home with you. How can I have time to look for other women? How could I have the energy to be with other women? A female ssmate drank a little yesterday, so I gave her a ride home. That¡¯s all.¡±


    He Ming quickly confessed. He was really unlucky. There would always be some minor problems during good days.


    ¡°Then why did you lie to me in the beginning?¡± Ye Xiaomeng stared at him, trying to read from his expression.


    ¡°I was afraid that you would overthink. Therefore¡­¡± He Ming felt that he had a knack for attracting trouble. Everything was going well, but then such minor problems would arise.


    ¡°An excuse.¡± Ye Xiaomeng looked skeptical.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t believe me, I can call her right now before you.¡± He Ming looked calm. He didn¡¯t do anything unfaithful to Xiaomeng, so he wasn¡¯t afraid.


    ¡°I¡¯ll call her now.¡± Seeing Xiaomeng was silent, He Ming continued.


    ¡°Go ahead.¡± Ye Xiaomeng turned around and looked at his helpless expression. Her messy thoughts calmed down a little. ¡°You call in front of me. Switch on the speaker.¡±


    Hearing what he said, Ye Xiaomeng agreed.


    He Ming felt a little hurt. Xiaomeng didn¡¯t believe him.


    However, he was not afraid. He really did not do it, so he nodded obediently.<div>


    He took out his phone and dialed the number. Soon, the call connected.


    Yao Ning¡¯s cheerful voice came from the other end of the phone. ¡°He Ming, it¡¯s you?¡±


    ¡°Yes, did you drop your lipstick in my car yesterday?¡± He Ming asked. Other than her, there was no one else.


    ¡°Oh, no wonder I couldn¡¯t find it when I came home. It was actually in your car. That¡¯s great. Just leave it with Auntie if it¡¯s convenient for you. I¡¯ll visit her when I¡¯m free and get it back.¡±


    What Yao Ning said was reasonable, but He Ming broke out in a cold sweat. Wasn¡¯t it obvious?


    He looked at Ye Xiaomeng beside him. She was sitting on the sofa, looking pale and expressionless.


    ¡°Alright.¡± He Ming could only bite the bullet and agree.


    After hanging up the phone, He Ming slowly came to Xiaomeng¡¯s side and exined, ¡°She was the attending doctor when my mother was admitted thest time. She¡¯s also my ssmate. I only knew about it when we met at the hospital.¡±


    Ye Xiaomeng sneered. She suddenly felt she was a joke. No, a fool, a big fool.


    She called her Auntie affectionately. She had a good job and was a good person. What about herself? She had always been despised.


    It turned out that she was the bad one. Afterparison, she seemed worse than others.


    ¡°I¡¯m redundant. Look at how harmoniously your family gets along. What else are you hiding from me? Don¡¯t treat me like a fool.¡± Ye Xiaomeng was disheartened.<div>


    So, it turned out it was the same girl she had seen at the hospital previously. She was really outstanding, and Ye Xiaomeng couldn¡¯t help but feel inferior inparison.

 Chapter 640: You’ve Misunderstood

    Chapter 640: You¡¯ve Misunderstood<div>


    Trantor:Nyoi-Bo StudioEditor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Upon hearing her words, He Ming froze. He had refrained from telling her to prevent her from overthinking, but now it seemed he had only made things worse.


    ¡°Xiaomeng, it¡¯s really not what you think. Yao Ning visited my mom because she¡¯s the attending doctor.¡± He Ming felt that he was so unlucky.


    Ye Xiaomeng didn¡¯t wait for him to finish and went straight to the bedroom.


    ¡°Xiaomeng, you¡¯ve misunderstood!¡± Trembling, He Ming walked up and held Ye Xiaomeng¡¯s hand.


    Ye Xiaomeng shook off his hand, closed the door, and then locked it.<div>


    The moment the door was closed, Ye Xiaomeng burst into tears.


    It was not that she was making a mountain out of a molehill, but today¡¯s incident was a trigger point.


    It wasn¡¯t a big deal. After all, she didn¡¯t get hold of anything on the spot. Everyone had ssmates, and giving a ssmate a ride home was perfectly normal.


    Ye Xiaomeng was indeed angry at He Ming¡¯s attitude.


    If you truly loved someone, you would be wary of interactions with the opposite sex and know how to avoid those who had ill intentions toward you.


    It was so obvious when someone showed such concern for your mother and cared so much about you. Didn¡¯t you feel it at all?


    You had even said that you were worried she would overthink. If you didn¡¯t have any ambiguous or inappropriate actions, would you need to worry that she would overthink?


    Ye Xiaomeng seemed to have be more sensitive, perhaps because she was pregnant. She slowly leaned against the headboard.


    With his attitude, could she have lifelongpanionship with him until old age?


    The woman just now was probably a regr visitor to his house. He knew it but did not mention anything about it.


    If not for this lipstick today, she wouldn¡¯t have known that there were so many stories behind it.


    What was the point if two people couldn¡¯t be honest with each other?<div>


    She really felt that it was unnecessary.


    Perhaps some people would think that she was pretentious, but this was a matter of principle, a bottom line, a chasm that she could not cross in her heart.


    The more she thought about it, the angrier she was.


    She took out her travel bag and packed her things with a cold face.


    He Ming was pacing around anxiously outside the door. He knocked on the door to get Xiaomeng to open the door, but Xiaomeng ignored him.


    He Ming had no choice but to take out his keys to open the door.


    When he entered the room, he saw Ye Xiaomeng packing her things. He rushed over anxiously and grabbed her arm. ¡°Mengmeng, don¡¯t go. I beg you, there¡¯s really nothing between us. It¡¯s her business that she went to visit my mother. I didn¡¯t know either. We just happened to bump into each otherst time.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t look for me, look for your ssmate.¡± Ye Xiaomeng didn¡¯t even look at him and tried to break free of his arm.


    ¡°Mengmeng, there¡¯s really nothing between us.¡± He Ming wanted to cry but had no tears. ¡°It was purely because I saw her drink a little that night, and I was worried she wouldn¡¯t be safe alone. Therefore, I suggested sending her home. I came back immediately after I sent her home. What could I have done with her?¡±


    ¡°Hmph, Mr. Romantic, I would never have guessed you were so thoughtful and tender,¡± Ye Xiaomeng sneered, tightly gripping the clothes in her hand, her knuckles aching.


    He Ming was at a loss for words. He was always articte and persuasive. However, this time, he found himselfpletely unable to exin things clearly before her.


    ¡°Mengmeng, she¡¯s one of my ssmates. If I had something with her, I would have done it long ago. If you don¡¯t believe me, you can confront her face to face.¡± He Ming was really at his wit¡¯s end.<div>


    ¡°Who knows if the two of you were together before? With your ability, isn¡¯t it easy for you to have a woman outside?¡± There was no warmth in Ye Xiaomeng¡¯s eyes at all. ¡°You might as well try to bond with your ssmate instead of stopping me here. She¡¯s probably the best candidate for a wife in your mother¡¯s mind.¡±

 Chapter 641: Running Away from Home

    Chapter 641: Running Away from Home<div>


    Trantor:Nyoi-Bo StudioEditor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    ¡°Mengmeng, stop saying that. You know I¡¯m not that kind of person.¡± He Ming plead earnestly.


    ¡°I think we need to calm down for a while so that everyone can think about it. I don¡¯t want to sleep here tonight, and I also don¡¯t want to see you.¡± After saying that, Ye Xiaomeng pulled her arms back, stuffed her clothes into her bag, and wanted to walk out.


    He Ming broke out in a cold sweat on his forehead as he chased after her, heading outside.


    ¡°Mengmeng, calm down. It¡¯s sote now. Even if you don¡¯t care about yourself, you must be careful with the child in your tummy.¡± He Ming suddenly thought of the child.


    Little did he know that it was still fine not to mention the child, but Ye Xiaomeng flew into a rage once he mentioned it.<div>


    ¡°Hmph, this is my child. You don¡¯t need to remind me. Do you think it¡¯s good for my child to have a father like you?¡± Upon hearing Ye Xiaomeng¡¯s words, He Ming felt disheartened.


    ¡°Mengmeng, give me a chance. You can¡¯t condemn me just for these trivial matters. Let¡¯s sit down and talk things out.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no need for that.¡± Ye Xiaomeng wanted to leave immediately. She didn¡¯t want to see him.


    It wasn¡¯t the first time something like this had happened, and it definitely wouldn¡¯t be thest.


    ¡°How about this? If you don¡¯t want to see me, I¡¯ll leave. You don¡¯t have to leave. It¡¯s so dark outside now. It¡¯s not safe for a girl like you.¡± He Ming had no other choice.


    They could talk about it tomorrow. She wouldn¡¯t be able to calm down now, and he was worried that she might run into trouble if she went out. Therefore, he stepped back.


    Ye Xiaomeng paused for a while, seemingly thinking his words made sense.


    There was no need to make things difficult for herself, and she had to think about the child even if she was not tired.


    Seeing that she didn¡¯t head out, He Ming quickly said, ¡°Rest early. We¡¯ll talk about it tomorrow. I¡¯ll go home for a while.¡±


    With that, he left.


    Ye Xiaomeng heaved a sigh of relief seeing him leave.


    She really didn¡¯t want to see him tonight. She would sleep first and talk about it tomorrow.<div>


    After He Ming went out, he felt frustrated. He thought for a while and called Gu Shaoting.


    ¡°Come out for a drink.¡± He Ming¡¯s words made Gu Shaoting somewhat puzzled.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on? It¡¯s sote now. Why aren¡¯t you taking care of Xiaomeng but calling me out for a drink?¡± Gu Shaoting frowned.


    ¡°Well, if it¡¯s convenient, let¡¯s have a drink. I¡¯m feeling annoyed.¡± He Ming said.


    Gu Shaoting heard him sound depressed and knew that something had happened.


    ¡°Alright, the usual ce.¡± After hanging up the phone, Gu Shaoting headed out after telling Shu Pan.


    When Gu Shaoting arrived, He Ming was drinking one ss after another. ¡°Brother, don¡¯t get drunk,¡± he said.


    ¡°Brother Ting, you¡¯re here. Have a seat and drink.¡± He Ming immediately poured a full ss for Gu Shaoting.


    ¡°What happened?¡± Gu Shaoting took a sip of wine and asked with concern.


    ¡°Xiaomeng is leaving. She doesn¡¯t want me anymore¡­¡± He Ming said dejectedly.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on? Didn¡¯t I hear you saying you¡¯re about to register for marriage?¡± Gu Shaoting felt the issue this time was quite serious, noting that He Ming was not in the right state.


    ¡°There was a ss reunion the day before yesterday, and I sent a female ssmate home. She dropped her lipstick in the car, and Xiaomeng found out. She misunderstood and thought something inappropriate had happened between me and that female ssmate. Now she¡¯s furious and wants to leave home.¡± He Ming told Gu Shaoting the whole story.<div>


    ¡°Then tell me honestly, did you do it?¡± Gu Shaoting asked.


    ¡°Brother, even if you lent me a thousand or ten thousand guts, I wouldn¡¯t dare to do such a thing. Moreover, I love Xiaomeng. How could I do something that would betray her?¡± He Ming said in distress.

 Chapter 642: Someone to Pour Hearts Out

    Chapter 642: Someone to Pour Hearts Out<div>


    Trantor:Nyoi-Bo StudioEditor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    ¡°Did you give her any hints, and she became infatuated with you? How did a lipstick drop in the car? Maybe she merely wants to test you, or maybe she wants to ruin your rtionship with Xiaomeng?¡± Gu Shaoting¡¯s mind was clear and calm, and his analysis was logical.


    He Ming suddenly realized. Indeed, there was a possibility of this. However, did Yao Ning intentionally drop her lipstick?


    Could she possibly like him? He Ming recalled the ss reunion, where she had always stayed by his side. With that shy demeanor, was it admiration?


    He dared not tter himself. After all, she did not confess her feelings for him.


    ¡°You can test if it was intentional. You can¡¯t me Xiaomeng for being angry. If she¡¯s angry, it means she cares about you. Besides, women are often sensitive and observant. They can¡¯t tolerate even a small mistake. You need to handle this matter carefully, or else Xiaomeng will really leave you.¡± Gu Shaoting felt that he could see the situation more clearly as an onlooker than those directly involved<div>


    He Ming suddenly widened his eyes and raised his voice. ¡°That¡¯s unlikely. I don¡¯t sense any interest from her, and I believe she¡¯s not that kind of person,¡±


    Gu Shaoting didn¡¯t dwell on it. He understood that everyone had beautiful aspirations of pure and innocent friendships during school years and didn¡¯t want to defile them.


    ¡°You can¡¯t judge a book by its cover.¡± Gu Shaoting had also encountered many such things.


    ¡°This¡­ ¡± He Ming was a little confused.


    ¡°Could it be that she likes you and has resorted to such tactics to test you?¡± Gu Shaoting¡¯s words reminded him.


    He Ming felt distressed hearing this.


    What should he do now? He didn¡¯t know how to exin it to Xiaomeng at all.


    It was a small matter, but he didn¡¯t understand why Xiaomeng kept harping on it this time. He felt that it might be because of her pregnancy that made her feel insecure.


    He would beg for her forgiveness tomorrow.


    ¡°Come, cheers. Don¡¯t overthink. Women need to be coaxed. Ask for her forgiveness tomorrow.¡± Gu Shaoting was now afraid, too. It was best to stay away from other women to avoid getting into trouble.


    ¡°Alright.¡± He Ming drank another ss.


    When they finally left, He Ming was a little drunk. Gu Shaoting took him back to his house. Since there were many guest rooms, he let He Ming stay in one of them.<div>


    The following day, He Ming sobered up gradually in an unfamiliar room. He carefully recalled and knew that Gu Shaoting had brought him home, so he got up to wash up.


    Walking out of the living room, he saw Auntie Li and Shu Pan preparing breakfast.


    ¡°Good morning, He Ming. Come over and have breakfast.¡± Shu Pan greeted him with a smile.


    ¡°Alright, thank you.¡± He Ming sat down uneasily.


    ¡°Sorry to trouble you.¡± He Ming was a little embarrassed, and his expression was a little ugly.


    ¡°Don¡¯t mention. We¡¯re on the same side.¡± Shu Pan shook her head. She probably knew the ins and outs of the matter.


    He Ming also wanted to rush back to find Ye Xiaomeng. It had been a night, and she had probably thought it through.


    Seeing He Ming¡¯s distressed expression, Shu Pan stared at his messy hair, stubble, and dark circles under his eyes. She could guess what had happened. ¡°You two quarreled? It won¡¯t be easy to ask for forgiveness this time, right?¡±


    ¡°Shu Pan, I really need your help to support me.¡± He Ming pleaded.


    Shu Pan looked stern when she heard that. ¡°He Ming, you really didn¡¯t do it? If you did, admit it. Xiaomeng is my friend. I won¡¯t see her get hurt. These days, some people do have ulterior motives.¡±


    He Ming said solemnly, ¡°Shu Pan, I, He Ming, is worthless and also dare not talk about this matter to you if I have done anything unfaithful to Xiaomeng. I promise I only love Xiaomeng.¡±


    <div>

 Chapter 643: Need to Calm Down

    Chapter 643: Need to Calm Down<div>


    Trantor:Nyoi-Bo StudioEditor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    He Ming was very sincere, and Shu Pan could not tell if it was true.


    ¡°Is it really as simple as an ordinary ssmate? I heard that she had gone to your house and is very close to your mother,¡± Shu Pan asked sharply again.


    He Ming froze. He had never thought about this before. He didn¡¯t know how to answer Shu Pan¡¯s question.


    ¡°Yes, she¡¯s our attending doctor, so she visited my mother twice,¡± He Ming braced himself and said.


    ¡°Doctors nowadays are so busy. Do they still have time to make home visits?¡± Shu Pan¡¯s words sounded a little sarcastic. It seemed that it was due to this rtionship that Yao Ning came to their house.<div>


    ¡°But I¡¯m not interested in her.¡± He Ming was indeed enduring grievances in silence, unable to say anything.


    ¡°You need Xiaomeng to understand and forgive you for this. Put yourself in her shoes. If Xiaomeng was the one having an ambiguous rtionship with someone else today, what would you do?¡± Shu Pan was a little aggressive.


    She just couldn¡¯t stand this indecisiveness. Would there still be so manyplications now if he had made his position clear right from the start, stating he already had a partner?


    He Ming was full of regrets. How was Xiaomeng now?


    ¡°I¡¯ll be more careful in the future. I won¡¯t let such a thing happen again.¡± He Ming promised. He couldn¡¯t wait to go back and see Xiaomeng.


    Shu Pan saw his nervous look and sighed softly. If he had known this would happen, why would he have done it in the first ce?


    ¡°You better take good care of yourself. I don¡¯t think Xiaomeng will forgive you so easily this time.¡± Shu Pan gave him a heads-up.


    After all, she was pregnant now and would be more sensitive. It was really unforgivable for such a thing to happen during this special period.


    He Ming¡¯s gaze was veryplicated. He also knew that it wasn¡¯t easy.


    He raised his hand to look at the time. It was already past 7 o¡¯clock. Xiaomeng should be up by now.


    ¡°Shu Pan, please help exin to Xiaomeng.¡± After all, they were best besties. Xiaomeng would probably listen to Shu Pan.


    ¡°I¡¯ll try my best.¡± Shu Pan nodded and sighed.<div>


    ¡°That¡¯s great. Thank you,¡± He Ming said gratefully.


    He Ming casually took the breakfast and then went home.


    When he reached the downstairs of his home, he felt a little nervous, not knowing what to say. After hesitating for a long time, he went up.


    When he reached the door, he opened it himself. The room was silent.


    He Ming thought that Xiaomeng was probably still sleeping. Ever since she got pregnant, she always felt sleepy.


    He didn¡¯t disturb her and wanted her to sleep quietly until she woke up naturally.


    Seeing that the bedroom door was ajar, he thought for a moment. He did not know if she had covered herself with the nket, so he gently pushed the door open and walked in.


    Seeing the nket on the bed was raised, he walked over and slowly lifted the nket.


    No one was in there. There was no one on the bed. He Ming was stunned. Where was Xiaomeng? Where did she go?


    ¡°Mengmeng¡­¡± He Ming panicked. He ran to the bathroom, the balcony, the kitchen¡­ He looked around everywhere but couldn¡¯t find her.


    He Ming was panicking. How did she disappear? Just as he was at a loss, he saw a note on the coffee table in the living room.


    He hurriedly picked it up. It was written, ¡°He Ming, I¡¯m going home for some time to calm down. Don¡¯t look for me. I¡¯ll take good care of myself.¡±<div>


    Ye Xiaomeng was the one who wrote it.


    Knowing that Xiaomeng had gone home brought He Ming a moment of peace of mind. However, he immediately thought of her going home to calm down for a while. Was she still upset by this matter? Couldn¡¯t she forgive him?


    Without further hesitation, He Ming grabbed his car keys, headed downstairs, started the car, and drove toward Xiaomeng¡¯s house.

 Chapter 644: Don’t Want to See Him

    Chapter 644: Don¡¯t Want to See Him


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Throughout the journey, He Ming¡¯s heart was in turmoil. He had just called Xiaomeng, but her phone was off.


    Thinking of this, he became even more anxious.


    He drove all the way non-stop and soon arrived at Xiaomeng¡¯s house.


    As it was still early, he was worried that Xiaomeng might not even reach home yet.


    Therefore, he parked the car by the roadside, thinking of going upter.


    If he went up so rashly, Xiaomeng¡¯s parents would definitely have an unfavorable impression of him if they found out about the matter. Therefore, he decided to wait for Xiaomeng to get home before going up.


    Although He Ming was very anxious, he knew now wasn¡¯t the time to rush. He waited patiently.


    Half an hourter, he saw Ye Xiaomeng appear at the door with a travel bag. He was excited.


    Xiaomeng indeed came home. She didn¡¯t lie to him, so he felt more at ease.


    He followed closely behind Xiaomeng. Not long after Xiaomeng entered, he rang the doorbell.


    Xiaomeng was a little puzzled. She had just called her mother and was told she was buying groceries at the market while her father had gone for his morning exercise. Were they back so soon?


    ¡°Dad, Mom, you¡¯re back?¡± Xiaomeng said with a smile as she opened the door.


    However, the moment she opened the door, she saw He Ming standing outside. He looked so worn, and his shirt was crumpled. Without saying a word, she immediately wanted to close the door.


    He Ming¡¯s reaction was swift. Afraid that Xiaomeng would close the door, he used his body to block the door and quickly grabbed her hand. ¡°Mengmeng, listen to me. I won¡¯t do anything you don¡¯t like me doing in the future. If you don¡¯t like me interacting with Yao Ning in the future, I¡¯ll take a detour whenever I see her. I really treat her as an ordinary ssmate. I¡¯ll also exin it to my mother clearly so that she won¡¯t mess up our rtionship.¡±


    Ye Xiaomeng felt annoyed, disappointed, and frustrated. Why did all men like to do this? They would apologize when making a mistake. After asking for forgiveness, he would do it again the next time.


    ¡°Alright, don¡¯t tell me this. I just want to be alone now. Anyway, we¡¯re not married. If you have any choice, it¡¯s not toote. You don¡¯t have to care about the child. I can raise myself. I¡¯m not a worm in your stomach. I don¡¯t know your thoughts, but I have my bottom line. My man can¡¯t fool around with other women. If you cross this line, we can divorce even if we are married.¡±


    Ye Xiaomeng felt the need to make things clear to him because she was really sick of this kind of thing happening one after another.


    ¡°Mengmeng, are you prejudiced against me?¡± He Ming was helpless. He felt very ufortable after hearing her words. Every word she said was like a needle stabbing him.


    ¡°I clearly didn¡¯t do anything, and I still love you so much. Why do you have to say such heart-wrenching words?¡± He Ming sounded very sad.


    Ye Xiaomeng lowered her head and looked at the floor. ¡°Maybe¡­ Time can prove everything, and it can also prove each other¡¯s loyalty. Go back and let us calm down. That way, you can take the opportunity to think about whether we¡¯re suitable for each other.¡± Ye Xiaomeng gave him aplicated look, then pulled her hand back and slowly closed the door.


    He Ming squatted in front of Xiaomeng¡¯s house without moving for a long time. His heart felt like being strangled by a rope, and it was in great pain.


    He Ming could feel that Xiaomeng was very firm this time. She was usually easy-going, but it was irreversible once she set her mind on something.


    He Ming had thought that everything would be fine after his exnation. He didn¡¯t expect Xiaomeng to have such a big reaction.


    He suddenly felt tremendously flustered because he wasn¡¯t sure if Xiaomeng would forgive him this time.

 Chapter 645: Taking a Stand

    Chapter 645: Taking a Stand


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    After closing the door, Ye Xiaomeng couldn¡¯t calm down for a long time.


    The moment she saw He Ming when she opened the door, she felt a sense of joy. She didn¡¯t expect him to rush over upon discovering her returning home, which proved he still cared about her.


    However, this was far from enough. When two persons formed a family, it wasn¡¯t just about love. It also involved responsibility andmitment.


    The most important thing was loyalty.


    However, He Ming didn¡¯t seem to understand this. He felt that nothing had happened between them, and he thus didn¡¯t let her down.


    However, she had enough of that feeling of suspicion. Any minor cues would make her overthink.


    He Ming couldn¡¯t give her aplete sense of security.


    She needed to calm down. She also wanted to give He Ming a chance to choose.


    His mother¡¯s attitude was explicit. She didn¡¯t see her as the ideal daughter-inw in her eyes. Therefore, she felt there was no need to continue trying to please her. She wanted to be herself.


    He Ming stood at the door for a long time, but Xiaomeng had no intention of opening the door. He Ming thought for a while before realizing he had more important things to do. He looked at the door and said to the Xiaomeng inside, ¡°Mengmeng, I¡¯lle back to visit youter. Take good care of yourself and the baby. I love you.¡±


    He Ming left after he finished speaking. Ye Xiaomeng saw He Ming¡¯s back through the ss window as he drove away, and tears flowed down her face unconsciously.


    He Ming came back for nothing else but that he had made up his mind to make things clear to his mother.


    When he returned home, he was somewhat surprised, but it seemed reasonable that Yao Ning came again. He Ming felt that she came rather frequently. Weren¡¯t doctors very busy these days?


    He Ming was starting to suspect her motives.


    ¡°He Ming, you¡¯re back?¡± Whenever Yao Ning saw He Ming, she always felt he was very handsome.


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s good that you¡¯re here. Here¡¯s your lipstick.¡± He Ming took a lipstick out of his pocket and gave it to her. He would have thrown this lipstick away long ago if he had not been courteous. Due to this broken thing, his life was now a mess.


    ¡°Thank you. I¡¯ve troubled you.¡± Yao Ning looked at He Ming. He looked haggard as if he hadn¡¯t slept for days.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± He Ming looked into the kitchen. His mother was cooking.


    ¡°You¡¯re back? Quickly sit down. We¡¯ll eat soon,¡± said He Ming¡¯s mother. She was very happy. He Ming came back at the right time.


    He Ming looked at his mother¡¯s happy face and could not help but frown.


    During dinner, He Ming saw his mother and Yao Ning chatting happily. Out of the blue, He Ming smiled at the two of them and said, ¡°Mom, I have good news for you. Xiaomeng is pregnant. You¡¯ll be a grandmother soon.¡±


    The news He Ming broke out impacted the two of them, and their expressions differed.


    Mother He looked in disbelief. Wasn¡¯t she very difficult to conceive? Why did he say that she was pregnant when Yao Ning appeared? It was too much of a coincidence.


    Mother He didn¡¯t quite believe it. She felt Ye Xiaomeng was lying to retain He Ming.


    Therefore, she said, ¡°He Ming, it¡¯s not a matter of a joke. Don¡¯t joke about such a thing.¡±


    Mother He reprimanded. She could not be med for not believing it because everyone would find it hard to believe in the beginning.


    ¡°It¡¯s true, Mom. It¡¯s been more than two months. The fetus was not very stable earlier, so I didn¡¯t tell you,¡± He Ming said seriously. He felt that it was the right time to announce this news.


    After all, they were all here. It was to prepare them mentally.

 Chapter 646: Suffering a Blow

    Chapter 646: Suffering a Blow<div>


    Trantor:Nyoi-Bo StudioEditor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Indeed, the news of Ye Xiaomeng¡¯s pregnancy felt like a thunderbolt exploding between them.


    Mother He wore a look of disbelief, while Yao Ning seemed as if she had been pped, dejected and stunned by the news.


    Yao Ning still hadn¡¯t managed to gather herself from the shock.


    She thought her efforts would be rewarded.


    She thought that by pleasing Auntie, she would gain approval and her rtionship with He Ming would progress. Now, looking back, she realized she had been deluding herself.<div>


    From start to finish, He Ming never expressed any affection for her. She had simply let her imagination run wild.


    He Ming had his beloved, and now, they were expecting a child together, the culmination of their love.


    Suddenly, she felt that everything she had done was a joke, a colossal joke.


    All these years of loving him, the belief that had sustained her seemed to be crumbling.


    She was devastated by He Ming¡¯s news.


    A man must love a woman to willingly impregnate her, to raise a child with her.


    Yao Ning hadn¡¯t uttered a word since hearing the news. She wanted to graciously congratte them.


    But she found her voice stuck in her throat, unable to speak.


    Seeing Yao Ning¡¯s expression, Mother He felt her heart ache.


    Turning to He Ming, she asked, ¡°Why is this news so sudden? Didn¡¯t the tests say you couldn¡¯t conceive? How did this happen? Are you sure it¡¯s true?¡±


    Mother He truly doubted, worried that He Ming had been deceived by Xiaomeng.


    So, she voiced her concerns.<div>


    ¡°It¡¯s true. At thest prenatal checkup, I saw our child. It¡¯s still very small.¡± He Ming recalled that scene, feeling a surge of joy in his heart.


    It was his child, his pride. He didn¡¯t need her to achieve fame and fortune in the future; he just wanted her to grow up healthy.


    Seeing the enraptured expression on his face, Mother He finally believed it too.


    Ye Xiaomeng was indeed pregnant, but why wasn¡¯t she as overjoyed as he had imagined?


    ¡°Ming, she¡¯s pregnant. After the baby is born, I can help take care of it. But as for her¡­¡± Mother He¡¯s meaning was clear: they could have the child, but they could do without the child¡¯s mother.


    ¡°Mom, Xiaomeng and I will be getting married soon. I hope you can bless us.¡± He Ming cut straight to the point, ignoring Mother He¡¯s implications.


    Indeed, he had been too cautious before, always worried about upsetting his mother, about this and that. Now he announced their marriage directly.


    After saying it out loud, he felt much lighter. After all, this process was something they would definitely have to go through. He hoped to gain the approval and blessings of his family.


    He didn¡¯t want to dy anymore, because who knew what other unexpected changes might ur?


    ¡°I disagree. We need to discuss this matter further.¡± Mother He¡¯s face darkened instantly.


    ¡°Ming, congrattions.¡± Though Yao Ning felt like her heart was being torn apart, she still maintained the basic decorum and grace.


    ¡°Thank you for your blessings. You muste to our wedding banquet.¡± He Ming responded politely.<div>


    Whether the lipstick incident was intentional or idental, he didn¡¯t want to pursue it for now. But he had be more cautious in his heart.


    He really couldn¡¯t allow such things to happen again.

 Chapter 647: What Is Wrong With Her?

    Chapter 647: What Is Wrong With Her?<div>


    Trantor:Nyoi-Bo StudioEditor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    He Ming had really thought it through this time. It was because of his repeated indecision that he almost lost his wife. So, even though Mother He objected, he stood his ground.


    In one¡¯s lifetime, it¡¯s truly not easy to meet someone you genuinely like, is it? His heart was tired, and now he wanted to be a bit selfish.


    Xiaomeng was a good woman. It was not her fault in the past. He genuinely didn¡¯t mind; he just felt sorry for her.


    ¡°He Ming, you¡¯ve be too headstrong, ignoring your parents¡¯ feelings.¡± Mother He raised her voice.


    Yao Ning sat there feeling ufortable, watching the two of them argue more and more fiercely. She couldn¡¯t even get a word in. She chuckled bitterly; what right did she, an outsider, have to intervene?<div>


    She felt awkward just sitting there.


    Seeing He Ming¡¯s flushed face, she realized it was the first time she had seen him fight for his own happiness like this.


    In her impression, he had always been polite and charming. They had never even had a heated argument before. It was evident how much he loved that woman.


    ¡°Mom, I¡¯m begging you. Think about it. Xiaomeng is really a good girl. She¡¯s strong, optimistic, filial, everything. What¡¯s there to be unsatisfied about?¡± He Ming had really put everything on the line. He really didn¡¯t know how to convince his mother.


    Mother He was taken aback, momentarily at a loss for words to refute He Ming.


    Indeed, she had liked Xiaomeng at first. But after learning about her past, she had developed prejudice against her. Once someone formed a prejudice, it was really hard to correct.


    Under He Ming¡¯s questioning, she was truly speechless.


    Finally, the tension between them eased a bit. Seeing this, Yao Ning stood up, making an excuse to leave.


    ¡°Auntie, please don¡¯t be upset. Take care of yourself and don¡¯t get too stressed,¡± Yao Ning said to Mother He.


    ¡°Good child, thank you. I¡¯m sorry you had to witness this today,¡± Mother He felt a bit embarrassed. She had originally intended to y matchmaker for them, but who knew things would turn out like this?


    She felt that He Ming was doing it on purpose. He always chose the time when Yao Ning was around to bring it up. Did he already know her intentions?


    Oh well, all her efforts had been in vain. She knew Yao Ning liked He Ming; otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t have made time toe over, especially since she herself was quite busy.<div>


    ¡°Auntie, please don¡¯t say that. I came to see you. He Ming is grown up now and has his own opinions. You don¡¯t need to worry too much, especially since you¡¯re still recovering. Don¡¯t overthink things,¡± Yao Ning had to maintainposure and understanding in front of He Ming.


    ¡°Good child, it¡¯s He Ming¡¯s misfortune,¡± Mother He sighed.


    ¡°Auntie, please don¡¯t say that. He Ming is so outstanding. You should feel proud and happy. Everything will work out naturally,¡± Yao Ning¡¯s words made Mother He feel a bit better.


    He Ming looked at Yao Ning gratefully. Her words sessfully convinced Mother He.


    It turned out he had been petty and had dirty thoughts.


    ¡°Okay, I won¡¯t interfere anymore,¡± Mother He said petntly, like a child.


    Yao Ning knew she had calmed down, so she bid farewell.


    He Ming escorted her out. ¡°Yao Ning, thank you.¡±


    He was truly grateful to her; otherwise, his mother wouldn¡¯t have calmed down so quickly.


    ¡°No problem. It¡¯s just a matter of reasoning things out. Auntie just couldn¡¯t understand for a moment. She¡¯lle around,¡± Yao Ning said, enduring the pain in her heart.

 Chapter 648: Retreat for Advance

    Chapter 648: Retreat for Advance<div>


    Trantor:Nyoi-Bo StudioEditor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Yao Ning knew that everyone was upset at the moment, so she had to intervene.


    This was a strategic retreat; at least now He Ming would be grateful to her and wouldn¡¯t suspect her of ulterior motives.


    After Yao Ning left, He Ming returned to the living room. Mother He was flipping through channels on the TV remote, clearly trying to find something to upy herself, but nothing seemed to satisfy her.


    He Ming knew she was venting her frustration.


    He remained silent, quietly apanying her.<div>


    ¡°You two can get married, but don¡¯t expect me to treat her well,¡± Mother He stated her attitude first.


    ¡°Mom, why bother? You¡¯re about to be a grandmother. Why fuss over these things?¡± He Ming had to bring up the child.


    Indeed, the child was Mother He¡¯s soft spot.


    Sure enough, Mother He¡¯s eyes softened. ¡°You two are busy with work. I can help take care of the child, but as for Xiaomeng, don¡¯t expect me to be friendly.¡±


    Mother He¡¯s tone softened slightly.


    Well, it¡¯s a start. This could be considered the first step towards sess.


    ¡°Okay, you¡¯ll gradually see Xiaomeng¡¯s good side,¡± He Ming felt he needed to give her time to ept it.


    Mother He remained silent, her expression still somewhat serious.


    Seeing that everything had been more or less settled, He Ming decided to leave. The road to winning back his wife would be a long one.


    Mother He didn¡¯t stop him this time.


    He drove to Xiaomeng¡¯s house again.


    This time, he brought a lot of nutritional supplements and fruits.<div>


    Upon seeing him, Xiaomeng¡¯s father sighed and silently opened the door for him.


    ¡°Uncle, where¡¯s Xiaomeng?¡± He Ming asked nervously.


    ¡°She¡¯s at the hospital. Her mother took her there,¡± Xiaomeng¡¯s father¡¯s words sent a chill down He Ming¡¯s spine.


    ¡°The hospital? What happened to her?¡± He Ming was suddenly at a loss.


    He had only been away for a short while, how could something like this happen?


    ¡°She said her stomach was feeling ufortable, so Auntie took her to the hospital,¡± Father Ye exined anxiously.


    ¡°Uncle, which hospital did they go to?¡± He Ming finally regained hisposure.


    ¡°Central Hospital.¡± Before Father Ye could finish his sentence, He Ming had already dashed off.


    At the hospital, Mother Ye supported Ye Xiaomeng as they waited in line. She had just found out about her daughter¡¯s pregnancy, and she couldn¡¯t shake off the unease in her heart.


    She looked at Xiaomeng with concern. They hadn¡¯t even registered their marriage yet. Now that she was pregnant, she wondered what the two of them were thinking.


    Her daughter had been hurt before, and she didn¡¯t want the same thing to happen again this time.


    ¡°Xiaomeng, what are you and He Ming thinking?¡± Mother Ye¡¯s face was filled with worry as she finally couldn¡¯t hold back and asked Xiaomeng.<div>


    ¡°We haven¡¯t decided yet, but I will keep this baby,¡± Ye Xiaomeng looked at her mother with determination in her eyes.


    ¡°But¡­¡± Mother Ye worried that she might do something foolish. For an unmarried woman to carry a child, it wouldn¡¯t be good for her reputation. Besides, raising a child was not just about words; there were also issues of money, education, and family.


    Still young, she realized she had been too hasty in her actions.


    ¡°Mom, don¡¯t worry, I will handle it,¡± Ye Xiaomeng hugged her mother¡¯s shoulders and reassured her.


    She looked at the several strands of silver hair on her mother¡¯s head, feeling a pang of guilt.


    She had been very unfilial, always making her parents worry. But this time, she had her bottom line. If there couldn¡¯t be aplete love, she would rather not have it.


    She had always thought that maybe her attitude wasn¡¯t clear or firm enough, but this time she would make He Ming understand that there couldn¡¯t be any ambiguity in their rtionship.

 Chapter 649: False Alarm

    Chapter 649: False rm<div>


    Trantor:Nyoi-Bo StudioEditor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Maybe it was the child that gave her courage; this time she was truly resolute.


    ¡°Xiaomeng, how are you feeling now?¡± Mother Ye asked with concern. She probably had overexerted herself on the morning¡¯s ride, and her worries had stirred up fetal movement in Xiaomeng.


    Not long after returning home, she had started feeling a dull ache in her stomach.


    It was only then that she told Mother Ye about her pregnancy.


    But Mother Ye was rmed by this and hurriedly brought her to the hospital.<div>


    ¡°It¡¯s much better than before,¡± Xiaomeng reassured.


    Finally, it was her turn.


    After the doctor learned about her condition, he gave her an ultrasound and performed some other tests.


    When He Ming rushed to the hospital, Xiaomeng was just finishing her examination inside, with Mother Ye waiting outside.


    ¡°Auntie, how is Xiaomeng?¡± He Ming asked anxiously, having rushed over.


    Seeing He Ming appear before her, Mother Ye was somewhat surprised. How did he know they were here, and why did hee?


    At least he was considerate.


    ¡°She¡¯s still inside undergoing tests, just felt some pain in her stomach,¡± Mother Ye replied truthfully.


    ¡°How could this happen? Everything will be fine,¡± He Ming said, running his hand through his hair. He really felt like pping himself.


    He knew Xiaomeng was pregnant and shouldn¡¯t be stressed, yet this still happened.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, it should be nothing serious, probably just fetal movement,¡± Mother Ye reassured, peering inside, thinking Xiaomeng would be out soon.


    A little whileter, Xiaomeng emerged, and He Ming hurriedly helped her up. ¡°Mengmeng, how are you feeling?¡±<div>


    Xiaomeng frowned slightly. ¡°Why did youe?¡±


    ¡°Even in such a situation, you didn¡¯t inform me right away. I had toe looking for you, and Uncle told me,¡± He Ming said somewhat reproachfully, feeling saddened by the fact that it seemed like Xiaomeng didn¡¯t need him anymore.


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing serious. Just need to rest for a while,¡± Xiaomeng reassured. She was also startled because she had never experienced such a situation before. Fortunately, everything was fine; otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t have been able to forgive herself.


    ¡°That¡¯s great. Let¡¯s go back now,¡± He Ming said, holding Xiaomeng¡¯s hand.


    Xiaomeng initially wanted to pull her hand away, but seeing her mother nearby, she decided against it. If she did that, her mother might get the wrong idea, so she endured it.


    ¡°Let¡¯s show the results to the doctor first before we leave,¡± she said, then headed towards the doctor¡¯s office.


    Fortunately, the doctor said there was no major issue, but advised against intercourse during the early stages of pregnancy and emphasized the importance of rest and avoiding exertion.


    Xiaomeng¡¯s face flushed as she listened.


    Taking advantage of her mother¡¯s distraction, Xiaomeng whispered to He Ming that she had been staying at home during this period because, given the circumstances, it was better to have her parents taking care of her. Plus, she still had a lingering concern that He Ming might continue to be indecisive.


    After considering it, He Ming agreed that it was for the best. He also had something important to announce to everyone.


    When they arrived at Xiaomeng¡¯s house, Father Ye had already prepared dinner, and they all ate together. Xiaomeng didn¡¯t want to cause a scene with her parents around, so her attitude remained lukewarm,cking enthusiasm.


    Father Ye and Mother Ye noticed the tension between them but, being considerate parents, they didn¡¯t intervene. They figured that since they were adults, they should sort out their issues themselves.<div>


    Once everyone had finished eating, He Ming set down his chopsticks and spoke sincerely, ¡°Uncle, Auntie, I have something to discuss with you.¡±


    He Ming was visibly nervous as he spoke, his palms feeling sweaty.


    ¡°What is it?¡± They exchanged a nce, and seeing his solemn expression, they had an inkling of what it might be.

 Chapter 650: Marry Me

    Chapter 650: Marry Me<div>


    Trantor:Nyoi-Bo StudioEditor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    ¡°He Ming, I want Xiaomeng to marry me. I¡¯ll take good care of her and make her happy,¡± He Ming said earnestly.


    Father Ye and Mother Ye smiled, feeling reassured. After all, He Ming had a n and intended to marry Xiaomeng.


    ¡°I disagree,¡± Xiaomeng¡¯s voice suddenly rang out.


    ¡°Xiaomeng¡­¡± Mother Ye¡¯s voice raised a bit. Finally, after much anticipation, they had a resolution, but Xiaomeng unexpectedly disagreed.


    It seemed childish for someone who was already pregnant to act so stubbornly.<div>


    ¡°Mom, I need to talk to He Ming about something,¡± Xiaomeng said, then turned to He Ming. ¡°Let¡¯s go to my room and talk.¡±


    Though He Ming anticipated Xiaomeng¡¯s opposition, he still felt a pang of sadness when she voiced it.


    Once the door closed behind them, Xiaomeng put some distance between herself and He Ming.


    ¡°Xiaomeng¡­¡± He Ming began.


    ¡°He Ming, have you ever respected my wishes? Why do you think I¡¯ll agree to your proposal? Because of the baby?¡± Xiaomeng said calmly.


    ¡°I love you, Xiaomeng. There have been many things happeningtely, and it¡¯s all my fault. Forgive me, please? Give me a chance,¡± He Ming pleaded.


    ¡°You don¡¯t understand what I want at all. If we get married, can you promise to always be faithful?¡± Xiaomeng asked.


    ¡°I can,¡± He Ming answered without hesitation. Since the recent events, he had gained deep insights.


    Suddenly, He Ming knelt before Xiaomeng and pulled out a jewelry box from his pocket. Gently opening it, he revealed a sparkling ring inside.


    He brought the box closer to Xiaomeng and said affectionately, ¡°Mengmeng, marry me. I will make you happy.¡±


    Seeing him kneel before her, Xiaomeng couldn¡¯t help but feel moved. After all, a man on his knees was precious, indicating sincerity.


    ¡°With your mom being so opposed, are you sure you want to marry me?¡± Xiaomeng still had many concerns. Dealing with a strained rtionship with her mother-inw wouldn¡¯t be easy for He Ming either.<div>


    ¡°I already told her before I came here: it¡¯s you or no one else,¡± He Ming¡¯s attitude was firmer than ever.


    ¡°Are you really ready? Not just because of the baby?¡± Xiaomeng asked repeatedly.


    ¡°Since the day I met you, I¡¯ve been waiting for this moment,¡± He Ming said, picking up the ring and slowly sliding it onto Xiaomeng¡¯s finger.


    Seeing his sincerity, Xiaomeng hesitantly agreed.


    ¡°But if something simr happens again, I¡¯ll leave, and I won¡¯t give you another chance,¡± Xiaomeng¡¯s words shook He Ming to the core, and he nodded.


    He wouldn¡¯t make the same mistake again.


    After smoothly putting on the ring, He Ming stood up and tightly embraced Xiaomeng, spinning her around twice.


    ¡°Put me down, I feel nauseous and want to throw up,¡± Xiaomeng screamed.


    ¡°Sorry, how are you feeling? I¡¯m just so happy,¡± He Ming¡¯s eyes sparkled.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you know I get dizzy?¡± Xiaomeng pouted.


    ¡°I¡¯ll remember next time,¡± He Ming finally looked at Xiaomeng seriously. ¡°Please guide me, Madam He.¡±


    Xiaomeng was suddenly taken aback by his address, feeling shy.<div>


    ¡°Hello, Mr. He. Please guide me,¡± Xiaomeng, usuallyid-back, became more refined.


    The two gazed at each other affectionately, and He Ming bent down, cing a kiss on Xiaomeng¡¯s lips.


    As they emerged, He Ming held Xiaomeng¡¯s hand, and Mother Ye smiled knowingly at the ring on her finger, finally breathing a sigh of relief.

 Chapter 651: Successful Proposal

    Chapter 651: Sessful Proposal<div>


    Trantor:Nyoi-Bo StudioEditor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Finally, Mother Ye¡¯s heart also eased.


    However, although He Ming had already expressed his intention to marry, he hadn¡¯t met with his own family yet to discuss the matter.


    ¡°Dad, Mom, Xiaomeng has agreed to marry me. Thank you. I promise to take good care of Xiaomeng and be filial to you both,¡± He Ming, thick-skinned as ever, naturally changed his address without a hint of embarrassment.


    On the other hand, Xiaomeng blushed at the side, feeling it was a bit premature for him to call them ¡°Mom and Dad.¡±


    ¡°Alright, alright, as long as you two live happily together. There will inevitably be some bumps in marriage, but you should learn to be tolerant and understand each other,¡± Father Ye finally smiled, offering some advice from his own experience.<div>


    ¡°Understood, Dad,¡± they both responded in unison.


    ¡°He Ming, since you¡¯re nning to get married, when will you have the wedding banquet?¡± Mother Ye asked, concerned. After all, she only had one daughter, and such a big event needed to be announced to rtives and friends.


    ¡°I¡¯ll go back and inform my family first, and then we can decide when to meet everyone together. Is that okay?¡± He Ming asked, needing to discuss such matters with his own mother.


    ¡°Okay, that sounds good. But Xiaomeng¡¯s belly will only get bigger, so we should do it sooner rather thanter,¡± Mother Ye still cared about her daughter¡¯s reputation. It wouldn¡¯t look good to get married with a visible bump.


    ¡°Alright, I understand. But Xiaomeng is still in the early stages of pregnancy and isn¡¯t very stable, so it¡¯s better to wait until she¡¯s more settled. After all, getting married is quite exhausting,¡± He Ming considered thoughtfully, remembering the chaos surrounding Gu Shaoting¡¯s wedding.


    ¡°Yes, you¡¯re right. You¡¯ve really thought it through,¡± Mother Ye nodded repeatedly, growing to like her son-inw more and more.


    ¡°Given Xiaomeng¡¯s current situation, it¡¯s not suitable for her to be running around. It¡¯s better for her to rest at home during this time. With us taking care of her, you can start arranging the wedding,¡± Mother Ye was afraid that He Ming, being a man, wouldn¡¯t be meticulous enough. She knew they had been living together all along, and his parents¡¯ attitude was still unknown, so she suggested they stay at home, where they could be taken care of.


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯lle over when I have time,¡± He Ming said, then turned to Xiaomeng, ¡°Mengmeng, is this arrangement okay with you?¡±


    ¡°Sure, I¡¯ll call mypanyter and let them know. If it¡¯s not possible, I¡¯ll just resign,¡± Xiaomeng felt that the current situation was unstable and the child¡¯s well-being was paramount. She really needed to take it easy with work, and her boss would understand.


    ¡°Okay,¡± He Ming felt secretly pleased. If she resigned, that would be great. He really felt sorry for her having to work with such a big belly. What if anything happened and he wasn¡¯t there?


    Finally, things settled down.


    He Ming stayed overnight at the Ye residence, reluctantly returning to his own home the next day.<div>


    With Xiaomeng not there, the house felt empty and devoid of warmth.


    Checking the time, He Ming found it was still early. He decided to go to the office to handle some matters first, then return home to discuss the marriage with his mother.


    Thinking about his mother¡¯s attitude, He Ming felt a headacheing on again. He needed to carefully n how to persuade her.


    Back at the office, after finishing his tasks, he went to Gu Shaoting¡¯s office.


    ¡°Need something?¡± Gu Shaoting nced at him briefly before returning to his work.


    ¡°I might be busytely, so I¡¯ll need you to take care of things at thepany,¡± He Ming said as he sat on the sofa.


    ¡°What¡¯s keeping you busy?¡± Gu Shaoting asked casually.


    ¡°Life-changing matters,¡± He Ming replied with a faint smile, feeling like the clouds had finally parted to reveal the moon.

 Chapter 652: Envy

    Chapter 652: Envy<div>


    Trantor:Nyoi-Bo StudioEditor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    ¡°Oh? Congrattions! What¡¯s up? Did Xiaomeng ept your proposal?¡± Gu Shaoting put down what he was doing, eager for gossip.


    ¡°Yeah, she said yes. I¡¯m getting ready for the wedding, and there¡¯s another piece of good news: I¡¯m going to be a dad,¡± He Ming announced happily.


    ¡°Wow, double happiness for you then,¡± Gu Shaoting teased, but he was genuinely happy for his friend.


    ¡°It feels surreal, like a dream. Before I met Xiaomeng, I never thought about getting married or having children,¡± He Ming reflected, aware of his past recklessness.


    ¡°Marriage is wonderful. Take your time to enjoy it. You go ahead and focus on your own affairs; I¡¯ve got things under control at thepany,¡± Gu Shaoting, speaking from experience, shared some wisdom.<div>


    ¡°Thanks, I appreciate it.¡± After chatting for a while, He Ming bid farewell to Gu Shaoting and left.


    In the afternoon, Gu Shaoting canceled his social engagements and went home early.


    Shu Pan was sitting on the sofa, feeling a bit bored since Joy hadn¡¯t returned from Grandpa¡¯s house yet.


    Hearing the door open, she turned her head to see Gu Shaoting.


    ¡°I thought you had a social engagement? Why are you back so early?¡± Shu Pan looked surprised.


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t anything important, so I canceled it,¡± Gu Shaoting walked over and sat beside Shu Pan.


    ¡°I see. Have you eaten yet?¡± Shu Pan asked with concern.


    ¡°No, I was hoping for some of your noodles,¡± Gu Shaoting said with a hint of gluttony.


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll make some for you now.¡± Shu Pan felt a bit guilty; since moving to Qiyuan, Auntie Li had been doing most of the cooking, and she rarely cooked anymore.


    Watching Shu Pan bustling around, Gu Shaoting felt a wave of sweetness.


    Indeed, a fulfilling marriage can give one endless motivation.


    He wondered if he had been out of his mind before, divorcing Shu Pan, wasting four years of his life.<div>


    Fortunately, it wasn¡¯t toote now. Hearing about He Ming¡¯s wedding today made him quite contemtive.


    A whileter, Shu Pan emerged with a bowl of noodles.


    ¡°Shaoting, the noodles are ready. Come and eat,¡± Shu Pan said tenderly to Gu Shaoting.


    ¡°Alright, thanks, dear,¡± Gu Shaoting replied,ing over and stealing a whiff.


    Holding the chopsticks elegantly, Gu Shaoting ate the noodles. ¡°Did you know that He Ming and Xiaomeng are getting married?¡± he asked.


    After taking a bite of the noodles, Gu Shaoting suddenly remembered the news and shared it with Shu Pan.


    ¡°Really? That¡¯s great.¡± She had been quite busytely and hadn¡¯t contacted Xiaomeng for a few days.


    She couldn¡¯t believe she was hearing such good news now.


    ¡°Yeah, He Ming is already preparing for the wedding,¡± Gu Shaoting said as he chatted with Shu Pan.


    ¡°Honey, we need to step up our efforts. He Ming is going to be a dad,¡± Gu Shaotingmented. They had been preparing for so long, but there had been no progress.


    ¡°Don¡¯t talk nonsense. These things are about fate. Let¡¯s go with the flow,¡± Shu Pan blushed at his words.


    ¡°We can¡¯t lose to them. We got married before them,¡± Gu Shaoting admitted. Although they already had Joy, he couldn¡¯t participate much in her early years, so he wanted to have another child now to make up for it.<div>


    ¡°Forget it, I¡¯ll call Xiaomeng,¡± Shu Pan said, realizing he was getting carried away. She picked up her phone and walked to the balcony.


    Shu Pan dialed Xiaomeng¡¯s number only to find out that she had already returned home.


    ¡°Xiaomeng, how have you been these days? Don¡¯t overexert yourself and take care,¡± Shu Pan advised, feeling more nervous than she ever did when she was pregnant.

 Chapter 653: Meeting Her Parents-in-Law

    Chapter 653: Meeting Her Parents-in-Law<div>


    Trantor:Nyoi-Bo StudioEditor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    ¡°I got it, Mom,¡± Ye Xiaomeng said with a smile.


    ¡°Why did youe back?¡± Shu Pan asked, somewhat surprised. Wasn¡¯t she doing fine here?


    ¡°I regreting back a bit too. Now that I¡¯m back, they treat me like a pig, just eat and sleep. When I wake up, it¡¯s time to eat again,¡± Ye Xiaomengined. She thoughting back would mean freedom and good food, but her parents, upon learning about her pregnancy, became overly protective, treating her like a national treasure.


    ¡°Don¡¯tin when you¡¯re in a good situation. And hey, you and He Ming are getting married, and you didn¡¯t inform me right away about such big news? That¡¯s uneptable,¡± Shu Pan pretended to scold her.


    ¡°Hey, girl, I only epted his proposal. But his mom¡¯s attitude is still lukewarm. I don¡¯t even know if we can get married,¡± Shu Pan and Ye Xiaomeng both knew that He Ming was a filial son who wouldn¡¯t want to disappoint his mother.<div>


    ¡°As long as He Ming remains firm, there shouldn¡¯t be a problem. You don¡¯t live with her, so it¡¯s not a big deal. Look at us, isn¡¯t it the same with Shaoting¡¯s mom? She has never liked me, but we still live our own lives peacefully,¡± Shu Pan had long sincee to terms with it, not expecting any reconciliation with Song Can.


    ¡°See, we¡¯ve already made ns. Both sets of parents will meet next week,¡± Ye Xiaomeng said nervously.


    ¡°With He Ming around, everything will be fine. Don¡¯t worry,¡± Shu Pan reassured her.


    The two chatted for a long time before reluctantly hanging up the phone.


    When Shu Pan returned to the living room, Gu Shaoting had already finished his noodles and gone to the bedroom to shower.


    Shu Pan stuck out her tongue. He was really fast, but she and Xiaomeng had indeed chatted for quite a while.


    As Shu Pan returned to the bedroom, Gu Shaoting came out of the shower. ¡°Finished chatting?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, aren¡¯t you supposed to be busy working tonight?¡± Shu Pan found it unusual for him to finish early; he usually worked in his study untilte.


    ¡°I have a more important task tonight,¡± Gu Shaoting said with a meaningful look in his eyes as he watched Shu Pan.


    Shu Pan immediately understood his intentions and went to take a shower, feeling a bit shy.


    The day for He Ming and Xiaomeng¡¯s parents to meet arrived quickly. Ye Xiaomeng had been resting at home for some time now, her body slightlyrger due to her pregnancy. She got up early in the morning and prepared herself.


    She was still very nervous, worried that He Ming¡¯s mother might embarrass her parents.<div>


    Father Ye and Mother Ye also woke up early to get ready. To show respect, they even dressed in formal attire.


    Before long, He Ming came to pick them up in his car. Since He Ming¡¯s father could drive, He Ming didn¡¯t need to pick them up himself.


    They arranged to meet at the Bin City Grand Hotel, where He Ming had booked a private room for convenience.


    When they arrived, He Ming¡¯s father and mother were already seated inside.


    He Ming¡¯s father was usually very busy, but for his son¡¯s lifelong event, he had cleared his schedule.


    ¡°Hello,¡± He Ming¡¯s father stood up and shook hands with Father Ye.


    ¡°Hello,¡± they exchanged pleasantries.


    ¡°Uncle, Auntie, hello,¡± Ye Xiaomeng greeted them politely.


    ¡°Please, have a seat,¡± He Ming¡¯s father warmly invited them.


    Seeing He Ming¡¯s father¡¯s attitude, Shu Pan breathed a sigh of relief. On the way here, she had prepared for the worst.


    Indeed, He Ming¡¯s mother now seemed cold and aloof, a stark contrast to He Ming¡¯s father. She had a stern expression, devoid of any smiles.


    Mother Ye felt awkward seeing her demeanor. She had intended to strike up a conversation with her, but seeing herck of interest and reluctance to talk, she decided against it.<div>


    ¡°We trust you with the arrangements for the wedding date. We have no objections,¡± Father Ye spoke up.

 Chapter 654: Unpleasant

    Chapter 654: Unpleasant<div>


    Trantor:Nyoi-Bo StudioEditor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    ¡°That¡¯s great! We¡¯ve got double happiness in our family now,¡± Daddy He said cheerfully.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Father Ye agreed.


    ¡°Mom, Dad, maybe we should set the date soon. After all, Xiaomeng¡¯s belly is getting bigger,¡± He Ming suggested. He understood Xiaomeng¡¯s desire to look beautiful, and she wouldn¡¯t want to wear a wedding dress with a big belly.


    ¡°So what if she¡¯s getting married with a big belly? Many people do it nowadays,¡± Mother He finally spoke up, but her words didn¡¯t make anyone feelfortable.


    As soon as Ye Xiaomeng heard this, she froze. What did Mother He mean by that?<div>


    Did she want people to know that they got pregnant before getting married? This wouldn¡¯t be good for Xiaomeng¡¯s reputation.


    Mother Ye¡¯s expression changed when she heard this. She could tell from her words that Mother He didn¡¯t think highly of her daughter.


    She couldn¡¯t help but feel angry. Her precious daughter shouldn¡¯t be looked down upon like this.


    If she disagreed, she would support her daughter for the rest of her life and wouldn¡¯t let her suffer.


    Seeing that the atmosphere was not right, He Ming quickly added, ¡°Mom, let¡¯s set the date soon. It¡¯s not convenient for Xiaomeng with a big belly.¡±


    He Ming was in a difficult position.


    ¡°Yes, let¡¯s do it soon so everyone can be happy. You can take wedding photoster,¡± Daddy He knew that his wife was unhappy, so he quickly changed the subject to ease the tension.


    ¡°Yeah, let¡¯s wait a few days until Xiaomeng isn¡¯t so tired, and then we¡¯ll go take the photos,¡± He Ming nodded. It was a good idea.


    After everyone had finished discussing, they started eating.


    Mother He still seemed distant, but Xiaomeng didn¡¯t want to confront her.


    During the meal, Xiaomeng¡¯s appetite was affected by her mood, so He Ming, being attentive, called the waiters and asked them to bring some dishes that Xiaomeng liked, fearing she wouldn¡¯t eat enough.


    Mother He watched all this, bing increasingly unhappy.<div>


    Was her son going to be like this in the future, always doting on Xiaomeng?


    She worried that if she said something, it would be difficult to salvage the situation.


    Finally, after much effort, everything was settled, and the meal was finished.


    He Ming drove Xiaomeng¡¯s parents back home, but Xiaomeng didn¡¯t go with them for now. Things seemed stable, so she decided to stay a bit longer, dying the wedding photo shoot.


    Back home, Xiaomeng waved He Ming over. ¡°It seems like your mom isn¡¯t openly opposing, but she¡¯s not showing support either. What do you think she means?¡±


    Xiaomeng still felt ufortable. She could tolerate her mother-inw¡¯s usual behavior, but today, with her own parents present, it felt like too much. She didn¡¯t want to engage in such behavior.


    ¡°If she¡¯s agreed in principle, that¡¯s a positive sign,¡± He Ming reassured her, sensing there might be some underlying issues.


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll make an effort to be respectful to her in the future. Hopefully, things will change after the baby is born,¡± Xiaomeng sighed. Despite her biases, she respected He Ming¡¯s mother because, after all, she was his mother.


    ¡°Thanks, Xiaomeng. But remember, just be yourself. There¡¯s no need to go out of your way to please her and make yourself ufortable,¡± He Ming understood his mother¡¯s personality well. She was kind-hearted but stubborn, and she needed toe to her own conclusions about things.


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll keep that in mind. Now, let¡¯s quickly find a ce for the wedding shoot. I can¡¯t wait to take some beautiful pictures,¡± Xiaomeng said excitedly.


    ¡°Are you feeling up to it physically?¡± He Ming asked with concern.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡±<div>

 Chapter 655: Prenatal Checkup

    Chapter 655: Prenatal Checkup<div>


    Trantor:Nyoi-Bo StudioEditor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll make the arrangements tomorrow. If you feel tired, we can always reschedule. Your well-beinges first,¡± He Ming said.


    ¡°Okay,¡± Xiaomeng was already looking forward to it. It was one of the most important moments for a woman. Although they had discussed marriage before, they hadn¡¯t taken wedding photos yet.


    Of course, Xiaomeng had already consulted with the doctor during her prenatal checkup. Now, at over three months pregnant, as long as she didn¡¯t overexert herself, everything should be fine with some precautions.


    Xiaomeng¡¯s mind was already racing with thoughts of what styles would suit her best, and the anticipation made her genuinely happy.


    Since Xiaomeng got pregnant, He Ming had transitioned to a vegetarian diet and dedicated himself entirely to taking care of them. He had no other thoughts or desires.<div>


    Sometimes, seeing Xiaomeng¡¯s shy demeanor, he couldn¡¯t resist stealing a nce.


    He Ming was efficient in his actions. The next day, he had already contacted ¡°Eternal Love,¡± a renowned wedding photography studio in Bin City.


    The name alone was quite captivating, attracting many couples. Although the price was high, it was a once-in-a-lifetime experience, and they didn¡¯t want any regrets.


    He Ming thought the same way. He wanted to create unforgettable and special memories for Xiaomeng.


    They had already discussed taking photos in various styles, including wedding gowns, evening gowns, and traditional Chinese dresses.


    Once He Ming had arranged the photography team and set up the scenes, he brought Xiaomeng in for hair and makeup before the shoot.


    This way, Xiaomeng didn¡¯t feel too tired.


    Though changing outfits was cumbersome, Xiaomeng was cooperative because she knew this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and needed to be treated with care.


    Her waist was still slim since her belly hadn¡¯t shown yet, and she looked stunning in every style they tried.


    Because they opted for multiple styles, the photoshoot took a whole day. Xiaomeng felt it went well, and He Ming breathed a sigh of relief.


    Back home, He Ming massaged her and attended to her needs, making Xiaomeng feel like a queen.


    Days passed by, and it was time for Ye Xiaomeng¡¯s scheduled prenatal checkup.<div>


    In recent weeks, Xiaomeng¡¯s life had been rtively smooth. However, on the day of her prenatal checkup, there was a thrilling incident.


    The day before the checkup, He Ming worked tirelessly, putting in an extra two hours to wrap up his tasks for the following day.


    Early the next morning, after a hearty breakfast together, he drove Xiaomeng to the hospital.


    The series of prenatal examinations took nearly two hours.


    ¡°The baby is healthy, with a normal heartbeat and development. Everything looks good so far¡­¡± the obstetrician informed He Ming and Xiaomeng of the examination results. Then added, ¡°Now that it¡¯s been three months, things are rtively stable. You can engage in intimacy appropriately, but remember to be cautious.¡±


    The doctor, being experienced, preemptively gave them advice knowing the situation and the nature of young couples.


    Then, picking up the ultrasound report, the doctor pointed to the images and continued, ¡°This is your baby. It¡¯s still small, but if you opt for a four-dimensional ultrasound at around twenty weeks, you¡¯ll get a clearer view.¡±


    The ultrasound images appeared as indistinct shadows to He Ming and Xiaomeng, who couldn¡¯t make heads or tails of what the doctor was saying. Nevertheless, they listened attentively, almost like diligent students in a ssroom.


    It seemed there were many expectant mothers at the hospital for checkups that day. When He Ming and Xiaomeng left the obstetrics and gynecology department¡¯s office, they saw long queues in the hospital corridors, with many men apanying their heavily pregnant partners.


    Although Xiaomeng was starting to show a bit, her slim figure and loose-fitting clothes made her pregnancy barely noticeable.

 Chapter 656: A Chance Encounter

    Chapter 656: A Chance Encounter<div>


    Trantor:Nyoi-Bo StudioEditor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Seeing another man support his woman, without thinking, He Ming reached out and took Ye Xiaomeng¡¯s hand.


    Only the hand he held tightened that Ye Xiaomeng came to her senses. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? I can walk on my own,¡±


    Ye Xiaomeng found it somewhat amusing. Would she trip on such an even and smooth road?


    ¡°I like holding your hand,¡± He Ming nced at her and continued walking forward.


    When they passed the washroom, Ye Xiaomeng stopped and said, ¡°I need to go to the washroom. Wait for me here for a while.¡±<div>


    Seeing a lot of water at the washroom entrance, He Ming worried that Ye Xiaomeng might slip and fall and thus carefully helped her to the door. He only reluctantly let go of Ye Xiaomeng when a woman came out bumping into him at and giving him a strange look. He repeatedly reminded Ye Xiaomengr to watch out for her steps and reluctantly left the washroom¡¯s entrance when she was out of sight.


    A few people were queuing in the washroom. Ye Xiaomeng waited for a while before she took her turn.


    Aftering out, she stood in front of the sink. While washing her hands, she saw a woman walking toward the entrance from the mirror in front of her. She subconsciously looked back.


    Yao Ning was on the morning shift today and thus was here. When she walked out of the entrance, her eyes suddenly lit up. She saw a familiar figure.


    ¡°He Ming, why are you here?¡± Yao Ning asked happily. She even narcissistically thought that He Ming was here to look for her.


    ¡°Oh, I brought my wife for a prenatal checkup.¡± He Ming said very naturally that he couldn¡¯t wait to tell the whole world that Xiaomeng was his wife.


    Moreover, his wife was currently expecting their child.


    Yao Ning was stunned when she heard that. Wife? Were they getting married? And for a prenatal checkup? She was even expecting a child!


    In an instant, Yao Ning felt her heart ruthlessly pricked. It was so painful.


    She could not believe her ears. How could it be so soon? Did she have no chance at all?


    It was such a blow as she had thought she still had a glimmer of hope, but now, did she still have a chance?


    Moreover, He Ming¡¯s expression was so gentle when he mentioned his wife. It was different from usual.<div>


    Yao Ning felt tremendously lost.


    She suppressed her emotions and then said bitterly, ¡°Congrattions.¡±


    ¡°Thank you. I hope you find your happiness soon,¡± He Ming said sincerely.


    Yao Ning pursed her lips and nodded.


    She felt dispirited as if the beliefs she had held onto for so long were about to copse.


    Yao Ning didn¡¯t want He Ming to see her lose herposure, so she said, ¡°I¡¯m going to work. I make a move first.¡±


    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s chat again when we have time.¡± Yao Ning left as soon as He Ming finished speaking, but she didn¡¯t leave immediately. Instead, she found a rtively hidden ce and quietly waited for the woman He Ming loved to appear.


    She really couldn¡¯t ept it. She had always thought they wouldn¡¯t get married because Auntie had been against it strongly previously. How could shepromise so quickly?


    She wanted to see who she was.


    Just as she was thinking, Ye Xiaomeng walked out carefully.


    ¡°He Ming, I¡¯m done.¡± Ye Xiaomeng walked to his side.


    He Ming held her hand very naturally. ¡°Do you feel any difort?¡±<div>


    ¡°No, I¡¯m fine. I¡¯m not a porcin doll, not so fragile. So you don¡¯t have to worry.¡± Ye Xiaomeng said with a smile.


    Yao Ning, at the side, finally saw Ye Xiaomeng. She looked at Ye Xiaomeng with eyes that were about to spit fire.

 Chapter 657: Danger

    Chapter 657: Danger<div>


    Trantor:Nyoi-Bo StudioEditor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    So it was her!


    So, she was He Ming¡¯s wife.


    She was very ordinary and nothing special. What did He Ming like about her? Yao Ning thought disdainfully.


    A big bunch of such women were avable on the street. How could He Ming possibly like her?


    Perhaps this woman had plotted against He Ming?<div>


    Seeing He Ming holding the woman¡¯s hand and slowly walking toward the door, Yao Ning couldn¡¯t help but purse her lips tightly and clench her fists tightly.


    The woman was in a Babydoll dress, so her pregnancy was not obvious.


    Yao Ning couldn¡¯t help but think she was in a hurry to get married because she was pregnant.


    When Ye Xiaomeng and He Ming left, Ye Xiaomeng kept sensing that someone was watching her. She turned around slightly to look but didn¡¯t see anything.


    She couldn¡¯t help but shake her head. She must have been overthinking. Ever since she was pregnant, she had be more sensitive. She could sense even the slightest movement or change.


    However, she did not know anyone in the hospital, and no one knew her. Why did she feel that someone was staring at her?


    She didn¡¯t think about it anymore and walked to the hospital entrance with He Ming. However, she seemed a little absent-minded on the way.


    But He Ming was indeed very happy. He was holding the ultrasound photo, staring at the tiny shadow of a soybean size, studying it as he walked, and asionally asking Ye Xiaomeng, ¡°Mengmeng, who do you think the baby will look like? Will it be as handsome as me? Or as beautiful as you? I¡¯m truly looking forward to it¡­¡±


    He Ming said to himself as he walked.


    This guy was indeed narcissistic, daring to say that. He was so shameless.


    ¡°Who would praise themselves like this?¡± Ye Xiaomeng couldn¡¯t help but roll her eyes at him.


    But a baby¡¯s power over their mother is immense. The photo quickly drew Ye Xiaomeng¡¯s attention, and she suddenly looked at it seriously and said, ¡°I heard that girls look like their dads, and boys look like their moms. Do you hope for a baby girl or a baby boy?¡±<div>


    ¡°Both are fine, as long as the baby is healthy. But I still hope it¡¯s a girl, pinkish and cute, so lovable.¡± He Ming said happily.


    The two discussed as they walked to the parking lot.


    When they arrived at the hospital entrance, He Ming was about to get his car and asked Ye Xiaomeng to wait there.


    Suddenly, a car rushed straight at Xiaomeng. He Ming didn¡¯t even have time to think before pulling Xiaomeng into his arms to dodge to the side.


    The car sped past them and soon rushed into the crowd before the two could stand still.


    Because of the shock, He Ming¡¯s heart was beating very fast, and his chest was heaving slightly. He tightly grabbed Ye Xiaomeng¡¯s shoulders, lowered his head, and examined her with his sharp eyes. ¡°Are you injured?¡±


    Ye Xiaomeng¡¯s face was much paler than He Ming¡¯s. She stood there unsteadily for a while before saying, ¡°No¡­¡± I¡¯m fine¡­¡±


    It was tremendously dangerous.


    After Ye Xiaomeng calmed down, she quickly checked He Ming. His arm was slightly bruised and some blood was seeping out. Fortunately, nothing was serious.


    ¡°He Ming¡­¡± Ye Xiaomeng suddenly called out in fear.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± He Ming heaved a sigh of relief after confirming Ye Xiaomeng was fine.


    He gently unbuttoned his sleeves and rolled up his shirt. He saw a slight scratch, and it was not severe.<div>


    Ye Xiaomeng carefully wiped it with a tissue.


    He took the tissue from Xiaomeng¡¯s hand and wiped it briefly. Then, he said to her, ¡°I¡¯m fine now. Let¡¯s get the car.¡±


    The two went to the car, and He Ming opened the door for Ye Xiaomeng. The moment she got into the car, he looked in the direction the car had left, but it was long gone.

 Chapter 658: Wedding Photos

    Chapter 658: Wedding Photos<div>


    Trantor:Nyoi-Bo StudioEditor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    After Ye Xiaomeng was seated, He Ming closed the door, walked around the car to the other side, and sat in the driver¡¯s seat.


    The scene that had just happened kept reying in He Ming¡¯s mind.


    The car was obviously rushing toward Ye Xiaomeng with a motive.


    Who had Xiaomeng offended to deserve this kind of retaliation?


    It seemed that someone had probably been watching them for a while. Now that they went out together, they found the opportunity.<div>


    He Ming secretly thought that he had to investigate the matter.


    He was very nervous right now, not as calm as he appeared to be, as it was a matter that involved Xiaomeng¡¯s safety.


    He was on full alert from now on. He would never let Xiaomeng be in danger.


    Although the doctor said Xiaomeng¡¯s condition was rtively stable, and it was appropriate to have sex during the pregnancy, He Ming dared not take the risk. He had been suppressing his desire for months, and the depression in his heart was simply indescribable. However, he dared not show it and endured it willingly.


    After all, he just had to endure for a few more months.


    Right now, trivial matters filled his mind and body.


    On Friday, the bridal shop called to say that their wedding photos had been edited and were ready for selection.


    In the afternoon, He Ming drove Ye Xiaomeng to the bridal shop.


    When they arrived, the bridal shop manager personally showed them the edited wedding photos. The two took five sets in total. The manager smiled and said, ¡°Every photo is very nice. There aren¡¯t many ws and thus makes things easy for our editing.¡±


    He Ming leaned close to Ye Xiaomeng, and the two looked at the photos together.


    The first set was taken in a cheongsam. The slim-fitting cheongsam entuated Ye Xiaomeng¡¯s graceful figure, and in the photos, she exuded beauty.


    Actually, Ye Xiaomeng¡¯s photos didn¡¯t require much editing. There wasn¡¯t much difference between the photos and her actual appearance. Her features were wless, and she could appear both pure and charming.<div>


    ¡°Darling, you¡¯re so beautiful.¡± He Ming stared nkly at the photos in his hand. He really couldn¡¯t react in an instant.


    Ye Xiaomeng looked at it and smiled. Her face revealed a satisfied smile.


    Indeed, she rarely took photos. She had thought that she was not photogenic and didn¡¯t expect it to turn out o well.


    He Ming was tremendously happy. When he saw the photo of them hugging and kissing at the beach, he couldn¡¯t help smiling.


    It would be a memory for them to cherish in the future. It was truly hard toe by. Although the filming process was tiring, Ye Xiaomeng felt it was worth it. At least she could flip through them when she had time.


    At the thought of this, sweetness filled their hearts.


    ¡°Mengmeng, look at this one. We must erge it and hang it in the bedroom. What do you think?¡± He Ming said happily. ¡°Isn¡¯t it very nice?¡±


    Ye Xiaomeng nodded. This one was indeed beautiful. She had taken artistic photos before, but those looked soulless. Now that she was taking it with He Ming, the interaction between their eyes resulted in a different effect.


    ¡°Please take a look at the other set.¡± The manager showed them the other set of photos taken on the grass. He Ming was wearing a white shirt and white pants, without shoes, while Xiaomeng was in a pink dress. A veil covered the two, and they were kissing.


    It looked so artistic, and the two looked deeply in love.


    He Ming was somewhat intoxicated by the photos. ¡°Darling, I want to erge them all. What should I do? They¡¯re all so beautiful, I¡¯m dazzled.¡±


    Ye Xiaomeng was the same. She picked carefully but felt that all of them looked good, so she wanted to erge them and hang them at home.<div>


    ¡°I might as well erge them all,¡± He Ming said.


    ¡°Are you crazy? How much will it cost? And there¡¯s no ce to hang them.¡± Ye Xiaomeng said hurriedly.

 Chapter 659: Strange

    Chapter 659: Strange<div>


    Trantor:Nyoi-Bo StudioEditor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Seeing Ye Xiaomeng was so engrossed, He Ming¡¯s mood was even better. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s decide. We¡¯ll erge the photos we picked just now, but you have to hurry up. We need to use them for our wedding.¡±


    ¡°Sure, sure.¡± Upon hearing this, the manager grinned and started calcting on the calctor. Then, he carefully said to He Ming, ¡°But Mr. He, there¡¯s an additional 30,000 yuan..¡±


    ¡°Sure, isn¡¯t it just 30,000 yuan? Just do it now.¡± He Ming said indifferently. The memory was more valuablepared to the tens of thousands of yuan.


    ¡°Mr. He, you¡¯re very generous. We¡¯ll make the most of our time to aplish the task,¡± the manager replied.


    Coming out of the bridal shop, Ye Xiaomeng couldn¡¯t help but whisper, ¡°The wedding photos alone cost almost 100,000 yuan. It¡¯s really unnecessary to be so extravagant and wasteful.¡±<div>


    ¡°Mengmeng, don¡¯t feel bad about this small amount of money. It¡¯s considered rather modest,¡± He Ming said. ¡°If you weren¡¯t pregnant, I would have hired a professional photographer to follow us overseas to take photos. Now that we¡¯ve chosen a bridal shop in this city, what¡¯s the big deal about spending some money? I want to marry you like I marry a princess. Forget about these tens of thousands of yuan, even if it costs me everything, I won¡¯t regret it.¡±


    Ye Xiaomeng sighed with emotion in her heart. Although sweet words were sometimes bewitching, a woman, after all, remained a woman. She couldn¡¯t help but be moved when she heard a man say such pleasing words.


    Since Shu Pan had shifted to the Gu Group¡¯s headquarters, she had felt an increase in workload. She had been non-stop working every day.


    Gu Shaoting had called several times to ask her out for dinner, but she was unavable. He was a little upset.


    ¡°Shu Pan, do you think someone is messing with you? Why is your workload so heavy?¡± Tang Wei couldn¡¯t help but ask.


    Logically speaking, everyone knew that Shu Pan was thedy boss now. Would they dare to arrange work like this?


    Although it didn¡¯t clearly state that the work was assigned to Shu Pan, Shu Pan had always been the one who followed up. Therefore, Shu Pan had to be responsible for it.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. It makes no difference, anyway. Just do it well,¡± Shu Pan said casually.


    ¡°Do you want toin to the CEO?¡± Tang Wei frowned. She felt something strange, but she couldn¡¯t tell what it was.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. Aren¡¯t there a lot of projects recently? Isn¡¯t it normal to be busier?¡± Shu Pan and Gu Shaoting kept a clear boundary between work and personal life. At home, she never brought up work-rted matters.


    ¡°But¡­¡± Tang Wei felt indignant.


    ¡°It¡¯s the higher-ups that arranged the work. We just have to obey.¡± Shu Pan truly didn¡¯t put on any airs.<div>


    If someone else had her position, they would have abused their power long ago. However, she was still the same. She kept a low profile and quietly did her own thing.


    As a result, many employees were confused now. Earlier on, they saw the CEO and her showing off their affection in the cafeteria. Could it be fake?


    Therefore, many people guessed that the CEO had done it for the sake of his image. Their rtionship was actually just average.


    Thepany was so big, and there was nock of gossip. Shu Pan didn¡¯t know that everyone was guessing about her. Gu Shaoting had asked her to go up a few times, but she refused. She just didn¡¯t want people to gossip about her.


    Finally, when Shu Pan was almost done with work, she took a break to make herself a cup of coffee and stood by the balcony.


    Being here, she thought of what Charlene said to her that day. She wanted to ignore it, but she was still affected.


    It was natural that her husband¡¯s charisma attracted attention. However, it was unusual for someone to approach him so brazenly and confidently. It was indeed rare.


    She didn¡¯t want to stoop to her level but wondered if Gu Shaoting would try to avoid suspicion.


    She rarely discussed these matters with him to spare him any worry. After all, managing such argepany was taxing enough.

 Chapter 660: That’s How It Is

    Chapter 660: That¡¯s How It Is<div>


    Trantor:Nyoi-Bo StudioEditor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Charlene was sorting out the documents in the secretary¡¯s office, nning to bring them to the various departments.


    Xiaoyu, by the side, was very puzzled.


    Why was Charlene proactively doing this recently? Wasn¡¯t she the one who ran the errands previously?


    ¡°Let me do it, Charlene,¡± Xiaoyu said.


    ¡°No need, I¡¯ll do it.¡± Charlene was very proactive. She now enjoyed doing this very much.<div>


    It was two design departments¡¯ work but she brought all the documents to Shu Pan¡¯s office. She knew that Shu Pan was in charge of this work.


    Seeing she was so busy, she probably didn¡¯t have time to look for Brother Gu anymore.


    Moreover, this was assigned work, and she ensured a clear boundary between personal and work-rted matters. So, she delegated with a clear conscience.


    Hugging the documents, Charlene smiled faintly.


    She went to Shu Pan¡¯s office and handed the documents to the director. She looked around the office and saw Shu Pan drinking coffee on the balcony.


    She seemed to be quite free. Charlene had thought she would find it unbearable and wouldin to Brother Gu. However, she didn¡¯t. She persevered.


    Not only that, she also did well. If she didn¡¯t do well, she would definitely speak up. Right now, she was looking for any leverage she could get.


    Seeing that there was nothing else, Charlene could only leave indignantly.


    Shu Pan returned home with a weary body. Gu Shaoting was not back yet. She sat on the sofa and closed her eyes to rest.


    She suddenly remembered that it was Song Can¡¯s birthday in a few days. How should she arrange it?


    Although their rtionship wasn¡¯t harmonious, maintaining courtesy was necessary to avoid gossip.


    Shu Pan felt it was better to wait for Gu Shaoting toe back and discuss because even if she arranged it well, Song Can would probably be dissatisfied.<div>


    While thinking, Shu Pan fell asleep on the sofa.


    When Gu Shaoting returned home, he saw Shu Pan sleeping on the sofa, looking exhausted, and he couldn¡¯t help but frown.


    Just as he approached her, Shu Pan immediately sensed him and woke up. She was in a daze and opened her sleepy eyes.


    ¡°You¡¯re back? Why did I fall asleep?¡± Shu Pan asked.


    ¡°Go back to the room to sleep if you¡¯re tired. You easily catch a cold here, and your back will ache.¡± Gu Shaoting sat beside Shu Pan.


    ¡°I was waiting for you toe back. I don¡¯t know why I fell asleep.¡± Shu Pan found it unbelievable that she had fallen asleep just like that.


    ¡°You look exhausted. Have you been very busytely?¡± Gu Shaoting asked with heartache.


    ¡°A bit,¡± Shu Pan answered honestly. She had probably been too busy recently and could fall asleep while standing.


    ¡°You have to strike a bnce between work and rest. Don¡¯t take on everything.¡± Gu Shaoting knew her character and that she would do everything herself.


    ¡°I know. Have you eaten?¡± Shu Pan changed the topic.


    ¡°Yes, what about you?¡± Gu Shaoting asked.


    ¡°Yes, I have.¡± Shu Pan suddenly thought of Song Can¡¯s birthday.¡± Mom¡¯s birthday ising soon. What are your ns?¡±<div>


    ¡°Oh yes, I¡¯ve forgotten about it if you didn¡¯t mention it.¡± Gu Shaoting pped his forehead. He had indeed forgotten about it.


    ¡°How about this? I¡¯ll ask her for her opinion tomorrow and see if she has any ns. If she doesn¡¯t, our family can have a meal together. How about that?¡± Gu Shaoting asked Shu Pan for her opinion.


    ¡°Alright, do as you said. However, I think it¡¯s better to prepare a gift. I¡¯ll go shopping tomorrow.¡± Shu Pan felt that she had to take her birthday seriously. Otherwise, she would be criticized again.


    ¡°Alright, you can decide on the gift yourself.¡± Gu Shaoting replied.


    ¡°Yes, I know.¡± Shu Pan was thinking of asking Xiaomeng out for shopping this weekend and asking her to help out. After all, getting a gift Song Can would like was not that easy.

 Chapter 661: Song Can’s Birthday

    Chapter 661: Song Can¡¯s Birthday<div>


    Trantor:Nyoi-Bo StudioEditor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    ¡°Alright, stop thinking about it. Quickly take a shower and go to bed.¡± Gu Shaoting stood up and patted her head.


    ¡°Alright.¡± Shu Pan nodded.


    Shu Pan felt inexplicably nervous at the thought of seeing Song Can. She worried that she would fall short and be criticized again. She would probably be sleepless again.


    She wondered if there was discord in their dynamic. No matter how hard she tried and how well she performed, Song Can remained dissatisfied with her.


    Because she was Shaoting¡¯s mother and her mother-inw, she respected Song Can and tolerated everything she did.<div>


    She hoped that nothing would go wrong on her birthday this time. She prayed in her heart.


    Gu Shaoting and Shu Pan went to work as usual the following day. The two parted ways in the parking lot, taking different elevators to their respective offices.


    Gu Shaoting immediately called Secretary Zhang over as soon as he arrived at the office.


    ¡°Mr. Gu, what can I do for you?¡± Secretary Zhang was quite surprised. Why did he look for him so early?


    ¡°Go and check the recent work in Shu Pan¡¯s department. Why is she so busy?¡± Gu Shaoting felt that Shu Pan was truly exhaustedtely. She fell asleep immediately after taking a shower yesterday.


    Moreover, she slept soundly until dawn.


    ¡°Alright, Mr. Gu.¡± Secretary Zhang suddenly realized that Mrs. Gu had been busy with work and neglected Mr. Gu. No wonder he was so anxious to find out why.


    This was a matter concerning the big boss. Once out of the office, Secretary Zhang dared not waste a moment and hurried to investigate thoroughly.


    Secretary Zhang came to the Secretary pool area. Since they were the ones who delivered the documents, they knew the best.


    Charlene happened to be away, and only Xiaoyu was around.


    ¡°Xiaoyu, where are the others?¡± Secretary Zhang asked in doubt.


    ¡°They¡¯re all busy,¡± Xiaoyu answered in a well-behaved manner.<div>


    ¡°Which department received the most documentstely?¡± Secretary Zhang asked her.


    ¡°It was all arranged by Charlene. You probably need to ask her.¡±


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯lle overter.¡± He was the one who sent the documents to the CEO for review, and he knew the situation well. It was not as exaggerated as the CEO had portrayed. After all, things were not overly busytely.


    Secretary Zhang felt it strange.


    After Charlene returned, knowing Secretary Zhang was looking for her, she quickly went upstairs.


    ¡°I heard that the design department has a lot of work to do. Didn¡¯t we distribute the documents to two design departments?¡±


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s ording to thepany¡¯s arrangement,¡± Charlene said innocently.


    ¡°The branch has just moved in and isn¡¯t fully operational yet. Don¡¯t assign too much work for now. We¡¯ll revisit once it settles in,¡± Secretary Zhang ordered. He didn¡¯t know if Charlene had arranged this on purpose.


    Secretary Zhang had noticed her feelings for Mr. Gu, so he was worried she would have other thoughts.


    ¡°Alright, we¡¯ll follow thepany¡¯s arrangements anyway,¡± Charlene said obediently.


    She had indeed scolded Shu Pan a thousand times in her heart. Finally, she could not take it anymore andined, right?


    Otherwise, Secretary Zhang wouldn¡¯t have specifically called her over if not for Brother Gu¡¯s instructions.<div>


    ¡°Yes, as long as it¡¯s reasonable.¡± Secretary Zhang didn¡¯t want to overdo it.


    Coming out of the office, Charlene was so angry that her face distorted.


    ¡°Shu Pan, just wait and see. I won¡¯t let you off easily.¡±


    She thought indignantly.


    Shu Pan couldn¡¯t help but sneeze. She felt it very strange as she seemed to be very rxed today. Usually, she would be tremendously busy at this time.


    ¡°Shu Pan, you seem like you don¡¯t have much work today,¡± Tang Wei came over and said with a smile.


    ¡°Yeah, I can finally rx a little.¡± Shu Pan stretchedzily, probably really tired. She seemed to get tired easilytely.

 Chapter 662: Birthday Present

    Chapter 662: Birthday Present<div>


    Trantor:Nyoi-Bo StudioEditor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Soon, it was the weekend. Shu Pan had called Ye Xiaomeng the day before yesterday to ask if it was convenient for her toe out.


    Ye Xiaomeng was now in the mid-term pregnancy, and her condition was quite stable. She had wanted to go out for a while now, feeling bored staying home.


    ¡°Girl, I¡¯m convenient to go out. I need to buy some maternity clothes. My current ones are getting too tight,¡± Ye Xiaomeng said. She wished she had wings to fly out right now; staying at home was unbearable. The maid was doing everything, and He Ming took care of her attentively.


    She felt like being raised as a pig, just sleeping after eating.


    ¡°Alright, you let He Ming know. We¡¯ll meet at the usual ce tomorrow afternoon.¡± The so-called usual ce was the biggest shopping mall in Bin City.<div>


    ¡°Okay, he will agree to it. I¡¯m in the mid-term stage now, so I just need to be careful. He¡¯s been busy preparing for the wedding.¡±


    ¡°Alright, see you tomorrow.¡± After Shu Pan hung up the phone, she was thinking about what to buy for Song Can¡¯s birthday present.


    She wasn¡¯t sure about her preferences, but women generally liked shoes, bags, clothes, and rted items.


    She would ask Xiaomeng for her opinion tomorrow for reference. She really couldn¡¯t make up her mind.


    Shu Pan and Ye Xiaomeng entered the mall after they met up the following day.


    ¡°Xiaomeng, what do you think I should get for my mother-inw for her birthday?¡± Shu Pan was a little worried. The variety of products in the mall was overwhelming, and she didn¡¯t know what to look at.


    ¡°Her birthday? She probably won¡¯t be interested in anything you give her. Why bother pleasing her?¡± Ye Xiaomeng really couldn¡¯t understand.


    Shu Pan¡¯s mother-inw wasn¡¯t someone to be trifled with. She had seen her twice. She had a solemn expression, and her eyes seemed to grow on the top of her head. She always looked down on others.


    ¡°Etiquette still has to be observed, but gift-giving is the tricky part. She looks down on cheap items, and I can¡¯t afford expensive ones. Moreover, she usually buys what she likes herself.¡± Shu Pan hoped her birthday would go smoothly this time, without hups.


    ¡°Get a scarf. People of her age look elegant wearing scarves. Let¡¯s pick out a designer scarf from a luxury brand storeter. It¡¯ll probably cost several thousand.¡± Ye Xiaomeng suggested, thinking it was a good option and decent.


    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go take a lookter. I¡¯ll get one if there¡¯s anything suitable.¡± The more Shu Pan thought about it, the more she felt it was a good idea.


    Now that they had a target, they were more efficient. They both thought of the same international big name. Just as they were about to reach the entrance of the brand store, Ye Xiaomeng suddenly pulled Shu Pan. ¡°Girl, look, is that your mother-inw ahead? Who¡¯s the person next to her?¡±<div>


    Ye Xiaomeng¡¯s words made Shu Pan stop in her tracks. She looked ahead and saw a woman holding her mother-inw¡¯s hand intimately. The two looked like mother and daughter.


    ¡°Yes, she¡¯s my mother-inw. The one beside her is my colleague,¡± Shu Pan exined calmly.


    ¡°What? Your colleague? Why is she with your mother-inw? That doesn¡¯t make any sense, right?¡± Ye Xiaomeng couldn¡¯t understand.


    What did her colleague mean by getting close to her mother-inw?


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure either. That girl¡¯s name is Charlene. She¡¯s the daughter of an important partner of the Gu Group, so Shaoting takes good care of her. She¡¯s now under training in the Gu Group¡¯s Secretary pool area.¡± Shu Pan had a general idea of the situation.


    ¡°This¡­ No matter how you look at it, it feels weird. What good would it do for her to please Gu Shaoting¡¯s mother?¡± Ye Xiaomeng felt that she had ulterior motives.


    ¡°They seem to have entered that shop too. I wonder if they want to buy scarves?¡± Shu Pan saw this and quickly pulled Ye Xiaomeng back.

 Chapter 663: Invitation

    Chapter 663: Invitation<div>


    Trantor:Nyoi-Bo StudioEditor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Now, Shu Pan understood where Charlene¡¯s confidence came from when she approached her earlier.


    It turned out she had a good rtionship with Song Can. No wonder she dared toe to her door to demonstrate her power.


    She really wanted tough. Previously, it was Tong Fei, and now, it was Charlene.


    It was non-stop. How ironic.


    No matter who it was, Song Can was happy except for her. However, she had epted the fact. Provided they lived separately, they would live in peace.<div>


    However, she was Shaoting¡¯s mother, and basic respect was necessary. She was not the kind of person who did not have a good upbringing.


    Shu Pan and Ye Xiaomeng didn¡¯t go in after they saw them enter the shop. They were worried that it would be awkward if they bumped into them.


    They avoided them and went to another shop.


    After a long time, Song Can and Charlene came out. Seeing the items in their hands, they knew they had purchased quite a lot.


    ¡°Charlene, it¡¯s my birthday next week. Come over to have fun if you¡¯re free. I¡¯m nning to host a small birthday party. I¡¯m living alone now and feel quite lonely. It¡¯s a rare opportunity, and I¡¯m preparing to liven things up a bit.¡± When Shaoting called yesterday, she had already nned it herself.


    Shaoting had initially nned to hold the birthday party at Qiyuan Vi, but she rejected it. She didn¡¯t like anything to do with Shu Pan, so there was no need to make things difficult for herself. Therefore, she nned to hold it at the Gu Family¡¯s mansion and invite the family members and some good friends to celebrate this special asion happily.


    It was her birthday party, and what mattered most was that she was happy.


    Hearing this, Charlene said happily, ¡°Okay, Auntie, I will surely go over. Your birthday is a big deal.¡±


    Although Brother Gu was married now, the world was unpredictable. Who knew what would happen in the next second?


    Charlene always felt that Gu Shaoting and Shu Pan wouldn¡¯tst long.


    She would wait patiently. With Auntie Gu giving Shu Pan trouble from time to time, she felt veryfortable.


    She just couldn¡¯t stand the way Brother Gu doted on Shu Pan. It was too ring.<div>


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll let you know when I fix the time,¡± Song Can said happily. Charlene¡¯s sweet tongue cheered her up a lot. She almost treated her like a daughter.


    Knowing that her parents were not around and considering the business rtionship between her family and thepany, it was even more necessary for her to pay attention to Charlene.


    ¡°Okay. It¡¯s your birthday, Auntie. Let¡¯s shop around. I want to pick out a birthday present for you.¡± Charlene said happily.


    ¡°Good girl, Auntie knows how your good intentions. I don¡¯tck anything, so don¡¯t waste your money.¡± Song Can quickly stopped her.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. Let¡¯s look around first.¡± Charlene held Song Can¡¯s hand and continued walking forward.


    Shu Pan and Ye Xiaomeng came out from somewhere only after they had walked far away.


    ¡°Xiaomeng, they¡¯ve bought it. It seems meaningless for me to buy it for her.¡± Shu Pan was worried again. It was not easy for her to think of a birthday present.


    ¡°Yeah, let¡¯s look at the others. Why don¡¯t we pick a bag for her? You see, she usually brings a bag when she goes out,¡± Ye Xiaomeng suggested.


    ¡°Alright, but the bags she often carries are expensive.¡± Shu Pan knew that those two brands were luxury brands. However, she definitely could not save on this. What mattered most was she was happy.


    ¡°Yeah, let¡¯s go take a look first. Bags are more practical.¡± Ye Xiaomeng nodded.


    As the two entered the store and observed its decoration andyout, they could tell the level of luxury and that the prices would be high.


    Shu Pan cautiously checked the price tags. The majority were above the five-figure range. Shu Pan¡¯s heart started to tremble.<div>

 Chapter 664: Spendthrift

    Chapter 664: Spendthrift<div>


    Trantor:Nyoi-Bo StudioEditor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Shu Pan and Ye Xiaomeng looked around again and again. After a long time, they finally reached a consensus and chose a wine-red handbag.


    The bag had a novel design and an expensive color. It matched Song Can¡¯s temperament very well.


    The bag was very nice but not the price. It cost about 20,000 yuan.


    It wasn¡¯t the most expensive in the shop. Thinking that her birthday only happened once a year, Shu Pan gritted her teeth, endured the pain, and swiped her card. She then asked the salesperson to pack it up.


    ¡°Girl, you¡¯re so generous. It¡¯s more than 10,000 yuan and you didn¡¯t even bat an eye!¡± Ye Xiaomeng sighed in her heart. She was really nice to her mother-inw.<div>


    ¡°The gift for her must not be low quality.¡± Shu Pan¡¯s heart was bleeding a little too. She definitely couldn¡¯t bear to buy such an expensive bag for herself.


    Even though she was not short of money now, she had always been frugal and wouldn¡¯t spendvishly.


    ¡°Hopefully, she¡¯ll appreciate your sincerity and won¡¯t look down on it.¡± Actually, Ms. Ye felt that Song Can would be unhappy no matter what gift Shu Pan gave because she had reservations about Shu Pan.


    ¡°As long as I have a clear conscience.¡± Shu Pan smiled faintly.


    Looking at the salesperson packing the exquisite gift bag, Shu Pan smiled in satisfaction. She finally resolved this matter. Otherwise, it would be weighing on her mind.


    In fact, Gu Shaoting had said yesterday that there was no need to give her a gift because he would give her a bank card, and she could buy whatever she liked. He also knew that his mother was harsh and didn¡¯t want to make things difficult for Shu Pan.


    However, Shu Pan insisted that if outsiders could make an effort to choose gifts for her, as her daughter-inw, she definitely could not be criticized.


    The two continued to shop after buying the present. Ye Xiaomeng also nned to buy a few loose-fitting clothes. She didn¡¯t know when she would be able toe out again.


    ¡°Xiaomeng, how are your wedding preparations going?¡± Shu Pan suddenly remembered.


    ¡°He Ming is preparing, but we n to keep everything simple. After all, my stomach is getting bigger and bigger, so I can¡¯t overwork. Actually, it¡¯s just a formality, and I don¡¯t really care,¡± Ye Xiaomeng said casually. She would have been looking forward to it if it were in the past. However, after Cheng Yang¡¯s incident, she felt that happiness was sufficient and there was no need to be ostentatious.


    ¡°That¡¯s true. You just have to deliver a chubby baby in peace. His family will be very happy.¡± Shu Pan felt no mother-inw didn¡¯t like grandchildren.


    ¡°I hope so. We don¡¯t live together, so I don¡¯t feel that stressed.¡± Ye Xiaomeng was d that they lived on their own.<div>


    The two chatted andughed, forgetting Song Can and Charlene in the mall.


    Just as they were about to leave the mall, Charlene¡¯s sharp eyes spotted Shu Pan. ¡°Auntie, look, isn¡¯t that Shu Pan? She¡¯s also here shopping with her friend.¡±


    Song Can followed her gaze and looked over. Sure enough, Shu Pan was carryingrge and small bags. Actually, most of them were Xiaomeng¡¯s. Because Xiaomeng was pregnant, she didn¡¯t allow her to carry anything.


    ¡°Hmph, she¡¯s a spendthrift. She doesn¡¯t know the value of thrift. Marrying Shaoting is like finding a pot of gold for her family. Now, being a mistress in the house, she buys whatever she wants without hesitation. She¡¯s not concerned about how hard Shaoting works for his money,¡± Song Can said, her eyes as if sparking with fire.


    Charlene secretly rejoiced. She knew that Auntie didn¡¯t like Shu Pan, and it could be said that she hated her.


    ¡°Women like to shop, but she really shouldn¡¯t have bought so much. Moreover, look at the bag she¡¯s carrying. It¡¯s a luxury item.¡± Charlene knew Song Can was angry and added fuel to the fire.


    ¡°Yes, she¡¯s a spendthrift,¡± Song Can echoed.


    They only came back to their senses when Shu Pan and Ye Xiaomeng left their sight.


    Song Can thought to herself that she had to remind Shaoting that his wife was too much of a spendthrift!

 Chapter 665: Birthday Party

    Chapter 665: Birthday Party<div>


    Trantor:Nyoi-Bo StudioEditor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Time flew by, and it was Song Can¡¯s birthday.


    The day before yesterday, Shu Pan had already brought Joy back. After all, she had to be present for her grandmother¡¯s birthday.


    Because Song Can insisted, the party was at the Gu Family¡¯s mansion. The venue was set up very warmly, all decorated by the professionals hired by Gu Shaoting.


    Other than his family members, everyone else was Song Can¡¯s invited friends. Although it was a small-scale birthday party, it had a strong sense of ceremony. Song Can was the party¡¯s main character, entertaining the guests and epting gifts from everyone.


    When she almost finished entertaining the guests, Shu Pan took the gift she had prepared and pulled Joy over. ¡°Mom, happy birthday.¡± ¡°Grandma, happy birthday.¡±<div>


    Shu Pan and Joy said almost at the same time.


    After saying that, Shu Pan handed the gift to her. Under everyone¡¯s watchful eyes, Song Can could only ept the gift and say indifferently, ¡°Thank you.¡±


    Seeing her attitude, Shu Pan didn¡¯t care much since she had expected it.


    ¡°Grandma, don¡¯t you like the gift my Mom gave you? Why are you unhappy?¡± Joy asked curiously. Wasn¡¯t it happy to receive a gift? Moreover, the gift was nicely wrapped.


    Song Can was stunned for a moment before forcing a smile. ¡°Grandma likes it very much.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s great.¡± Joy was a child daring to do great mischief. She continued, ¡°Grandma, I don¡¯t have money to buy you a present. I¡¯ll sing you a birthday songter, okay?¡±


    ¡°Okay, it¡¯s probably the best birthday present Grandma has ever received.¡± Song Can grinned suddenly.


    Although she didn¡¯t like Shu Pan, she couldn¡¯t deny that Shu Pan had taught Joy very well. She was satisfied.


    ¡°Come, Grandma will bring you to get the cake.¡± Song Can held Joy¡¯s hand.


    ¡°Mommy¡­¡± Joy turned around and looked at Shu Pan.


    ¡°Go ahead. I¡¯ll wait for you here.¡± Shu Pan encouraged her. She indeed was satisfied seeing Song Can being so kind to Joy.


    Shu Pan looked around. She always felt out of ce in such an environment and felt ufortable.<div>


    ¡°Mrs. Gu, so you¡¯re here. I¡¯ve been looking for you.¡± Gu Shaoting suddenly popped up from the side and frightened Shu Pan.


    ¡°You scared me,¡± Shu Pan said coquettishly.


    ¡°Sorry, you seemed in a daze. Is it boring?¡± Gu Shaoting had attended many such parties since he was young. Therefore, he was like a duck to water. He was born with that kind of temperament.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. Weren¡¯t you entertaining your friends just now? Why are you here?¡± Shu Pan asked in doubt.


    ¡°I saw you standing here alone, so I came to take a look.¡± Gu Shaoting held her hand.


    Shu Pan wanted to break free from his hand but found him holding her tighter.


    ¡°Let go of my hand. The guests are all here,¡± Shu Pan said shyly. She was not used to showing off their affection in front of everyone.


    ¡°What does it matter? We¡¯re husband and wife, so it¡¯s normal for us to show off our affection. Come, let me introduce you to a few friends,¡± Gu Shaoting said, and pulled Shu Pan away.


    Charlene, by the side, became impatient, stomping her feet in frustration.


    Seeing no one besides Brother Gu, she had wanted to go over and say hello. However, he suddenly ran over to show off his affection to Shu Pan.


    It was so annoying, that detestable Shu Pan!


    Song Can noticed Charlene looking depressed. ¡°Charlena, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Joy had gone to look for Shu Pan, and Song Can had just turned back and saw the scene before her.<div>


    ¡°I¡¯m fine, Auntie. Happy birthday.¡± Charlene seemed to change like Trump. Her expression changed very quickly.


    ¡°That¡¯s good. Enjoy yourself, and sorry if I¡¯ve neglected you,¡± Song Can said.


    ¡°Auntie, you don¡¯t have to care about me. I¡¯ll take care of myself,¡± Charlene said.

 Chapter 666: Charlene’s Plan

    Chapter 666: Charlene¡¯s n<div>


    Trantor:Nyoi-Bo StudioEditor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Song Can walked away when she heard that.


    Charlene had been watching Gu Shaoting, hoping to catch him when he was alone to show him a little concern and make her presence known.


    Finally, Shu Pan took Joy¡¯s hand and left. It was probably because Joy got cake on her hands and Shu Pan was taking her to clean up.


    Charlene saw her opportunity. She straighten her dress, which was a sexy, form-fitting ck dress that entuated her figure. She also had a very eye-catching diamond ring on her finger. She sashayed her way towards Gu Shaoting with a confident and charming smile on her face.


    She saw Gu Shaoting right away. He was chatting happily with his friends earlier. This man stood out all the time, even among other male guests, like a diamond in the rough.<div>


    Charlene felt a warm current in her chest. No matter what, she must say something to her Brother Gu today and leave a good impression on him.


    She must do it even if she lost all face or ruined her reputation.


    She didn¡¯t have much time to impress him because her father had calledst night and asked her to return to France as soon as possible. After all, she had been away for a long time and her family missed her. She had also learned a lot, so she shouldn¡¯t have any regrets even if she went home.


    But Charlene was reluctant because she always got what she set her heart on since she was young. Even when she knew that Gu Shaoting was married, she couldn¡¯t help being attracted to him and she didn¡¯t want to miss the opportunity.


    Gu Shaoting wasn¡¯t paying attention to Charlene. When he saw her standing nearby as he turned around to get more drinks, he acted like he didn¡¯t see her. When Charlene and Gu Shaoting¡¯s eyes met, she immediately wanted to go over and say hi. However, Gu Shaoting turned his head coldly. Charlene felt the smile on her face disappear.


    Gu Shaoting pretended not to see her. She wanted so much to say hi to him but his icy attitude made it a little degrading to approach him now.


    She looked around for a while and didn¡¯t see Shu Pan bring their daughter back, so she braced herself.


    ¡°Brother Gu, I want to tell you something¡­¡± Charlene stuttered.


    ¡°What is it?¡± Gu Shaoting saw that she had something to say, so he stopped and looked at her.


    ¡°My dad called. I think I¡¯ll be going home soon.¡± Charlene looked reluctant.


    ¡°I see. But you¡¯ve been away for a while now. It¡¯s only right for you to go home to your family.¡± Gu Shaoting echoed with a nod.


    ¡°But I can¡¯t bear to part with everything here.¡± Charlene said pitifully.<div>


    ¡°You¡¯re wee here anytime.¡± Gu Shaoting promised.


    ¡°Thank you, Brother Gu. Will you have a drink with me? I¡¯m going back to France soon and I don¡¯t know when I¡¯ll be here again.¡± Charlene asked suddenly.


    Gu Shaoting didn¡¯t think that Charlene¡¯s request was unreasonable. Moreover, he was careful when it came to interactions with his female employees.


    So, he nodded. ¡°Sure. Red wine it is. Red wine is better for thedies.¡±


    Charlene quickly summoned a waiter and got two sses of red wine.


    She handed one to Gu Shaoting and said, ¡°Cheers,¡± clinking sses happily with him.


    ¡°Cheers.¡± Gu Shaoting finished his drink in one gulp.


    Charlene was also very forthright and emptied her ss following Gu Shaoting.


    However, she was tied up in knots inside, thinking of ways to keep Gu Shaoting.

 Chapter 667: Not Realizing How Lucky She Is

    Chapter 667: Not Realizing How Lucky She Is<div>


    Trantor:Nyoi-Bo StudioEditor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Charlene looked at the calm and collected Gu Shaoting and felt very anxious. Her Brother Gu would most likely walk away after this drink.


    It seemed difficult to get her Brother Gu drunk, but what if she was the one who was drunk?


    Would her Brother Gu take care of her?


    ¡°Brother Gu, thank you for taking care of me all this time. I¡¯ve troubled you.¡± Seeing that Gu Shaoting was about to walk away, Charlene quickly changed the subject to prolong their time together.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. It¡¯s no trouble at all.¡± Gu Shaoting replied patiently when he really wanted to walk away. Shu Pan took Joy to wash her hands. Why weren¡¯t they back yet?<div>


    Charlene suddenly had an idea. She rubbed her temples and muttered, ¡°This red wine has quite a kick. Why do I feel a little dizzy after drinking it?¡±


    Her voice was neither loud nor soft, but Gu Shaoting was close enough to hear her.


    He furrowed his brows but did not act.


    Charlene felt a little anxious at his indifference. She feigned weak knees and stumbled forward.


    Gu Shaoting had no choice but to help her up. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Are you alright?¡±


    Gu Shaoting¡¯s frown deepened.


    ¡°I¡¯m a little tipsy. My alcohol tolerance is really terrible. Brother Gu, could¡­ Could you help me find a ce to rest, please?¡± Charlene acted like she was about to fall.


    Gu Shaoting saw that everyone was chatting and Shu Pan was not back yet, so he had no choice but to help Charlene to the guest room.


    Charlene kept leaning on Gu Shaoting as they walked.


    Gu Shaoting just wanted to quickly help her into the guest room so she could rest.


    Shu Pan finally coaxed Joy to sleep. After Joy finished eating the cake and washed her hands, she began to rub her eyes out of sleepiness because she was too excited to see her parents when she got homest night and didn¡¯t sleep well.


    Shu Pan brought her to their room at the old Gu residence and coaxed her to sleep before she walked out.<div>


    But she couldn¡¯t find Gu Shaoting when she came out. The mansion was only so big, where could he have gone to?


    Plus, he told her that he would wait for her at the same spot.


    It was really odd but never mind. He was a grown man; he wouldn¡¯t just go missing. Shu Pan was famished and decided to eat something first.


    Shu Pan picked up a te and got some food from the buffet table. She then sat and ate quietly.


    Not far away, Song Can was chatting enthusiastically with her friends.


    ¡°You¡¯re really lucky to live in a mansion. Your son and daughter-inw are filial, and your granddaughter is so cute and sensible.¡± One of Song Can¡¯s friends said enviously.


    ¡°Lucky how? You don¡¯t know the pain and suffering in my heart. Today is such a happy day, so I shall not talk about those unpleasant things.¡± Song Can sighed and said helplessly.


    Her friend also guessed what she meant. She could see how Song Can¡¯s daughter-inw was gentle, demure, and had a good temper. It was clear from the way she spoke to her child. Despite Song Can¡¯s reluctance to air her dirtyundry in public, her close friends knew about her troubles.


    ¡°Children will eventually grow up and have their own lives. Let the bird fly from the nest. Don¡¯t worry too much. I just saw your daughter-inw give you a branded bag. That shows that she values you as her mother-inw. You haven¡¯t met my daughter-inw, who¡¯s nothing but azy bum. You should be content.¡± Her friend said.


    ¡°She¡¯s just spending my son¡¯s money to please me.¡± Song Can had wronged Shu Pan in this regard. Shu Pan who bought the bag for her mother-inw with money that she had saved up over two months.


    ¡°It¡¯s the thought that counts.¡± Song Can¡¯s friend felt that Song Can didn¡¯t realize how lucky she was.


    She liked Song Can¡¯s daughter-inw the moment she saw her.<div>

 Chapter 668: Confession

    Chapter 668: Confession<div>


    Trantor:Nyoi-Bo StudioEditor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Song Can pursed her lips and kept quiet. She couldn¡¯t possibly say that she simply didn¡¯t like Shu Pan¡­


    ¡°Let¡¯s not talk about her anymore. Such a killjoy.¡± Song Can did not want to dwell on the same topic anymore.


    ¡°Alright, as long as it makes the birthday girl happy.¡± Song Can¡¯s friend smiled helplessly.


    Shu Pan finally didn¡¯t feel hungry after eating some food.


    She looked around but still couldn¡¯t find Gu Shaoting. She didn¡¯t know anyone else here and she felt quite bored.<div>


    She didn¡¯t know that Gu Shaoting was being pestered by Charlene.


    Gu Shaoting helped Charlene into the guest room so she could rest there. Charlene was almost fully in his arms when they arrived. Gu Shaoting tried to push her away but to no avail.


    She was clinging on to him like an octopus.


    Gu Shaoting saw that she seemed drunk, so he helped her sit on the bed in the guest room before he turned to leave. He figured he would be a nice guy through and through and fetch her a ss of water.


    Little did he expect Charlene to stand up and hug him tightly from behind as he turned to leave.


    Gu Shaoting was shocked by Charlene¡¯s sudden action. He was stunned for a moment before he extracted himself from her embrace.


    ¡°Charlene, let go, you¡¯ve gone too far.¡± Gu Shaoting turned around and said to her seriously.


    ¡°Brother Gu, I like you. I love you.¡± Charlene could finally say what she wanted to say out loud.


    Gu Shaoting was stunned. It never urred to him that Charlene had feelings for him. He had always treated her as a younger sister.


    ¡°Charlene, I¡¯ve always treated you as my sister. You know that I¡¯m already married, right? You¡¯re still young and you¡¯re mistaking admiration as love.¡± Gu Shaoting sighed in his heart. How did he get himself in such a fix?


    ¡°Brother Gu, do you know that I fell for you since the first time we met in France?¡± Charlene said hurriedly. She was very sure that she loved Gu Shaoting, not admired him as he said.


    ¡°Charlene, whether admiration or love, I¡¯m grateful for your attention but the person I love is my wife.¡± Gu Shaoting said solemnly.<div>


    ¡°Brother Gu, what¡¯s so good about her? She looks average,es from an ordinary family and isn¡¯t outstanding in anyway. She¡¯s of no help to you at all.¡± Charlene said emotionally. She was willing to give up if Shu Pan was better than her. But this woman who was inferior to her in every aspect had stolen her Brother Gu¡¯s heart.


    She simply couldn¡¯t ept it. Why her? Just because she bore her Brother Gu a daughter? She could also bear him children.


    ¡°Charlene, you are still young and you don¡¯t understand love. You don¡¯t need any reason to love someone. I love her therefore I ept her shorings. You will meet your Mr. Right too someday.¡± Gu Shaoting said earnestly.


    ¡°Brother Gu, but I really love you.¡± Charlene said repeatedly.


    She looked up and suddenly saw a figure sh past the door. She thought for a moment. Wasn¡¯t that dress Shu Pan¡¯s? She probably got impatient and came to find Gu Shaoting.


    ¡°Charlene, have a good rest. I¡¯ve always treated you as a younger sister and I¡¯ll continue to do so. I¡¯m going to go now.¡± Gu Shaoting didn¡¯t want to argue with her anymore and decided to leave.


    Shu Pan was probably anxious now because she couldn¡¯t find him.


    Charlene suddenly had an idea and asked Gu Shaoting, ¡°Brother Gu, I¡¯m going back to France soon. Can you give me a hug? The brother-sister kind of hug?¡±


    Gu Shaoting didn¡¯t think much of it. Charlene¡¯s request wasn¡¯t unreasonable, so he gave her a quick farewell hug.


    At this moment, the guest room door was suddenly pushed open, and Shu Pan was standing outside.

 Chapter 669: His Explanation

    Chapter 669: His Exnation<div>


    Trantor:Nyoi-Bo StudioEditor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Gu Shaoting heard the door open. He turned around to look and found Shu Pan standing at the door.


    His face lit up. Shu Pan was here. Great, he could escape now.


    ¡°Panpan, you¡¯re here. Have you been waiting long?¡± Gu Shaoting walked up to Shu Pan.


    Shu Pan¡¯s face was cold. She didn¡¯t know how to describe the way she felt now.


    She waited outside for him for a long time but he didn¡¯t appear. She was worried that he was drunk and found a room to sleep it off, so she searched the house room by room. She heard movements in this room and the door wasn¡¯t closed, so she carefully pushed it open to check.<div>


    She didn¡¯t expect to be met with the scene of Gu Shaoting and Charlene hugging each other¡­ How she wished that what she saw was an illusion.


    But it was the truth. She looked at Gu Shaoting, hoping to see the guilt on his face but there was none. She wasn¡¯t sure if he was hiding his guilt when she saw an expression of relief on his face.


    She didn¡¯t answer Gu Shaoting¡¯s question but looked at Charlene.


    Charlene looked back at her provocatively, as if she was challenging her.


    Shu Pan didn¡¯t say a word and turned to leave.


    Gu Shaoting was dumbfounded. What was going on? Why did Shu Pan leave without a word? Could she have developed some kind of misunderstanding after seeing him hug Charlene?


    Gu Shaoting didn¡¯t have time to figure it out. He quickly caught up with Shu Pan and grabbed her arm. ¡°Panpan, did you have some kind of misunderstanding?¡±


    ¡°Misunderstanding? Do you think that was a misunderstanding? The two of you were in a tight embrace. I saw it with my own eyes. I couldn¡¯t have wrongly used you, right?¡± Shu Pan said coldly.


    ¡°Panpan, you¡¯ve really misunderstood. She professed her love for me and I¡¯ve solemnly rejected her. She¡¯s just another junior to me and the person I love is you. As she¡¯s going back to France soon, she asked me for a farewell hug. I didn¡¯t think much of it and agreed. It didn¡¯t mean anything else.¡± Gu Shaoting exined hurriedly.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you know it¡¯s better to keep a healthy distance between men and women? What would you think if you saw me hugging another man? Put yourself in my shoes.¡± Shu Pan said angrily. She couldn¡¯t forgive him for this kind of ambiguity.


    Gu Shaoting¡¯s face darkened when he heard that. If he saw another man hug Shu Pan, he definitely wouldn¡¯t let the man off.


    ¡°Panpan, I was wrong. I didn¡¯t think too much about it. She¡¯ll be back in France soon and I just wanted to say goodbye.¡± Gu Shaoting¡¯s eyelids kept twitching today. He knew that something bad would happen.<div>


    ¡°Today is Mom¡¯s birthday. I don¡¯t want to argue with you. Go and entertain the guests. Joy and I will go home first.¡± Shu Pan was fuming but she didn¡¯t want tosh out at Gu Shaoting. She was still ady. She couldn¡¯t bring herself to curse in public like a shrew.


    ¡°Panpan¡­¡± Gu Shaoting called out dejectedly.


    Inside the guest room, Charlene was gloating. Even if she didn¡¯t get the response she had hoped for to her love confession from Brother Gu, she was very d that she had caused trouble for Shu Pan.


    Shu Pan caught them red handed. Charlene didn¡¯t believe that she would have no ill feeling in her heart.


    This was the oue Charlene wanted. She couldn¡¯t wait to keep her eyes peeled for what would happen next!


    Shu Pan saw that the birthday banquet was almost over. She walked up to Song Can and let her know that she would be going home once Joy woke up from her nap.


    She couldn¡¯t stand the sight of Gu Shaoting at this moment.


    Her worry-free days were short-lived. Deep down, she actually believed what Gu Shaoting said. Probably nothing happened and he had no feelings for Charlene. But a married man hugging a young girl goodbye in a guest room? Didn¡¯t he think that his exnation was ridiculous? What would people think?

 Chapter 670: Feeling So Tired?

    Chapter 670: Feeling So Tired?<div>


    Trantor:Nyoi-Bo StudioEditor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    When Gu Shaoting saw Shu Pan so angry, he felt that his actions were indeed inappropriate.


    He thought about how angry Shu Pan was and decided to wait for her to calm down before he exined again.


    He then went back to entertaining the guests at his mother¡¯s birthday banquet.


    After Joy woke up, Shu Pan really made her the excuse to leave the party early.


    When they got home, Shu Pan settled Joy before she sat on the sofa in a daze.<div>


    When Gu Shaoting got home, he stared at Shu Pan discreetly. Her long and dark hair was slightly messy and curling at the ends. Her tiny face looked a little confused but her mesmerizing eyes were bright and lively. Below them were her shapely breasts, trim waist and long, slender legs.


    When Gu Shaoting saw her like that, he felt as if his heart had been pricked by something. He sat carefully next to Shu Pan and said like a child who had misbehaved, ¡°Panpan, I¡¯m home. I won¡¯t make such a mistake again.¡±


    Shu Pan nced at him before she replied calmly, ¡°Shaoting, what happened today isn¡¯t the first time. Nor will it be thest time. Even if you know your mistake now, you will do it again. I feel so tired.¡±


    ¡°Honey¡­¡± Gu Shaoting dragged his one-word sentence, looking very innocent.


    ¡°I would like to be alone tonight, okay?¡± Shu Pan couldn¡¯t calm herself down. Every time she thought about Gu Shaoting hugging Charlene, she felt a tightly wound spring in her heart, ready to snap at any moment. She felt really miserable.


    Gu Shaoting saw that she didn¡¯t seem to be joking, so he could only nod.


    He would wait for her anger to subside. He actually didn¡¯t understand women very well. He always felt that they liked toplicate things. It was clearly a very small and simple matter, but it made everyone unhappy.


    Shu Pan then went to Joy¡¯s room, leaving the master bedroom for Gu Shaoting.


    Shu Pan woke up very early the following day. Technically, she never slept. She had insomnia, which led to dark circles under her eyes when she woke up.


    When she got up, she saw that Auntie Li had prepared breakfast ¨C buns, dimpling, millet porridge, and the like. Auntie Li was really capable and diligent.


    Shu Pan nced at the time and realized that she had only half an hour before work. She quickly washed up and got dressed.


    Shu Pan felt a little nauseous when brushing her teeth, perhaps because she hadn¡¯t eaten breakfast. Halfway through gargling, Shu Pan suddenly retched.<div>


    The weather was exceptionally good today. The sky was blue, so although she had a bad experience yesterday, she was determined to step into the office in a good mood today.


    She was in a pretty good mood when she walked into the office in her four-centimeter high heels and sat at her desk, ready to start work for the day.


    People were usually busier in the mornings, so time passed quickly.


    At noon, Shu Pan had lunch at thepany cafeteria with a few female colleagues. They made her favorite fish today. For some reason, her appetite had increased recently and she got hungry easily. She had porridge and buns in the morning, but she was so hungry now that she couldn¡¯t tell north from south.


    When getting her food, Shu Pan deliberately asked the chef to scoop a bigger piece of braised fish for her. She took her tray and sat at a dining table. She used her chopsticks to pick up a piece of braised fish. But just as she put it in her mouth, she suddenly felt the same nausea she felt when brushing her teeth in the morning.


    But the difort went away after a while.


    Shu Pan wondered why she felt that way. Did she have some kind of health problem?

 Chapter 671: Am I Pregnant?

    Chapter 671: Am I Pregnant?<div>


    Trantor:Nyoi-Bo StudioEditor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Shu Pan didn¡¯t think that she had any health problems though. She probably ate something wrong.


    She ate more than half the lunch she ordered. When she went back to work, her stomach churned again. She ran to the bathroom and threw up for a long time with her hands on the toilet bowl. She basically threw up everything she ate at lunch.


    She was throwing up acid after emptying her stomach and her throat burned.


    Aftering out of the bathroom, Shu Pan went to the pantry and poured herself some hot water. She held the cup and sipped the water slowly. After drinking about half a cup of hot water, she felt better.


    Shu Pan had already finished most of her work for the day in the morning. So, shepleted her tasks for the day in less than an hour in the afternoon.<div>


    Her workload had lightened significantly since Gu Shaoting¡¯s warning. Shu Pan was kept in the dark about the matter though. It was after investigation that Gu Shaoting¡¯s secretary, Mr. Zhang, made the necessary adjustments.


    Shu Pan just assumed that thepany took on less projects recently. She would probably be unhappy if she found out that it was Gu Shaoting who lightened her workload. She would feel that he treated her differently at work because of their personal rtionship.


    Shu Pan then remembered the missed calls from Gu Shaoting when she didn¡¯t bring her phone to the cafeteria during lunch. She didn¡¯t want to answer his calls for the time being anyway. Her heart was still in turmoil as she suddenly got confused about marriage and love.


    The office was very quiet. Shu Pan just wanted to rest her head on her desk but she fell asleep unexpectedly.


    She slept soundly and when she woke up, it was almost knocking-off time.


    The senior managers had already left the office and her other colleagues gathered around to chat.


    ¡°Since the two-child policy was implemented, there have been more and more pregnant colleagues in our office.¡±


    ¡°Who¡¯s pregnant now?¡±


    ¡°Li Yue from admin. She just got her test results the day before yesterday, but she already has a son. Her financial burden will increase and she¡¯s still thinking about whether to keep the baby.¡±


    ¡°My period is also one-dayte. I¡¯m also a little worried that I¡¯m pregnant. Please don¡¯t let it be true. That would be so worrying¡­¡±


    Shu Pan, who had just woken up, was still in a daze. When she heard the word ¡°period¡±, her hand that was about to hold her mouse trembled violently.


    Period¡­<div>


    She was supposed to get her periodst month, but after the incident at Gu Group¡¯s anniversary celebration, she couldn¡¯t even remember if she had her period.


    That was a month ago. She was alsote this month and now she couldn¡¯t remember if she had her periodst month¡­


    She had indeed be careless. Why didn¡¯t she remember such an important thing?


    No wonder she had been feeling unwell for the past few days. As she couldn¡¯t tell what was wrong, she assumed that she had eaten something wrong, or was too tired, which led to her symptoms. She never thought that she might be pregnant.


    As these thoughts flooded Shu Pan¡¯s mind, she could hear her heart drop.


    Could she be pregnant? Although she and Gu Shaoting had been trying for a second child, was the angel arriving when her mind was in such a mess?


    She had been really careless that she never thought about the possibility.


    When she was pregnant with Joy a few years ago, she didn¡¯t pay much attention to her pregnancy because her life was in shambles then.


    That was why she didn¡¯t consider pregnancy when she had those reactions. She would have forgotten about her symptoms if not for her colleagues¡¯ chat about pregnancy.


    However, she might not be pregnant. She would only know after testing.

 Chapter 672: Keeping It Secret

    Chapter 672: Keeping It Secret<div>


    Trantor:Nyoi-Bo StudioEditor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    On her way home from work, Shu Pan went to a 24-hour pharmacy and bought a few pregnancy test kits.


    Gu Shaoting sent her a text in the afternoon informing her that he would be away on a business trip for two days, so she could take the test at home and not face him.


    After worrying the whole way home, Shu Pan felt like she had run out of energy when she arrived home.


    She changed into slippers at the foyer before she walked into the living room, put her bag down and sat on the sofa to take a breather.


    Auntie Li went to pick Joy up from school. Shu Pan usually picked Joy up but because she was shocked by the sudden possibility today and felt off bnce, she asked Auntie Li to pick her up.<div>


    But they were not home yet. Joy¡¯s grandpa also went to her uncle¡¯s house and would only return in a few days. Shu Pan was alone at home and the house felt a little deserted.


    She sat for a while before she stood up reluctantly, opened her bag, took out the pharmacy paper bag and walked into the bathroom.


    Since no one was at home, she didn¡¯t need to be discreet but she locked the bathroom door anyway.


    Shu Pan didn¡¯t know if it was because she was nervous or stressed, her fingers trembled as she took out the pregnancy test kits and painstakingly unboxed them.


    She followed the instructions on the box, feeling her heart in her throat. She had never been so nervous before. She felt like she held her breath the entire time she was waiting for the results. She did not even dare to breathe.


    It was only a few minutes, but it felt like a hundred years to her.


    It was very quiet in the bathroom. Shu Pan was so nervous and anxious that she could hear her own heartbeat.


    She arranged the pregnancy test kits in a row, one stick after another, and the results came out.


    Two red bars were clearly visible on the first stick, and the electronic disy showed that she was pregnant.


    Two red bars were also visible on the second stick, and the electronic disy showed that she was pregnant.


    The third stick, the fourth, the fifth¡­


    She bought six pregnancy test kits, and every stick showed the same results. She was pregnant.<div>


    Even though she suspected she was pregnant when she realized that she had missed her periods, she was still shocked when she saw the test results. She felt as if she had been struck by lightning as she entered a state of trance.


    It was too unexpected. She had hoped to be pregnant a while ago, but it just didn¡¯t happen. Now that she was depressed and not thinking about it, she was pregnant.


    It took her a while to ept the fact that she was pregnant!


    She put the pregnancy test kits and the boxes they came in back into the paper bag and threw everything into the trash can.


    She then leaned against the wall and stared nkly into space.


    Shu Pan didn¡¯t know how she came out of the bathroom. Her emotions were veryplicated and contradictory.


    She felt joy as well as worry.


    She smiled one moment and then stared nkly into space the next. She sat down slowly on the sofa and leaned back. She then stared up at the ceiling hugging a cushion.


    She was pregnant with Gu Shaoting¡¯s child. If it wasn¡¯t for what happened the day before yesterday, she would have told him right away. After all, this was the treasure they had been looking forward to for a long time. But she didn¡¯t feel like telling him now. She would keep it secret for the time being.


    She would wait for him to return from his business trip and see how he performed. The scene of him hugging Charlene was like a dagger to her heart, stabbing her from time to time.


    It was Tong Fei before, and now it was Charlene. Were there other women he was involved with?


    She didn¡¯t even dare to think about it. Her idea of love was very pure and simple. No ambiguous rtionships. To her, there should be no space for even the smallest issues or grievances in a romantic rtionship.<div>

 Chapter 673: Pondering

    Chapter 673: Pondering


    Trantor:Nyoi-Bo StudioEditor:Nyoi-Bo Studio<div>


    The more Shu Pan thought about it, the more her head hurt. She sat up from the sofa, looked out the window and saw that it was already dark out. Auntie Li and Joy should be home soon.


    Just as the thought urred to her, the main door to the house opened. Shu Pan looked towards the foyer and saw Auntie Li leading Joy by the hand.


    ¡°What took you so long today?¡± Shu Pan asked doubtfully. It usually took them a shorter time to get home.


    ¡°Oh, Joy wanted to eat meatballs, so we took a detour to the market.¡± Auntie Li exined with a smile.


    ¡°Thanks so much, Auntie Li.¡± Shu Pan then looked at Joy. ¡°You greedy little munchkin.¡±


    ¡°Mommy, why didn¡¯t you pick me up if you¡¯re at home?¡± Joy pouted and looked unhappy when she saw Shu Pan.<div>


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry sweetie. Mommy had to deal with something today. I¡¯ll pick you up from school tomorrow, okay?¡± Shu Pan said gently as she leveled eyes with Joy and patted her head.


    ¡°Alright. Please don¡¯t forget, okay?¡± The little girl reminded her mother.


    ¡°Sure. Now, let¡¯s have Auntie Li cook you some meatballs.¡± Joy¡¯s eyes lit up when Shu Pan mentioned meatballs.


    ¡°Yay! But where¡¯s Daddy? Is he not home yet?¡± Joy looked around the living room.


    ¡°Daddy has gone on a business trip. He¡¯ll be back in two days.¡± Shu Panforted her. Shu Pan sometimes envied their father-and-daughter bond.


    Joy nodded but disappointment filled her eyes.


    Shu Pan felt hungry too. She usually didn¡¯t mind it but things were different now. There was a little one inside her whose future was undetermined¡­ Would Gu Shaoting be happy when he found out? She wasn¡¯t even sure herself.


    Auntie Li was a verypetent cook. She whipped up three dishes and a soup in no time.


    ¡°Dinner¡¯s ready.¡± Auntie Li called out from the kitchen. Shu Pan and Joy walked to the dining table.


    Shu Pan¡¯s stomach felt queasy as she ate dinner, but she endured it. Joy was a child after all and didn¡¯t know how to read people¡¯s expressions. She ate her dinner with relish. Auntie Li¡¯s meatballs were very bouncy and vorful.


    Shu Pan couldn¡¯t bear to look at meat but she didn¡¯t want to deprive her baby. So, she forced herself to eat and filled her stomach despite her unsettled mood.


    Auntie Li was a seasoned pro. She saw Shu Pan¡¯s uneasiness and asked, ¡°Madam, is the food not to your liking?¡±<div>


    ¡°No, it¡¯s fine. It¡¯s just that my appetite isn¡¯t good.¡± Shu Pan shook her head. After she finished eating, she left the dining table and saw Joy¡¯s bulging tummy.


    Shu Pan couldn¡¯t help but smile.


    Gu Shaoting was probably busy, so he only called home at around 9 p.m. Shu Pan was already dozing off.


    ¡°Honey, were you asleep? I¡¯m sorry. It¡¯s been a crazy day; I could only call you now.¡± Gu Shaoting said apologetically.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. I was just about to go to bed.¡± Shu Pan said inly, sounding like she didn¡¯t want to talk.


    ¡°Alright then. I shan¡¯t disturb you. Have a good rest.¡± After Gu Shaoting hung up the phone, Shu Pan fell into deep thought.


    She had to be tougher this time. She had to take precautions before she did something she might regretter.


    She had given in time and time again but Gu Shaoting didn¡¯t even seem to notice. Men always thought that they were right and that they hadn¡¯t cheated on their wife. What, in their minds, was considered cheating?


    At least that was Gu Shaoting¡¯s position now. He felt that Shu Pan was being unreasonable because he was merely giving Charlene a goodbye hug. She was like a younger sister to him, but Shu Pan¡¯s reaction was so over-the-top.


    Shu Pan fell asleep as she pondered.

 Chapter 674: Bumping Into Wen Chi

    Chapter 674: Bumping Into Wen Chi<div>


    Trantor:Nyoi-Bo StudioEditor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    The next day, Shu Pan sent Joy to school as usual.


    While waiting for the elevator, Shu Pan looked down at her feet. She was wearing a pair of high heels. She touched her t tummy and took Joy home again to change into a pair of ts.


    She thought that she was really sensible to already think and live like a pregnant woman.


    After sending Joy to school and calling her superior to take half-day off, she gged down a taxi and went to a nearby hospital.


    She went to the emergency department when she arrived at the hospital and got a blood test as ordered by the doctor. Her test results came out quickly. She was almost certain that she was pregnant after the pregnancy tests she did at home, but she was very sure now.<div>


    Shu Pan felt like she was riding an emotional rollercoaster as she held her test results.


    Gu Shaoting should be with her at this moment so they could celebrate the good news together, but she was feeling selfish and wanted to test his loyalty.


    There were still many problems between them; they weren¡¯t on the same page yet.


    Shu Pan folded her test results and carefully put the report into her bag.


    Just as she was about to leave, a familiar voice sounded behind her. ¡°Pan, why are you here?¡±


    Shu Pan turned her head and was surprised to see that it was Wen Chi.


    ¡°Chi? Are you working at this hospital now?¡± Shu Pan stuttered. It had been too long since theyst met.


    Wen Chi smiled happily and replied, ¡°Yup, I¡¯ve been transferred to this hospital for some time now.¡± After all, this was one of the top hospitals in Bin City.


    Wen Chi hardly contacted Shu Pan since her wedding.


    After all, Shu Pan was a married woman. She was no longer single and he should keep his distance.


    Therefore, Wen Chi did not tell Shu Pan that he had changed hospitals.


    ¡°You haven¡¯t answered my question. Why are you here?¡± Wen Chi asked nervously, worried that Shu Pan was sick.<div>


    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s nothing. I just found out that I¡¯m pregnant and came here for a check-up.¡± Shu Pan said shyly. After all, it took courage to say such words to a man.


    Wen Chi was stunned for a while.


    When he realized that he had lost his manners, he said, ¡°Congrattions.¡±


    There was a certain bitterness in his voice that made people feel sorry for him.


    ¡°Thank you.¡± Shu Pan said sincerely.


    There were people whom one felt close to despite not seeing them for a long time. Wen Chi was such a person to Shu Pan.


    ¡°If you¡¯re not in a hurry to go home, let¡¯s find a caf¨¦ to sit down and chat. I happen to be free now. What do you say?¡± Wen Chi asked. He had not seen Shu Pan for a long time and wanted to find out how she was doing, especially since she was pregnant now.


    ¡°Sure.¡± Shu Pan thought that it had been a long time since shest saw Wen Chi, so it would be nice to catch up.


    Hence, they left the hospital together, found a caf¨¦ nearby and sat down. Wen Chi ordered a cup of coffee while Shu Pan ordered a sour plum juice.


    She was craving something sour.


    They sat by the window and watched the world go by outside.


    ¡°Pan, how have you been? You¡¯ve lost a lot of weight.¡± Wen Chi looked at Shu Pan with heartache. Shu Pan was the woman he liked, but he was no longer qualified to like her.<div>


    Because she was already someone¡¯s wife and mother.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you know that it¡¯s trendy to lose weight now?¡± Shu Pan joked yfully.


    ¡°Silly girl, you¡¯re just the right size. Now that you¡¯re pregnant, you need to eat a bnced diet. Don¡¯t kid around.¡± Wen Chi understood women¡¯s mentality all too well.

 Chapter 675: A Surprise

    Chapter 675: A Surprise<div>


    Trantor:Nyoi-Bo StudioEditor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    ¡°I know. Thanks, Chi.¡± Shu Pan said suddenly with feeling.


    ¡°Do you feel any difort?¡± Wen Chi asked with concern.


    ¡°I¡¯m okay. Justck of appetite and feeling nauseous all the time.¡± Shu Pan frowned when she said this.


    ¡°Those are normal pregnancy symptoms. Try to eat light, small meals but more often.¡± Wen Chi instructed with care.


    Shu Pan felt her heart warm. No matter when or where, Chi was always like this, so caring and attentive.<div>


    ¡°Okay.¡± Shu Pan nodded and took a sip of her sour plum juice. If it was any other time, she would be making a sour face when drinking plum juice, but it tasted just nice now.


    She smacked her lips in satisfaction. Wen Chi couldn¡¯t help but smile when he saw her childish reaction.


    The two of them chatted for a while before Wen Chi checked the time and said, ¡°It¡¯s gettingte. Let me send you home.¡±


    ¡°No need. I¡¯m going back to the office. It¡¯s out of your way.¡± Shu Pan quickly shook her head. She knew that he had just finished a long shift at the hospital and he would need to take a big detour if he sent her to work.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. Let¡¯s go.¡± Wen Chi stood up first.


    ¡°Alright then. Sorry to trouble you.¡± Shu Pan stood up with her bag.


    In the car, Shu Pan couldn¡¯t help but sigh as she watched Wen Chi attentively adjust the thermostat to just the right temperature. What kind of girl would deserve an outstanding man like Chi? She hope that he would find his Miss Right soon and live happily ever after.


    After saying goodbye to Wen Chi, Shu Pan walked into the office. Everyone was busy and she did not dare to ck off for fear of inviting gossip. Not many people knew that she was already married to Gu Shaoting. They only guessed that they were dating.


    When Shu Pan had a moment to herself, she remembered that she hadn¡¯t checked her phone the whole day. She had put it on silent and had forgotten about it.


    She took out her phone and saw three missed calls from Gu Shaoting.


    She vacited for a while, wondering if she should call him back. But she finally decided against it.


    She wouldn¡¯t know what to say to him if he picked up. She felt frustrated but didn¡¯t know who she couldin to.<div>


    Xiaomeng was also pregnant and busy with her wedding preparations. She wouldn¡¯t want to disturb her.


    She didn¡¯t know how to tell Gu Shaoting, because he would probably apologize in the end but repeat the same mistaketer. What was the point of that?


    It was not that she was being difficult, but she had thought it through and would like to put her foot down.


    So, she pretended that she didn¡¯t see those missed calls and put her phone back into her bag.


    She then threw herself into work and forgot about the time.


    Towards the end of the workday when people were getting ready to clock out, a man in a suit walked briskly into Shu Pan¡¯s office. As he was too eye-catching, everyone¡¯s eyes turned to him.


    And saw that the man was their boss, Mr. Gu Shaoting.


    ¡°Hello, CEO Gu.¡± Everyone called out in unison. They were all on guard, thinking that the CEO hade at thest minute to inspect their work.


    ¡°Hello, everyone.¡± Gu Shaoting replied coolly as he walked straight to Shu Pan¡¯s desk. Shu Pan only realized that Gu Shaoting was here when she heard everyone greet him.


    She furrowed her brows. This was not his style. Why was he so conspicuous?


    When she was about to turn her head, Gu Shaoting was already standing in front of her.


    His face was warm and inviting as he looked at her lovingly. ¡°I¡¯m here to pick you up from work.¡±<div>


    Gu Shaoting looked very calm on the outside. No one could tell that he had been sitting on pins and needles the entire afternoon. He rushed over to find Shu Pan as soon as he finished his meetings for the day because she hadn¡¯t picked up his calls all day. He thought that something had happened to her until Mr. Zhang told him that Shu Pan was at work, so he came straight here to pick her up.

 Chapter 676: Silent Treatment

    Chapter 676: Silent Treatment<div>


    Editor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    ¡°You¡¯re back from your business trip?¡± Shu Pan looked around and saw the surrounding colleagues pricking up their ears.


    Everyone was shocked by the scene before their eyes. They had never seen such a gentle and considerate side of Mr. Gu. His rtionship with Shu Pan was obvious.


    The office was instantly in an uproar, everyone whispering to each other.


    Shu Pan truly never showed off. Previously, there were rumors that her rtionship with the CEO wasn¡¯t bad, but they were skeptical as they had never seen it with their own eyes. Now, everyone knew and believed it.


    ¡°Yes.¡±<div>


    ¡°Why are you here? Everyone is watching,¡± Shu Panined.


    ¡°Silly girl, what does it matter? Let¡¯s go home.¡± After speaking, Gu Shaotinge grabbed Shu Pan¡¯s hand and walked toward the door. As he walked, he said, ¡°Everyone, it¡¯s been a long day. A safe journey home.¡±


    His words touched everyone. It was indeed rare to see such a down-to-earth CEO. After all, he had always been high up on a pedestal.


    Only Seeing them leave did everyone dare to express their own opinions.


    ¡°Shu Pan is truly too low-key. It seems that she¡¯s living with the CEO.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, she¡¯s probably ourdy boss.¡±


    ¡°Mr. Gu is truly super handsome. The scene where he held Shu Pan¡¯s hand was so awesome.¡±


    Everyone was discussing animatedly, as lively as a market.


    On the way home, Shu Pan said reproachfully, ¡°Everyone knows about it now.¡±


    It was truly distressing. From now on, everyone would feelpelled to act in a way that pleased her.


    Gu Shaoting smiled and didn¡¯t say anything.


    But then he quickly asked, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you pick up my calls today?¡±<div>


    ¡°I didn¡¯t hear it,¡± Shu Pan said indifferently.


    ¡°Panpan, tell me if you have any thoughts, don¡¯t keep them to yourself.¡± Gu Shaoting knew that Shu Pan was up to something because she had been depressed for the past few days. It seemed like she had seen him hugging Charlene on his mother¡¯s birthday.


    He had already exined nothing was between them, and he was just fulfilling her request before she left.


    Shu Pan was silent, and Gu Shaoting continued, ¡°Are you still bothered by Charlene¡¯s matter?¡±


    ¡°Shaoting, I care about your attitude toward this matter. You must be thinking that it¡¯s no big deal, right? You think there¡¯s nothing between you two, and I¡¯m just being unreasonable?¡±


    Shu Pan was unsure if it was due to her pregnancy that she had been sentimental recently and felt insecure.


    If this had happened in the past, and if Gu Shaoting had realized his mistake, she would have let it go, and this matter would be over.


    But this time, she just couldn¡¯t figure it out and convince herself.


    She felt ufortable deep down when she thought of that scene, especially Charlene¡¯s provocative gaze at the end. It made her even angrier. Who gave her such confidence?


    ¡°This matter is already in the past. I¡¯ll pay more attention in the future.¡± Gu Shaoting felt that he had a clear conscience. What had happened to Shu Pan? She was unlike her in the past.


    Shu Pan looked at him with a hurt expression. From his slightly impatient tone, she knew that he still felt that she was unreasonable.


    At this moment, she fell silent.<div>


    Gu Shaoting exined several times and lost his patience.


    The two did not speak, and their expressions were dark.


    Gu Shaoting felt helpless and let Shu Pan calm down.


    Shu Pan entered the bedroom and closed the door when they reached home.


    Gu Shaoting did not want to be outdone. He went to the study, feeling rather baffled.


    Neither of them spoke to each other, marking their first silent treatment since marriage.

 Chapter 677: Pride

    Chapter 677: Pride<div>


    Editor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    This time, Shu Pan¡¯s attitude was really very firm, treating Gu Shaoting like he was invisible when she saw Gu Shaoting at home.


    Gu Shaoting felt stifled as he thought Shu Pan would be fine after throwing a tantrum, but she seemed truly angry.


    It was not his original intention. He had wanted both parties to calm down, but things had turned out this way, and how did he end it?


    After having breakfast, Shu Pan sent Joy to school and didn¡¯t wait for Gu Shaoting. When he got up, the house was empty.


    He was forgotten at home pitifully.<div>


    Gu Shaoting had wanted to pick up the phone and call Shu Pan but put it down after thinking about it.


    Why did he always have topromise? This time, he must stand his ground and not be dominated.


    Gu Shaoting did what he said. Without thinking much, he tidied up and went straight to thepany.


    As expected, when Shu Pan arrived at thepany, she received special attention from everyone, but she was calmly busy with her things as if nothing had happened.


    She did not sleep wellst night and thus looked a little pale today.


    ¡°Shu Pan, are you okay? You look pale.¡± Tang Wei had been out yesterday and missed the scene of the CEOing to the office, but this morning, a colleague vividly described it to her.


    Actually, she had known about their rtionship for some time but didn¡¯t expect Mr. Gu to be so handsome and manly. She was really envious.


    She had initially wanted to uncover some gossip from Shu Pan today, but she was so listless, and her face was as pale as a sheet of paper.


    She couldn¡¯t help but feel worried, not knowing what had happened to her.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t sleep wellst night and still have a headache.¡± Shu Pan did not know if it was because she was depressed that after eating somethingst night, she had been vomiting until her throat was sore.


    ¡°Then you should have a good rest in the afternoon. In fact, a woman having a good partner doesn¡¯t need to work so hard,¡± Tang Wei said meaningfully.


    She felt Shu Pan was a unique case, for she still strived so hard living in such a favorable environment. Many people envied her life, but she just disdained it.<div>


    No one would believe that she was the CEO¡¯s wife.


    ¡°Tang Wei, women have to strive hard all the time, then only will you have the confidence to do whatever you want. You will lose your freedom if you cling to others and be a caged bird, and you will have to live at the mercy of others. We must work hard to say ¡®no¡¯ confidently.¡± Shu Pan¡¯s words stunned Tang Wei. She didn¡¯t expect Shu Pan to say such meaningful things.


    For a moment, Tang Wei didn¡¯t know how to respond, but she felt that what Shu Pan said was correct, and no wonder Shu Pan was working so hard.


    Perhaps this was her charm. It was this uniqueness that deeply attracted Mr. Gu.


    After speaking, Shu Pan buried herself in her work again. She knew that everyone might think that she was weird and silly. Her husband was already a great CEO, so why was she still working? Others might not understand, but her mind was pure and clear, free from confusion.


    Just like this time, she could challenge Gu Shaoting with confidence. She was not dependent on him as she was a free individual.


    Last night, she fell asleep in the bedroom without realizing it. When she woke up this morning and saw that the other side of the bed was empty, she knew Gu Shaoting didn¡¯te back to sleep.


    She was indeed a little disappointed for a while, but then she thought she was too useless. How big was the matter?


    So she got up and sent Joy to school.


    The two of them were in a stalemate. No one wanted topromise with each other.


    Shu Pan didn¡¯t want such a problem to happen again, moving on. If she could live with that, she would. If she couldn¡¯t, she would break up with him. It wasn¡¯t the first time, anyway.


    <div>

 Chapter 678: A Sense of Crisis

    <div>


    Editor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Gu Shaoting would probably vomit blood from anger if he knew that Shu Pan had such an idea.


    At noon, Gu Shaoting paced around the office. Actually, he wanted to call Shu Pan, but he didn¡¯t want to be the first to give in. He felt whoever gave in first would be admitting defeat.


    He had checked his phone many times today. Every time his phone rang, he quickly checked if it was Shu Pan, but he was always disappointed.


    When Secretary Zhang came in, he saw his boss looking restless, so he asked discreetly, ¡°Mr. Gu, what¡¯s wrong? What happened?¡±


    Mr. Gu was always calm and collected when it came to work. Even if he encountered a big crisis, he would not be like this.<div>


    ¡°Women really like to be unreasonable,¡± said Gu Shaoting angrily.


    ¡°Mr. Gu, are you angry with Mrs.Gu?¡± Secretary Zhang felt that only Mrs. Gu could provoke Mr. Gu.


    Gu Shaoting rolled his eyes at him. ¡°I¡¯m going to restore my authority now. I can¡¯t let her continue to be so arrogant.¡±


    ¡°You have a point.¡± Secretary Zhang quickly nodded. ¡°But this probably won¡¯t be an easy task.¡±


    Secretary Zhang dared not add fuel to the fire seeing the angry man, but what he wanted to criticize was, ¡°Are you sure you can restore your authority?¡±


    Usually, he dared not even refute Mrs. Gu¡¯s words. Had he be bold now?


    ¡°It¡¯s not difficult, but I just couldn¡¯t be bothered. But women really can¡¯t be spoiled. The more you give in to her, the less she will take you seriously. She will probably take you seriously if you don¡¯t give in.¡± Gu Shaoting lifted his chin slightly.


    He had read this in the book but didn¡¯t know if it was correct. He nned to give it a try.


    Secretary Zhang looked at his smug expression and felt skeptical, not believing what he said.


    ¡°But didn¡¯t you say that women should be pampered and that everything is the man¡¯s fault?¡± Why did the atmosphere change now? The two of them were probably in a severe silent treatment this time.


    ¡°Things are different now. I¡¯ve been pampering her all this while. Look at how angry I am now,¡± Gu Shaoting said indignantly.


    Secretary Zhang looked at the man standing in front of the massive floor-to-ceiling windows of the tall building. His well-tailored ck suit exuded an air of nobility and elegance. Beneath his thick, jet-ck eyebrows, his narrow eyes gazed into the distance. Below his high-bridged nose, his thin lips moved slightly.<div>


    Even such a proud son of heaven could be thrown off bnce by love.


    When it came to love, everyone became an ordinary mortal.


    ¡°Mr. Gu, I may sound rude. I think Mrs. Gu is the most special person I¡¯ve ever met. Look at her. She¡¯s self-reliant, independent, and hardworking. She¡¯s not smug or showing off just because she married a rich husband. She¡¯s always been so low-key. It¡¯s indeed rare.¡±


    Hearing Secretary Zhang praise Shu Pan so much, Gu Shaoting couldn¡¯t help but say proudly, ¡°Of course, my woman is definitely the most special. Do I need you to say that?¡±


    Gu Shaoting asked.


    ¡°So you have to coax Mrs. Gu well. Otherwise, she¡¯s so perfect. If you can discover her goodness, so can others. What if¡­¡± Secretary Zhang stopped at this point. He knew Mr. Gu was clever and would definitely understand what he meant.


    Actually, Secretary Zhang was doing this for his own good. Every time something happened to Mr. Gu and Mrs. Gu, the people around would be the ones who suffered. For example, he would be the first.


    More than anyone else, he hoped for peace between Mr. Gu and Mrs. Gu so that he could have a better life.


    Gu Shaoting was stunned. That¡¯s right, he was in a silent treatment with Shu Pan. If her former pursuer took the opportunity to get in, wouldn¡¯t he lose more than he gained?


    Shaoting suddenly had a deep sense of crisis.

 Chapter 679: Flustered

    Chapter 679: Flustered<div>


    Editor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Seeing his boss stunned momentarily, Secretary Zhang guessed he had understood the rationale behind it all, and he finally heaved a sigh of relief.


    Gu Shaoting sat back in his seat, resting his chin on his hand as he pondered, and Secretary Zhang slowly left the office, seeing this.


    Gu Shaoting felt Secretary Zhang¡¯s words made sense. As a man, he could be flexible. What was the harm in being the first to give in?


    Why did he love her in the first ce?


    With that thought in mind, Gu Shaoting took out his phone and called Shu Pan.<div>


    The phone did not ring for long before it was picked up. Shu Pan¡¯szy and indifferent voice came from the other end. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡±


    Couldn¡¯t he call her for no reason?


    Gu Shaoting felt aggrieved. Why did his wife be like this recently? In the past, she would asionally call, gently asking him if he had eaten or rested. How about these few days? She became cold and indifferent.


    Was this the same person? Did she not love him anymore? Why didn¡¯t she care about him anymore?


    ¡°I want to tell you that I have an appointment tonight. Go pick up Joy.¡± Gu Shaoting finally found a reason to call her, which was in fact true.


    ¡°Alright, I understand.¡± Shu Pan still sounded very cold.


    Seeing Gu Shaoting not show an intention of apologizing, Shu Pan hung up the phone as soon as she finished speaking.


    On the other end of the line, Gu Shaoting heard the ¡°beep¡± sound of the phone and was so angry he nearly threw the phone at the wall.


    Gu Shaoting gritted his teeth, wondering if she found him annoying. Didn¡¯t she know that by calling her, he was already giving in? How unreasonable she was!


    Was she ying dumb? Wasn¡¯t she very clever? Why couldn¡¯t she guess his intentions?


    The more Gu Shaoting thought about it, the angrier he became. He wanted to argue with her when he got home tonight.


    After work, Shu Pan went to pick up Joy as usual.<div>


    Gu Shaoting had an appointment with someone to discuss some matters and had dinner.


    Secretary Zhang went with them.


    After the meal, the other party said they should go out for a drink and rx. If it were any other time, Gu Shaoting would definitely reject it because he wanted to go back to apany Shu Pan after work, and she didn¡¯t like to drink alone.


    But now that the two were in silent treatment, he purposely wanted to go. He wanted to see how she would react when he returned home.


    Gu Shaoting had only been sitting in the KTV for a short while before he grabbed his phone anxiously. He felt like ten thousand ws scratching at his heart, making him extremely ufortable. He wanted to call her several times but forced himself to resist the urge.


    Secretary Zhang looked at him and knew it had something to do with Shu Pan again. He dared not say anything and sat quietly at the side, pretending not to see it lest he identally be cannon fodder. After all, men trapped by love should not be provoked.


    Gu Shaoting wondered if Shu Pan didn¡¯t like him anymore. Why didn¡¯t she call to ask about him when he came out to socialize?


    If it was in the past, she would have called to ask about his well-being and told him not to drink.


    But now? It had been so long, why didn¡¯t she call?


    Frustrated and angry, Gu Shaoting was helpless and could not do anything but feel upset by himself.


    ¡°Secretary Zhang, do you think my attitude toward her has been bad recently?¡± Gu Shaoting looked hesitantly at Secretary Zhang.


    He was just feeling upset. He indeed couldn¡¯t bear to separate from Shu Pan.<div>


    Secretary Zhang scratched his head. He knew Mr. Gu would eventually ask him this question. To be honest, Mr. Gu had been a little proud recently. Most importantly, Mr. Gu had intentionally distanced himself from Shu Pan to make his presence felt.


    He was thinking of a better way to tell him.

 Chapter 680: Restoring Authority

    Chapter 680: Restoring Authority<div>


    Editor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Secretary Zhang felt that Mr. Gu might not be Shu Pan¡¯s match even if he told him. After all, women were the best at maintaining aloofness to increase their allure and draw the other person closer. They could endure not contacting a man for a long time, but not men, especially someone like Mr. Gu, who was more concerned about losses and gains.


    In fact, he felt that Mrs. Gu was an amodating person. Usually, she wouldn¡¯t make a fuss if the matter didn¡¯t go against her principles. Mr. Gu had done something wrong this time without showing a willingness to apologize. No wonder Mrs. Gu was angry.


    Secretary Zhang pondered for a while before he said slowly, ¡°Mr. Gu, women actually need to be coaxed. Don¡¯t take things seriously. Men should be more broad and open-minded. Just admit your mistake and coax her.¡±


    ¡°If that¡¯s the case, will she be even more demanding moving forward? I need to assert myself. She didn¡¯t take me seriouslytely,¡± Gu Shaoting argued defiantly. ¡°You didn¡¯t see how impatient she was with me. She hung up on me just after saying a few words.¡±


    Secretary Zhang gritted his teeth and added, ¡°Perhaps it¡¯s because of your attitude that she¡¯s feeling disheartened. I guess she has some thoughts on her mind now, which you may not be aware of. Once a woman¡¯s heart starts to harbor resentment toward a man, it¡¯s very difficult to turn things around.¡±<div>


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Gu Shaoting said with some irritation. ¡°I¡¯m not going to separate from Shu Pan.¡±


    ¡°But if you continue like this, there will be problems sooner orter,¡± said Secretary Zhang. ¡°Look, you don¡¯t even want to be separated from her. Since you know why she¡¯s angry, you need to prescribe her the right medicine. Stop giving her a cold shoulder, and always speak coldly. If this drags on, it¡¯ll hurt the rtionship between you two. If you wear away the remaining feelings, you can go to the Civil Affairs Bureau and break up.¡±


    Secretary Zhang deeply felt that he was a love expert. He had practically be Mr. Gu¡¯s consultant.


    ¡°Is that so?¡± Gu Shaoting started to feel a little uneasy. ¡°But it¡¯s not a big problem in the first ce, but she keeps harping on it. She¡¯s the person I love, but she pays attention to irrelevant people and things.¡±


    ¡°Mr. Gu,¡± Secretary Zhang said patiently. ¡°She was probably concerned about your attitude. You might think it irrelevant, but it¡¯s her principles and the bottom line in her eyes. It¡¯s best to put yourself in her shoes for issues like this. Matters rted to the bottom line are really hard topromise on.¡±


    ¡°But I¡¯ve also taken the initiative to call her and apologize, but her attitude was still the same. I really have no idea what to do,¡± Gu Shaoting said aggrievedly.


    ¡°That¡¯s why you have to work harder. Men have to be more patient when coaxing their wives. Lower your stance; you¡¯re acting a bit too proud.¡± Secretary Zhang felt that Gu Shaoting¡¯s emotional intelligence was still a bitcking.


    Gu Shaoting¡¯s face turned red. Secretary Zhang was right. ¡°Who are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°Mr. Gu, I¡¯m at fault. I identally said it.¡± Secretary Zhang quickly covered his mouth. It¡¯s inappropriate to talk about his boss being proud. He should have kept it to himself.


    ¡°Mr. Gu, what I mean is that if you don¡¯t take a step back and continue to maintain the stalemate, Mrs. Gu is a woman, sensitive and thin-skinned, and it will be impossible for you two to reconcile for the rest of your lives.¡±


    Gu Shaoting¡¯s heart turned cold after hearing Secretary Zhang¡¯s words.


    He thought for a moment, deciding that he should go back tonight and have a good chat with Shu Pan. Otherwise, if she was really angry and ignored him, what should he do?<div>


    However, how could he find a way out? He had to think about this carefully.


    It really proved that saying, ¡°Staying passive, one can avoid harm.¡±

 Chapter 681: Testing (1)

    Chapter 681: Testing (1)<div>


    Editor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Gu Shaoting sat there and thought for a while. Suddenly, he had an idea.


    After a while, all the business partners came into the KTV. Seeing Gu Shaoting sitting there with a dark face, everyone felt baffled.


    But everyone had also noticed Mr. Gu was not in a good mood today. They observed it during dinner. He wasn¡¯t much of a talker, to begin with, but now he even spoke less.


    The people who came in looked at each other, not daring to ask what had happened.


    However, Gu Shaoting noticed that everyone was acting strangely. He adjusted his mood and said, ¡°Sit down, and let¡¯s drink to our heart¡¯s content.¡±<div>


    Hearing him say that, the group of people drank without restraint.


    Around eight or nine o¡¯clock in the evening, Shu Pan was at home coaxing Joy to sleep. However, Joy kept looking for her father for some reason and refused to sleep.


    Shu Pan finally lost her patience. She reprimanded Joy, but she still said that she wanted her father.


    In the end, Shu Pan had no choice but to call Gu Shaoting in front of her.


    The call was connected after a while. In front of their daughter, Shu Pan maintained a very pleasant attitude and tone. She didn¡¯t want the child to have any other thoughts, as she believed that parents quarreling would be detrimental to her upbringing. Therefore, she spoke to him very gently and even asked him if he had eaten and when he would be back.


    Gu Shaoting suddenly saw that it was a call from Shu Pan and was secretly delighted. He thought to himself that Shupan finally couldn¡¯t take it anymore and called him.


    His male ego suddenly swelled.


    He simply did not care about the consequences.


    ¡°I¡¯ve told you that I have a business appointment tonight. Go to bed early, don¡¯t wait for me. I¡¯ll go back when it¡¯s time.¡± Gu Shaoting¡¯s tone was cold and a little impatient.


    ¡°No¡­¡± Shu Pan was yet to finish speaking when Gu Shaoting identally pressed the hang-up button. He wanted to call her back, but it was too noisy, and he didn¡¯t think there was anything, so he gave up.


    Shu Pan looked at the call that was hung up for no reason and was a little dumbfounded. What did Gu Shaoting mean?


    Did he not want to answer her call? Did he find her annoying? She could not figure out his intentions.<div>


    She looked at her anticipatory daughter andforted her, ¡°Daddy is busy now. Let¡¯s sleep first. Daddy will be back soon.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with Daddy recently? He doesn¡¯t send me to school or pick me up. He doesn¡¯t love me anymore?¡± Joy was very unhappy.


    ¡°No, of course, he loves you. It¡¯s just that he¡¯s been very busy recently, so he doesn¡¯t have time to pick you up. How about tomorrow? You ask him about it.¡± Shu Pan coaxed Joy but was cursing Gu Shaoting in her heart.


    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s sleep, Mommy.¡± Joy finallypromised.


    Shu Pan heaved a sigh of relief.


    Secretary Zhang by the side saw Gu Shaoting hang up the phone and heard his tone of voice. He broke out in a cold sweat for him.


    He felt like he was talking to a brick wall. What he had just said seemed utterly futile.


    He thought that Gu Shaoting had thought it through, but it ended up like this.


    The president by the side saw this and said, ¡°Mr. Gu, was it your wife you talked to on the phone? Amazing, how dare you say that! If it were my wife, she would definitely eat me up.¡±


    Gu Shaoting smiled as if he had a lot of experience. ¡°You must not spoil women. You can¡¯t indulge them too much, or they will act like a tyrant.¡±


    ¡°Amazing, amazing! You¡¯re really capable.¡± Everyone praised him.


    Gu Shaoting felt proud of himself.<div>


    But if he knew what would happen next, Gu Shaoting probably wouldn¡¯t think so.

 Chapter 682: Testing (2)

    Editor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Although Gu Shaoting thought so, he was still worried that Shu Pan would be angry.


    The other business partners called a few girls to apany them for drinks, each was beautiful and charming, with sweet tongues and eloquent speech.


    The others were all very interested, except Gu Shaoting, who was drinking quietly. He was not interested in these things and could not muster up any energy.


    The tawdry and unpleasant scent of perfume filled his nostrils.


    Looking at the woman sitting beside him, he could not help but frown. He subconsciously moved to the side to keep some distance between them.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about me. Do as you please.¡± Gu Shaoting said coldly. It was also the reason Gu Shaoting didn¡¯t like socializing because men would find many excuses and make mistakes.


    Gu Shaoting was a germaphobe, so he usually ignored those women.


    However, he was handsome, dressed in extraordinary clothes, and everyone was respectful to him. Those women in the hotel guessed he was not ordinary and thus all flocked to him.


    Gu Shaoting looked at the woman beside him, and an idea came to mind.


    He was worried that his clothes would not have enough perfume and thus specially asked someone to get some stronger perfume and spray it on his clothes.<div>


    This time, the smell of perfume lingered around his nose. It was very strong and did not dissipate for a long time.


    He was worried the smell would choke him, so he dared not breathe in too much. He had already sneezed several times.


    The various scents of perfume mixed with the smell of alcohol, evoking the atmosphere of a ce filled with romantic activities.


    Secretary Zhang looked at Gu Shaoting¡¯s actions and was puzzled, but he dared not ask.


    Around 11 pm, Gu Shaoting found an excuse to leave because it was gettingte.


    Now that he had calmed down, he was a little afraid. He wondered if Shu Pan was angry with him just now.


    After leaving the KTV, Gu Shaoting kept pulling at his clothes, repeatedly muttering to himself. He cursed deep down about the unpleasant smell while feeling satisfied to head home. Though he had been drinking, it was within his limits, and he was still rtively clear-headed. However, it was unsuitable for him to drive, so Secretary Zhang drove him back instead.


    When the car was about to reach Qiyuan, Gu Shaoting felt that the scent on his body seemedcking something. After he got out of the car, he lit a cigarette and started smoking. The sparks flickered in the darkness.


    It was already 11:30 pm when he got home.


    In addition to the light at the door, a smallmp in the living room also gave off a dim yellow light. Gu Shaoting was instantly stunned. It was a habit of Shu Pan. Every time he came backte, she would leave a light on for him.


    However, the entire house was silent. Obviously, everyone had fallen asleep and entered dreand.


    Gu Shaoting raised his hand to press the password, then lowered his head to check the smell on his body. After confirming there was no problem, he opened the door and changed his shoes.


    Pushing open the door of the master bedroom, Gu Shaoting saw Shu Pan lying on the bed with the help of the hazy night outside the window.


    The lights in the room were not switched on. There was a dim yellow light in front of her which was emitted by the phone screen.


    Gu Shaoting walked over. Shu Pan was a light sleeper, so she woke up immediately. ¡°You¡¯re back?¡±


    Shu Pan rubbed her sleepy eyes. She looked at her phone and fell asleep.


    Gu Shaoting nodded and didn¡¯t say anything.


    He stood by the bed and did not say anything. He was not in a hurry to take a shower either. Instead, he stood there, wanting to see if there was any change in Shu Pan¡¯s expression. He pretended to be busy and paced around the bed.<div>


    Why wasn¡¯t there any reaction? Didn¡¯t she smell the alcohol, tobo, and perfume on him?


    Gu Shaoting muttered in his heart and couldn¡¯t help but frown.

 Chapter 683: The Reaction

    Editor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Gu Shaoting was very puzzled. Why didn¡¯t Shu Pan feel anything at all?


    He looked at Shu Pan silently from the side. He even deliberately stayed for so long, but Shu Pan seemed indifferent.


    She only asked him a question indifferently and then turned to sleep again. Gu Shaoting was tremendously depressed. Why was it different from what he had imagined?


    Shouldn¡¯t Shu Pan be jealous when she smelled the perfume? And then denounce him?


    Why did she react in such a way? As if nothing had happened?


    Seeing Shu Pan had gone back to sleep, Gu Shaoting didn¡¯t want to disturb her. He took a set of pajamas and walked into the bathroom.


    To be honest, he was choked by the perfume on his body and wanted to wash it off quickly.


    Just as Gu Shaoting walked into the bathroom, Shu Pan slowly opened her eyes. Due to her pregnancy, she felt sleepy easily, but now she couldn¡¯t fall asleep at all.


    She felt like she had been exhausted all day,pletely drained of energy, yet she was still wide awake. She was disturbed by those perfume scents, unable to feel even the slightest drowsiness.


    She opened her eyes when she heard the sound and knew that Gu Shaoting had entered the bathroom. She didn¡¯t know how to face him. She felt a lump of cotton stuffed in her heart, making her very ufortable.<div>


    Shey for a while, gradually bing more sober. Then, she quietly lifted the nket and got out of bed. Feeling tired, she nearly stumbled to the floor, but she managed to hold onto the bed and sat for a moment before she stood up and walked. As she noticed some clothes Gu Shaotinge had just taken off lying on the floor, she bent down to pick them up, but as she did, a strong scent of perfume assaulted her nostrils.


    Shu Pan almost vomited. She held it in and put his clothes into theundry basket. It was the same jacket he used when leaving in the morning, except it was stained with a perfume pungent and a faint lipstick color.


    Shu Pan¡¯s eyes instantly dimmed. She knew very well how this was left behind.


    He had attended social gatherings before, but he had always kept himself clean.


    Was it because she was angry with him? Or was it because of something else? She was also a little uncertain.


    After a while, she heard some movement inside and knew he was about toe out. She quickly returned to the bed andy in her original position as if she did not get up.


    Gu Shaoting came out of the shower. He walked to the bed and saw Shu Pan was sleeping soundly and breathing steadily. He felt inexplicably puzzled.


    He only came back in the middle of the night with his body filled with perfume scent and alcohol after he went out to socialize. Why did she take it as if nothing had happened?


    It wasn¡¯t that she couldn¡¯t smell it, but she didn¡¯t care anymore. This realization deeply stirred Gu Shaoting.


    Was this how things were between them now?


    The more Gu Shaoting thought about it, the angrier he was. He pulled open the nket away andy beside Shu Pan.


    They had been sleeping separately recently, but he suddenly didn¡¯t want to now. He felt that Shu Pan was bing less and less concerned about him.


    After lying on the bed, he reached out and pulled Shu Pan into his arms. Shu Pan had long been awake. She was a little resistant and unwilling to lie in his arms. When she thought about what he had done tonight, Shu Pan felt a strong sense of repulsion deep within her.


    However, Gu Shaoting had more strength. He hugged her tightly, and Shu Pan could only give up resisting. A strong sense of sleepiness swept over her, and soon Shu Pan fell asleep in his arms.


    At this moment, Gu Shaoting opened his eyes and frowned. He could clearly feel her resistance just now. Was this how things had turned out between them?


    Was she not even willing to let him hug her?


    That night, Gu Shaoting didn¡¯t sleep the entire night.


    <div>

 Chapter 684: Depressed

    Chapter 684: Depressed


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    The following day, when Shu Pan woke up, Gu Shaoting was nowhere to be seen.


    After she washed up and came out of the living room, Auntie Li told her that Gu Shaoting had already sent Joy to school and told Aunty Li not to disturb her to let her sleep.


    Shu Pan nodded. It was good to satisfy that girl¡¯s wish. Otherwise, she would cause trouble again when she returned.


    While thinking about it, her stomach let out a growl. Shu Pan touched her belly and smiled.


    She sat down by the table and started taking some in congee.


    In the car, Joy was ¡°interrogating¡± Gu Shaoting.


    ¡°Daddy, you¡¯ve been very busytely. You don¡¯t even have time to pick me up. Don¡¯t you like me anymore?¡± Joy asked seriously.


    Gu Shaoting was stunned. He didn¡¯t expect Joy to ask this.


    ¡°Baby, what are you thinking? Of course, Daddy likes you,¡± Gu Shaoting quickly said.


    He had indeed neglected Joytely. ¡°Daddy has been busytely.¡± Gu Shaoting thought for a while and felt that this reason was more reasonable.


    ¡°No wonder Mommy said the same thing. I missed youst night and asked Mommy to call you. Why did you hang up?¡± Joy pouted, feeling aggrieved.


    Gu Shaoting was stunned. Shupan indeed called himst night, but he didn¡¯t know what he said then. As the environment was noisy, he hung up the phone. He didn¡¯t expect Joy to be the one who had asked Shu Pan to call him.


    It wasn¡¯t Shu Pan who had initiated to call him, but Joy who wanted her to call. Gu Shaoting suddenly felt very disappointed.


    After sending Joy to kindergarten, Gu Shaoting called Shu Pan.


    Shu Pan had already arrived at thepany. She did not answer the call because she had just walked away. When she returned to her ce and saw the missed call, she hesitated before calling back. She was worried that something was wrong with Joy.


    ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Shu Pan asked. There was no emotion in her tone.


    ¡°You¡¯ve arrived at thepany?¡± He had wanted to go back and pick her up.


    ¡°Yeah, I have to start work now. If there¡¯s nothing else, I¡¯ll hang up.¡± Shu Pan was about to hang up.


    ¡°Oh, let¡¯s have lunch together. How about it?¡± Gu Shaoting took a step back and said. He was alreadypromising.


    ¡°We¡¯ll talk about it when the timees.¡± Shu Pan was not interested.


    ¡°Alright.¡± Gu Shaoting hung up helplessly.


    Back in the office, Gu Shaoting¡¯s face darkened. He sat before his desk, looking like someone owed him a few million.


    Gu Shaoting had been in a bad mood recently and it was getting worse by the day. Everyone could probably tell, especially Secretary Zhang.


    ¡°Mr. Gu, we¡¯re going to sign the contract with the CEO of Gaoli today. Is this afternoon okay? I¡¯ll make an appointment in advance.¡± After Secretary Zhang came in and saw Gu Shaoting¡¯s expression, he screamed for help in his heart. However, he had no choice but to bite the bullet and go forward.


    Gu Shaoting didn¡¯t respond and just sat there motionlessly.


    Secretary Zhang had no choice but to repeat himself.


    Gu Shaoting looked at him. ¡°What? Sign a contract? Make it in the afternoon.¡±


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll make the arrangements now.¡± Seeing the atmosphere in the office so low, Secretary Zhang wanted to leave quickly.


    ¡°Secretary Zhang, wait a moment.¡± Just as he was about to leave, Gu Shaoting stopped him.


    ¡°How to coax a woman?¡± It was rare for Gu Shaoting to be so humble.


    Secretary Zhang was a little ttered. ¡°Mr. Gu, is it still about Mrs. Gu?¡±


    Obviously, this was the problem.


    ¡°Yeah, she¡¯s still very cold. I¡¯ve already lowered my stance very much.¡± Gu Shaoting was at his wit¡¯s end.


    ¡°Mr. Gu, you just need to find out why she¡¯s angry and prescribe the right medicine,¡± Secretary Zhang suggested.


    ¡°Why is she angry?¡± Gu Shaoting recalled the scene with Charlene that day.

 Chapter 685: Principles

    Chapter 685: Principles


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    ¡°Yeah, do you know why she¡¯s angry?¡± Secretary Zhang asked.


    ¡°Because of some misunderstanding,¡± said Gu Shaoting, avoiding the main point.


    ¡°Then just resolve the misunderstanding.¡± Secretary Zhang felt that this matter was indeed simple.


    ¡°I¡¯ve already exined, but she has refused to listen.¡± Gu Shaoting felt that Shu Pan was really going against him this time.


    ¡°That means you haven¡¯t found the crux of the matter yet,¡± Secretary Zhang said with certainty.


    Gu Shaoting was deep in thought. After a while, he told Secretary Zhang, ¡°Tell Charlene you¡¯re arranging for her to return to France. Her father misses her very much.¡±


    ¡°This¡­¡± Secretary Zhang could not react in time. Why did the topic change so quickly?


    ¡°Just do as I say,¡± Gu Shaoting said in an unquestionable tone.


    ¡°Alright.¡± Secretary Zhang nodded.


    Gu Shaoting felt that Shu Pan was upset about something. She was probably concerned about Charlene¡¯s existence, but he actually didn¡¯t mind. He just deemed it unnecessary to offend his business partners, and thus didn¡¯t take any action for so long.


    Secretary Zhang seemed to have understood something, but it was Mr. Gu¡¯s personal matter, after all. He couldn¡¯t say anything, so he could only let it be.


    At noon, Gu Shaoting called to ask Shu Pan out for lunch, but she had already eaten.


    Gu Shaoting felt that Shu Pan did it on purpose. Didn¡¯t he tell her this morning he wanted to eat with her? However, she had already eaten.


    In the afternoon, Gu Shaoting still had a dark expression. He had an appointment with the investor at the teahouse. As they left early, they soon arrived. However, the CEO of Gaoli waste for half an hour because of the traffic jam. When the investor arrived at the teahouse, Gu Shaoting tore the contract into pieces before him and threw it before him. There was no room for negotiation at all. He then left with Secretary Zhang.


    The investor was dumbfounded and didn¡¯t understand what had happened. Because he waste, he had wanted to exin to Mr. Gu, but he had left.


    The investor was anxious and chased after them, but their car had sped away.


    Secretary Zhang was also dumbfounded. Gu Shaoting¡¯s behavior in thepany really paled inparison to his behavior just now.


    ¡°Mr. Gu, we haven¡¯t signed the contract yet. We¡¯ve discussed this cooperation for a long time. How could we give up just like that?


    ¡°Don¡¯t cross my bottom line. Why can¡¯t they leave earlier for such an important matter? An ident can happen at any time. Why didn¡¯t they think about it?¡± Gu Shaoting wasn¡¯t in a good mood, to begin with, and now that he encountered such a situation, he would definitely make use of it to make a fuss.


    ¡°What if theye to thepany again?¡± Secretary Zhang was also ming the other party in his heart. They had been working well together, but it had turned out like this.


    ¡°We¡¯ll talk about itter. If they don¡¯t value something as important as signing a contract, you can imagine their attitude toward any issues that may arise in the future.¡± What Gu Shaoting said made sense.


    The two returned to thepany, and Gu Shaoting immediately dealt with the matter. Secretary Zhang looked at the time and found he was free, so he went to the Secretary pool area to deal with Charlene¡¯s problem.


    Everyone else had gone to work, and only Charlene was there.


    Secretary Zhang saw it as a good opportunity and did not beat around the bush.


    ¡°Charlene, you¡¯ve been learning for a while, right? I see you¡¯ve improved significantly recently, and I have nothing else to teach you.¡± Secretary Zhang¡¯s words were very clear.


    ¡°Is this Brother Gu¡¯s idea?¡± Although previously Charlene had said she wanted to go back, going back herself and being asked to go by others was different.

 Chapter 686: Losing His Temper

    Trantor:Nyoi-Bo StudioEditor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    ¡°Yeah, he figured that you¡¯ve been away from home for some time now and your parents miss you.¡± Mr. Zhang¡¯s exnation seemed reasonable.


    Charlene¡¯s displeasure was all over her face when she heard that it was Gu Shaoting¡¯s idea to send her home.


    Why was her Brother Gu so uncaring?


    It was because of Shu Pan that her Brother Gu wanted to get rid of her. Charlene¡¯s interpretation really saddened her.


    She assumed that Shu Pan would be upset after what happenedst time, but she didn¡¯t seem to be bothered by it and went about her life as usual.


    Shu Pan¡¯s nonchnt reaction already made Charlene very depressed. And her Brother Gu wanted to get rid of her now?


    She figured that it must be Shu Pan who influenced Gu Shaoting into getting rid of her.


    She hated Shu Pan to the bone.


    But to save her own face, Charlene went along with Mr. Zhang¡¯s exnation. ¡°True. I¡¯ll go home next week.¡±


    Mr. Zhang heaved a sigh of relief when he heard that. He thought that it would take a lot of effort to convince Charlene, but she was sensible after all.<div>


    After work, Gu Shaoting wanted to catch Shu Pan at her office so they could go home together but she had already left the office when he arrived.


    Gu Shaoting had no choice but to go home by himself.


    As it was rush hour, the roads in Bin City were very congested. Gu Shaoting sat frustratedly in his car.


    Cars were bumper to bumper on the road. The driver in front of Gu Shaoting suddenly braked causing him to brake as well. Despite his effort, his car kissed the bumper of the car in front of him.


    It wasn¡¯t a serious bump, and most people would let it go. But the owner of the car in front of Gu Shaoting insisted on gettingpensation.


    Gu Shaoting didn¡¯t get out of his car as he thought it was a small matter, but the attitude of the other driver made him fume.


    Gu Shaoting backed up his car slightly, stepped on the elerator and crashed into the other driver¡¯s car, denting his car boot.


    Gu Shaoting then opened his car door and got out. He looked at the other driver and said arrogantly, ¡°Tell me, how shall Ipensate you now?¡±


    The other driver was shocked. What was wrong with this guy? He was probably one of those rich a**holes.


    ¡°Happy now?¡± Gu Shaoting looked at the other driver and gave him his phone number.


    One would assume that Gu Shaoting would be calmer after venting his frustration on a fellow driver but he was still in a foul mood when he got home.


    Shu Pan wanted to walk away when she saw hime home but Gu Shaoting stopped her.


    ¡°Panpan? I have something to tell you.¡± Gu Shaoting looked at her with sincere eyes.


    ¡°I¡¯ve already arranged for Charlene to go home. I know that you¡¯re upset about what happened the other day. Will you simmer down now that she¡¯s leaving?¡± Gu Shaoting said humbly.


    Shu Pan was slightly stunned. She did not understand why he would do that. Yes, she was upset, but no woman would like it when her husband was intimate with another woman.


    She had been sulking the past few days, ruminating about Gu Shaoting¡¯s behavior. She didn¡¯t expect him to suddenly be enlightened. What a surprise¡­


    ¡°Why? Why did you do that? There¡¯s actually no need.¡± Shu Pan said.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want you to be upset. I know I was wrong. I didn¡¯t consider your feelings. I won¡¯t do it again. Can you forgive me, please?¡± Gu Shaoting said.<div>


    Shu Pan looked at him sincerely and nodded. ¡°Alright.¡±


    She was actually quite touched. At least he cared about her and understood why she was upset. Married couples need to tolerate asional misbehavior, but she just couldn¡¯t let it go. She hoped that Gu Shaoting could ept this character trait of hers.

 Chapter 687: Forgiveness

    Trantor:Nyoi-Bo StudioEditor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Gu Shaoting was ecstatic when he heard Shu Pan¡¯s agreement.


    His foul mood had finally disappeared.


    He couldn¡¯t help but walk up and hold Shu Pan¡¯s hand. He then said, ¡°Honey, I¡¯m really sorry that I¡¯ve caused you so much unhappinesstely.¡±


    Actually, Gu Shaoting realized now that it wasn¡¯t such a big deal. What was more important than their rtionship as husband and wife? He should have asked Charlene to go home long ago and not let Shu Pan get upset.


    But why was he so blind and stubborn? He yed hard ball with Shu Pan just to uphold his male pride¡­


    Gu Shaoting held his forehead and squeezed Shu Pan¡¯s hand.


    Shu Pan felt the pain and pouted, ¡°You¡¯re crushing my hand. It hurts.¡±


    Hearing Shu Pan¡¯s protest, Gu Shaoting came to his senses. He loosened his grip on her hand and held her in his arms.


    It seemed to be a while since he hugged her.


    Only now did things feel real.<div>


    Gu Shaoting recalled his recent behavior and felt ashamed. There was tension at work every day because of him. Everyone stayed as far as they could from him.


    But he didn¡¯t even think that it was his fault.


    What was even more ridiculous was him pretending that he had business functions after work and said that he would be homete when he was actually working in the office. He had deliberately workedte to avoid going home.


    But the frustrating thing was that even when he went homete, Shu Pan was indifferent. He felt like he was running in circles.


    After a few tries, he got tired of his one-man show.


    The fear in his heart deepened day by day because cracks in a rtionship would only grow bigger with time.


    He was also worried that he would make things worse. That was not his intention.


    Therefore, he quickly apologized. A man¡¯s apology to a woman only showed his magnanimity, not the loss of his dignity or pride.


    He should have understood this principle long ago. Then, he wouldn¡¯t have to go through so much trouble.


    ¡°Do you know what bothered me most? It was your attitude. I know that you have no feelings for her but she was interested in you. Didn¡¯t you know that? Or were you just turning a blind eye, assuming that everything was fine? Do you know that you¡¯ve actually given her the opportunity to destroy our rtionship?¡± Shu Pan looked at him affectionately.


    Gu Shaoting was stunned. He didn¡¯t think deeply about this at all. Men were more careless and seldom looked at rtionship problems so carefully.


    ¡°I know. I¡¯ll definitely put you first in the future. I really didn¡¯t think too much about it. I felt that it was fine as long as I was faithful to you. I just treated her like any other junior. My heart is actually very small. It can only hold you and no one else.¡± Gu Shaoting took the opportunity to profess his love for Shu Pan.


    Shu Pan¡¯s cheeks instantly flushed red. She did not expect him to say that.


    ¡°Let¡¯s see how you do in the future. If you are still like that, I won¡¯t forgive you.¡± Shu Pan dered solemnly.


    Gu Shaoting saw Shu Pan¡¯s serious expression and nodded.


    ¡°I understand. I promise I won¡¯t do it again.¡± Gu Shaoting raised his hand to his temple and made a swearing gesture.


    Shu Pan looked at him with a firm gaze. She didn¡¯t flinch at all or look guilty.


    Shu Pan thought about it and decided to put him on probation first. She would tell him about the pregnancy only when time was right.<div>

 Chapter 688: A Special Birthday Gift, Part 1

    Chapter 688: A Special Birthday Gift, Part 1


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    The right time Shu Pan was thinking about came soon.


    After the two of them made up, their days were calm and wonderful.


    Gu Shaoting became even more clingy and followed Shu Pan everywhere, making her feel a little stifled at times.


    After all, he cared about her and thought about her all the time.


    Today when Shu Pan saw someone carrying a birthday cake, she suddenly remembered that Gu Shaoting¡¯s birthday wasing up. Her memory had deteriorated since she got pregnant; she was very forgetful.


    Since his birthday wasing up, she needed to get him a gift. This man could be quite shameless sometimes. If he remembered it, he would probably pester her for a present.


    But what should she give him? A wallet? Shirt? Or a leather belt? She seemed to have given him those things before, she had to get him something different.


    Shu Pan sat pondering for a long time until an idea came to her. She knew what to give him. He would love the gift and would probably jump with joy when he got it.


    Shu Pan quickly went on with the preparations.<div>


    Gu Shaoting¡¯s birthday soon arrived. As he had something to deal with on that day, he had to leave the house. Auntie Li also had something to deal with at home, so she went back to her hometown for a few days. Joy¡¯s grandpa wasn¡¯t home either, so Shu Pan took leave from work to prepare her surprise for Gu Shaoting.


    Gu Shaoting was distracted the whole day after Shu Pan mentioned that she wasn¡¯t feeling well in the morning hence would take a day off from work. He couldn¡¯t help but wonder what Shu Pan would do¡­


    Finally, it was afternoon. At around 6 p.m., Gu Shaoting drove back to the vi.


    When he was near home, he regretted not going home earlier. What could be more important than Shu Pan? She must be all alone at home now. Joy was staying at her other grandfather¡¯s ce. Even the butler wasn¡¯t at home. He wondered what Shu Pan was doing with herself at home.


    Gu Shaoting got a little annoyed at the thought of it.


    He would call a restaurantter to have dinner delivered to the house. Shu Pan said that she wasn¡¯t feeling well, so she shouldn¡¯t trouble herself with cooking.


    After his car entered Qiyuan, he saw that the lights in the kitchen and living room were on. His heart started racing.


    Why was the kitchen light on? Was Shu Pan cooking?


    He could not help but frown. He felt that she shouldn¡¯t trouble herself when she wasn¡¯t feeling well.


    He parked the car and quickly got out. He took out his keys and opened the front door. As soon as he entered the house, he heard cooking sounds from the kitchen.


    He changed into his slippers at the foyer and took a few deep breaths before he walked into the kitchen.


    He knew that Shu Pan was the one cooking because she was the only person in the house.


    Even so, when he saw her beautiful back in the kitchen, he was stunned. He felt like he was in a dream in which Shu Pan wore a simple ponytail, a pair of light blue slippers, and a pink apron. She was holding a spat and was carefully tasting the food on it.


    After tasting the food, she felt that it was a little nd, so she added more salt. And then she tasted the food again¡­


    Gu Shaoting¡¯s gaze slowly softened as he watched her. He said, ¡°Honey, why are you cooking? It¡¯s hard work. Aren¡¯t you feeling unwell? Why aren¡¯t you resting?¡±


    Shu Pan was startled by his sudden words that her entire body shook. She turned around and saw hisrge eyes staring at her. She couldn¡¯t help but pat her chest and said, ¡°When did you get home? You nearly startled me to death.¡±


    Shu Pan was so focused on cooking that she didn¡¯t even notice that he hade home and was standing behind her. Today was his birthday. She lied in the morning that she wasn¡¯t feeling well, so she could prepare his birthday surprise at home.

 Chapter 689: A Special Birthday Gift, Part 2

    Chapter 689: A Special Birthday Gift, Part 2


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Shu Pan couldn¡¯t be med for not hearing Gu Shaoting walk into the kitchen. The cooker hood was very loud. Coupled with the stir-frying sounds, Shu Pan really couldn¡¯t hear anything else.


    Gu Shaoting wrapped his arms around Shu Pan from behind. ¡°What delicious food are you making?¡±


    Shu Pan wanted to forget about the arms around her waist but it was difficult to ignore the heat from his hands.


    ¡°I¡¯m making your favorite sweet and sour pork ribs.¡± Shu Pan¡¯s eyes revealed a bright smile.


    Gu Shaoting looked at the ribs in the wok and felt quite touched. After all, if Shu Pan wasn¡¯t at home, he would be home alone staring at the walls.


    ¡°Wow, I love sweet and sour pork ribs.¡± Gu Shaoting tightened his arms around her.


    ¡°I know. You¡¯re the VVIP today, so I¡¯m making your favorite dishes. You can ask for anything today.¡± Shu Pan said indulgingly. ¡°What else would you like to eat? Tell me. I¡¯ll satisfy your requests today.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Gu Shaoting still didn¡¯t get it. After all, he was a very busy CEO with no bandwidth to remember any romantic dates¡­ He definitely didn¡¯t pay much attention to birthdays.


    ¡°Silly, today is your birthday. Don¡¯t you remember?¡± Shu Pan reminded him. Seeing his confused face, she knew that he had indeed forgotten.<div>


    ¡°Oh right, I forgot.¡± Gu Shaoting was too preupied with the recent fight he had with Shu Pan that he was in no mood to remember such things.


    ¡°Then what else does the birthday boy want to eat? You¡¯ve been working hardtely. I think you¡¯ve lost weight. It makes my heart ache.¡±


    Gu Shaoting felt like he was on cloud nine. He touched his face as he said, ¡°At least you noticed that I¡¯ve lost weight. Because of our recent fight, I couldn¡¯t eat or sleep well. I don¡¯t want to go through that ever again.¡±


    Gu Shaoting¡¯s voice was full of grievance.


    ¡°I was also in a fit of anger then. But every night when it was quiet, I would miss you.¡± Shu Pan continued with a smile, ¡°I know that it¡¯s your birthday today, so I took a day off to shop for ingredients to make you a delicious meal.¡±


    The thought did cross Gu Shaoting¡¯s mind. If he hadn¡¯tpromised and Shu Pan decided to ignore him forever, how would he live? He had to do something to end the fight.


    Now that he realized that she cared so much about him, he couldn¡¯t feel any grievances. On the contrary, his heart was filled with warmth.


    Suddenly, he smelled a burnt smell. ¡°The gravy around the pork ribs has been reduced so much. Are they burnt? I wonder if they are still edible¡­¡±


    ¡°Darn. This is all your fault. You distracted me.¡± Shu Pan quickly turned off the stove when she saw the almost dry wok.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. As long as it¡¯s made by you, I will love it.¡± Gu Shaoting pouted and said coquettishly.


    ¡°Alright then. Even if the ribs don¡¯t taste good, you must try your best to finish them because I made them specially for you.¡± Shu Pan replied sweetly with loving eyes.


    Gu Shaoting¡¯s heart stirred. No matter how the dish turned out, he would happily eat it.


    ¡°Do you want to take a shower and change out of your clothes first? I still have two more dishes to cook before we can eat.¡± Shu Pan was still suffering from morning sickness but the baby probably knew that today was his father¡¯s birthday, so he had been more cooperative. Shu Pan only felt slightly nauseated but she did not vomit.


    With that, Shu Pan tiptoed and turned around to kiss the corner of his mouth. ¡°Hubby, did you miss me when we were fighting?¡±


    She seldom called him ¡°hubby¡±, so he was a little lost as he felt his heart melt.

 Chapter 690: A Special Birthday Gift, Part 3

    Chapter 690: A Special Birthday Gift, Part 3


    Trantor:Nyoi-Bo StudioEditor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    ¡°Of course. I missed you every day.¡± Gu Shaoting stuttered after hearing such a blunt question from Shu Pan.


    He then ran into the bathroom to take a shower.


    Shu Pan couldn¡¯t help but burst outughing when she saw him scurry away.


    Gu Shaoting stood under the shower and let the hot water ssh down on him.


    He felt his entire body rxed. No matter how good life got outside, it was nothingpared to his life at home, especially when he had a wife and daughter at home.


    Gu Shaoting smiled at the thought of enjoying the meal that Shu Pan had painstakingly made for him with loveter.


    He showered as quickly as he could and came out dressed in home wear.


    Shu Pan worked quickly too and got three dishes and a soup ready when he came out. They were all Gu Shaoting¡¯s favorite dishes.


    After everything was ready, Shu Pan went into the bathroom to take a shower too. After all, it was ufortable feeling sticky. She came out in a light blue dress.<div>


    Gu Shaoting had been eating sumptuous meals outside for the past few days. He was very happy eating Shu Pan¡¯s home-cooked dishes now. He felt that they tasted exceptionally delicious.


    ¡°Eat more.¡± Shu Pan kept putting food into his bowl.


    Gu Shaoting ate a mouthful of rice and then picked up some food for Shu Pan.


    The two of them finished dinner quickly.


    Shu Pan was about to clear the dishes when Gu Shaoting stopped her. ¡°You¡¯ve worked hard cooking today. Let me do the cleaning.¡±


    Shu Pan looked at him in surprise. The sun must have risen from the west for Gu Shaoting to volunteer himself for housework.


    ¡°Don¡¯t look at me like that. I¡¯m being sincere.¡± Gu Shaoting thought that Shu Pan didn¡¯t believe him.


    ¡°Okay. Since you¡¯re so sincere, I have a surprise for youter. Hurry up and get to work.¡± Shu Pan also liked to keep people in suspense.


    ¡°What kind of surprise?¡± Gu Shaoting couldn¡¯t help but ask.


    ¡°You¡¯ll knowter.¡± Shu Pan shook her head with a smile. She was arousing his curiosity on purpose.


    Gu Shaoting quickly cleared the dishes and went into the kitchen.


    When he came back out into the living room, Shu Pan was ready.


    Gu Shaoting sat down beside her. ¡°Is it time for my surprise now?¡±


    He couldn¡¯t wait to find out what it was.


    Shu Pan mysteriously took out a beautifully wrapped gift from behind her back and slowly handed it to him. ¡°Open it and see what it is.¡±


    Gu Shaoting took the package quickly and opened it in front of Shu Pan.


    After unwrapping the gift, Gu Shaoting couldn¡¯t help but frown. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡±


    Inside the package was Shu Pan pregnancy test kit with two red bars on it and an ultrasound report that showed that the baby already had a heartbeat.


    But Gu Shaoting had never seen these things before, so he was very puzzled why Shu Pan gave him such gifts.<div>


    Shu Pan felt that this man¡¯s EQ was terrifyingly low.


    ¡°Look at the ultrasound picture again.¡± Shu Pan couldn¡¯t help but roll her eyes at him, but she had to prompt him.


    Gu Shaoting examined the ultrasound picture for a long time before he said, ¡°Why is everything so dark?¡±


    Suddenly, Gu Shaoting saw the ultrasound report. It showed that Shu Pan was pregnant. He finally understood it.<div>


    ¡°Honey, this¡­ You¡¯re¡­¡± Gu Shaoting stuttered. This news really shocked him.


    Shu Pan nodded shyly. Gu Shaoting excitedly picked her up and spun her around.


    ¡°Put me down. I feel dizzy.¡± Shu Pan protested.


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯m sorry. Are you okay?¡± Gu Shaoting quickly put her down.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m fine.¡±


    ¡°Honey, this is the best birthday present I¡¯ve ever received.¡± Gu Shaoting¡¯s excitement didn¡¯t diminish for a long time.

 Chapter 691: Getting Nervous

    Chapter 691: Getting Nervous


    Trantor:Nyoi-Bo StudioEditor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m very happy too. Our baby has finally arrived,¡± Shu Pan said happily, looking at him.


    ¡°This is so great,¡± Gu Shaoting said excitedly. He didn¡¯t expect Shu Pan to give him such a big surprise.


    Shu Pan looked at him with a smile. She knew that he would be very happy.


    ¡°Do you feel okay?¡± Gu Shaoting asked suddenly as he recalled seeing on TV or in books that women felt sick when pregnant. Something about vomiting as soon as they were pregnant.


    ¡°I¡¯m feeling better now. My morning sickness was bad earlier on,¡± Shu Pan answered honestly.


    ¡°Nonsense. Why didn¡¯t you tell me that you were pregnant?¡± Gu Shaoting said a little reproachfully. How dare she? What if something went wrong?


    Didn¡¯t it ur to Mr. Gu that they were fighting back then? How could she tell him? If he hadn¡¯t apologized, she probably wouldn¡¯t have told him yet.


    Shu Panined in her heart.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t I just tell you? I was just worried that you¡¯ll be over-anxious.¡± Shu Pan found a good excuse and sessfully convinced Gu Shaoting.<div>


    ¡°In any case, you must tell me when you feel unwell, okay?¡± Gu Shaoting was obviously one ¡°Mr. Nervous.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡± Shu Pan nodded.


    When they got ready for bed that night, Shu Pan fell asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow because she had been busy all day, and pregnancy caused sleepiness.


    But Gu Shaoting wasn¡¯t sleepy at all. The news of Shu Pan¡¯s pregnancy kept appearing in his mind.


    He couldn¡¯t help but grin like a fool.


    He had been looking forward to it for so long. He regretted not being there when Joy was born.


    Fortunately, the heavens favored him and gave him another opportunity.


    When he heard the sound of Shu Pan¡¯s steady breathing, he knew that she had fallen asleep.


    He slowly sat up and gently ced his hand on Shu Pan¡¯s belly. Although her belly was still t, Gu Shaoting seemed to have a connection with the baby. He seemed to feel his heartbeat.


    ¡°Baby, I¡¯m your father. Can you feel me? This is our first meeting. You must be good and not torture your mother, okay? Otherwise, I¡¯ll spank you when you get out,¡± Gu Shaoting muttered foolishly to himself.


    He just stared at Shu Pan¡¯s belly and did not want to move at all. He felt that no matter how long he stared at it, it would not be enough.


    And just like that, Shu Pan slept till dawn while Gu Shaoting didn¡¯t sleep a wink.


    The next day, the sun shone brightly, and the weather was exceptionally good.


    When Shu Pan opened her eyes, the sunlight had already filtered into the room.


    Just then, Gu Shaoting walked in with a tray of food.


    Shu Pan was a little stunned, unable to understand his actions.


    ¡°Why are you up so early? And why did you bring the congee in?¡±


    ¡°You should get up quickly. I¡¯ve checked the books. This abalone congee cooked in vegetable broth is very good for both mother and baby,¡± Gu Shaoting said seriously.


    Shu Pan didn¡¯t know whether tough or cry when she heard that.<div>


    What was more surprising was that he checked the books¡­ That was a little too efficient.


    Because Gu Shaoting had never seen through a pregnancy before, he decided to make up for hisck of knowledge in theing days. He would probably be an expert by the time the baby was born.


    Gu Shaoting urged Shu Pan when he saw that she had no intention of getting up, ¡°Get up and wash up. You can take a nap after you finish your congee.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡± Shu Pan had no choice but to get up under Gu Shaoting¡¯s gaze.<div>


    It felt quite good to be cared for so meticulously.

 Chapter 692: Best Husband Ever

    Chapter 692: Best Husband Ever


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Shu Pan went into the bathroom and washed up quickly.


    When she came out, she saw Gu Shaoting blowing on the congee. He was probably worried that it was too hot to be eaten.


    Shu Pan walked over. Gu Shaoting scooped a spoonful of congee and brought it to her mouth. ¡°Open your mouth.¡±


    Shu Pan smiled. ¡°Mr. Gu, are you going to feed me?¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it obvious? Come, eat quickly. Don¡¯t stay hungry.¡± Gu Shaoting coaxed her.


    Shu Pan discovered that she was starting to enjoy her pregnancy.


    He didn¡¯t have to do these things himself, yet he wanted to feed her now.


    Shu Pan felt that if Gu Shaoting continued to pamper her like that, she would be an invalid.


    Shu Pan opened her mouth and took a bite. She then looked up at him and smiled. ¡°You¡¯ll spoil us rotten.¡±<div>


    ¡°I¡¯m your husband and the baby¡¯s father. Who should I pamper if not you two?¡± Gu Shaoting said with a dark face. If he didn¡¯t take good care of the mother and son, was he going to let other another man get close to Shu Pan?


    ¡°Then I should give you a sash that says, ¡®Best Husband Ever¡¯,¡± Shu Pan teased.


    He had been stressed since he found out that she was pregnant. She was slightly worried about hising days.


    Gu Shaoting pinched her cute nose and said, ¡°Cheeky monkey.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m wondering if I¡¯m carrying a boy or a girl.¡± Shu Pan blinked and looked at Gu Shaoting. ¡°By the way, does Mr. Gu prefer boy or girl?¡±


    It seemedmon for expectant parents to share this interest of guessing the gender of their baby.


    ¡°I don¡¯t mind either,¡± he replied.


    He would be very happy whether it was a boy or a girl as long as Shu Pan was the mother of his child.


    ¡°I wish I could give Joy a younger brother and a younger sister at the same time.¡± Shu Pan tilted her head and said foolishly. That way, her children would never be lonely.


    ¡°Do you think you¡¯re a pig?¡± Hearing her childish and cute words, Gu Shaoting couldn¡¯t help butugh.


    Gu Shaoting looked really good when he smiled. His shapely eyebrows were lifted, his sexy thin lips were slightly curved, and his facial expression softened a lot. It was as if his smile could melt ciers and snow.


    Unfortunately, he was usually cold and aloof. He rarely smiled. She rarely saw him smile andugh so happily.


    Shu Pan suddenly wanted to kiss him and quietly nted a kiss on his cheek.


    ¡°Shu Pan, no fooling around.¡± Gu Shaoting stepped back and pushed her away. The consequences would be very serious if she seduced him now.


    ¡°When have I fooled around?¡± Shu Pan muttered innocently.


    She only wanted to kiss him and nothing more. What did he mean when he said no fooling around?


    Did he think that she was seducing him?


    Gu Shaoting then said, ¡°Just rest at home. Don¡¯t go anywhere. Be good.¡±


    Shu Pan pouted and pretended to look unhappy. ¡°So controlling.¡±<div>


    On this day, Shu Pan really didn¡¯t go anywhere. It was mainly because she felt tired that she stayed at home obediently.


    After Gu Shaoting went to work, he called home every hour. Shu Pan suddenly regretted telling him about her pregnancy so soon.


    She heard from Ye Xiaomeng that He Ming was the same when he found out that she was pregnant. It turned out that their men behaved the same way.


    At first, Shu Pan was very patient when she answered his calls and reported everything to him. Later, she became impatient, mainly because he asked too many questions.<div>


    Gu Shaoting arrived home before knocking-off time. Shu Pan was stunned when she saw him. It was rare for this man to leave work early.

 Chapter 693: The Pregnant Woman Wins

    Chapter 693: The Pregnant Woman Wins


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    ¡°Why are you home so early?¡± Shu Pan couldn¡¯t help but ask.


    ¡°I¡¯m picking you up to go out for dinner.¡± Gu Shaoting said righteously.


    ¡°Huh?¡± Shu Pan was puzzled. Why did he suddenly want to eat out?


    ¡°He Ming arranged it. He and Xiaomeng are about to leave for the restaurant.¡± Gu Shaoting didn¡¯t beat around the bush.


    ¡°Alright then.¡± The main reason Shu Pan agreed was that she wanted to see Xiaomeng because she hadn¡¯t told her best friend that she was pregnant.


    When the two of them arrived at their private room at the restaurant, He Ming and Xiaomeng were already there.


    ¡°Girl, please sit.¡± Ye Xiaomeng said happily when she saw Shu Pan. She had been really busy with her wedding preparations.


    Shu Pan sat down next to Xiaomeng.


    ¡°How are the wedding preparations going?¡± Shu Pan asked with concern. Because she had been through it before, she knew how much hard work it was.<div>


    ¡°Don¡¯t bring it up. It¡¯s so tiring that I don¡¯t want to get married anymore.¡± Ye Xiaomeng always knew how to shock people with her words.


    He Ming, who was sitting next to Xiao Meng, was shocked. ¡°Xiaomeng, what nonsense are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°Haha, I¡¯m sorry. It¡¯s just a metaphor.¡± Only then did Ye Xiaomeng realize what she had said the wrong thing.


    ¡°Don¡¯t say such things in the future. You are going to be a mother soon. Be more mature.¡± He Ming reprimanded. He was extremely sensitive nowadays and got nervous at the slightest sign of trouble.


    ¡°Okay.¡± Ye Xiaomeng stuck her tongue out at him.


    Shu Pan nodded helplessly when she heard that. Such friendly duels between these two.


    Their dishes arrived. They were having a Kobe beef-themed dinner. The barbequed beef was tender and fresh. Shu Pan and Ye Xiaomeng had never eaten such delicious beef before.


    Ye Xiaomeng used to throw up everything she ate and would walk away whenever she saw meat. Now that she was finally in her second trimester, everything she ate tasted good. That was why He Ming had ordered top-grade beef to help her replenish her energy.


    Shu Pan¡¯s appetite wasn¡¯t too bad today. Her baby was quite considerate and did not torture her.


    ¡°Come, Panpan, eat more.¡± Gu Shaoting kept putting food into Shu Pan¡¯s bowl. Ye Xiaomeng was a little envious.


    She nced at He Ming, who reacted quickly and picked up a piece of beef for Ye Xiaomeng. ¡°Eat more. You¡¯re eating for two now.¡±


    Ye Xiaomeng was quite touched until she heard hisst sentence. She couldn¡¯t help but retort, ¡°Are you asking me to eat more only because of the baby?¡±


    He Ming sighed helplessly. Pregnant women were really hard to please. They were too sensitive and tended to misinterpret words.


    ¡°Sweetheart, I care about you as well as the baby.¡± He Ming coaxed her.


    ¡°Hmph.¡± Ye Xiaomeng did not believe his sugar-coated words.


    ¡°Xiaomeng, stop being difficult.¡± Shu Pan couldn¡¯t stand it anymore. So, this was how her best friend treated He Ming. No wonder He Ming seemed to have lost weight.


    ¡°Shu Pan, it¡¯s okay. As long as Xiaomeng is happy¡­¡± He Ming said indifferently with a smile.


    Shu Pan was suddenly too embarrassed to say more, but she was happy for Xiaomeng. After all, she had found someone who cared deeply about her.


    ¡°Panpan, open your mouth. I¡¯ll feed you.¡± Gu Shaoting leaned over again.<div>


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to eat anymore. I¡¯ve had enough meat.¡± Shu Pan pushed his chopsticks away.


    ¡°How is that possible? You haven¡¯t eaten much, and the beef isn¡¯t greasy.¡± Gu Shaoting tried to persuade her. Shu Pan used to love beef.


    ¡°I¡¯m a little sick of it. I can¡¯t eat anymore. I¡¯ll throw up if I do. I would like to have some vegetables and fruits now.¡± Shu Pan frowned.


    ¡°Enough. Aren¡¯t you two a bit much? There are other people here, okay?¡± Ye Xiaomengined.<div>


    Gu Shaoting said calmly, ¡°Didn¡¯t you guys disgust me with your lovey-dovey back then? Did Iin?¡±


    Gu Shaoting retorted. He ignored Xiaomeng and turned thezy Susan to get fruits and vegetables for Shu Pan.

 Chapter 694: Difficult to Put Into Words

    Chapter 694: Difficult to Put Into Words


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    ¡°Brother Ting, I¡¯m sorry. This is typical of pregnant women. They¡¯re more sensitive and like filling leaky buckets. Their mood is like the weather in spring ¨C totally unpredictable.¡± He Ming leaned over and whispered in Gu Shaoting¡¯s ear, sharing histest insight.


    In short, pregnant women were difficult. One just had to go along with them. Xiaomeng was now He Ming¡¯s empress dowager.


    Shu Pan didn¡¯t touch the beef after she ate some fruits.


    Ye Xiaomeng was confused, so she asked, ¡°Girl, what¡¯s wrong? Isn¡¯t beef your favorite?¡±


    ¡°Panpan is pregnant.¡± Gu Shaoting¡¯s tone was t but his eyes were smiling. He finally didn¡¯t have to put up with He Ming¡¯s bragging. His wife was also pregnant now. One must admit that men were just so childish sometimes.


    ¡°Wow, really? You are pregnant? That¡¯s great.¡± Ye Xiaomeng was stunned for a moment before she responded.


    ¡°Yes, I am.¡± Shu Pan was a little shy to talk about this in public.


    ¡°Congrattions, Brother Ting. I didn¡¯t expect you to be so fast.¡± He Ming teased.


    ¡°But of course.¡± Gu Shaoting affectionally put his arm around Shu Pan¡¯s shoulders.<div>


    They had been working very hard, so their chances of hitting the jackpot were high.


    Shu Pan had mixed feelings though. They had been working on having a baby for a long time but they had encountered some difficulties in their rtionship. She was d that things had finally blown over.


    ¡°This is so great. It¡¯s indeed something worth celebrating.¡± Ye Xiaomeng said happily.


    After dinner, everyone went home.


    Not long after Shu Pan arrived home, she got a call from Gu Huanhuan.


    She was a little surprised. They hadn¡¯t been in touch for a while because Gu Huanhuan had gone overseas to film.


    ¡°Cousin-inw, do you have a minute?¡± Gu Huanhuan¡¯s youthful voice came from the other end of the phone.


    ¡°Hi, Huanhuan. Yes. We just got home and it¡¯s not yet bedtime for us.¡± Shu Pan looked at the time and saw that it was only 9 p.m. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡±


    Shu Pan knew that Gu Huanhuan wasn¡¯t someone who called for no reason.


    ¡°Um¡­ Cousin-inw, do you know any good gynecologist?¡± Gu Huanhuan found it difficult to put into words what she wanted to say. It was a rather private matter.


    ¡°Yes, in a way.¡± Shu Pan thought for a moment. Wen Chi was a famous OBGYN.


    ¡°Cousin-inw, is your friend dependable? I feel a little ufortable down there and would like to consult a doctor. Please refer me if you know someone. I¡¯m afraid that I¡¯ll be found out if I went shopping for a gynecologist.¡± Gu Huanhuan felt extremely unlucky. The weather was cold and humid at her filming location. She had been there for more than a month and was feeling an unbearable itch in herher region. It was probably a yeast infection.


    ¡°Very dependable. When are youing back? I¡¯ll help you set up an appointment.¡± Shu Pan was going to refer Huanhuan to Wen Chi, who was an expert in this area. If Huanhuan was shy, she would ask Wen Chi to refer her to another gynecologist.


    ¡°Thank you, cousin-inw. But your contact is dependable, right? She won¡¯t leak the fact that I¡¯ve visited a gynecologist?¡± Gu Huanhuan said uneasily. ¡°I¡¯m sort of a public figure now. If word gets out that I went to a gynecologist, reporters and the media will surely write nonsense about me having an abortion, being promiscuous and rubbish like that.¡±


    ¡°No. He¡¯s very strict about patient confidentiality. Don¡¯t worry, he is a dependable person.¡± Shu Pan understood Wen Chi. He was not a gossip and he disdained gossips. He had high ethical standards.


    ¡°That¡¯s great. I¡¯ll probably be home the day after tomorrow. I¡¯ll look for you then.¡± Gu Huanhuan was relieved. This was an urgent matter and she couldn¡¯t wait to go home immediately after her filming wrapped.


    ¡°Sure. I¡¯ll set things up when you are back.¡± Shu Pan nodded.


    The two of them chatted for a while before they hung up.


    <div>

 Chapter 695: A Male Doctor?

    Chapter 695: A Male Doctor?


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Shu Pan had just ended the call with Gu Huanhuan when Gu Shaoting walked in.


    ¡°Who¡¯s calling you sote at night?¡± Gu Shaoting heard her talking on the phone from outside.


    ¡°It was Huanhuan.¡± Shu Pan replied.


    ¡°Is she in trouble again?¡± Gu Shaoting frowned, thinking that his cousin would only call them when she was in trouble.


    ¡°No, she has some private matters to discuss with me. She¡¯s a celebrity, so she can¡¯t do certain things on her own.¡± Shu Pan answered vaguely. After all, it was best not to tell him about such things.


    ¡°Oh, please. She¡¯s a celebrity? She¡¯s just a silly girl messing around.¡± Gu Shaoting¡¯s tone was full of affection.


    ¡°Don¡¯t say that in front of her. Huanhuan will get upset with you.¡± Shu Pan smiled.


    Two dayster, Gu Huanhuan returned. She wore a mask to the hospital and Shu Pan brought her to the obstetrics and gynecology department.


    Shu Pan had already asked Wen Chi for the favor earlier and Wen Chi had referred her to another gynecologist.<div>


    On the way, Gu Huanhuan asked, ¡°Cousin-inw, is the doctor a woman?¡±


    After all, she was still a virgin, so she felt awkward if her gynecologist was a man.


    ¡°Yes. My friend rmended her. You¡¯ve met my friend before. At my wedding.¡± Shu Pan nced at Gu Huanhuan. ¡°I won¡¯t let a male doctor to examine you.¡±


    Gu Huanhuan held Shu Pan¡¯s arm tightly with a smile. It was so nice to have a cousin-inw. As the only child, Gu Huanhuan did not have any sisters. He had a cousin but he was a man after all, and there were many things she couldn¡¯t tell him. Now that she had Shu Pan, who was her cousin-inw as well as an elder sister, she could tell her things.


    When they arrived at the OBGYN department, Shu Pan suddenly got a call. After answering it, she turned around and said awkwardly, ¡°The doctor who was supposed to see you was called into ast-minute operation. The patient¡¯s case is quiteplicated and many doctors have been called in to help. The surgery would probably take a while, so she asked another doctor to see you.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine as long as it¡¯s someone dependable.¡± Gu Huanhuan was feeling the unbearable itch now. All she wanted was to get well as soon as possible.


    ¡°Is it Dr. Chen?¡±


    At this moment, the ss door slid open and an elegant figure in a long white coat appeared before them. He had charming, almond-shaped eyes and an attractive, smiley face. Cute eyebags appeared below his eyes when he smiled. He looked tired but sexy.


    ¡°Chi, you are still at work?¡± Shu Pan knew that Wen Chi was working the night shiftst night, so she didn¡¯t look him up. She didn¡¯t expect to see him here.


    Wen Chi said with a smile, ¡°I haven¡¯t left yet. I just finished my work.¡± In fact, he knew that Shu Pan wasing today, so he purposely came here to run into her.


    They hadn¡¯t seen each other for some time.


    Gu Huanhuan¡¯s first reaction when she saw Wen Chi was to wonder if this man was her cousin-inw¡¯s friend. Was he the man at her wedding? Was he also a doctor? What specialty?


    Her second reaction was to wonder if he was the doctor who would examine her¡­ A male doctor?


    But, Shu Pan had already told her that she was seeing a female doctor¡­ She shouldn¡¯t scare herself.


    ¡°Is Dr. Chen here?¡± Shu Pan asked.


    ¡°They¡¯re all in the operating theater. There¡¯s only me and another senior resident here now.¡± Wen Chi said.


    ¡°I brought my friend here today for a checkup. Is the other doctor around?¡± Shu Pan asked awkwardly. After all, Wen Chi was an expert in this area, but¡­ She wasn¡¯t discriminating against male doctors. She knew that Wen Chi was a good doctor. It was only because Huanhuan would feel awkward with a male doctor.


    Wen Chi smiled gently. He understood Shu Pan¡¯s concern. He said nonchntly, ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll get her to examine your friend. You can bring the results to meter for a second opinion.¡±


    After all, the patient was Shu Pan¡¯s friend. Wen Chi would do his best for her.<div>

 Chapter 696: It’s An Honor

    Chapter 696: It¡¯s An Honor


    Trantor:Nyoi-Bo StudioEditor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Shu Pan gave Wen Chi a grateful look. That would be so great. Huanhuan could avoid the embarrassment and Chi, who could solve any problem, could treat her.


    Gu Huanhuan still felt a little embarrassed. After all, it was awkward for her to bring up her problem.


    Her head hurt just thinking about how she would tell a doctor about it.


    Shortly after, a female doctor from the same department came in and got up to speed with Gu Huanhuan¡¯s case. She then brought Gu Huanhuan to an examination room for a checkup.


    ¡°Wait here for a while. When the results are out, show it to Dr. Wen.¡± The female doctor left after giving her instructions.


    But Gu Huanhuan could not be calm now; she was very nervous. ¡°Cousin-inw, how did I end up seeing a male doctor?¡±


    Shu Pan patted her shoulder andforted her. ¡°Huanhuan, don¡¯t be nervous. I didn¡¯t know that this would happen too. But in the face of illness, it doesn¡¯t matter if the doctor is a woman or a man. Besides, Wen Chi is a very good doctor. He did all my prenatal checkups when I was pregnant with Joy. Although he¡¯s a man, he¡¯s a better OBGYN than most. I guarantee that you will get well under his care.¡±


    Gu Huanhuan said dejectedly, ¡°Sigh, looks like that¡¯s the only way now. Luckily he wasn¡¯t the one who examined me or I¡¯d have to find a hole in the ground to hide in.¡±


    ¡°Wen Chi is a really good doctor. It¡¯s an honor for him to treat you. His appointments are really hard to get. He¡¯s like a god. He graduated from a famous university and won several awards during his studies. He even went abroad to do his postgraduate. He¡¯s also young and handsome. His postgraduate school tried to keep him at their hospital but he didn¡¯t want to stay. He¡¯s one of the star doctors at this hospital now.¡±<div>


    Shu Pan said proudly to Gu Huanhuan. She also heard these things about Wen Chi when she came here for her prenatal checkups. Basically, people worshipped Wen Chi.


    Gu Huanhuan had serious doubts. How could such an outstanding man exist?


    She felt like Shu Pan was tooting Wen Chi¡¯s horn. To her, his peach blossom eyes and his yer looks didn¡¯t quite match the image of a star doctor.


    Shu Pan and Huanhuan waited inside the examination room for Huanhuan¡¯s test results. She gave her test report to Wen Chi with fear and anxiety. ¡°So, you¡¯re Shu Pan¡¯s friend? What¡¯s bothering you?¡± Wen Chi sat behind the desk in the consultation room, his voice crisp against the quiet room.


    Gu Huanhuan¡¯s face turned red when she heard the inevitable question. Fortunately, she was wearing a mask and her embarrassment couldn¡¯t be seen clearly. She stuttered, ¡°I was at a remote filming location for a month. That ce was humid, and we could hardly see the sun. I started feeling an itch down there some time back¡­¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± Wen Chi did not seem to notice her embarrassment and calmly asked the next question.


    ¡°Gu Huanhuan, ¡®Gu¡¯ as in taking care and ¡®Huan¡¯ as in like¡­¡±


    Gu Huanhuan lowered her head and looked at his writing hand. It was beautiful, fair, and his fingers were slender. Gu Huanhuan could not take her eyes off his hand.


    Putting everything else aside, his handwriting was as beautiful as his person.


    Wen Chi looked up after he finished writing into Gu Huanhuan¡¯s eyes. His thick and curled eyshes were like small fans. Gu Huanhuan felt her heart pound.


    A question suddenly popped up in Gu Huanhuan¡¯s mind. He worked at this department every day and looked at women¡¯sher regions all day. Would he still be interested in sex?


    She admired herself for being so concerned about this.


    But it was true. A good male OBGYN who stares at vaginas all day could very well be numb to it and lose interest in sex. After all, it was already a miracle that he didn¡¯t be a pervert.

 Chapter 697: Going Stir-Crazy

    Chapter 697: Going Stir-Crazy


    Trantor:Nyoi-Bo StudioEditor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    ¡°What¡¯s the itch like? Any other symptoms?¡±


    Unexpectedly, Wen Chi did not say anything unnecessary.


    The way he treated patients was very different from his usual interactions.


    In real life, his peach blossom eyes made him look like a yer, but they formed a very different expression when he was treating patients.


    But Gu Huanhuan would rather he asked her unnecessary questions. She really couldn¡¯t tell a man that the itch she had down there was really bad.


    She was going stir-crazy.


    The needle on the wall clock ticked a few times. Wen Chi was used to such patients.


    Gu Huanhuan saw his serious face and said shyly, ¡°It¡¯s very itchy. There¡¯s a strange smell. It¡¯s been almost a week.¡±


    After saying that, her face looked as if it was about to drip blood.<div>


    Wen Chi had a preliminary diagnosis. He picked up her test report and read it before he said, ¡°It¡¯s not a big problem. I¡¯ll prescribe you some medicine. Please use it ording to instructions. They are for external user only, and¡­ Don¡¯t have sex before you get well.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t have a boyfriend yet.¡± Gu Huanhuan replied in a slightly agitated manner.


    The corner of Wen Chi¡¯s mouth curled up slightly as he thought about how having a boyfriend had anything to do with having sex¡­ But he would never say such a thing out loud. He was just reminding her as a doctor. It was totally up to her what she¡¯d do with her body.


    ¡°Also, pay attention to personal hygiene. Douche the area every day. It¡¯s best to disinfect your panties with hot water and dry them under the sun. It¡¯s a yeast infection. It can recur after you recover if you don¡¯t pay attention.¡± Wen Chi said.


    ¡°Got it.¡± Gu Huanhuan felt as if she was sitting on pins and needles. She wished there was a hole she could hide in.


    It took her so much courage to tell a man something so private.


    ¡°Okay. You are done after my prescription. You don¡¯t need to be so nervous. I don¡¯t have any improper thoughts about you. Don¡¯t assume that I¡¯m a pervert because of my line of work. When I examine patients, you are nothing more than a piece of meat to me. I¡¯ve met so many female patients who are shy and couldn¡¯t get over it that they only came to see me when things got really bad.¡±


    Gu Huanhuan instantly felt ashamed. Those were exactly her thoughts.


    This doctor was quite good to have guessed her thoughts urately. Her lips trembled slightly as she tried to argue but no words came out.


    He finally wrote the prescription and handed it to Gu Huanhuan.


    Like a prey chased by a fierce tiger, Gu Huanhuan took the prescription, thanked him and bolted out of the room.


    Gu Huanhuan thought as she walked that this must be the most embarrassing thing she had ever encountered in her life.


    She had only been in the room for less than 10 minutes, but it felt like five years.


    She wondered how she would feel if he had examined her. She would probably wish that she was dead.


    ¡°Cousin-inw, I¡¯m done. Let¡¯s go.¡± Gu Huanhuan said to Shu Pan when she saw her.


    Shu Pan stood up with a smile and went into the room to say hi to Wen Chi before leaving with Huanhuan.


    ¡°What did the doctor say? Is it serious?¡± Shu Pan asked with concern.


    ¡°I¡¯m okay. Just need to apply some medicine.¡± Gu Huanhuan adjusted her mask, worried that her fans would recognize her.


    After all, she was in a hospital and she had just walked out of a department that would make people¡¯s imaginations run wild.<div>


    ¡°That¡¯s good. Let¡¯s get your medicine and go home. Your cousin has been talking about you for a long time. He said that he hasn¡¯t seen you in a long time.¡± Shu Pan said with a smile.


    ¡°Hmph, he doesn¡¯t missed me. He just wants to see me because he hasn¡¯t nagged at me for a while. He never liked that I¡¯m a celebrity.¡± Gu Huanhuan said angrily.

 Chapter 698: Dreamboat

    Chapter 698: Dreamboat


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Shu Pan shook her head and said with a smile, ¡°You are like two peas in a pod, except the constant bickering.¡±


    Gu Huanhuan collected her medicine from the pharmacy and then went home with Shu Pan.


    ¡°Cousin-inw, your friend is quite special.¡± Actually, Gu Huanhuan wanted to ask Shu Pan why her friend, a man, would be an OBGYN¡­


    She wasn¡¯t biased. There were no gender-specific jobs but it was Wen Chi. She couldn¡¯t help but wonder because it was him.


    ¡°Sure. He¡¯s exceptional and a very nice person.¡± Shu Pan thought very highly of Wen Chi.


    Gu Huanhuan was puzzled. Did she and Shu Pan met the same person?


    Why did he look like a yer to her?


    When they arrived a Qiyuan, Gu Shaoting was home. Gu Huanhuan was a little scared when she saw her cousin. She was most afraid that Gu Shaoting would scold her.


    ¡°Brother, long time no see.¡± Gu Huanhuan greeted Gu Shaoting with trepidation.


    ¡°Hi. I hope you¡¯ve been good.¡± Gu Shaoting replied inly. Even his simple reply frightened Gu Huanhuan.


    ¡°Of course. Didn¡¯t you send me a manager and assistant? How dare I act recklessly?¡± Gu Huanhuan put on an innocent look. She wasn¡¯t lying. She didn¡¯t have much freedom nowadays other than doing her job. Even when she was filming, she had to keep her distance from the male actors. As a result, she always stood out like a sore thumb among the cast and crew, which didn¡¯t fit her image as a young and beautiful idol.


    It was all her cousin¡¯s fault. He was stricter with her than her father, but her father was happy that Gu Shaoting kept her in line.


    ¡°That¡¯s good. If there¡¯s any gossip or scandal, you wille straight home.¡± Gu Shaoting said with a serious expression, leaving no room for discussion.


    ¡°I understand.¡± Gu Huanhuan then muttered softly, ¡°Tyrant.¡±


    She even rolled her eyes at Gu Shaoting when he wasn¡¯t looking.


    Shu Pan couldn¡¯t help but smile when she saw that. That was how they usually interacted.


    ¡°Cousin-inw, are you free this weekend? I have tickets to your dreamboat¡¯s concert. Would you like to go with me?¡± Gu Huanhuan suddenly remembered this matter.


    ¡°What dreamboat?¡± Before Shu Pan could respond, Gu Shaoting had heard the triggering word.


    ¡°Um¡­¡± Gu Huanhuan really wanted to pry open her head to see if it contained only water.


    How could she talk about Shu Pan¡¯s dreamboat in front of her jealous cousin?


    Her cousin was so petty. He definitely wouldn¡¯t approve of his wife¡¯s idol.


    ¡°Really? I¡¯m free. It¡¯s great that you have tickets. Let¡¯s go together.¡± Shu Pan asked Gu Huanhuan happily, ignoring Gu Shaoting¡¯s gloomy face.


    ¡°You¡¯re not allowed to go. You are not alone anymore. It¡¯s not good to go to such ces when you are expecting. There are too many people there. What if you got bumped into?¡± Gu Shaoting objected immediately.


    ¡°Fans nowadays are very well behaved. Everyone is very orderly.¡± Shu Pan muttered with a pout.


    ¡°Cousin-inw, you are pregnant? That¡¯s awesome. I¡¯ll be an aunt again soon.¡± Gu Huanhuan said happily as she put the matter of the concert on the back burner.


    ¡°Yes, I am.¡± Shu Pan nodded shyly.


    ¡°If that¡¯s the case, then we¡¯ll go to concerts after the baby is born.¡± Although Gu Huanhuan was young, she knew what was more important.


    If something bad happened when they were out, Gu Huanhuan¡¯s cousin would definitely scold her to death.


    ¡°What a shame. There aren¡¯t many opportunities like this.¡± Shu Pan said disappointedly. She didn¡¯t have any male idols. It was Gu Huanhuan who rmended his songs to her. Gradually, she fell in love with them. They were very artistic.

 Chapter 699: An Interrogation

    Chapter 699: An Interrogation


    Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Gu Shaoting was quite relieved when he heard Gu Huanhuan postpone her concert invitation to Shu Pan; he felt that Huanhuan had finally made the right decision. However, Shu Pan¡¯s disappointed expression made him a little angry. Wasn¡¯t he her dreamboat?


    Since when did Shu Pan have another dreamboat?


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, cousin-inw. I¡¯m in the entertainment industry and have first-hand information on these things. I¡¯ll let you know immediately when the next opportunity arises.¡± Gu Huanhuan had a feeling that Gu Shaoting would banish her for leading Shu Pan astray.


    ¡°Okay then.¡± Shu Pan also felt that she mustn¡¯t be willful. She had to put her baby first.


    Gu Huanhuan saw Gu Shaoting¡¯s gloomy face and quickly found an excuse to leave.


    That night when they were getting ready for bed, Gu Shaoting couldn¡¯t help but ask Shu Pan, ¡°Who is your dreamboat?¡±


    This question had been on his mind for a long time.


    ¡°He¡¯s a celebrity. He sings very well and is very talented.¡± Shu Pan felt that even if she told Gu Shaoting her idol¡¯s name, he wouldn¡¯t know who it was.


    ¡°Honey, didn¡¯t you say that I¡¯m the most handsome and that you love me the most? Am I not your dreamboat?¡± Gu Shaoting said a little aggrievedly.


    No man would like his wife to have another man in her heart, even if it was a celebrity.


    ¡°I did but there¡¯s no conflict, right? Don¡¯t be childish. I¡¯m going to sleep now.¡± Shu Pan turned away from Gu Shaoting and fell asleep.


    Gu Shaoting stared at her back and couldn¡¯t sleep all night.


    The next day, Shu Pan went to work after breakfast as usual. Gu Shaoting wanted her to rest a few more days at home, but she was too bored.


    Besides, work would distract her so she wouldn¡¯t feel so sick.


    Shu Pan didn¡¯t know if Gu Shaoting had left instructions with her boss. When she came into office, she was just asked to cote some information and was very free.


    At noon, Gu Shaoting called Shu Pan¡¯s office line and asked her to see him upstairs.


    Shu Pan saw that it was almost lunchtime and many of her colleagues had left for lunch before she pressed the elevator button to go upstairs.


    Shu Pan had just walked into Gu Shaoting¡¯s office when he suddenly hugged her and nted a kiss on her forehead.


    ¡°Shaoting, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Shu Pan was a little shocked by his behavior. Everything seemed fine this morning when they left the house.


    Gu Shaoting replied, ¡°Panpan, something happened at one of our overseas offices. I have to go there and deal with the problem. I¡¯ll be back in a week at the earliest.¡±


    Shu Pan was a little flustered when she heard that Gu Shaoting was going on a business trip again. She couldn¡¯t bear to part with him during this period. She wished that Gu Shaoting could be by her side throughout her pregnancy. But on second thought, she figured that she shouldn¡¯t be so demanding since she was still in her first trimester.


    In fact, Gu Shaoting had been spending time with her at home whenever he wasn¡¯t busy since he learned about her pregnancy. He wouldn¡¯t choose to go away during this period if it wasn¡¯t for something important.


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll take good care of myself. Is it a serious problem?¡± Shu Pan asked at the sight of his solemn expression.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll handle it.¡± Gu Shaoting pulled her onto the sofa.


    This overseas office had been doing well, but he received an emergency call this morning that the person in charge had lost their operating budget for the year. The office was in aplete mess now and he had to step in.


    The overseas offices had always been an important part of Gu Group. This incident would probably affect Gu Shaoting¡¯s partnership with Mr. John. He still wasn¡¯t sure of the consequences.


    ¡°Then take good care of yourself when you are out there. Joy and I will be waiting for you toe home. When is your flight?¡± For some strange reason, Shu Pan felt a little uneasy, but she couldn¡¯t put her finger on it.


    She could only hope that it was her imagination. She had be much more sensitive since her pregnancy and tended to think wild thoughts.

 Chapter 700: Going On A Business Trip Again

    Chapter 700: Going On A Business Trip Again


    Trantor:Nyoi-Bo StudioEditor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    ¡°Panpan, please take good care of yourself. Call in sick if you feel tired.¡± Gu Shaoting instructed. He didn¡¯t want to leave Shu Pan at all. He had promised Shu Pan that he would make up for his absence when Joy was born, but he hadn¡¯t been keeping up with his promise.


    The problem at the overseas office was very serious this time. Gu Shaoting¡¯s employees were no longer able to handle it, so he had no choice but to go there and deal with the problem himself.


    Shu Pan saw his worried face andforted, ¡°The baby is still a tiny dot in my womb. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll only be going back and forth between home and office. Nothing will happen.¡±


    Gu Shaoting grabbed her hand and kissed it repeatedly. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll be home soon.¡±


    Shu Pan was amused by his nervous look. ¡°Mr. Gu, you¡¯re only going away for a few days. Can you not make it look like you¡¯re dying, please?¡±


    Gu Shaoting kissed her fiercely as soon as she said that. He would never allow her to speak such inauspicious words.


    That night, Gu Shaoting left for his business trip. Gu Huanhuan knew that her cousin was away, so she woulde over to keep Shu Panpany whenever she was free.


    Gu Huanhuan was a goofball who often amused Shu Pan.


    Shu Pan felt time crawl after Gu Shaoting went on his business trip.<div>


    Fortunately, Joy came home and distracted her.


    Early one morning¡­


    Shu Pan opened her eyes and felt a pair of big eyes staring at her from her bedside. It was Joy. She didn¡¯t know when Joy came home. Her tiny chin was propped on her inteced fingers. Shu Pan didn¡¯t know how long Joy had been staring at her like that.


    Because of her pregnancy, Shu Pan had indeed neglected Joytely.


    She smiled and scooped Joy into her arms. ¡°When did you arrive home? Why are you staring at me like that?¡±


    ¡°Mommy, I miss you so much.¡± Joy hadn¡¯t seen Shu Pan for a while; she wanted to stick to her now that she was home.


    Shu Pan kissed Joy¡¯s head and was so touched that she didn¡¯t know what to say.


    Gu Huanhuan was faced with another difficulty. She had almost used up the medicine she had been prescribed for her yeast infection. She felt that the itch had subsided and her condition had improved a lot.


    However, she wasn¡¯t fully recovered yet. She was a little hesitant about going to see Wen Chi again to ask for more medicine.


    After all, he was her attending doctor and knew her situation best. She could just ask him for another prescription.


    Moreover, he was discreet. He probably wouldn¡¯t be rude to her on ount of Shu Pan.


    Having made up her mind, Gu Huanhuan went to Wen Chi¡¯s department at the hospital again with a mask on. This time, Gu Huanhuan did not tell Shu Pan.


    After all, Shu Pan was pregnant and shouldn¡¯t run around. The hospital was also full of germs, so she should handle this on her own.


    Gu Huanhuan checked a few consultation rooms when she arrived at the hospital but did not see Wen Chi. Could she have remembered wrongly?


    Just as she was panicking, a white figure slowly approached her.


    Gu Huanhuan saw the bright red blood stains on his coat and stepped back in fear before she saw Wen Chi¡¯s handsome face.


    ¡°Wen¡­ Dr. Wen,¡± she stammered. She had always been afraid of blood.


    Wen Chi was stunned when he saw her.


    Was it her? Shu Pan¡¯s cousin-inw?<div>


    ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Wen Chi asked.


    ¡°Um¡­ I¡¯ve almost used up all the medicine you gave me but I still feel a little ufortable, so I came back to consult you to get more medicine.¡± Gu Huanhuan answered honestly.


    She seemed most fearful of teachers and doctors.


    ¡°Okay,e in and wait for a while. Let me change out of my dirty clothes first.¡± Wen Chi walked towards the changing room after he said that.<div>


    Gu Huanhuan nodded. Fortunately, things went smoother than she had imagined.

 Chapter 701: Such a Disappointment

    Chapter 701: Such a Disappointment


    Trantor:Nyoi-Bo StudioEditor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Gu Huanhuan took off her mask and looked around the consultation room when Wen Chi was in the changing room.


    It was only when she heard the door open that she retracted her gaze and looked at him.


    Wen Chi had changed into a clean white coat. He looked very elegant as he walked out of the changing room.


    Wen Chi was stunned when he saw Gu Huanhuan. She had worn a mask when theyst met and her seductive eyes looked like she was constantly trying to seduce him. Wen Chi didn¡¯t like that, hence he didn¡¯t have a good impression of her.


    Now that Gu Huanhuan was without mask and makeup, she looked fresh and pleasant.


    Moreover, she was young, and her oval face exuded youth.


    She looked innocent but somewhat charming, or rather charming with a hint of innocence.


    Gu Huanhuan felt inexplicably nervous when she saw Wen Chi looking at her; she turned her face away shyly.


    Wen Chi sat at the desk and gestured for Gu Huanhuan to sit down.<div>


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry to have kept you waiting. I just resuscitated a patient and got some blood on me.¡± Wen Chi exined inly after he snapped back to reality. ¡°How do you feel now?¡±


    Gu Huanhuan braced herself and said, ¡°Much better. It¡¯s not as itchy as before but still burning a little asionally.¡± It really took her a lot of courage to exin her problem to a doctor, especially to a male doctor.


    Why was her body such a disappointment? It even made her suffer the same kind of awkwardness again.


    ¡°Good. It means that the medicine is working. However, you must still pay attention to getting enough rest. Without sufficient rest, your immune system will weaken, making it easy for you to catch bugs.¡±


    Wen Chi suddenly asked, ¡°Your period isn¡¯t regr either, right? Do you suffer bad cramps when you get it? Is your flow on the light side?¡±


    ¡°¡­ Yes.¡± Gu Huanhuan¡¯s face turned red. She sounded like a mosquito when she replied. Wen Chi wouldn¡¯t have heard her if they weren¡¯t sitting so close to each other.


    Gu Huanhuan was suddenly vert impressed by Wen Chi. He could tell that without examining her? Or did he figure that out from herst test report?


    ¡°You don¡¯t look very well. Try to eat more and keep a regr sleep schedule. Don¡¯t squander your health just because you are young.¡± Wen Chi couldn¡¯t help but gave her more pointers. He normally wouldn¡¯t do that but because she was Shu Pan¡¯s cousin-inw, he wanted to be more helpful.


    ¡°Okay.¡± Gu Huanhuan doubted herself even when she said that. As a celebrity, she was very careful about her figure and disciplined with her diet.


    Moreover, most of her filming took ce at night, so she kept irregr hours.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t pay attention when you¡¯re young, it¡¯ll be toote for you to start caring when you¡¯re old. I¡¯ll prescribe two more tubes of antifungal cream for you. You should be fully recovered soon. You don¡¯t have to see me again unless your condition doesn¡¯t improve.¡± Wen Chi said as he wrote the prescription.


    Antifungal cream¡­


    Gu Huanhuan¡¯s face turned red at the thought of where she needed to apply the cream.


    ¡°Thank you, doctor.¡± Gu Huanhuan was still a well-mannered girl.


    Gu Huanhuan quickly put on her mask again when she walked out from the pharmacy with her medicine.


    She was really afraid of being recognized. She was now a rtively famous person.


    Besides, hertest drama series in which she acted with a veteran who had won a best actor award would be aired soon. She needed to be extra careful about appearing in negative news.


    Gu Huanhuan knew that her cousin was still away on business, so she drove straight to Shu Pan¡¯s house.


    <div>

 Chapter 702: A Tricky Problem

    Chapter 702: A Tricky Problem


    Trantor:Nyoi-Bo StudioEditor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    When Gu Huanhuan arrived at Qiyuan, she saw Shu Pan and Joy ying in the courtyard.


    Joy was ying happily on the swing. Gu Huanhuan could heard her contagious and innocentughter from afar.


    ¡°Huanhuan, what brings you here today?¡± Shu Pan was a little surprised when she saw Gu Huanhuan because she was usually busy shooting a drama, a film, or some kind of advertisement. She had never seen her so free.


    ¡°Filming for the TV series has wrapped, so I have more time now.¡± Gu Huanhuan said.


    ¡°I see. You should pay attention to rest too. After all, health is wealth. These overnight shoots are not good for you.¡± Shu Panmented.


    ¡°Thanks, cousin-inw. Isn¡¯t my cousin home already?¡± Gu Huanhuan looked around.


    ¡°Probably not so soon.¡± Shu Pan frowned when she said that. She didn¡¯t want to tell Gu Huanhuan that Gu Shaoting had only called her once to let her know that he hadnded safely and then no news.


    She sent him a text message yesterday, worried that she would disturb him. She was still waiting for his reply.


    She was worried, but then she thought that he was probably too busy to respond to her message.<div>


    ¡°My cousin is a workaholic. He used to forget about eating or sleeping when he worked.¡± Gu Huanhuan added.


    Gu Shaoting had indeed been swamped. After getting off the ne, he only had time to call Shu Pan to let her know that he hadnded safely before he went into the office and busied himself with work.


    When he was done for the day, it was alreadyte at night in Shu Pan¡¯s time zone. He couldn¡¯t bear to disturb her sleep, especially when she was pregnant and needed her rest.


    His family was his motivation to work hard. His tightly clenched mouth would rx and turn into a smile whenever he thought about them.


    As long as he was with Shu Pan, it didn¡¯t matter if things were stormy outside.


    The problem he was facing now was very tricky; it was more difficult to deal with than he had imagined.


    Whenever Gu Shaoting worked overseas, he always went into office early, hoping to get everything done quickly so he could go home.


    It rainedst night, but the rain came and went quickly.


    It was sunny the next day. Gu Shaoting and his secretary, Mr. Zhang, arrived early at the office. He habitually went to the pantry to pour himself a cup of coffee, the rawest, most bitter coffee that he fell in love with on his first business trip to France. It always kept him awake and alert all day.


    Gu Shaoting started to bury himself in documents. After reviewing a few important documents, he could hear activity outside his office as people came into office. He stood up and slowly walked to the windows. Warn sunlight bathed his office and he could see the shiny leaves on the sycamore trees across the street swaying in the wind.


    Then came a knock on his door. Gu Shaoting sighed softly and turned around. ¡°Come in.¡±


    Mr. Zhang ced another stack of documents on his desk. ¡°CEO Gu, the meeting will start in half an hour. I¡¯ve already ced the detailed agenda and meeting materials on your table. Please have a look.¡±


    Gu Shaoting walked back to his desk, picked up the meeting agenda and read it. ¡°Inform everyone that we will start the meeting in 15 minutes.¡± Although Gu Shaoting just had some sun on his skin, his voice was cold, t, and deeper than usual.


    He only found out the severity of the problem when he arrived. He heard that someone was maliciously driving up the share price of Gu Group. Some investors outside of China was interested in Gu Group¡¯s business overseas.


    The profits of their overseas business ounted for 40% of the entire group, so he muste up with a solution quickly and act decisively.

 Chapter 703: A Crisis For The Group

    Chapter 703: A Crisis For The Group


    Trantor:Nyoi-Bo StudioEditor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    The meeting went on for three hours. Various proposals were rejected and everyone in the meeting looked somber. The previous general manager misappropriated arge sum of money. If the cash flow was destroyed, the entire group would be in crisis.


    When it was almost noon, Gu Shaoting asked his secretary, Mr. Zhang, to order lunch for everyone so they could settle their lunch in the conference room.


    The meeting continued after everyone finished eating. It was not until around 5 p.m. that they finally reached a conclusion.


    Everyone heaved a sigh of relief when Gu Shaoting adjourned the meeting. The long period of high-intensity concentration had exhausted them.


    Everyone packed their things and left the conference room.


    Gu Shaoting sat alone in the room. He held his cup and sipped his water slowly, his expression cold and unreadable.


    This was probably one of the more serious crises he faced since he took over Gu Group, and it happened suddenly.


    Gu Shaoting was deep in thought when his phone dinged. He snapped out of his daze and checked his phone. It was a message from Shu Pan. ¡°Hubby, is everything okay?¡±


    He finally revealed his first smile since he arrived in this foreign country. He didn¡¯t reply to the text message but called Shu Pan back.<div>


    ¡°Honey, why are you up so early?¡± Gu Shaoting said with a smile. ¡°I¡¯ve been too busy and I worry about calling you at the wrong time. I didn¡¯t want to disturb you.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I couldn¡¯t sleep and felt a little nauseated. But I¡¯m fine after getting up. Is work going well?¡± Shu Pan was more concerned about his work.


    He used to call her several times a day during his past business trips.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about my work. Just take care of yourself and the baby.¡± Gu Shaoting felt that he could handle his work and didn¡¯t want her to worry.


    As the man of the house, he should be the protector and the provider.


    However, Shu Pan could already hear from his tired voice that something was wrong. It was probably a difficult-to-solve problem.


    ¡°We¡¯re husband and wife. You can tell me. I¡¯ll help share some of your burden.¡± Shu Pan said with heartache as emotions shed across her pitch-ck eyes.


    Gu Shaoting chuckled lightly. ¡°It¡¯s not a big problem. Don¡¯t you believe in your husband¡¯s ability? It¡¯s just a small problem with the cashflow here. It will be resolved soon.¡±


    Shu Pan kept quiet when she heard that. She knew that he didn¡¯t want her to worry. The man was probably under tremendous pressure.


    After a while, she said slowly, ¡°I read a book about fireflies. There was a small town that didn¡¯t needmps at night because every time night fell, fireflies would flock to the town from the mountains and fields from all directions. They would hang around in groups on eaves of buildings, shing. From afar, they looked likemps and illuminated the town. People refer to them as God¡¯s eyes ¡­ You see,mps aren¡¯t the only things that can dispel darkness.¡±


    Shu Pan¡¯s soft voice sounded very soothing. Although it was just a short story, Gu Shaoting was very touched. Was she trying tofort him?


    ¡°Mrs. Gu, don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m not that fragile.¡± Gu Shaoting¡¯s lips curled into a smile but the knuckles on his hand that was holding the phone was a little pale.


    ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± Shu Pan didn¡¯t want to add to his worries. She believed that he was capable of handling the crisis.


    After hanging up the phone, Shu Pan could not calm down for a long time. She was anxious, worried but hopeful that he would sessfully get through this difficult time.

 Chapter 704: Asking For Help

    Chapter 704: Asking For Help


    Trantor:Nyoi-Bo StudioEditor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Gu Shaoting continued to sit in the conference room after he ended his call with Shu Pan.


    He was waiting for an important phone call.


    To be exact, he was waiting for an answer. He had reached out to the other person but there had been no reply.


    Half an hourter, the call finally came.


    ¡°Alright, see you tomorrow.¡± There was finally a smile on Gu Shaoting¡¯s somber face.


    He hoped that the meeting will be fruitful.


    The following day, Gu Shaoting didn¡¯t go to the office early as usual. He was dressed casually in a blue V-neck sweater and khakis, looking friendlier than usual.


    He asked Mr. Zhang to go back to the office to settle some matters while he went to meet this important person. He needed help.


    He wasn¡¯t going to this person¡¯s office this time, but his home. Gu Shaoting brought gifts and rang the doorbell of this man¡¯s home. It was obvious that this man was rich when he owned a vi that was worth more than a hundred million yuan at this location in such a city.<div>


    Not long after, a white figure approached Gu Shaoting from afar. ¡°Surprise, Brother Gu.¡± Charlene answered the door.


    Gu Shaoting was mentally prepared to see Charlene when he visited Mr. John at home. After all, she had just returned to the country and wouldn¡¯t be at work so soon.


    However, he was still a little stunned.


    ¡°Hello,¡± Gu Shaoting said with reluctance. He didn¡¯t actually want to see Charlene again after all the trouble she had caused him.


    ¡°Come in, my father is waiting for you.¡± Charlene said warmly, like they were best friends.


    Charlene felt that the world was still rtively small. She thought that she would never see her Brother Gu again aftering back to France. She had even been depressed for a while over the fact.


    Who would have predicted that her Brother Gu¡¯spany would be in crisis and he would ask her father for help?


    Life was indeed like a box of choctes.


    But this could be fate. Perhaps God wanted her to see him again?


    Now that he was so far away from home, Shu Pan wouldn¡¯t be able to control the events here.


    Charlene brought Gu Shaoting to her father¡¯s study with a smile.


    ¡°Shaoting, long time no see.¡±


    ¡°Mr. John, long time no see. How have you been?¡± Gu Shaoting said in return.


    ¡°Very well. We haven¡¯t seen each other for more than half a year. I¡¯m so sorry that we are meeting under such circumstances.¡± John said in a regretful tone.


    ¡°Yes, the situation is rather bad this time around, but it isn¡¯t hopeless. Fortunately, we discovered the problem in time.¡± Gu Shaoting felt grateful.


    ¡°Hmm, what are your ns? Or how can I help? Your overseas business is doing very well, so many people want a share of it.¡± John was very familiar with Gu Shaoting¡¯spany. After all, the business circle wasn¡¯t that big.


    ¡°I know, Mr. John. I hope you can finance me. What Ick now is funds. I¡¯ve already mobilized some funds from headquarters but I¡¯m still short.¡± Gu Shaoting¡¯s eyes were pleading. ¡°Mr. John, don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll pay you back with interest.¡±


    Gu Shaoting also understood that businessmen valued profits.


    ¡°Look, this is our restructuring n. I won¡¯t let your money go to waste.¡± Gu Shaoting was fully prepared.<div>


    Mr. John hesitated for a moment. After all, it was Gu Shaoting asking. The amount wouldn¡¯t be small.


    He was afraid that he wouldn¡¯t get his money back, but they were business partners. So, he could always think of it as an advanced payment.


    ¡°Can I think about it?¡± John felt that he should still consider it carefully.


    <div>

 Chapter 705: Being Present and Supportive

    Chapter 705: Being Present and Supportive


    Trantor:Nyoi-Bo StudioEditor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    ¡°Sure. I hope to hear good news from you soon.¡± Although Gu Shaoting was anxious, he felt helpless too. After all, he was asking John for a huge loan. His business partner wouldn¡¯t agree just like that.


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll give you an answer as soon as possible.¡± Mr. John nodded. He wanted to consider it carefully.


    Mr. John looked at the weather outside. The sun was shining brightly over the city and the sky was blue and cloudless.


    It was probably because of the showers in the past few days that the weather got exceptionally good today.


    ¡°Shaoting, let¡¯s put our worries aside for now. Do you have time today? How about we y two rounds of golf?¡± John said out of whim. He rarely had time to golf. Now that he saw Gu Shaoting and knew how stressed he had been, he suggested for him to take a break.


    Gu Shaoting¡¯s task today was to persuade Mr. John to invest in hispany. But upon hearing John¡¯s words, Gu Shaoting decided that he should be present and supportive.


    ¡°Sure. I can also take this opportunity to learn from you.¡± Gu Shaoting said modestly.


    Mr. John changed into something casual. When he came out, Charlene found out that they were going to y golf and asked to join them.


    Charlene would never give up on such a good opportunity. She already didn¡¯t have much opportunity to spend time with her Brother Gu. Plus, he wouldn¡¯t reject her since her father was around.<div>


    Charlene also change into some branded golf attire with a fitted top and short skirt that entuated her graceful figure.


    She also wore a sun hat and looked very youthful and energetic.


    Gu Shaoting drove familiarly to an outdoor golf course in the suburbs.


    After they arrived and got their tee time, Mr. John couldn¡¯t wait to get started.


    He handed a golf club to Gu Shaoting. Gu Shaoting hadn¡¯t yed for a while and sort of missed it. He didn¡¯t refuse and took the golf club, aimed at the first hole, and swung it.


    The ball spun beautifully around the hole three times before falling in.


    Charlene was also a good golfer. She took a sip of water and cheered for Gu Shaoting before she raised her club and took aim. After a long time, she swung the club and got a hole-in-one too.


    She then said dejectedly, ¡°Brother Gu, look, my standard is far from yours.¡±


    When Mr. John heard this, he could not help but find it suspicious. It was so strange. His beloved daughter was an excellent golfer. Why was she so slow today?


    The father and daughter would usually y a few rounds of golf together when they were free. Charlene had been professionally trained. He couldn¡¯t figure out his daughter¡¯s intentions today.


    But he didn¡¯t call her out. After all, she was his daughter and he wouldn¡¯t embarrass her.


    ¡°My skill level is just average. I haven¡¯t yed for a while and have gotten a little rusty.¡± Gu Shaoting watched Mr. John swing his club like a pro and felt that he was just average.


    After about half an hour, Gu Shaoting and Charlene handed their clubs to the caddy who was waiting at the side. They took their towels, some ice water and walked under the cart recliner¡¯s umbre. They leaned leisurely on the recliner and watched John show off his skills on the green alone.


    Perhaps Gu Shaoting had been thinking about too many problemstely. He hadn¡¯t been able to sleep since he arrived in France. He felt a little sleepy now after some exercise.


    Gu Shaoting raised his hand to block the sun and closed his eyes to rest.


    Charlene looked at Gu Shaoting with affection. She knew what was troubling him. She had overheard their conversation when she passed by her father¡¯s study.

 Chapter 706: Bumping Into an Old Friend

    Chapter 706: Bumping Into an Old Friend


    Editor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Only she could help her Brother Gu now.


    It looked like her father hadn¡¯t agreed to Gu Shaoting¡¯s request, so she needed to step in.


    It wasn¡¯t like she was unwilling to help, but her help came with conditions.


    Mr. John walked to their golf buggy after a while. Gu Shaoting was just resting with his eyes closed (he wouldn¡¯t fall asleep, of course), so he immediately opened his eyes when he heard John approaching.


    ¡°Mr. John, I¡¯m so ashamed of myself. See how I¡¯m exhausted after only two rounds?¡± Gu Shaoting found an excuse for his loss ofposure.


    ¡°It¡¯s been hard on you.¡± John saw the fatigue on Gu Shaoting¡¯s face and understood his real reason.


    ¡°Time flies. It¡¯s almost noon. Let¡¯s have lunch together.¡± Charlene suggested. She was wracking her brain for ways to spend more time with Gu Shaoting.


    ¡°Sure.¡± Gu Shaoting nodded. He had to eat after all. Besides, he was asking Mr. John for a favor.


    The lunch venue was picked by Charlene. It was not far from the golf course, just ten minutes away. It was a very high-end Western restaurant.<div>


    After the three of them sat down, Charlene took the menu and scooched over to Gu Shaoting.


    ¡°Brother Gu, what would you like to have? The steak here is quite good. You can give it a try.¡± Charlene¡¯s enthusiasm made Gu Shaoting feel a little overwhelmed.


    John, who was sitting across from Charlene, couldn¡¯t help but frown when he saw his daughter¡¯s behavior. How could he not know what his own daughter was thinking?


    But Shaoting was already married. Charlene was just being stupid.


    He could only me himself for spoiling her. That was why she did things with abandon now. How dare she even consider doing such a thing?


    But he couldn¡¯t call her out in front of other people, so John kept his mouth shut.


    Gu Shaoting saw Charlene moving closer to him and made an excuse to go to the bathroom.


    Gu Shaoting took a paper towel after washing his hands and looked up at the mirror in front of him. Through the mirror, he saw a somewhat familiar face.


    Gu Shaoting¡¯s action of wiping his hands slowed a little as he stared at the person¡¯s reflection before he remembered that it was Tong Fei.


    The name had disappeared from his mind for a while now. He recalled the moment when he asked her to disappear from his sight and leave the country if possible for everyone¡¯s sake.


    He didn¡¯t expect her to really leave the country andnded in France.


    But it was understandable. She was already well-known outside of China. What happened to her in China was unknown to her clients and fans abroad, so she could start over here.


    He saw Tong Fei sitting with a middle-aged man. Her gaze at the man was slightly dazed and she looked a little shy. The man said something to her and made her cover her mouth with her hand. The man took the opportunity to grab her hand.


    Gu Shaoting was a little surprised. This Tong Fei was nothing like the Tong Fei he knew.


    He frowned slightly and thought for a moment. He then threw the paper towel into the trash can and walked back to his table.


    Tong Fei seemed to have sensed that someone was staring at her. She turned her head and saw a familiar figure walking away, a figure that she would never forget for the rest of her life.


    However, she quickly denied what she saw. She must be missing him so much that she was seeing things. Why would he be here?


    Her feelings for Gu Shaoting was veryplicated. She loved and hated him at the same time. After all, she was forced to leave China and live a difficult life here all thanks to him. If it weren¡¯t for him, she wouldn¡¯t be in such a sorry state now. No one could understand how she felt right now.


    When she came to France again, her situation was no longer the same as before. After all, she wasn¡¯t young like before and she couldn¡¯tpete with the young and beautiful models here.<div>

 Chapter 707: Return Date Pending

    Chapter 707: Return Date Pending


    Editor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    The entertainment industry was just that cruel. It was really difficult for her to get jobs nowadays.


    She had to kowtow to her clients just to get a small part in an unknownmercial.


    But if she didn¡¯t do that, she¡¯d probably starve to death.


    Tong Fei stared at the man¡¯s back with hatred in her eyes and her mind faraway.


    ¡°Brother Gu, hurry up and eat. The steak is getting cold.¡± Charlene was enthusiastic as always.


    Gu Shaoting¡¯s lowered his eyes without saying a word. There was no displeasure on his face except the tightness around his mouth, which reflected his true feelings.


    He couldn¡¯t stand Charlene¡¯s enthusiasm. After all, he was a married man and should keep a healthy distance from other women.


    Seeing Gu Shaoting¡¯sck of response, Charlene asked timidly, ¡°Brother Gu¡­¡±


    ¡°Noted. You should eat too.¡± Gu Shaoting feltpelled to speak.<div>


    After lunch, Gu Shaoting said goodbye to John and his daughter. He went back to his hotel and suddenly felt a little depressed.


    He lit a cigarette, looked at the bright sun outside the windows and took a long drag on his cigarette.


    Judging by the progress, he wouldn¡¯t be able to go home within the week. There was still no clear resolution to his issue.


    John hadn¡¯t agreed to his request yet, and he hadn¡¯t given any hints as to whether he would help.


    It was understandable that John had his own considerations, but Gu Shaoting wished that he wouldn¡¯t take too long toe to a decision. He couldn¡¯t afford the time.


    Fortunately, Gu Group was still operational. They weren¡¯t at the end of their rope yet.


    After smoking a cigarette, he lit another and held it between his fingers.


    Just as he was bringing the cigarette to his mouth, he suddenly thought of Shu Pan. He took out his phone, took a drag on his cigarette and slowly exhaled.


    He unlocked his phone and clicked on Shu Pan¡¯s name on WeChat.


    ¡°Honey, what are you doing?¡±


    It took a long time for Shu Pan to reply to his message. ¡°Shopping.¡±


    Gu Shaoting had just finished reading her one-word reply when a new message appeared. ¡°I¡¯m sorry I didn¡¯t hear my phone ding just now. It¡¯s a little noisy here.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. Try to avoid crowded ces.¡± Gu Shaoting replied.


    ¡°Will do. When are youing home? I miss you so much.¡± It was rare for Shu Pan to act coquettishly. She felt her face turn red after she sent the voice message.


    ¡°My return date is pending. I don¡¯t know when the problem will be solved.¡± Gu Shaoting pulled at his hair and said helplessly. He wished he had wings so he could fly home to his wife and daughter.


    ¡°I¡¯m just asking. I¡¯ll take good care of myself. Take your time. I¡¯m sure there¡¯s a way to solve the problem.¡± Shu Pan said quickly. She didn¡¯t want him to worry just because she asked.


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll settle the problem as soon as possible so I cane home.¡± Gu Shaoting replied.


    ¡­


    John arrived home with Charlene with a gloomy face.<div>


    Charlene saw her father¡¯s gloomy expression and guessed that he was unhappy about her.


    But she feigned innocence and asked coquettishly, ¡°What¡¯s wrong, dad? You look unhappy.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you know why I¡¯m unhappy?¡± John said sternly. He had really spoiled her rotten.


    ¡°Dad¡­¡± Charlene looked at him aggrievedly. In her memory, her father had never spoken to her so harshly.<div>


    ¡°Do you like Gu Shaoting?¡± John didn¡¯t try to hide it anymore and asked Charlene directly. He was really shocked when he saw his daughter acting so submissively to the man she liked today.

 Chapter 708: Terms For Negotiation

    Chapter 708: Terms For Negotiation


    Editor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    John found it hard to ept that his daughter, the apple of his eye, would actually fall in love with a married man.


    ¡°Yes, Dad. I like him. I love him. I was deeply attracted to him the first time I saw him.¡± Charlene boldly revealed her feelings.


    ¡°You¡­ You know that he has a wife and a kid, right? Why are you so stubborn?¡± John was so angry that he almost couldn¡¯t speak.


    ¡°I know, but Dad, there¡¯s nothing wrong with liking a person, and there¡¯s no logic to it.¡± Charlene retorted.


    ¡°I¡¯m so disappointed in you.¡± John shook his head helplessly.


    It was really infuriating that her reply was so self-righteous.


    He saw Gu Shaoting mindfully putting a distance between himself and Charlene today, but his stupid daughter was still throwing herself at him.


    ¡°Sigh¡­¡± John was really disappointed.


    ¡°Dad, didn¡¯t Brother Gu ask you for help?¡± Charlene suddenly asked. She felt that it was the right time to take matters into her own hands.<div>


    ¡°Yeah, but I¡¯m still thinking about it. After all, it¡¯s a huge sum of money.¡± John pondered for a moment.


    He had analyzed the pros and cons. Of course, based on his understanding of Gu Shaoting, he was a trustworthy person. After all, they had worked together for so long and he knew his character well.


    Moreover, he was very capable. His current situation was only temporary. He would be able to solve this problem. It was just a matter of time.


    After being in the business world for so long, John thought that he was a good judge of character.


    If he helped Gu Shaoting, he would owe him a favor that he would return eventually.


    ¡°Dad, why don¡¯t you help me? Just tell Brother Gu to divorce his wife and marry me. And you¡¯ll transfer the funds to him immediately.¡± Charlene had clearly thought about how she could take advantage of the situation.


    This idea came to her the moment she overheard their conversation when she walked past her father¡¯s study.


    Moreover, this idea grew stronger with time and she felt that it was highly workable.


    Gu Group had been built on the hard work of several generations. Her Brother Gu would never let it fail when he was at the helm.


    Moreover, she didn¡¯t believe that her Brother Gu and Shu Pan were a loving couple.


    ¡°Nonsense, how could you even think that? Silly girl, do you think that Gu Shaoting likes you?¡± John said earnestly.


    ¡°Even if he doesn¡¯t like me now, he¡¯ll slowly like me after we get together. Feelings can be cultivated.¡± Charlene didn¡¯t listen to her father at all; she was totally immersed in her own world.


    ¡°I think you¡¯re possessed. There are men who are more outstanding, younger, and better looking than him. Why can¡¯t you consider the people around you?¡± John¡¯s face turned red as he spoke.


    ¡°Love isn¡¯t logical. Dad, I¡¯m begging you.¡± Charlene pleaded. ¡°I rarely begged you for anything.¡±


    ¡°Let me think about it, but I still don¡¯t approve of your actions.¡± After all, she was his precious. He couldn¡¯t bear to be too harsh on her.


    However, when Charlene heard her father¡¯s tone soften, she wanted to cheer in her heart.


    ¡°By the way, you must attend the business banquet with me the day after tomorrow. You¡¯ll need to start getting involved with our business. You¡¯ve had enough time to rest.¡± John thought of something more important.


    ¡°Sure, Dad. Hm¡­ Don¡¯t you have two invitations? You can give one to Brother Gu since he¡¯s in trouble now. He could really benefit from the opportunity to meet those business tycoons.¡± Charlene suddenly had an idea. Her Brother Gu would definitely be very happy if he knew that she helped him. After all, such opportunities were rare and it was an honor to attend such a function.


    <div>

 Chapter 709: The Business Banquest, Part 1

    Chapter 709: The Business Banquest, Part 1


    Editor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    John thought that Charlene¡¯s suggestion made sense too. Gu Shaoting was all-powerful and very well known in the Chinese business world, but he was rtively unknown overseas. He probably didn¡¯t have many opportunities to make friends with business big shots outside of China.


    He could take this opportunity to help Gu Shaoting out.


    John pondered for a moment before he said, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll talk to him and see if he¡¯s interested¡­¡±


    ¡°Dad, it¡¯s okay. I¡¯ll let Brother Gu know. He¡¯ll be very happy.¡± Charlene didn¡¯t let John finish before she interrupted.


    She fought for this opportunity for her Brother Gu. He would be grateful to her.


    It would be so great if her Brother Gu stayed in France instead of going home.


    The thought of him leaving made her feel a little sad.


    ¡°Go ahead then.¡± John said helplessly.


    Charlene turned around and immediately called Gu Shaoting.<div>


    ¡°Ring, ring¡­ Ring, ring¡­¡± His phone rang for a long time before it was picked up.


    ¡°Who is it?¡± Gu Shaoting¡¯s cello-like voice sounded.


    Charlene¡¯s heart fluttered. She had to calm herself down before she said, ¡°Brother Gu, it¡¯s me. I¡¯m have some good news to tell you.¡±


    Charlene paused as she spoke, as if to keep Gu Shaoting in suspense.


    Gu Shaoting was a little surprised when he heard that it was Charlene. She had probably changed her number after she returned to France, which was why the caller ID on his phone read ¡°unknown number¡±.


    He frowned and asked, ¡°What good news?¡±


    ¡°So, there¡¯s a business banquet the day after tomorrow, which will be attended by many big wigs in the business world. My father happened to have two invitations. He¡¯s giving one to you.¡± Charlene spoke carefully, worried that Gu Shaoting would reject her.


    Gu Shaoting kept quiet for a while. This was indeed a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. After all, he hadn¡¯t yet established himself here. It would definitely help hispany if he made friends with more businesspeople here. It could help him expand his overseas business.


    ¡°Okay, I happen to be free that night too. Please thank Mr. John for me. I¡¯ll arrange for Mr. Zhang to pick up the invitationter.¡± Gu Shaoting said.


    ¡°Okay, see you then.¡± Charlene hung up reluctantly.


    Charlene held on to her phone, but her heart was filled with joy. She pursed her lips but was thinking about how she would pick out a dress that would wow everyone at the banquet and make her Brother Gu look at her differently.


    She decided to act right away, so she got dressed, took her bag and left the house.


    She had a boutique that she liked, one of the best in France. It was a boutique that people couldn¡¯t get an appointment with despite their wealth. But the staff there weed Charlene the moment they saw her; she was a big spender.


    ¡°Miss Charlene, how can I help you today?¡± A staff immediately walked up to wee her.


    ¡°I have to attend a dinner party the day after tomorrow. Please get Jenny to pick out a designer gown for me. Something that will wow everyone at the party.¡± Charlene was quite mboyant, and she liked to be the center of attention.


    ¡°Okay, please wait a moment.¡± The staff went to find Jenny.


    Jenny was the boutique¡¯s most valuable asset. She had a sharp eye. Everything she picked out would start a trend.


    Shortly after, Jenny walked over with a box. ¡°Miss Charlene, what a coincidence. This gown was made for you. When I got it, the first person I thought of was you.¡±


    Charlene smiled; she enjoyed suchpliments and ttery. ¡°That¡¯s great, I need it.¡±<div>


    ¡°I guarantee that you will be the belle of the ball.¡± Jenny said as she carefully handed the box to Charlene.

 Chapter 710: The Business Banquet, Part 2

    Chapter 710: The Business Banquet, Part 2


    Editor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Charlene took the box and ced it on the table. She opened it and was stunned. There was a gorgeous dress in the box. It was cream-colored and suited her age and skin tone.


    The design of the dress was very unique. Itbined both eastern and western elements. It looked noble and elegant but was exquisite at the same time, very befitting of the designer. No wonder so many people liked the brand.


    Charlene touched the fabric with her hand. She didn¡¯t know what material it was made of, but the dress felt smooth and soft. What was more unbelievable was the jewel encrusted neck and waistlines.


    ¡°Wow.¡± Charlene covered her mouth in surprise. This dress was too beautiful.


    Even Charlene, who was familiar with couture fashion, was shocked.


    All girls liked beautiful clothes. As she looked at the dress, she was already imagining the sensation she would cause when wearing it in public.


    ¡­..


    Inside the grand ballroom of Aida Hotel¡­


    A crystal chandelier hung high on the ceiling in the middle of the room, creating a kaleidoscope of colors around the room.<div>


    A few long tables covered in white tablecloth spanned the width of the ballroom. Silverware and all kinds of tempting hors d¡¯oeuvres had been set up on those tables.


    Around the room were French businessmen and socialites, all dressed to the nines. Various perfumes lingered in the air as they moved around the room.


    It was truly a grand banquet. Charlene held her father¡¯s arm as they sauntered into the ballroom. For a moment, the room went silent.


    After a while, a socialite started whispering, ¡°Wow, the dress that Charlene is wearing is by a designer who won the most prestigious award in thetest Paris Fashion Week. Even if you have money, you won¡¯t be able to wear it.¡±


    Each dress was unique, and that was why they were so valuable.


    Many socialites wracked their brains to get a dress like that, but the designer himself had said that every dress was a masterpiece and he would never make a second one in the same design.


    Charlene enjoyed being the center of attention. She walked in with her head held up high, like a beautiful white swan. She didn¡¯t falter despite all the eyes on her. She just moved with determination and confidence, making her even more beautiful and charming.


    Charlene let go of her father¡¯s arm after they walked in and started looking around. Has her Brother Gu arrived?


    Because the banquet location was printed on the invitation and she had reminded Mr. Zhang of the address repeatedly when he came to pick up the invitation¡­


    Actually, Gu Shaoting was there a little earlier than them. When he arrived, he got himself a ss of champagne and was about to look for Mr. John when several socialites surrounded him.


    ¡°Sir, you look unfamiliar. May I know your name? Can we be friends?¡± These Westerners were really friendly.


    Gu Shaoting nodded and said, ¡°Gu Shaoting.¡±


    He didn¡¯t say more, as if his words were worth their weight in gold.


    The socialites looked at each other and then at the handsome man in front of them. He was wearing an expensive tailored suit that waspletely creaseless. His dark brown eyes were captivating, and his thin lips were slightly curled up.


    All the unmarried women at the party were interested.


    ¡°Sorry, I¡¯m married and I love my wife.¡± Gu Shaoting made his stance clear.


    The few socialites left in disappointment and embarrassment.


    At this moment, Charlene saw clearly that the person they surrounded was Gu Shaoting.


    She slowly walked up to him and called out shyly, ¡°Brother Gu.¡±<div>


    Gu Shaoting didn¡¯t look surprised like the other guests. He simply said, ¡°Oh, you¡¯re here.¡±

 Chapter 711: Partners

    Chapter 711: Partners


    Editor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    ¡°Yes, we just arrived and were looking for you. My dad would like to introduce you to a few of his friends.¡± Charlene walked closer to him and looked at him with her exceptionally bright eyes.


    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go.¡± This was the main reason he attended the banquet anyway.


    John kept his promise and introduced many of his friends in the business world to Gu Shaoting. Gu Shaoting was polite and spoke graciously with everyone.


    John felt like a proud father-inw when he watched Gu Shaoting interact with his friends.


    He suddenly felt that his daughter had good taste. Gu Shaoting was indeed a rare talent.


    At this moment, he seemed to have forgotten that Gu Shaoting was a married man.


    The dinner party was lively. Music yed all night and people mingled happily in their expensive evening wear.


    Charlene stayed by Gu Shaoting¡¯s side the whole night, meeting other guests with him. Some people who knew Charlene thought that Gu Shaoting was her boyfriend.


    But there were also guests who said that Gu Shaoting told them that he was married, but they didn¡¯t hear anything about Charlene¡¯s wedding. What was going on? Their rtionship was rather confusing.<div>


    Gu Shaoting also benefited a lot from the dinner party. He met a potential business partner named Qin Zhen. He was around 30 years old and was Chinese, but his business was mostly in France.


    The two of them hit it off and chatted enthusiastically.


    Charlene was a little stunned when she saw them chatting happily. Her brows furrowed. Why was Qin Zhen here? But she quicklyughed at herself. Of course, Qin Zhen, a rising star in the business world, would be here.


    She struggled for a while, but she couldn¡¯t avoid what wasing. So, she braced herself and walked up to them. ¡°What are you two chatting so enthusiastically about?¡±


    ¡°Miss Charlene¡­¡± Qin Zhen addressed Charlenezily.


    ¡°Hello.¡± Charlene nodded at him like a stranger.


    She then turned her head and said to Gu Shaoting, ¡°Brother Gu, let¡¯s go. My dad is looking for you. He said he has something to tell you.¡±


    Gu Shaoting¡¯s heart skipped a beat. Did John have an answer to his request?


    ¡°Okay, let¡¯s go over then.¡± Gu Shaoting then said to Qin Zhen apologetically, ¡°Mr. Qin, I have to do something now. Please excuse me. See youter.¡±


    ¡°Sure, please go ahead.¡± Qin Zhen held his wine ss and swirled it casually.


    Qin Zhen¡¯s grip on his ss unconsciously tightened as he watched Gu Shaoting and Charlene walk away eye-catchingly. His eyes seemed to be spitting fire. He took a deep breath and drank the wine in his ss in a single gulp.


    John was seated in the lounge area. When Gu Shaoting and Charlene arrived, he was resting with his eyes closed.


    ¡°Dad, Brother Gu is here.¡± Charlene said.


    ¡°Oh, you¡¯re here. Have a seat. How was it, Shaoting? Was the party fruitful?¡± John looked at Gu Shaoting with his wise eyes.


    Gu Shaoting nodded. ¡°Quite fruitful. Thank you for the invitation.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing. Besides, what are we? Do we still need to say such polite words?¡± Johnughed.


    Gu Shaoting thought that they were business partners and he should thank John. After all, he wasn¡¯t obligated to help him.


    ¡°Definitely.¡± Gu Shaoting said modestly.


    ¡°Shaoting,e over to my house tomorrow. Let¡¯s talk. There are too many people here, and it¡¯s inconvenient to talk.¡± John was silent for a moment before he spoke, as if he had made an important decision.<div>


    ¡°Sure.¡± Gu Shaoting nodded with understanding.


    Charlene felt her heart in her throat when she heard that. She looked at Gu Shaoting nervously, but Gu Shaoting looked calm and didn¡¯t show any emotion.

 Chapter 712: Backed Into A Corner

    Chapter 712: Backed Into A Corner


    Editor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    The next day, Gu Shaoting went to John¡¯s house as nned.


    When he arrived, he was rtively calm but prepared for the worst.


    Charlene had been pacing the house since early morning; she was restless. She knew her father¡¯s decision from his expression. She was the apple of his eye and he couldn¡¯t bear to see her suffer.


    She was more nervous about her Brother Gu¡¯s answer. Would he agree to the added term?


    Charlene brought Gu Shaoting to her father¡¯s study the minute he arrived. As the discussion involved her, and an embarrassing request at that, she didn¡¯t stay. She closed the door and left after she walked Gu Shaoting there.


    ¡°Shaoting, sit. Make yourself at home.¡± John was very nice.


    Gu Shaoting nodded gratefully, and then John¡¯s voice rang out again.


    ¡°Shaoting, you are asking for arge sum of money. I could probably raise the funds, but¡­¡± John left his sentence hanging.


    Gu Shaoting saw his awkward expression and said, ¡°Mr. John, just tell me straight.¡±<div>


    ¡°Shaoting, I need some reassurance for such arge sum of money. If you¡¯re family, there won¡¯t be such a problem.¡± John revealed his intentions.


    Family? Gu Shaoting thought he had heard wrongly. How could he and John be family?


    ¡°Mr. John, I don¡¯t quite understand what you mean.¡± Gu Shaoting looked confused and his furrowed brows showed it.


    ¡°Shaoting, I hope you marry my daughter. Then, I will help you.¡± John did not beat around the bush.


    ¡°Mr. John, this isn¡¯t funny at all. Don¡¯t you remember that I¡¯m already married and have a beloved wife and daughter?¡± Gu Shaoting wondered if Mr. John had gone crazy. Why would he think such thoughts?


    ¡°Shaoting, think about it. Don¡¯t reject me so quickly. After all, Charlene is much more outstanding than your wife, and my family business will be given to her eventually.¡± What John said was indeed very tempting to most people, but not to Gu Shaoting.


    ¡°Mr. John, thank you for thepliments, but I love my wife very much and will not divorce her. Moreover, I will not let my precious and beautiful young daughter down.¡± Gu Shaoting declined the offer without a second thought. He wouldn¡¯t leave Shu Pan even if he went bankrupt. Worst case, he would just start over.


    John¡¯s proposal was simply ridiculous.


    ¡°Shaoting, please consider it carefully. Isn¡¯t it the best of both worlds if you had a young and beautiful wife as well as enough funds to keep thepany running? Not everyone gets such an opportunity.¡± John persuaded Gu Shaoting. He would do his absolute best to help his daughter get what she wanted.


    ¡°Mr. John, thank you for your kindness. Since Mr. John feels that it¡¯s difficult, I shan¡¯t disturb you anymore. Thank you very much.¡± Gu Shaoting felt that he should find another solution as John didn¡¯t look like he would lend him the money if he didn¡¯t marry Charlene.


    John looked up and met Gu Shaoting¡¯s eyes before he said solemnly, ¡°Shaoting, don¡¯t reject me so quickly. Go back and think about it. I hope to hear good news.¡±


    Gu Shaoting pursed his lips and said, ¡°Mr. John, you probably don¡¯t know how much my wife means to me. She¡¯s more important to me than my life. It was very difficult for us to get back together. I¡¯ve already let her down once before. I won¡¯t do it again, ever.¡±

 Chapter 713: Unresigned

    Chapter 713: Unresigned


    Editor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    John was stunned when he heard that. He didn¡¯t know that Gu Shaoting and his wife had gone through so much.


    He was suddenly at a loss for words. He felt that his request might have been too much, but when he thought about his precious daughter, he held back his apology.


    Gu Shaoting didn¡¯t feel that an apology was in order and he wasn¡¯t angry. ¡°Mr. John, sorry to disturb you. I¡¯ll take my leave first.¡±


    ¡°Alright then.¡± John looked at Gu Shaoting¡¯s departing figure and felt a little lonely. He wondered if he had done something wrong.


    ¡°Dad, where¡¯s Brother Gu? He left? Did he reject the offer?¡± Charlene barged into the study without knocking.


    ¡°Where are your manners? Look at you now. What¡¯s wrong with you?¡± John reprimanded sternly. Charlene was bing increasingly unruly.


    ¡°Dad¡­ I¡¯m just anxious about the oue.¡± Charlene said coquettishly.


    ¡°Sigh, Shaoting didn¡¯t agree. Sweetie, you¡¯re still young and you have choices. Shaoting and his wife are very close, so don¡¯t think about this anymore.¡± John advised. How could she be happy if she married someone who didn¡¯t love her?


    ¡°Dad, I only like Brother Gu. He doesn¡¯t know me well or he would like me back.¡± Charlene exined anxiously. If her own father wouldn¡¯t help her, she would have even less hope of ending up together with Gu Shaoting.<div>


    ¡°How stubborn of you. Gu Shaoting doesn¡¯t like you; he doesn¡¯t love you. That¡¯s the truth. You won¡¯t be happy with someone who doesn¡¯t love you.¡± John said angrily. He wanted to tell her that it was better to rip the Band-Aid off.


    ¡°Dad, I hate you.¡± After Charlene finished speaking, she turned and left the study sobbing.


    John shook his head helplessly. He would let Charlene calm down and think things through.


    It was all his fault for spoiling her. He hoped that Charlene would learn her lesson this time.


    After Charlene left the study, she went back to her room and wailed on her bed.


    She was really unresigned. Why didn¡¯t Gu Shaoting like her?


    What was so bad about her?


    No, she couldn¡¯t give up just like that.


    Charlene washed up, put on a white strapless dress and perfect makeup. She then left the house, looking charming with thetest Chanel bag on her shoulder.


    Of course, the person she was going to see was Gu Shaoting.


    After Gu Shaoting left John¡¯s house, he went straight to the office.


    Since he couldn¡¯t get the loan, he had to go back to the office and convene a meeting to discuss alternative solutions.


    As soon as he arrived at the office, he received a call from Shu Pan.


    Gu Shaoting was startled, thinking that something bad had happened.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine. I just miss you.¡± Shu Pan¡¯s slightly mncholic voice came from the other end of the phone.


    ¡°Has the baby been good?¡± Gu Shaoting asked gently, his voice filled with concern.


    ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s not as troublesome now. I justck appetite every now and then.¡± Shu Pan took the opportunity toin.


    ¡°Thank you for putting up with it, my dear.¡± Gu Shaoting med himself. He should have been by her side during this special period, but he had to leave because of trouble at thepany.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. I¡¯m enjoying the process. Is work going well for you?¡± Shu Pan asked.<div>


    ¡°Um¡­ Well enough. Don¡¯t worry.¡± Gu Shaoting said summarily. He couldn¡¯t let her worry. He was the man of the house and he would handle the problem.


    ¡°That¡¯s good. Please remember to rest. I won¡¯t disturb you anymore. I¡¯m going shopping with Xiaomengter. I want to get a couple of maternity dresses. My clothes feel a little tight now.¡± Shu Pan nagged.


    But Gu Shaoting liked to hear Shu Panin about daily, trivial things. It felt normal and it warmed his heart. This was the happiness he was after.


    <div>

 Chapter 714: Why Doesn’t He Like Me?

    Chapter 714: Why Doesn¡¯t He Like Me?


    Editor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    After hanging up the phone, Gu Shaoting felt full of energy again. Shu Pan was his motivation to work hard.


    He buried himself in work at the office and called He Ming at some point in time to inform him of the seriousness of their situation.


    The two of them brainstormed for a solution and agreed that they would need to move some money from Gu Group¡¯s headquarters. They couldn¡¯t give up on their overseas business, which contributed significantly to the group¡¯s revenue.


    Gu Shaoting also specifically asked He Ming to help take care of Shu Pan. They couldn¡¯t afford any mishaps now that she was pregnant.


    He Ming told him not to worry and asked him to focus on work.


    Charlene looked at the time and figured that Gu Shaoting would still be at the office, so she headed there.


    However, she was stopped at the front desk because she didn¡¯t have an appointment.


    ¡°My name is Charlene. I¡¯m looking for Brother Gu. Please find out if he¡¯s willing to see me.¡± Charlene spoke with her head held high, her fair neck looking like a proud white swan¡¯s.


    The receptionist didn¡¯t dare to offend Charlene upon hearing the intimate way she addressed CEO Gu. She had no choice but to pick up the phone and call his office.<div>


    Shortly after, Gu Shaoting¡¯s deep voice sounded on the phone.


    ¡°CEO Gu, there¡¯s a Miss Charlene here looking for you. Is it a good time?¡± The receptionist was so nervous that her voice was trembling when she said that.


    Gu Shaoting¡¯s brows were so tightly knitted together that they could squash a mosquito dead. Why was Charlene here?


    Why was she looking for him? She probably wouldn¡¯t let it go until she saw him.


    ¡°Let here upstairs.¡± Gu Shaoting gave in eventually; he could use this opportunity to make things clear to her.


    ¡°Miss Charlene, this way please.¡± The receptionist made an inviting gesture to the elevator bank next to her.


    Charlene didn¡¯t even say thank you as she walked towards the elevators.


    The overseas office of Gu Group in France was also very big, and Gu Shaoting¡¯s office was on the top floor.


    Charlene took the CEO¡¯s exclusive elevator up. She was actually very nervous and only let her guard down when the elevator doors closed.


    She looked at her reflection in the elevator walls. Her shoulder-length hair with trendy Korean bangs, her expensive, figure-hugging dress, exquisite makeup, earrings worth tens of thousands of yuan and her branded bag all showed her taste as someone born with a silver spoon.


    She was so perfect, but her Brother Gu was not interested at all. She was really puzzled.


    Charlene was still nervous as she rode the elevator. After all, girls were more thin-skinned.


    When she arrived at the top floor, she knocked on Gu Shaoting¡¯s door. Gu Shaoting was talking to someone on the phone and gestured for Charlene to enter and sit.


    Charlene looked at his office, which was mostly ck, white, and gray. It had a very modern feel. It wasn¡¯t extravagant orplicated. It was very tastefully decorated.


    Because she loved Gu Shaoting, she liked everything about him.


    Charlene sat on the sofa for about ten minutes before Gu Shaoting ended the call.


    ¡°Charlene, why are you looking for me?¡± An indifferent and deep voice suddenly rang out, snapping Charlene out of her daze. She looked up nervously.


    Gu Shaoting was holding a folder and he was dressed in an elegant ck suit, looking tall, handsome, and powerful.


    Charlene¡¯s heart raced suddenly. She suppressed the emotions in her heart and asked, ¡°Brother Gu, why didn¡¯t you agree to my father¡¯s terms?¡±<div>


    Charlene¡¯s tone was very sad, heart-wrenching even.


    Gu Shaoting looked at her for a few seconds. His indifferent expression did not change when he said, ¡°Charlene, I won¡¯t agree to that kind of condition. I love my wife more than anything else.¡± Gu Shaoting made his stand clear again.

 Chapter 715: Getting Drunk (1)

    Chapter 715: Getting Drunk (1)


    Editor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you like me? How am I inferior to Shu Pan? I¡¯m younger and more outstanding than her. Besides, yourpany is in crisis now. I can help you.¡± Charlene said with sudden agitation, her expression a little wild.


    Gu Shaoting couldn¡¯t help but frown. He was silent for a moment before he said, ¡°Charlene, thank you for your admiration. You¡¯re still young, and you¡¯ll meet someone better.¡±


    Gu Shaoting didn¡¯t want to make things worse. After all, he and John were still business partners.


    However, he felt that if he didn¡¯t reject her hard enough, Charlene would keep thinking that she had a chance¡­


    ¡°I don¡¯t want anyone else. I only want you.¡± Charlene said as she pounced on him and hugged him tightly around the waist.


    Gu Shaoting was not mentally prepared and was shocked. Charlene held him with so much force that he stumbled backward.


    After Gu Shaoting steadied himself, he quickly pulled her off him.


    His tone was harsher when he said, ¡°Charlene, stop wasting your time on me. I will never fall for you.¡±


    Gu Shaoting¡¯s words were like a sharp knife stabbed directly into Charlene¡¯s heart.<div>


    Her mind went nk for a minute before she sobbed, ¡°But I like you so much.¡±


    ¡°Charlene, don¡¯t waste time on someone who doesn¡¯t love you. Look at other people around you. You may find your true love among them.¡± Gu Shaoting was running out of patience.


    Charlene was stunned and didn¡¯t respond.


    ¡°I still have work to do, so I won¡¯t see you out. Take care.¡± Gu Shaoting went back to his desk, hoping that Charlene woulde to her senses.


    Since Gu Shaoting had ¡°ordered¡± her to leave, Charlene didn¡¯t stay any longer.


    She took her Chanel bag and left in disappointment.


    She lookedpletely different from when she walked in. Her face was pale and she couldn¡¯t walk straight.


    She did not want to go home, so she headed to the mall and shopped like crazy.


    It was only when her hands were full of shopping that she squatted down and wailed.


    She wanted to vent her frustration of not being able to get her man.


    When Charlene finally looked up and saw that it was already dark outside, she carried her things and walked into a bar next door.


    She felt that only alcohol could numb her pain now.


    She needed to get stone drunk so she could forget her troubles and those hurtful words.


    ¡­


    Gu Shaoting stayed in his office and thought for a long time. He was at his wits¡¯ end. He was worried that moving funds from the headquarters would affect hispany¡¯s domestic operations.


    He seemed a little tired. He took off his suit jacket, loosened his tie, and unbuttoned the top two buttons on his shirt.


    He looked a little ruffian now but was still tall and handsome. The noble aura that he exuded was never easy to ignore.


    Just as he was about to walk out of the office, his phone rang.


    Gu Shaoting looked at the caller ID and was a little surprised. It was him?<div>


    It was Qin Zhen calling.


    They had be friends and exchanged phone numbers at the business banquet.


    Gu Shaoting did not expect him to call him so soon.


    But he didn¡¯t hesitate and immediately picked up the phone.<div>


    He stood at the office entrance with one hand in his trouser pocket. He looked handsome and distinct from behind, his entire body exuding an elegant but understated aura.


    ¡°Hello, Qin Zhen.¡± Gu Shaoting said first.


    ¡°Hello, are you free? Let¡¯s go for a drink.¡± Qin Zhen went straight to the point as soon as the call connected.


    ¡°I¡¯m at the office. You may need to wait for a little bit. Send me the address and I¡¯ll be there soon.¡± Gu Shaoting thought that he might as well join Qin Zhen for a drink since his wife and daughter weren¡¯t around and he¡¯d be bored if he went back to the hotel.


    ¡°Okay, see you soon.¡± Qin Zhen said happily.

 Chapter 716: Getting Drunk (2)

    Chapter 716: Getting Drunk (2)


    Editor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Gu Shaoting received the address and immediately drove to the location provided by the other party.


    Qin Zhen was a rather talkative person, and he had his own unique insights.


    At that time, he didn¡¯t know what kind of person Qin Zhen was. He walked up to him, greeted him, and they became friends.


    But when you¡¯re away from home, having one more friend isn¡¯t a bad thing.


    And being able to attend that banquet was a sign of status.


    When Gu Shaoting arrived, Qin Zhen was already seated, smiling at him.


    ¡°Take a seat. What would you like to eat? Drink?¡± Qin Zhen warmly said.


    ¡°Whatever you prefer. You¡¯re the host,¡± Gu Shaoting casually replied. Since they were just meeting for a meal, not for business, there was no need to be formal.


    ¡°Mr. Gu, thank you foring.¡± Qin Zhen politely said. Actually, he wasn¡¯t very sure if Gu Shaoting would show up. After all, he gave off the impression of being rather proud and aloof, not easy to get along with.<div>


    ¡°You¡¯re too polite. Just call me Shaoting. Let¡¯s consider ourselves friends.¡± Gu Shaoting smiled.


    ¡°Alright, from now on, let¡¯s call each other by our names, no need for formalities,¡± Qin Zhen said happily.


    As they chatted and ate, they asionally toasted.


    Unbeknownst to Gu Shaoting, he had already drunk a lot. He felt a bit light-headed and excused himself to the restroom.


    Because he was in a hurry, Gu Shaoting left his phone on the table.


    ¡°Shaoting¡­ your phone,¡± Qin Zhen called out from behind.


    Because of the crowded and noisy environment, he couldn¡¯t hear very clearly.


    Not long after Gu Shaoting left, his phone suddenly rang.


    Qin Zhen was startled by the unexpected ringing.


    He thought for a moment, who would call at this time? Could it be something urgent?


    What if someone was trying to reach him for an emergency?


    The phone kept ringing, whether someone answered or not.


    Qin Zhen couldn¡¯t contain his curiosity. He picked up the phone and nced at it.


    Upon seeing the caller ID, he waspletely stunned. It was Charlene.


    For a moment, his heart seemed to stop.


    He hesitated for a moment, then licked his lips and pressed the answer button.


    He nervously put the phone to his ear, but before he could say anything, he heard Charlene¡¯s voice on the other end.


    Her voice was somewhat erratic, sometimes loud, sometimes soft, and she muttered, ¡°Brother Gu, why¡­ don¡¯t you like me?¡±


    Then she burped and asked for more alcohol.<div>


    Qin Zhen, feeling anxious, asked, ¡°Where are you?¡±


    In his anxiety, he blurted out the question, momentarily forgetting whose phone Gu Shaoting was using.


    But obviously, Charlene was too intoxicated to notice any difference in the voice. Normally, she would have noticed.


    ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m drinking. I won¡¯t tell you where,¡± Charlene said with augh.<div>


    ¡°Be good, tell me, I¡¯lle pick you up,¡± Qin Zhen coaxed her. He knew that intoxicated people tended to ramble.


    ¡°Are you Brother Gu? You¡­ you¡¯reing to pick me up?¡± Charlene¡¯s mind only had Gu Shaoting¡¯s name.


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m Brother Gu. I¡¯lle get you,¡± Qin Zhen repeated her words, amodating drunk people¡¯s whims.


    ¡°I¡¯m at a bar. I¡¯ll tell you quietly, don¡¯t tell anyone,¡± Charlene said like a child, giggling, and then she told Qin Zhen the name of the bar.


    Qin Zhen breathed a sigh of relief;municating with a drunkard was exhausting.


    ¡°Don¡¯t move, just stay there,¡± Qin Zhen instructed her.


    ¡°Okay,¡± Charlene said before falling asleep on the bar counter.


    Qin Zhen hung up the phone, then casually deleted Charlene¡¯s call history, put the phone back on the table, acting as if nothing had happened.

 Chapter 717: Anxious

    Chapter 717: Anxious


    Editor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Qin Zhen felt anxious when he noticed Gu Shaoting hadn¡¯t returned, but he couldn¡¯t show it. Sitting there, he asionally nced at his phone, then at his watch, feeling increasingly restless.


    No one knew his inner turmoil. He worried that Charlene might have gotten drunk and something bad could happen to her alone.


    The more he thought about it, the more uneasy he felt.


    So he stood up, intending to find Gu Shaoting and inform him that he had to leave for something urgent.


    Just then, Gu Shaoting walked over, his steady gait indicating he was fine.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Everything okay?¡± Qin Zhen asked politely.


    ¡°Nothing, just had a bit too much tonight,¡± Gu Shaoting waved it off, feeling annoyed. He had been drowning his sorrows in alcohol, one drink after another, and had ended up getting drunk.


    Fortunately, he managed to stop in time, washed his face, and sobered up a bit.


    ¡°Alright, I have urgent matters to attend to, can you manage on your own?¡± Qin Zhen¡¯s tone was hurried, his face betraying his anxiety.<div>


    ¡°Yeah, go ahead. I¡¯ll leave after a while,¡± Gu Shaoting checked the time; it wasn¡¯t toote yet, so he nned to leaveter.


    ¡°Okay, take care of yourself,¡± Qin Zhen said, then hurriedly left.


    Watching Qin Zhen¡¯s departing figure, Gu Shaoting couldn¡¯t help but wonder why there would be urgent matters sote at night. It couldn¡¯t be work-rted; it must be something personal.


    He shook his head wryly, realizing he had plenty of unresolved issues himself. Right now, he was just thinking about when he could go home. He had initially nned to be away for only a week, but it had already been a week, and there was still no progress in his matters.


    Gu Shaoting sighed and then picked up the bill from the table to settle it.


    ¡°Sir, the gentleman who just left has already paid,¡± the waiter¡¯s voice rang in his ears.


    Gu Shaoting was surprised; he didn¡¯t expect him to notice, considering how hastily he had left. It seemed he was a thoughtful person after all.


    ¡­


    After exiting, Qin Zhen quickly drove to the bar Charlene mentioned.


    Because it waste at night, there were few pedestrians and vehicles on the road, so Qin Zhen arrived at the bar quickly.


    Upon entering, he looked around constantly. Because it was crowded, he didn¡¯t see Charlene at first. Had she left on her own?


    Qin Zhen¡¯s heart skipped a beat. It waste, and a girl who was drunk, this could be really dangerous.


    He continued walking inside, intending to ask the bartender.


    That¡¯s when he spotted a woman slumped over a table, seemingly intoxicated and unmoving.


    He recognized her immediately as Charlene.


    He approached her gently and whispered in her ear, ¡°Charlene, wake up. I¡¯ll take you home.¡±


    Charlene, probably too intoxicated, just turned her head in another direction and waved her hand in the air, thinking it was a mosquito buzzing in her ear, then went back to sleep.


    Qin Zhen sighed in resignation, then called over the waiter to pay the bill. He then lifted Charlene gently, one hand supporting her and the other holding her belongings.


    Charlene snuggled into his arms, mumbled something, and then murmured, ¡°Brother Gu¡­¡±<div>


    Qin Zhen¡¯s steps halted, freezing in ce. His expression was unreadable, his face somewhat grim.


    ¡°Charlene, look closely, I¡¯m Qin Zhen, not Gu Shaoting,¡± Qin Zhen gritted his teeth.


    ¡°Heh¡­ heh, you¡¯re Brother Gu,¡± Charlene replied, wrapping her arms around his waist and acting coquettish.


    Qin Zhen felt helpless, once again confirming that conversing with a drunkard was quite a hassle. It felt like talking to a brick wall.<div>

 Chapter 718: What’s Going On?

    Chapter 718: What¡¯s Going On?


    Editor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Qin Zhen gave up trying tomunicate with Charlene. He pulled her outside, realizing that it wouldn¡¯t be possible to take her home now; it was toote, and he didn¡¯t want to disturb her family.


    Just as he was about to leave, Charlene suddenly squatted down and vomited.


    Qin Zhen patted her back, trying to make her morefortable.


    Helplessly, Qin Zhen had no choice but to take her to a hotel to rest until she sobered up before going home.


    However, upon arriving at the hotel, Charlene opened her bleary eyes. Her mind still foggy, she mistook Qin Zhen for Gu Shaoting and refused to let go of him.


    ¡°Charlene, look clearly. I¡¯m Qin Zhen, not your Brother Gu,¡± Qin Zhen said to her, but Charlene was too drunk to understand.


    ¡°You¡¯re Qin Zhen? I don¡¯t know you. Go away,¡± Charlene¡¯s words took Qin Zhen aback.


    ¡°Look again. I¡¯m Qin Zhen. Do you remember now?¡± Qin Zhen shook Charlene gently.


    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s you¡­¡± Charlene looked at him fixedly.<div>


    ¡­


    Golden sunlight streamed in through the white curtains, casting a beam of light onto the window sill.


    Clothes were strewn all over the white carpet.


    Charlene was now sober fromst night¡¯s alcohol-induced haze. She rubbed her swollen head, opened her bleary eyes, and found herself in an unfamiliar room.


    Where was she?


    Wasn¡¯t she in her own room?


    How did she end up here? She racked her brain, but couldn¡¯t make sense of it.


    Charlene massaged her temples, slowly sat up, feeling exhausted. As she took in the messy surroundings, memories ofst night shed through her mind like scenes from a movie.


    ¡°Bang!¡±


    Before Charlene could gather all her memories, the bathroom door suddenly swung open.


    ¡°Are you awake? Feeling okay?¡± Qin Zhen asked with concern.


    ¡°It¡¯s you, Qin Zhen? You¡¯re like a bad penny,¡± Charlene suddenly eximed excitedly.


    ¡°Darling, don¡¯t be so agitated. You weren¡¯t like this yesterday,¡± Qin Zhen innocently replied.


    ¡°Shut up, you devil. I don¡¯t want to see you again,¡± Charlene gritted her teeth.


    ¡°Darling, it hurts me to hear you say that. Remember, we shared a night of passion,¡± Qin Zhen teased, a bit shamelessly.


    ¡°Who shared a night of passion? Shameless,¡± Charlene clenched the nket tightly, speaking through gritted teeth.


    ¡°Charlene, don¡¯t you think we¡¯re meant to be together?¡± Qin Zhen walked over to her, shook her shoulder gently, and said softly.


    ¡°Get out. I don¡¯t want to see you. The person I like is Brother Gu,¡± Charlene became more and more agitated, her eyes seemed to be erupting with fire.


    ¡°Brother Gu? Too bad Brother Gu¡¯s heart belongs to someone else. He already has a beloved wife,¡± Qin Zhen taunted, seemingly intent on provoking Charlene.<div>


    ¡°Heh, it¡¯s none of your business what I do. It¡¯s best for you to stay away from me in the future. Even if we meet again, just pretend you don¡¯t know me, like at thest banquet. Wasn¡¯t that good?¡± Charleneughed coldly.


    She thought she had cut ties with this personpletely, but now they were entangled again, which was truly annoying.


    ¡°Charlene, don¡¯t say such angry words. Do you know? Ever since we separated, I couldn¡¯t forget about you. The fact that we can meet again means our fate isn¡¯t over yet,¡± Qin Zhen sat down beside her, looking at her.


    ¡°It¡¯s impossible. Even if I¡¯m single for the rest of my life, I won¡¯t be with you. Don¡¯t you find yourself disgusting?¡± Charlene looked at him with disdain, wishing he would disappear from her sight.<div>

 Chapter 719: Charlene’s Past

    Chapter 719: Charlene¡¯s Past


    Editor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Qin Zhen covered his heart with his hand, making a hurt expression. ¡°Darling, why would you think of me like that?¡±


    ¡°Heh¡­ You know very well what you¡¯ve done. A man like you, in today¡¯s terms, is just a scumbag, understand?¡± Charlene appeared self-righteous.


    Charlene really didn¡¯t want to see Qin Zhen. To her, he was nothing but a nightmare, as he was the reason she once suffered from androphobia.


    This was a secret buried deep in Charlene¡¯s heart.


    Charlene and Qin Zhen were once a couple, having met at a banquet.


    At the time, Charlene attended the banquet with her father. Finding it boring, she sat on the side, wearing a stoic expression that hid her emotions. Unexpectedly, she was approached by two yboys. Charlene found them irritating. How could there be such shameless people?


    Like a persistent adhesive, they couldn¡¯t shake them off. Just then, Qin Zhen appeared before her like a prince charming from a fairy tale.


    At that moment, Charlene truly believed that Qin Zhen was her true prince.


    She remembered the first time she met Qin Zhen. He came over, wrapped his arm around her shoulder, and said, ¡°What¡¯s going on? Didn¡¯t I ask you to wait for me in the hall?¡±<div>


    His voice, calm and clear, gently entered Charlene¡¯s ears. His voice was deep and maic, very pleasant to listen to.


    She remembered being stunned at the time, unable to react to what he said. It wasn¡¯t until he hugged her tighter that she understood. He was speaking for the benefit of those two rascals. He reached out and gently embraced her waist. Because of her slight figure, he easily half-embraced her into his arms.


    They pretended to be lovers in order to make those two people retreat.


    As she slightly turned her head, their eyes unexpectedly met. Instantly, the clear pupils beneath Charlene¡¯s longshes seemed to flicker.


    Qin Zhen was wearing a ck suit at the time, entuating his tall and handsome figure. From head to toe, he exuded an innate aura of nobility. Beneath his sharp eyebrowsy eyes as deep as the sea, his high nose, and his sensual lips¡­


    Everything about him indicated that Qin Zhen was a handsome man, a top-tier man among men.


    At that moment, Charlene¡¯s heart really pounded, feeling like it had lost its rhythm from before. His appearance seemed as if it had been carefully sculpted by God, how could it not move people?


    After realizing, Charlene quickly replied, ¡°I just felt a bit suffocated and wanted toe out for some fresh air.¡± Charlene didn¡¯t expect herself to be quite talented in acting. Their conversation flowed naturally, like that of a couple deeply in love.


    ¡°You, you really need to be careful. There are bad people outside, don¡¯t you know?¡± Qin Zhen hinted at something.


    Charlene nodded. The two flirtatious men left awkwardly, finding it uninteresting to pursue a beautiful woman who already had a boyfriend.


    After they left, Charlene smiled and said, ¡°Thank you for helping me out. I didn¡¯t know how to handle it.¡±


    She expressed her gratitude to Qin Zhen.


    ¡°I¡¯m Qin Zhen. And may I have the pleasure of knowing your name?¡± Qin Zhen said humorously, instantly amusing Charlene.


    ¡°Just call me Charlene. Pleased to meet you,¡± Charlene said mischievously.


    At that moment, feeling a mutual interest, the two quickly became lovers.

 Chapter 720: The Truth

    Chapter 720: The Truth


    Editor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Qin Zhen and Charlene had been living like fairy tale characters since they got together.


    Qin Zhen was a considerate, gentle boyfriend.


    Charlene felt incredibly lucky because she had found her true prince charming.


    They both enjoyed traveling and ying golf, sharing manymon interests that deepened their love.


    At least, that¡¯s how Charlene felt. She believed their love was genuine because Qin Zhen truly cared for her. If there was any insincerity, then he was a master actor. It was this confidence that ultimately broke Charlene down.


    At that time, Charlene was focused on her career. She couldn¡¯t prioritize love above all else, and she knew she had to strive to be even better to deserve him.


    So she began learning from her father, spending a period of time quite busy. She inadvertently neglected Qin Zhen, but she knew he was busy too, so she didn¡¯t worry.


    Until one day, Charlene decided to surprise Qin Zhen.


    She was supposed to be on a business trip, but she changed her ns at thest minute. So Charlene decided to go see Qin Zhen and make it up to him.<div>


    She went to his ce, but he wasn¡¯t there. Later, the butler told her that Qin Zhen had gone out with friends and would be back at their usual spot.


    Charlene knew where his usual spot was; he had taken her there a few times before.


    Charlene furrowed her brows. Yesterday, when she asked him, didn¡¯t he say he didn¡¯t have time? Wasn¡¯t he busy? Why did he suddenly have time to go out with friends?


    But she also knew she couldn¡¯t be too controlling with a man. The more you tried to control, the more they resisted.


    So after thanking the butler, she left.


    She drove straight to the ce they mentioned, which was a private room in a hotel. It was owned by one of Qin Zhen¡¯s friends, and they often gathered there.


    Upon arriving, Charlene didn¡¯t call Qin Zhen. She wanted to surprise him and was suddenly looking forward to seeing everyone¡¯s expressions.


    After parking her car, she went up.


    When she arrived, she found the room full of people.


    Through the door, she saw the bright lights inside the private room. Qin Zhen happened to be sitting under the brightest light, his naturally fair and handsome face shining like porcin.


    Could a man have such charm? It truly made people envious.


    Today, he was wearing a ck shirt, with his suit jacket casually draped over the back of his chair, the top two buttons of his shirt undone, giving him a rxed and casual look.


    Not only was he there with his friends, but there were also three young and beautiful girls in the room. They didn¡¯t seem like their friends because Charlene had never seen them before.


    She noticed one of the girls sitting next to Qin Zhen, and he was looking calm, leaning his head, seemingly saying something that made the girl blush.


    Seeing this scene, Charlene felt very ufortable. This version of Qin Zhen was unfamiliar to her.


    She couldn¡¯t help but wonder, what was his rtionship with that girl? Why did they seem so intimate? Was he hiding something?


    She wanted to rify everything right away.


    Taking a deep breath, she calmed herself down.


    She stepped away from the door, going to a quieter corner, and dialed Qin Zhen¡¯s number.<div>


    After a moment, the call was answered.


    ¡°Are you busy?¡± Charlene tried to keep her voice calm andposed.


    ¡°Yeah. I¡¯m quite busy today, lots of work. What about you? Have you arrived? I¡¯ve been missing you,¡± Qin Zhen said, speaking while smiling and running his hand through the girl¡¯s hair beside him.


    If she hadn¡¯t seen it with her own eyes, Charlene might have believed him.<div>

 Chapter 721: Game

    Chapter 721: Game


    Editor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Charlene held back, then said, ¡°I¡¯ll be done soon and head back. Take care of yourself.¡±


    She picked a random topic and rambled a bit before hanging up.


    She looked lost and devastated, as if struck by something heavy.


    She wanted to ask him why he treated her like this. She believed she hadn¡¯t done anything wrong.


    She was unwilling, but she walked back to the door of the private room. This time, she could hear Qin Zhen and his friendsughing and joking loudly.


    ¡°Qin Zhen, seriously, are you for real? You¡¯re so attentive to that rich girl,¡± one of Qin Zhen¡¯s friends suddenly said.


    His words made Charlene freeze in her tracks. Her heart pounded harder, as if getting closer to the truth.


    ¡°How is that possible? Rich girls are all the same, aloof and difficult to please,¡± Qin Zhen retorted yfully.


    ¡°In that case, you¡¯re not interested in her?¡± his friend chuckled with a meaningful look.<div>


    ¡°Do you think I¡¯m like you, falling for every girl I meet? I¡¯m very open-minded. I won¡¯t give up the forest for one tree,¡± he replied, pinching the girl¡¯s chin beside him lightly and with a frivolous look.


    Charlene waspletely stunned, unable to react further. It felt like her feet were weighed down by thousands of pounds of lead, unable to move forward.


    Was the rich girl they were talking about her? She couldn¡¯t believe what she was hearing.


    It couldn¡¯t be her.


    When she was with Qin Zhen, she had treated him sincerely, always putting him first, amodating him, feeling like she had lost herself.


    How could she be aloof and superior?


    If it wasn¡¯t her, then who was the rich girl Qin Zhen mentioned?


    Charlene felt her thoughts muddled, unable to think straight. Her heart felt dead.


    ¡°Brother Zhen, I¡¯ve always admired you. Seriously, you¡¯ve taken care of everything from start to finish. When we made the bet about who could get Charlene, you volunteered, and she was so obedient to you. You won,¡± his friend praised, giving him a thumbs-up in admiration.


    Qin Zhen smiled faintly, not saying anything, but the sense of superiority was evident.


    Charlene seemed numb, realizing this was the truth of the matter.


    Their rtionship wasn¡¯t about love, but about a bet, a game.


    It was ridiculous. She was too foolish, too naive.


    In this game of love, she was the only one who took it seriously, while the other treated it like a bet.


    She wasn¡¯t interested in hearing what they said next. She already knew the truth and didn¡¯t need to stay here and be humiliated.


    She walked out of the club like a soulless doll, indifferent to the passersby who bumped into her in a hurry.


    That day, it seemed like even the heavens understood her mood, as it started raining. After getting drenched in the rain for a while, she returned home with a fever.


    She was sick for a whole week. After recovering, she was like a different person, never mentioning Qin Zhen again.


    She blocked Qin Zhen¡¯s number and moved out of the house, staying in a vi in the countryside to recuperate.<div>


    Shepletely shut Qin Zhen out of her world.


    Because she left before hearing everything, Qin Zhenter told his friend, ¡°Charlene is actually quite nice. It wouldn¡¯t be bad to date her.¡±


    His friend chuckled and shook his head. A yboy¡¯s nature would never change.


    <div>

 Chapter 722: Showdown

    Chapter 722: Showdown


    Editor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    During the time Charlene was sick, Qin Zhen couldn¡¯t reach her. He searched everywhere, feeling bewildered. How could he suddenly be dumped for no reason?


    Every day, he went to Charlene¡¯s house to find her, but it was always in vain.


    His frequent appearances had started to disrupt her family¡¯s life. After Charlene recovered, she arranged to meet him.


    ¡°My dear, what¡¯s wrong with you? You seem like a different person all of a sudden,¡± Qin Zhen said with a hint of grievance.


    Charlene gave a cold smile. Truly, how hadn¡¯t she realized she was blind before? But it could be said that his acting skills were too good. Looking at him now, he could easily win an Oscar for Best Actor.


    ¡°Nothing, I just got tired of it. I don¡¯t want to y anymore. The game is over, Mr. Qin,¡± Charlene said lightly. Having just recovered from a serious illness, herplexion looked pale and she seemed weak, but her words showed no sign of weakness.


    Qin Zhen hadn¡¯t expected Charlene to say such things. He frowned, looking disbelieving. He had always been the one to break up with women, but today, he was dumped by a woman. It was quite funny to think about.


    ¡°Why? You have to give me a reason. I can¡¯t ept such an inexplicable breakup,¡± Qin Zhen wondered if Charlene had fallen for someone else. How could she change so quickly? Just a few days ago, they were so close and affectionate. Was she breaking up with him? No one would believe it.


    ¡°You don¡¯t need a reason for a breakup. If you don¡¯t like it, it¡¯s that simple,¡± Charlene didn¡¯t want to say more to him. Wasn¡¯t it better to give everyone a good memory? There was no need to tear faces apart.<div>


    ¡°I don¡¯t ept that reason.¡± Qin Zhen felt it was too inexplicable. Something must have happened.


    ¡°Hehe, do you really want to know? Mr. Qin,¡± Charlene nced outside. The sun was shining brightly, but her heart felt as cold as ice.


    ¡°Why?¡± Qin Zhen pressed on.


    ¡°You said something at the club with your friends that day, and I heard it all. It must be fate. I wasn¡¯t on a business trip that day. When I came back to find you, I heard it. Mr. Qin, you won the bet, you should be happy. Congrattions. But I don¡¯t like to y games. Forgive me for not apanying you,¡± Charlene said calmly, as if she were talking about someone else¡¯s business, not her own.


    ¡°Charlene, I can exin. Things are not like that,¡± Qin Zhen panicked. So that was it. No wonder her attitude changed suddenly.


    ¡°There¡¯s no need to exin. Seeing is believing. I also saw you being ambiguous with other women. Let¡¯s end this game here. Don¡¯t entangle anymore. I hope we can part on good terms and treat each other as strangers in the future,¡± Charlene suddenly felt that breaking up wasn¡¯t a big deal. She could face it calmly now.


    ¡°Charlene, just give me another chance,¡± Qin Zhen suddenly grabbed her hand.


    ¡°Let go. With your conditions, you can find someone else easily. Don¡¯t bother me anymore. I¡¯ll say it again, the game is over,¡± Charlene said, then pulled her hand away from Qin Zhen¡¯s grasp and walked away.


    ¡°Charlene¡­¡± When Qin Zhen chased after her, he only saw Charlene¡¯s back. He sighed dejectedly.


    He couldn¡¯t figure out his own thoughts anymore.

 Chapter 723: Stay Away From Me

    Chapter 723: Stay Away From Me


    Editor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Since the breakup, Charlene had been keeping a distance from men. The pain she endured in that rtionship raised her standards and made her more vignt. So people talked behind her back, calling her arrogant miss.


    But when she met Gu Shaoting, everything felt different from the first sight of him.


    Seeing him made her heart race involuntarily. She finally understood this feeling as a flutter of the heart. The infatuation she experienced before wasn¡¯t real love.


    Gu Shaoting entered her life, and she finally managed to shake off the hurt Qin Zhen had caused her. She thought she would never see Qin Zhen again in her life.


    Little did she know, life is full of surprises, and after some twists and turns, she met Qin Zhen again. That night at the banquet, she pretended not to know him, but now he appeared before her, and something intimate had happened between them.


    Charlene finally snapped out of her memories, looking at Qin Zhen with resentment. ¡°You¡¯d better disappear from my sight within 5 minutes.¡±


    ¡°Charlene, I know I was wrong. Please give me another chance,¡± Qin Zhen persisted.


    ¡°Sorry, we¡¯re not suitable,¡± Charlene shook her head.


    ¡°let¡¯s get dressed and have a good chatter,¡± Qin Zhen suggested.<div>


    After saying that, he picked up his clothes from the chair and put them on. The scenes fromst night yed vividly in her mind. Charlene¡¯s face quickly turned red, then pale again.


    The wind lifted the white curtains by the bed, and a ray of sunlight fell on it, making her looknguid.


    Wrapping herself in the sheet, she retreated to the bathroom, changed her clothes, and came out without saying a word. She just grabbed her bag and yesterday¡¯s trophies and went home.


    When Qin Zhen realized it, she was already far away. He could only smile bitterly.


    Charlene had no intention of being alone with him in the same room.


    Because she didn¡¯t return home all night, John was very worried.


    Seeing her father and remembering what happened yesterday, Charlene couldn¡¯t help but burst into tears in John¡¯s arms.


    How could John bear to see his daughter so heartbroken?


    ¡°Sweetheart, what¡¯s wrong?¡± John patted her shoulder, asking with concern.


    ¡°Daddy, Brother Gu doesn¡¯t like me. He won¡¯t divorce,¡± Charlene said with a tearful voice, still sniffling as she spoke.


    ¡°Then Daddy will introduce someone better to you,¡± Johnforted.


    ¡°No, I only like Brother Gu,¡± Charlene countered.


    John furrowed his brow for a moment, then spoke, ¡°If that¡¯s what you want, Daddy will do his best to fight for it for you.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± Charlene suddenly looked up at John. ¡°I knew Daddy loves me the most.¡±


    Finally, she smiled through her tears.


    She knew that with Dad¡¯s intervention, things would be much easier.


    ¡°Don¡¯t cry anymore. Crying over a man is really embarrassing for me,¡± John said grumpily.


    With John¡¯s assurance, Charlene¡¯s mood finally calmed down a bit.


    ¡­<div>


    Gu Shaoting had originally nned to return home after a week on his business trip, but now it had been almost half a month.


    Shu Pan¡¯s heart had been uneasy because she knew things were definitely not as simple as Gu Shaoting said; he just didn¡¯t want to worry her.


    Compared to before, she felt much better now.


    Auntie Li helped take care of Joy, so she had fewer worries. The only thing on her mind was Gu Shaoting, but she couldn¡¯t ask him.<div>


    Even if she did, he would just brush her off.


    Looking at the time, there was still a week until she reached three months of pregnancy, and it would be time for her prenatal checkup. She wondered if Gu Shaoting would be back by then because he didn¡¯t want to miss anything about this baby. He had promised to apany her to the hospital when the time came.

 Chapter 724: Threatening

    Chapter 724: Threatening


    Editor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Indeed, even Gu Shaoting himself wasn¡¯t sure when he could return.


    However, he had made the worst-case scenario n. If it really wasn¡¯t possible, he figured he¡¯d have to make a decision.


    With He Ming managing things domestically, Gu Shaoting was very assured. He was currently discussing other investments, hoping for sess.


    After rifying things with Charlene, they hadn¡¯t been in contact for the past couple of days, and he was quite satisfied with that oue.


    He still had a business rtionship with John, and things couldn¡¯t get too sour between them.


    He was now eager to return, as he had promised not to miss his child¡¯s upbringing. He hoped he wouldn¡¯t have to eat his words.


    Gu Shaoting held a cigarette in his right hand, took a puff, then exhaled gently, the smoke swirling around, making his mood even more restless.


    Just then, the phone rang urgently, causing Gu Shaoting to furrow his brow before answering.


    ¡°Mr. Gu, it¡¯s bad news. Mr. John wants to cancel the contract and terminate our cooperation,¡± Secretary Zhang said in a panic, having just received the news and immediately informed Gu Shaoting. He couldn¡¯t understand why such a thing would happen all of a sudden.<div>


    Their rtionship between Mr. Gu and Mr. John had always been good, right? They were like brothers. Why would Mr. John suddenly want to cancel the contract? What went wrong?


    ¡°Don¡¯t panic. Exin clearly. What exactly happened?¡± Gu Shaoting remained calm, as he always did in the face of major problems. He guessed this was what a sessful entrepreneur needed.


    ¡°Mr. John¡¯s assistant called to say, based on the difficulties faced by our overseaspany, he¡¯s worried about being implicated, so he wants to unterally terminate the contract,¡± Secretary Zhang said cautiously. For Mr. Gu, such news was undoubtedly thest straw.


    ¡°I see. Don¡¯t do anything for now. I¡¯ll talk to himter,¡± Gu Shaoting pursed his lips.


    After hanging up, he stood there motionless until dusk fell and the night deepened before returning to his room.


    He probably guessed that this matter was rted to what happened with Charlene. But he quickly dismissed it. After all, Mr. John wasn¡¯t someone who mixed personal and private matters like that.


    He would visit him again tomorrow and see how he reacted.


    People were like this¡ªfew added to your happiness, but many kicked you when you were down.


    The next day, Gu Shaoting courteously called Mr. John and asked to meet him.


    Mr. John readily agreed. After all, it was he who had posed this challenge to Gu Shaoting, and his goal was for Gu Shaoting to call him.


    Sighing, Mr. John thought over his actions. In fact, what he did was quite unkind. He and Gu Shaoting had such a good rtionship, but he resorted to this tactic when he was in trouble.


    He hoped Gu Shaoting would agree to his request and fulfill an old father¡¯s wish.


    Although this request was somewhat excessive, for the sake of his beloved daughter, he had thrown all conscience aside.


    Gu Shaoting once again entered John¡¯s study.


    ¡°Please, have a seat, Shaoting,¡± John said calmly. He knew Gu Shaoting woulde.


    ¡°Mr. John, could you please tell me why you want to terminate our cooperation?¡± Gu Shaoting got straight to the point.


    ¡°Shaoting, you¡¯re a smart man. You know my terms,¡± John replied, not one for beating around the bush.


    ¡°Are you suggesting, Mr. John, that I divorce and marry your wealthy daughter?¡± Gu Shaoting reiterated, genuinely concerned he might have misunderstood.


    ¡°Yes, Shaoting, I hope you¡¯ll seriously consider it. It¡¯s a win-win situation for both of us,¡± John said meaningfully.<div>

 Chapter 725: Uncompromising

    Chapter 725: Upromising


    Editor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    ¡°Mr. John, I¡¯m sorry, but I can¡¯t agree to such an unreasonable request. There¡¯s no need for consideration,¡± Gu Shaoting immediately refused. He didn¡¯t like being threatened by others, and divorcing Shu Pan for this was akin to signing his death warrant.


    ¡°Shaoting, won¡¯t you consider it seriously? After all, this involves your overseas business, right? Don¡¯t you care about your career?¡± Mr. John repeatedly emphasized that Gu Shaoting hadn¡¯t yet considered the consequences.


    ¡°Mr. John, I hope our cooperation is based on fairness and mutual benefit, not selfishness,¡± Gu Shaoting said directly. ¡°You¡¯re a man of integrity, always reasonable. I¡¯ve always been proud to work with you.¡±


    Mr. John¡¯s face turned red and white as Gu Shaoting spoke. After all, what he did was indeed unfair.


    He sighed and then spoke slowly, ¡°Shaoting, please understand a father¡¯s helplessness. I only have this one beloved daughter. Everything in the future belongs to her. I don¡¯t want to see her sad. I¡¯ll try everything I can for her.¡±


    ¡°Mr. John, I understand your love for your daughter, but forgive me for not being able to agree to your request. If you terminate the cooperation prematurely, we¡¯ll proceed ording to the contract. Also, please consider that stopping the contract midway won¡¯t be beneficial for you either,¡± Gu Shaoting patiently analyzed the pros and cons for him.


    Mr. John didn¡¯t speak. He walked slowly to the window, looking at the clouds in the sky outside, lost in thought.


    Was this the right thing to do? Seeing Gu Shaoting¡¯s attitude, he knew there would be nopromise. He¡¯d rather give up the cooperation than agree to his request. Sacrificing the cooperation just to make himpromise, wouldn¡¯t that hurt others and not benefit himself?


    After thinking it over, John finally said, ¡°Shaoting, let me think about it.¡±<div>


    Gu Shaoting nced at him and replied, ¡°Sure, I¡¯ll take my leave now. I¡¯ll wait for your reply. I hope we can still cooperate happily.¡±


    With that, Gu Shaoting left.


    Hardly had he left when Charlene hurriedly entered. ¡°Daddy, what happened? Did Brother Gu agree?¡±


    Seeing Charlene¡¯s anxious look, John couldn¡¯t help but scold her, ¡°Why are you always in such a hurry? Have some decorum, will you?¡±


    ¡°Daddy, what did he say?¡± Charlene asked anxiously.


    ¡°He didn¡¯t agree, darling. Forget about this matter. Shaoting won¡¯t agree no matter what,¡± John sighed after speaking.


    It was hard for him to put aside his dignity and make such a harsh request. If the other party didn¡¯t agree, he felt embarrassed.


    ¡°No, why didn¡¯t he agree? Last time he didn¡¯t agree, but this time, if we terminate the cooperation, it could be a heavy blow to the Gu Group. How could he ignore that?¡± Charlene said impatiently. This idea was suggested by her to her father. She thought men would prioritize their careers, after all, they could remarry if they lost their wives.


    ¡°Charlene, I¡¯ve indulged you too much. Don¡¯t bring up this matter again. Pretend we never discussed it. Have you thought about it? If we terminate the cooperation, ourpany will also be greatly affected, and thepensation won¡¯t be small. Plus, we don¡¯t know where to find such a good partner like the Gu Group,¡± John reasoned, bing more rational after analyzing it.


    Businessmen would always prioritize profit.


    Charlene was unhappy but helpless. She red at John and then stormed out of the study, fuming.

 Chapter 726: Take It As It Is

    Chapter 726: Take It As It Is


    Editor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Secretary Zhang entered not long after Gu Shaoting returned to the office.


    ¡°Mr. Gu, did Mr. John say anything? Is he still determined to stop the cooperation?¡± Secretary Zhang asked worriedly. Thepany was not doing well currently.


    ¡°He¡¯s still considering, but I reckon he¡¯s a smart person. He won¡¯t make such a stupid decision.¡± Gu Shaoting said lightly.


    Moreover, he had found twopanies that had the intention to cooperate. As long as the funds were in ce, he could start the project immediately.


    He had a n, and he would never be threatened by others.


    ¡°I hope so. Otherwise, it¡¯ll be even worse for us.¡± Secretary Zhang said worriedly.


    ¡°Since we are already in this situations, let¡¯s take it as it is.¡± Gu Shaoting said as he flipped through the documents in his hands.


    Secretary Zhang was about to leave when Gu Shaoting suddenly called out to him, ¡°Secretary Zhang, I want to go back home tomorrow. If there¡¯s anything important, please inform me.¡±


    Gu Shaoting thought for a moment and decided to go home. He had been on a business trip for almost half a month and Shu Pan was pregnant. He was really worried.<div>


    In the evening, Gu Shaoting called Shu Pan, ¡°Darling, did you rest? How do you feel?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine, but my stomach hurt a little a few days ago and had a little bleeding. But I¡¯m fine after seeing the doctor. He advised me to stay in bed, so I¡¯ve been resting at home.¡± Shu Pan only dared to mention it to Gu Shaoting because she was fine, afraid that he would worry.


    ¡°All right then. Rest well at home and focus on your pregnancy. Don¡¯t go to work for the time being.¡± Gu Shaoting was worried when he heard what Shu Pan said. Such an ident happened and yet he didn¡¯t even know about it.


    As expected, he was not a good husband.


    However, it was good that Shu Pan did not go to work. For someone like her who ced work above all else, he did not know if she would get used to suddenly not going to work at such a critical moment.


    Shu Pan teased ¡°You wouldn¡¯t mind me not doing anything and let you support me, right?¡±


    ¡°I would be more than happy. You can stay at home in peace.¡± Gu Shaoting thought for a moment and then asked, ¡°What did the doctor say? Anything wrong?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. I just need a few days of rest.¡± Gu Shaoting was already so busy with work. He had to worry about a bigpany like the Gu Group and also take care of her. Shu Pan really felt a little bad.


    ¡°If you¡¯re not feeling well, you have to go to the hospital. Don¡¯t force it. If the baby dares to torture you again, I¡¯ll spank his butt in the future.¡± Gu Shaoting¡¯s heart ached. He didn¡¯t expect it to be so difficult to have a child.


    ¡°Can you bear to?¡± Looking at the way Gu Shaoting doted on his daughter, she knew that he was a good father. Why would he bear to hit the baby?


    ¡°If the baby dares to make Mommy sad, I¡¯ll definitely be willing to do it.¡± Gu Shaoting said dotingly.


    As there were nothing much to do tonight, Gu Shaoting and Shu Pan chatted for a long time, neither of them could bear to put down the phone.


    After chatting with Shu Pan, Gu Shaoting felt a lot more rxed. However, he was still worried, so it was a wise decision to go back tomorrow.


    He didn¡¯t tell Shu Pan in advance because he wanted to give her a surprise.


    He wanted to see her surprised and happy expression.


    Gu Shaoting simply packed his luggage, and Secretary Zhang had already helped him book the ne tickets home.


    After Shu Pan hung up the phone, she couldn¡¯t calm down for a long time. It seemed that this was the longest time Gu Shaoting had gone on a business trip since they got married.


    She had be a little pretentious now. She wanted Gu Shaoting to be by her side during this special period, but because she knew that he was shouldering the Gu group¡¯s development, she did not dare to be willful.


    <div>

 Chapter 727: Good News

    Chapter 727: Good News


    Editor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    At noon the next day, Gu Shaoting nned to take a car to the airport.


    However, Secretary Zhang called and said that Tiansheng Company, which they had been trying to cooperate with, had replied. They requested for them to bring the proposal to thepany for discussion tomorrow.


    This was undoubtedly great news for Gu Shaoting. He had been waiting for the other party¡¯s reply.


    After all, it was a bigpany, so it was more troublesome on the review process. Now that he had a reply from them, the chances of sess were probably very high.


    ¡°Mr. Gu, you¡¯re going back home. What should we do?¡± Secretary Zhang was a little flustered because all the ns were personally handled by Gu Shaoting. He was not very confident that he could take up the task.


    ¡°How about this? Help me cancel the ne ticket first. Now that we have a reply, I¡¯ll go back after the cooperation is settled.¡± Gu Shaoting felt that this was better. He didn¡¯t need to go back and forth anymore. He could go home after this was settled.


    ¡°That¡¯s great. I¡¯ll do it right away.¡± Secretary Zhang said happily. With Mr. Gu around, it would definitely be twice the result with half the effort. He did not have to worry anymore.


    ¡°Yes, inform everyone that there will be a meeting in half an hour. I¡¯ll head over to the office now.¡± Gu Shaoting swiftly instructed.


    After hanging up the phone, Gu Shaoting sighed. The n just couldn¡¯t catch up with changes. Fortunately, he didn¡¯t tell Shu Pan in advance. Otherwise, she would be so disappointed.<div>


    Gu Shaoting didn¡¯t think too much about it. He quickly put down his luggage and drove back to thepany.


    Because of the sudden good news, everyone was in high spirits. At the meeting, everyone expressed their opinions and came up with the best proposal.


    In the end, it was Gu Shaoting who made the decision. Because everyone was enthusiastic, the time passed quickly.


    The proposal had already been prepared for their discussion at Tiansheng tomorrow.


    There was no such thing as an imprable wall in this world. Soon, the news of Gu Shaoting¡¯s cooperation with Tiansheng spread throughout the business world. Tiansheng Corporation was one of the toppanies in France. It would be a great honor to be able to work with them.


    Of course, this news was also passed to John. He suddenly became nervous. Previously, he had forced Gu Shaoting due to Charlene¡¯s matter. Now that Gu Shaoting had found such a big backer, would he still care about working with him? If Gu Shaoting proposed to terminate the contract, then he would really suffer a heavy loss.


    The more John thought about it, the more nervous he became. He felt that it was better to give Gu Shaoting a call to sound him out.


    After the call went through, John first said a few words of concern. Everyone understood the principle of business. Harmony was the most important.


    So Gu Shaoting didn¡¯t make things difficult for him. He only said that he had the intention to cooperate, but the decision is still pending.


    John was delighted and said, ¡°Shaoting, we have been friends for so long. Although we can¡¯t help you much, we still want to put in our little effort.¡±


    Gu Shaoting seemed to have expected his words, so he wasn¡¯t surprised at all. Then he said lightly, ¡°Thank you, Mr. John. I won¡¯t hold back when I need to.¡±


    John was a little embarrassed, then said, ¡°Alright, I hope we can continue to work well together.¡±


    ¡°We will.¡± Gu Shaoting hung up the phone and sat at his desk. He thought with some emotion that the world was so realistic. John¡¯s intentions changed quite quickly.


    He had a premonition that he would soon ovee this difficulty. In the future, his path would be even longer and farther.


    ¡­


    Charlene, who was working in her family¡¯spany, also heard about the news on the potential coopration between Gu Shaoting and Tiansheng.


    She was so angry that she stomped her feet. She knew that she would never have anything to do with Gu Shaoting in the future, but she really didn¡¯t want to give up. She felt that she was under Gu Shaoting¡¯s spell, which made her addicted and unable to extricate herself for a long time.

 Chapter 728: A Challenge

    Chapter 728: A Challenge


    Editor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Gu Shaoting was fully prepared, and the group went to Tiansheng Corporation with the proposal. After a series of discussions, Gu Shaoting finally reached an agreement with Tiansheng Corporation, which meant that the Gu Group would reach a new height.


    Gu Shaoting¡¯s heart was finally relieved. Things had finally gotten off to a good start. After he was done, he could go home.


    ¡­


    Shu Pan had been lying in bed for the past few days and her condition had improved. She nned to go to the hospital for a follow-up and a prenatal checkup today.


    She guessed that Gu Shaoting was very busy. He hadn¡¯t called back since thest time.


    Of course, Shu Pan wouldn¡¯t call him either. She didn¡¯t want to disturb him and give him pressure.


    She packed her things and took a taxi to the hospital.


    The hospital was crowded. Shu Pan was already very familiar with the processes, so she quickly registered herself.


    While she was waiting for the doctor to call her number, she saw that everyone else had their family members apanying them and their husbands supporting them. Her eyes revealed envy.<div>


    It would be a lie to say that she was not disappointed. When she thought about how she was also alone when Joy was born, her heart suddenly dimmed.


    When it was her turn, the doctor did a check-up and told her that the she and the fetus were very healthy. She would only need to go to the hospital for a routine check-up once a month in the future.


    Shu Pan was filled with joy. She couldn¡¯t wait to tell Gu Shaoting the good news.


    Shu Pan thanked the doctor and walked out of the hospital with the test results.


    When she got home, Shu Pan immediately called Gu Shaoting and exined the situation to him. ¡°Look at how nervous you are. I already said it¡¯s fine. It¡¯s not my first pregnancy, I¡¯m very experienced. Don¡¯t worry.¡±


    Gu Shaoting¡¯s heart finally rxed. ¡°I¡¯m worried about my wife and child. Does anyone have any objections?¡±


    Previously, Gu Shaoting had always looked nervous. He was always nervous, worried that something would happen to the child.


    The two of them chatted for a while about the child. Since it was time to sign the contract with Tiansheng Corporation, he only needed the staff to follow up, so Gu Shaoting had time now.


    After a long time, Gu Shaoting suddenly received a called, he smiled apologetically at Shu Pan, and Shu Pan reluctantly hung up the phone.


    However, just as she hung up, her phone rang again.


    Shu Pan didn¡¯t look at the caller ID. She smiled and picked up the call. ¡°Aren¡¯t you busy? Why? Do you miss me and the baby again?¡±


    The other party seemed to be stunned and did not speak for a moment.


    Shu Pan felt that it was a little strange. Then, she looked at the phone screen and saw a series numbers. It was unfamiliar.


    She frowned and asked, ¡°Hello, may I know who you are?¡±


    However, the other party still didn¡¯t say anything. Shu Pan thought it was a prank, so she decided to hang up.


    At this moment, a woman¡¯s voice came from the phone. ¡°You have a baby again?¡±


    It seemed that the other party¡¯s main point was this sentence.


    ¡°And you are?¡± Shu Pan asked in confusion. The voice was a little unfamiliar, but she seemed to have heard it before.


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to care who I am. Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s a very sad thing to tie Gu Shaoting to you by giving birth?¡± The other party¡¯s tone was really aggressive.<div>


    Shu Pan felt that this person was crazy. What right did she have toment on her?


    ¡°I don¡¯t care who you are, but I don¡¯t need you to point fingers at our business.¡± Shu Pan said sternly.


    ¡°Hmph, you must not know that Gu Shaoting¡¯spany is in great trouble now. What can you do to help him?¡± The other party seemed to be very clear about the situation.


    This time, Shu Pan thought for a moment and finally knew that it was Charlene.<div>

 Chapter 729: Inexplicable

    Chapter 729: Inexplicable


    Editor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Shu Pan felt stifled. She thought that everything would be calm once this person returned to France.


    But now, she realized that this person was everywhere. From time to time, she would taint your life. It was really too inexplicable.


    She believed that Charlene¡¯s provocation proved that Gu Shaoting ignored her, which was why she was so angry.


    ¡°This is Charlene right?¡± Shu Pan asked with certainty, ¡°Thank you for caring so much about Shaoting and our family, but let¡¯s stop here. If there¡¯s a problem, we¡¯ll face it together and resolve it. There¡¯s no need for you to tell us what to do.¡±


    Shu Pan¡¯s tone was faint, but the words that came out of her mouth were sonorous and forceful.


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s me Charlene. How can you help Brother Gu? Brother Gu is in so busy in France now because of thepany¡¯s matters. Do you have a way to make up for the funding gap he needs?¡± Charlene pressured, her tone bing urgent.


    Shu Pan¡¯s brows furrowed even more tightly. So that was what happened. Gu Shaoting didn¡¯t want her to know and was afraid that she would worry, so every time he called, he only tell her about the good news and not the bad news.


    Thepany had encountered such a huge problem, but Gu Shaoting did not mention a word about it. Shu Pan had found out from an outsider. To be honest, she felt a little upset.


    ¡°Miss Charlene, I believe that my husband has the ability to ovee this difficulty. Thank you for your reminder and concern.¡± Shu Pan¡¯s words implied that she should not worry about other people¡¯s matters.<div>


    ¡°Huh, you¡¯re too naive. You¡¯ve been protected in the ivory tower by Brother Gu for too long. You don¡¯t even understand the outside world anymore.¡± Charlene mocked.


    ¡°Miss Charlene, thank you for calling to tell me this. I won¡¯t trouble you with this matter. If there¡¯s nothing else, I shall take my leave.¡± Shu Pan just wanted to hang up quickly.


    Charlene¡¯s appearance was like a fish bone stuck in her throat. Usually, it was not a big deal, but it would asionally sting.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be too arrogant. You¡¯re about to wake up from your beautiful dream.¡± After saying that, Charlene hung up the phone.


    Shu Pan was disturbed by her words.


    Charlene was right, she didn¡¯t have the ability to help Gu Shaoting. She would just not drag him down.


    She sat on the sofa and thought quietly for a while, then her hand involuntarily pressed Gu Shaoting¡¯s phone number.


    After a while, the call was connected and Gu Shaoting¡¯s deep and maic voice came from the other end. It was like a cello, one could never get tired of listening to it.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Did you miss me again?¡± Gu Shaoting smiled and said narcissistically.


    Shu Pan¡¯s heart tightened. Thinking about how he was probably pretending to be rxed at this moment, how could he not be anxious when he encountered such a huge difficulty?


    ¡°Yes.¡± Shu Pan pursed her lips and replied.


    Then, she carefully asked, ¡°Shaoting, is thepany in big trouble?¡±


    Gu Shaoting¡¯s deep voice rang out, ¡°Do you think there¡¯s something troublesome that I can¡¯t solve?¡±


    No matter what difficulties he was facing, Gu Shaoting would not let his woman worry. Moreover, now that the matter had been resolved, there was no need to tell her anymore.


    She was pregnant now, so all she needed to do was to rest quietly.


    ¡°Arrogant.¡± Shu Pan retorted. Sigh, she knew that he definitely wouldn¡¯t say anything. Forget it, she just had to take care of herself and not drag him down.


    Gu Shaoting smiled.


    Shu Pan didn¡¯t disturb him and just reminded him seriously, ¡°Rest well and don¡¯t drink or stay upte.¡±


    ¡°Okay, I understand. I¡¯ll be back soon. Just take care of yourself and the baby.¡± Gu Shaoting also instructed.<div>


    ¡°Ok¡± Shu Pan replied sweetly. He would be back soon. Did that mean that the matter had been resolved?


    The depressed mood that Charlene¡¯s call had made her earlier was finally much better.

 Chapter 730: Discussions

    Chapter 730: Discussions


    Editor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Shu Pan¡¯s heart felt more at ease. On the other end, Charlene wanted to smash her phone after she hung up the call.


    ¡°How infuriating.¡± Charlene¡¯s expression was a little ferocious. How preposterous, why couldn¡¯t she strike that woman?


    Was Shu Pan stupid or too confident? She had already said so much. However, Shu Pan did not seem to be affected at all. Was she pretending to be strong or did she really believe in Gu Shaoting?


    No, she couldn¡¯t be so passive. Even if she couldn¡¯t get happiness, she didn¡¯t want Shu Pan to get it.


    Charlene bit her lips and then made up her mind to not let Shu Pan have it easy.


    Charlene thought that Gu Shaoting had already found a business partner, so he definitely didn¡¯t need her father¡¯s help.


    Then what should she do to vent her anger?


    Charlene suddenly thought of Qin Zhen. Didn¡¯t he say that he liked her very much? Now that she had the chance to give it to him, she wanted to see if he was sincere.


    His number was saved in her phone. Charlene turned her phone yfully and fell into deep thought.<div>


    If she looked for Qin Zhen, it would mean that she would be entangled with him. Was this the result she wanted? Charlene couldn¡¯t help but hesitate.


    To her, Qin Zhen was also a nightmare. A yboy who toyed with other¡¯s feelings, she would not have a good ending with him.


    But now, she had no way to back down. Brother Gu did not like her, so what did it matter who she was with?


    She couldn¡¯t Gu Shaoting now, but she didn¡¯t want Shu Pan to have it easy either. On the phone earlier, Shu Pan¡¯s cold and confident tone really made her furious.


    Charlene¡¯s eyes were full of jealousy and hatred. Thinking of Shu Pan, she made up her mind.


    She slowly picked up her phone and dialed Qin Zhen¡¯s number.


    As soon as the call connected, Qin Zhen¡¯s happy voice came from the other end of the phone. ¡°Charlene, is that you?¡±


    Charlene frowned and said, ¡°It¡¯s me. Do you have time?¡±


    ¡°If you ask me out, I¡¯ll be free anytime.¡± Qin Zhen¡¯s tone was a little fawning.


    ¡°Alright, I have something to talk to you about. Let¡¯s meet at the Floral Cafe in half an hour.¡± Charlene said directly.


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll see youter.¡± Qin Zhen agreed happily.


    Although she didn¡¯t want to see Qin Zhen, she had no choice but to ask him for help, so before she left, she still dressed up carefully.


    Charlene had put on heavy makeup and a sleeveless dress that revealed her graceful figure. A pair of exaggerated earrings made her look very flirtatious.


    The afternoon sun of early autumn was still very bright and dazzling. The coffee shops along the street emitted a strong coffee fragrance, causing passersby to take a deep breath.


    The Floral Cafe was very famous, and many people came to visit. The different shades of blue, the simple white sofa, and the warm afternoon sun made people feel as if they were on the romantic coast of love. The light veil that hung down strategically created isted private spaces.


    As usual, there were already many people in the shop. When Charlene arrived, she found a very secluded corner. She wanted to discuss something with Qin Zhen, so the more secluded the better.


    She casually picked up a magazine and sat down. She looked at her watch and guessed that Qin Zhen would arrive soon, so she ordered two cups of coffee.


    Through the clear ss, she looked at the passersby walking outside and suddenly felt that she was very unfamiliar with herself. She used to be a carefree little girl, very happy and free, but now? She almost didn¡¯t recognize herself.


    It was as if meeting Gu Shaoting was her misfortune, a chasm that she could not cross herself.<div>

 Chapter 731: BreakThem up

    Chapter 731: BreakThem up


    Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Charlene suddenly smirked, her cold expression somewhat sinister.


    She was no longer her old self. Many things had happened that couldn¡¯t be undone.


    In the same way, she could only go forward and not look back.


    ¡°Miss, may I sit here?¡± A handsome figure appeared in Charlene¡¯s line of sight.


    ¡°Please do.¡± Charlene looked at the man, who was dressed in casual khakis and exuding a bad-boy vibe. Beneath his gold-rimmed sses, his eyes were intelligent and slightly arrogant.


    The man was Qin Zhen.


    He sat across from Charlene with his legs crossed and his back leaned against the soft white sofa. He sat casually but still looked like an elegant young master.


    Qin Zhen was also trying his best to show his handsome and elegant side as he wanted to impress Charlene.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t think we would meet again so soon. Sometimes, I am in awe of fate.¡± Qin Zhenmented as he looked at Charlene, taking in her exquisite features and seductive figure.


    Shortly after, a waiter came by and served them two cups of coffee. Charlene took one, put it in front of Qin Zhen, and started stirring in a little milk.


    Charlene stirred the coffee unhurriedly as she watch the milk slowly dissolve into the ck coffee. She was not in a hurry to say anything.


    She didn¡¯t want to look like she was just using him.


    ¡°I love espresso. It¡¯s pure and tastes better than cappino. Try it.¡± Charlene stopped stirring the coffee in front of Qin Zhen and went on to stir milk into her own coffee.


    ¡°Mmm, the taste is just right.¡± Qin Zhen picked up his coffee and took a sip. It tasted nice.


    Qin Zhen didn¡¯t know what Charlene wanted. What was she up to?


    Judging by her leisurely appearance, she didn¡¯t look like she had something urgent to discuss with him.


    As the sun set, Charlene¡¯s beautiful reflection appeared more clearly on the floor-to-ceiling window. She was as perfect as the Greek goddess, Muse.


    Qin Zhen was a little lost staring at her reflection for a while until he looked around the caf¨¦ in embarrassment.


    The sweet smell of coffee permeated the caf¨¦. It was a nice ce to chat.


    Charlene also picked up her coffee and took a small sip. The rich and slightly bitter taste of espresso instantly filled her mouth. Charlene liked this kind of taste. She hadn¡¯t enjoyed it in a while.


    ¡°My dear, is it time for you to tell me why you asked to see me?¡± Qin Zhen was more impatient and asked after watching all of Charlene¡¯s dawdling.


    ¡°What¡¯s the hurry? Enjoy your coffee.¡± Charlene looked at him and said inly.


    Qin Zhen couldn¡¯t say anything else. He just picked up his coffee and took another sip. It wasn¡¯t his favorite because he preferred alcohol. However, in order not to lose hisposure, he still swallowed it.


    ¡°Are you close to Gu Shaoting?¡± Charlene asked suddenly. Qin Zhen was stunned.


    ¡°I guess we know each other. We drank together once.¡± Qin Zhen figured they were at least acquaintances.


    He didn¡¯t understand why Charlene asked him such a question.


    ¡°That¡¯s good enough. I need to ask you a favor. Will you help me?¡± Charlene looked up at him, her eyes glistening.


    Qin Zhen¡¯s heart skipped a few beats. No one could say no to Charlene when she was like this.


    ¡°Tell me, what is it?¡± Qin Zhen asked in pretend calmness after suppressing the excitement in his heart with great difficulty.


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll take it that you agree.¡± Charlene said coquettishly. ¡°Help me break Gu Shaoting up with his wife. Create some kind of misunderstanding and break them up.¡±

 Chapter 732: Planning a Set-up

    Chapter 732: nning a Set-up


    Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    ¡°What? Break up Gu Shaoting and his wife?¡± Qin Zhen looked at Charlene in surprise.


    ¡°Yes, you heard right. That¡¯s what I said.¡± Charlene replied.


    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me that you want Gu Shaoting to divorce his wife so you can take her ce?¡± Qin Zhen¡¯s tone was slightly mocking.


    ¡°Brother Gu doesn¡¯t like me. He probably won¡¯t like me even after he¡¯s divorced.¡± Charlene could neverpare to Shu Pan in his eyes.


    ¡°Charlene, wake up. Don¡¯t pursue a married man. If he really left her for you, he may leave you for someone else one day. Besides, Gu Shaoting loves his wife very much. Why must you ruin their rtionship?¡± Qin Zhen could not help but try to dissuade Charlene.


    ¡°Shut up. I know my reasons and I know what I¡¯m doing.¡± Charlene said anxiously. ¡°I¡¯m just not willing to ept it. I need to teach them a lesson to calm the anger in my heart.¡±


    ¡°Charlene¡­¡± How did the demure woman he knew be like this?


    ¡°Are you going to help me or not? Just tell me. I¡¯ll find other ways if you¡¯re not willing to help me.¡± Charlene took a step back in order to move forward. She looked at Qin Zhen eagerly.


    ¡°Why do you need to do this?¡± Qin Zhen said helplessly. Charlene just looked at him.


    ¡°There are so many outstanding people around you. Why are you so hung up on Gu Shaoting?¡±


    Qin Zhen couldn¡¯t help but envy Gu Shaoting. Why was he so charming that so many women liked him?


    ¡°If I can¡¯t have him, I won¡¯t let others have him too.¡± Charlene said fiercely.


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll create some kind of misunderstanding, but it¡¯s up to them whether they will break up.¡± Qin Zhen eded.


    ¡°Great, thanks.¡± Charlene said happily.


    ¡°What do I get in return for helping you?¡± Qin Zhen suddenly started bargaining.


    ¡°What do you want?¡± Charlene raised the tone of her voice towards the end of her sentence.


    ¡°You. You¡¯ll go out with me if this matter seeds.¡± Qin Zhen replied.


    ¡°We¡¯ll talk about it after we seed.¡± Charlene said indifferently after taking a sip of her coffee, like what Qin Zhen said had nothing to do with her.


    ¡°Then wait for my good news.¡± Qin Zhen nodded.


    Qin Zhen felt that the matter wasn¡¯t difficult. Creating some kind of misunderstanding was easy and could also test their love.


    If Gu Shaoting and his wife loved and trusted each other enough, they would never break up. The whole thing depended on them.


    Qin Zhen didn¡¯t feel guilty either. He sought out and approached Gu Shaoting at the banquet with a purpose anyway. He wanted to get more information about Charlene from him.


    That was why he took the initiative to get to know Gu Shaoting.


    The wheels in Qin Zhen¡¯s mind kept turning. What could he do to achieve the desired effect?


    ¡°Thank you for helping me vent my anger. I already feel much better.¡± Charlene suddenly smiled. She couldn¡¯t wait to see them quarrel and break up.


    After Qin Zhen and Charlene parted ways, he immediately hired a private detective and offered a high price for information about Gu Shaoting in two days.


    As Sun Tzu said, ¡°If you know thy enemy and thyself, you¡¯ll never be defeated.¡±


    Qin Zhen felt that he had to understand Gu Shaoting and his past before he coulde up with a good n.


    He didn¡¯t want to fail because if he did, Charlene would probably ignore him in the future.


    Indeed, money made the world go round. A stack of information about Gu Shaoting was soon delivered to Qin Zhen.


    He read the file slowly. Suddenly, he saw a photo. It was her?


    So, she and Gu Shaoting had such a story. It was truly unbelievable.


    Seeing her photo, a n suddenly took shape in his mind.

 Chapter 733: Meeting an Old Friend

    Chapter 733: Meeting an Old Friend


    Editor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    The person Qin Zhen saw on the photo was Tong Fei. She had another name in France, Sophia.


    Qin Zhen knew her. After all, she was in the entertainment industry well-known for high exposure. He recognized her the moment he saw the photo but was surprised that she was connected to Gu Shaoting in that way.


    Qin Zhen knew Tong Fei¡¯s story well. She was in a career slump in recent years and her reputation was not good.


    She was quite a darling in the French fashion industry a few years ago. Sheter went back to China and came to France against year. Her poprity had unfortunately declined significantly, and she had to apany the rich as an escort to make a living.


    Qin Zhen had a history with her too. What hadn¡¯t he and his rich friends seen?


    The timing couldn¡¯t be better. Tong Fei probably wouldn¡¯t refuse to see them when they had money.


    Moreover, it was like her job now to hang out with the rich.


    Qin Zhen thought for a moment before he picked up the phone and called his friend who had the means to find Tong Fei.


    ¡°Hey, bro. Can I trouble you to contact Sophia for me?¡± Qin Zhen went straight to the point and did not beat around the bush or waste time.<div>


    ¡°Sophia? Brother Zhen, you can have any woman you want. Why her? Her reputation is not good now. Yours may get tarnished if you hang out with her.¡± His friend advised kindly.


    ¡°Don¡¯t talk nonsense. Just do it. I have something to discuss with her. She¡¯s not my type anyway, so don¡¯t worry.¡± Qin Zhen replied unhappily. He didn¡¯t need his friend to tell him what kind of person Sophia was.


    ¡°That¡¯s good. You gave me a fright. I thought you¡¯ve lost your mind.¡± His friend teased over the phone. At the risk of sounding vulgar, they were all second generation heirs who had hung out and yed with countless models. They liked a good party.


    ¡°Get lost. Mind your own business. Help me contact her as soon as possible. It¡¯s urgent.¡± Qin Zhen wanted to settle the matter as soon as possible. After all, once the financial problem Gu Shaoting¡¯spany was facing was resolved, he would definitely go back to China. He wouldn¡¯t be in the country for too long.


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll never dilly dally on your requests. I¡¯ll call her right away.¡± Qin Zhen¡¯s friend was very loyal to him. He called Sophia immediately after they hung up.


    Qin Zhen only needed to wait for an update. He felt that the matter would be a huge sess and Charlene would be very happy. His mood could not help but improve.


    ¡­


    Gu Shaoting finally got hispany out of the crisis and was feeling more rxed. The only thing on his mind now was to go home as soon as possible. He wished he could grow a pair of wings and fly home.


    Although Shu Pan said that she was fine, he had read books about pregnancy and knew that it was hard being pregnant. He didn¡¯t expect to be away for such a long time on a business trip.


    Sometimes when the pregnancy popped up in his mind, he felt guilty towards Shu Pan. He must take good care of her in theing days.


    The next day, Gu Shaoting arrived very early at the office. He wanted to tie up any loose ends quickly so he could go home.


    After a while, Mr. Zhang knocked and walked into his office. ¡°CEO Gu, the contract with Tiansheng Corporation has been signed. It¡¯s only execution now.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s great. Thanks for all the hard work.¡± Gu Shaoting walked up to Mr. Zhang and gave him a pat on the back.


    Mr. Zhang was so touched that he was about to cry. He finally got a word of thanks from CEO Gu after working for him for so long.


    Actually, he knew that CEO Gu had worked even harder. After all, he was the Group CEO and was responsible for the entire group. All the pressure was on him. He had seen CEO Gu chain-smoke during this period, even finishing two packs of cigarettes in one seating once. It was obvious how frustrated he had felt.


    Fortunately, the matter had been resolved, and thepany¡¯s future was bright once again.

 Chapter 734: Think About It

    Chapter 734: Think About It


    Editor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Gu Shaoting was so busy with his own things that he had forgotten about Charlene¡¯s crush on him. He figured that Charlene hade to her senses and stopped pestering him.


    Who would have expected a conspiracy to be nned behind the scenes?


    Qin Zhen¡¯s friend was indeed a know-it-all. He quickly got in touch with Tong Fei, who no longer had a manager and could be contacted directly.


    Since Tong Fei knew them, she agreed to meet Qin Zhen the following day at noon.


    She had recently epted a job to shoot a small advertisement.


    Soon, the time for them to meet arrived. Tong Fei showed up on time to please the other party. She was in a bright red dress that entuated her snow-white skin. Her long hair was curled into big waves, and she had heavy makeup on that made her look seductive. She looked at herself in the mirror with satisfaction and then confidently walked to their meeting venue.


    Qin Zhen was stunned when he caught sight of Tong Fei. He didn¡¯t expect Father Time to be so kind to her that she looked even more charming than before.


    Qin Zhen couldn¡¯t help but looked at her from top to bottom with appreciation.


    Tong Fei saw the surprise in Qin Zhen¡¯s eyes and subconsciously straightened her back. She enjoyed this kind of attention. It made every cent she spent to take care of herself worth it.<div>


    Tong Fei understood how a woman¡¯s figure and face were assets, so she spent all her money on stic surgery and maintenance. Of course, the money wasn¡¯t spent in vain. She felt that every cent was worth it when she got this kind of attention from men.


    Tong Fei sat down. Qin Zhen looked at her flirtatiously as he said, ¡°Should I call you Miss Tong Fei or Sophia?¡±


    Tong Fei was stunned. She used the name Sophia in France as she wanted to start anew in this foreignnd.


    She didn¡¯t expect Qin Zhen to know that name. He had probably taken the trouble to find out, but why?


    Tong Fei thought hard. She didn¡¯t seem to have any grudges with him. They had only met a few times. Some things were consensual and there shouldn¡¯t be any entanglement.


    ¡°Mr. Qin, you can call me either. It¡¯s just a name.¡± Tong Fei didn¡¯t ponder further and smiled at Qin Zhen instead. Her smile was so bright that Qin Zhen couldn¡¯t take his eyes off her.


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll call you Sophia. I¡¯m used to it. Actually, I asked to meet you because I need your help.¡± Qin Zhen then paused.


    ¡°What is it?¡± Tong Fei raised her eyebrows. How could she help him? Was he going to ask her to apany¡­


    That was the only reason Tong Fei could think of.


    ¡°Gu Shaoting. You¡¯re familiar with him, right? I would like you to create some kind of misunderstanding that will make him and his wife quarrel.¡± Qin Zhen didn¡¯t hold anything back. He knew that Tong Fei would help him after what she had gone through.


    Tong Fei hadn¡¯t heard Gu Shaoting¡¯s name for a while now. She didn¡¯t expect to hear it again today after watching him walk away.


    But she wished that his name was never brought up so she could forget the humiliation she had suffered.


    Now that his name was mentioned, her memories came flooding back.


    Her heart still ached when she recalled her experience.


    Tong Fei suppressed her emotions and asked casually, ¡°Why? Did he offend you?¡±


    Qin Zhen nced at her and said, ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about that. You just have to answer if you¡¯ll do it.¡±


    ¡°Can I think about it? Since you sought me out, you probably know what happened to me.¡± Tong Fei pursed her lips. It was the truth that she felt ashamed whenever she talked about her past.

 Chapter 735: She Agreed

    Chapter 735: She Agreed


    Editor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    ¡°I hope you don¡¯t take too long to think about it.¡± Qin Zhen looked at Tong Fei¡¯s conflicted expression and continued, ¡°Actually, this is also an opportunity for you to take revenge on him. He abandoned you for his wife, ruined your career, and forced you to leave your homnd. Don¡¯t you hate him?¡±


    Qin Zhen exaggerated her situation and as expected, Tong Fei bought it.


    She had indeed ended up like this thanks to Gu Shaoting and Shu Pan.


    If not for Shu Pan¡¯s reappearance in his life, she was probably Mrs. Gu now instead of wandering around like this.


    People might think that she was living a good life, but she was the only person who knew how miserable her life was. Men were only nice to her so they could take advantage of her. None of them were serious about her. They just wanted to have fun. She was already numb to these things.


    She had no choice but to ept this way of life because she had to stay alive.


    She had made peace with her reality until Qin Zhen brought it up and made her feel indignant once again.


    Why should Gu Shaoting and Shu Pan live happily together while she lived stripped of her dignity?


    At this moment, the hatred in Tong Fei¡¯s eyes looked a little terrifying.<div>


    ¡°I hate them. I want to take revenge on them. Mr. Qin, what do I get if I agree to your request?¡± Tong Fei looked up at him and asked.


    ¡°I will never let you work for free. I¡¯ll give you a sum of money.¡± Qin Zhen said readily. Everything was easy with money.


    ¡°Okay. You just need to tell me what to do.¡± Tong Fei said firmly.


    ¡°You just need to¡­¡± Qin Zhen told Tong Fei his n.


    Tong Fei pursed her lips and nodded.


    ¡­


    Everything was ready except for the crosses on T¡¯s and the dots on I¡¯s. Gu Shaoting received a call from Qin Zhen one evening asking him out to eat and drink.


    Gu Shaoting thought that he was free and he would be going home soon, so he epted the invite to bid his friend farewell.


    Before Gu Shaoting went to meet Qin Zhen, he made a call but it wasn¡¯t picked up.


    Gu Shaoting frowned and then called home.


    ¡°Sir?¡± Auntie Li answered the call.


    ¡°Is Madam not home yet?¡± Shu Pan didn¡¯t pick up his call just now.


    ¡°She¡¯s home already. She¡¯s reading in the study now.¡±


    ¡°Has she been feeling unwelltely? Can she eat?¡± Gu Shaoting tried to find out the truth because Shu Pan always told him only the positive things whenever he asked her.


    Auntie Li thought for a moment and said, ¡°She vomited everything she ate a while ago. She¡¯s been much the past two days. She onlyined that the soup I made for her was too rich, but she still drank it in the end.¡±


    Auntie Li chuckled at the end of the sentence.


    Gu Shaoting couldn¡¯t help but chuckle when he imagined Shu Pan¡¯s disgusted look.


    ¡°Thank you for your hard work, Auntie Li. Please take good care of her.¡± Gu Shaoting said gratefully.


    ¡°Would you like Madam to call you back? Is there anything urgent?¡±<div>


    ¡°No, it¡¯s fine. I¡¯m not freeter.¡± Gu Shaoting hung up after giving a quick exnation.


    Then, he looked at the time. It was almost time, so he left to meet Qin Zhen.


    Qin Zhen had arrived at the restaurant long ago. He had ordered the dishes in advance and then brandy and whiskey when he got there. These were hard liquor. He and Gu Shaoting had only drunk red wine together.


    When Gu Shaoting arrived, the dishes had just been served.<div>


    ¡°You¡¯re so thoughtful to let me eat as soon as I arrive.¡± Gu Shaoting said with a smile. But when he saw the hard liquor on the table, he couldn¡¯t help but be stunned. ¡°Why do you want to drink these tonight?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m feeling a bit down. Keep mepany and drink something different?¡± Qin Zhen replied perfunctorily.

 Chapter 736: Setting Him Up

    Chapter 736: Setting Him Up


    Editor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll drink a little with you.¡± Gu Shaoting had a stomach problem, so he always stayed away from such hard liquor.


    ¡°Come, sit.¡± Qin Zhen said warmly. ¡°Come, brother, let¡¯s have a drink. Congrattions for getting yourpany out of crisis!¡±


    It looked like everyone knew about Gu Group¡¯s partnership with Tiansheng Corporation.


    ¡°Brother, I¡¯m so sorry for not being able to help you when you¡¯re in trouble. Here¡¯s a toast to you.¡± Qin Zhen clinked sses with Gu Shaoting again.


    Gu Shaoting didn¡¯t dare to drink too much. He always watched himself when he was away from home.


    Qin Zhen saw that Gu Shaoting only took a little sip and couldn¡¯t help but say, ¡°Brother, is that all the face you are giving me?¡±


    ¡°Bottoms up.¡± Gu Shaoting couldn¡¯t refuse his friend¡¯s kindness, so he downed his drink. His stomach burned; the drink was very strong.


    Qin Zhen saw his empty ss and nodded in satisfaction.


    The two of had toast after toast. Soon, Gu Shaoting felt dizzy and sleepy.<div>


    What was going on? He didn¡¯t think he drank that much. Why was he so bad at holding his liquor now?


    He looked at Qin Zhen and saw that his face was red too and he was mumbling something with his chin on his hands.


    Gu Shaoting wanted to say something, but he felt his eyelids bing increasingly heavier and slumped on the table eventually.


    As soon as he slumped over, Qin Zhen sobered up. He leaned over and called out, ¡°Brother Ting, wake up.¡±


    Gu Shaoting seemed to be asleep and didn¡¯t move. Qin Zhen called him a few more times, but there was no response.


    Qin Zhen then picked up his phone and called his friend. The two of them helped Gu Shaoting to a hotel.


    Tong Fei was already in the room and everything was ready.


    Tong Fei¡¯s heart still ached when she saw Gu Shaoting.


    Theyid Gu Shaoting down on the bed and took a few pictures of his face. After that, Qin Zhen¡¯s friend and Tong Fei did a few intimate poses, and Qin Zhen took photos.


    After that, they took a video of his friend with Tong Fei, but Tong Fei was calling Gu Shaoting¡¯s name.


    After a few more intimate poses, Qin Zhen looked at the photos on his phone and nodded in satisfaction.


    He remembered the term ¡°deep fake¡± and he wanted to see if the technology was really that amazing.


    Just as they were about to leave, ring, ring¡­


    A familiar ringtone suddenly sounded. Everyone was startled. It was Gu Shaoting¡¯s phone ringing.


    ¡°It¡¯s so loud. It won¡¯t wake him, right?¡± Tong Fei asked worriedly.


    ¡°No, I¡¯ve added something in his drink. It¡¯ll take at least two hours before he wakes up.¡± Qin Zhen said confidently. ¡°Let me see who¡¯s calling.¡±


    As he spoke, Qin Zhen picked up Gu Shaoting¡¯s phone and looked. The caller ID showed ¡°Wife¡±.


    So, it was Gu Shaoting¡¯s wife calling. That was just great.


    Qin Zhen suddenly had an idea. ¡°I¡¯ll press the answer button. You say something intimate that will cause misunderstandings.¡± That would make things even more realistic. The heavens were indeed on his side.<div>


    Qin Zhen pressed the answer button, and everyone held their breath.


    ¡°Shaoting?¡± Shu Pan asked tentatively over the phone. She was about to hang up since he seemed to be busy.


    ¡­


    ¡°Shaoting, honey, why are you answering your phone? Who is it? You¡¯re not allowed to pick it up. You hardlye to France. Don¡¯t you want to spend time with me?¡± Tong Fei said coquettishly. Such acting was a piece of cake for Tong Fei. She had yed the mistress so many times and such lines were at her fingertips.<div>


    She needed no rehearsals, and they would be no bad takes.


    After Tong Fei finished speaking, Qin Zhen hung up and then turned off Gu Shaoting¡¯s phone.


    The soft and demure voice on the other end of the phone stunned even Shu Pan, who was a woman.


    She was in shock for a while. Why didn¡¯t Gu Shaoting speak when he answered the phone? Why was there a woman talking instead? What was going on?

 Chapter 737: Misunderstanding Created

    Chapter 737: Misunderstanding Created


    Editor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Did she call the wrong number? Shu Pan nced at her phone again. It was Gu Shaoting¡¯s number she dialed, but why was there a woman¡¯s voice?


    Was she hallucinating? Shu Pan dialed Gu Shaoting¡¯s number again, but she heard the ¡°phone turned off¡± message.


    Shu Pan¡¯s heart dropped. What happened?


    Everything was fine yesterday. Why did things change today?


    She was about to go to bed when Auntie Li informed her that Gu Shaoting had called not long ago. She only called him back to find out what was up.


    But what was going on? She had no answer now.


    She didn¡¯t believe that Gu Shaoting would cheat on her, but she had indeed heard a woman¡¯s voice over the phone. What could be the exnation?


    She was very worried and scared at the same time.


    ¡­<div>


    Gu Shaoting slept all the way until dawn. He woke up sleepy and clueless about what happenedst night. He also didn¡¯t know that what was going to happen next would cause his life to turn upside down.


    He saw himself lying on a hotel bed when he opened his eyes. Everything around him looked unfamiliar and he was confused.


    He shook his head but couldn¡¯t recall what happenedst night.


    He ate and drank with Qin Zhenst night. He seemed to have drunk too much and woke up here. It was probably Qin Zhen who checked him into a hotel so he could sleep it off.


    He looked at himself in the mirror. His clothes were clean. He probably didn¡¯t embarrass himselfst night.


    He let out a bitterugh. He absolutely mustn¡¯t let Shu Pan know that he drank again, and that he was so drunk. Otherwise, she would nag him again.


    He washed up quickly and nned to go back to his own hotel to shower and change before he went to the office. He just needed to hand over his work and then he could go home.


    ¡­


    Night was reced by day and Shu Pan¡¯s biological clock woke her up.


    She didn¡¯t really sleepst night; she only rested with her eyes closed.


    When she sat up in bed, her eyes were sore and painful. Then, she noticed that her face was cold and wet. She wiped it with her hand and found out that it was covered in tears.


    Shu Pan thought for a moment. She hadn¡¯t cried in a long time. She had indeed be more spoiled because she didn¡¯t cry even when her life was hell.


    She wasn¡¯t aware of it at all. She didn¡¯t even remember how she had shed tears.


    After sitting nkly in bed for a while, she got up and went to the bathroom to wash up.


    When she came out, her phone was ringing.


    It was Ye Xiaomeng calling.


    ¡°Hello¡­¡±


    ¡°Girl, are you up? I¡¯ming to get you now.¡± Ye Xiaomeng¡¯s chirpy voice came from the other end of the phone.


    ¡°Okay.¡± Shu Pan¡¯s voice was as hoarse as a crow.<div>


    Ye Xiaomeng was shocked. ¡°Girl, are you okay? Your voice sounds really bad. Are you not feeling well?¡±


    Shu Pan was also shocked by her own voice. ¡°I¡¯m fine. I¡¯m probably thirsty. I¡¯ll be fine after drinking some water.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± Ye Xiaomeng heaved a sigh of relief.


    The two of them were supposed to go shopping together. Because they were both pregnant, they went out together much less often now.<div>


    After the two of them met, they walked around for a bit. Shu Pan was a little distracted as she kept wondering about what happened to Gu Shaotingst night.


    Until now, she still hadn¡¯t received a call from Gu Shaoting.


    She was anxious, but there was nothing she could do.


    Ye Xiaomeng noticed her strange behavior and pulled her into a caf¨¦. The two pregnant women ordered a pot of fruit tea and a fruit sd.


    ¡°Tell me, don¡¯t hide anything from me. What happened?¡± Ye Xiaomeng was interrogating her like a criminal.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine. Why are you so serious?¡± Shu Pan replied with feigned jokiness. Xiaomeng¡¯s wedding wasing up. Shu Pan didn¡¯t want to bother her with her problems.


    Ye Xiaomeng stared at Shu Pan quietly until she said helplessly, ¡°Fine. I¡¯m scared of you. I¡¯m wondering if Gu Shaoting is cheating on me.¡±

 Chapter 738: Suspicion

    Chapter 738: Suspicion


    Editor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    ¡°Gu Shaoting cheating? That sounds like a tall tale.¡± Everyone could see how Gu Shaoting doted on his wife; why would he cheat?


    ¡°It¡¯s just a suspicion. When I called him yesterday, I didn¡¯t hear his voice. I only heard a woman¡¯s voice, and she was calling him by name. If they weren¡¯t in an intimate rtionship, why would they be in the same room sote at night?¡±


    The seed of suspicion in Shu Pan¡¯s heart grew. Also, she didn¡¯t know if she was imagining it but the woman¡¯s voice sounded familiar. She seemed to have heard it somewhere before.


    However, she could not remember where she had heard it before.


    ¡°This is indeed suspicious. Have you confronted him?¡± Ye Xiaomeng asked suddenly.


    ¡°No, his phone is turned off.¡± Shu Pan said bitterly.


    Ye Xiaomeng frowned. This was indeed suspicious. One really couldn¡¯t judge a book by its cover.


    She said angrily, ¡°Did he say when he would be back?¡±


    ¡°Not yet. His work problem hasn¡¯t been resolved yet. I don¡¯t think it¡¯ll be soon.¡± Shu Pan pursed her lips, her expression a little sad.<div>


    She had been feeling down since she heard the news yesterday.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. It could be a misunderstanding. Ask him when you get a chance.¡± Ye Xiaomengforted Shu Pan.


    Shu Pan nodded.


    ¡°Xiaomeng, your wedding ising up soon. Are you nervous? Is everything ready?¡± Shu Pan asked.


    ¡°Don¡¯t get me started. It¡¯s He Ming who¡¯s been busy with the preparations. His mother doesn¡¯t really care. I saw He Ming running around and told him to simplify everything. Just invite our close friends and have dinner together. He doesn¡¯t need to sweat so much over the wedding.¡± Ye Xiaomeng started to share her grievances when her wedding was brought up.


    They had already settled on a date, but because of his mother, they had changed it repeatedly. Ye Xiaomeng just felt tired. She couldn¡¯t care less about the wedding ceremony now.


    Shu Pan looked at Xiaomeng¡¯s bulging belly and couldn¡¯t help but say, ¡°That¡¯s true. In the end, you¡¯re the ones who are stressed out. You must take care of yourself. You are getting bigger. You must be careful when you move around.¡±


    ¡°If his mother is still not happy, I n to just register the marriage and forget about the wedding.¡± Ye Xiaomeng thought that Mrs. He was probably unhappy with her when she changed their wedding date again at thest minute.


    ¡°Talk to her. Don¡¯t be rash.¡± Shu Pan was worried that her best friend would act impulsively and ruin things.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. For the sake of our baby, I¡¯ll endure it. Besides, we¡¯re not living together, so it¡¯s fine. It¡¯s just that I¡¯m getting bigger by the day and I¡¯m embarrassed to have my gown altered again and again.¡± Ye Xiaomeng said in frustration.


    Shu Pan could imagine the awkwardness of such a scene.


    The two of them chatted for a while, but they weren¡¯t in any mood to shop. They both went home after having tea.


    Shu Pan didn¡¯t receive a call from Gu Shaoting the entire day.


    Shu Pan didn¡¯t want to call him again. She was worried that a woman would pick up the phone likest night.


    She went home and sat on the sofa with her eyes closed like she was about to fall asleep.


    ¡°You are home, Madam. Please go to your room and rest if you are tired.¡± Auntie Li walked over and reminded Shu Pan gently.


    ¡°Yeah, I should.¡± Shu Pan nodded and got up to go to her bedroom.


    Auntie Li looked at Shu Pan and felt that she was a little strange today. Mrs. Gu seemed unhappy today.


    Shu Pan returned to her room and leaned against the headboard to rest before she took a shower.<div>


    Suddenly, the phone on the bedside table beeped a few times. It was a message.


    Shu Pan was nervous. It was probably a message from Gu Shaoting. Sometimes, he worried that she was asleep and sent her messages instead.


    She hurriedly picked up her phone and clicked on the new message.


    Her face instantly turned as white as snow.<div>


    She couldn¡¯t believe her eyes. Everything she heard over the phone yesterday was real.

 Chapter 739: Disgusting

    Chapter 739: Disgusting


    Editor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Shu Pan stared at her phone. For an instant, she wanted to throw it away.


    But after thinking about it, she figured she had to face the truth. Her fingers trembled as she clicked on the first thumbnail after taking a deep breath.


    She knew the person in the photo well. He was someone deeply engraved in her heart. Yes, the man was her husband who slept by her side every night.


    His dashing eyebrows and tightly pursed lips were so familiar. So was the woman in his arms. The woman was Tong Fei.


    This woman had disappeared from her life for a long time, but she had suddenly resurfaced, like a haunting spirit.


    Haha. Shu Pan suddenly found what she was looking at ridiculous. She was probably already numb to this. She didn¡¯t feel any pain at all, which was great.


    From the photo, Shu Pan thought Gu Shaoting and Tong Fei looked quite good together. She seemed to be the redundant person in his love life.


    Shu Pan scrolled down the photos one by one. Every photo was disgusting to her. She looked at the phone number that sent her the photos. It was an unknown number. This was probably a power move from Tong Fei.


    Suddenly, Shu Pan felt her stomach churn and she retched on the floor.<div>


    However, nothing came out. She retched for a while until her eyes were red.


    She slowly sat up again. Her finger was on a thumbnail of a video. She could already guess the content of the video.


    However, out of curiosity, she still clicked on the thumbnail. As expected, it was a video of two people doing something that made her blush.


    Shu Pan¡¯s gaze fell on the woman, who was, of course, Tong Fei.


    Shu Pan was horrified.


    Her face turned even paler. The two people in the video seemed very into it. The sounds they made became increasingly unbearable. Shu Pan¡¯s face suddenly turned gloomy as she turned off her phone so she didn¡¯t have to look at the disgusting video anymore.


    Shu Pan never expected Gu Shaoting to still be in touch with Tong Fei.


    She thought that, as Gu Shaoting said, they didn¡¯t have anything to do with each other anymore. That they had severed all ties, but it turned out that they were secretly having an affair.


    Hooking up overseas was such a brilliant n because no one would know¡­


    No wonder Gu Shaoting¡¯s business trip this time was so long. He was probably enjoying himself too much to miss home.


    She didn¡¯t want to think the worse of him, but what he did really disappointed her.


    The thought of how he took good care of her while doing this behind her back really disgusted her.


    She actually wanted to trust him because his demeanor never depicted him as a womanizer.


    But facts spoke louder than words. This was indisputable evidence, not her imagination. She wasn¡¯t wronging him; he was indeed having an affair.


    Shu Pan sat nkly on her bed. She thought about Joy and the baby she was carrying. Could she go through divorce again?


    The children needed their father. She could not be so selfish and deprive them of their right.


    Was she supposed to turn a blind eye then? But she would never be able to get past herself.


    What should she do?


    Shu Pan looked at the time. It was gettingte; he probably wouldn¡¯t call her today. It was just as well. She didn¡¯t want to hear his voice or confront him for the time being.<div>


    Meanwhile, Gu Shaoting just wanted to finish his work quickly so he could go home.


    He rubbed his aching forehead as he told himself never to drink again. Because he¡¯d be the one suffering the hangover. If he were home, Shu Pan would make him a honey yuzu drink to prevent any hangover after he drank.


    He also decided not to go on more business trips until after the baby was born. It was just too sad.


    But Gu Shaoting had no idea what was waiting for him.<div>

 Chapter 740: Something’s Off

    Chapter 740: Something¡¯s Off


    Editor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Qin Zhen sent the deep-faked photos to Shu Pan and then to Charlene.


    He soon received a call from Charlene.


    ¡°So how, my dear? Are you satisfied?¡± Qin Zhen asked Charlene for credit because he hadpleted his task so smoothly.


    ¡°Not too bad. But how¡¯s Brother Gu? Did Shu Pan call to make a big fuss after she received the photos?¡± Charlene asked anxiously; she couldn¡¯t wait to see Shu Pan¡¯s reaction.


    ¡°Gu Shaoting called me to ask if I was the one who checked him into a hotel to sleep off his drunkenness. He sounded very calm so I don¡¯t think Shu Pan has told him yet.¡± Qin Zhen felt that if Shu Pan had called and made a big fuss, Gu Shaoting wouldn¡¯t be so calm.


    Charlene immediately looked disappointed. She thought there would be big drama after the misunderstanding was created but Shu Pan seemed quite level-headed. She was able to keep cool even after her husband cheated on her. Charlene couldn¡¯t understand it. Was that the behavior of someone in love?


    ¡°It probably isn¡¯t yet time for this to blow up. Let¡¯s wait and see.¡± Charlene revealed a smug smile.


    ¡°My dear, then the promise you made me¡­¡± Qin Zhen asked tentatively.


    ¡°Let¡¯s wait until it¡¯s done. We still don¡¯t know if your n worked.¡± Charlene said impatiently. This Qin Zhen was so annoying. She must have been possessed back then to like him. He sounded like a b*stard¡­<div>


    She agreed to his request first. It was just dating. Having meals together, shopping, having coffee and the like. How difficult could that be?


    Charlene was secretly very pleased with her strategy.


    ¡°As long as you remember.¡± Qin Zhen chuckled.


    Charlene couldn¡¯t help but roll her eyes. She hung up after saying a few more words.


    Charlene finally had time to scroll through the photos. She was actually quite envious of Tong Fei for being so intimate with her Brother Gu.


    The photos didn¡¯t look like deep fakes at all. Gu Shaoting and Tong Fei looked like a loving couple together.


    Charlene didn¡¯t believe that Shu Pan would be indifferent to such photos.


    But she got a little angry as she scrolled through the photos; Tong Fei had benefited from Qin Zhen¡¯s scheme.


    ¡­


    Gu Shaoting was almost done with his work. Based on his current progress, he should be able to go home in three days.


    He leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes to get a little peace.


    It was after hours and everyone had left. Gu Shaoting walked out of his office and his first thought was to call Shu Pan.


    Shu Pan was eating having dinner he called. She hesitated before she answered his call. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡±


    She didn¡¯t say hello and her tone was indifferent.


    ¡°Nothing. I just wanted to hear your voice.¡± Gu Shaoting ignored the coldness in her voice, chalking it up to his own oversensitivity.


    ¡°If there¡¯s nothing else, bye. I¡¯m eating.¡± Joy and her grandpa were both eating with Shu Pan, so she didn¡¯t want to say anything. She was worried that she wouldn¡¯t be able to resist confronting him.


    Gu Shaoting frowned. If he still didn¡¯t notice that something was off, he would be a terrible husband to Shu Pan.


    ¡°Honey, what¡¯s wrong? Did something happen?¡± Gu Shaoting asked gently.


    ¡°Nothing¡¯s wrong. Take care of yourself when you¡¯re away from home.¡± Shu Pan frowned too.<div>


    Shu Pan paused after she said that. She felt that she was quite amazing to say words of concern to him at a time like this.


    It was true that with more bad experiences, one¡¯s ability to pretend and lie came naturally.


    Gu Shaoting smiled. Shu Pan still cared very much about him. He had been oversensitive.


    ¡°I¡¯m driving, so it¡¯s not convenient to chat. Let¡¯s talk another time?¡±<div>


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll call you after dinner.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    After that, the two of them hung up.

 Chapter 741: Stop Being Needy

    Chapter 741: Stop Being Needy


    Editor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    After Gu Shaoting hung up the phone, he couldn¡¯t shake an uneasy feeling. Something felt off, but he couldn¡¯t pinpoint what it was.


    He thought for a moment and then dialed He Ming¡¯s number.


    ¡°Brother Ting?¡± He Ming sounded surprised that Gu Shaoting was calling at this time.


    ¡°Have you seen Shu Pan in the past couple of days? Has she seemed off to you?¡± Gu Shaoting asked, unable to figure out what was going on.


    ¡°I just went shopping with Xiaomeng a few days ago. Everything seemed fine, nothing unusual,¡± He Ming replied, thinking Gu Shaoting might be overreacting.


    ¡°Really? Nothing unusual?¡± Gu Shaoting frowned. ¡°I feel like Shu Pan has been distanttely. She doesn¡¯t seem to care much about me these past two days.¡±


    ¡°Maybe it¡¯s just your imagination? Shu Pan has always been quite independent. She doesn¡¯t usually cling to you, does she?¡± He Ming suggested, thinking Gu Shaoting might be worrying unnecessarily.


    ¡°No, it¡¯s different. It¡¯s more noticeable these past couple of days,¡± Gu Shaoting expressed his doubts.


    ¡°Brother Ting, could it be that you did something to upset her?¡± He Ming asked cautiously.<div>


    Gu Shaoting still heard him despite the low volume. ¡°Aren¡¯t you thirsty from talking so much?¡±


    ¡°Fine, I won¡¯t ask anymore,¡± He Ming said innocently.


    ¡°It¡¯s just odd. Why such a sudden change?¡±


    ¡°Brother Ting, women can be unpredictable. And now that Shu Pan is pregnant, she needs you more than ever. Pregnant women often feel insecure, especially with you in France for work, where there¡¯s also a woman who fancies you. How could she not overthink?¡±


    ¡°So, what are you trying to say?¡± Gu Shaoting asked coldly.


    ¡°I¡¯m just saying that things aren¡¯t the same between you two. Shu Pan isn¡¯t as clingy as before.¡±


    Gu Shaoting initially didn¡¯t react to He Ming¡¯s words, but when he heard this, he fell silent.


    ¡°Who usually calls first, you or Shu Pan? Generally, the one who cares more will initiate contact,¡± He Ming, in his role as a detached observer, analyzed the situation like a love expert.


    Gu Shaoting said nothing. Lately, he had been the one calling Shu Pan. When she called him, it was usually to return his missed calls. Did that mean he cared more about her?


    Seeing Gu Shaoting¡¯s silence, He Ming realized he had been more proactive. However, someone with low emotional intelligence might not see the problem.


    ¡°Maybe it¡¯s the pregnancy hormones causing changes. Don¡¯t overthink it. Look at Xiaomeng; I treat her like a queen now. If I¡¯m not careful, she gets upset and throws a tantrum,¡± He Ming reflected, thinking this exnation made sense.


    ¡°Yeah, I hope that¡¯s all it is,¡± Gu Shaoting said helplessly.


    ¡­


    It was gettingte. Shu Pan felt tired after reading for a while and wanted to rest, but she didn¡¯t want to call Gu Shaoting. She feared she might not be able to resist interrogating him.


    When Gu Shaoting got home, he waited a long time without receiving a call from Shu Pan. Checking the time, he figured she had already gone to bed.


    He looked at his phone and then set it down, unable to sleep soundly that night.


    The next morning, he woke up, looked at the clear sky, walked to the balcony, and took a deep breath. Then, he called Secretary Zhang, nning to return home in a few days. He decided to go shopping for a gift for Shu Pan.


    Women needed to be coaxed, especially when they were upset.


    Gu Shaoting had concluded that Shu Pan¡¯s coldness was due to his business trip and neglect.<div>

 Chapter 742: Negotiations

    Chapter 742: Negotiations


    Editor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Charlene had been anxiously waiting for news from Gu Shaoting for the past few days, but there was nothing. She felt perplexed. Had Qin Zhen not sent the message to Shu Pan? Or had it been sent to the wrong number?


    Normally, any woman would lose her temper and confront him immediately. Charlene thought about it and decided to test Gu Shaoting¡¯s reaction. She sent him a photo, one featuring him and Tong Fei.


    After sending it, she nervously waited for his reply.


    When Gu Shaoting received the photo, he was stunned. His expression turned grim. When had he ever taken such a photo? He thought and thought but had no recollection of it. Besides, Tong Fei had been out of his life for a long time. How could she suddenly reappear?


    Unable to solve the mystery, he called back directly.


    Charlene swallowed nervously when she heard the phone ring. She was both scared and excited. She quickly answered, ¡°Brother Gu?¡±


    A stern voice came from the other end. ¡°Charlene? How do you have this photo?¡± Gu Shaoting demanded.


    Charlene was taken aback. She tried to maintain herposure. ¡°Brother Gu, someone else sent it to me.¡±


    Gu Shaoting, known for being sinct, didn¡¯t waste words on her.<div>


    Charlene, although not very familiar with Gu Shaoting, knew he was decisive and quick in his actions.


    ¡°Do you have more?¡± Gu Shaoting asked, as expected.


    Charlene decided not to hide anything. ¡°Yes, Brother Gu. Why don¡¯t we meet and discuss it?¡±


    ¡°Alright, at the caf¨¦ across from my office,¡± Gu Shaoting agreed, wanting to see what she was up to.


    Soon, Charlene had done her makeup and arrived on time. She wouldn¡¯t keep Brother Gu waiting. She felt a sense of triumph on her way. She believed she was more attractive and talented than Shu Pan, and she was confident in her charm.


    This was a rare opportunity to see Brother Gu again.


    When she arrived, she saw Gu Shaoting with his back to her, seemingly deep in thought. She approached and called out, ¡°Brother Gu.¡±


    ¡°Sit,¡± Gu Shaoting said. ¡°Charlene, who did this?¡±


    Gu Shaoting¡¯s voice was low but authoritative, sending chills down her spine.


    ¡°Who did what? I don¡¯t know,¡± Charlene suddenly regretted her impulsiveness. She realized how foolish she had been. With Brother Gu¡¯s intelligence, how could he not figure it out?


    ¡°Charlene, I¡¯ve always thought you were smart. Don¡¯t y dumb with me. Delete those photos immediately,¡± Gu Shaoting threatened, visibly angry. How dare someone try to mess with him?


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll delete them,¡± Charlene said meekly, noticing his grim expression.


    ¡°Charlene, I won¡¯t repeat myself. I love Shu Pan. No misunderstanding can break us apart. Stop scheming behind our backs,¡± Gu Shaoting warned.


    Charlene, feeling resentful, retorted, ¡°Brother Gu, you should pay more attention to the people around you. What¡¯s so great about Shu Pan? She doesn¡¯t love you. She¡¯s seen these photos already but hasn¡¯t reacted at all.¡±


    Gu Shaoting¡¯s face turned dark, like the bottom of a pot.


    He suddenly grabbed Charlene¡¯s chin and said, ¡°Do you need to be taught a lesson? You have no idea what you¡¯re messing with. Let me tell you, I¡¯m not a patient person, and you haven¡¯t seen my bad side yet.¡±

 Chapter 743: Confrontation

    Chapter 743: Confrontation


    Editor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Charlene was frightened by the sinister look on Gu Shaoting¡¯s face. She had never seen him this angry before. Normally, he was just cold, but now he was furious.


    ¡°Brother Gu, let go¡­ you¡¯re hurting me,¡± Charlene cried out in pain. The pampered girl, who had never suffered such indignity, was now in a pitiful state.


    ¡°Hurting? Do you even know what pain is? Do you understand the pain of others? You ruin others¡¯ rtionships for your own gain. You¡¯re nothing but a spoiled child,¡± Gu Shaoting retorted without any trace of mercy.


    He tightened his grip even more, seeing Charlene¡¯s face turn a shade of blue before finally releasing her. Charlene coughed several times, and two bruises in the shape of finger marks appeared on her chin.


    ¡°Gu Shaoting, are you insane?¡± Charlene lifted her head, ring at him in anger. ¡°Instead of venting your anger on me, why don¡¯t you go exin everything to your beloved woman? It¡¯s so amusing, like something from a novel or TV show. The long-lost ex-girlfriend, the ex-fianc¨¦e¡ªafter meeting again, they¡¯re supposed to ignite an old me.¡±


    ¡°Charlene, why are you doing this? I don¡¯t recall ever wronging you,¡± Gu Shaoting asked coldly. This woman was a lunatic, deriving joy from ruining others¡¯ rtionships.


    ¡°I like you. I love you. If I can¡¯t have you, then no one will be happy with you,¡± Charlene confessed with a sinister smile, her expression frightening.


    ¡°You¡¯re crazy. Love can¡¯t be forced. I didn¡¯t like you before, I don¡¯t like you now, and I won¡¯t like you in the future. Look at yourself¡ªyou¡¯re nothing but a madwoman,¡± Gu Shaoting said disdainfully. How had he ended up attracting such a person?


    ¡°I know. It doesn¡¯t matter now. I¡¯ve already achieved my goal. Do you think Shu Pan will leave you in a fit of anger after seeing these photos? Will she divorce you? Just the thought makes me happy. You can call her and ask if she enjoyed those photos and videos,¡± Charlene taunted, her voice filled with defiance. She had nothing left to lose.<div>


    ¡°Charlene, let me warn you. Those who cross me will fare even worse if I¡¯m not doing well. Anyone who makes Shu Pan sad will not be spared. Mark my words,¡± Gu Shaoting threatened.


    Charlene shivered internally but quickly regained herposure. She was in France; there was little he could do to her here. Besides, her father was wealthy and powerful. She had no one to fear.


    ¡°Brother Gu, you¡¯re scaring me with such words. Don¡¯t frighten me,¡± Charlene said, feigning fear.


    Gu Shaoting nced at her, his tone icy. ¡°Charlene, you¡¯re quite resourceful, finding such good actors to y along with you. You¡¯d better hope Shu Pan isn¡¯t upset and that everything remains normal. If anything happens to her, the consequences will be beyond what you can handle.¡±


    With those words, Gu Shaoting stood up, ready to leave. His mind was in turmoil, desperate to exin everything to Shu Pan, though he himself didn¡¯t understand what had happened. He had never done such things.


    ¡°Brother Gu, good luck,¡± Charlene called after him, her voice filled with smug satisfaction. She was pleased with herself.


    However, if Charlene had known the consequences of her actions, she might not have done this so easily. But s, there was no medicine for regret in this world.

 Chapter 744: Explanation

    Chapter 744: Exnation


    Editor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Gu Shaoting paused for a moment at Charlene¡¯s words but didn¡¯t look back. Without hesitation, he walked away.


    Sitting back in his car, Gu Shaoting checked the time and immediately dialed Shu Pan¡¯s number.


    No wonder Shu Pan had been distanttely, barely responding to him unless he reached out first. The change was so sudden, and now he understood why.


    He had fallen into a trap, which was surprising considering he wasn¡¯t a fool. But this time, he had been caught off guard.


    Anyone who tried to manipte him wouldn¡¯t get away with it.


    Gu Shaoting¡¯s expression was stern as the phone rang in his ear.


    After a moment, Shu Pan¡¯s voice came through. ¡°Panpan, I need to talk to you,¡± he said, not waiting for her to speak first.


    ¡°What is it?¡± Shu Pan replied, sounding distracted.


    ¡°Panpan, did you receive any photos or videos?¡± Gu Shaoting asked, feeling a bit embarrassed.<div>


    ¡°Yes, quite impressive. What, do you want to see them too?¡± Shu Pan responded, unsure who had informed him but knowing this conversation was inevitable.


    ¡°No, Panpan, it¡¯s a misunderstanding. I¡¯m still a bit confused, but I¡¯ll get to the bottom of it. Trust me,¡± Gu Shaoting reassured her, having already pieced together some of the puzzle.


    The only time anything could have happened was the night he had dinner with Qin Zhen and got drunk. Waking up in the hotel with scenes matching the photos¡ªeverything clicked into ce.


    This incident wouldn¡¯t stand up to scrutiny, and he wouldn¡¯t let those responsible get away. It was disappointing to realize he¡¯d let a wolf into his home, thinking he¡¯d made a friend.


    ¡°Flies don¡¯tnd on a seamless egg. It¡¯s your own actions that gave them a chance,¡± Shu Pan retorted.


    ¡°It¡¯s my fault,¡± Gu Shaoting admitted sincerely.


    ¡°We¡¯ll talk about everything when you get back. I don¡¯t want to hear anymore now.¡± Perhaps due to her pregnancy, Shu Pan felt particrly tiredtely, and after a few words, she wanted to rest.


    ¡°Panpan, are you angry?¡± Gu Shaoting asked, sensing her true feelings.


    He genuinely believed in the old saying that couples might argue but would reconcile by nightfall, that there were no overnight grudges between spouses. Were these words of wisdom?


    Hmph, she wasn¡¯t buying it this time. Did he think every ¡°sorry¡± could be met with a ¡°no problem¡±?


    She was angry and didn¡¯t want to engage with him.


    ¡°Idiot, do you still think I have feelings for Tong Fei? Do you think I haven¡¯t moved on?¡± Gu Shaoting suddenly raised his voice.


    ¡°Tell me, what exactly is making you so uneasy?¡± he asked again, this time with utmost patience.


    Gu Shaoting¡¯s patience was rare, and it was unusual for him to apologize so humbly.


    ¡°Do you think those photos and videos give me a sense of security?¡± Shu Pan countered.


    Gu Shaoting fell into a long silence.


    He was at a loss for words, unsure how to respond.


    Shu Pan had expected a quick response, knowing he usually had persuasive answers, but this time he remained silent for a long while.


    She frowned, her voice catching in her throat. ¡°So¡­¡±<div>


    ¡°Panpan, I¡¯m sorry. I was careless this time. You might not believe me, but I genuinely don¡¯t know how those photos were taken. I have no memory of it, but I can assure you that I did nothing to betray you. That night, I had dinner with a French friend, drank a little, and woke up in the hotel bed. But I was fully clothed; nothing happened,¡± Gu Shaoting exined calmly.

 Chapter 745: He Said He Would Never Let Her Down

    Chapter 745: He Said He Would Never Let Her Down


    Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    ¡°That story is quite borate. Keep going,¡± Shu Pan said, her tone dripping with skepticism. Even a three-year-old wouldn¡¯t believe it.


    ¡°I don¡¯t have any immediate proof to convince you, but Panpan, it¡¯s the truth. I haven¡¯t betrayed you,¡± Gu Shaoting said, his handsome face serious and sincere.


    ¡°Maybe I¡¯d believe you more if you lied differently,¡± Shu Pan¡¯s voice carried a note of destion.


    Gu Shaoting said nothing more. He knew words were useless now; he could only prove himself through actions.


    ¡°Panpan, I promised I would never let you down.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s easy to make promises at the moment, but what about for a lifetime?¡± Shu Pan took a deep breath.


    Her eyes were already slightly moist. She wondered if the persistence she had maintained would ever be reciprocated.


    ¡°A lifetime is something I canmit to,¡± Gu Shaoting said with determination.


    Tears glistened in Shu Pan¡¯s eyes, blurring her vision.


    All she had ever wanted was a simple, ordinary love. Why was it so hard to find?


    ¡°Enough. Let me be alone,¡± Shu Pan¡¯s voice was truly weary.


    ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll finish up here and return soon. It won¡¯t be long,¡± Gu Shaoting said, feeling helpless but knowing he had no choice.


    Shu Pan silently hung up the phone.


    Gu Shaoting looked at the darkened screen and sighed.


    He was about to start the car when he realized the sky had darkened, and it had started to rain.


    What miserable weather, matching his mood.


    The rain started as a fine drizzle but quickly turned into a steady downpour. The windshield wipers struggled to keep up, and visibility was poor.


    Suddenly, his phone buzzed. He nced at it¡ªit was a call from Shu Pan. Was something urgent?


    But the call ended as quickly as it began. At a red light, he tried calling her back, but there was no answer.


    The car moved slowly through the traffic, his face clouded with worry. Could the rain be affecting the signal?


    He turned the car towards the curb.


    Ignoring the heavy rain, he opened the door and ran to the side, dialing her number twice more, but still no answer.


    Strange. She had just called. Could she be in danger?


    His heart started to race, and he paced in frustration.


    As the rain poured harder, he returned to the car, took off his wet jacket, and felt a chill. The rain had soaked through to his shirt.


    Fortunately, he had a spare jacket in the car. After changing, he started the engine.


    The rain was now a deluge, headlights from oing cars blinding him, forcing his eyes to squint.


    A car honked loudly and sped past him.


    Distracted for a moment, he snapped back to attention only to see arge, dark object looming ahead, moving towards him.


    ¡°Oh, no¡­¡± Gu Shaoting eximed.


    There was no time to react. The windshield cracked, then shattered into a shower of ss shards. He ducked, trying to protect himself, but his leg was pinned, unable to move. At the same time, he felt a warm, wet sensation spreading over his body.


    He reached for his phone with trembling hands and managed to find Secretary Zhang¡¯s number, using all his strength to bring the phone to his ear.


    ¡°Mr. Gu¡­¡± Secretary Zhang answered quickly.


    ¡°Help¡­ car ident¡­ I¡¯ll send you my location¡­ Don¡¯t tell Shu Pan,¡± he managed to say before everything went ck. The world became an abyss, and his body felt like a leaf, gently falling into the darkness.

 Chapter 746: An Accident

    Chapter 746: An ident


    Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Night fell again.


    The moment Secretary Zhang received the call, he calmly called for an ambnce and reported the ident to the police. Then he quickly headed to the scene himself.


    Knowing how serious the situation was from Gu Shaoting¡¯s weak voice, Secretary Zhang was in a state of panic. Since Mr. Gu had instructed him not to inform Shu Pan, he decided to call He Ming.


    Mr. Gu and Vice President He were good friends, so informing He Ming was the best course of action.


    ¡°Vice President He, Mr. Gu has had a car ident in France. I¡¯m on my way to the scene now. It seems serious. Mr. Gu called me but then there was no sound. I tried calling back, but there was no answer.¡± Secretary Zhang¡¯s words were jumbled due to his anxiety.


    ¡°What? Shaoting had a car ident? How did this happen? Get to the scene immediately and see what¡¯s going on,¡± He Ming was shocked.


    ¡°And don¡¯t tell Madam Gu. Mr. Gu specifically instructed that.¡± Secretary Zhang reminded.


    ¡°Understood,¡± He Ming agreed. He wouldn¡¯t dare inform Shu Pan, especially since she was pregnant. The shock could be dangerous for her.


    Secretary Zhang arrived at the scene as quickly as possible. The sight was something he¡¯d never forget¡ªa horrific collision between a small car and arge truck. The front of the small car was utterly destroyed, unrecognizable.


    Without hesitation, he rushed over to find Gu Shaoting trapped inside, his shirt soaked with blood, unconscious.


    ¡°Mr. Gu¡­¡± Secretary Zhang called out several times, but there was no response.


    Just then, the police and ambnce arrived.


    Working together, they managed to lift Gu Shaoting onto the ambnce.


    Realizing the severity of the situation, Secretary Zhang quickly contacted He Ming.


    ¡°Vice President He, pleasee immediately. Mr. Gu¡¯s condition is critical. The rain reduced visibility, and his car collided with a truck. The car is severely damaged, and he¡¯s unconscious. They¡¯re trying to save him now.¡± Secretary Zhang¡¯s voice was choked with emotion, his eyes red.


    ¡°I understand, Secretary Zhang. I¡¯ve booked the earliest flight. I¡¯ll be there as soon as possible. Please handle things over there for now.¡± He Ming instructed quickly.


    Telling Shaoting¡¯s family would have to wait until He Ming could assess the situation himself.


    ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll take care of things here. Mr. Gu is a good man; he¡¯ll pull through.¡± Secretary Zhang felt a bit reassured after speaking with He Ming.


    He watched the light above the operating room, heart pounding with every second it remained lit.


    Pacing in front of the operating room, his eyes never left the door, silently praying for Mr. Gu¡¯s safety.


    Time seemed to drag endlessly, but finally, the operating room light went off, and several doctors in white coats emerged.


    Secretary Zhang rushed up to them, ¡°Doctor, how is he?¡±


    The lead doctor removed his mask, his expression grave. ¡°The patient hasn¡¯t woken up yet and hasn¡¯t passed the critical stage. We¡¯ll have to wait until he regains consciousness for a thorough assessment.¡±


    Secretary Zhang felt his heart sink. ¡°Doctor, when will he wake up?¡±


    Understanding his concern, the doctor tried to offer somefort. ¡°Hopefully by tomorrow.¡±

 Chapter 747: Critical Situation

    Chapter 747: Critical Situation


    Editor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Secretary Zhang felt a sense of relief at the doctor¡¯s words.


    ¡°Thank you, doctor,¡± he said repeatedly, grateful for any bit of hope.


    ¡°You¡¯re wee. However, the patient is still in the ICU for observation. You can go ahead and handle the necessary paperwork,¡± the doctor kindly reminded him.


    Realizing there wasn¡¯t much he could do at the hospital for the moment, Secretary Zhang went to take care of the ident¡¯s aftermath.


    After an investigation by the traffic police, it was discovered that the ident had been caused by the truck driver¡¯s fatigue and the reduced visibility due to rain.


    Secretary Zhang managed these matters diligently, knowing that some details would have to wait until Mr. Gu woke up.


    As time passed, the next day arrived, but Gu Shaoting showed no signs of waking up, making Secretary Zhang increasingly anxious.


    Internally, he pleaded, Mr. Gu, please wake up. There are so many things waiting for you at thepany, and Mrs. Gu would be worried sick.


    He paced outside the ICU, fervently praying for Gu Shaoting¡¯s recovery.<div>


    It wasn¡¯t until the afternoon that He Ming finally arrived, looking travel-worn but determined.


    He Ming had booked the earliest flight after hearing the news, not divulging the real reason to Xiaomeng to avoid inadvertently rming Shu Pan. He feared the shock might affect both pregnant women.


    ¡°How is he, Secretary Zhang?¡± He Ming asked urgently.


    ¡°Vice President He, you¡¯re finally here. He hasn¡¯t woken up yet. The doctor said he should wake up today,¡± Secretary Zhang felt slightly more at ease with He Ming¡¯s presence.


    ¡°Let¡¯s wait then,¡± He Ming said, not even bothering to put down his luggage. ¡°How are things at thepany?¡±


    Since He Ming didn¡¯t handle the overseas market, he wasn¡¯t fully updated on the situation.


    ¡°Everything¡¯s on track. The partnership with Tiansheng Corporation has been well-received in the industry, leading to more orders. Mr. Gu was nning to return the day after tomorrow. Who knew this would happen?¡± Secretary Zhang¡¯s eyes reddened as he spoke, unable to meet He Ming¡¯s gaze.


    It¡¯s true, he thought, that man proposes, but God disposes. Who knows what tomorrow brings?


    ¡°That¡¯s good to hear. You should rest a bit; I¡¯ll take over here,¡± He Ming said, feeling a pang of sympathy for his friend who seemed to attract trouble.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine. You¡¯ve been on a long flight; you should rest,¡± Secretary Zhang shook his head, not wanting to leave Mr. Gu¡¯s side.


    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s both wait for him to wake up,¡± He Ming agreed, praying internally for Gu Shaoting¡¯s recovery. He couldn¡¯t imagine how he would break the news to Shu Pan otherwise.


    As evening approached, they finally received good news.


    ¡°Are you the family of the patient in bed 36? He¡¯s woken up,¡± the doctor¡¯s voice was a godsend.


    ¡°Thank you so much, doctor,¡± He Ming said, his hands sped in gratitude.


    ¡°He¡¯s out of the critical phase, but we¡¯ll need to conduct a full-body checkter. He¡¯s being moved to a regr ward now; you can visit him there,¡± the doctor informed them before leaving.


    ¡°Got it,¡± He Ming replied. As soon as the doctor left, he and Secretary Zhang headed to the regr ward.


    Pushing open the door, they saw Gu Shaoting lying in bed, connected to various medical apparatuses.


    They approached quietly, noticing his eyelids fluttering.


    ¡°Shaoting¡­¡± He Ming called softly into his ear.<div>


    After a few calls, Gu Shaoting finally responded, slowly opening his eyes.


    Before he could see clearly, he mumbled, ¡°Panpan¡­¡±


    His voice was dry and hoarse, making it difficult to hear without leaning in. He Ming realized he was calling for Shu Pan.


    ¡°Shaoting, it¡¯s me, your buddy, Ming,¡± He Ming said gently.<div>


    Gu Shaoting finally opened his eyes fully.

 Chapter 748: A Problem With Walking

    Chapter 748: A Problem With Walking


    Editor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    ¡°Ming, you¡¯re here,¡± Gu Shaoting said, his voice weak and strained.


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s me. How are you feeling?¡± He Ming felt a huge weight lift off his chest upon seeing that Gu Shaoting recognized him and could speak clearly.


    ¡°My leg hurts a lot,¡± Gu Shaoting said, now fully aware of the excruciating pain in his leg.


    ¡°It¡¯s probably nerve damage. The doctors will run some tests soon,¡± He Ming reassured him.


    Gu Shaoting nodded weakly and closed his eyes again. Suddenly, he opened them and asked, ¡°Ming, does Shu Pan know?¡±


    ¡°No, you instructed Secretary Zhang not to tell her, so I didn¡¯t. Do you want me to call her?¡± He Ming assumed that in such vulnerable moments, even a man would want his loved one by his side.


    ¡°No¡­ don¡¯t tell her,¡± Gu Shaoting forced out the words.


    ¡°Alright, I understand. Don¡¯t talk anymore. Just rest and recover,¡± He Ming advised, seeing how much effort it took for Gu Shaoting to speak.


    A whileter, the doctor arrived.<div>


    He Ming quickly informed the doctor, ¡°Doctor, he says his leg hurts.¡±


    ¡°Alright, we¡¯ll take him for a scan now. It seems the leg might have been crushed,¡± the doctor said as two other doctors prepared to move Gu Shaoting for further examination.


    He Ming followed closely behind.


    After a series of tests, it was confirmed that Gu Shaoting had significant leg injuries, likely affecting his ability to walk. The doctor tried to be gentle with the prognosis.


    ¡°Such injuries are not umon. Nerve damage can cause numbness and weakness in the leg. Recovery will take some time,¡± the doctor exined.


    ¡°Doctor, will he fully recover? Could he be permanently unable to walk?¡± He Ming asked, anxiety evident in his voice.


    ¡°It¡¯s hard to say. It depends on the patient¡¯s response to rehabilitation,¡± the doctor replied, which only added to He Ming¡¯s concerns.


    For someone like Gu Shaoting, losing the ability to walk would be a devastating blow. He Ming couldn¡¯t imagine how Gu Shaoting would react to such news.


    ¡°Thank you, doctor. We¡¯ll ensure he follows the rehabilitation n,¡± He Ming said, trying to stay positive. As long as there was hope for recovery, they would face the challenges head-on.


    After the doctor left, He Ming turned to see that Gu Shaoting was awake.


    ¡°Did you hear what the doctor said?¡± He Ming asked cautiously, noting the calmness on Gu Shaoting¡¯s face, which suggested he already knew.


    Strangely, Gu Shaoting seemed serene, as if he had epted the oue.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Gu Shaoting responded quietly, without furtherment.


    ¡°Shaoting, don¡¯t worry. With proper rehabilitation, you¡¯ll get better,¡± He Ming reassured him, repeating the doctor¡¯s advice.


    Gu Shaoting gazed out the window, lost in thought. ¡°If I don¡¯t recover, I¡¯ll just be a cripple.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t say that, Shaoting. You¡¯ll recover.¡±


    ¡°Ming, do you know why the ident happened? The truck driver¡¯s fatigue was one reason, but the other was that I was distracted. Normally, I would have avoided the collision, but I was lost in thought,¡± Gu Shaoting admitted.


    ¡°What were you thinking about? Did you have a fight with Shu Pan?¡± He Ming guessed correctly.


    Gu Shaoting gave a bitter smile, appreciating how well his friend knew him.<div>


    ¡°This time, I was set up, but I won¡¯t let them get away with it,¡± Gu Shaoting said fiercely, his eyes sharp with determination.


    ¡°What happened?¡± He Ming was taken aback by this revtion.


    ¡°Charlene set me up. She arranged for intimate photos of Tong Fei and me to be taken and sent to Shu Pan. She misunderstood,¡± Gu Shaoting exined briefly.


    <div>

 Chapter 749: He Ming Is Also On A Business Outreach

    Chapter 749: He Ming Is Also On A Business Outreach


    Editor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    ¡°How could you be so careless? You knew she had feelings for you, yet you still gave her the opportunity?¡± He Ming found it hard to believe; this wasn¡¯t like Gu Shaoting at all.


    ¡°I underestimated her. It¡¯s my fault for trusting the wrong person,¡± Gu Shaoting admitted, feeling deeply frustrated with himself.


    ¡°Shu Pan must be furious,¡± He Ming remarked. Such a situation would be unbearable for any woman.


    ¡°Yes, I tried to exin, but she didn¡¯t want to listen. That¡¯s why I was distracted.¡±


    ¡°But you can¡¯t hide the ident from her forever. It might be better to tell her now, so she can be by your side,¡± He Ming suggested.


    ¡°No, I need to think this through. She¡¯s pregnant, and I can¡¯t risk her health. Besides, I don¡¯t even know if my leg will recover. I don¡¯t want to burden her with taking care of both the baby and me,¡± Gu Shaoting exined, feeling the weight of his uncertainty.


    ¡°Alright. I haven¡¯t told Xiaomeng either, just said I had an urgent business trip,¡± He Ming understood Gu Shaoting¡¯s concerns.


    Due to the severity of the ident and the potential for long-term effects, Gu Shaoting underwent a series of thorough examinations. His leg injury required ongoing treatment, preventing him from being discharged.


    ¡­<div>


    For several days, Shu Pan didn¡¯t receive any calls from Gu Shaoting, which made her uneasy. Had she gone too far in theirst conversation? Was he too busy to call her, or had he decided to ignore her entirely?


    Lost in thought, Shu Pan was startled by the familiar ring of her phone. It was Xiaomeng.


    ¡°How do you have time to call me?¡± Shu Pan asked with a smile. Recently, He Ming had been keeping Xiaomeng at home after she had a bout of food poisoning from eating out.


    ¡°I¡¯m bored out of my mind. I feel like I¡¯m rotting away,¡± Ye Xiaomengined, being the type who couldn¡¯t stay still.


    ¡°Ask He Ming to take you out. As long as he¡¯s around, you won¡¯t eat anything bad,¡± Shu Pan suggested sympathetically.


    ¡°You probably don¡¯t know, but He Ming is on a business trip,¡± Xiaomeng mentioned casually.


    ¡°A business trip?¡± Shu Pan was taken aback. Was work really that busy?


    ¡°Yes, he left a few days ago in a rush. Oh, he¡¯s also in France,¡± Xiaomeng added, trying to recall the details with her currently poor memory.


    This made Shu Pan even more anxious. Gu Shaoting had said everything was fine and that he¡¯d be back soon. Why would He Ming need to rush to France? Was something being kept from her?


    ¡°Did he say what the urgent matter was?¡± Shu Pan asked, pausing slightly.


    ¡°No, just that he had a lot of overseas calls and then booked a flight immediately,¡± Xiaomeng replied, realizing He Ming hadn¡¯t provided any specifics.


    ¡°Oh. I guess it must be something important,¡± Shu Pan muttered, almost to herself.


    After chatting for a bit, they ended the call.


    Shu Pan gripped her phone tightly, debating whether to call Gu Shaoting. But the thought of those photos made her hesitate, and she put the phone down again.


    Thus, several more days passed without contact between them.


    Gu Shaoting refrained from calling Shu Pan, fearing she might find out about the ident. He was still very weak, and talking often caused him pain. The doctors had advised him to rest as much as possible. Even though he missed Shu Pan terribly, he restrained himself.


    As a result, Shu Pan¡¯s misunderstanding deepened. She believed that he was having such a good time in France that he had forgotten about herpletely.

 Chapter 750: Investigation Results

    Chapter 750: Investigation Results


    Editor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    But sometimes, events take unexpected turns, and well-kept secrets can be inadvertently revealed.


    After Charlene met with Gu Shaoting, she returned home in a fit of anger. Though she had been pleased with herself at the time, she was actually in great pain, knowing that she would never have another chance to be close to Gu Shaoting again.


    When Qin Zhen called, she was still fuming.


    ¡°Sweetheart, who made you so angry? Tell me, and I¡¯ll teach them a lesson,¡± Qin Zhen said, doting on her.


    ¡°Don¡¯t bother me. I¡¯m furious right now. We did all that work for nothing. Shu Pan got the photos, but she didn¡¯t react at all. She didn¡¯t go confront Gu Shaoting. Either she doesn¡¯t care about him, or she trusts him too much. Clearly, it¡¯s thetter. It¡¯s driving me crazy,¡± Charlene ranted.


    ¡°How do you know? Maybe she¡¯s nning to settle the scoreter. No woman can tolerate her husband being entangled with an ex-girlfriend,¡± Qin Zhen analyzed. ¡°I¡¯ll have someone dig up some information on him and let you know.¡± His words sessfully calmed Charlene down a bit.


    ¡°Darling, don¡¯t be angry. How about we y golf tomorrow, or would you prefer horseback riding?¡± These were the kinds of activities popr in their high society circle.


    ¡°Horseback riding. I haven¡¯t done that in a while,¡± Charlene decided to enjoy herself.


    ¡°Alright, see you tomorrow.¡± Qin Zhen couldn¡¯t quite understand why he was so enamored with Charlene. There was something about her that captivated him.<div>


    Charlene¡¯s anger subsided a bit. She wanted to see if Shu Pan was really as indifferent as she appeared.


    The next day, Charlene dressed in casual attire and went to the stables. Qin Zhen soon joined her, having decided not to invite his friends so he could spend some quality time with Charlene.


    They both changed into riding clothes. Charlene looked stunning in her equestrian outfit, exuding confidence and charm. Qin Zhen couldn¡¯t take his eyes off her.


    The stable hand brought over two horses, one for each of them. Both were skilled riders, and Charlene eagerly took ap around the field.


    After riding for a long time, they finally grew tired and headed to the rest area.


    Qin Zhen remembered the results of his investigation. ¡°Sweetheart, Gu Shaoting had a car ident. He¡¯s still in the hospital. I heard it was pretty serious, but only his friend is taking care of him. Shu Pan hasn¡¯t visited.¡±


    The news was significant and easy to uncover.


    ¡°What? A car ident? When did this happen?¡± Charlene asked, surprised to learn about such a serious incident.


    ¡°A few days ago, I think. It was raining that day, visibility was low, and he encountered a driver who was fatigued. Bad luck for him,¡± Qin Zhen said, relishing the misfortune.


    Rain? Could it have happened after she met with him? It only rained that day, Charlene thought to herself.


    Could it be that her words were too harsh?


    Or did Shu Pan find out and argue with him about it?


    Qin Zhen noticed Charlene lost in thought, likely thinking about Gu Shaoting again. Feeling a pang of jealousy, he said, ¡°You¡¯re not feeling sorry for Gu Shaoting, are you?¡±


    Charlene snapped out of it and nced at him. ¡°No, it¡¯s heaven¡¯s punishment for him.¡±


    ¡°Good. When you¡¯re with me, I don¡¯t want you thinking about him. I¡¯ll get jealous.¡±


    Charlene frowned at him.


    In reality, Charlene was considering whether to tell Shu Pan about this. Since she hadn¡¯t seen her visit the hospital in days, it was clear Shu Pan was unaware.


    The more she thought about it, the more interesting the situation became.


    <div>

 Chapter 751: Knowing the Truth

    Chapter 751: Knowing the Truth


    Editor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    After Charlene got home, she couldn¡¯t wait to call Shu Pan.


    She was kind enough to tell her that something like this had happened to her husband.


    However, looking at the curve of Charlene¡¯s lips, she was acting as though she was just watching a show.


    After the call went through, Shu Pan asked, ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡±


    ¡°I have something important to tell you.¡± When Charlene¡¯s voice transmitted across the phone, Shu Pan wanted to press the end button.


    ¡°Don¡¯t hang up in a hurry, or you¡¯ll regret it.¡± Charlene also guessed Shu Pan¡¯s intentions.


    ¡°Charlene, please don¡¯t call me again. You¡¯re already harassing me by doing this, do you understand?¡± Shu Pan thought that this person was really persistent. Was there something wrong with her mind? Even if she blocked Charlene¡¯s number, she still had a way to call.


    ¡°Shu Pan, don¡¯t be so harsh. I guarantee that you¡¯ll be grateful to me after hearing the news,¡± said Charlene confidently.


    ¡°I don¡¯t need you to tell me anything. I just hope that you won¡¯t disturb me in the future. Charlene, you¡¯re actually so outstanding. You should look at the men around you more and not stare at other people¡¯s husbands.¡± Shu Pan could not help but persuade her. There was already something wrong with Charlene with her behaving this way.<div>


    ¡°I don¡¯t want your lecture. Save your breath and listen to the important news.¡± Charlene was still keeping her in suspense. She liked to keep people in suspense.


    ¡°What news?¡± Shu Pan¡¯s curiosity was piqued.


    ¡°Your husband got into a car ident in France, and it was quite serious. Did you know?¡± Charlene bet that she definitely didn¡¯t know.


    ¡°Who got into a car ident?¡± Her ears buzzed, and she felt as if the things in front of her had be two, swaying back and forth in front of her.


    ¡°I told him the other day that you know about the photo. It was raining heavily and he got into a car ident with a fatigued driver. He¡¯s still in the hospital now.¡± Charlene¡¯s expression was one of a smile but not a smile.


    Shu Pan found it ridiculous. She didn¡¯t believe it at all. If something like this happened, wouldn¡¯t someone inform her immediately since she was his wife? Why would they need Charlene to convey the message? Charlene wasn¡¯t even rted to them. What did she know?


    Charlene was still talking on the phone, but Shu Pan couldn¡¯t hear a single word. She just sat there quietly, feeling as if her soul had left her body and was slowly breaking into pieces. She had be an empty shell.


    She didn¡¯t know when she hung up. When she came to her senses, she wiped her red eyes and adjusted her emotions before she dialed Gu Shaoting¡¯s number.


    She wondered if she had said too much that day, which indirectly caused him to get into a car ident.


    He was fine a few days ago, so why was he in the hospital now?


    She didn¡¯t want to believe Charlene¡¯s words, but the recent signs showed that something really happened to Gu Shaoting.


    He used to contact her every day, and the most he would go without contacting her was two days. What about now? It had already been a few days. She was also angry with him, so she did not take the initiative to call him.


    When she was on the phone, her hands were trembling slightly, and her heart seemed to be in her throat.


    At this moment, she was thinking that as long as he was fine, she did not want to argue with him anymore.


    Really, she only wanted him to be well.


    The phone rang for a long time, but no one picked up. Naturally, the call ended.


    Shu Pan¡¯s heart turned cold. At the same time, she felt that her entire body was stiff and she couldn¡¯t think.


    Why isn¡¯t anyone picking up?


    Suddenly, she thought of He Ming. Yes, He Ming was also in France. Xiaomeng said that he left in a hurry. It was probably because something happened to Gu Shaoting, so he was in such a hurry to go to France.<div>

 Chapter 752: Don’t Tell Him

    Chapter 752: Don¡¯t Tell Him


    Editor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Shu Pan called He Ming without hesitation.


    Thankfully, the call was quickly picked up.


    When He Ming saw that the call was from Shu Pan, his heart skipped a beat, but he still answered the call.


    ¡°Shu Pan, what¡¯s the matter?¡± He Ming was the first to greet her. He was a little suspicious. Why would Shu Pan call him?


    ¡°He Ming, are you in France? Did something happen to Shaoting?¡± Shu Pan asked calmly.


    ¡°Uh¡­ Who did you hear that from?¡± He Ming was a little hesitant, and he was a little tongue-tied.


    ¡°So it¡¯s true? Did he really get into a car ident? Was it serious? What¡¯s the situation now?¡± Shu Pan was as anxious as an ant on a hot pan.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. He¡¯s awake, but there¡¯s something wrong with his legs. He needs to undergo rehabilitation now. It¡¯s difficult for him to walk now. He doesn¡¯t want you to worry, so just stay at home. I¡¯ll make the arrangements.¡± He Mingforted her. He was a little puzzled. How did Shu Pan know? Wasn¡¯t he and Secretary Zhang the only ones who knew about this? He believed that Secretary Zhang would not tell Shu Pan.


    ¡°No, I have to go over and take a look. Don¡¯t tell him. Send me the address.¡± Shu Pan made a prompt decision. She wanted to go to France.<div>


    ¡°Woman, please just stay at home and rest well. If anything happens to you, Brother Ting will cut me off.¡± He Ming begged with a bitter face.


    How could a pregnant woman endure such a long journey? How could he stop her froming over?


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. I¡¯ll help you plead for leniency. It¡¯s my first time there, so please arrange for someone to pick me up. Don¡¯t tell him yet. I¡¯ll send you the flight after I book the ticket.¡± Shu Pan hung up after saying that.


    He Ming looked at the phone that was hung up and really wanted to cry.


    He wondered what the consequences would be if Gu Shaoting found out.


    Shu Pan was a person of action. She would not change her mind easily. Although she was still very angry at him, he was still the person she loved, so she would not be at ease until she saw him safe and sound with her own eyes.


    Shu Pan immediately booked the tickets and packed her luggage.


    She arranged her family affairs in an orderly manner and sent Joy back to her father before setting off.


    Fortunately, she was in her second pregnancy. Otherwise, she might not be able to take the long flight.


    After she got off the ne, she saw Secretary Zhang looking around at the exit. She was finally less nervous. Actually, when she got off the ne just now, she was feeling a little afraid since she was in this strange country and did not know anyone around her.


    ¡°Secretary Zhang¡­¡± Shu Pan walked over and called out to him.


    ¡°Mrs. Gu, you¡¯re finally here.¡± Secretary Zhang earnestly prayed for her safety in his heart. His mission was to send Mrs. Gu there safely.


    ¡°It must have been tiring for you. Let¡¯s go.¡±


    Secretary Zhang took Shu Pan¡¯s luggage and the two of them walked to the parking lot.


    As it was still afternoon, Secretary Zhang sent Shu Pan to the hospital first.


    Now that Mrs. Gu was here, they had a good life ahead of them.


    President Gu¡¯s rehabilitation had not been going well recently. He had been too anxious to recover, and then he had overtrained and injured his muscles.


    The doctor had already warned him not to be so anxious. It was very easy to cause secondary damage.


    However, President Gu turned a deaf ear to them. They all knew that he was in a hurry to go home.<div>


    Now that Mrs. Gu was here, he believed that the effect would be much better with her by his side.


    ¡°Mrs. Gu, President Gu hasn¡¯t been in a good mood recently. If he says something unpleasant when we get there, don¡¯t take it to heart.¡± Secretary Zhang informed Shu Pan in advance. He was really afraid that President Gu would drive Mrs. Gu away in anger.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. I understand. It¡¯s been hard on you guys recently,¡± Shu Pan said gratefully.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, Mrs. Gu,¡± Secretary Zhang shook his head and said.<div>

 Chapter 753: Surprise

    Chapter 753: Surprise


    Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    When she arrived at the hospital, Gu Shaoting was not in the ward but in the rehabilitation room. Shu Pan looked inside through the ss at the door and saw Gu Shaoting slowly moving forward with the help of the lever next to him. His steps were very slow and he moved forward step by step. It seemed like he was struggling.


    Shu Pan was so far away but she could almost see a thinyer of sweat on his forehead.


    The more Shu Pan looked, the more unhappy she felt. Her eyes gradually swelled. He Ming and Secretary Zhang had already walked out, wanting to leave some space for the couple who had not seen each other for so long.


    Shu Pan gently pushed the door open and quietly walked over.


    Gu Shaoting seemed to have heard the movement behind him. He thought it was He Ming, so he didn¡¯t turn back. He just said a little dejectedly, ¡°Ming, go out. I still want to practice.¡±


    Shu Pan didn¡¯t say anything. She just felt very sour in her heart. She couldn¡¯t describe what she was feeling.


    She had never seen such a fragile side of Gu Shaoting.


    He did not hear any sound behind him for a long time. Just as he was about to turn around, he suddenly heard a familiar voice. ¡°Don¡¯t you want to turn around and look at me?¡±


    Gu Shaoting was agitated when he heard that voice. He turned around and saw his wife standing in front of him.


    Gu Shaoting found it hard to believe. He had thought that there was something wrong with his hearing, but it turned out to be true. It was really Shu Pan standing in front of him.


    ¡°You¡­ Why are you here?¡± When Gu Shaoting saw her, he was really happy. He suddenly thought of a question. Why was she here? Who told her?


    Was it He Ming or Secretary Zhang?


    ¡°I came here because I wanted to. Am I not wee?¡± Shu Pan smiled with tears in her eyes.


    ¡°Nonsense. You¡¯re still pregnant, yet you¡¯re still running around?¡± Gu Shaoting reprimanded with a stern face.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. I know my body¡¯s condition. I can handle it.¡± Shu Pan felt that he was making a fuss over nothing. She continued, ¡°You really scared me. What happened?¡±


    ¡°Are you not angry anymore?¡± Gu Shaoting asked.


    ¡°I¡¯m still angry. I¡¯ll settle the score with you when you¡¯re better,¡± Shu Pan said fiercely.


    ¡°Alright.¡± Gu Shaoting nodded.


    ¡°Let me help you walk.¡± Shu Pan saw that he was struggling to walk and wanted to reach out to help him.


    ¡°No need, I¡¯ll do it myself.¡± Gu Shaoting used all his strength for every step he took.


    Shu Pan saw that his forehead was sweating, so she took out a piece of tissue from her bag, tiptoed, and helped him wipe his sweat. Because she was closer, Gu Shaoting could smell the fragrance on her body, which made him inexplicably feel at ease.


    ¡°Stop practicing. Let¡¯s go.¡± Shu Pan held his hand.


    ¡°Alright.¡± Gu Shaoting responded and then walked back to the ward.


    Secretary Zhang rarely admired someone so much. Mrs. Gu was simply his idol.


    Look, as soon as Mrs. Gu arrived, the proud Mr. Gu obediently listened.


    Mrs. Gu¡¯s words were like an imperial edict, and Mr. Gu did everything ording to her words.


    His leg rehabilitation probably required a long period of training, so he was discharged a few days after Shu Pan came. He nned to practice at home.


    Because Shu Pan was here, He Ming went back to manage thepany. He couldn¡¯t leave thepany behind.


    After He Ming left, Secretary Zhang returned to the branch office every day. If there was anything that needed a decision or a signature, he would bring it back for Gu Shaoting to sign.


    Everything was normal.


    Gu Shaoting suddenly enjoyed his current life.


    It was just him and Shu Pan, the two of them began to spend some alone time.


    Shu Pan also lived a fulfilling life every day. She had to help him recover and cook.


    However, she was ecstatic to see him take one more step every day.

 Chapter 754: Uninvited Guest

    Chapter 754: Uninvited Guest


    Editor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Life was originally quitefortable, but there would always be some uninvited guests who would barge into your life.


    Gu Shaoting¡¯s injury was impossible to keep under wraps. Many people in the industry knew about it. When they heard that Gu Shaoting had been discharged from the hospital, they all came to visit.


    Gu Shaoting missed home and Joy more and more, so he felt like returning to China with Shu Pan.


    Gu Shaoting could walk slowly with his walking stick. However, he couldn¡¯t walk for long.


    The day before they nned to go back, Mr. John and Charlene suddenly came to visit.


    Gu Shaoting was a little surprised. After all, after thest incident, it was a little awkward for him to meet John.


    However, he weed all visitors.


    He didn¡¯t wee an uninvited guest like Charlene, but since Mr. John was present, he endured it.


    Shu Pan also recognized Charlene at a nce. She frowned, feeling incredulous.<div>


    How could she still have the nerve toe?


    Charlene shamelessly pretended to be righteous.


    ¡°Shaoting, I¡¯m sorry to hear such unfortunate news. I hope you¡¯ll recover soon.¡± John sounded a little regretful.


    ¡°Thank you for your concern.¡± Gu Shaoting nodded.


    Then, they started talking about business. Shu Pan left because she was bored.


    Charlene saw Shu Pan leave and she followed.


    ¡°Shu Pan, I didn¡¯t expect you to reallye.¡± Charlene pouted, looking down on her.


    ¡°Yeah, isn¡¯t this the result you thought of?¡± Shu Pan retorted.


    ¡°Look at Brother Gu. Aren¡¯t you afraid that he will be a cripple?¡± Charlene was gloating. Charlene was currently just enjoying the show.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about it. He¡¯ll be fine,¡± Shu Pan said lightly. Shu Pan really disdained to talk to such a person.


    ¡°Hehe, I want to learn from you. You¡¯re so magnanimous. Your husband and ex-girlfriend are still linked together and you can pretend that nothing has happened and even take care of him.¡± Charlene seemed to want to annoy Shu Pan, but Shu Pan always had this indifferent expression.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about our matters. I¡¯ll say it again seriously. I hope you won¡¯t interfere in our matters in the future. Otherwise, don¡¯t me us for being rude.¡± Shu Pan¡¯s tone was unprecedentedly stern.


    Charlene only paused for a moment, then said indifferently, ¡°Then go ahead and use your methods. I¡¯d like to see it.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re really hopeless. You shouldn¡¯t spend such a good time on someone who doesn¡¯t belong to you. You should take care of yourself.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m not interested in a cripple for the time being. You, on the other hand, have to be careful. After all, the supermodel ex-girlfriend is a big threat.¡± Charlene looked at Gu Shaoting with his walking stick. He was suddenly too different from the tall and mighty image she had in her heart. She was a little disappointed.


    Shu Pan felt that it was a waste of time to talk to her, so she walked into the living room.


    Charlene was bored so she followed her in.


    John and Gu Shaoting were almost done chatting. John didn¡¯t want to disturb them for too long, so he left with Charlene.


    When Gu Shaoting saw Charlene, he looked at Shu Pan reflexively.<div>


    ¡°Why are you looking at me? Are you worried about your affairs?¡± Shu Pan mocked.


    ¡°I¡¯m an upright person. I¡¯m not afraid.¡± Gu Shaoting felt that he hadn¡¯t done anything wrong to Shu Pan, so there was nothing to be afraid of.


    ¡°Let¡¯s return to China as soon as possible. It¡¯s boring to stay here, and we¡¯ll meet people who make us unhappy.¡±


    ¡°Alright, don¡¯t worry. I won¡¯t let go of those who cause trouble.¡± Gu Shaoting¡¯s sharp eyes shed.<div>

 Chapter 755: Airplane Warmth

    Chapter 755: Airne Warmth


    Editor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Gu Shaoting could barely walk slowly with his crutches, so he spent most of his time in a wheelchair because rehabilitation was a long-term process and he couldn¡¯t rush it.


    Gu Shaoting, Shu Pan, and Secretary Zhang booked the ne tickets and returned to China.


    After they boarded the ne, the huge ne did not stop for even a second. It chose the longest runway and flew into the sky.


    Sitting in the luxurious first-ss cabin, she looked out of the window at the clear blue sky with a sigh.


    Who would have thought that a in life would have so many twists and turns?


    Gu Shaoting crossed his hands on his knees, supporting his sexy and charming chin. He looked at the woman opposite him, his gaze like a torch. No matter how he looked at her, he felt that it was not enough.


    From the moment the ne took off until now, the atmosphere here had been so quiet. The two of them were deep in thought.


    ¡°What are you thinking about?¡± Gu Shaoting couldn¡¯t guess Shu Pan¡¯s thoughts now. He was worried that after so many things had happened, Shu Pan would have other thoughts, and then he would be someone outside her life. This was an oue he couldn¡¯t ept.


    Shu Pan bit her lip and said, ¡°I wonder when I¡¯ll be able to live a peaceful life. I¡¯m sick of having bad things to worry about every day.¡±<div>


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, we¡¯ll be safe and sound in the future.¡± Gu Shaoting promised.


    It was his failure as a husband to make her feel so insecure.


    At this moment, the air stewardess brought a ss of milk to Shu Pan and ced a cup of ck coffee in front of Gu Shaoting.


    Shu Pan watched him drink coffee and frowned. She said, ¡°Drinking coffee is not good for your health.¡±


    ¡°I haven¡¯t had a drink in a long time. Ever since I went on a business trip, I haven¡¯t had a good sleep, so I need a cup of coffee now.¡±Gu Shaoting smiled.


    Shu Pan¡¯s heart suddenly ached. She stopped talking and silently raised her ss to take a sip of milk.


    Fortunately, this baby was obedient and did not torment her now.


    ¡°Drink less.¡± Shu Pan reminded him.


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m half-crippled now. I wonder if my legs can recover?¡±Gu Shaoting mocked himself. He had gone from the pain at the beginning to the hard work of rehabilitation, and now to the disappointment. He didn¡¯t know if he would despair in the end.


    ¡°Don¡¯t talk nonsense. It¡¯ll be fine. Trust me.¡± As Shu Pan listened, her eyes turned red and ayer of mist formed. When she frantically wiped her eyes with her hand, arge palm had already gently wiped away the drop of crystal that flowed down from her eyes.


    The next second, she was in the man¡¯s arms domineeringly. Her small face was buried in his shirt, and her tears were automatically sucked away.


    Because Shu Pan was pregnant, she was more sentimental. She would cry when she heard some sad words.


    ¡°Alright, alright, it¡¯ll be fine. I¡¯ll work hard to recover. I still have to bring the babies to y.¡± Gu Shaoting quickly coaxed her.


    Shu Pan nodded, but she was still very afraid. What if it was really as he said and his legs could not recover? What should she do?


    He was a domineering and outstanding person who had been almost perfect since he was young. How could he ept the fact that he could not walk?


    She did not dare to imagine the consequences.


    How could she have confidence in something that even the doctor was not sure about?


    She could understand his feelings. Every night, he tossed and turned, unable to sleep. In fact, he had a huge burden on his heart, but he was just pretending to be strong in front of her.


    ¡°You said that we must cooperate with each other well. We still have to bring the children around to y.¡± Shu Pan encouraged him.<div>


    ¡°Yes.¡± Gu Shaoting hugged her and nodded.


    He was the head of the family, and he had to hold up the sky for them.

 Chapter 756: Returning to the Country

    Chapter 756: Returning to the Country


    Editor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    After such a long flight, the ne finallynded steadily and arrived at Bin City.


    He Ming and Xiaomeng were already waiting at the airport entrance.


    Everyone was anxiously waiting for their return. Shu Pan pushed Gu Shaoting out of the VIP passage of the airport.


    In the spacious airport lobby, the eyes of the tourists all turned to them.


    Looking at this domineering man sitting in a wheelchair, their eyes clearly revealed a look of pity. The woman pushing the wheelchair was very gentle. From time to time, she would bend over and say something to him. There was an invisible love between the two of them that was inadvertently revealed.


    ¡°You¡¯re back?¡± At the entrance of the hall, He Ming and his wife looked at them with smiles on their faces.


    Gu Shaoting smiled and replied, ¡°It still feels good to be back.¡±


    He took a deep breath.


    He Ming walked up and took Shu Pan¡¯s ce. He pushed Gu Shaoting and Shu Pan was pulled to the side by Xiaomeng.<div>


    ¡°You¡¯re really bold. You went to France alone without telling me. You¡¯ve really grown up.¡± If He Ming didn¡¯te back and tell Xiaomeng, she would still be in the dark.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Xiaomeng. I didn¡¯t have time to tell you because it was urgent,¡± Shu Pan apologized.


    ¡°Next time, if there¡¯s anything, you have to tell me, okay? We¡¯re friends. If there¡¯s anything, I can share the burden with you.¡± Ye Xiaomeng was still brooding over it. Her heart ached at the thought of her bearing so much burden alone.


    ¡°Alright, I know.¡± Shu Pan held her hand tightly.


    ¡°Hey, get in the car.¡± After He Ming helped Gu Shaoting into the car, he turned to Shu Pan and Ye Xiaomeng and said, ¡°Everyone is waiting for you at home.¡±


    He Ming sighed. Now, the family could finally be reunited.


    Joy had been talking about them for a long time.


    He Ming drove while Ye Xiaomeng sat in the front passenger seat. Secretary Zhang took their luggage and left in the chauffeur¡¯s car.


    Shu Pan sat in the back seat of the car. Gu Shaoting sat with her. As soon as they got in the car, his big palm grabbed her hand that was on her knee and held it tightly. Shu Pan¡¯s heart started beating fast. They hadn¡¯t done such intimate things for a long time. This feeling was like a young girl¡¯s first encounter with love. It was very subtle, like a sweet feeling, and her heart was beating faster.


    Shu Pan didn¡¯t understand why he suddenly did this. She looked at him and Gu Shaoting also looked at her affectionately before turning away.


    Gu Shaoting suddenly felt that this car ident was a blessing in disguise, but the price was a little heavy. If it wasn¡¯t for the car ident, Shu Pan wouldn¡¯t have forgiven him so quickly.


    Therefore, he was d that he could still sit with her. At this moment, he felt that their hearts were together.


    Shu Pan¡¯s face was slightly pink because of her racing heart. Fortunately, He Ming and Xiaomeng were sitting in front and didn¡¯t pay much attention to what was happening behind them.


    Gu Shaoting looked over from time to time, his gaze quietly and gentlynding on her face.


    Shu Pan was a little shy under his gaze, and her mind became more and more nk. Under his gaze, she could not think of any problems.


    ¡°What are you staring at me for?¡± Shu Pan protested softly.


    ¡°I like it when you care about me,¡± Gu Shaoting said arrogantly, his lips curling into a charming and sexy smile.


    He really liked this feeling. He hoped that they would always be like this and that there would be no misunderstanding. He knew that Shu Pancked a sense of security, and a woman¡¯s sense of security was given by a man, so he would work hard to do well.


    After the car ident, he also had a deep understanding that he should love her and their children well every day for the rest of his life.<div>

 Chapter 757: Mother-In-Law’s Scolding Part 1

    Chapter 757: Mother-In-Law¡¯s Scolding Part 1


    Editor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    When the car arrived at the Qiyuan, it was already past four in the afternoon. Seeing the two ck cars driving in, the people waiting in the living room could not wait toe out of the courtyard.


    Father Shu held Joy¡¯s hand, looking forward to their arrival.


    The car stopped and Shu Pan pushed open the door. He Ming quickly came over and helped Gu Shaoting out of the car.


    Everyone looked at them and heaved a sigh of relief.


    ¡°Daddy¡­¡± Suddenly, a childish voice rang out. Gu Shaoting saw a small figure in the crowd running towards him.


    Gu Shaoting¡¯s eyes suddenly became moist. He stood there, waiting for Joy to arrive. Because of his leg, he couldn¡¯t squat down and hug her, so he could only bend over and hug her.


    ¡°Daddy¡­ I miss you so much¡­ Wuuuu¡­¡± Joy suddenly sobbed.


    This time, everyone knew that Joy¡¯s silence previously was fake. She missed her father so much. Everyone¡¯s heart tightened a little.


    Shu Pan smiled and walked over. Then, she squatted in front of Joy and gently wiped away her tears. She said, ¡°Don¡¯t cry anymore. Daddy is back. You can y with Daddy again in the future, but Daddy¡¯s leg is injured now. He has to rest well and he can¡¯t stand for too long. Let¡¯s go in first, okay?¡± Shu Pan appeased Joy.<div>


    ¡°Alright.¡± When Joy heard that her father was unwell, she became nervous and quickly went to support Gu Shaoting.


    ¡°Brother, Cousin-inw, it¡¯s great that you¡¯re back.¡± Gu Huanhuan¡¯s eyes were also wet. When she heard that he was in a car ident, she was really scared. She only heaved a sigh of relief after knowing that he was out of danger. If they hadn¡¯te back, she would have flown over.


    ¡°Yes, sorry for making you worry. Go in.¡± He Ming supported Gu Shaoting, and the two of them looked at each other and smiled. He Ming patted his shoulder. The feelings between brothers were known without words. He was really happy for him.


    Everyone walked into the living room together and listened to He Ming talk about Gu Shaoting¡¯s car ident. Everyone¡¯s heartstrings tightened. Fortunately, they were all back now. It was really too dangerous. This result was probably the best.


    Because they had returned, the house suddenly became lively. Seeing that everyone was present, Auntie Li prepared arge table of delicacies.


    They sat down andughed happily.


    ¡­


    The next day, Gu Shaoting woke up very early. He was secretly training now, wanting to give Shu Pan a surprise.


    He would not return to thepany for the time being. Secretary Zhang would bring him documents that needed his signature or decisions every day.


    When it was almost noon, Gu Shaoting was ying with Joy when Song Can suddenly came to visit.


    She rushed in,pletely losing her usual elegant image.


    ¡°Shaoting, how are you? Do you even think of me as your mother?¡± Song Can¡¯s words were filled with anxiety and anger.


    This was too much. She was thest one to know that her son was in a car ident. If someone hadn¡¯t told her, she would probably still be in the dark.


    ¡°Mom, you¡¯re here. Aren¡¯t I fine now?¡± Gu Shaoting was already used to his mother¡¯s tone.


    ¡°You still say it¡¯s not serious? You can¡¯t even walk with your legs now.¡± Song Can really had nowhere to vent her anger.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be fine. I¡¯m slowly recovering now.¡± Gu Shaoting was already used to his mother making a fuss.


    ¡°Tell me, why are you so unlucky?¡± Why did he have to encounter such a thing?


    Joy saw Grandma¡¯s fierce look and then leaned into Gu Shaoting¡¯s arms.


    ¡°Mom, I¡¯m fine. Don¡¯t scare Joy.¡± Gu Shaoting had no choice but to speak.<div>

 Chapter 758: Mother-In-Law’s Scolding Part 2

    Chapter 758: Mother-In-Law¡¯s Scolding Part 2


    Editor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Song Can was tired of talking and could not be bothered to continue. She sat on the sofa.


    Gu Shaoting looked at her for a while, worried that she would start nagging again, so he went back to the study with Joy.


    Song Can looked at his back as he leaned on his walking stick and could not help but feel angry again.


    At this moment, Shu Pan came back from outside. She had just gone for a prenatal checkup. After all, she had been on the ne for so long and was worried that it would affect the fetus, so she immediately made an appointment for a prenatal checkup.


    Gu Shaoting had wanted to go with her, but it was inconvenient for him to move now, so she declined.


    Gu Shaoting still looked unhappy, feeling that he had missed out on a lot.


    Later, Joy came to y with him, and he let Shu Pan go. He really didn¡¯t know whether tough or cry.


    Shu Pan came back. When she took off her shoes at the entrance, she didn¡¯t see Song Can in the living room. She casually said, ¡°I¡¯m back.¡±


    She did not hear the father and daughter respond to her, but she heard a cold snort from the living room. ¡°You still know how toe back? Your husband is already like this. You don¡¯t know how to stay at home and take care of him at home but instead, you run out every day. What kind of wife is this?¡±<div>


    Before Shu Pan could react, she was stunned by this series of usations.


    Other than Song Can, who else could it be?


    Shu Pan was deeply afraid of this voice.


    But even if she hated it, she still had to face it.


    Shu Pan still smiled and greeted, ¡°Mom.¡±


    Song Can snorted and did not answer.


    Shu Pan saw that Song Can was ignoring her. It didn¡¯t matter.


    She wanted to go back to her room and put her things away. It was obvious that Song Can did not want to let her off so easily.


    ¡°Sit, I have something to tell you.¡± Song Can ordered arrogantly.


    ¡°What is it?¡± Shu Pan also gave her enough respect. After all, she was Gu Shaoting¡¯s mother.


    ¡°How¡¯s Shaoting¡¯s leg now? Does he have to rely on crutches for the rest of his life, like a half-cripple?¡± Hearing Song Can¡¯s words, Shu Pan could not help but frown.


    ¡°He¡¯s recovering now. He¡¯ll get better slowly.¡± Shu Pan exined patiently. If she wasn¡¯t Gu Shaoting¡¯s mother, Shu Pan probably would have kicked her out.


    ¡°Sigh, Shaoting has always been my pride, but after being with you, look at how he has changed.¡± Song Can had a straight face and was expressionless when she spoke.


    ¡°Mom, be reasonable. His car ident was an ident,¡± Shu Pan said, feeling a deep sense of guilt.


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t such a thing happen before? Why did it happen one after another after he got together with you? You still don¡¯t want to admit that you¡¯re a jinx?¡±


    Song Can gets angry when she talks about it. She also mes her son for being disappointing and liking Shu Pan.


    Shu Pan listened silently and didn¡¯t refute her. She just let Song Can speak to her heart¡¯s content.


    Gu Shaoting walked out slowly, probably because of themotion outside.


    ¡°Mom, what are you talking about?¡± He must have heard something.<div>


    ¡°Shaoting, I¡¯m doing this for your own good. Look at what you¡¯ve be.¡± Song Can sat there and gesticted. She hadpletely lost her usual elegant demeanor.


    ¡°Mom, if you want toe over and visit Grandpa or Joy, we¡¯ll wee you. But if you¡¯re here to criticize Shu Pan, then don¡¯te over. Just stay at home,¡± Gu Shaoting said bluntly.


    ¡°You¡­ You¡¯re my son. I¡¯m doing this for you, aren¡¯t I?¡± Song Can was furious.


    Gu Shaoting probably felt that his words were too harsh, so he sat beside Shu Pan and didn¡¯t say anything.<div>


    Song Can looked at the two people sitting together, and the fire in her heart burned even brighter.

 Chapter 759: Xiaomeng’s Troubles

    Chapter 759: Xiaomeng¡¯s Troubles


    Editor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Song Can felt that she was probably not wee. She stood up with a whoosh, red at the two of them, and left with her bag.


    ¡°Mom¡­¡± Gu Shaoting and Shupan saw her angry look and called out.


    But Song Can left without looking back.


    ¡°Shaoting, look¡­ This¡­ ¡± Shu Pan looked at Song Can¡¯s back with some difficulty. After all, she was Shaoting¡¯s mother.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine, just ignore it.¡± Gu Shaoting knew that his mother was arrogant and she wanted everything to be done her way, but some of her requests were really difficult.


    When Shu Pan heard him say this, she finally felt a little better.


    ¡°Alright, don¡¯t think too much about it. By the way, what did the doctor say about the prenatal checkup today? My little cutie is doing well, right?¡± Gu Shaoting changed the topic.


    ¡°Yeah, the baby¡¯s doing pretty well. I just need to get my prenatal check-up on time and I can¡¯t work too hard.¡± Shu Pan answered truthfully to make up for his regret of not being able to be there with her today.


    ¡°That¡¯s good. Did the doctor say if it¡¯s a boy or a girl?¡± Gu Shaoting asked casually.<div>


    ¡°No, the gender is confidential now. Why? You favor boys over girls?¡± Shu Pan eximed. She didn¡¯t expect him to have such a mindset.


    ¡°No, it doesn¡¯t matter if it¡¯s a boy or a girl. It¡¯s good as long as they¡¯re healthy. I just need to know their gender so that I can prepare some things.¡± Gu Shaoting felt that since he was staying at home, he had to find something to kill time.


    Fortunately, thepany was operating normally and he did not need to worry about it.


    However, he would be a little busierter. He would probably have to stay in thepany for a few days because He Ming was going to hold his wedding.


    ¡°It¡¯s still early to prepare things, so there¡¯s no hurry. How do you feel today? I¡¯ll get you some water to soak inter, okay?¡± The only thing Shu Pan was worried about now was Gu Shaoting¡¯s leg. Last night, she saw him get up a few times and sometimes he would moan several times. It must have been very painful. Although he suppressed his voice, the movement was a little loud and she still heard it.


    Just as she was about to get up and ask for someone to get it, hey down again.


    ¡°No need. I still have to do rehabilitation trainingter.¡± Gu Shaoting shook his head and continued, ¡°Just take care of yourself.¡±


    ¡°Okay, He Ming and Xiaomeng¡¯s wedding is next week. I wonder what wedding gift to give Xiaomeng?¡± Shu Pan said with some distress. She didn¡¯t understand these things the most.


    ¡°You can give her jewelry. I¡¯ll get someone to send you thetest catalog for you to choose from. You can pick one for Xiaomeng and pick two for yourself,¡± Gu Shaoting said considerately.


    ¡°Okay, then I¡¯ll pick one for Xiaomeng. I don¡¯t need it.¡± Shu Pan felt that this was a good idea. After all, she was her best friend. This gift definitely could not be sloppy.


    ¡°Pick a few. They will be useful in the future.¡± Gu Shaoting¡¯s eyes were full of affection.


    Shu Pan smiled speechlessly.


    ¡­


    In the afternoon, Ye Xiaomeng called toin.


    ¡°Girl, can I not get married?¡± Ye Xiaomeng¡¯s words scared Shu Pan.


    ¡°What are you thinking about again?¡± Shu Pan asked with a frown.


    ¡°Marriage is so troublesome. There are too manyplicated things. Moreover, I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s because He Ming¡¯s mother doesn¡¯t like me, but she¡¯s not satisfied with any suggestions.¡± Ye Xiaomeng was really vexed. She didn¡¯t want Mother He to be unhappy, so she had to amodate her.


    ¡°Let He Ming decide as well.¡± Shu Pan felt that although He Ming was a filial son, he loved Xiaomeng and was more rational in doing things.


    ¡°Yeah, he¡¯s been busy recently. I don¡¯t want to bother him with these trivial things.¡± Ye Xiaomeng¡¯s heart ached when she saw He Ming so tired that he fell asleep immediately after he got home.<div>


    ¡°It¡¯s been hard on him recently. Shaoting will be going back to thepany tomorrow, so He Ming can prepare for his wedding. After all, it¡¯s only once in a lifetime event.¡± Shu Pan nned to apany him back to thepany to deal with matters tomorrow.

 Chapter 760: Finding Someone to Monitor

    Chapter 760: Finding Someone to Monitor


    Editor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    The next day, Gu Shaoting and Shu Pan both woke up early. Gu Shaoting did half an hour of rehabilitation before he changed his clothes and went out.


    After the chauffeur arrived, Shu Pan helped him into the car.


    ¡°Actually, I can go to thepany by myself.¡± Gu Shaoting saw that she was already pregnant and was worried that she would be tired.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. I¡¯m free too.¡± Shu Pan was a little worried. After all, it was inconvenient for him to move now.


    After the two of them got into the car, the driver started the car and drove to thepany.


    The staff in thepany hadn¡¯t seen Gu Shaoting for a while and they all looked at him curiously when they saw that he walked unnaturally with a walking stick.


    Gu Shaoting was used to everyone¡¯s gazes. He walked as if there was no one else around, and Shu Pan followed beside him.


    Once Gu Shaoting arrived at the office, Shu Pan asked nervously, ¡°How was it? Can your body still take it?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not that weak. Don¡¯t worry, wait for me on the sofa. After the meeting, I¡¯ll give some instructions and we¡¯ll go back.¡± Gu Shaoting felt warm inside.<div>


    ¡°Alright, be careful.¡± Shu Pan smiled gently.


    Gu Shaoting moved away from Shu Pan and called Secretary Zhang over. He ordered, ¡°Get someone to find a private detective in France to keep an eye on Charlene and Qin Zhen. If there¡¯s anything unusual about them, let me know immediately. Also, when will the cooperation with John end?¡±


    ¡°Mr. Gu, do you want to¡­¡± Secretary Zhang asked doubtfully, but Gu Shaoting raised his hand to stop him from speaking halfway. Some things were better known by the heart.


    ¡°Okay, I understand, Mr. Gu.¡± Secretary Zhang understood.


    ¡°Inform everyone above the supervisor level to hold a meeting.¡± Gu Shaoting instructed. He wanted to quickly finish his business and go back.


    ¡°Alright.¡± Secretary Zhang went out.


    Gu Shaoting went to the meeting. Shu Pan sat on the sofa in the office, feeling a little bored.


    She took out a magazine to pass the time. Suddenly, she saw Gu Shaoting¡¯s interview. He looked a little unfamiliar in the magazine. His tall figure was wrapped in a well-tailored expensive suit. His facial features were handsome and well-defined. He exuded a noble aura from head to toe.


    His gaze was deep, and his thin lips were slightly pursed, revealing a hint of coldness.


    Shu Pan gently caressed his eyes, nose, and lips. She could not help but sigh in her heart. As the CEO of the Gu Group, he was supposed to be the target of countless women.


    Therefore, it was not strange at all that women liked him.


    In the end, she still cared about those photos and videos, although Gu Shaoting repeatedly said that he did not do anything to let her down and that he was drunk that day. However, this matter had always been a thorn in her heart.


    Now that he was unable to move, he had to train hard every day. She did not want to disturb him, but every time she was alone, she would overthink this.


    She wondered when this knot in her heart would be untied.


    Just as Shu Pan was deep in thought, the office door opened and Gu Shaoting walked in slowly.


    He saw the magazine in her hand at a nce and couldn¡¯t help but smile. Hemented, ¡°I¡¯m right in front of you. You can look however you want. Why do you need to read a magazine? I look better in real life than in magazines.¡±


    ¡°Narcissist, who said I was looking at you? I¡¯m reading the text.¡± Shu Pan retorted.


    ¡°Whatever you say is right, how about that? Are you bored? Wait for me for a while. I just need to review a few documents.¡± Gu Shaoting had already finished his meeting as quickly as possible.


    ¡°There¡¯s no hurry. Go ahead and do your thing.¡± Shu Pan got up and helped him to his desk.<div>


    Gu Shaoting nced at Shu Pan and didn¡¯t see anything unusual. When he came in just now, he seemed to see that her expression wasn¡¯t very good. He probably saw it wrongly.

 Chapter 761: Ye Xiaomeng’s Wedding, Part 1

    Chapter 761: Ye Xiaomeng¡¯s Wedding, Part 1


    Editor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Time flew by and soon it was He Ming and Ye Xiaomeng¡¯s wedding.


    Ye Xiaomeng felt that the heavens were on her side. The sun was shining brightly on this day. It was the best weather in recent times.


    He Ming went to the wedding venue to make the final arrangements while Ye Xiaomeng stayed home to get herself ready.


    The elders of the family were at the venue early weing guests.


    The wedding ceremony was scheduled at five o¡¯clock in the afternoon. The chosen time was of obvious significance. Gu Huanhuan, who was helping the makeup artist with Ye Xiaomeng¡¯s makeup, said, ¡°Xiaomeng, I can tell just by the time Brother He has selected for the wedding ceremony that he has a romantic wedding nned for you.¡±


    Because Shu Pan and Ye Xiaomeng were best friends, and Gu Huanhuan often visited Shu Pan at her house, the three of them became close and got along very well.


    Ye Xiaomeng smiled shyly, feeling a little embarrassed. She looked at herself in the mirror. Under the makeup artist¡¯s skillful hands, she, who usually wore light makeup, was so exquisitely made up that she thought she looked gorgeous.


    She was very happy as she replied expectantly, ¡°He¡¯s a traditionalist. The wedding venue is probably beautifully decorated. He made everything so mysterious. I haven¡¯t even seen the ce.¡±


    ¡°Brother He has kept the secret well. He wanted to give you a surprise.¡± Gu Huanhuan said enviously.<div>


    Just as Ye Xiaomeng was about to refute Gu Huanhuan, someone called out at the door, ¡°He Ming, congrattions.¡±


    Gu Huanhuan, who had been chatting with Ye Xiaomeng, quickly straightened herself and focused on helping Ye Xiaomeng with her headdress.


    Ye Xiaomeng could see from the mirror that He Ming was dressed in a tailored ck suit today, looking extraordinarily handsome.


    He Ming stood quietly behind her as he watched the makeup artist do the final touch up.


    After Gu Huanhuan and the makeup artist saw He Ming walk in, they quickly finished Ye Xiaomeng¡¯s makeup and left the room to give the couple a little privacy.


    ¡°Is the ce ready?¡± Ye Xiaomeng asked.


    ¡°Yes.¡± He Ming responded absentmindedly; his gaze was fixed on the breathtakingly beautiful Ye Xiaomeng in the mirror.


    She would definitely be the belle of the ball tonight.


    He didn¡¯t feel his heart beat so wildly even when Ye Xiaomeng was trying on wedding dresses.


    Her white wedding gown was an empire cut dress with a full skirt that cleverly covered her pregnancy.


    Her makeup was just right; there was even a flower in her hair.


    Herplete and perfect wedding look was before his eyes.


    He couldn¡¯t help but bent down slightly to nt a kiss on her forehead.


    The picture of a handsome man with his beautiful bride was indeed romantic and beautiful.


    The usually loud Ye Xiaomeng was blushing slightly.


    ¡°Are all the guests here?¡± she asked, changing the subject.


    ¡°Dad and Mom are entertaining them. Don¡¯t worry.¡± He Ming looked at the time. It was almost five.


    ¡°Great.¡± As soon as Ye Xiaomeng finished speaking, the door to the dressing room was pushed open. ¡°Is the beautiful bride ready?¡±


    It was Shu Pan. She was wearing a beige babydoll dress today, looking elegantly adorable.<div>


    ¡°Shu Pan, you are here. You came at the perfect time. Please keep herpany, The ceremony is about to start.¡± He Ming nced at Ye Xiaomeng again before he went out to get ready.


    ¡°Girl, you¡¯re here.¡± Ye Xiaomeng said with a smile.


    ¡°Xiaomeng, you look so beautiful today. ¡°Shu Panmented. A woman was indeed most beautiful on her wedding day.


    Ye Xiaomeng lifted her skirt and made a twirl.<div>


    The wedding dress she chose wasn¡¯tplicated. It was clean-cut with a full skirt. She chose an empire cut that cinched her waist while hiding her pregnancy bump. It was a very ttering dress.

 Chapter 762: Ye Xiaomeng’s Wedding, Part 2

    Chapter 762: Ye Xiaomeng¡¯s Wedding, Part 2


    Editor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    ¡°You¡¯re the most beautiful person tonight.¡± Shu Pan said as she took out an exquisite jewelry box from her bag.


    She handed the box to Ye Xiaomeng with a smile. ¡°Take a look and let me know if you like it?¡±


    Ye Xiaomeng looked at Shu Pan in confusion, then opened the jewelry box. She was shocked and covered her mouth with excitement. She couldn¡¯t believe what she was seeing.


    Inside the red velvet jewelry box was a perfect pearl ne. The pearls were about the same size and each of them lustered excellently. One could tell that they were expensive. Ye Xiaomeng had seen this ne in a fashion magazine before. It was a new product from a luxury brand.


    ¡°Girl¡­ This is too generous!¡± Ye Xiaomeng eximed.


    ¡°This is my wedding gift to you. I¡¯m d you like it.¡± This pearl ne caught Shu Pan¡¯s eye the moment she opened the catalog. She thought it suited Xiaomeng very well.


    ¡°But this is too expensive.¡± Ye Xiaomeng stared at the ne, not knowing what to do.


    ¡°Our friendship is not measured by money. How about I help you put it on?¡± Shu Pan said with a smile.


    ¡°Okay, thank you, dear.¡± Ye Xiaomeng¡¯s eyes suddenly became moist. She had always treated Shu Pan like family, and now she was helping her gain face. After all, she came from a middle-ss family that couldn¡¯t afford arge betrothal gift. She didn¡¯t look so average now with the ne Shu Pan gave her around her neck.<div>


    Shu Pan walked up and gave Ye Xiaomeng a hug. ¡°I wish you great happiness.¡±


    ¡°Thank you. We will all be very happy.¡± Ye Xiaomeng¡¯s voice was choked with emotion. Pregnant women were indeed more easily moved.


    At this moment, Gu Huanhuan came in and said, ¡°Xiaomeng, it¡¯s time.¡±


    Ye Xiaomeng took a deep breath and walked out holding the skirt of her long dress. Shu Pan and Gu Huanhuan helped to arrange her skirt outside the ballroom so she could walk in without tripping over.


    Xiaomeng¡¯s father was also ready. Ye Xiaomeng held his arm and stood at the entrance of the ballroom.


    The moment she had been looking forward to her entire life was about to arrive.


    Three years ago, she never expected that she would be walked down the red carpet one day in a wedding dress to the person she loved.


    What happened at her wedding with Cheng Yang was deeply etched in her memory and left a scar in her heart. But in the end, the heavens was still kind to her and granted her another chance at happiness.


    Life could be so wonderful sometimes!


    She was just an ordinary woman who longed for ordinary love.


    She had it now.


    Ye Xiaomeng couldn¡¯t help but smile as Mendelsohn¡¯s Wedding March began to y.


    Mr. Ye walked Ye Xiaomeng down the red carpet to the other end, where the person she loved was waiting for her.


    Mr. Ye carefully ced Ye Xiaomeng¡¯s hand onto He Ming¡¯s upturned hand. All the guests were deeply moved by this scene.


    Everyone loved a happy ending.


    Looking around the ballroom that was decorated like a fairytale world, Ye Xiaomeng felt like she was a princess in a fairytale.


    She could not help but say in a choked voice, ¡°If I knew that you would go through so much trouble to n this wedding, I wouldn¡¯t have let you do it¡­ It¡¯s too expensive. But now that I¡¯ve seen the ballroom, I feel full of happiness. Thank you for giving me such a perfect wedding. I¡¯ll never forget it for the rest of my life.¡±


    He Ming¡¯s lips curled up slightly. ¡°I¡¯ll let you be a princess for the rest of your life. We¡¯ll live happily ever after.¡±


    Ye Xiaomeng nodded. She believed that He Ming would keep his promise.<div>


    Family and friends below the stage were cheering and scattering roses for them.


    The wedding officiant stood before the couple with a pair of rings, ready to lead the couple through their vows and exchange of rings.


    They had been waiting too long for this moment.


    <div>

 Chapter 763: Ye Xiaomeng’s Wedding, Part 3

    Chapter 763: Ye Xiaomeng¡¯s Wedding, Part 3


    Editor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    The wedding officiant turned to He Ming first and asked, ¡°Mr. He Ming, do you take this beautiful Miss Ye Xiaomeng to be yourwfully wedded wife, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, until death do you part?¡±


    He Ming looked at Ye Xiaomeng and returned to his usual self as he answered seriously, ¡°I do.¡±


    Hearing He Ming¡¯s answer, the crowd instantly burst into thunderous apuse.


    The wedding officiant then asked Ye Xiaomeng, ¡°Miss Ye Xiaomeng, do you take this handsome Mr. He Ming to be yourwfully wedded husband, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, until death do you part?¡±


    Ye Xiaomeng looked up and fixed her eyes on He Ming. As everyone held their breath and waited for her reply, she finally said in a voice that was more determined and louder than his, ¡°I do.¡±


    The apuse was even louder than before.


    Amidst everyone¡¯s well-wishes and warm apuse, He Ming and Ye Xiaomeng looked into each other¡¯s eyes and saw only their reflection in the other person¡¯s eyes.


    The wedding officiant chuckled. ¡°I wish the two of you a happy marriage. You may kiss the bride now.¡±


    He Ming didn¡¯t disappoint and lowered his head to give Ye Xiaomeng an unforgettable kiss. Before Ye Xiaomeng could catch her breath, he said seriously, ¡°Thank you foring today, my friends and family. I would like to take this opportunity to say before everyone¡­ Ye Xiaomeng, I love you. Thank you foring into my life, for enriching my life, and for fulfilling my life.¡±<div>


    Ye Xiaomeng felt an instant burn in her nose as she looked at He Ming¡¯s sincere gaze.


    It was unbelievable that he would say such a thing in public. She always thought that he was more reserved and would not say something so emotional.


    The two of them stared deeply into each other¡¯s eyes, as if they were the only ones left in the world.


    ¡­


    As He Ming invited only friends and family and not business associates to the wedding, everyone enjoyed the sumptuous banquet after the ceremony.


    Time passed very quickly. After the banquet, He Ming brought Ye Xiaomeng straight to a premium suite at the hotel.


    The suite had been decorated for newlyweds. The bed was covered with rose petals and there were balloons in the room. The atmosphere was festive.


    Although Ye Xiaomeng was exhausted, when He Ming gently put her in bed, she wrapped her arms around his neck and said coquettishly, ¡°It was a beautiful ceremony. I¡¯ll remember it for the rest of my life. Thank you, hubby, for giving me such an unforgettable wedding.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m d you liked it. I know you¡¯ve suffered because of my mother. I¡¯ll do better in the future and make you and the baby happy.¡± He Ming replied staring at her.


    Because the wedding banquet had gone on for so long, Ye Xiaomeng felt really tired. He Ming stayed by her side and didn¡¯t leave even after she fell asleep.


    Ye Xiaomeng was like a kitten snuggled against him. She looked so quiet and sweet as she slept.


    He Ming gently stroked her hair and lowered his head to her belly to see if there was any movement.


    He felt very satisfied just looking quietly at her pregnancy bump.


    After a while, He Ming reluctantly removed her hands from around his waist and carefully sat up.


    Ye Xiaomeng seemed to have felt it. She moaned, adjusted her position, and continued to sleep soundly.


    He Ming nced at her, then walked into the bathroom with his pajamas.


    Their heartwarming wedding ceremony was over.

 Chapter 764: A Heartwarming Scene

    Chapter 764: A Heartwarming Scene


    Editor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    When Shu Pan got home, she was emotionally drained. Although she was very tired, she did not feel sleepy at all.


    Xiaomeng had finally found her happiness. When Shu Pan saw them take their vows today, her eyes turned really red because Xiaomeng had gone through a lot to arrive at her happy ending. Shu Pan knew what that felt like.


    Gu Shaoting was home too. He asked the driver to send him home earlier as his legs were sore after a while.


    Shu Pan figured that he was probably in the study as there was no one in the living room.


    Shu Pan rested in the living room for a while before she got up and walked to the study. Sure enough, she saw Gu Shaoting reading a document attentively.


    She walked over quietly and stood beside him; he did not notice her at all.


    Shu Pan gently leaned against his back and covered his eyes with her hands. ¡°Guess who?¡±


    Gu Shaoting already knew that it was her when she leaned against him. He would never mistake her unique fragrance.


    ¡°Lucy? Lily?¡± Gu Shaoting rattled off two names randomly.<div>


    Shu Pan was unhappy when she heard that. She punched his back. ¡°When did you meet these women?¡±


    Gu Shaoting pulled her onto hisp.


    Shu Pan eximed in shock and immediately stood up. His legs hadn¡¯t healed fully yet.


    ¡°Nonsense, your legs aren¡¯t fully healed yet!¡± Shu Pan scolded. This man did not care about the severity of the matter.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I can still carry you.¡± Gu Shaoting smiled dotingly.


    ¡°Tell me the truth. When did you meet Lucy and Lily?¡± Shu Pan pretended to puff up her cheeks and asked.


    ¡°Are you jealous?¡± Gu Shaoting¡¯s deep voice was maic and especially pleasant to the ear. ¡°I only know that my heart contains only a woman named Shu Pan.¡±


    ¡°Disingenuous.¡± Shu Pan pouted. She knew that he was just joking with her.


    ¡°Did you have a good time today? Should you be going to bed with our little baby after all the merriment?¡± Gu Shaoting saw her smiling and crying all day. She looked exhausted now.


    He could rte. Just like Shu Pan, he was also very happy that his good friend, He Ming, had finally gotten both career and marriage.


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll go to bed first. You should sleep early too. You shouldn¡¯t stay upte.¡± Shu Pan instructed and left.


    Gu Shaoting looked back at her and smiled. She was such a worrier.


    After Shu Pan left the study, she went to check on Joy.


    The little girl was sleeping like a piglet in her princess bed. She looked so sweet. Shu Pan felt a sense of pride as she lowered her head and kissed Joy¡¯s rosy cheek before she went back to the master bedroom.


    She looked at the time after washing up. It was gettingte, so she quickly went to bed.


    She was probably really tired. She slept so soundly that she didn¡¯t even know when Gu Shaoting came back to the room.


    ¡­


    When she woke up the next day and opened her eyes, Shu Pan found Gu Shaoting¡¯s arms wrapped tightly around her. She couldn¡¯t get out of bed.


    She knew that if she moved, she would wake him, so she gently patted his arm and said, ¡°Let me get up. I promised Joy yesterday that I would send her to school today. I can¡¯t break my promise¡­¡±<div>


    ¡°Auntie Li is here. We can ask the driver to send them. You¡¯re heavily pregnant now, so don¡¯t stress yourself too much.¡±


    Gu Shaoting¡¯szy voice suggested that he would rather have Auntie Li send Joy to school.


    Shu Pan didn¡¯t know if it was her imagination, but she felt that Gu Shaoting had been especially clingytely. He wouldn¡¯t even let her get out of bed now.


    ¡°No, I have to get up eventually. I can¡¯t go back on my promise to Joy. Besides, I should keep active.¡± Shu Pan pried his hand away very gently.<div>


    Gu Shaoting let her go eventually after nting a light kiss on the back of her neck.

 Chapter 765: An Update

    Chapter 765: An Update


    Editor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Shu Pan quickly got up, worried that Gu Shaoting would change his mind.


    When she changed out of her pajamas, she noticed that someone was staring at her. She felt shy immediately and pouted, ¡°Can you not look?¡±


    Gu Shaoting propped his chin without moving his eyes and said in hiszy morning voice, ¡°Would you like me toe with?¡±


    ¡°No need. I¡¯ll send Joy to school ande home right away.¡±


    ¡°Alright then. Hurry back and keep mepany for physical therapy.¡± Rehabilitation exercises could be so boring.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to work today?¡± Shu Pan was curious. He Ming was on his honeymoon. Didn¡¯t they need someone in-charge at the office?


    ¡°Nah. There¡¯s nothing important. Mr. Zhang will bring me some documents after my physical therapy.¡±


    ¡­


    When Mr. Zhang arrived, Gu Shaoting had alreadypleted his exercises but felt a little depressed because he didn¡¯t seem to have made any progress. He still felt the same. Was it possible that he would never return to normal?<div>


    Gu Shaoting felt slightly dejected. He had been diligent with the prescribed exercises, but they didn¡¯t seem effective.


    ¡°CEO Gu, here are the documents for your review today.¡± Mr. Zhang ced the documents on the desk and continued, ¡°CEO Gu, there¡¯s been an update on the matter of Charlene and Qin Zhen. The private investigator has found out that you¡¯ve been conned. The photos and videos were products of deep-fake by Charlene and Qin Zhen. Tong Fei was paid to be part of the con. We also found out that Charlene and Qin Zhen used to be a couple, but they broke up for some reason.¡±


    Gu Shaoting listened intently to Mr. Zhang¡¯s update in the study.


    ¡°Hm¡­ I thought the same. However, scheming against me won¡¯t end well.¡± Gu Shaoting said calmly.


    Gu Shaoting then instructed, ¡°Get someone to find out how Qin Zhen¡¯spany is doing. Create some trouble for him and put him through the wringer. He wants to be a hero, then let¡¯s find out if he¡¯s qualified. As for Charlene, get someone to warn her. Tong Fei would be even easier to deal with. Her scandal is probably known throughout France. Take a few photos and send them to reporters.¡±


    ¡°I will not allow such a thing to happen again.¡±


    ¡°Noted.¡± Mr. Zhang nodded.


    After Mr. Zhang left, Gu Shaoting leaned back in his chair and fell into deep thought until a knock on the door pulled him back to reality.


    He had already guessed who it was. ¡°Come in.¡±


    ¡°Has Mr. Zhang left?¡± Shu Pan looked around.


    ¡°Yeah, he just left. Why? You need him for something?¡± Gu Shaoting frowned.


    ¡°No, no. I thought you were still talking about work. By the way, I¡¯ve booked an appointment with a specialist for you. How about we go to the hospital and check out your condition?¡± Shu Pan asked carefully after sensing an air of dejection about Gu Shaotingtely.


    ¡°Sure.¡± Gu Shaoting answered with feigned lightheartedness. He didn¡¯t want Shu Pan to worry.


    ¡°Good. It¡¯s for tomorrow morning. I¡¯ll go with you.¡± Shu Pan heaved a sigh of relief. Thank goodness Gu Shaoting agreed. She felt really nervous because he had been over-sensitivetely, worried that she would despise him after his injury. She didn¡¯t want to hurt him.


    ¡­


    Gu Shaoting stayed in the study untilte at night. When he returned to the master bedroom, he didn¡¯t see the person he was expecting, so he went to Joy¡¯s room.


    Sure enough, Shu Pan was already asleep in Joy¡¯s bed, with a storybook under her cheek.


    Their daughter must have asked Shu Pan to read her bedtime stories for a long time, so when Joy fell asleep, Shu Pan fell asleep too.


    Gu Shaoting looked at Shu Pan. He felt powerless because if it was before, he would have carried her back to bed. But nowadays, he needed help just to walk.<div>


    He saw Shu Pan slumped over Joy¡¯s bed but couldn¡¯t carry her back, so he woke her up.

 Chapter 766: Consultation At The Hospital

    Chapter 766: Consultation At The Hospital


    Editor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Shu Pan opened her eyes slowly and through her sleepiness, she saw the familiar handsome face in front of her. She raised her hand so he could help her up before she said, ¡°Are you done with work?¡±


    Gu Shaoting stared at her, his gaze infinitely gentle. ¡°Were you waiting for me here?¡±


    The sleepy Shu Pan nodded and replied honestly, ¡°Joy asked me to read her a fairy tale today. I know that you will look for me here if you don¡¯t see me in our room. I wish we¡¯d fall asleep together from now on.¡±


    Gu Shaoting lovingly kissed the top of her head. ¡°Let¡¯s go to bed then!¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± Shu Pan held his arm as they walked out together and gently closed the door.


    ¡°Nighty-night!¡± Gu Shaoting kissed her hair.


    With that, he took the remote control by the bed and turned off the lights, leaving only a warm nightlight on.


    Shu Pan¡¯s breath was filled with the man¡¯s masculine scent. She closed her eyes in peace and gradually went to dreand.


    Gu Shaoting couldn¡¯t sleep. His eyes were locked on the sleeping face in his arms, like he was watching until the end of time.<div>


    He suddenly felt very insecure. He used to be full of energy, but he now needed a wheelchair. The stark difference really depressed him.


    He seemed to have be Shu Pan¡¯s burden, which was thest thing he wanted to see.


    See how he was of no help to Shu Pan nowadays and made her worry about him instead?


    His anxiety grew and he started to feel doubtful. What if his legs never recover? Would Shu Pan despise him? Maybe not now, but would she after a long time?


    The more he thought about it, the more anxious he felt.


    And just like that, Mr. Gu did not sleep a wink the whole night.


    The next morning¡­


    After Shu Pan woke up, she felt a pair of big eyes staring at her from her bedside. It was Joy. She didn¡¯t know when she came in and stared at her like that with her chin propped¡­


    Shu Pan sat up and pulled Joy into her arms. ¡°When did you wake up? Why didn¡¯t you sleep a little longer? Where¡¯s Daddy?¡±


    ¡°I had a dream that Mommy went missing, so I rushed over to find you. I was so scared.¡± Joy pouted and looked like she was about to cry. ¡°Daddy is walking.¡±


    Joy¡¯s words startled Shu Pan. She knew that the walking Joy was talking about was Gu Shaoting¡¯s rehabilitation exercise.


    Why did he get up so early to train? Did he want to die? Overtraining was not good either.


    Shu Pan lowered her head and kissed Joy¡¯s little head. ¡°Don¡¯t be scared. Mommy will always be with you as you grow up.¡±


    Joy nodded happily.


    Just then, Gu Shaoting walked in, his clothes drenched in sweat.


    ¡°You¡¯re both up. Let¡¯s go have breakfast.¡± Gu Shaoting nced at the mother and daughter before he went into the bathroom.


    In the dining room, breakfast was very sumptuous. Shu Pan was worried about Gu Shaoting¡¯s condition, so she decided to bring Gu Shaoting to the hospital for a consultation after breakfast.


    After breakfast, Joy went to school as usual. Time indeed flew by and it was almost winter vacation for Joy and new year soon.


    Shu Pan wore a pink coat and looked very pretty. Gu Shaoting looked at her and felt a little blue. Why did he feel that Shu Pan was looking younger and more beautiful? Even though she was pregnant, her limbs were still very slender and her skin was clear. She didn¡¯t seem to have changed much.<div>


    Shu Pan held his arm and slowly walked into the hospital.


    They went straight to the specialist with whom Shu Pan had made the appointment. He was a famous orthopedic specialist in the country. She had waited a long time to get an appointment with him.


    She was very nervous as she nced at Gu Shaoting beside her. He looked calm, as if he wasn¡¯t the patient who was here to see the doctor.


    But Shu Pan was wrong this time. Gu Shaoting was only pretending to be calm. He was actually very nervous; he was worried that the doctor would tell him that there was no cure for his condition.<div>

 Chapter 767: Not Sure If It’s Good News Or Bad News

    Chapter 767: Not Sure If It¡¯s Good News Or Bad News


    Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    The doctor ordered an X-ray for Gu Shaoting and then studied the films repeatedly.


    ¡°Doctor, how is his leg?¡± Shu Pan asked nervously.


    The doctor put down the films and said, ¡°The joints are healing well. There¡¯s no big problem.¡±


    ¡°But why is my leg so painful sometimes? It also feels numb sometimes. And sometimes I can¡¯t feel my leg.¡± Gu Shaoting shared his doubts.


    ¡°That¡¯s caused by pinched nerves. It will take time to recover. We can¡¯t rush it. You might suddenly wake up one day fully recovered. Besides, you are probably suffering from psychological barriers when you feel you can¡¯t walk because of the pain. You¡¯ve probably heard the same advice ¨C continue with physical therapy, physiotherapy, and follow-ups.¡±


    ¡°Okay, thank you, doctor. We¡¯ll be diligent with the physical and physiotherapies.¡± Shu Pan said gratefully.


    Was this good news or bad news?


    The doctor¡¯s words were a little too diplomatic, which made Gu Shaoting even more frustrated. When would he recover?


    He could only walk a little now with the help of a walking stick. He still couldn¡¯t carry anything heavy, not even Joy.


    He was very anxious.


    Shu Pan seemed to have noticed his frustration when they left after thanking the doctor.


    Sheforted him on their way home. ¡°Don¡¯t rush it. The doctor also said that everything looks good. Let¡¯s rehabilitate slowly.¡±


    ¡°Sigh, I just don¡¯t know what to do. I¡¯m so disappointing.¡± Gu Shaoting felt a little defeated.


    Shu Pan saw it but there was only so much she could do.


    ¡­


    More than a month had passed since they came back to China. Winter vacation had arrived and the end of the year was approaching. Everyone got started with their new year shopping, hoping to ring in a prosperous new year.


    Shu Pan¡¯s pregnancy bump had also grown. She was about six months pregnant now and her movements were not as agile as before.


    So, it was mostly Auntie Li who was busy with the new year preparations. Shu Pan only yed second fiddle. She also sent Auntie Li to do the necessary new year shopping.


    Shu Pan suddenly thought of something. It would be new year soon. Should they invite Song Can over? After all, she was Shaoting¡¯s mother and should be invited over for reunion dinner.


    Hence, she asked Gu Shaoting over dinner that night, ¡°Do you want to call Mom and invite her over to celebrate new year together? It¡¯ll feel more festive.¡±


    Gu Shaoting was eating when he heard Shu Pan¡¯s words. His hands paused before he scooped a mouthful of rice into his mouth and chewed slowly. After swallowing, he said, ¡°I¡¯ll ask herter.¡±


    Gu Shaoting still respected his mother, so he called her after dinner.


    ¡°Mom, it¡¯ll be new year soon. Let¡¯s celebrate together. It¡¯ll be more festive that way.¡± Gu Shaoting said sincerely. After all, she was his mother and he didn¡¯t want her to be alone on festive asions.


    ¡°Let me think about it.¡± Song Can felt ufortable at the thought of seeing Shu Pan.


    ¡°Mom, Joy misses you. Juste over.¡± Gu Shaoting yed his trump card. He knew that his mother loved Joy. He had heard from Auntie Li that Song Can came over to see Joy twice when they were in France.


    ¡°Alright then, for the sake of my dearest granddaughter.¡± Song Can agreed reluctantly.


    On New Year¡¯s Eve, Song Can came over with a gift. Of course, the gift was for Joy.


    Shu Pan greeted her politely when she saw her.


    Song Can snorted arrogantly.


    Shu Pan pursed her lips helplessly but did not take her mother-inw¡¯s coldness to heart.


    She just needed to do her part. She didn¡¯t need to care about anything except that Song Can was an elder who must be given due respect.


    ¡°Joy, Grandma is here. Where are you?¡± Song Can walked straight to Joy¡¯s room and saw that Joy was ying house alone.


    ¡°Grandma, you haven¡¯t visited for a long time.¡± Joy did not reject Song Can. She even loved her grandmother a little. Children¡¯s minds were very simple. They would like anyone who liked them.


    Song Can had always been fond of Joy.

 Chapter 768: I Didn’t Do It On Purpose

    Chapter 768: I Didn¡¯t Do It On Purpose


    Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Song Can gave Joy a hug and a kiss before she promised, ¡°Sweetie, I¡¯m so sorry. Grandma has been busy. Grandma will visit you more often when she¡¯s less busy, okay?¡±


    In her heart, Song Can was muttering that she would visit Joy every day if it weren¡¯t for her mother.


    ¡°Awesome! Grandma,e y with me. I have a new toy.¡± Joy happily showed off her new toy.


    ¡°As you wish, my little darling.¡± Song Can let her arrogance go and began to y with Joy.


    It wasn¡¯t until Shu Pan came to remind them that it was time for dinner that they packed up and left the room to eat.


    Shu Pan warmly entertained Song Can as they sat down to eat. ¡°Mom, the dishes today are all fresh. I don¡¯t know if they¡¯re to your liking. Please dig in.¡±


    ¡°Hm¡­¡± Song Can responded indifferently as she couldn¡¯t show any meanness towards Shu Pan in front of others.


    Shu Pan didn¡¯t mind it and continued to pick up food for Joy.


    However, Gu Shaoting¡¯s face was a little gloomy. He still couldn¡¯t understand why his mother was being so difficult when Shu Pan was being so nice.


    Shu Pan seemed to have noticed Gu Shaoting¡¯s change in mood. She figured that he probably felt indignant for her. She was being nice to Song Can but Song Can was still being difficult. Shu Pan worried that he would lose his temper, so she gently patted his leg under the table telling him to take it easy.


    Gu Shaoting gave her a meaningful look and then continued to eat quietly.


    After dinner, Auntie Li cleared the table while Song Can went to the living room and poured herself a ss of water. As the ss was full, she spilled quite a bit of water on the floor as she walked to the sofa. Song Can frowned looking at the spilled water but she didn¡¯t care about it and sat down on the sofa.


    At this moment, Shu Pan finished what she was doing and walked out to the living room. As she did not see the water on the floor, her slippered foot stepped on it and she slipped. Shu Pan eximed, ¡°Ah¡­¡±


    She fell to the ground as she shouted. It was probably her mother¡¯s instinct to protect her baby in the face of danger.


    Shu Pan broke her fall with one hand and both knees on the floor. She managed to avoid pressure on her belly but still felt a dull pain in her abdomen.


    ¡°My belly¡­¡± Shu Pan¡¯s face was pale as she hugged her belly and moaned through her pursed lips.


    It all happened right in front of Song Can. She was stunned by the scene and kept mouthing, ¡°I didn¡¯t do it on purpose, really¡­¡±


    She looked dazed.


    Auntie Li seemed to have heard themotion and ran out from the kitchen. Her face was ashen from fear, but she was still calm. She quickly helped Shu Pan up and sat her on the sofa.


    As themotion was loud, Gu Shaoting also came out of the study and saw Shu Pan¡¯s face twisted in pain.


    He stood up from his wheelchair and walked quickly to Shu Pan. ¡°Panpan, what happened?¡±


    ¡°To¡­ To the hospital. My belly hurts.¡± A thinyer of sweat already covered Shu Pan¡¯s forehead when she said that.


    Gu Shaoting panicked. He quickly asked Auntie Li to get the driver to bring the car over.


    He then scooped Shu Pan up.


    After walking a few steps, Shu Pan realized that Gu Shaoting was not in a wheelchair or using a walking stick.


    ¡°Shaoting, put me down. Your leg¡­¡±


    Gu Shaoting was stunned too. He saw that Shu Pan had an ident and the situation was urgent, so he jumped up without even thinking about his leg.


    He didn¡¯t seem to feel anything when he picked her up like how he had done many times before.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. Let¡¯s go to the hospital first.¡± When Gu Shaoting carried her out, the driver was already waiting for them.


    ¡°Wait for me. I¡¯ll go with you.¡± Song Can followed behind in a panic. She was too shocked to react just now, but now that she had regained her senses, she caught up.


    ¡°Auntie Li, please look after Joy.¡± Gu Shaoting waited for Song Can to get into the car. After instructing Auntie Li, he asked the driver to head to the hospital.

 Chapter 769: Feeling Guilty

    Chapter 769: Feeling Guilty


    Editor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Fortunately, the traffic lights were green all the way to the hospital, so they didn¡¯t take long to arrive at the hospital.


    As Gu Shaoting had called ahead, a doctor and a nurse attended to Shu Pan the minute they arrived at the hospital.


    While the doctor was examining Shu Pan, Gu Shaoting paced back and forth outside the emergency room. He couldn¡¯t imagine the consequences if something bad happened.


    Song Can¡¯s held on tightly to the straps of her bag. She bit her lip and stole a nce at Gu Shaoting before she said timidly, ¡°Shaoting, I didn¡¯t do it on purpose. I identally spilled some water on the floor. Who¡¯d expect her to slip on it?¡±


    Song Can also med herself. Why didn¡¯t she ask Auntie Li to dry the floor or caution Shu Pan?


    A slip wouldn¡¯t be too much of a problem if Shu Pan wasn¡¯t pregnant. But she was. The consequences could be dire when a pregnant woman fell.


    Song Can was also praying in her heart that Shu Pan and the baby were alright. Otherwise, she would feel guilty for the rest of her life.


    Gu Shaoting anxiously checked the door to the emergency room from time to time, looking very worried.


    ¡°Mom, let¡¯s not talk about this now. We¡¯ll talk when Panpan is safe.¡± Gu Shaoting was in no mood to listen to his mother.<div>


    Song Can nodded awkwardly.


    Time ticked by slowly.


    Finally, the doctor came out. Gu Shaoting immediately rushed up to him and asked, ¡°Doctor, how is my wife?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a threatened miscarriage. Fortunately, you sent her here in time. Both mother and baby are fine for now. I¡¯m admitting her for two days so we can observe her.¡± The doctor looked at them and then continued, ¡°You¡¯re too careless. She¡¯s already in her third trimester. You must be more careful. She might not be so lucky next time.¡±


    ¡°Thank you. We¡¯ll be more careful in the future.¡± Gu Shaoting said gratefully as he heaved a sigh of relief.


    Song Can also secretly thanked the heavens when she heard the doctor¡¯s words.


    Shortly after, Shu Pan was wheeled out of the emergency room. Gu Shaoting approached her gurney nervously and asked, ¡°Panpan, how do you feel?¡±


    Shu Pan slowly opened her eyes and looked at him. She shook her head and said softly, ¡°I¡¯m okay. Don¡¯t worry.¡±


    She was probably tired because she quickly closed her eyes again.


    Song Can looked at Shu Pan and could not help but feel guilty. This was the first time she felt that way.


    Shu Pan¡¯s face was pale and her hair was slightly messy. She looked very weak but peaceful with her eyes closed.


    Thank goodness Shu Pan was fine, or she¡¯d feel guilty for the rest of her life.


    Gu Shaoting helped to push Shu Pan¡¯s gurney to a single ward, and Song Can followed closely behind.


    Seeing that Shu Pan was still asleep, Song Can said, ¡°Shaoting, stay here with her. I¡¯ll go back and ask Auntie Li to make some porridge and soup. I¡¯ll bring them over for herter.¡±


    At this moment, Song Can wanted to do something to make up for her mistake.


    Although she wasn¡¯t the one who caused Shu Pan to fall, she caused the ident indirectly.


    Gu Shaoting thought for a moment and said, ¡°Alright. Please also pack some daily necessities for Shu Pan.¡±


    He was still worried. It was better for Shu Pan to remain in the hospital for two more days.


    ¡°Will do.¡± Song Can nodded, closed the door, and left.<div>


    Gu Shaoting sat at Shu Pan¡¯s bedside. He picked up her hand and snuggled it against his face. Her hand felt warm against his face and it finally calmed his nerves.


    Not long after, Shu Pan opened her sleepy eyes and saw Gu Shaoting sitting at her bedside. She couldn¡¯t remember what happened.


    ¡°Do you still have abdominal pain?¡± Gu Shaoting asked quickly when he saw her frown and thought that she was in pain again.


    Shu Pan held his hand and said softly, ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡±<div>


    Her slightly hoarse voice made his heart ache.


    Gu Shaoting reached out to brush Shu Pan¡¯s hair off her sweaty forehead.

 Chapter 770: Song Can’s Apology

    Chapter 770: Song Can¡¯s Apology


    Editor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Shu Pan wanted to sit up but Gu Shaoting stopped her.


    ¡°It¡¯s better if you lie in bed and rest. We can¡¯t be more careful.¡± Gu Shaoting was so shocked that he almost had a heart attack.


    ¡°Alright.¡± Shu Pan saw his nervous expression and knew that he was worried.


    ¡°Don¡¯t scare me like that.¡± Gu Shaoting couldn¡¯t help but shiver at the thought of her fall.


    ¡°Um, is your leg fully recovered? ¡°Shu Pan suddenly remembered.


    Only then did Gu Shaoting remember that he wasn¡¯t in a wheelchair or using a walking stick.


    ¡°It seems so. But I still can¡¯t stand for too long. I was too anxious just now to mind it. Now that I remember, my legs hurt a little.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve just started walking without any support. Take your time to get used to it. Don¡¯t stand or walk too long at one go.¡± Shu Pan reminded him.


    Gu Shaoting nodded. The two of them chatted for a long time.<div>


    At this moment, there was a knock on the door. Then, the door was opened.


    Song Can walked in with a thermos sk and a bag.


    Shu Pan was a little stunned; she couldn¡¯t understand what was going on.


    She didn¡¯t expect Song Can toe here carrying things.


    She didn¡¯t know what to say. She opened her mouth but closed it quickly.


    ¡°Shu Pan, how are you? Are you still in pain?¡± Song Can asked with a little embarrassment as she put the things down.


    ¡°I¡¯m okay, Mom.¡± Shu Pan replied.


    ¡°Shu Pan, I¡¯m really sorry. I didn¡¯t do it on purpose.¡± Song Can apologized sincerely to Shu Pan.


    The more she thought about it, the more uneasy and afraid she felt.


    ¡°Mom, I know you didn¡¯t mean it. It was an ident. I was careless when I walked. Don¡¯t me yourself.¡± Shu Pan said quickly when she saw Song Can apologize over and over again.


    ¡°Thank you for not ming me.¡± Song Can thought that Shu Pan wouldin to Gu Shaoting and me her.


    It turned out that she was just being petty.


    ¡°I asked Auntie Li to make porridge and soup for you. Have some.¡± Song Can opened the thermos sk.


    ¡°Sure. I¡¯m feeling a little hungry too.¡± Shu Pan smiled shyly.


    ¡°Perfect.¡± Song Can happily served Shu Pan a bowl of soup and a bowl of porridge.


    Seeing this, Gu Shaoting took the porridge, blew on it gently, and fed it to Shu Pan spoon by spoon.


    ¡°I¡¯ll do it myself.¡± Shu Pan felt a little embarrassed and blushed slightly under everyone¡¯s watchful eyes.


    ¡°I¡¯ll feed you.¡± Gu Shaoting helped Shu Pan up and sat her against the headboard.


    So, Shu Pan ate the porridge that Gu Shaoting fed her.<div>


    Song Can couldn¡¯t help but smile in satisfaction as she watched Shu Pan eat a small bowl of porridge and drank the soup.


    Seeing that it was gettingte, she did not want to disturb Shu Pan and went home.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you go home too? I¡¯ll call the nurse if I need anything.¡± Shu Pan would rather let Gu Shaoting rest since his leg had just gotten better.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. I¡¯ll just squeeze in with youter.¡± How could Gu Shaoting feel at ease if he left Shu Pan alone at the hospital?<div>


    ¡°Ouch.¡± Shu Pan suddenly cried out, scaring Gu Shaoting so much that his face changed.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Gu Shaoting asked nervously. ¡°Are you in pain again?¡±


    ¡°No, no. The baby kicked me.¡± Shu Pan replied coquettishly. Fetal movements were more frequent in the third trimester.


    ¡°Baby, baby, be good. Don¡¯t torment your mother or I will spank you when you are out.¡± Gu Shaoting suddenly leaned in and said to Shu Pan¡¯s belly.


    Shu Pan found it funny. ¡°Will you bear to spank our baby? Are you sure he can even hear you?¡±


    ¡°If it¡¯s a boy, yes. But if it¡¯s a girl, I can¡¯t.¡± Gu Shaoting answered seriously.


    ¡°Hmph, you prefer girls over boys.¡± Shu Pan snorted disdainfully.


    ¡°Boy or girl, I love our kids.¡± Gu Shaoting¡¯s eyes seemed to be filled with tears.

 Chapter 771: Ye Xiaomeng Giving Birth (1)

    Chapter 771: Ye Xiaomeng Giving Birth (1)


    Editor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Shu Pan spent several days in the hospital before being dered healthy and discharged. During her stay, Song Can visited her every day, bringing food and soup, and engaging in friendly conversations. Shu Pan was surprised by Song Can¡¯s change in behavior but weed it nheless. After all, harmony at home meant everything was going well. There was no need for unnecessary chaos.


    Back home, Shu Pan focused on rest while Gu Shaoting¡¯s leg, after examination, was on the mend, with the only caution being not to walk too much or lift heavy objects. He resumed his work at thepany because every organization needs its leader.


    ¡­


    As time passed, the garden bloomed with the arrival of spring, signaling the end of the harsh winter. With the warm weather, everyone¡¯s spirits lifted.


    Shu Pan was on the phone with Ye Xiaomeng, who was nearing her due date. He Ming had forbidden her from going out due to her habit of indulging in spicy hotpot and barbecue, fearingplications.


    Ye Xiaomeng was trapped at home every day, feeling like she was on the verge of going moldy from boredom.


    ¡°Girl, how do you stand it? Sitting at home every day, I feel like I¡¯m about to lose it,¡± Ye Xiaomeng said, her impatience growing. Maybe it was because the due date was closer and closer.


    ¡°Xiaomeng, your due date is in these few days. Don¡¯t do anything reckless. Stay calm. Is your mother-inw taking care of you during your postpartum confinement?¡± Shu Pan suddenly remembered this, realizing she hadn¡¯t heard Xiaomeng mention her mother-inw for a long time.


    ¡°Yeah, she does asionallye over to cook and make soup now. Ha, it¡¯s like turning over a new leaf. I guess she¡¯s finally epted reality. And her attitude towards me has improved a lot.¡± Ye Xiaomeng chuckled self-deprecatingly.<div>


    ¡°That¡¯s good. I¡¯m content with the current situation too. My mother-inw is also here to take care of me during postpartum confinement. Even though we¡¯ve hired a confinement nanny, her presence means a lot.¡± Shu Pan felt blessed by fate. The issues she had worried about before seemed to be resolving themselves.


    Now, Song Can mostly stayed at Qiyuan, buying many clothes for their unborn baby and purchasing supplements like cubilose and fish gtin for her health. It was a stark contrast to his previous behavior.


    Shu Pan observed this transformation with delight.


    Gu Shaoting was also relieved to no longer be caught between his wife and mother, feeling a weight lifted off his shoulders.


    ¡°This is the most surprising thing of the century,¡± Ye Xiaomeng eximed, amazed by Song Can¡¯s change. She always remembered her as arrogant and full of superiority.


    ¡°That¡¯s why they say anything is possible in this world,¡± Shu Pan agreed, finding it all unbelievable.


    Ye Xiaomeng also agreed, thinking that after giving birth and having a baby, her rtionship with her mother-inw would likely improve.


    They talked for a long time until Gu Shaoting returned home, and Shu Pan hung up the phone.


    ¡°Who were you chatting with?¡± Gu Shaoting asked casually.


    ¡°Xiaomeng. She¡¯s feeling a bit down before childbirth, so I was cheering her up. It¡¯s tough for her to be stuck at home every day,¡± Shu Pan joked.


    Gu Shaoting smiled at her response.


    ¡°Has the baby been behaving these days?¡± Gu Shaoting crouched down next to Shu Pan, his hand on her belly.


    ¡°Very well,¡± Shu Pan radiated with maternal love.


    This month, Shu Pan¡¯s belly had ballooned, making her waddle like a penguin when she walked.


    Gu Shaoting was worried, feeling like he had aged overnight. So as soon as he finished work, he rushed back home.


    Shu Pan¡¯s due date was next month, and she couldn¡¯t wait to meet their baby.

 Chapter 772: Ye Xiaomeng Giving Birth (2)

    Chapter 772: Ye Xiaomeng Giving Birth (2)


    Editor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    A few dayster, as Shu Pan was about to sit down for lunch, her phone rang, signaling a new message on WeChat from Ye Xiaomeng.


    Opening the message, she read that Xiaomeng was experiencing contractions and was on her way to the hospital. Being a first-time mother, the pain was undoubtedly intense.


    Along the way, Xiaomeng cried out in pain, sometimes dering she didn¡¯t want to go through with it and at other times cursing He Ming, using him of being useless and making her suffer alone for so long.


    Despite her loudints, which momentarily distracted her from the pain, Xiaomeng was soon admitted to the delivery room.


    Seeing her in agony for so long without any signs of progress, He Ming grew anxious and suggested a cesarean section to ease her difort. However, Xiaomeng insisted on natural childbirth, knowing it was better for the baby, and she was determined to endure it.


    As thebor pains surged through Xiaomeng¡¯s body, she couldn¡¯t help but feel that He Ming was useless. Yet, she remained strong, her face pale with pain, but still resolved to deliver naturally.


    When Shu Pan arrived at the hospital, Xiaomeng was writhing in bed, her forehead covered in cold sweat, causing everyone¡¯s hearts to ache.


    Though Shu Pan appeared calm on the surface, she felt deeply for her best friend. Having experienced the pain of childbirth herself, she knew all too well the suffering involved.


    All they could do was stay by Xiaomeng¡¯s side throughout thebor.<div>


    After a day of intense pain, Xiaomeng finally gave birth to a healthy baby girl in the delivery room. When the doctor brought the baby out, she tightly clenched her tiny fists, her face red from crying. He Ming took a nce before hurrying back into the delivery room.


    Xiaomeng was nearly fainting from exhaustion, having exerted all her strength. He Ming looked at her tenderly, deciding that she would never have to go through childbirth again.


    Xiaomeng looked at him, a contented smile forming on her lips. With the little strength she had left, she asked, ¡°Is the baby okay? Who does she look like?¡±


    He Ming bent down, nting a kiss on her forehead. ¡°The baby is healthy, just like you. She¡¯s adorable. Now, rest.¡±


    In fact, He Ming didn¡¯t have time to properly assess the baby¡¯s appearance. His heart was solely focused on Xiaomeng.


    Just then, with a fleeting nce, he saw the baby, tiny and red, resembling a monkey. For now, he couldn¡¯t quite discern much about her appearance.


    Ye Xiaomeng nodded, and He Ming apanied the nurse as they wheeled her out. Everyone waited outside the delivery room. After Xiaomeng was settled into the recovery room, the men hesitated to enter, except for He Ming.


    Mother He held her granddaughter, her face glowing with tender joy, unable to contain her happiness. She showed the baby to everyone, remarking how much she resembled He Ming as a child, with a straight nose and round eyes. The resemnce between father and daughter delighted Mother He more and more with each passing moment.


    Everyone seemed to be swept up in this joy, believing that they would all revolve around the baby in the days toe.


    Xiaomeng stayed in the hospital for three days before returning home. Nurses came every other day to care for her and the baby.

 Chapter 773: The Arrival of the Child

    Chapter 773: The Arrival of the Child


    Editor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    After Ye Xiaomeng returned home, Shu Pan went to visit her.


    Seeing Ye Xiaomeng¡¯s radiant and gentle smile at that moment, Shu Pan felt the greatness of motherly love.


    Ye Xiaomeng looked at the healthy baby lying beside her, feeling that all her sacrifices had been worthwhile. She even felt that even if she had to endure another two hours of pain, she wouldn¡¯t utter a singleint.


    Ye Xiaomeng smiled at Shu Pan sitting by the bedside and asked, ¡°Do you think the baby resembles me more, or He Ming?¡±


    Shu Pan stared at the baby for a moment, then smiled and said, ¡°Xiaomeng, do you want me to be honest?¡±


    Ye Xiaomeng gave her a yful look, ¡°Just tell me the truth. You don¡¯t think I would be upset that the baby resembled He Ming, do you?¡±


    Shu Pan pursed her lips and smiled, ¡°You don¡¯t?¡±


    Ye Xiaomeng continued, ¡°Although I scolded He Ming a lot during childbirth and oftenined about him, saying this and that, but he was actually the man I couldn¡¯t live without in this lifetime. He is indispensable to me. Only he can tolerate all my tantrums. I guess I won¡¯t meet another Mr. He like him in my life.¡±


    Shu Panpletely understood what Ye Xiaomeng said. He Ming had always been a good husband. He epted everything about Ye Xiaomeng and cherished her.<div>


    Simrly, Shu Pan knew how much Ye Xiaomeng cared about He Ming.


    Regardless, Ye Xiaomeng sessfully gave birth to the baby, and both mother and daughter were safe, which was truly a joyous asion.


    Shu Pan¡¯s level of joy was no less than Xiaomeng¡¯s because she had been by Xiaomeng¡¯s side all along, knowing what she had been through. Her happiness now was even more precious.


    ¡°Girl, I feel so strange after bing a mother. Seeing my own child makes me feel like I have the whole world. Before the child was born, I never had this feeling. After the child was born, I deeply experienced it, and when I look at the baby, I always feel like she is the cutest little angel in the world.¡± Ye Xiaomeng¡¯s body recovered quickly. After giving birth, she rested for one night and then returned to normal.


    ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s exactly as you said,¡± Shu Pan was also very happy. Finally, she could talk with someone about children. ¡°Watching the child grow day by day, from crying for food, to babbling, and then bouncing around, your gaze will involuntarily follow her as she runs. If she falls and hurts herself somewhere, she may not feel much pain, but we parents feel heartbroken.¡±


    Although Ye Xiaomeng hadn¡¯t reached that stage yet, she could already imagine such scenes.


    Shu Pan, thinking, subconsciously touched her belly, which had grownrger recently, and felt tired after walking for a long time.


    ¡°Girl, I really didn¡¯t expect to be a mother so soon. After separating from Cheng Yang, I didn¡¯t dare to think I would meet the right person, but now I actually have a child. I¡¯m really grateful for the heavens¡¯ blessing. This is something I never dared to think about before.¡± Ye Xiaomeng turned her head, looked at the child lying beside her with gentle eyes, and couldn¡¯t help but poke her cheek with her finger. ¡°I really hope she grows up slowly so I can savor this time.¡±


    ¡°What nonsense are you talking about? Our little baby will grow up quickly.¡± Shu Pan also looked at the baby and said softly.

 Chapter 774: Honored

    Chapter 774: Honored


    Editor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Ye Xiaomeng had a lot of grievances against the baby¡¯s father.


    She went through so much pain to give birth to his baby, but after giving birth, He Ming didn¡¯te tofort her right away. Instead, he acted like a fool and even criedter.


    In the past, Ye Xiaomeng had heard that many people would cry with excitement when they saw their child being born. She hadn¡¯t seen it before, but now? She finally believed it because she cried tears of pain, while He Ming cried tears of joy.


    She almost lost her life in pain, but He Ming cried tears of joy. It was really unreasonable.


    Butter, seeing how caring he was towards her, she didn¡¯t me him.


    ¡°He Ming is gentle and considerate enough to you. Stopining. You¡¯re ignoring how lucky you are.¡± Shu Pan said impatiently.


    ¡°I know your luck is not bad. Gu Shaoting treats you like a treasure. Whatever you say, he dare not disagree. Now he¡¯s just a ve to his wife, not like the domineering Mr. Gu he used to be.¡± Ye Xiaomeng¡¯s words weren¡¯t exaggerated. Since seeing how Gu Shaoting treated Shu Pan, she had been envious.


    He was the head of a giantpany, filled with power and wealth. However, he was able to do this. All women would be envious.


    ¡°He¡¯s not as good as you say. You¡¯re just seeing his good side.¡± Shu Pan felt it was all the same.<div>


    ¡°When is your due date? I guess Mr. Gu will be in a tough spot then.¡± Ye Xiaomeng could already imagine the result.


    With how much Gu Shaoting valued Shu Pan, who knew what would happen then?


    ¡°It¡¯s about a month away. He just likes to worry and fuss.¡± Shu Pan said with a hint of sarcasm, but there was warmth in her heart too.


    ¡°You¡¯re secretly happy about it, aren¡¯t you?¡± Ye Xiaomeng teased.


    The two chatted for a long time, but when the baby woke up and needed feeding, and Ye Xiaomeng¡¯s body had just recovered and needed rest, Shu Pan realized it was about time for her to leave.


    Coming out of Ye Xiaomeng¡¯s house, Shu Pan¡¯s ears echoed what Ye Xiaomeng had just said¡ªthat she could be so willful just because He Ming allowed her.


    Perhaps this was the most genuine portrayal of their rtionship. Seeing her good friend find happiness, no one was happier than herself.


    In the past, people often talked about how five hundred years of cultivation in past lives paved the way for chance encounters in this life.


    To meet each other in the vast sea of ??humanity and be husband and wife, how many five hundred years of cultivation did it take to exchange for a lifetime together?


    Shu Pan thought to herself, she must have saved the gxy in her previous life to meet Gu Shaoting in this life and be his wife.


    Ye Xiaomeng had the capital to be willful because of He Ming, and wasn¡¯t she herself spoiled without limit because of Gu Shaoting?


    After going through so much to be together, if they didn¡¯t cherish it, how could they justify the past?


    Just as she was thinking about Gu Shaoting, she looked up and saw him standing not far away, looking at her with burning eyes.


    His gaze was so focused and filled with tenderness, with only her in his eyes, oblivious to everything else around him.


    Since Ye Xiaomeng had given birth, Shu Pan was definitely going to visit. She wasn¡¯t working now, so she must havee to see Xiaomeng, so he didn¡¯t hesitate to drive over to pick her up.


    He had only started driving recently, finally oveing his inner fear. He wanted to apany her, to be her dedicated driver.


    ¡°You¡¯ve been waiting long, haven¡¯t you? Actually, I can go back by myself,¡± Shu Pan smiled and said.


    ¡°Get in the car, Mrs. Gu. It¡¯s my honor to pick you up. Don¡¯t deprive me of my privilege,¡± Gu Shaoting leaned down and nted a kiss on her forehead.


    <div>

 Chapter 775: Revenge (1)

    Chapter 775: Revenge (1)


    Editor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Days passed by, some filled with joy, others with sorrow.


    Gu Shaoting was now working hard, hoping to have more time to apany Shu Pan when she gave birth.


    Song Can seemed like a changed person, showing special concern for Shu Pan, and spending most of her time at Qiyuan.


    In fact, Song Can had suddenly be more open-minded. When children are grown, they bring joy to their parents. At her age, what was there to worry about?


    Moreover, if Gu Shaoting liked it, it was his life, so why interfere?


    Apart from being annoying, it seemed she hadn¡¯t gained anything.


    Instead, wasn¡¯t it nice that everyone in the family was happy and harmonious?


    Song Can now felt that spending time with Joy and waiting for Shu Pan¡¯s baby to be born was an important matter for her.


    After getting to know her better, Song Can realized that Shu Pan was truly a rare gem of a woman.<div>


    She was kind, hardworking, and frugal.


    Every time she went shopping for the babies with loads of stuff, she would advise against buying so much, saying it wasn¡¯t necessary.


    And it seemed her words carried weight; for some things, Shaoting still deferred to her opinion.


    In summary, she was enjoying her life now because she had less resentment in her heart, and she had be more cheerful and sunny.


    She even felt like she was a decade younger!


    The Gu family was quite happy, but Charlene in France wasn¡¯t so lucky.


    Firstly, her family¡¯s business suddenly suffered an inexplicable setback.


    Their business with Gu Shaoting had been going well, but then came the news of termination, with the exnation being convincing, iming they had found better and more advantageous partners.


    It seemed there was no room for negotiation.


    Mr. John wanted to talk to Gu Shaoting, but he kept making excuses.


    Thinking about Gu Shaoting¡¯s previous hardships, John didn¡¯t have the nerve to bring it up.


    In one night, it seemed John¡¯s hair had turned all gray from worry.


    Charlene was also very anxious. How could this happen? Was Gu Shaoting trying to retaliate against her? Why act now?


    She was at a loss. If things continued like this, the consequences would be unimaginable.


    She wouldn¡¯t be able to live the high society life anymore, she wouldn¡¯t be a socialite, wouldn¡¯t be able to buy luxury brands. She couldn¡¯t bear to think about that oue now.


    Oh right, she could find Qin Zhen.


    They had been in a romantic rtionship now, maybe he could help?


    What she didn¡¯t know was that Qin Zhen was also in a precarious situation.


    In the past month, his career had been continuously hindered, something that had never happened before.<div>


    Every time they were about to sign a contract, someone would intervene. And this wasn¡¯t just once, it happened one after another. He had begun to suspect it was intentional.


    He was still investigating and had no evidence. However, if this continued, he would be in trouble.


    So when Charlene came to him, he was already at his wits¡¯ end, and couldn¡¯t help but sound impatient, ¡°I was struggling myself, how could I help you?¡±


    Charlene was taken aback by his impatient tone. How could this be?<div>


    Furrowing her brows, she asked, ¡°What did you mean? Was your business affected too?¡±


    ¡°Yes, it was like this for over a month now. It felt like someone was deliberately targeting me,¡± Qin Zhen finally calmed down, and after a moment of thought, realized how coincidental it was that their businesses ran into trouble just as they got closer. But who could it be? Who had they offended?


    ¡°Do you think¡­ do you think it could have been Gu Shaoting?¡± Charlene asked, not very certain.

 Chapter 776: Revenge (2)

    Chapter 776: Revenge (2)


    Editor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Qin Zhen frowned upon hearing this. ¡°Him? Why would you even think of him? Isn¡¯t he gone? I heard he returned with a limp, using a wheelchair. Does he even have the leisure to bother with us?¡±


    Charlene nodded in agreement. It made sense. He had his own problems to deal with, so why would he bother seeking revenge on them?


    ¡°But if it¡¯s not him, then who else could it be?¡± Charlene racked her brains. Recently, they had only offended Gu Shaoting.


    ¡°I¡¯ll have someone investigate. It¡¯s outrageous. Who dares to meddle with me?¡± Qin Zhen¡¯s tone turned harsh, a hint of resentment shing in his eyes.


    Charlene had never seen him look like this before. Why did he suddenly seem so unfamiliar?


    ncing at him, Charlene said, ¡°Okay, I also want to find out who¡¯s behind this.¡±


    Feeling frustrated after hitting a dead end with Qin Zhen, Charlene left. Qin Zhen, preupied with his own affairs, paid her no mind. His career was his top priority.


    Feeling helpless after her encounter with Qin Zhen, Charlene had no idea what to do next.


    Mr. John initially thought it was just normal business conduct. But then came more contract terminations and failed negotiations, one after another. He began to suspect someone was intentionally targeting him.<div>


    Just as he was about to start investigating, Qin Zhen had already found out: it was orchestrated by Gu Shaoting.


    When Charlene heard this news, she was stunned. She hadn¡¯t expected Gu Shaoting¡¯spany to bounce back so quickly and to seek revenge on them.


    ¡°What do we do now?¡± Charlene,cking experience in such matters, began to panic.


    Her father still had no idea that her actions had angered Gu Shaoting and led to this cmity.


    ¡°How would I know what to do?¡± Qin Zhen snapped impatiently. It was because of this woman that he was in this mess.


    ¡°But¡­¡± Charlene hesitated, unable to voice her frustration.


    ¡°Now that Gu Shaoting isn¡¯t here, his power shouldn¡¯t be underestimated. Otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t have bounced back to normal so quickly,¡± Qin Zhen analyzed. He regretted provoking Gu Shaoting. He used to think of him as a paper tiger, only to realize he was a formidable opponent.


    With his family business now taking a hit, the consequences would be dire if his family found out it was his doing.


    Charlene stared at him, realizing she had misjudged this man. She had thought he was dependable, only to find him utterly helpless in the face of adversity.


    Back home, Charlene had no choice but to confide in John.


    Needless to say, John was furious. He regretted spoiling her so much.


    He couldn¡¯t believe she dared to provoke Gu Shaoting.


    Everyone knew how terrifying he could be when angered and how ruthless his revenge could be.


    ¡°You¡­,¡± John was at a loss for words.


    ¡°Daddy, I know I messed up. Why don¡¯t you call and exin to him?¡± Charlene suggested, knowing her father and Gu Shaoting had some acquaintance. Perhaps he could pull some strings.


    ¡°Last time, when he was in trouble, I didn¡¯t lend a hand. Do you think I can now go crawling to him for help?¡± John sighed heavily.


    That¡¯s just the way it is. He brought it upon himself.


    Charlene felt a sense of despair. If things continued like this, their family would truly face bankruptcy. She couldn¡¯t bear to imagine the consequences.


    No, she couldn¡¯t afford to be passive. She had to call him.<div>


    True to her word, Charlene took out her phone and dialed Gu Shaoting¡¯s number.


    But there was no answer, and it was redirected to the secretary¡¯s desk.


    Charlene slumped on the couch, feeling defeated.


    <div>

 Chapter 777: Tong Fei’s Story

    Chapter 777: Tong Fei¡¯s Story


    Editor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Recently, Gu Shaoting had been inexplicably in a good mood. Knowing that Charlene and Qin Zhen in France were facing constant troubles, he finally wore a satisfied smile. This was the oue he desired.


    That¡¯s just the way he was. If others didn¡¯t offend him, he wouldn¡¯t offend others.


    Initially, he had ns to retaliate against Tong Fei, butter he found out that there was no need for his intervention.


    ording to reports from a private detective, they were originally nning to secretly photograph Tong Fei on a ndestine date with a married man. However, during their surveince, they witnessed the man¡¯s wife confronting Tong Fei and physically assaulting her without mercy. Tong Fei, despite her height, was no match for the woman, who was twice her size. The man stood by, too intimidated to intervene.


    Tong Fei¡¯s misfortuney in her choice of partner¡ªa man who was afraid of his wife. She had gotten involved with him because of his wealth, believing his promises that he would divorce his wife and marry her.


    Although Tong Fei was no longer young, her unsatisfactory life made her long for affection. She fell for the man¡¯s sweet talk, something she never would have entertained before.


    A middle-aged man like him, how could she have taken him seriously in the past?


    But now? She truly believed he was her other half, hoping for nothing more than a stable life from him.


    Little did she know, it was his wife¡¯s family¡¯s support that had propelled him to where he was today. He was submissive to his wife at home, but with ulterior motives, he secretlymunicated with Tong Fei.<div>


    There were no secrets that could be kept forever. Their rendezvous was discovered, word reached the ears of the wife, and that¡¯s how the private detective witnessed the scene.


    It was said that Tong Fei was dragged by her hair by the wife, leaving her in a pitiable state. Because it happened in public, and Tong Fei was somewhat known, the incident made it to the newspapers the same day. Tong Fei was now like a mouse in the street, having to hide whenever she went out.


    Truly, they had brought this upon themselves.


    The wicked would be punished by the wicked.


    When Gu Shaoting heard the news, he was very calm. It was as expected. Considering that Tong Fei was a nearly washed-up model trying to survive in a big city, it wasn¡¯t surprising she would go through such experiences. Given her history of using any means necessary to achieve her goals, this was no different.


    Since she had received the punishment she deserved, he decided not to push things further.


    ¡­


    Shu Pan had just finished her bath and was getting dressed to check on Joy when Gu Shaoting suddenly entered the room. Clearly not expecting this, Gu Shaoting paused with his fingers still on the doorknob.


    Seeing him, Shu Pan quickly buttoned up her clothes, then muttered in a mix of embarrassment and annoyance, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you knock?¡±


    Her tone was full of reproach.


    Gu Shaoting raised an eyebrow nonchntly. ¡°Do I need to knock to enter my own room?¡±


    He spoke as if it were the most natural thing in the world.


    Shu Pan replied, exasperated, ¡°Of course you do. It¡¯s a matter of politeness. We need to set a good example for the baby.¡±


    Gu Shaoting realized he particrly enjoyed seeing her in this lecturing mode. She looked so earnest, a mix of sincerity and cuteness.


    He walked up to Shu Pan, inhaling the fresh, clean scent of her post-bath fragrance, and couldn¡¯t resist pulling her into a hug.


    Shu Pan lightly struggled, ¡°Let go, I need to check on Joy and read her a story¡­¡±


    The implication was clear. She didn¡¯t have time for him right now.

 Chapter 778: Spoiling

    Chapter 778: Spoiling


    Editor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Gu Shaoting heard her words, just smiled faintly, but didn¡¯t let go. He gazed into her bright eyes and pearl-like teeth, his eyes filled with indulgence.


    Shu Pan noticed he still hadn¡¯t released his hold, so she stopped struggling and instead hooked her hand around his neck. She adopted his usual way of sizing people up, narrowing her eyes to thin slits, and looked at him with a sly expression. ¡°Mr. Gu, did something good happen? You seem unusually cheerful.¡±


    Indeed, today he was smiling, and there was unmistakable joy in his eyes.


    ¡°Yes.¡± Gu Shaoting¡¯s narrow ck eyes narrowed slightly as he scrutinized her, the depths of his gaze unfathomable. ¡°Would you like to hear about it?¡±


    Shu Pan lifted her head to meet his gaze, his eyes intense and sharp. ¡°What¡¯s it about?¡±


    Shu Pan was instantly curious. If he was saying it wasn¡¯t business-rted, then it must be something personal. And he wouldn¡¯t discuss business with her.


    ¡°I¡¯ve finally let go of some pent-up frustration,¡± Gu Shaoting sighed. ¡°Thest time Charlene and her ex-boyfriend sent you those photos and videos, they got Tong Fei to stage a show to make you misunderstand me and leave me. But now, those who plotted against me have finally faced consequences.¡±


    Shu Pan found it somewhat unbelievable. It was beyond ruthless¡ªdoing anything and everything to achieve their goals. It was just too much.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, they¡¯re all in a mess now, busy dealing with their own problems. That¡¯s the fate of those who cross me,¡± Gu Shaoting said indifferently.<div>


    ¡°Let¡¯s just forgive and forget. We¡¯re far apart now, and we probably won¡¯t have much to do with them in the future,¡± Shu Pan said, feeling a bitpassionate.


    ¡°Alright, don¡¯t worry. How¡¯s the baby today? Kicking a lot?¡± Gu Shaoting didn¡¯t want her to stress out, so he quickly changed the subject.


    ¡°Not well-behaved at all. Lately, the kicking has been really strong, and my belly even bulges out.¡± Shu Pan took the opportunity toin. She had a feeling it was a boy because the strength was remarkable, tossing and turning in her belly, making it hard for her to sleep at night.


    To avoid disturbing Gu Shaoting, she waited until he fell asleep before sitting up herself, trying to catch a few moments of rest with her eyes closed.


    ¡°So naughty. When hees out, if it¡¯s a boy, I¡¯ll have to teach him a lesson.¡± Gu Shaoting ced his hand on Shu Pan¡¯s belly, and sure enough, after a moment, his hand was nudged.


    Gu Shaoting found it rather amusing, a sign that the baby was healthy. He smiled.


    ¡°You know you won¡¯t do that.¡± Shu Pan thought Gu Shaoting was very doting on the child. Look at him, with Joy, he had no principles whatsoever.


    Gu Shaoting didn¡¯t say anything, he simply nted a kiss on Shu Pan¡¯s forehead.


    He released Shu Pan and walked over to the steps in the room, taking off his suit jacket and loosening his tie around his neck. ¡°You¡¯re both my babies. I really can¡¯t bear to be stern with them, but I¡¯ll make sure to raise him well.¡±


    ¡°No principles,¡± Shu Pan rolled her eyes at him.


    ¡°Hmm,¡± Gu Shaoting showed no sign of embarrassment.


    Shu Pan sighed helplessly and then walked over to someone.


    Gu Shaoting paused in loosening his tie, curious about what she was up to.


    Shu Pan deliberately tiptoed forward, bringing her mouth close to his. Just when Gu Shaoting thought she was going to do something, Shu Pan suddenly stepped back, then looked at him with a mischievous smile.


    ¡°Revenge is a dish best served cold. Just you wait,¡± Gu Shaoting gave her a meaningful look, and Shu Pan blushed and turned her face away.


    She reallycked confidence now. Looking at herself in the mirror, she saw her belly asrge as a basket, her whole body feeling bloated, like a penguin.

 Chapter 779 Baby Gu Is a Girl?

    779 Baby Gu Is a Girl?


    In the blink of an eye, Ye Xiaomeng''s daughter turned one month old. The little one was bing more and more delightful. In the meantime, Shu Pan also took Joy to see her twice.


    Now, Shu Pan''s due date was approaching, and the baby could arrive at any moment, so she dared not venture out anymore.


    Song Can, seeing this, became busy attending to her.


    Strangely enough, ever since Shu Pan became pregnant, her taste buds had be somewhat picky, especially craving spicy food.


    At the dinner table, the bright red chili peppers made people a bit anxious. After all, their diet had always been rather nd. But Shu Pan enjoyed them with relish.


    As the saying goes, "sour boys and spicy girls," Song Can, speaking from experience, was certain that there must be a little princess in Shu Pan''s belly. So she started buying baby girl items¡ªpink bottles, pink clothes, pink nkets...


    With everything prepared, they were now just waiting for the little princess to arrive. At this time, a well-known foreign obstetrician and gynecologist came to China to give a lecture. His academic viewpoint, which challenged the traditional beliefs of the Chinese, was that no pregnancy symptoms could predict the gender of the fetus.


    Song Can thought this foreign doctor was unreliable, but when she saw those pink items, she couldn''t resist buying them, wanting to bring everything beautiful from the stores back home.


    Seeing Song Can''s frenzy of purchases, all in pink, Shu Pan anxiously reminded her, "Mom, that''s enough. Please don''t buy anymore. Will you stop once the baby is born?"


    Actually, Shu Pan had a faint feeling that it might be a boy. But to maintain the element of surprise and because hospitals now had regtions against revealing the baby''s gender prematurely, she had to relent.


    Awaiting the big reveal was also nice. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    However, seeing Song Can buying a whole bunch of things, she felt quite a headache. She expressed her opinion tactfully, but Song Can didn''t seem to mind. "It''s okay, anyway, if it''s cute, I''ll buy it. We''ll definitely use it."


    Shu Pan could only swallow the words she wanted to say.


    Days passed, and the whole family was eagerly awaiting the arrival of the baby.


    Finally, one night, Shu Pan felt a bit ufortable and rubbed her belly. "I don''t know if I ate too much. I keep feeling like I need to use the bathroom."


    "Feeling unwell? Then hurry up, be careful, the floor is slippery," Gu Shaoting cautioned.


    Shu Pan nodded, went to the bathroom, sat on the toilet for a while, and then came out ten minutester, rubbing her belly. "I still don''t feel quite right. What''s going on? Could it be time to give birth?"


    Gu Shaoting frowned when he heard this. "How about we go to the hospital now and check?"


    "But it doesn''t seem likebor pains." Shu Pan, who had previous experience giving birth to Joy, nced outside. "It''ste at night, it might be better to wait until morning."


    Gu Shaoting was too concerned to sleep anymore. "No, we''re going now for peace of mind."


    His expression was serious, indicating there was no room for negotiation.


    After he finished speaking, he found clothes for her. Shu Pan let him dress her, and when they left, they rmed Song Can and Auntie Li, who appeared very worried and insisted oning along. Gu Shaoting had to calm them down before they relented.


    "She''s just a little ufortable in her stomach for now, no actual pain yet. If she''s really going intobor, you can go when it''s light out. Besides, Grandpa and Joy are at home, and they need someone to take care of them." Indeed, that was the case, so they felt reassured staying home.


    In the car, Gu Shaoting kept asking, "Honey, how are you feeling?"


    "I feel like I need to use the bathroom and there''s some difort," Shu Pan said, her face pale, her tone somewhat pained.


    Gu Shaoting couldn''t help but speed up a bit.

 Chapter 780 Baby Gu Reporting For Duty (1)

    780 Baby Gu Reporting For Duty (1)


    At the hospital, Gu Shaoting immediately carried Shu Pan into the emergency room. He waited outside for ten minutes until the doctor on duty came out and said, "Sir, your wife is about to give birth. Please prepare the necessary items for delivery."


    Gu Shaoting was momentarily stunned, finding it a bit hard to react. Though they had been anticipating this moment every day, the reality of it happening now felt somewhat unbelievable. He spaced out for a moment, onlying back to himself when the doctor repeated the instructions. He nodded, "Alright, everything is prepared. Thank you, Doctor."


    "Okay, she''s experiencing some contractions now and is dted to one centimeter. It might not be too soon yet. We''ll move her to the delivery room now," the doctor exined.


    Shu Pan was quickly wheeled out, her brows furrowed in pain. She stared at Gu Shaoting, clearly a bit frightened. "Honey, it''s happening, but I''m not mentally prepared."


    Gu Shaoting held her hand tightly, apanying her to the maternity ward.


    Inside the delivery room, Shu Pan gripped Gu Shaoting''s hand tightly. The pain was intensifying, and sweat was starting to bead on her forehead, but she remained strong. Not wanting to worry Gu Shaoting, she refrained from making too much noise. Gu Shaoting, about to be a father imminently, felt both worried and nervous.


    ncing at him, Shu Pan noticed that he looked even more pale than herself. She realized he must have been frightened too. So she calmed herself down andforted him, "It''s okay, it was the same when I gave birth to Joy. They say the second one is easier."


    Bringing up Joy was a mixed bag of emotions for Shu Pan. Thinking back to that time when she was all alone, enduring the pain, Gu Shaoting felt both pity and guilt. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Shu Pan endured the pain throughout the night. In the morning, Ye Xiaomeng, who had heard the news of Shu Pan giving birth, rushed over. Seeing Shu Pan sweating profusely with red eyes, Ye Xiaomeng''s heart ached. "Girl, hang in there, you can do it."


    Shu Pan weakly smiled, "Yeah."


    Her appearance was truly heart-wrenching.


    Half an hourter, Song Can arrived. Shu Pan was feeling exhausted and weak from the pain. Everyone took turns encouraging her, and after a while, around noon, Shu Pan felt numb and drowsy. Suddenly, the doctor came in and announced that it was almost time to move to the delivery room.


    Shu Pan suddenly felt scared. Even though she had given birth once before, the scene was still vivid in her mind.


    She tightly gripped Gu Shaoting''s hand, as if afraid he might run away.


    "Don''t be afraid. I''ll apany you to the delivery room," Gu Shaoting reassured her. "I''ll go change into sterile clothing now."


    Shu Pan was about to nod when she suddenly shook her head vigorously. "No, I don''t want you toe in with me."


    She could imagine how ugly and messy she would look during childbirth. She didn''t want to scare him or herself. She had heard that men who apany their wives to the delivery room might be traumatized afterward.


    "Honey, it''s okay. Let me apany you," Gu Shaoting understood her concerns and tried to reassure her.


    But Shu Pan continued shaking her head vigorously. Then she looked at Ye Xiaomeng with a pleading expression. "How about letting Xiaomeng apany me instead?"


    "Okay, I''ll go with you," Ye Xiaomeng readily agreed.


    ...


    Not long after, Shu Pan was wheeled into the delivery room. Gu Shaoting paced anxiously outside, feeling restless. He reached into his pockets, only to find them empty. He would''ve definitely smoked a couple of cigarettes if smoking was allowed in the hospital.


    Seeing him pacing back and forth, Song Can frowned. "Shaoting, Shu Pan just went in. It probably won''t happen so quickly. Can you sit down and wait?"

 Chapter 781 Baby Gu Reporting For Duty (2)

    781 Baby Gu Reporting For Duty (2)


    Gu Shaoting paused for a moment, and then quickly, the sound of Shu Pan''s pain came from the delivery room again.


    "Why hasn''t she given birth yet?" Gu Shaoting couldn''t help but ask.


    "Don''t worry, it''s only been half an hour since we went in. It always takes some time," Song Can reassured him.


    "Only half an hour." Gu Shaoting nced at his watch. "Why does it feel like a century has passed?" n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Song Can smirked; she understood the feeling of bing a father.


    Finally, amidst everyone''s anticipation, the crisp cry of a baby came from the delivery room. Shu Pan gave birth to a seven-pound baby boy with thick ck hair, a loud voice, and even a little thing between his legs.


    Gu Shaoting slowly slid down the wall, feeling almost exhausted by this mother and child.


    Before long, a nurse emerged, cradling a newborn baby. He was tiny, all wrapped up, red all over, and his eyes were closed.


    The expressions on everyone''s faces varied. When Shu Pan knew it was a boy, she wasn''t surprised at all; she had a feeling already. But Song Can was a bit taken aback. Wasn''t it supposed to be a girl, matching the symptoms?


    But seeing the baby''s adorable face, she hadpletely forgotten about it.


    "Oh, he looks just like a younger Shaoting," Song Can eximed excitedly. "He''s definitely going to be a handsome one in the future."


    Gu Shaoting saw the small, soft baby and hesitated to reach out and hold him.


    Wait, the baby''s out, where''s the grown-up?


    "Nurse, where''s my wife?" Gu Shaoting suddenly asked nervously, not seeing Shu Pane out.


    "Still need to do some stitching. Just wait a bit longer. Everything''s fine," the nurse replied, thinking that since it involved somewhat technical matters, they probably wouldn''t understand, so she brushed it off.


    Gu Shaoting breathed a sigh of relief.


    While the nurse took the baby for examination, Song Can followed closely, worried that the baby might get switched, as reported in the news.


    Gu Shaoting waited outside. After about 40 minutes, Shu Pan was pushed out, half-conscious.


    Gu Shaoting bent down to look at her, realizing she was asleep, and finally felt relieved.


    But after such a long struggle, Shu Pan waspletely exhausted, her face terribly pale.


    Ye Xiaomeng, who was beside her, also came out, looking weary.


    "Gu Shaoting, be nicer to Shu Pan in the future, really. She''s risking her life to have this baby because of her small pelvis and the big baby. Shu Pan has suffered a lot," Ye Xiaomeng said, visibly shaken. She hadn''t experienced such pain even when giving birth herself; her hands were all scratched.


    "Thank you, Xiaomeng. Go back and rest. You have a baby at home to take care of. You''ve done enough," Gu Shaoting said gratefully. "She''ll probably wake up in a while."


    "Alright, I''lle see herter." Ye Xiaomeng thought of the hungry baby waiting at home, so she left.


    Not long after she left, the nurse brought the baby back, with Song Can following behind. Since there were professional caregivers in the hospital taking care of the baby, everyone felt relieved. Gu Shaoting persuaded Song Can to go back and rest, as they had all been at the hospital all day and were tired.


    "Okay, I''ll go back and make some rice porridge. I''ll bring it overter; Shu Pan can have it when she wakes up. I''ll bring some snacks for you as well," Song Can said after a moment of thought.


    After everyone left, Gu Shaoting waited for Shu Pan to wake up in the VIP ward. Since he hadn''t slept for a day and a night, he was also very tired and soon fell asleep on the bed.

 Chapter 782 Baby Gu Reporting For Duty (3)

    782 Baby Gu Reporting For Duty (3)


    Gu Shaoting only snapped out of his thoughts when the baby started crying loudly.


    He approached the baby and bent down to look at him.


    Gu Shaoting observed that the baby''s diaper was dry and wondered if he was hungry. But he couldn''t drink milk just after being born, right? Gu Shaoting wasn''t sure about these things, but with professionals taking care of him, he didn''t need to worry.


    The baby kept looking in his direction, and Gu Shaoting couldn''t resist picking him up. However, he was extremely careful while doing so. Holding the tiny child, he felt a myriad of emotions. He was a father again, and this time, the feeling was surreal. He was actively involved in the process.


    But more than anyone else, he weed the arrival of this baby. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    He kissed the baby''s forehead gently and ced him beside Shu Pan.


    Baby Gu opened his mouth wide, squinted his eyes, and soon fell into a deep sleep.


    Gu Shaoting watched the mother and son, feeling warm inside. They were the most important people in his life.


    He kept looking at them, reluctant to shift his gaze away.


    It felt like a long time passed before Shu Pan slowly opened her eyes. Gu Shaoting immediately went over. "How do you feel?"


    "Where''s the baby?" Shu Pan''s first question after waking up was about the baby''s whereabouts.


    "Look beside you," Gu Shaoting hinted.


    Shu Pan nced down, and her eyes fell upon a swaddle covered with a thin nket. Excitement welled up inside her, but as she leaned over to see, she felt a wave of pain coursing through her body. She was still very weak, unable to exert any strength.


    Gu Shaoting brought Gu Baobei closer to her. Seeing her child, Shu Pan felt her eyes moisten. This was the child she had carried for ten months, gone through so much pain to bring into the world.


    Shu Pan couldn''t take her eyes off him, growing fonder by the moment. It was no wonder people said their own children were the cutest.


    Because Shu Pan had posted a picture on her social media, her phone started buzzing incessantly with congrattory messages.


    Shu''s father and Auntie Lu rushed to the hospital as soon as they found out. They gazed at the adorable nephew, their hearts filled with joy. "Come and see, he smiles just like Shu Pan did when she was little," Shu''s father eximed.


    Shu Pan was speechless. Song Can said he looked like Shaoting, while her father said he resembled her.


    Auntie Lu chuckled. "He''s just been born, how can we tell who he looks like yet?"


    The baby''s mouth stretched into a big grin for a moment, perhaps happy to see so many people around, making it lively and exciting.


    After some cheerful banter, when the nurse came in to announce that visiting hours were over, they all left.


    Shu Pan stayed in the hospital for a week, and Gu Shaoting apanied her throughout. During this week, he didn''t go to work but had his secretary, Secretary Zhang, bring important documents for him to review.


    It wasn''t until four dayster that Shu Pan returned home.


    Auntie Li had already prepared everything for the baby a few days earlier. Even the stroller was ced beside the bed. Shu Pan had to observe postpartum confinement, staying indoors and keeping warm. It was crucial to be cautious during this period; any negligence could lead toplications.


    Shu Pan found it challenging to endure the hospital stay, but returning home didn''t make time pass any faster. Even ess to electronic devices was restricted; Song Can was worried about damaging their eyes. Her daily routine consisted of taking care of Gu Baobei and reading books.


    As for Baby Gu, he ate and slept like clockwork, rarely fussing or crying. He particrly enjoyed ying with his older sister. Whenever Joy came to y with him, he would light up with joy.


    After Shu Pan was discharged from the hospital, Gu Shaoting went back to work, but he made sure to return home as soon as his work was done.

 Chapter 783 Baby Being Sensible About The Melancholic Mother

    783 Baby Being Sensible About The Mncholic Mother


    That evening, when Gu Shaoting returned home from work, he found Shu Pan sitting on the bed, staring nkly at the sky outside.


    "What''s wrong? You seem down," Gu Shaoting approached, concern evident in his voice.


    Shu Pan suddenly looked gloomy, which surprised Gu Shaoting. He thought something must have happened.


    "Is it because the baby''s being difficult and upsetting you?" Gu Shaoting could only think of that possibility.


    "No, the baby is fine. It''s just... I don''t know, I''m feeling a bit unhappy for no reason," Shu Pan said somewhat melodramatically.


    Gu Shaoting grew anxious. He had heard about postpartum depression affecting many new mothers, and he hoped his wife wouldn''t be one of them.


    This was a serious matter.


    Quickly, Gu Shaotingforted and hugged her. He knew he might be tired from taking care of the baby, but he hadn''t anticipated that it would be the mother who felt depressed, especially when the baby was well-behaved and slept soundly after eating.


    Yet, Gu Shaoting understood Shu Pan''s feelings. Being stuck at home every day, dealing with a non-verbal infant, could indeed lead to frustration. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    "When you''re done with the postpartum period, I''ll take you out for good food and fun activities, whatever you want. Okay?" Gu Shaoting said patiently.


    "Okay," Shu Pan agreed, realizing she might have been a bit unreasonable and melodramatic.


    In the middle of the night, when the baby woke up crying, Shu Pan was still in a daze, but Gu Shaoting sprang into action.


    After a quick check, he confirmed the diaper was wet and promptly changed it. He had be quite skilled at it after doing it so many times recently.


    Shu Pan opened her eyes and watched him under the dim light, focused on changing the baby''s diaper. He looked every bit the devoted father, and she couldn''t help but feel a pang of tenderness.


    Once Gu Shaoting settled back onto the bed, she reached out and gently hugged him. In truth, she realized he was even more exhausted than she was during this time. Not only did he have to go to work, but he also had to manage the affairs of the corporation, take care of both her and the baby, and deal with her recent moodiness.


    But this was something Gu Shaoting had gotten used to. As her father and Auntie Lu would say, she wasn''t like this before. Now that someone was backing her up, she had be somewhat spoiled and melodramatic.


    She nced up at Gu Shaoting''s chin and furrowed her brows. "Hubby, you''ve lost a lot of weight. Don''t always focus on me and the baby. Take care of yourself and get some rest too."


    "Yeah, I''m fine," Gu Shaoting replied with his eyes closed, reaching out to grasp her hand urately before pressing it to his lips. "You should go to sleep now."


    As a man, Gu Shaoting didn''t consider what he was doing to be particrly strenuous. He wished he could bear Shu Pan''s suffering for her. Although he wasn''t a doctor, he had learned a lot about pregnancy during Shu Pan''s pregnancy. He knew women needed proper rest during the postpartum period, or they would face manyplicationster.


    He also understood the importance of considering a woman''s emotions and not neglecting the adults while focusing on the child.


    So, he paid close attention. He empathized with Shu Pan''s struggles. Truly, he had only heard about the greatness of motherly love, but experiencing it firsthand made him realize it was indeed remarkable. It seemed like going through the ordeal of childbirth was akin to passing through the gates of hell.


    Fortunately, his wife was amazing and strong, safely delivering their baby.


    Basically, Gu Shaoting''s thoughts were all centered around them now.


    Sometimes, he and He Ming would chat about parenting in the office. He guessed people would be surprised to hear two business tycoons discussing childcare. They would get quite animated, with He Ming boasting about how adorable his daughter was while Gu Shaoting would proudly talk about how well-behaved and thoughtful his son was.


    Having a child truly made everything worthwhile.

 Chapter 784 Ye Xiaomengs Visit

    784 Ye Xiaomeng''s Visit


    More than twenty dayster, Ye Xiaomeng called to say she wasing over to visit. Shu Pan was so touched she felt like crying; being stuck with no one to talk to was beyond boring.


    That afternoon, she stayed in her room, with both Song Can and Auntie Li insisting she avoid going out for some fresh air. Close to noon, there was a knock at the door. Auntie Li went to open it and found Ye Xiaomeng standing there, without her baby.


    With her shoulder-length hair, gray high-waisted casual pants, and a thin gray-blue sweater over a ck cardigan, Ye Xiaomeng looked stunning. Her figure was exquisite, her demeanor radiant. She didn''t look like someone who had just given birth.


    "Xiaomeng, you''ve recovered so well," Shu Pan said, marveling at her friend''s porcin-likeplexion as she walked in, momentarily stunned by her transformation.


    "Oh, don''t even mention it. That little girl is so clingy, I can''t go anywhere. She sleeps during the day and wants to y at night when she''s awake. I''m on the verge of a breakdown. Lately, He Ming has been taking care of her at night so I can get some sleep," Ye Xiaomengmented.


    With such a routine, it would be strange if her recovery were slow.


    "You should adjust her sleep schedule. You could take her out during the day. Why didn''t you bring her today?" Shu Pan asked curiously.


    "Don''t get me started. It''s all He Ming''s fault for spoiling her during the postpartum period. She got used to being held all the time, and it''s hard to break the habit now. Today, her grandmother came over and offered to take care of her, so I took the chance toe out," Ye Xiaomeng exined. Since her daughter was born, her rtionship with Mother He had improved significantly. After all, now that they had a child together, what was there to hold a grudge about?


    At her age, she should be spoiling her grandchildren and enjoying life, not squabbling with her daughter-inw.


    "That''s good. Let the elders spend more time with the baby," Shu Pan said, happy for Ye Xiaomeng. After all, it was better to have family harmony. With no more petty conflicts between mother-inw and daughter-inw, He Ming wouldn''t have to be caught in the middle anymore, just like her and Song Can.


    She felt everything was just fine now, with the family being harmonious and joyful.


    "Yeah, that''s what I''m thinking too. After you''re done with your confinement period, we''ll take the baby out to y together," Ye Xiaomeng agreed, thinking it was a great idea.


    "Okay, I''ll be out of it," Shu Panined, "Look at me, all I do at home is eat or sleep. I''ve gained loads of fat."


    Yesterday, she was shocked when she looked in the mirror, but Gu Shaotingforted her, saying she looked just right now and that he liked it.


    She didn''t know if he was being sincere or not, but she felt like she had really put on weight, and it made her feel a bit insecure.


    "Girl, I think you look pretty good now. You were too thin before," Ye Xiaomeng said earnestly, giving her a serious look. Shu Pan''splexion was even fairer now, her figure more curvaceous, emitting a subtle charm. Even though she was wearing home clothes, it couldn''t hide her good figure.


    "Nonsense, why do you all have the same taste?" Shu Pan retorted, sounding a bit annoyed. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    "Trust the public''s opinion, and you won''t be so obsessed," Ye Xiaomeng said cheerfully.


    Shu Pan nced at the baby boy, still sleeping soundly, his little mouth making cute sucking sounds.


    Following Shu Pan''s gaze, Ye Xiaomeng looked at the baby on the bed, feeling oddly amazed. Why did her godson seem cuter than her own daughter?


    "My godson is really adorable and well-behaved," Ye Xiaomeng said somewhat enviously.


    "You didn''t see him when he''s being fussy," Shu Pan quipped.


    After Ye Xiaomeng left, the baby woke up. Shu Pan carefully picked him up from the bed, and Gu Baobei seemed to recognize his mommy, grinning widely. His eyes were big and dark, like grapes.

 Chapter 785 Am I That Scary?

    785 Am I That Scary?


    Finally, the baby reached one month old, and Shu Pan felt like she was about to grow moldy.


    On this day, the baby boy also got his official name, Gu Kang, meaning forever healthy, and his nickname was Gu Xiaobao. His sister Joy also changed her surname to Gu and was now called Gu Joy.


    The one-month celebration was an important event, and many rtives and friends came to celebrate.


    "Sis, I''m sorry I couldn''t make it back in time. I was filming out of town," Gu Huanhuan apologized, feeling a bit embarrassed. The birth of the baby was a major event for their family, but due to her filming schedule, she hadn''t been able to return until today, the baby''s one-month celebration.


    "It''s okay, your work is important. Besides, the baby is already born. Anytime youe to see him is fine," Shu Pan smiled, thinking what a silly girl she was.


    "As long as you''re not mad at me. I brought a gift for Xiaobao," Gu Huanhuan said as she took out a delicate longevity lock from her bag. It was so exquisite and lovable.


    "Must have cost you a lot," Shu Pan said with a helpless expression.


    Gu Huanhuan shook her head with a smile, then she yed with Xiaobao. Because there were many people visiting today, Gu Huanhuan only managed to approach him for a while, and unexpectedly, Xiaobao started crying loudly, not giving her face.


    Gu Huanhuan didn''t know what to do and quickly took out a rattle, shaking it in front of Xiaobao, but the more she shook it, the louder he cried.


    "What''s wrong?" Shu Pan came over, feeling puzzled. Xiaobao rarely cried unless he needed a diaper change, but she checked, and his diaper was still dry.


    "I just pinched his little cheeks, touched his little hands, and kissed him lightly. I didn''t use much force," Gu Huanhuan said innocently. "Do I look that scary? Clearly, I''m a soft and lovely young girl."


    Shu Pan smiled and said, "Maybe he''s just a bit shy seeing you for the first time. He''ll get used to you after seeing you more often."


    Then she picked up the rattle and shook it in front of Xiaobao, who miraculously stopped crying.


    Gu Huanhuan felt frustrated. "Why does heugh when you shake it, but cry when I do? It''s so disheartening."


    "Because I see him every day, and he recognizes me as his mommy," Shu Pan patiently exined.


    "I guess I''ll need to show up more often," Gu Huanhuan said, clearly annoyed.


    "Show up in front of whom?" Gu Shaoting asked, catching the tail end of her sentence.


    "In front of your son! He''s totally disrespecting me," Gu Huanhuan replied with a pout.


    "Don''t lead my Xiaobao astray. Where have you been off to this time? You''ve been away for so long," Gu Shaoting teased, treating her filming as nothing more than some casual fun.


    "Oh,e on! I was filming. Sis, look at how he talks to me," Gu Huanhuanined, knowing Shu Pan was her ally.


    "Yes, Huanhuan''s films are quite good," Shu Pan defended her.


    "I knew my cousin-inw would appreciate it, unlike some people," Gu Huanhuan said pointedly, casting a sidelong nce at Gu Shaoting before giving them some space.


    "This girl..." Gu Shaoting chuckled helplessly. "So, how are you holding up? Is Xiaobao ready to nap again?"


    "I''m not tired. Xiaobao is quite lively today; he probably knows it''s his special day," Shu Pan replied, leaning gently against Gu Shaoting. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    "You''ve done well," Gu Shaoting said softly, wrapping an arm around her and cing a gentle kiss on her forehead.


    "There are still a lot of rtives and friends outside. We should go and greet them properly," Shu Pan said, straightening up and urging him.


    "Don''t worry, Mom''s got everything under control," Gu Shaoting reassured her. Indeed, Song Can had taken care of all the social arrangements impably, leaving Shu Pan free from worry.

 Chapter 786: Enemies Meet Again

    Chapter 786: Enemies Meet Again


    Editor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Rtive after rtive came, but thest guest was someone Shu Pan did not expect¡ªWen Chi, who had been absent for quite a while.


    Because of his profession, Wen Chi was always busy. He only attended events he deemed important. Shu Pan had casually mentioned the full moon celebration to him once, not expecting him to actuallye.


    Wen Chi arrived with his usual refined demeanor, his charming almond-shaped eyes, tall stature, and gentle aura. He brought a generous gift for Xiaobao, which Shu Pan felt embarrassed to ept, but he insisted, saying it was for the baby.


    ¡°Let me hold him,¡± Wen Chi said as he carefully picked up Xiaobao. Looking at the cute, fair-skinned little boy, he felt a wave of emotion. He couldn¡¯t believe that the girl he once liked now had a beautiful baby.


    ¡°Wow, Xiaobao is so adorable. He¡¯s going to be a handsome guy someday,¡± Wen Chi said with a smile.


    ¡°Of course he¡¯s adorable. Look at his parents!¡± Gu Huanhuan chimed in as she entered the room. Seeing Wen Chi holding Xiaobao and noticing the baby smiling at him, she felt a pang of jealousy and couldn¡¯t help butment, though her tone was a bit sour.


    Hearing the somewhat unfriendly voice, Wen Chi looked over and saw her. He remembered her from treating her before. It made sense she¡¯d be here; after all, she was Shu Pan¡¯s cousin-inw.


    Gu Huanhuan walked over to Xiaobao, making a funny face at him. She couldn¡¯t understand why this cute baby cried only when she held him, despite her youthful beauty.


    ¡°Babies are actually very perceptive. They can tell who they like at a nce,¡± Wen Chi said calmly, though his words carried a hidden meaning.<div>


    ¡°What¡¯s that supposed to mean? Are you saying I¡¯m not likable?¡± Gu Huanhuan asked, ncing around to see she was the only one he could be referring to.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t say that. Right, Xiaobao?¡± Wen Chi, seeing Gu Huanhuan¡¯s aggressive stance, decided to defuse the situation by focusing back on the baby.


    ¡°Don¡¯t corrupt Xiaobao with your yboy demeanor,¡± Gu Huanhuan said, feeling ufortable looking directly into his captivating eyes.


    Wen Chi nced at her, trying to recall if he had ever wronged her, wondering why she always had sharp words for him.


    Nheless, he was magnanimous and wouldn¡¯t take issue with such a young woman.


    Gu Huanhuan felt a bit deted when Wen Chi ignored her.


    Just then, Shu Pan came in and took Xiaobao from Wen Chi. ¡°Chi, why don¡¯t you go grab something to eat?¡±


    ¡°Sure, I should be heading out soon anyway. I have a minor surgery this afternoon,¡± Wen Chi replied, checking his watch before giving a gentle smile.


    ¡°Thank you so much for making time toe today. I really appreciate it,¡± Shu Pan said gratefully. Wen Chi was the ideal big brother in her eyes, always quietly looking out for her.


    ¡°No need to thank me,¡± Wen Chi said with a slight smile.


    After Wen Chi left, Gu Huanhuan pouted, muttering, ¡°Trying to act cool.¡±


    A little whileter, Shu Pan took Xiaobao outside. Everyone gathered around to see and y with him. Xiaobao, delighted by the crowd and excitement, was in high spirits.


    It wasn¡¯t until dusk that the guests gradually began to leave.


    Song Can sat on the sofa, holding Joy in her arms.


    ¡°Mom, thank you for everything today,¡± Shu Pan said sincerely.


    ¡°It¡¯s no trouble at all. Why are you being so polite?¡± Song Can replied, genuinely transformed.


    Everyone appreciated her change. Now, the sound of familyughter frequently filled Qiyuan.

 Chapter 787: Owe

    Chapter 787: Owe


    Editor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Time truly flew by, and before they knew it, Xiaobao was already four months old. He could lift his head and roll over. As his vision developed, Gu Xiaobao saw a world filled with pink and rosy hues¡ªthanks to his grandmother, who had mistakenly believed he was a girl and bought many pink items.


    In reality, he was a little boy, but he could do nothing about it. His mom said he was too young to notice and that it wasn¡¯t worth wasting money on new items. So, his bottles were pink, and his clothes and nkets were all pink.


    Xiaobao felt a bit aggrieved but was too young to voice hisints, leaving him at the mercy of the adults.


    Seeing Xiaobao grow up so obediently made Shu Pan feel very gratified. Joy was also well-behaved and adored her little brother. Every day after kindergarten, she first washed her hands and yed with her brother. Xiaobao adored his sister too; he would wave his hands and feet in excitement whenever he saw her.


    The siblings yed very well together, and everything seemed normal.


    However, there was one thing that Shu Pan felt somewhat guilty about. It had been several months since she and Gu Shaoting had been intimate. Although her body had fully recovered¡ªmedically, she could have resumed marital rtions after three months¡ªshe hadn¡¯t initiated anything. Gu Shaoting assumed she wasn¡¯t ready, so he didn¡¯t push. But she could sense his pent-up energy. If counted from the beginning of her pregnancy, it had been a year and a half since he had touched her.


    For a healthy man, this was an incredibly challenging situation. This had be a source of internal conflict for Shu Pan. She wasn¡¯t unwilling; the thought made her nervous and anxious.


    That day, Xiaobao had been very active and yed a lot, which meant he would sleep soundly at night. Although the nanny was there to help, Shu Pan preferred to take care of him herself. So, at night, Xiaobao slept in his own little crib, ced beside their bed in their room.


    By a little after 9 PM, Xiaobao had already fallen asleep. Taking advantage of the quiet time, Shu Pan picked up her phone and began browsing online forums where other moms discussed how they overcame the fear of intimacy after childbirth. Curious and a bit bored, she joined a discussion group.<div>


    It was an eye-opening experience. The moms in the group openly shared their experiences and advice. Initially, Shu Pan felt embarrassed by their candid conversations, but since it was all behind a screen, she quickly overcame her shyness.


    Shu Pan realized she had be somewhat detached from the idea of intimacy and felt that ack of marital rtions might be unhealthy for their rtionship. She decided that she had to fulfill her responsibilities as a wife.


    As she was forming this resolve and contemting how to take the initiative, Gu Shaoting walked in. He wore a casual T-shirt and ck pants. His tall, muscr frame and long, strong legs exuded a powerful masculine charm.


    Shu Pan couldn¡¯t help but swallow nervously at the sight of him.


    ¡°What are you looking at? You seem so absorbed,¡± Gu Shaoting asked as he nced at her phone screen.


    Panicked, Shu Pan immediately thought about the intimate discussions she¡¯d been reading. She quickly hid her phone behind her back, ¡°Nothing important!¡±


    Gu Shaoting wasn¡¯t so easily fooled. His sharp eyes caught her guilty expression, clearly indicating she was hiding something.

 Chapter 788: A Little Shy

    Chapter 788: A Little Shy


    Editor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    However, Gu Shaoting chose not to press the issue, knowing everyone has their little secrets, and Shu Pan¡¯s was likely nothing serious.


    He gave Shu Pan a meaningful nce before walking over to Xiaobao¡¯s crib. Bending down to look at the sleeping baby, he found him even more adorable. Xiaobao¡¯s thick ck hair and chubby cheeks made Gu Shaoting want to nibble on him.


    Xiaobao slept peacefully, while Gu Shaoting¡¯s deep gaze fell on Shu Pan¡¯s face, filled with unspoken emotions.


    ¡°Are you nervous?¡± Gu Shaoting asked.


    Shu Pan shyly nodded.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, let¡¯s take things naturally,¡± Gu Shaoting reassured her. He didn¡¯t want to rush her. Over time, he had learned to manage his own desires. He could wait.


    Yet, the intensity in his eyes was unmistakable.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Honey. I¡¯ll try to adjust as soon as I can,¡± Shu Pan said apologetically. She was still too nervous, and trying too hard only made her more ufortable.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, take your time. I believe that day wille soon,¡± Gu Shaoting said, kissing her gently on the temple. Shu Pan held his hand and nodded.<div>


    ¡­


    The next day, Shu Pan got up after Gu Shaoting had already left for work.


    Since Xiaobao needed feeding during the night, Shu Pan woke up frequently, so she had been getting upter in the mornings recently.


    After getting out of bed and having breakfast, she checked the time and found it was still early. She had ns to go shopping with Ye Xiaomengter.


    She had arranged the outing with Ye Xiaomeng after talking with the other moms the night before, hoping to get some advice from her.


    After dropping Joy off at school, Gu Shaoting headed to the office. Xiaobao, ever the good baby, yed quietly in his crib after finishing his milk. Shu Pan informed Auntie Li and the nanny that she had some errands to run.


    Xiaomeng was also enjoying some free time, as Mother He had been visiting her granddaughter daily and had even decided to stay over to avoid the hassle of traveling back and forth. This left Xiaomeng free and rxed.


    When Shu Pan arrived, Ye Xiaomeng happily linked arms with her. ¡°Hey, girl, how long has it been since we went shopping together like this?¡±


    Shu Pan thought for a moment. ¡°It¡¯s been almost half a year, I guess. Ever since the baby came, I haven¡¯t been able to find the time.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, once you have kids, they be your main focus,¡± Shu Pan said with a sigh. It¡¯s a trade-off, after all.


    ¡°True, but when I think of their adorable faces, it¡¯s all worth it,¡± Ye Xiaomeng said with a smile. ¡°Today, I¡¯m going to shop till I make up for all the lost time.¡±


    Ye Xiaomeng dered her intention to fully enjoy her rare day of freedom. Since it was almost noon, Shu Pan suggested they grab a bite to eat before starting their shopping spree. They chose a Western restaurant for its pleasant ambiance and because spicy food was off-limits for her now.


    After ordering, Shu Pan nced around. The restaurant was almost empty, probably because it was still early.


    They sat near the floor-to-ceiling windows. Despite being with her bestie, Shu Pan found it difficult to bring up the topic on her mind.


    Ye Xiaomeng noticed her hesitation. ¡°Spill it, girl. What¡¯s on your mind?¡± she prompted.


    ¡°Xiaomeng, how¡¯s your¡­ bedroom life with He Ming?¡± Shu Pan blurted out, spurred on by Ye Xiaomeng¡¯s encouragement.


    Ye Xiaomeng was taken aback, not expecting such a question. She felt a bit embarrassed.


    ¡°Why do you ask? Are you and Shaoting¡­ having issues?¡± Ye Xiaomeng inquired.


    ¡°I¡¯m a bit nervous about it. It¡¯s been so long since west¡­ you know. I just can¡¯t get over it,¡± Shu Pan admitted, clearly distressed.<div>

 Chapter 789: Shopping

    Chapter 789: Shopping


    Editor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    ¡°At first, everyone feels a bit shy, but it gets better over time. I was the same way, but now everything is fine,¡± Ye Xiaomeng said, feeling her cheeks heat up.


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m so nervous about it. Plus, I¡¯m not confident about my body. My waist is all bby now, and I feel embarrassed to even look at myself,¡± Shu Pan confessed. She remembered looking in the mirror the other day and feeling disheartened by her changed figure.


    Although Gu Shaoting repeatedly assured her that she looked as beautiful as ever, even better than before, she felt he was just trying tofort her.


    ¡°Every new mom feels that way. Once Xiaobao gets a bit older, it¡¯ll get better,¡± Ye Xiaomeng tried to reassure her, thinking Shu Pan was worrying too much.


    ¡°I hope so,¡± Shu Pan said dejectedly.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, girl. Let¡¯s go buy a couple of special outfitster. Trust me, they¡¯ll boost your confidence, and Gu Shaoting will be stunned,¡± Ye Xiaomeng said with a mischievous wink. Shu Pan knew she was up to something, but this time, Ye Xiaomeng¡¯s words made sense. She figured having some nice outfits might indeed help.


    After their meal, they headed straight to the mall. The mall was bustling as always, and Ye Xiaomeng led Shu Pan directly to the women¡¯s clothing section.


    Ye Xiaomeng had a clear purpose. She bought whatever she liked without checking the price. As she often said, she deserved to treat herself after being restrained for so long¡ªwomen dress up for themselves, after all.


    Shu Pan watched in amazement, quickly trying to stop her. ¡°Xiaomeng, you¡¯ve bought enough. Save some forter.¡±<div>


    ¡°Maybe I did get a bit carried away,¡± Ye Xiaomengughed, looking at her haul. ¡°Now it¡¯s your turn.¡±


    ¡°I only need a couple of pieces. I don¡¯t go out much these days,¡± Shu Pan said nonchntly.


    Ye Xiaomeng stopped and turned to her. ¡°Girl, that¡¯s the wrong mindset. Even if you¡¯re not working or going out, you should still dress up and look good. Men like the sense of freshness. Who wants to look at a drab, unkempt wife every day?¡±


    Shu Pan was taken aback. She realized she had been in a bit of a postpartum daze for the past three years. What Xiaomeng said made sense. Women need to maintain their figure and appearance.


    Poor Gu Shaoting. Lately, she hadn¡¯t paid much attention to herself, often lounging at home in casual wear. No wonder he hadn¡¯t seemed particrly enthusiastic about her.


    ¡°Okay, let¡¯s shop. I¡¯ll buy a few more pieces if I find something suitable,¡± Shu Pan said, feeling a sudden determination.


    As she had hoped, Shu Pan bought several dresses and two nightgowns. These nightgowns were particrly daring: the straps were just thin strings, and the style was a slip dress. Most notably, the fabric was satin, clinging to the body.


    Shu Pan blushed furiously as she paid for them.


    ¡°Alright, we¡¯ve got everything. Let¡¯s head back,¡± Shu Pan said, checking the time. She had been out for a while, and Xiaobao was probably getting fussy at home.


    When Shu Pan returned home, she put away her purchases and immediately went to check on Xiaobao. The nanny said he had just eaten and fallen asleep.


    Seeing his chubby little face, Shu Pan¡¯s heart melted. She couldn¡¯t resist giving him a kiss.


    Seeing him asleep, Shu Pan returned to her room to sort through the clothes she had just bought.


    A momentter, her phone rang from her bag. Shu Pan was puzzled¡ªwho could be calling at this time?


    She took out her phone and saw it was Gu Shaoting.


    Since Xiaobao¡¯s birth, he rarely called at this hour.

 Chapter 790: Private Space

    Chapter 790: Private Space


    Editor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Shu Pan pressed the answer button and brought the phone to her ear. ¡°What¡¯s up, Honey?¡±


    ¡°Oh, nothing much. I just missed you. What have you been up to today?¡± Gu Shaoting had just finished his work and was feeling a bit bored, so he wanted to hear Shu Pan¡¯s voice.


    ¡°I went shopping with Xiaomeng today. Just got back, and I¡¯m so tired. Xiaobao is asleep,¡± Shu Pan said, carefully taking out the nightgowns she had bought. She nned to wash and hang them up herself, feeling too embarrassed to tell Gu Shaoting that she had bought new sleepwear.


    ¡°Alright then, get some rest,¡± Gu Shaoting said, a bit disappointed. He had originally called to suggest taking her out for dinner tonight. They hadn¡¯t been out since the baby was born. He thought a change of scenery might do them good, but seeing how tired she was, he didn¡¯t want to push her.


    ¡°Okay, we¡¯ll talk when you get back tonight,¡± Shu Pan said, ncing at the nightgowns and feeling a bit bashful.


    Shu Pan slept until the evening, waking up just in time for dinner. After feeding Xiaobao, she had her meal. Gu Shaoting didn¡¯te home; he had a business dinner. He called the house phone because he didn¡¯t want to disturb her nap.


    Having slept for a long time, Shu Pan felt very energetic in the evening. After putting Xiaobao to bed, she found herself wide awake.


    By 11 PM, Gu Shaoting still hadn¡¯t returned. She frowned and picked up the phone, intending to call him. But then she hesitated, thinking, ¡°What if he¡¯s still at his business dinner? Will I be interrupting?¡± However, it was quitete, and usually, he would be home around 10 PM after such dinners. It was unusual for him to be out thiste.


    Worrying about the possibility of something having gone wrong, she finally decided to call him.<div>


    It rang for a long time before he picked up. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you asleep yet?¡±


    Gu Shaoting, seeing it was her calling, couldn¡¯t help but ask.


    ¡°Just about to. Are you still busy?¡± Shu Pan asked, feeling relieved just to hear his voice.


    ¡°Mr. Gu, is your wife checking up on you?¡± A teasing voice suddenly sounded nearby.


    Gu Shaoting let out a deep chuckle. ¡°She¡¯s worried you guys might get me drunk,¡± he replied, then turned back to his phone. ¡°I¡¯ll be heading home soon. You should go to sleep.¡±


    Gu Shaoting knew she would be up several times throughout the night.


    After Shu Pan hung up the phone, she felt a mix of mncholy and disappointment.


    It had been a long time since they had been intimate. Was Gu Shaoting having other thoughts because of it?


    The more she thought about it, the more anxious she became. Biting her lip, she nced at the two nightgowns she had bought and decided it was time to take action.


    When Gu Shaoting returned home, everyone was already asleep.


    After washing up, he went to the bedside and looked at Shu Pan. She seemed to have something on her mind, as even in her sleep, her eyebrows were slightly furrowed.


    He bent down and nted a soft kiss on her forehead.


    Then hey down beside her, gently wrapping his arm around her.


    ¡­


    The next day, when Gu Shaoting got up, Shu Pan was still asleep. Not wanting to disturb her, he left a note on the bedside table.


    It read, ¡°I have a surprise for you tonight.¡±


    When Shu Pan woke up and saw the note, she smiled.


    Perfect, she thought, because she had a surprise for him too.


    All day long, Shu Pan was a bit distracted, her mind constantly drifting to the evening ahead.<div>


    At dinner time, Gu Shaoting came back to pick up Shu Pan. He had made reservations at a very upscale restaurant, nning a romantic evening for them.


    Outside, the city lights were just beginning to glow, while inside, the soft lighting created a warm, cozy atmosphere.


    Shu Pan took off her coat, revealing a V-neck dress. Her long, soft hair cascaded down to her chest, thick and dark. Her delicate features, especially her star-like eyes, were captivating.


    Gu Shaoting noticed that Shu Pan had be even more attractive since giving birth.<div>

 Chapter 791: Declaration of Love

    Chapter 791: Deration of Love


    Editor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    People would think that a woman who had just given birth would look a little bloated, but Gu Shaoting thought Shu Pan looked even more attractive now.


    Her fair skin seemed to be glowing. She was so beautiful that he wanted to hide her from the world. He felt very possessive of her.


    After they ordered, Shu Pan looked at the jug of fruit juice in front of her and poured herself a ss. She then reached out and poured Gu Shaoting half a ss of red wine. As she was breastfeeding, she wouldn¡¯t touch alcohol at all.


    ¡°I¡¯ll toast you with my ss of fruit juice.¡± Shu Pan raised her ss at Gu Shaoting.


    Gu Shaoting elegantly picked up his ss and clinked sses with her. Their eyes met across the table, and a silent smile appeared on their faces. They raised their sses and drank without breaking eye contact.


    Shu Pan took a sip of fruit juice and put down her ss. ¡°Why do you suddenly want to eat out tonight?¡±


    Shu Pan had been wondering about this. It wasn¡¯t any anniversary or birthday as far as she could remember.


    ¡°I just wanted to take you out. You must be bored being stuck at home every day. I¡¯ve been so busytely that I¡¯ve neglected you.¡± Gu Shaoting said apologetically. He did feel bad for being so busy at work with non-stop meetings and social engagements.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. I¡¯m taking care of Joy and the baby at home. I don¡¯t feel bored.¡± Shu Pan smiled gently with motherly love emanating from her entire being.<div>


    Gu Shaoting inteced his fingers and propped his chin on them. He stared at the woman across from him, his heart melting. What did he do to deserve such a good wife?


    ¡°You¡¯ve never said ¡®I love you¡¯ formally to me since we met.¡± Gu Shaoting took the opportunity toin.


    Shu Pan thought about it seriously and blinked several times. Her face was burning as she said, ¡°We¡¯re already an old couple. Why do we still need to say those words?¡±


    ¡°We need to keep our feelings fresh. You haven¡¯t said it before, right? Now, let¡¯s hear it.¡± Gu Shaoting smiled.


    Shu Pan immediately snorted. ¡°You haven¡¯t told me before too, did you? Why haven¡¯t I heard it before?¡± How could she just let this be a one-way street?


    Gu Shaoting suddenly sat up straight and confessed his love. ¡°Then I¡¯ll say it first. Shu Pan, I love you. I want be with you for the rest of my life.¡±


    Shu Pan was a little stunned by his sudden deration. Her face instantly turned red and her long eyshes fluttered as if she was psyching herself up. After she prepared herself, she looked up and said with a smile, ¡°I love you too.¡±


    When Gu Shaoting heard her confession, emotions soared in his heart. He couldn¡¯t help but feel warm. This was the most beautiful deration of love he had ever heard. It sounded like an angel¡¯s song.


    ¡°Say it again, I¡¯d like to hear it again.¡± Gu Shaoting asked.


    ¡°No, I won¡¯t. Nice words don¡¯t need to be repeated.¡± Shu Pan smiled as she looked out the window.


    ¡°Are you really not going to repeat it? Beware of the consequences, yeah?¡± Gu Shaoting threatened with a smile.


    ¡°I¡¯m not afraid.¡± Shu Pan pouted.


    Gu Shaoting looked at her meaningfully but didn¡¯t press the issue. At this moment, their dishes were served. The two of them began to eat in silence. Gu Shaoting considerately picked up different dishes for Shu Pan. ¡°Have a taste. These are all their signature dishes.¡±


    Their eyes met time and again as they ate in silence. The atmosphere was warm and romantic.


    It was almost 9 p.m. when they finished dinner. Gu Shaoting took Shu Pan home.


    ¡°Pack a set of pajamas. We¡¯ll spend the night at Shuimu Qinghua tonight.¡±


    That was their former home. Shu Pan was slightly puzzled. Why did he want to go there?


    Although they only hired a part-time cleaner, the ce was clean.


    ¡°But little baby¡­¡±Shu Pan is worried.<div>


    ¡°Let the nanny take care of him for the night after you feed him. He¡¯s getting older and can¡¯t stick to you all the time.¡± Gu Shaoting said with a frown.


    Shu Pan had never been away from the baby since he was born. Now that he was a few months old, she could try letting go.

 Chapter 792: Finally, Some Couple Time

    Chapter 792: Finally, Some Couple Time


    Editor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Shu Pan was a little dumbfounded. Their son was only a few months old, and Gu Shaoting waspeting with him? Was he still his dad? She could only hope that this wouldn¡¯t traumatize their young son.


    ¡°But I¡¯m worried.¡± Shu Pan had never been away from the baby since he was born. All her attention had been on the baby. No wonder Gu Shaoting wasining.


    ¡°Just let go slowly. He¡¯s going to grow up eventually.¡± Gu Shaoting was worried that their young son would be spoiled rotten.


    ¡°Alright then.¡± Shu Pan didn¡¯t want to disappoint Gu Shaoting since he had nned everything meticulously. After settling things at home, Gu Shaoting brought her straight to the apartment where they used to live.


    Shu Pan was clutching her bag nervously as it contained her newly bought pajamas.


    While they were driving, Shu Pan stared out the window to hide her nervousness. As it was already night and the streemps just came on, there was a mysterious feel to the night.


    When Gu Shaoting was waiting for the green light, he nced at Shu Pan beside him. His intense stare made Shu Pan even more nervous.


    When they entered the apartment, Shu Pan felt a sense of familiarity. She looked around and saw that the ce looked the same as before. They had too many shared memories here.


    Shu Pan looked around the living room. The decorations she had bought previously were all still there. She then went to the bedroom and saw therge bed. She couldn¡¯t help but blush.<div>


    Gu Shaoting suddenly handed her a small bottle of mineral water. Shu Pan opened it and took a sip.


    Gu Shaoting looked at her nostalgically as he said, ¡°It¡¯ste. Let¡¯s shower and get to bed.¡±


    Shu Pan turned her head to look at him. Gu Shaoting suddenly reached out to cup her face and looked into her eyes. ¡°Most people would reminisce about old times when saw something from the past, but I¡¯m right beside you now. Shouldn¡¯t you be paying attention to me?¡±


    Shu Pan could feel the warmth from his manly hand, and her heart melted like butter.


    ¡°I need to wash up first.¡±


    Early the next morning when Shu Pan opened her eyes, she saw that the handsome face next to her was still sleeping. He had probably sleptte, which was why he was still sound asleep.


    Gu Shaoting would only let down his guard in front of her; he slept like a defenseless child.


    Shu Pan looked at him and then at the clock on the wall. It was almost eight o¡¯clock. She wondered if there was anything to eat in the apartment. Since he was still asleep, she could make some breakfast first.


    Shu Pan gently removed the man¡¯s muscr arm around her waist. Her slight movement made the man hold her even more tightly, like he didn¡¯t want her to get out of bed.


    Shu Pan couldn¡¯t help but chuckle. He was just like a willful child now. ¡°You should sleep for a while more. I¡¯ll get up first to see if there¡¯s anything to eat in the fridge.¡±


    Gu Shaoting still held on to her. He snuggled his face against her body before he let her go with a smile and went back to sleep.


    Shu Pan wasn¡¯t sleepy at all, so she got out of bed and left the room.


    Gu Shaoting watched her leave through his sleepy eyes. He was very happy. A view like that in the morning made him really content.

 Chapter 793: The Morning after

    Chapter 793: The Morning after


    Editor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    After Shu Pan washed up, she went to the kitchen. She figured there was probably nothing to eat here since they hadn¡¯t lived here for a while.


    Actually, Gu Shaoting didn¡¯t tell Shu Pan that when he nned to bring her here, he had already instructed the part-time helper to stock up the fridge.


    Therefore, when Shu Pan opened the fridge, she was surprised that it was so well-stocked. Gu Shaoting had indeed nned this meticulously.


    She rummaged through the fridge and saw that there were more dried goods and less fresh food. The part-time helper probably assumed that they wouldn¡¯t be here long.


    After all, Gu Shaoting brought her to their old apartment on a whim.


    Shu Pan found fresh prawns, dried scallops, lean meat and decided to cook porridge. Porridge was easy on the stomach in the morning.


    It was the weekend, so Gu Shaoting didn¡¯t need to go to work. They would probably go back to Qiyuan at noon.


    Therefore, Shu Pan rinsed the rice, put it in a ypot, top up with some water and then put it on low me on the stove. She then cleaned and prepped the prawns and scallops.


    When the rice and water came to a boil, she tipped the other ingredients into the pot and continued cooking the porridge on low me.<div>


    Gu Shaoting was very sleepy but he woke up a little when Shu Pan left the room because he would sometimes panic when she wasn¡¯t by his side.


    He casually picked up a dark blue dressing gown and put it on. He was still fastening the belt when he walked out and saw Shu Pan with her hair tied up in a messy ponytail wearing his white shirt. As Shu Pan was smaller than him, his shirt looked like a dress on her, reaching just above her knees.


    It was no surprise that Shu Pan was dressed like this because she couldn¡¯t find anything to wear in this apartment and her pajamas had been torn to piecesst night.


    Gu Shaoting didn¡¯t make a sound. He just leaned against the door frame and watch Shu Pan move around the kitchen in a wifely yet sexy manner.


    He finally couldn¡¯t stand it anymore, walked up to her and hugged her from behind. His chin was rested on her shoulder when he said, ¡°Why do you bother with cooking porridge? We can always eat out.¡±


    Shu Pan turned her head and looked at him before she said, ¡°I prefer to eat at home. Besides, I didn¡¯t know when you¡¯d wake up, so I made porridge first.¡±


    Although outside food was delicious and varied, it didn¡¯t give people the feeling of home. It was only for enjoyment. However, cooking a bowl of porridge for the person one cared about was a way to show love.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want you to work so hard.¡± Gu Shaoting whispered in her ear.


    ¡°If cooking porridge is hard work, what other work can I do? I don¡¯t want you to spoil me like a child. If I don¡¯t know anything and don¡¯t do anything, are you sure you will still like me?¡± Shu Pan said as she turned around and wrapped her arms around his neck.


    ¡°I like you no matter how you are.¡± Gu Shaoting pressed his forehead against hers and the two of them leaned against each other.


    ¡°Nonsense.¡± Shu Pan said with a smile. ¡°The porridge is almost done. Hurry up and go wash up. We should go back to Qiyuan after breakfast. Baby hasn¡¯t seen me for so long; I wonder how he is doing.¡±


    Shu Pan was always thinking about their son. Joy was older now, so she was more rxed about Joy.


    ¡°Hmph, Mom and the nanny are both there to take care of him. Why do you worry?¡± Gu Shaoting was a little unhappy that she was thinking about their son when she was with him.


    Shu Pan could not help but roll her eyes at him. She couldn¡¯t believe that this man was jealous of his own son.


    ¡°Quickly go.¡± Shu Pan patted his shoulder.


    Gu Shaoting sneakily pecked Shu Pan on the cheek before he walked away.


    However, before he left the kitchen, he asked Shu Pan, ¡°How did your hubby performst night?¡±


    It would have been better if he didn¡¯t mention it. Shu Pan¡¯s face turned red the moment he said it. She couldn¡¯t help but answer with a chuckle, ¡°Passable.¡±


    <div>

 Chapter 794: Fighting Their Son for Her Love and Attention

    Chapter 794: Fighting Their Son for Her Love and Attention


    Editor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    ¡°Passable is good enough. I¡¯ll work harder to get full marks next time.¡± Gu Shaoting cracked a naughty smile.


    Shu Pan literally pushed him this time. ¡°Go now.¡±


    Only then did Gu Shaoting leave to wash up. Shu Pan stood by the stove as she stirred the porridge with adle, her expression like a shy bride¡¯s.


    When Gu Shaoting was done, Shu Pan had already brought the porridge to the dining table. She opened the lid and a burst of fragrance assailed his nose. It must taste so good.


    Since there were only two of them, Shu Pan didn¡¯t cook too much. She cooked just enough for two people.


    Shu Pan scooped out two bowls of porridge and ced them on the table. She then went to the bedroom and changed into a dress.


    Of course, the dress was bought just yesterday. It was a floral chiffon dress that looked elegant and light on her.


    When Shu Pan walked out again, Gu Shaoting was a little stunned.


    Shu Pan saw his expression and felt extremely proud.<div>


    Mark Twain was right. ¡°Clothes make the man.¡±


    But Shu Pan didn¡¯t show any emotion on her face. She pulled out a chair opposite him, sat down and started to eat her porridge.


    Gu Shaoting was still lost in thought until Shu Pan looked up at him and said, ¡°Hurry up and eat. We should go home as soon as possible.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no hurry. I just called home. Joy and Xiaobao are both good.¡± Gu Shaoting said slowly.


    ¡°Really?¡± Shu Pan was relieved to hear that.


    ¡°Darling, am I not attractive anymore? It wasn¡¯t easy for us to get some alone time. Why do you keep thinking about other things?¡± Gu Shaoting wanted to have this kind of couple time regrly.


    Shu Pan ignored him and continued to eat her porridge.


    The two of them stayed until almost noon before leaving. The moment Shu Pan got home, she picked up the chubby Xiaobao who looked more and more like Gu Shaoting.


    ¡°Cutie pie, did you miss Mommy?¡± Shu Pan hugged him close and kissed him repeatedly.


    Shu Pan suddenly realized that it wasn¡¯t the baby who couldn¡¯t leave her. It was she who couldn¡¯t leave the baby. She missed him so much after just one night away. She also felt guilty at the same time that she went out with Gu Shaoting and left Xiaobao at home.


    When Xiaobao saw Shu Pan, he probably felt wronged that his mother had onlye home now and started wailing.


    Shu Pan held and coaxed him. After a while, Xiaobao broke into a smile.


    Kids were smart. They knew how crying could get adults¡¯ attention.


    However, it had been a fruitful night. Since their time alone in their old apartment, Gu Shaoting and Shu Pan had resumed their sex life.


    ¡­


    Since Shu Pan wasn¡¯t working, she spent most of her time at home and asionally asked Xiaomeng out to shop.


    Her life was quite fulfilling.


    In the blink of an eye, Xiaobao could already turn over, sit, and crawl. This little fellow was quite a handful. For some reason, he didn¡¯t stick to Shu Pan as much as he got older; he started to cling to his father.


    Every time Gu Shaoting was about to leave the house, Xiaobao would get teary, cry, and ask to be picked up. Gu Shaoting couldn¡¯t bear to leave him at first and got dyed by at least half an hour each time.<div>


    When the little guy started to use a baby walker, he would zoom around like the wind and the bell on his walker could be heard from afar.


    But Xiaobao was also very lovable. He was fair and chubby, and he had a small temper. He probably inherited his temper from his father because when he lost it, it was very tiring to calm him down.


    However, Shu Pan epted these little inconveniences withoutint. Watching Xiaobao grow up day by day made her feel d yet reluctant.


    <div>

 Chapter 795: Xiaobao Turns One

    Chapter 795: Xiaobao Turns One


    Editor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Shu Pan¡¯s focus in life was mostly on her youngest child. Gu Xiaobao often gave her surprises.


    She talked to him often even though he didn¡¯t understand her. Shu Pan insisted on talking to him because she believed that his subconscious mind was learning. She often taught him words like ¡°Daddy¡±, ¡°Mommy¡±, but Xiaobao hadn¡¯t said anything yet.


    One day when Gu Shaoting was leaving for a business trip, Gu Xiaobao saw him walk out of the bedroom in a suit and crawled over to hug Mr. Gu¡¯s thigh.


    Helpless, Mr. Gu could only pick him up. Seeing that the baby was about to wipe his nose on his father¡¯s clothes, Shu Pan quickly carried him away.


    In a moment of desperation, Gu Xiaobao cried and called out, ¡°Daddy¡­ Daddy¡­¡±


    Gu Xiaobao, who usually refused to speak, didn¡¯t want to see his father leave so much that he blurted out the word ¡°Daddy¡±.


    At that moment, Shu Pan held him tightly, kissed and hugged him. And very soon, Xiaobao said ¡°Mommy¡±. When his childish voice said those words, people¡¯s hearts would melt.


    Soon, Gu Xiaobao turned one. He got more active and started to learn how to walk. At first, his short and chubby legs would run around the living room and he¡¯d fall quickly. But he would get up quickly and run clumsily all over again.


    This little fellow started to run before he started to walk. Shu Pan¡¯s heart trembled with fear when she watch him charge around with his head down.<div>


    He especially liked to y with his sister, Joy. When his sister came home from school, the little guy would start giggling from afar and run towards his sister.


    Joy also loved to y with Xiaobao. When she saw her brother running over, she would open her arms and wee the little guy with a smile. The two siblings would then hug each other before the little guy held his sister¡¯s hand proudly.


    The mischievous Xiaobao also had excellent hearing. As soon as he heard the sound of a caring from the courtyard, he would know that his father was home. No matter what he was doing at the time, he would drop everything and run to the door, open his eyes wide and wait for his father to walk in.


    Whenever Mr. Gu came home from the office, the first thing he saw was always his chubby Xiaobao standing by the door, looking very adorable with his cute clothes and dark, sparkly eyes.


    It was this waiting that made Mr. Gu a total homebody. He had basically stopped all after-work social engagements. He would leave work on time, even early sometimes because the little guy was waiting for him at home. Whenever he thought about the cute Xiaobao, his fatigue would disappear in an instant.


    On Xiaobao¡¯s first birthday, the family had a meal together. Shu Pan personally baked a cake. Since she wasn¡¯t working now, she made lots of delicious food for her children in order to kill time. Shu Pan honed her cooking skills; she was basically a professional chef now.


    She would cook whenever she was free and Auntie Li would assist her.


    This was also why Gu Shaoting woulde home for dinner every day. The dishes made by his beloved wife were delicious beyond words.


    There was a saying ¡°the way to a man¡¯s heart is through his stomach.¡± Shu Pan probably seeded.


    Shu Pan cooked all the dishes on Xiaobao¡¯s first birthday. The table was full, and everyone ate with relish.


    Especially Gu Huanhuan, whoplimented the chef as she ate. The food was so delicious that she wanted to lick her te clean.


    ¡°Cousin-inw, how are you so good? This dish is too delicious.¡± Gu Huanhuan made an exception today and ate a little too much.


    ¡°Thene over more often when you¡¯re free. I¡¯ll cook it for you.¡± Shu Pan felt a sense of pride when she saw the empty dishes on the table.


    ¡°Sigh, I can¡¯t eat too much. I ate so much tonight that I¡¯ll need to exercise when I get home.¡± Gu Huanhuanmented. The sad life of a female celebrity.

 Chapter 796: Nonsensical Suitors?

    Chapter 796: Nonsensical Suitors?


    Editor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    ¡°You aren¡¯t fat at all, so don¡¯t be so hard on yourself.¡± Shu Pan felt that being a celebrity was really tough because they couldn¡¯t eat as they pleased.


    ¡°Sigh. Cousin-inw, you don¡¯t understand. Even if I put on just half a kilogram, my face would look swollen on camera.¡± Gu Huanhuan grumbled.


    Gu Shaoting couldn¡¯t help but frown when he heard that. ¡°Eat well and don¡¯t torture your body. I told you not to be a celebrity.¡±


    Gu Huanhuan made a face at Gu Shaoting, but she didn¡¯t dare to say more. She had experienced her cousin¡¯s toxic tongue. She could never win an argument with him.


    Gu Huanhuan did not dare to dwell on the subject. She turned to look at Gu Xiaobao and changed the subject.


    ¡°Cousin-inw, Xiaobao is so cute. He looks so much better than those child models on TV.¡± Gu Huanhuan couldn¡¯t help but pinch Xiaobao¡¯s cute cheek.


    ¡°That¡¯s true. Just look at his parents.¡± Gu Shaoting and Gu Huanhuan seemed to be at odds tonight.


    ¡°Of course. My cousin-inw is beautiful and feminine, and my cousin is super handsome.¡± Gu Huanhuan¡¯s ttered Gu Shaoting loudly and he liked it.


    Shu Pan looked at the narcissistic Mr. Gu and could not help but shake her head with a smile.<div>


    Then, she heard Gu Huanhuan say, ¡°When can I have such a good-looking baby?¡±


    Her tone was full of envy and admiration.


    ¡°You don¡¯t even have a boyfriend. Isn¡¯t that too tall an order for you?¡± Gu Shaoting mocked.


    ¡°Hmph, don¡¯t look down on me. A fortune-teller told me that I have romance luck this year and will be married soon.¡± Gu Huanhuan replied indignantly.


    ¡°Better pray that you don¡¯t attract only the nonsensical suitors.¡± Gu Shaoting refused to be outdone.


    ¡°Cousin-inw, look at my infuriating cousin.¡± Gu Shaoting¡¯s tongue cut her like a knife. Although she felt that she would probably attract some nonsensical suitors, it was very humiliating when her cousin said it so tantly.


    ¡°There¡¯s no rush. Take your time. You¡¯ll meet your prince charming eventually.¡± Shu Panforted her. She always felt that some things were fated and not actively pursued.


    ¡°Thanks, cousin-inw. I knew that you are the nicest to me.¡± Gu Huanhuan stood up and put her arm around Shu Pan¡¯s shoulder.


    ¡°Don¡¯t mind what your cousin said. He¡¯s just joking.¡± Shu Pan smiled and shook her head. Gu Shaoting was sometimes juvenile like a kid.


    ¡°Xiaobao, let¡¯s go out for a walk. We won¡¯t stoop to the level of women.¡± Gu Shaoting took Xiaobao¡¯s hand and left the dining table.


    ¡°Cousin-inw, what do you see in my cousin?¡± Gu Huanhuan only dared to ask Shu Pan softly after she watched Gu Shaoting walk away.


    ¡°How do I put it? Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. No one is perfect in this world, so don¡¯t be too harsh about your other half. Your cousin has his shorings, but he also has strengths. He loves me, and that¡¯s enough. You will meet your prince charming one day.¡± Shu Pan said gently to her.


    ¡°Tsk, I don¡¯t need one. I¡¯m fine on my own.¡± Gu Huanhuan said disdainfully. Little did she know that fate would befall her so quickly.


    Shu Pan didn¡¯t say anything. Things were destined sometimes, so it wasn¡¯t up to Gu Huanhuan to say if she needed love.


    Xiaobao had a very happy first birthday.


    The once vibrantndscape of spring faded, reced by the warmth and exuberance of summer.


    The city started to feel hot and humid. Everyone changed out of their long sleeves into summer clothes. Xiaobao looked even cuter in short sleeves; his arms and legs looked like delicious lotus roots that one just wanted to bite into. When put on thewn outside, he could y all day and babble non-stop.


    Sometimes, Shu Pan couldn¡¯t help but thank the heavens for giving her such a cute baby.


    The days were very ordinary, but asionally, something would happen and catch us off guard.<div>

 Chapter 797: Anxious

    Chapter 797: Anxious


    Editor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Although Shu Pan wasn¡¯t working, she didn¡¯t feel bored at all because Xiaobao took up most of her time.


    asionally, Ye Xiaomeng would bring her daughter over for a y date. Her daughter¡¯s name was He Shiyu, nickname Beibei.


    The two kids really made peopleugh when they were together, doing all sorts of amusing things.


    The two little fellows who couldn¡¯t even stand steadily had startedpeting with each other. Every time Shu Pan saw Beibei and picked her up, she would see her Xiaobao¡¯s tender lips purse into a straight line. He would look extremely wronged and on the verge of tears. He would then stagger over to Shu Pan, hug her thigh, and look up to her with his big watery eyes. This look of his could get him anything.


    When that happened, the adults would beughing hysterically but the two little fellows werepletely clueless.


    Happy times like that passed quickly. Shu Pan spent every day contented, without any boredom or worry. She watched Joy read and Xiaobao learning to walk, speak, stumble, fall and get up again. Every little progress they made was a happy and proud moment for her as a parent.


    There was nothing more satisfying than watching her kids grow.


    Gu Shaoting had also tried to work less. He was busy at the beginning of the year, but now when things were getting on track, he was less busy and would try to leave work before lunchtime. Unless there was something urgent, he would spend the rest of the day with his wife and children.


    After all, a person¡¯s childhood was short andpanionship was the best gift to a child.<div>


    ¡­


    One day, Shu Pan took Xiaobao to Ye Xiaomeng¡¯s house for a y date. Since Ye Xiaomeng came to their ce for y dates most of the time, Shu Pan realized that she hadn¡¯t left the house for a while and decided to go over this time.


    She packed Xiaobao¡¯s things and asked the chauffeur to send them there.


    Before she had Xiaobao, she would take a taxi wherever she went, but taking a taxi was inconvenient now with a child, so Gu Shaoting hired a chauffeur.


    When they arrived at Ye Xiaomeng¡¯s house, Beibei was extremely happy. Xiaobao was also dancing with joy. He rarely left the house, so he was curious about everything.


    The two kids quickly got busy ying. When it was almost noon, Shu Pan¡¯s phone suddenly rang. The caller ID showed that it was Gu Shaoting.


    Why did he call her out of the blue?


    Shu Pan immediately pressed the answer button and said without hesitation, ¡°Hello?¡±


    It was noisy on the other end of the phone. There seemed to be many people. Shu Pan recognized a familiar voice among the crowd. It was Auntie Li¡¯s voice and she was saying, ¡°They¡¯ve gone in. I¡¯m so anxious.¡±


    ¡°Hey, nurse, what¡¯s going on inside?¡±


    Did Shu Pan hear the word ¡°nurse¡±? Was someone ill?


    Shu Pan frowned as she heard nothing back on the phone. Her heart jumped into her throat as she said again, ¡°Hello?¡±


    There was still no response. Shu Pan had no choice but to speak again. ¡°Shaoting? What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    She was getting anxious too.


    ¡°What do you mean by not optimistic?¡± Auntie Li¡¯s voice sounded again. Shu Pan couldn¡¯t hear her clearly as she seemed far away but Auntie Li¡¯s words were really frightening.


    Shu Pan¡¯s heart tightened again. ¡°Shaoting, please say something.¡±


    Gu Shaoting finally responded curtly, ¡°I¡¯m here.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Shu Pan asked anxiously. The snippets of conversation she heard over the phone was really scary.


    Ye Xiaomeng saw Shu Pan¡¯s anxious expression and knew that something was wrong, so she volunteered to look after Xiaobao.<div>

 Chapter 798: Grandpa’s Sick

    Chapter 798: Grandpa¡¯s Sick


    Editor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    ¡°It¡¯s Grandpa. He suddenly fainted. The doctor is still examining him.¡± Gu Shaoting¡¯s voice was deep. He was shocked when he received Auntie Li¡¯s call. He immediately called an ambnce to send Grandpa to the hospital.


    He knew that Shu Pan was out with Xiaobao today. He did not know the situation well enough yet and didn¡¯t want to inform Shu Pan at first. However, he figured that Shu Pan would me him if he didn¡¯t tell her of such an important matter.


    ¡°Grandpa?¡± Shu Pan found it hard to believe. The question she had at the tip of her tongue was quickly held back.


    What happened to Grandpa? Although he was old, he had been well in all aspectstely.


    Auntie Li¡¯s tone had been anxious since Shu Pan picked up the call. The situation seemed very serious.


    Other than Gu Shaoting¡¯s mother, Grandpa was his closest family¡­


    It happened so suddenly that Shu Pan couldn¡¯t imagine how Gu Shaoting felt now.


    Shu Pan felt like her heart had been stabbed with a knife and she couldn¡¯t breathe. Without thinking too much, she blurted out, ¡°Shaoting, which hospital are you at now?¡±


    Gu Shaoting knew that she would rush over, but at the thought of Xiaobao being with her, he discouraged her. ¡°You have Xiaobao with you. Don¡¯te to the hospital. There are too many germs here. I¡¯ll let you know if there¡¯s any problem.¡±<div>


    Shu Pan pondered for a moment. Gu Shaoting¡¯s concerns were legitimate. Xiaomeng probably couldn¡¯t look after two babies at the same time too. She had another idea. ¡°Ask Auntie Li to go home and watch Xiaobao. I¡¯ll see you at the hospital.¡±


    She would never be at ease until she saw Grandpa out of danger.


    Gu Shaoting thought for a moment and agreed.


    After hanging up the phone, Shu Pan picked Xiaobao up to go home.


    ¡°Girl, who¡¯s sick?¡± Ye Xiaomeng heard part of Shu Pan¡¯s phone conversation.


    ¡°It¡¯s Grandpa. I¡¯m going over now. I¡¯ll talk to youter.¡± Shu Pan hurriedly went home.


    When she arrived home, Auntie Li had arrived too. Shu Pan told Auntie Li about Xiaobao¡¯s meal status and then left.


    The chauffeur had been waiting outside and sent her straight to the hospital where Gu Shaoting was at.


    After Shu Pan got out of the car, she rushed to the emergency department. When she came out of the elevator, Shu Pan saw Gu Shaoting leaning against the wall near an operating room at the end of the corridor.


    His hair was a little messy and his face was pale.


    Shu Pan immediately rushed up to Gu Shaoting.


    Gu Shaoting noticed that someone was approaching when Shu Pan was a few meters away. He turned his head slightly and saw her.


    Shu Pan slowed down when she was near Gu Shaoting and said, ¡°Grandpa is a lucky man. He will be fine.¡±


    Shu Pan¡¯s tone was very firm, as if she was telling herself that Grandpa would be fine.


    Gu Shaoting eyelids fluttered as he stood up straight and walked towards Shu Pan.


    Shu Pan saw him move and came back to her senses. Before Gu Shaoting could answer her, she threw her arms around him. ¡°Hubby, are you okay?¡±


    Gu Shaoting didn¡¯t say anything. He just stared at her small face and held her hand suddenly.


    Shu Pan was startled by his action. She wanted to say something but she felt Gu Shaoting¡¯s cold and shaking hand on hers.


    The words she wanted to say quickly got stuck in her throat. She knew that he must be feeling terrible now, and all she could do was to give him silentpanionship.<div>


    Shu Pan just let Gu Shaoting hold her hand. It turned out that his seemingly calm appearance hid such serious panic and helplessness.


    Shu Pan¡¯s heart ached to the extreme as she squeezed Gu Shaoting¡¯s hand.

 Chapter 799: On Pins and Needles

    Chapter 799: On Pins and Needles


    Editor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Shu Pan¡¯s gesture made Gu Shaoting tense up, and he tightened his grip on her hand.


    The red light outside the operating theater was still on, and there was indeed no sound on the other side of the door.


    As Gu Shaoting was squeezing Shu Pan¡¯s hand hard, she frowned in pain but didn¡¯tin. She just let him squeeze her hand as she quietly led him to the end of the corridor, away from the entrance to the emergency department.


    The two of them didn¡¯t talk. They just held each other¡¯s hand in silence and stood side-by-side, leaning against the wall.


    The corridor was dead silent.


    Everyone was anxious, but they did not show it.


    Shortly after, Song Can arrived. ¡°How is it? Why did the old master suddenly faint?¡±


    Song Can was out with a friend and rushed over as soon as she heard the news.


    Shu Pan also informed Gu Shaoting¡¯s uncle and Gu Huanhuan, who was at an event in a nearby city and would rush over as soon as the event ended.<div>


    ¡°Mom, they are still working on Grandpa.¡± Shu Pan said hurriedly when she saw Song Can.


    ¡°Okay, Grandpa will be fine.¡± Song Can said self-consolingly.


    Song Can nced at Gu Shaoting, who had always been close to his grandfather. He probably felt terrible.


    Song Can did not know what to say tofort him when she saw his silence and slightly red eyes.


    The ¡°in operation¡± red light was still on outside the operating theater.


    Everyone was on pins and needles. They were all afraid to hear bad news. After all, Grandpa was old and it was hard to tell what could happen.


    As time passed silently, Shu Pan could clearly feel Gu Shaoting¡¯s anxiety and agitation because his hand was very cold, yet his palm was covered in cold sweat.


    She didn¡¯t say anything, but she tapped his fingertip lightly with hers. He could feel it because he turned to look at her, pursed his lips and nodded to tell her that he was fine.


    He understood what she was doing and knew that she wasforting him. His tightly furrowed brows rxed a little as he squeezed her hand repeatedly. His movements were much more natural now. He was telling her that he was grateful for herfort.


    The three of them stood outside for a long time. Shu Pan felt her feet go numb and couldn¡¯t help but wriggled it.


    Although her movement was subtle, it caught Gu Shaoting¡¯s attention. He looked down at her and then quietly led her to the lounge chair next to him. ¡°Sit down for a while. We don¡¯t know when Grandpa will be out.¡±


    So, they all sat down and waited anxiously.


    Not long after, Gu Shaoting¡¯s uncle arrived. He was also anxious when he found out that the old master was still inside.


    He kept pacing back and forth outside the operating theater.


    Suddenly, he said in a deep voice, ¡°Why isn¡¯t Huanhuan here yet?¡±


    ¡°Uncle, I¡¯ve already informed her. She¡¯s in a neighboring city and it¡¯ll take some time for her to get back. Moreover, today is a weekday and the roads are jam packed.¡± Shu Pan exined.


    Gu Feng finally stopped asking.


    Everyone was staring at the door of the operating theater, hoping that the doctor woulde out soon with good news.


    ¡­<div>


    Meanwhile, Gu Huanhuan was at the opening event of a store in a neighboring city. Her youthful and lively image matched the store¡¯s image very well, and she epted the job after they agreed on the terms.


    However, a few minutes before the event began, she received a call about her grandfather suddenly taken ill. She wanted to cancel her appearance and rush back, but her manager dissuaded her.


    The event had already started. She probably couldn¡¯t opt out now.


    <div>

 Chapter 800: His Condition Isn’t Very Optimistic

    Chapter 800: His Condition Isn¡¯t Very Optimistic


    Editor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Her manager tried hard to dissuade her. The store opening was just a ribbon-cutting ceremony. Gu Huanhuan just needed to say a few nice words and it wouldn¡¯t take too long.


    Gu Huanhuan recalled what Shu Pan told her earlier. That her grandfather had been sent to the hospital for emergency treatment and Gu Shaoting was there.


    She felt a little calmer but still beat herself up for being unfilial. She urged her manager to inform the store people to get on with the opening ceremony so she could leave as soon as possible.


    Soon, everything on the program rundown happened and Gu Huanhuan¡¯s job was over rather quickly.


    After her job ended, Gu Huanhuan apologized to the store people and immediately asked the driver to send her back to Bin City.


    Thankfully, there weren¡¯t too many cars on the expressway today. They arrived at Bin City very quickly and Gu Huanhuan had already removed her makeup when she was in the car.


    Because she was making an appearance as the brand¡¯s youthful ambassador, she was dressed casually and didn¡¯t need to change.


    When they arrived in Bin City, the driver had to go back to the office to fetch someone so Gu Huanhuan drove to the hospital herself.


    She drove often so she was an experienced driver.<div>


    However, despite herpetency, she was still stunned when she arrived at the hospital¡¯s parking lot.


    It was so full. Finding a parking space was harder than climbing Mount Everest. She began to regret driving to the hospital¡­


    Couldn¡¯t she have taken a taxi? She wouldn¡¯t have to fret over finding a parking space if she did that¡­


    She chided herself as she opened her eyes wide, hoping to find a space. She circled the parking lot a few times and finally saw a spot.


    It was as if the heavens had heard her prayer. She slowly reversed the car into the space but it was a little tight. Gu Huanhuan did not know if she was nervous, but when she reversed her car, she was nted to one side and scraped the ck car in the next lot.


    Gu Huanhuan screamed ¡°sh*t¡± in her heart and quickly went forward, turned her steering wheel, and backed in again.


    After she got out of her car, she looked at the ck car next to hers. There was a slight dent and some paint had been scraped off. However, the owner was not there and she was in a hurry to see her grandfather.


    So, she took out an eyebrow pencil and wrote her phone number on a paper serviette. She slipped the serviette between the windshield wipers of the ck car and hoped that the car owner would contact her when they saw the note.


    She really didn¡¯t have much time, so she quickly left.


    When Gu Huanhuan arrived at the emergency department, Grandpa still hadn¡¯te out of the operating theater.


    It wasn¡¯t until around six o¡¯clock in the evening that the door to the operating theater finally opened.


    Gu Shaoting and Shu Pan stood up from their seats at the same time, and everyone quickly walked to the door.


    After walking a few steps, they saw the old master being wheeled out on a hospital gurney. He was wearing an oxygen mask and looked very peaceful. A group of tired doctors and nurses walked out with him.


    ¡°Dad¡­¡± Gu Shaoting¡¯s uncle was closest to the door, so he ran up to the old master first.


    ¡°Grandpa!¡± Gu Shaoting¡¯s footsteps were a little hurried, but he didn¡¯t let go of Shu Pan¡¯s hand. He walked up quickly to the gurney with Shu Pan.


    Shu Pan also called out, ¡°Grandpa¡­¡±


    She called out to him twice softly. She felt that Grandpa had be older and frailer after this ordeal. He had tubesing out from various parts of his body and his breathing was weak andbored.


    ¡°Grandpa.¡± Gu Shaoting called out to Old Master Gu again before he looked up at the attending doctor.


    The doctor met his gaze, walked to the side and took off his mask before he said, ¡°Old Master Gu¡¯s condition isn¡¯t very optimistic. After all, he¡¯s getting on in years. It won¡¯t be easy to recover¡­¡±<div>


    Gu Shaoting was too dazed to listen to the rest of the doctor¡¯s words. Shu Pan could clearly feel his hand tremble when the doctor said the words ¡°isn¡¯t very optimistic¡±.

 Chapter 801: Miss Sorry

    Chapter 801: Miss Sorry


    Editor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    ¡°¡­ We will also arrange for the best doctors and nurses to watch over Old Master Gu, but you must be mentally prepared¡­¡±


    After the doctor briefly exined the situation, Old Master Gu was wheeled to the intensive care unit.


    ¡°Later when Old Master Gu wakes up, we¡¯ll check on him again. Please press the bell button if you need anything.¡± The doctor left after leaving his instructions.


    Not long after, Old Master Gu, who was lying in a hospital bed, slowly opened his eyes and said in a very weak voice, ¡°Shao¡­ Ting¡­¡±


    ¡°Grandpa¡­¡± Shu Pan tugged at Gu Shaoting¡¯s sleeve, probably with a little too much excitement. Grandpa had finally woken up, but he was acting strangely.


    ¡°Grandpa, it¡¯s Shaoting. I¡¯m here.¡± Gu Shaoting leaned forward and gently held the old master¡¯s hand.


    ¡°Dad, we¡¯re all here.¡± Gu Shaoting¡¯s uncle held Old Master Gu¡¯s other hand.


    ¡°Shaoting¡­ Gu Feng¡­¡± Old Master Gu was still in a daze. He kept calling out to them even when they were holding his hands.


    After calling out a few more times, he realized that they were already by his side. He moved his lips and said in a weak voice, ¡°I¡­ Am fine¡­ Don¡¯t worry¡­¡±<div>


    ¡°Get well soon, okay? Xiaobao is still waiting to y with his Great Grandpa.¡± Gu Shaoting said anxiously.


    ¡°Grandpa, you have to get well soon.¡± Gu Huanhuan sounded nasal, as if she had been crying.


    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s Huan¡­ Grandpa¡­ Still hasn¡¯t attended your¡­ Wedding dinner!¡± Old Master Gu was now very clear-headed and recognized everyone in the room.


    ¡°That¡¯s right, so you must take good care of yourself. When I get a boyfriend, I¡¯ll bring him home to introduce to you.¡± Gu Huanhuan said jokingly.


    ¡°Good¡­ Good¡­¡± Grandpa Gu said ¡°good¡± several times.


    Gu Shaoting saw that his grandfather had just woken up but said so many things and figured that he was probably tired, so he pressed the bell button to get someone over to examine him.


    Everyone moved away from the bed. Fortunately, after the doctor examined him, he said that the old master was lucid but sleepy, so it was fine to have just one person stay with him.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t all of you go home? I¡¯ll stay.¡± Gu Shaoting said to everyone.


    ¡°Let me do it.¡± Gu Shaoting¡¯s uncle said while ncing at his father.


    ¡°Uncle, you can take over me tomorrow morning. I¡¯ll call you if there¡¯s anything.¡± Gu Shaoting rejected his uncle immediately. Gu Feng was also getting on in years and probably shouldn¡¯t stay upte. He was younger and stronger, so it was better for him to stay the night.


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll ask Auntie Li to cook something and bring it to you.¡± Shu Pan thought for a moment and said.


    ¡°Okay, go home quickly. You¡¯ve been away for so long, Xiaobao is probably already asking for you.¡± Gu Shaoting said.


    Everyone left the ward to go home and visit again tomorrow.


    While waiting for the elevator, Gu Huanhuan¡¯s phone suddenly rang. She took it out and looked at it. It was an unknown number.


    Nheless, she pressed the answer button. ¡°Miss Hit-and-run¡­¡±


    A deep voice sounded from the other end of the phone, but the tone was teasing.


    Why did Gu Huanhuan find the voice familiar? She seemed to have heard it before.


    When the elevator arrived, she waved her hand and told everyone to go ahead; she would drive herself home.


    ¡°Who is this, please?¡± Gu Huanhuan was certain that she did not know the caller.<div>


    ¡°Miss, you knocked into my car. I saw the phone number you left me, and you signed off as Miss Sorry.¡± The voice on the other end of the phone calmly exined why he called.

 Chapter 802: Why Is It You?

    Chapter 802: Why Is It You?


    Editor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s you. I¡¯m so sorry. Are you in the parking garage now? I¡¯ll be right there.¡± Gu Huanhuan¡¯s upbringing and education since young had taught her to bravely own up to her mistakes.


    Gu Huanhuan had already hung up before the caller could reply. She thought for a moment and put on her mask before she took the elevator to the parking garage.


    From afar, Gu Huanhuan could already see a tall and elegant looking man standing next to her car. As she didn¡¯t have perfect vision, she couldn¡¯t make out his face clearly.


    When she got closer, the man was bent over and looking at the dent she had made on his car. He was so focused that he did not notice her approaching.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± Gu Huanhuan said carefully. ¡°Sorry to disturb you, I¡¯m¡­¡±


    ¡°I know, you must be Miss Sorry¡­¡± The man stood up straight and turned around.


    Gu Huanhuan raised her head to look. Sh*t, why was this man haunting her? Wasn¡¯t he the doctor named Wen Chi? Why did they meet again?


    ¡°Why is it you?¡± Gu Huanhuan could not help but say.


    ¡°I also want to ask why it is me.¡± Wen Chi said inly. He was also a little surprised. Although Gu Huanhuan was wearing a mask, he recognized her right away.<div>


    Because she also wore a mask when she came to see a doctor thest time. Her eyes were as bright as the stars, and he couldn¡¯t forget them even if he tried.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know it¡¯s your car. I hit it by ident when I was backing in.¡± Gu Huanhuan wanted to act as if she was in the right but she wasn¡¯t, so she sounded a little guilty when she spoke.


    ¡°What do you want to do?¡± Gu Huanhuan asked. This person looked kind; he probably wouldn¡¯t ask for some exorbitantpensation¡­


    But didn¡¯t people say that one shouldn¡¯t judge a book by its cover?


    ¡°Well, I¡­ I¡¯ll need to think about it carefully.¡± Wen Chi initially thought that it was a small matter and was going to let it go. However, when he saw Gu Huanhuan¡¯s demeanor, he suddenly wanted to tease her.


    He said that on purpose to test her reaction.


    ¡°As long as your request isn¡¯t too excessive, or I¡¯ll call the police.¡± Gu Huanhuan apuded herself for being smart enough to end her sentence with a threat. He probably wouldn¡¯t act recklessly after hearing that.


    Gu Huanhuan could have filed an insurance im but she was a public figure and didn¡¯t need to be seen as a clown. Moreover, the problem wasn¡¯t too big. The repair probably wouldn¡¯t cost that much, so she decided against insurance.


    ¡°Go ahead and call the police. We¡¯ll let everyone know who hit my car so that they can avoid the bad driver in the future.¡± Wen Chi went along with Gu Huanhuan¡¯s threat.


    Wen Chi remembered that she had mentioned that she was a celebrity, probably some E-list celebrity. He had never cared about the entertainment industry, but he knew that public figures were wary of scandals. A car ident wasn¡¯t something to be proud of.


    As expected, he heard Gu Huanhuan reply through gritted teeth, ¡°Bro, I only mentioned that in passing. Why do you take it seriously?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Miss Gu. I¡¯m not very smart and have misunderstood you.¡± Wen Chi said calmly.


    ¡°Drive your car to a nearby 4S shop and find out how much the repair will cost. I¡¯ll pay for it.¡± Gu Huanhuan¡¯s reaction wasmendable, and her attitude was excellent.


    ¡°Well, that settles it then. After all, we know each other, and I don¡¯t think you¡¯ll run away. You¡¯re my patient after all.¡± When Wen Chi suddenly brought this up, Gu Huanhuan remembered her dark past and wished that there was a hole in the ground she could hide in.


    ¡°Shut up. Don¡¯t ever mention that matter again.¡± Gu Huanhuan was a little angry from being embarrassed.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry to have brought up your unpleasant memories.¡± Wen Chi was apologizing, but Gu Huanhuan felt that he wasn¡¯t sincere.

 Chapter 803: Personal Chaffeur

    Chapter 803: Personal Chaffeur


    Editor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Hmph, what a yer and scumbag to bully a girl like her.


    ¡°Give me a call after your car is fixed then.¡± Gu Huanhuan wanted to leave as soon as possible. She felt that it was a waste of her breath to speak to such a person.


    One indeed shouldn¡¯t judge a person by their appearance. Wen Chi was a case in point.


    ¡°Miss Gu, I¡¯d like to say that if my car is in the workshop, I¡¯d have no means of transportation. How will I get to work then?¡± Wen Chi looked at her with a troubled expression.


    ¡°You can always take a taxi.¡± Gu Huanhuan couldn¡¯t help but roll her eyes at him. Did he need to ask her such a stupid question?


    ¡°I know, but it¡¯s not that convenient. You also know that my job requires me to rush to the hospital when I get an emergency call.¡± Wen Chi¡¯s words were so logical that Gu Huanhuan was rendered speechless.


    ¡°Then, what do suggest?¡± Gu Huanhuan asked impatiently. This man was such a slowpoke. This was the first time she had to deal with a man like that.


    If it weren¡¯t for the fact that he was her cousin-inw¡¯s friend, she wouldn¡¯t have bothered with him.


    ¡°Okay, how about this? You can be my personal chauffeur for the next few days.¡± Wen Chi said after seemingly thinking about it for a long time.<div>


    ¡°What? Me, your personal chauffeur?¡± Was this person out of his mind? She¡¯s a celebrity, how could she be his personal chauffeur? How ridiculous!


    ¡°Why? You are not willing? True too. You seem to be a celebrity, right? It¡¯s really too much to ask you to do something like that. I¡¯m really sorry for not thinking this through.¡± An apologetic expression appeared on Wen Chi¡¯s face. It was unbearable to see him me himself like that.


    Gu Huanhuan was a little dumbfounded. She couldn¡¯t tell if Wen Chi was being sincere or he was just pretending to be pitiful to get her sympathy.


    But if he was trying to get her sympathy, she could only say that no one but him deserved the best actor award if he were in the entertainment industry.


    Gu Huanhuan thought for a moment. She also couldn¡¯t be chauffeured around all the time. After all, she was the one who caused him the inconvenience. Besides, her grandfather was sick now. She wouldn¡¯t take on more jobs for the time being. Family was her priority now. She probably had to go to the hospital often anyway, so it wasn¡¯t too much trouble to pick him up or drop him off.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. I don¡¯t have too many jobs over the next few days and my grandfather is sick. I¡¯ll go to the hospital often and I can always pick you up.¡± Gu Huanhuan figured that it would only be a few days.


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll have to trouble you. I¡¯m driving my car to the 4S shop now. Follow me so you can drive me hometer.¡± Wen Chi said self-righteously.


    Gu Huanhuan could only ept her fate. Who asked her not to check her horoscope when she left the house?


    Therefore, she could only ept it when such things happened to her. What else could she do? However, this incident had given her a deeper understanding of men.


    One really couldn¡¯t judge a person by their appearance. The finest looking apple could be rotten to the core.


    Wen Chi turned his steering wheel and drove his car skillfully out of his parking space.


    Gu Huanhuan was on full alert as she carefully followed his car in hers.


    Once bitten, twice shy. Gu Huanhuan wouldn¡¯t want to suffer the same pain again.


    When they arrived at the 4S shop, a mechanic checked Wen Chi¡¯s car and told him that he could get it back in three days.


    Gu Huanhuan heaved a sigh of relief. Three days would pass by quickly.


    On his way home, Wen Chi sat in the front passenger seat and closed his eyes after he told Gu Huanhuan his home address.


    He had performed two surgeries today, and he was exhausted. Since someone else was driving, he could rest for a while. What a nice feeling¡­

 Chapter 804: What A Sharp-tongued Man

    Chapter 804: What A Sharp-tongued Man


    Editor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    While waiting for a traffic light to turn green, Gu Huanhuan stole a nce at Wen Chi beside her. She had to admit that this man had the right to be arrogant. His eyes were well-defined, his facial features were sharp and he had a gentlemanly aura. Fortunately, his eyes were closed now, or she would bepletely mesmerized by his peach blossom eyes.


    Gu Huanhuan had been in the entertainment industry for more than three years. She had seen different types of handsome men but not one with Wen Chi¡¯s temperament.


    That was because there were all sorts of people in the entertainment industry and the younger artistes were too vain. Gu Huanhuan couldn¡¯t help butmented. It was likeparing apples and oranges.


    The light turned green soon and Gu Huanhuan slowly elerated forward.


    Gu Huanhuan followed the GPS and finally arrived at the address that Wen Chi gave her at a turtle¡¯s speed.


    Gu Huanhuan could not be med for driving slowly. The main reason was because it was peak hour. Moreover, Gu Huanhuan hadn¡¯t driven for a while and was a little rusty.


    Gu Huanhuan stopped her car and looked around. The surrounding was beautiful. Gu Huanhuan knew about this property because its salesunch was sensational and the unit price was sky high. The people who lived here must be rich.


    Gu Huanhuan did not expect doctors to earn so much. She sighed in her heart again.


    The car had been in park for a while but Wen Chi still showed no signs of waking up. Gu Huanhuan couldn¡¯t help but frown. Was she just going to let him sleep?<div>


    Of course not. She was exhausted too, but seeing Wen Chi so sound asleep, she didn¡¯t have the heart to wake him.


    Just as Gu Huanhuan was debating whether she should wake him, Wen Chi slowly opened his eyes.


    ¡°We¡¯ve arrived.¡± Wen Chi looked around and saw that he was home.


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve driven you home safely.¡± Gu Huanhuan felt that she could finally go home after doing her job.


    Wen Chi raised his hand and looked at his watch. He then said, ¡°Thanks. It¡¯s supposed to be a 20-minute drive, but you took an hour. I¡¯m quite impressed.¡±


    Wen Chi calmly stated the facts but Gu Huanhuan froze when she heard that. What a sharp-tongued man. She should have turned on some loud music just now. She would like to see how he could sleep then!


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m quite impressed with myself too. I¡¯m so considerate. I drove so slowly because I saw that you were asleep. I don¡¯t usually drive at this speed.¡± Who didn¡¯t know how to say nice things?


    ¡°Thank you so much. Remember to pick me up at 8 a.m. tomorrow morning, yeah?¡± Wen Chi instructed.


    He really treated her like his personal chauffeur now, but she had already agreed to it so she couldn¡¯t argue. ¡°Noted.¡±


    Wen Chi nodded in satisfaction and turned to leave.


    Gu Huanhuan made a funny face to his back before she drove off unhurriedly.


    When Gu Huanhuan got back to her own apartment, she felt as dead as a doornail. After such a tiring day, she just wanted to copse on the sofa and do nothing.


    However, her stomach was growling. She had no choice but to get up and look for food. There were only eggs, vegetables, and noodles in her fridge.


    Simple, she would just cook herself a bowl of noodles with eggs and vegetables.


    The sad part about being a female celebrity was to constantly watch what she ate. She couldn¡¯t eat as she pleased and must count every calorie she consumed.


    But Gu Huanhuan was less concerned about it nowadays. She was very concerned in the beginning but she just let nature take its course nowadays. She never ate too much and exercised regrly. She seemed to have kept her figure quite well.


    So, eating a bowl of noodles didn¡¯t make her feel too guilty.


    Soon, she brought a bowl of steaming hot noodles to her dining table. Gu Huanhuan smiled in satisfaction as she looked at it.


    Her cooking skills had improved by leaps and bounds. She had learned it all from her cousin-inw. She would learn a little every time she went to their house. She had already mastered a few home-cooked dishes. She was especially good at making soup, the kind that would make people miss her cooking.<div>

 Chapter 805: Miss Gu, The Hand Fetishist

    Chapter 805: Miss Gu, The Hand Fetishist


    Editor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    When Shu Pan got home, Xiaobao, who had not seen his mother for the whole day, started crying.


    Shu Pan quicklyforted him. Children were all precious to their parents. Shu Pan also missed Xiaobao after being away for just a day.


    Auntie Li had already prepared dinner for Gu Shaoting. Shu Pan packed the food and asked the driver to bring it to Gu Shaoting. She wouldn¡¯t go over to the hospital again today.


    She would visit Grandpa tomorrow.


    When Shu Pany in bed that night, it was already veryte. She was very tired, but she couldn¡¯t fall asleep. Her mind was racing but mostly she was praying for Grandpa. If anything happened to Grandpa, she couldn¡¯t imagine the degree of Gu Shaoting¡¯s breakdown.


    She gradually drifted to sleep.


    At eight o¡¯clock in the morning, she was woken up by Xiaobao¡¯s crying. She quickly got up to prepare milk for him. Xiaobao was probably hungry.


    Shu Pan started her busy day at a frantic pace.


    Gu Huanhuan was busy too because she had to wake up early to pick someone up.<div>


    Waking up early was a very painful thing for Gu Huanhuan because she had been filming at night and resting during the day. She hadn¡¯t yet adjusted her biological clock. It was really torturous for her to wake up at 7 a.m. to send someone to work.


    However, she had promised him and couldn¡¯t go back on her word. She got up reluctantly.


    As a celebrity, she had to always pay attention to her image, so even if she was just going out for a while, she had to look bright and beautiful.


    Hence, Gu Huanhuan spent another half an hour to get ready. She cleansed her face, pped on toner, and put on her makeup. She looked at the time when she left the house; it was almost 8 a.m.


    Goodness! Time just flew! She quickly rushed to Wen Chi¡¯s ce.


    Sure enough, she saw Wen Chi standing outside the entrance to his building from afar. She stopped the car and honked lightly to tell him that she had arrived.


    ¡°Miss Gu, I¡¯m going to bete.¡± Wen Chi regretted asking Gu Huanhuan to pick him up. It was already 8:10 a.m. Fortunately, he was smart enough to give her an earlier pickup time, or he would definitely bete.


    Gu Huanhuan said guiltily, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, bad traffic.¡±


    She was lying through her teeth, but Wen Chi did not expose her. ¡°Sit over here, I¡¯ll drive.¡±


    Wen Chi had already experienced her turtle driving speed, and he didn¡¯t want to experience it again.


    ¡°Alright then.¡± Gu Huanhuan was also eager for him to drive. She didn¡¯t like being med.


    When they were about to reach the hospital, Wen Chi¡¯s phone rang. He inserted his Bluetooth earbud and picked up the call. It was a call from the hospital asking him to get in as soon as possible as there was a surgery waiting for him.


    Wen Chi calmly told them ¡°okay¡± and then hung up. He also obviously sped up.


    But he was a really good driver. Although he was going fast, he drove steadily.


    Gu Huanhuan had a hand fetish. She had long noticed Wen Chi¡¯s hands on the steering wheel. They were slender, fair, and sculpted. She couldn¡¯t look away.


    Gu Huanhuan could not help butmented quietly that the heavens had really favored Wen Chi.


    Wen Chi got out the moment they arrived at the hospital.


    Gu Huanhuan took her time to find a parking space. As it was still early, it didn¡¯t take her too long to find a space.


    After parking her car, she went to a food stall near the hospital and bought two breakfast sets. She then brought them to her grandfather¡¯s ward at the ICU.<div>


    Gu Shaoting was a little surprised when he saw Gu Huanhuan. ¡°Why are you so early? This isn¡¯t like you.¡±


    ¡°I got up early today because I had something to do, so I came over to visit Grandpa. Why? Is Grandpa alright?¡± Gu Huanhuan asked with concern.


    ¡°Yes, the doctor just checked on him. He¡¯s doing okay, much better than expected. He¡¯ll recover with time.¡± Gu Shaoting looked exhausted. He pinched his nose as he spoke and his tone became more rxed.


    ¡°That¡¯s great, brother. I¡¯ve bought you some breakfast.¡± Gu Huanhuan then handed him one of the breakfast sets.<div>


    Gu Shaoting took the bag and then called Shu Pan to tell her that she didn¡¯t need to bring him breakfast.

 Chapter 806: His Beautiful Colleague

    Chapter 806: His Beautiful Colleague


    Editor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Soon after, Old Master Gu woke up. Gu Huanhuan chatted with him for a while and saw that he was getting tired, so she let him rest.


    Gu Shaoting¡¯s uncle came to Grandpa¡¯s ICU ward around noon to take over caring duties. It was Gu Shaoting¡¯s turn to go home and rest. Gu Huanhuan saw that her grandfather was asleep, so she asked to be excused. She woulde back in the evening. Besides, she had a job to do then. She had to be someone¡¯s personal chauffeur.


    ¡­


    It was almost 5 p.m. after the two surgeries were done. Wen Chi massaged his sore be as he walked into the staff lounge. He did not even take off his white coat when he sat on the sofa, leaned his head back and closed his eyes.


    A doctor¡¯s life was like that. They would need to rush to the hospital when there was an emergency surgery. Especially for a consultant surgeon like Wen Chi, who would be called in for the moreplicated cases.


    Therefore, Wen Chi received the best treatment in the entire department. He had less clinical hours but everyone respected him and didn¡¯t say anything bad behind his back.


    Wen Chi was probably too tired that he fell asleep just sitting there.


    Yes, he fell asleep. He didn¡¯t know for how long but when he woke up, it was almost 7 p.m.


    There were still dark circles under his eyes when the coat the covered him slipped off. A coat that smelled faintly of rose essential oil.<div>


    Wen Chi frowned. Who had covered him with this coat? He had no recollection at all. He picked it up from the floor and ced it on the armchair next to him.


    Shortly after, the owner of the coat walked in. It was his colleague from the same department, Yu Li.


    Yu Li was a publicly acknowledged beauty with red lips, white teeth, a slender figure, fair skin and very attractive upturned eyes.


    She knocked on the door and Wen Chi looked up. She had already pushed the door open and was walking in holding an exquisite lunch box.


    She was also wearing a white coat and part of her calves were exposed. Even when wearing a pair of ts, her walk was alluring.


    ¡°You¡¯re awake? I came in just now and saw that you were sleeping soundly, so I didn¡¯t disturb you.¡± Yu Li smiled gently.


    ¡°Oh, is this coat yours?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, why? What¡¯s the problem?¡± Yu Li opened her innocent eyes wide.


    Wen Chi couldn¡¯t bear to continue, so he said inly, ¡°Thank you, but you didn¡¯t need to do that. I was just taking a nap.¡±


    His voice was cold and indifferent. Then, he continued, ¡°By the way, why were you looking for me?¡±


    ¡°Um, I wanted to ask you some questions, but seeing that you were asleep, I was afraid that you would catch a cold, so I covered you with my coat. You know well that you can¡¯t catch a cold.¡± If she said that to anyone else, her pitiful voice would probably have made them shed tears of gratitude.


    But Wen Chi only hummed in acknowledgment and did not say anything else.


    ¡°Oh right, I got you some food from the hospital canteen. Eat it while it¡¯s hot.¡± Yu Li said with concern.


    ¡°Thank you again. I¡¯ll eat when I get home. I think my girlfriend has already cooked.¡± Wen Chi was no fool. How could he not see Yu Li¡¯s ulterior motive?


    Girlfriend?


    Yu Li¡¯s face turned pale. Why hadn¡¯t she heard that he had a girlfriend?


    She had been colleagues with him for so long, but she had never heard him mention that he had a girlfriend, nor had she seen any woman looking for him at the hospital.


    They had been colleagues for so long. Could he be telling her a little white lie? Did he see through her intentions?


    ¡°Sorry, it¡¯ste. I¡¯d better go.¡± With that, Wen Chi left the staff lounge.<div>


    He checked the time when he arrived at the hospital driveway. It was already seven o¡¯clock. Never mind, she would let Gu Huanhuan off and take a taxi home.


    While he was waiting for a taxi, Gu Huanhuan called him.


    She had called him before. She had saved his number.


    <div>

 Chapter 807: Is He Your Boyfriend?

    Chapter 807: Is He Your Boyfriend?


    Editor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Wen Chi looked at his phone and was stunned for a while before he pressed the answer button.


    ¡°Dr. Wen, where are you? Have you gone home? I¡¯m at the hospital now. If you are still here, I¡¯ll send you home.¡± Gu Huanhuan secretlyplimented herself for being such a nice person as she spoke. She was so thoughtful and considerate.


    ¡°Sure, I¡¯m at the hospital main entrance driveway now. Pick me up here.¡± Wen Chi said matter-of-factly.


    Of course, Gu Huanhuan didn¡¯t mind doing it. After all, it was her fault that his car was at the workshop.


    After Gu Huanhuan picked Wen Chi up, she asked tentatively, ¡°Would you like to drive?¡±


    ¡°Nah. You drive. Please send me to a ce where I can eat. I¡¯m hungry. Join me.¡± Wen Chi extended the dinner invitation to Gu Huanhuan.


    Gu Huanhuan rubbed her growling stomach. She hadn¡¯t eaten much today too. So, she didn¡¯t y hard to get and agreed. What was there to be afraid of?


    However, just so she wouldn¡¯t be recognized, she drove them to a private dining ce that she frequented.


    ¡°The owner of this private kitchen is nice. He only serves a table tops a day, but his dishes taste excellent. Not many people know this ce.¡± Gu Huanhuan exined, worried that Wen Chi would look down on the ce.<div>


    ¡°I¡¯m fine with anything.¡± Wen Chi said indifferently. He just needed to fill his stomach. He had been easy with food since he moved out from his parents¡¯ ce. His mother would nag him whenever he went home to eat, so he ate there less and less often now.


    When they arrived at the restaurant, there was an empty table. How lucky¡­


    Not long after they sat down, the boss walked over to their table. He was about fifty and looked very kind. The private kitchen didn¡¯t have any menu, so patrons could only ordermon home-cooked dishes.


    ¡°Miss Gu, what brings you here today?¡± It was obvious that Gu Huanhuan was a regr customer and the boss was very familiar with her. Before Gu Huanhuan could even answer his question, the boss¡¯ eyes lit up as he said, ¡°Oh, I get it now. So, you brought your boyfriend here for dinner. Thank you for patronizing my private kitchen. I¡¯ll definitely make you a tableful of delicious food.¡±


    The boss smiled knowingly as he spoke.


    Gu Huanhuan felt as if she had been struck by lightning. Her face instantly turned red as she exined quickly, ¡°No, no, you¡¯ve misunderstood. We¡¯re just friends.¡±


    Gu Huanhuan stole a nce at Wen Chi, who was sitting across from her. He looked very calm, as if he did not hear the boss¡¯ments. Only then did she feel a little less nervous.


    ¡°What would you like to have?¡± Gu Huanhuan asked Wen Chi. She didn¡¯t know his taste.


    ¡°Anything is fine. Youe here often, why don¡¯t you order?¡± Wen Chi said casually.


    ¡°Alright then.¡± Gu Huanhuan thought for a moment, then said to the boss, ¡°Boss, we¡¯ll have a steamed turbot, a tofu dish, a beef fried egg, and your soup of the day.¡±


    The boss quickly wrote her order and said, ¡°Got it. Please wait a moment.¡±


    After the boss left, Gu Huanhuan said with embarrassment, ¡°The boss was just joking. Don¡¯t mind him.¡±


    Wen Chi nced at her and asked, ¡°What did the boss say?¡±


    ¡°That you¡¯re¡­¡± Gu Huanhuan swallowed her words suddenly. Fortunately, she did not say the words ¡°my boyfriend¡±, or it would have been really embarrassing.


    ¡°Nothing.¡± She immediately corrected herself. Gu Huanhuan felt like she had been acting like a lunatic.


    Soon, their dishes were served. They were all delicious and appetizing.


    ¡°Let¡¯s dig in.¡± Gu Huanhuan picked up her chopsticks, picked up a piece of tofu and ate it with relish. The tofu was very tender and smooth; it was a dish that made people want to go back for more.

 Chapter 808: Are All Female Celebrities Like You?

    Chapter 808: Are All Female Celebrities Like You?


    Editor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Wen Chi was slightly surprised when he saw the way Gu Huanhuan enjoyed her food. His impression was that all female celebrities ate only a few grains of rice and dipped everything in water to remove any grease before they consumed it.


    He had a newfound respect for Gu Huanhuan when he saw that she didn¡¯t care about any of that.


    It would really ruin his appetite if he dined with someone who said that they were full after just two mouthfuls of food.


    Wen Chi picked up his chopsticks and started eating elegantly. Yes, what she said was true. Although the restaurant looked a little run-down, the food was really good. It wasn¡¯t too nd or too salty. He could eat the dishes even without rice. The food suited his pte well.


    ¡°How is it? Does the food taste okay?¡± Gu Huanhuan tried to get apliment when she saw Wen Chi pick up more and more food.


    ¡°Not bad.¡± Wen Chi¡¯s ¡°not bad¡± meant that he liked the food.


    ¡°Yeah, like I said. I didn¡¯t expect our tastes to be simr.¡± Gu Huanhuan said emotionally.


    The two of them quickly finished the dishes. Gu Huanhuan rubbed her stomach and told herself that she would be fine; it was just one big meal every now and then.


    Wen Chi was a gentleman. He asked the boss over and paid the bill before they left the restaurant.<div>


    Of course, Gu Huanhuan sent Wen Chi home first. She then saw that it was gettingte and decided to skip Qiyuan and go home straight.


    Shortly after she arrived home, she received a call from her manager. ¡°My dear, there¡¯s a mall opening ceremony the day after tomorrow. I¡¯ve already epted the job for you. You can make it, right?¡±


    Gu Huanhuan could not help but roll her eyes at the ceiling. Her manager had already epted the job. She couldn¡¯t say no now, right?


    She pondered for a moment. The day after tomorrow would be three days and Wen Chi would get his car back. She didn¡¯t need to be his personal chauffeur anymore. Her grandfather¡¯s condition had also improved. He would probably be discharged from the hospital by then. She should be able to attend the event with no problem.


    She was a dedicated artiste.


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll be at the office on time for my makeup. Please get the driver to pick me up.¡± Gu Huanhuan said.


    ¡°Okay, let me set it up. Rest early. Don¡¯t stay upte. It¡¯s not good for your skin. Also, please watch what you eat. Don¡¯t gain weight after I don¡¯t see you for a few days.¡± Her manager, Sister Gao, nagged.


    Gu Huanhuan answered guiltily, ¡°Okay.¡±


    Did Gu Huanhuan think that she could fool Sister Gao, a seasoned artiste manager? Just based on Gu Huanhuan¡¯s guilty tone, her manager knew that she must have overindulged.


    ¡°Quickly go and weigh yourself. Control your food intake tomorrow. Do you still remember what that vicious fashion blogger said about you thest time? She said that the screen couldn¡¯t even fit your face anymore.¡± Sister Gao¡¯s words were really hurtful, but they were also true.


    She recently acted as a gluttonous foodie in a movie. As a result, she ate too much prop food and put on a few kilograms. This kind of weight gain was fatal for an actress because the camera already added weight to a person. So, peoplemented that she had gained weight and look bloated, and this fashion blogger made thement that her face was bursting through the frame to get eyeballs.


    It was so hateful. Therefore, Gu Huanhuan gritted her teeth and went to the gym every day for a month. Finally, her hard work paid off. She got rid of the extra weight and even gained a lean and trim silhouette.


    She finally regained her pride and pped the fashion blogger in the face. After that, Sister Gao had been watching her closely. But Gu Huanhuan indulged sometimes when Sister Gao wasn¡¯t by her side. Worst case, she would just go to gym and workout again.


    ¡°Okay, Sister Gao.¡± Gu Huanhuan understood her manager¡¯s good intentions.


    ¡°Very well. Enjoy your beauty sleep. Goodnight.¡± Sister Gao said dly when she heard Gu Huanhuan¡¯spliance.


    ¡°Goodnight.¡±

 Chapter 809: Pressured to Get Married

    Chapter 809: Pressured to Get Married


    Editor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    The next day when Gu Huanhuan went to pick Wen Chi up, she told him that she had a job, it had been three days and he could get his car back today.


    Wen Chi nodded and told her that he would get his car after work today and she didn¡¯t need to be his personal chauffeur anymore.


    Gu Huanhuan was slightly surprised. How was he so much nicer now?


    However, she still said guiltily, ¡°I¡¯m really sorry. Just let me know when you get the bill. I¡¯ll transfer the money to you.¡±


    ¡°Alright, we¡¯ll figure it outter.¡± Wen Chi sat in the front passenger seat and pinched the bridge of his nose. He didn¡¯t sleep wellst night and had a slight headache now.


    It was mainly because he had been bombarded by his mother the whole ofst night.


    Last night when he got home after dinner, he received a call from his mother when he was resting on his sofa.


    It was the same old question again.


    Mrs. Wen went straight to the point and said, ¡°You must think about getting married soon. I¡¯m always asked by acquaintances why our son isn¡¯t married yet.¡±<div>


    Wen Chi was stunned. His parents had been anxious about him getting married but they had never called him sote at night to tell him that. Someone or something must have provoked his mother today.


    As expected, he heard Mrs. Wen say, ¡°The ssmate you used to hang out with, Zhao Rong, already has a three-year-old son. I almost couldn¡¯t recognize him when we bumped into each other today.¡±


    ¡°Mom, Zhao Rong started his career earlier. It¡¯s only natural that he got married and have kids earlier.¡± Wen Chi said helplessly as he rubbed his aching temples.


    ¡°Don¡¯t set your sights too high. You don¡¯t need a pretty wife, just someone who can take care of people. You know that you have a demanding job. Just find someone who loves you.¡± Mrs. Wen was a typical mother-inw.


    Wen Chi was silent for a moment. Finding the right person was really hard. He thought that he had found his ideal mate but she had rejected her before they even got started¡­


    His mentality now was to just let nature take its course. He would rather be single if he couldn¡¯t find the right mate.


    Mrs. Wen knew that her son had something on his mind when he didn¡¯t answer, so she nagged him about going home for dinner, etc. and then hung up.


    When Wen Chi went to bedst night, he kept thinking about this question and couldn¡¯t sleep.


    ¡°Dr. Wen, are you alright? We¡¯ve arrived at the hospital.¡± Gu Huanhuan said.


    Only then did Wen Chi snap back to his senses. He looked around and realized that they were already at the hospital main entrance driveway.


    ¡°Yes. Thanks.¡± Wen Chi opened the car door and left.


    Gu Huanhuan shook her head as she watch Wen Chi leave. ¡°Being a doctor is like having no off days. They are on call 24¡Á7.¡±


    Gu Huanhuan knew that her grandfather was getting a check-up this morning. Her father and cousin were both there, so she didn¡¯t go up. She turned her car around and drove to Qiyuan.


    She wanted to y with Xiaobao. She hadn¡¯t seen him for a few days and missed him.


    When she arrived at Qiyuan, she saw Shu Pan ying in the courtyard with Xiaobao, getting some sun at the same time.


    ¡°Cousin-inw, Xiaobao, I¡¯m here.¡± Gu Huanhuan greeted them happily.


    ¡°No work today?¡± Shu Pan asked with a smile.


    ¡°No, I have a mall opening ceremony tomorrow. I n to get a filming assignment soon but I haven¡¯t decided yet.¡± Gu Huanhuan only acted for fun. After all, she was quite well off financially.


    ¡°I see. Don¡¯t work too hard. Leave sometime to get a boyfriend.¡± Shu Pan teased.<div>


    ¡°Boyfriend? All I attract are nonsensical suitors.¡± Gu Huanhuan had been in the entertainment industry long enough to lose interest in finding true love.


    In our materialistic society today, love had be amodity. She had seen many such examples around her, so she had no expectations for romance.

 Chapter 810: Watching Her Image

    Chapter 810: Watching Her Image


    Editor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Because Gu Huanhuan had a job today, she woke up very early. She still had to go to the office to get dressed and have her makeup done.


    When she arrived at the office, Sister Gao was already waiting for her.


    ¡°My little goddess, you¡¯re finally here. I was afraid that you¡¯d bete.¡± Sister Gao almost knelt to thank the heavens when she saw Gu Huanhuan.


    ¡°Okay, okay. I know the time. Don¡¯t worry.¡± Gu Huanhuan said calmly.


    Sister Gao quickly called for a makeup artist to help Gu Huanhuan with her makeup. Gu Huanhuan was already used to being a puppet at the makeup artist¡¯s mercy.


    Soon, her makeup was done. Gu Huanhuan changed into a cream-colored short dress and high heels before she got into the chauffeured van.


    Gu Huanhuan sat in her personal seat.


    ¡°My dear goddess, please pay attention to the way you sit. Be careful not to crease your dress.¡± Gu Huanhuan could not help but roll her eyes at Sister Gao, who made a fuss over such small matters.


    ¡°Don¡¯t mind my nagging, youngdy. If you want to be in Director Zhang¡¯s movie, please behave yourself and avoid messy scandals or negative news.¡± Sister Gao said solemnly.<div>


    ¡°Director Zhang? He¡¯s directing a new movie?¡± Gu Huanhuan¡¯s interest was suddenly piqued. Director Zhang was her idol and she would be so lucky to work with him¡­


    ¡°Yes, but it isn¡¯t easy to get a role in that movie. I heard that the female lead will be best actress Ye Lan and they are still searching for the second female lead.¡± Sister Gao sighed. This was indeed a rare opportunity. With such a good team, it was hard not to be noticed.


    ¡°Then I guess there¡¯s no hope.¡± Gu Huanhuan said dejectedly. She knew herself well. Although she was somewhat famous, she was nothingpared to those big shots.


    ¡°Don¡¯t lose heart. I heard that three people are fighting to be the second female lead, but one of them just had a scandal yesterday. I think she¡¯s probably out of the race.¡± Sister Gao said happily. Timing of things were quite ingenious sometimes, but this was the entertainment industry. Things that destroyed an artiste¡¯s credibility were often invisible. One little mistake and you would fall from grace.


    ¡°What kind of scandal?¡± Gu Huanhuan asked. She usually did not scroll the news sites when on break, so she didn¡¯t know what happened.


    ¡°Just read the entertainment news headlines.¡± Sister Gao said disdainfully.


    Gu Huanhuan clicked on a news site and saw the big headline. ¡°Isn¡¯t that Su Qian? She fought with her nemesis for the lead role in theirst movie but because her look was more seductive, she became the second female lead and her nemesis became the female lead. However, she caused her a lot of trouble during filming.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that just her? They are nemeses and often fought for roles. But she couldn¡¯t help it because she had a sugar daddy. Now that her affair with the married man had been exposed, throughpromising photos no less, there¡¯s no way she can deny it.¡± Sister Gao said with schadenfreude. With a scandal like that, Gu Huanhuan would have one lesspetitor. At the very least, her chances of getting the role would be higher.


    ¡°Sigh, things do happen out of the blue.¡± Gu Huanhuan was also filled with emotions. She also couldn¡¯t afford to take one wrong step, or she would fall into the abyss.


    She should take this as a warning.


    They continued to chat and soon arrived at the mall where the event would be held. Gu Huanhuan straightened her dress and slowly got out of the van.


    The outside of the van was already filled with fans. Everyone was in high spirits as they weed their idol.


    ¡°Huanzi, over here.¡±


    ¡°Huanzi, you¡¯re so beautiful.¡±


    ¡°Huanzi, I love you.¡±


    ¡­


    Gu Huanhuan smiled and waved to greet everyone.


    Her fans got even more excited and shouted even louder. The scene went out of control.


    <div>

 Chapter 811: An Accident

    Chapter 811: An ident


    Editor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Gu Huanhuan was led through the crowd by the event staff and onto the stage.


    Today, she was attending the opening ceremony of a shopping mall. Although Gu Huanhuan wasn¡¯t particrly fond of such events and preferred to focus entirely on her acting career, she couldn¡¯t refuse thepany¡¯s arrangement. After all, thepany had its reasons.


    Despite her reservations, Gu Huanhuan was genuinely happy to see the fans who hade from afar to see her. Their dedication touched her.


    As the event began, the host introduced the main management personnel of the mall and highlighted some of the mall¡¯s features before introducing Gu Huanhuan.


    ¡°Today, we are fortunate to have Huanzi with us. It¡¯s truly our lucky day. Let¡¯s give her a warm wee,¡± the host said enthusiastically, showcasing his excellent oratory skills.


    ¡°Hello, host. Hello, everyone. Thank you all foring. It¡¯s an honor to meet you all¡­¡± Gu Huanhuan said. She was quite familiar with such asions and spoke confidently, without a hint of stage fright.


    The fans¡¯ enthusiasm was palpable, with many shouting, ¡°Huanzi, I love you!¡± and ¡°Huanzi, you¡¯re my goddess!¡±


    ¡­


    Huanzi smiled and waved to the crowd. The host, sensing the excitement from the fans, spoke up, ¡°Alright, everyone, let¡¯s quiet down a bit. It¡¯s time for our Q&A session.¡±<div>


    The crowd instantly hushed. ¡°Who has a question for our goddess?¡± the host asked.


    ¡°I do!¡± A young girl confidently stepped forward. ¡°Huanzi, when will you start filming your next movie? Will it be another youth romance drama?¡±


    ¡°Nothing is set yet. I¡¯m still looking for the right script. Personally, I hope to try different roles and not get typecast,¡± Gu Huanhuan exined.


    ¡°Huanzi, do you have a boyfriend?¡± a sudden voice called out. Gu Huanhuan was momentarily taken aback by the question.


    ¡°No,¡± she answered without hesitation.


    ¡°What type do you like?¡± someone quickly followed up.


    Everyone fell silent, eager to hear her response.


    ¡°Hmm, someone refined and responsible, with long, well-defined fingers,¡± Gu Huanhuan answered after a brief pause.


    For some reason, as she spoke, an image of Wen Chi popped into her mind. It seemed like she was describing him.


    ¡°Wow, Huanzi is into hands!¡± a fan eximed.


    Gu Huanhuanughed. ¡°But I haven¡¯t met anyone like that yet. Hopefully, love wille around the corner.¡±


    The crowd erupted into excitement. Sister Gao, in the audience, looked exasperated.


    This girl was too naive. She answered everything honestly without considering the consequences. Public figures shouldn¡¯t do that.


    Sister Gao could already imagine tomorrow¡¯s headlines. ¡°Huanzi Wants to Fall in Love¡± and ¡°Huanzi Is a Hand Enthusiast?¡±


    Now, she would have to clean up the aftermath again. What a headache.


    As the event drew to a close, Gu Huanhuan prepared to leave. Suddenly, the crowd behind her surged forward, causing her to stumble and twist her ankle.


    Ouch¡­


    A sharp pain shot through her ankle. Gu Huanhuan¡¯s face contorted with pain, her forehead beading with sweat, and herplexion turned pale.


    ¡°Sister Gao, I¡­ I think I twisted my ankle,¡± Gu Huanhuan said, wincing in pain.<div>


    ¡°What? How could you be so careless? I¡¯ll take you to the hospital right away,¡± Sister Gao, everposed in such situations, quickly calmed down.


    She hurriedly supported Gu Huanhuan.


    Despite the crowded scene, no one seemed to notice her distress.


    ¡°I know someone at the hospital. Take me there,¡± Gu Huanhuan suddenly thought of Wen Chi.<div>

 Chapter 812: So She Had This Side

    Chapter 812: So She Had This Side


    Editor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Gu Huanhuan had her concerns. Given that her TV series were widely popr, many people recognized her. If she were photographed at the hospital, who knew what kind of rumors would spread?


    Still, would it be too abrupt to seek help from Wen Chi? However, the increasing pain in her ankle left her with little choice.


    She informed Sister Gao of the hospital where Wen Chi worked.


    Without wasting a moment, Sister Gao arranged for a driver to pick them up.


    Fortunately, the hospital wasn¡¯t far. In the car, Gu Huanhuan dialed Wen Chi¡¯s number. Soon, Wen Chi¡¯s deep voice came through, ¡°Hello, what is it?¡±


    His tone was indifferent, almost emotionless, yet it was very pleasant, like a clear, cool spring.


    Gu Huanhuan listened, momentarily dazed by his voice.


    ¡°It¡¯s me, Gu Huanhuan. Dr. Wen, are you at the hospital now? I twisted my ankle¡­¡± she quickly exined after snapping out of her daze.


    Wen Chi frowned upon hearing her words. Shouldn¡¯t a sprain be treated by an orthopedic doctor? Why was she calling him?<div>


    Sensing his silence, Gu Huanhuan grew nervous. ¡°The thing is, Dr. Wen, I¡¯m afraid of being seen and ending up in the tabloids again. I just twisted my ankle. If you could help me set it right, that would be great.¡±


    Wen Chi rubbed his forehead. He could handle a simple sprain. Checking his schedule, he saw he had no surgeries. Well, he thought, I might as well do a good deed for the day.


    ¡°Alright,e to the lounge on the fifth floor,¡± Wen Chi finally said.


    ¡°Thank you so much, Dr. Wen! You¡¯re really kind,¡± Gu Huanhuan gushed.


    Sister Gao, overhearing her ttery, couldn¡¯t help but cringe a little.


    At the hospital, Gu Huanhuan switched to a pair of t shoes, put on a mask, and added a jacket over her clothes to appear less conspicuous. Fortunately, the car was stocked with such items. Supported by Sister Gao, she made her way to the ce Wen Chi had mentioned.


    Wen Chi¡¯s office was spacious and orderly, reflecting his meticulous nature. Gu Huanhuan guessed that his home was likely just as tidy. However, Wen Chi wasn¡¯t in his office when they arrived. As she looked around for him, he entered with some medical supplies in hand.


    Wen Chi, upon seeing Gu Huanhuan, was momentarily taken aback. She had her head slightly lowered, the curve of her profile graceful, her skin delicate and porcin-like, and her mid-length ck hair hanging smoothly around her face. This demure and innocent look was quite different from the confident persona he had seen before.


    At that moment, Gu Huanhuan¡¯s face contorted with pain, herplexion pale.


    Seeing the elegantlyposed Wen Chi, who managed to make a simple white coat look distinguished, Gu Huanhuan found herself staring.


    Wen Chi cleared his throat to cover hispse, ¡°Sit over there on the sofa. I¡¯ll take a look.¡±


    He set the supplies on the table and, after Gu Huanhuan had seated herself, gently lifted her foot. He moved it slightly, ¡°It¡¯s nothing serious, just a mild sprain.¡±


    With that, he applied a sudden twist. Gu Huanhuan cried out, tears springing to her eyes.


    ¡°All done. Now I¡¯ll get some ice to reduce the swelling,¡± Wen Chi informed her.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Gu Huanhuan said, her eyes slightly red but filled with gratitude.


    ¡°I have some matters to attend to. You can rest here for a while,¡± Wen Chi added, preparing to leave.


    ¡°Okay, my manager wille to get me. She stepped out to take a call,¡± Gu Huanhuan exined.


    A producer had called Sister Gao, likely to discuss a potential coboration. Gu Huanhuan hadn¡¯t expected the ensuing sequence of events.


    <div>

 Chapter 813: The One Who Knows Women the Most

    Chapter 813: The One Who Knows Women the Most


    Editor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    After Wen Chi left, Gu Huanhuan sat on the sofa, pouting as she looked at her foot. It was swollen and red, resembling a braised pig¡¯s trotter. She couldn¡¯t help but feel a bit down; it seemed like luck wasn¡¯t on her sidetely.


    Thankfully, it wasn¡¯t a serious injury. If she¡¯d been bedridden, it would have been a disaster.


    As Gu Huanhuan was lost in thought, someone entered the room¡ªa graceful woman in a white coat, carrying a cup of aromatic hot coffee. The woman scrutinized Gu Huanhuan, who was sitting on the sofa.


    Her delicate face was adorned with small, exquisite features and fair skin. Most notably, she exuded a youthful vibrance.


    ¡°Who are you? What are you doing here? Don¡¯t you know this is Dr. Wen¡¯s private lounge?¡± the woman asked, cing the coffee cup on the table and frowning.


    Gu Huanhuan nced at the name badge on the woman¡¯s coat. It turned out she was Wen Chi¡¯s colleague from the same department, named Yu Li.


    ¡°I¡¯m¡­ a friend of Dr. Wen¡¯s,¡± Gu Huanhuan responded calmly.


    ¡°A friend?¡± Yu Li¡¯s lips curled slightly, a glint of curiosity in her eyes.


    Apart from the ¡°girlfriend¡± Wen Chi had mentioned before, Yu Li had never seen any female friendse to visit him.<div>


    ¡°Yes, a friend. Why? Can¡¯t he have friends?¡± Gu Huanhuan said with a smile.


    Yu Li¡¯s expression darkened, but she spoke up, ¡°Dr. Wen doesn¡¯t like people being in his private lounge.¡±


    Last time, when she had something to discuss with him, he had been visibly displeased, instructing her to visit him in the clinic instead of his lounge. She figured he was quite particr about his privacy and thereafter only visited him in the clinic, seldoming to the lounge.


    Seeing a woman here now, she feltpelled to issue a friendly warning.


    ¡°Do you like Dr. Wen?¡± Gu Huanhuan suddenly asked.


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Yu Li retorted, clearly flustered and embarrassed, as if Gu Huanhuan had hit a nerve.


    ¡°Feeling guilty, aren¡¯t you? Looks like you do like him.¡± Women understood women best. Although Gu Huanhuan had never been in a rtionship, she could tell from a woman¡¯s intuition. When someone likes another person, they often have a strong sense of possession and don¡¯t tolerate others encroaching on their territory.


    Moreover, Yu Li¡¯s slightly bitter tone was almost dripping with jealousy.


    ¡°So what? An outstanding man naturally attracts outstanding women,¡± Yu Li said proudly, puffing out her chest and looking down at Gu Huanhuan with a haughty gaze.


    Yu Li figured that Gu Huanhuan probably wasn¡¯t Wen Chi¡¯s girlfriend. After all, she didn¡¯t seem nervous at all, despite another woman eyeing her man. Normally, wouldn¡¯t a woman be anxious in such a situation?


    Gu Huanhuan pretended to understand and nodded, ¡°Yes, indeed. You are an outstanding woman, and it¡¯s only fitting for you to be with an outstanding man.¡±


    ¡°You¡­¡±


    Yu Li was rendered speechless. She could hear the hidden sarcasm in Gu Huanhuan¡¯s voice but couldn¡¯t find a way to refute it. Her meticulously made-up face twisted slightly in frustration.


    This woman was really annoying, and a bit naive. No, she didn¡¯t know her ce.


    ¡°Dr. Yu, right? If you need to see him, let¡¯s wait together,¡± Gu Huanhuan said, unable to tolerate Yu Li¡¯s superior attitude any longer. Her words had a hint of sharpness, but she thought, what if Yu Li had an urgent matter with Wen Chi? If she drove her away out of spite, she would feel guilty. After all, Wen Chi had been her benefactor.


    It seemed Yu Li didn¡¯t appreciate the gesture. She shot Gu Huanhuan a fierce re before turning and walking out.


    Gu Huanhuan was left a bit dumbfounded by the proud woman.


    She had probably offended her, but since they had no prior connection, it shouldn¡¯t matter.


    But sh*t would always happen.<div>

 Chapter 814: Your Girlfriend Is a Doctor?

    Chapter 814: Your Girlfriend Is a Doctor?


    Editor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Gu Huanhuan looked around the room, feeling a bit bored. Sister Gao hade by earlier to check on her and mentioned that she had to handle some things and woulde backter to pick her up.


    Gu Huanhuan nodded. Given the state of her foot, she couldn¡¯t go hopping around anyway, so she decided it was better to stay put.


    Feeling troubled, she thought about her recent string of bad luck. Her eyelids grew heavier and heavier.


    When Wen Chi returned an hourter, he saw Gu Huanhuan asleep on the sofa.


    Her small face was nestled against the sofa, looking very peaceful, quite different from her usual mischievous self.


    Wen Chi was somewhat surprised; he had thought she would have left by now.


    The sound of the door closing must have startled her, as Gu Huanhuan suddenly opened her sleepy eyes.


    ¡°You¡¯re back,¡± she said in a slightly coquettish tone.


    ¡°Mm, why are you still here?¡± Wen Chi asked.<div>


    ¡°My manager is busy and wille back to pick me upter. Am I bothering you?¡± Gu Huanhuan felt a bit embarrassed. After all, they weren¡¯t even friends, and she was just lingering here, which felt rather awkward.


    ¡°No, it¡¯s fine.¡± Wen Chi replied, taking off his white coat and hanging it up.


    ¡°Is your girlfriend also a doctor?¡± Gu Huanhuan asked tentatively.


    Wen Chi nced at her, frowning slightly. ¡°I don¡¯t have a girlfriend. Why do you ask?¡±


    ¡°Oh, earlier, a beautiful doctor named Yu Li came looking for you. She even made you coffee. I thought she might be your girlfriend and was worried she¡¯d misunderstand,¡± Gu Huanhuan exined to Wen Chi. She didn¡¯t want to cause any trouble for him, even though she had enjoyed the banter.


    ¡°That¡¯s just my colleague. It shouldn¡¯t be a problem,¡± Wen Chi replied nonchntly. In truth, he hoped Yu Li would misunderstand. She was often overly enthusiastic, which made him ufortable. However, as colleagues, they had to see each other regrly, so he couldn¡¯t be too blunt.


    Yu Li seemed oblivious to his hints. One of his principles was to avoid workce romances. He didn¡¯t want to mix personal feelings with his work.


    ¡°That¡¯s good to hear. When do you think my foot will heal?¡± Gu Huanhuan asked worriedly. She had just been discussing a new job and didn¡¯t want any dys.


    ¡°It should heal quickly,¡± Wen Chi reassured her. He sat on the sofa and examined her foot again.


    His office was well-equipped with everything from bandages, alcohol, and cotton swabs to ice packs.


    He picked up some ice and applied it to her ankle. Gu Huanhuan winced; it still hurt a bit.


    Up close, his face was chiseled and striking. The faint scent of disinfectant on him was surprisingly not unpleasant.


    Wen Chi was focused on treating her ankle, and Gu Huanhuan felt a bit awkward, wanting to say something to break the silence.


    ¡°Your colleague, she¡¯s quite pretty and has a nice figure,¡± Gu Huanhuan remarked casually, with no particr tone, as if discussing the weather.


    Wen Chi suddenly looked up at her, trying to discern any hidden meaning in her words. But he found none.


    ¡°What are you trying to say?¡± Wen Chi asked calmly. This man really knew how to kill a conversation.


    ¡°Nothing,¡± Gu Huanhuan pouted.


    They both fell silent until Sister Gao returned, breaking the awkwardness.


    ¡°How¡¯s everything? Can we leave now?¡± Sister Gao asked, cutting through the tension.<div>

 Chapter 815: Stingy Person

    Chapter 815: Stingy Person


    Editor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go,¡± Gu Huanhuan said, feeling a sudden wave of relief. ¡°Dr. Wen, thank you.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re wee, but remember, I still have a bill for you to settle,¡± Wen Chi replied, causing Gu Huanhuan to pause. What a penny-pincher, she thought. Did he really need to remind her like that?


    ¡°Oh, right. How much is the bill?¡± Gu Huanhuan seized the opportunity to ask, wanting to clear any debts.


    ¡°We¡¯ll discuss it once your foot is healed,¡± Wen Chi responded nonchntly.


    ¡°Fine then.¡± Gu Huanhuan made a silly face at his back as he turned away.


    Sister Gao helped Gu Huanhuan out of the office. To avoid being recognized, Gu Huanhuan wore a mask. As they walked, Sister Gao fussed, ¡°You need to be more careful, dear. With you getting hurt like this, I¡¯m worried about finding work for you. Who knows when you¡¯ll be able to walk normally again?¡±


    ¡°Dr. Wen said it¡¯s nothing serious. It should heal quickly.¡± Gu Huanhuan replied, noticing the pain had lessened. Wen Chi really knew what he was doing.


    Miss Gu, you might say that now, but if others heard, their criticism would drown you.


    ¡°That¡¯s good to hear. I have to say, that Dr. Wen is really handsome. Do you think he¡¯d be interested in joining the entertainment industry? I could be his manager and make him a star.¡± Sister Gao couldn¡¯t help but return to her professional instincts.<div>


    Gu Huanhuan rolled her eyes and gave her a disdainful look. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you ask him just now?¡±


    ¡°Oh, I should have! What a missed opportunity,¡± Sister Gao said, genuinely disappointed.


    Gu Huanhuan was speechless, but she couldn¡¯t deny that Wen Chi had the looks for it. No wonder Sister Gao saw potential in him. She was, after all, an expert at spotting talent in the entertainment industry.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± Gu Huanhuan said, not wanting to dwell on the topic any longer.


    Back home, Gu Huanhuan sighed deeply.


    Could anyone be more unlucky than her?


    Looking at her swollen foot, she resigned herself to resting and recovering.


    ¡­


    Grandpa Gu stayed in the hospital for a week. After a thorough examination, the doctor concluded there was nothing serious, and he just needed to rest well at home.


    Finally, Gu Shaoting could breathe a sigh of relief.


    He carefully settled Grandpa Gu back at home, and everyone was delighted.


    Early in the morning, Gu Huanhuan opened her eyes in the dim light. The room was quiet, with beige curtains drawn tightly shut.


    Yesterday, Gu Shaoting hade home, and in the evening, Xiaobao slept with the nanny.


    She threw off the covers and noticed she was wearing loose satin pajamas. Rubbing her head, she tried to remember what had happened but could only recall chatting with Gu Shaoting the previous night before her memory went nk.


    Thinking back to what happened afterward made Shu Pan¡¯s face flush.


    Alright, it was time to get up and prepare milk for Xiaobao. Gu Shaoting must have risen early; she didn¡¯t see any sign of him.


    Fully awake, Shu Pan got out of bed, dressed neatly, and stepped into the living room.


    Bright sunlight streamed in through the windows, illuminating the room. A man stood there in a navy blue striped loungewear, his tall and elegant silhouette resembling a backlit painting.


    He had his head slightly lowered, his features sharp and his lips pressed together in concentration.<div>


    In Gu Shaoting¡¯s arms was indeed little Xiaobao, looking innocent and yful.


    ¡°Baby, don¡¯t be naughty. You¡¯ll wake Mommy up,¡± Gu Shaoting coaxed Xiaobao.


    It seemed Xiaobao was thrilled to be held after some time, as he reacted joyfully.


    Shu Pan often saw himforting Xiaobao, but it seemed he had never been quite so dedicated before.<div>

 Chapter 816: Unlimited Doting

    Chapter 816: Unlimited Doting


    Editor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Gu Shaoting didn¡¯t seem to notice that Shu Pan was already awake and watching him.


    In the bright sunlight, his actions while holding Xiaobao were so tender that she was entranced, unable to move for a long time.


    In the future, whenever she recalled Mr. Gu¡¯s most charming moments, this scene would inevitablye to mind.


    Shu Pan didn¡¯t make a sound as she walked quietly over, her steps light. She wrapped her arms around his waist from behind, pressing her cheek against his broad back, almost wishing time could stop at this moment.


    Gu Shaoting, always focused on his tasks, kept his eyes on the baby in his arms, seemingly never getting enough. It wasn¡¯t until he felt her presence that he realized Shu Pan had embraced him from behind and softly called his name.


    He chuckled deeply, looking at her delicate hands sped around his waist. ¡°Awake already? Why not sleep a little longer?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve had enough sleep. Why are you up so early?¡± She thought about how he had been at the hospital taking care of Grandpa, looking worn out after a week, and it pained her to see him like that.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine. My body clock hasn¡¯t adjusted yet.¡±


    Shu Pan moved from behind him to sit beside him and then reached out to poke Xiaobao¡¯s little cheek.<div>


    She then grumbled, ¡°You little rascal, you ignore me when your daddy is home, but cling to me tightly when he¡¯s away. What¡¯s with that?¡±


    Gu Shaoting found her serious talk with Xiaobao amusing. He reached out, pinched her cheek gently, and smiled warmly, ¡°Isn¡¯t it nice that Xiaobao clings to you?¡±


    ¡°Nice? I can¡¯t get anything done.¡± Shu Pan pouted.


    ¡°What do you want to do? I¡¯ll keep youpany today.¡± Mr. Gu was indeed endlessly indulgent with his wife.


    ¡°I haven¡¯t thought about it yet.¡± Shu Pan knew he had been exhausted recently because of Grandpa¡¯s illness. She was just venting earlier, without any specific intention.


    ¡°Let me know when you think of something.¡± Gu Shaoting smiled indulgently.


    ¡°Okay.¡± His warm, loving gaze made her feel truly cherished.


    ¡°How about you twoe to the office with me today?¡± Gu Shaoting suddenly suggested.


    ¡°You¡¯ll be busy at thepany. We¡¯ll just be in the way.¡± Shu Pan frowned, wondering why he was in the mood for this.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. There¡¯s nothing urgent today, just some paperwork. Once I¡¯m done, I can take you out. I¡¯ve neglected youtely, and it¡¯s boring for you to be stuck at home all the time.¡± Gu Shaoting¡¯s reasoning left her with little to argue against, especially since Xiaobao was already clutching his father¡¯s shirt, unwilling to let go.


    ¡­


    The CEO¡¯s office of Gu Group was normally a ce of serious business, the sleek floors of the office today were upied by a little one, wobbling and babbling as he crawled around. Standing nearby, Gu Shaoting¡¯s tall and handsome figure kept a gentle watch, ready to intervene should the child stumble.


    Shu Pan, sitting on the office sofa, felt at a loss. She watched Xiaobao, her face full of resignation, realizing that with him here, Gu Shaoting probably wouldn¡¯t be able to get much done.


    ¡°You go ahead and work; I¡¯ll keep an eye on him,¡± Shu Pan suggested, knowing that at this rate, it would be a while before they could leave.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine, there¡¯s nothing urgent. Look, he seems to enjoy being here. Maybe you should bring him more often,¡± Gu Shaoting replied with a smile.


    Shu Pan couldn¡¯t help but roll her eyes at him. Did he think the office was a yground?

 Chapter 817: The Tragic Huanhuan

    Chapter 817: The Tragic Huanhuan


    Editor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Gu Shaoting watched her, finding her quite endearing.


    Shu Pan couldn¡¯t bear to watch any longer. She stood up, bent down, and scooped Xiaobao into her arms. ¡°Come y with Mommy. Daddy has to work now.¡±


    Mr. Gu certainly couldn¡¯t resist his beloved wife.


    Xiaobao stayed in his mommy¡¯s arms only for a moment before fussing to be with his daddy again. The little guy, just over a year old, was already showing his personality.


    Xiaobao could walk now, so he toddled towards his daddy on his chubby little legs. Today, he wore a pair of denim overalls that made him look both dashing and adorable. His tender little face was so cute it could melt anyone¡¯s heart.


    ¡°Come here, Xiaobao. Come to Daddy. Be careful,¡± Gu Shaoting encouraged him, gesturing with his hand.


    The little guy grinned, drooling as he wobbled on his tiny legs.


    With eyes sparkling like stars, he kept his gaze fixed on his father, spurred on by the encouragement. His steps were unsteady, making Shu Pan¡¯s heart skip a beat as she watched.


    Sure enough, his little legs weren¡¯t strong enough yet, and he soon plopped down on the floor. A flicker of concern crossed Gu Shaoting¡¯s eyes. He quickly got up, scooped Xiaobao into his arms, and held him close.<div>


    Shu Pan watched the father and son duo with some exasperation. ¡°Bring him here; he¡¯s ready for his milk.¡±


    As she spoke, she shook the freshly prepared form.


    Gu Shaoting carried him over. Shu Pan handed him the bottle. The little guy, seemingly hungry, grabbed the bottle and began drinking eagerly, his round eyes darting between his mommy and daddy before he settled down.


    Gu Shaoting held Xiaobao in one arm and wrapped the other around Shu Pan, nting a kiss on her cheek.


    ¡°Are you almost done with your work? Xiaobao¡¯s been a handful. Maybe I should take him home first, and you cane home when you¡¯re finished,¡± Shu Pan suggested, frowning slightly.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. I¡¯m almost done. Things are running smoothly now; there¡¯s nothing particrly urgent,¡± Gu Shaoting said nonchntly. Nothing was more important than his wife and child now.


    Xiaobao seemed to understand and pouted, looking very innocent. What trouble had he caused?


    Shu Pan pinched Xiaobao¡¯s cheek gently. ¡°Hurry up and finish your milk so Daddy can get back to work.¡±


    For the next week, Gu Shaoting switched to going to the office every other day, spending his days ying and having fun with Xiaobao and Joy. If he needed to go to the office and Xiaobao fussed, he¡¯d bring him along. Where was the principled Mr. Gu from before?


    ¡­


    While Gu Shaoting¡¯s family was enjoying harmonious and happy times, Gu Huanhuan was having a tough time. Her swollen foot had finally subsided, but it was still somewhat painful. To follow the principle of ¡°eating what you need to heal,¡± she had her assistant buy pig trotters for soup. After a few days of rest, she had gained three pounds.


    As a result, the first thing she had to do once her foot healed was to be dragged to exercise by Sister Gao. Recalling the moment Sister Gao saw her, it was truly a tragic scene.


    Sister Gao, with a hint of exasperation, said, ¡°You really should think about your status. The roles I¡¯m negotiating for you are all goddess-like. Look at yourself now¡­¡±


    Gu Huanhuan felt utterly ashamed by her words, so for the past few days, she obediently went to the gym. asionally, she even took selfies to post on Weibo.


    However, one thing kept nagging at Gu Huanhuan¡¯s mind: she still hadn¡¯t paid Wen Chi for the car repair. She wondered if he had forgotten about it since he hadn¡¯t contacted her recently.


    But she wasn¡¯t someone who liked owing others, so she decided to take the initiative and find him.

 Chapter 818: Rumors

    Chapter 818: Rumors


    Editor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Gu Huanhuan was a woman of her word. As soon as she thought about it, she immediately dialed Wen Chi¡¯s number. However, the phone rang for a long time without anyone picking up.


    An hourter, Wen Chi saw her missed call and returned it.


    ¡°What¡¯s the matter, Miss Gu?¡± Wen Chi¡¯s voice was always so clear, like it was free of any impurities.


    ¡°Oh, Dr. Wen, I wanted to ask how much the car repair cost?¡± Gu Huanhuan felt a bit flustered, startled by the sudden return call.


    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s what it¡¯s about. But I¡¯m currently out of town for a study program and won¡¯t be back until the day after tomorrow. We can talk about it then.¡± Wen Chi hadn¡¯t really intended to ask her to pay. The amount was minor, but he hadn¡¯t expected this girl to be so concerned, keeping it on her mind all this time.


    ¡°Alright.¡± She could only wait for his return, though she felt a bit dejected that this matter would continue to weigh on her mind.


    After hanging up, Gu Huanhuan settled down to read the script Sister Gao had given her. She had an audition in a couple of days for a role many others were vying for, secured only through Sister Gao¡¯s extensive connections.


    She had been eyeing Director Zhang¡¯s new film, but her uncooperative foot had caused her to miss the casting call, so she had to let that opportunity go.


    Luckily, there was now this new project to make up for it, a film by the renowned Director Guan.<div>


    The film, titled ¡°Meeting By Chance,¡± was adapted from a lengthy novel. It told the story of childhood sweethearts who got separated andter reunited. The story spanned a significant amount of time, making it a challenging role to portray.


    Gu Huanhuan had never acted in a film of this type before, so she was eager and excited about the opportunity.


    The lead male role had already been cast, with the talented and popr young actor Wu Jie starring. They were now looking for the female lead. The film was adapted by a top screenwriter from a well-known novel and had already generated significant buzz online before shooting had even begun.


    The production nned to invite a group of exceptionally good-looking idol neers, ensuring it would be a star-studded affair.


    Due to the high profile of the film, many actresses were vying for the female lead role.


    Gu Huanhuan wanted to understand the inner emotional changes of the female lead, so she took the time to read the novel. She was deeply moved by the resilience and strength of the heroine, which made her determined tond this role.


    However, she was a bit troubled. She had previously filmed amercial with Wu Jie, and there had been rumors about them, the first scandal she faced since entering the entertainment industry. If she did get this role, she worried that those old rumors might resurface.


    It was quite a headache.


    But then Gu Huanhuan reminded herself that she didn¡¯t even know if she would get the role yet. Worrying about it now was just borrowing trouble.


    ¡­


    The female lead, Yun Duo, in ¡°Meeting By Chance,¡± was a dance major. Even though the film didn¡¯t feature many dance scenes, Gu Huanhuan felt it necessary to brush up on her dancing skills. She had some background in dance and just needed to intensify her training.


    ¡°Lift your leg, turn,nd on your toes,e on, one more time¡­¡± Taking advantage of her free time, Gu Huanhuan returned to thepany¡¯s dance studio to stretch and get back into the rhythm with the guidance of an instructor.


    In the spacious practice room, the instructor watched the increasingly agile girl with genuine admiration.


    The harder you work, the luckier you get.


    Gu Huanhuan wore ck practice clothes, her long ponytail tied high, tracing a graceful arc through the air with her spins. Her dance was already beginning to take shape.

 Chapter 819: Secretly Competing

    Chapter 819: Secretly Competing


    Editor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    On the day Wen Chi returned, Gu Huanhuan was auditioning. Filled with anticipation, she couldn¡¯t help but feel nervous.


    The audition room was packed with popr young actresses. Given the childhood sweetheart theme, the age requirement was lower, but thepetition was fierce.


    While waiting, Gu Huanhuan was reviewing her script when she overheard a conversation nearby. The voices were low, but she could hear them clearly.


    ¡°Yiyi, who do you think will get the female lead?¡± It was Susie, a rising star in the entertainment industry, who had recently gained acim for her performance in a well-received drama. Her confidence showed in her tone.


    ¡°It¡¯ll be you, obviously. The rest of us are just here to fill the numbers.¡± The response came from Liu Yiyi, the second lead in a currently popr TV series.


    ¡°That¡¯s not certain. This is Director Guan¡¯s project, after all. Did you see? Every Tom, Dick, and Harry showed up.¡± Susie said with disdain, her tone dripping with arrogance as if the lead role was already hers.


    ¡°Yeah, people need to know their ce,¡± Liu Yiyi added, ncing in Gu Huanhuan¡¯s direction.


    Gu Huanhuan felt the weight of Liu Yiyi¡¯s stare and frowned slightly.


    Therger the forest, the more varied the birds.<div>


    Susie pretended to pull on Liu Yiyi¡¯s sleeve and whispered, ¡°Stop it. We¡¯ll see who has real talent soon enough.¡±


    At the first nce, Gu Huanhuan had recognized Susie. Their paths had crossed before when they bothpeted for a role, a role Gu Huanhuan ultimately secured, leading to Susie holding a grudge.


    Later, Susie¡¯s career took off after she reportedly found a powerful patron, leading to better opportunities and eventuallynding leading roles, which made her an instant star.


    Now, she walked with an air of superiority, looking down on others.


    Gu Huanhuan had no intention of engaging with her. It was best to stay far away from people like Susie.


    Soon, it was Susie¡¯s turn. She adjusted her outfit and walked confidently into the room.


    Gu Huanhuan felt a wave of nervousness; she would be next.


    She focused on her emotions, preparing for the scene where the characters reunite after ten years. The joy, excitement, and tension needed to burst forth all at once.


    Gu Huanhuan sat quietly, closing her eyes, detaching from her surroundings.


    After a while, the door opened, and Susie emerged.


    ¡°How did it go? You were in there for quite a while. They must have been pleased with your performance,¡± Liu Yiyi said excitedly, as if she herself had been auditioning.


    Susie modestly replied, ¡°It was alright. I think I did okay.¡±


    ¡°Dear, if you get the lead role, don¡¯t forget your sister here. Help me get a small part, okay?¡± Liu Yiyi revealed her true motive.


    Out of Liu Yiyi¡¯s sight, Susie¡¯s eyes shed with contempt. No wonder she was sucking up to her. She didn¡¯t even realize her own insignificance and hope to get into Director Guan¡¯s film. How delusional.


    Of course, Susie would never let Liu Yiyi see this. In the entertainment industry, where ttery and backstabbing were the norms, having one more friend and one less enemy was crucial. After all, there were plenty of people ready to kick you when you were down.


    Before entering the audition room, Gu Huanhuan nced at them and caught Susie¡¯s expression. This was the entertainment world¡ªfull of fake friendships.


    Taking a deep breath, Gu Huanhuan gently pushed open the door.


    Inside, she saw Director Guan and several investors seated.


    She bowed politely, ready to give it her all.<div>

 Chapter 820: Who Is the Female Lead?

    Chapter 820: Who Is the Female Lead?


    Editor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    ¡°Miss Gu Huanhuan, right? You can start now. Perform Yun Duo¡¯s dance, then proceed to their meeting,¡± Director Guan briefly outlined the scene.


    The days of hard practice had paid off more than expected. Gu Huanhuan¡¯s pirouettes, spinning gracefully on one foot, were mesmerizing. asionally, she nced back, her porcin-like face showing an intense concentration that captivated the audience. She embodied Yun Duo, the heart-wrenching character from the novel.


    The scene transitioned to the moment of their reunion. Gu Huanhuan¡¯s expression changed subtly¡ªinitial surprise, followed by excitement, and finally a joyous smile tinged with tears. In a short span, she managed to convey a range of emotions, bringing the character to life.


    The judges exchanged nces and smiled in satisfaction.


    After her performance, Gu Huanhuan bowed deeply and slowly exited the room.


    As soon as she left, Director Guan dered, ¡°Yun Duo¡¯s role is hers. It¡¯s as if it was tailor-made for her.¡±


    One of the investors agreed, ¡°Her dancing was impressive. We could consider adding more dance scenes to enrich the character¡¯s portrayal.¡±


    ¡°I was thinking the same. Perhaps she could perform a solo dance in the studio for the male lead, followed by a romantic embrace. It would be visually stunning,¡± Director Guan enthused. Every film he directed was his passion project, each like his own child.


    Despite the original novel having few dance scenes, Director Guan, ever the perfectionist, wanted to showcase Gu Huanhuan¡¯s dancing abilities.<div>


    ¡°But I thought Susie did a pretty good job,¡± one of the investors chimed in. He was in his fifties, with a protruding belly and a balding head, the ssic ¡°Mediterranean¡± look. His jowls quivered as he spoke.


    Director Guan frowned, ¡°Susie¡¯s demeanorcks a bit of refinement; there¡¯s a slight coarseness to her. She can¡¯tpare to Gu Huanhuan¡¯s pure and clean aura.¡±


    Director Guan¡¯sments were impartial and fair, without favoritism.


    ¡°If Susie isn¡¯t the female lead, I¡¯ll withdraw my investment,¡± the investor insisted, his tone resolute.


    The room fell into an awkward silence.


    The producer stepped in to smooth things over, ¡°Let¡¯s tentatively decide for now and make a final decisionter. I think both of them have their strengths.¡±


    Given that he was one of the major shareholders, the final decision had to be postponed.


    After exiting, Gu Huanhuan wiped her forehead, slightly sweaty from the dance. Realizing it was gettingte, she decided to head to Qiyuan for dinner. It wasn¡¯t far, and she missed her cousin-inw¡¯s cooking.


    ¡­


    Wen Chi had just returned from a business trip, which had be less frequenttely. This trip had been particrly fruitful.


    As he sat down at home, he casually picked up the TV remote and turned on the television. He rarely watched TV, so it was mostly a decorative item. He turned it on just to fill the silence.


    He had barely started watching the news when his mother called.


    ¡°Chi, have you returned from your trip? If you¡¯re back,e home for a meal. I¡¯ve made some soup for you,¡± Mrs. Wen said lovingly.


    ¡°I just got back and I¡¯m a bit tired. Maybeter,¡± Wen Chi replied, rubbing the bridge of his nose, his face showing fatigue.


    Mrs. Wen seemed dissatisfied with his answer, sensing he was brushing her off.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine if you can¡¯te today, but you muste home for lunch tomorrow,¡± Mrs. Wen¡¯s tone was firm, leaving no room for argument.

 Chapter 821: So She was Like This on the Screen

    Chapter 821: So She was Like This on the Screen


    Editor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Wen Chi thought for a moment. Tomorrow was Saturday, there shouldn¡¯t be a problem going back for a rest.


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll go back for lunch tomorrow.¡± Wen Chi knew that if he did not agree, his mother would not let it go.


    Upon hearing his words, Mrs. Wen finally nodded in satisfaction.


    ¡°Mom, did something happen?¡± Wen Chi couldn¡¯t help but ask when he saw her urging him so much.


    ¡°You¡¯ll know when youe back,¡± Mrs. Wen said mysteriously.


    Wen Chi couldn¡¯t help but sneeze. He suddenly had a bad feeling.


    After hanging up the phone, Wen Chi casually pressed the remote control. Suddenly, he was attracted by an image in front of him.


    The television screen was showing an advertisement for a facial wash. In the advertisement, a young girl was giving off a youthful image. Her skin was soft and supple, and she had a long ponytail. She was sshing water on her face with her hands, and her face was filled with a sweet smile.


    Wen Chi recognized Gu Huanhuan at a nce. Although she was a little different from usual, he still recognized her at a nce. So this was how she looked on the screen.<div>


    However, it was undeniable that whether in reality or on the screen, she was so energetic that it was easy to infect others.


    Wen Chi did not have the habit of watching television. When he turned on the television, he would only watch the news, so he knew very little about celebrities.


    In his impression, the entertainment industry was rather chaotic, it was difficult to distinguish who was good and bad.


    The Gu Huanhuan he had interacted with was rather special. She looked like a celebrity when she wore a mask, but she did not put on any airs in private.


    Wen Chi was suddenly interested in her. She said that she was an actress. What kind of drama was she acting in?


    He suddenly remembered the bill for the car repair. He would ask her for it when he had time.


    Wen Chi could not help but smile.


    ¡­


    The next day was Saturday, but Wen Chi did not sleep in. His professional habits made him constantly vignt. He was a more disciplined person.


    After he woke up, he went to the study to read for a while. It was almost 11 o¡¯clock when he drove home.


    When he returned home and opened the door, he heard his mother¡¯s enthusiastic voice. It sounded like a guest had arrived.


    Sure enough, he saw two pairs of shoes at the entrance. The shoes gave off a youthful air and obviously did not belong to his mother. He could not help but frown.


    His mother didn¡¯t tell him that there were guests.


    Mrs. Wen, who was busy in the kitchen, seemed to have heard themotion outside. She leaned over and said happily, ¡°Chi, you¡¯re finally back. Talk to Auntie Su and the rest.¡±


    At this moment, Wen Chi looked towards the living room and saw a well-dressed woman. Beside her sat a girl in her twenties. The girl was very quiet, but when she saw Wen Chi, she stood up and said gracefully, ¡°Brother Wen, hello. I often hear Auntie Wen mention you. My name is Ling Lin.¡±


    ¡°Hello.¡± Wen Chi was in a dilemma. He definitely could not turn around and leave at this time. He could only bite the bullet and sit on the sofa.


    The older woman was more and more satisfied with Wen Chi¡¯s handsome and elegant appearance, like a mother-inw looking at her son-inw.


    ¡°Wen Chi, right? Your mother said that you¡¯re a doctor. You¡¯re really amazing,¡± Auntie Su praised.


    ¡°You tter me, Auntie. I¡¯m just interested in it,¡± Wen Chi said in embarrassment.<div>


    ¡°I really envy you. Big Brother Wen, I can¡¯t even learn medicine if I want to. I¡¯m scared of blood.¡± Ling Lin took the opportunity to speak. Her voice was soft and very special.


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing. It¡¯s quite tiring. Moreover, the doctor-patient rtionship is quite tense now. It¡¯s not a good job,¡± Wen Chi said honestly.

 Chapter 822: A Betrothal?

    Chapter 822: A Betrothal?


    Editor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Ling Lin looked shy and looked at Wen Chi from time to time. Of course, Wen Chi had long felt her passionate gaze.


    He couldn¡¯t help but feel a little puzzled. His mother had already put on such a show. Wasn¡¯t this a blind date?


    He could not help but sigh in his heart. He was really unfilial. For the sake of his marriage, his parents were also worried to death. However, if he really wanted to get married, he would not mistreat himself. He would definitely find someone like-minded and he liked them as well.


    Suddenly, he heard Ling Lin¡¯s voice again. ¡°Big Brother Wen, my family just came back not long ago and we n to live in Bin City from now on. However, I¡¯m still unfamiliar with the environment here. Can you show me around?¡±


    Before he could speak, Auntie Su had already said, ¡°Linlin, don¡¯t be ridiculous. Your Brother Wen is very busy with work. How would he have time to show you around?¡±


    She sounded like she was reprimanding Ling Lin, but it didn¡¯t sound real. She was just reminding Ling Lin to be well-mannered.


    Wen Chi could not say anything and could only nod.


    Mrs. Wen came out and happened to hear what was going on. She said excitedly, ¡°It¡¯s okay, Wen Chi is free these few days. He just came back from a business trip, so he can bring Linlin around. Su Mei, look, we haven¡¯t seen each other for almost ten years, right? Time passed so quickly. Thest time I saw Linlin, she was still in junior high school. Now, she¡¯s a big girl.¡±


    Mrs. Wen smiled.<div>


    ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s all because of her father¡¯s job. He was transferred everywhere, and we had to follow him. Now that he¡¯s finally transferred back to Bin City, we can see each other often in the future,¡± Su Mei sighed.


    Mrs. Wen nodded happily. She and Su Mei had grown up together. Before they got married, they were inseparable. After they got married, they kept in touch. When they moved out of the city, they rarely saw each other. However, they still kept in touch on the phone.


    It wasn¡¯t easy for her good friend toe back, and her daughter had alsoe back. She looked slim and elegant, like a daughter from a noble family.


    She had watched Linlin grow up. Linlin graduated from a famous university and was now a fashion designer. She had only graduated for two years and was already in an important position. It could be seen how outstanding she was.


    She suddenly remembered the joke she had with Su Mei. If one of them had a boy and the other a girl, they would be engaged when they were young. That way, they would be closer.


    If they were both girls or boys, they would be sisters or brothers.


    Although it was a joke, it was not impossible. After all, Wen Chi was already at the age of starting a family. She just did not know if Linlin had a boyfriend. She would inquire about itter.


    ¡°It¡¯s great that you¡¯re back. I¡¯m not that bored anymore. Look at the father and son. They¡¯re both very busy. I¡¯m often the only one at home. It¡¯s very boring,¡± Mrs. Wenined.


    Su Mei nodded slightly. After returning to her hometown, she felt a sense of belonging.


    ¡°In the future, if we hang out more, you¡¯ll find me annoying,¡± Su Mei teased.


    ¡°You¡¯re wee to bother me. Haha, the food is ready. It¡¯s getting cold. Let¡¯s eat and talk,¡± said Mrs. Wen warmly.


    ¡°Mmm, it smells so good. I can definitely eat a lot.¡±


    ¡°Eat more and try Auntie¡¯s cooking. Girls are so considerate. I really envy you, Su Mei.¡± Mrs. Wen¡¯s tone was not joking. She really felt that the girl was considerate, unlike her own son. Although he was filial, he was not considerate enough and sometimes, he was very infuriating.


    Wen Chi couldn¡¯t help but roll his eyes. So he was annoying in her eyes.


    ¡°¡®m the one who envies you. Your son has a sessful career and is elegant. Many people can¡¯t get it even if they beg for it.¡± Su Mei was very satisfied with Wen Chi.

 Chapter 823: I Have a Girlfriend

    Chapter 823: I Have a Girlfriend


    Editor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    ¡°What¡¯s the use of all these? People his age already have children who are a couple of years old,¡± Mrs. Wen said gloomily.


    Wen Chi wanted to leave immediately. He could already predict what would happen next.


    Moreover, it had now evolved into a blind date.


    Sure enough, as soon as they sat at the dining table, Auntie Su said, ¡°Isn¡¯t that so? Young people nowadays don¡¯t like to be restrained. They all love freedom and don¡¯t want to get married. Look, Ling Lin doesn¡¯t even have a boyfriend yet.¡±


    ¡°Mom, what are you talking about?¡± Ling Lin protested. As she spoke, she secretly nced at Wen Chi beside her.


    However, Wen Chi did not seem to have heard her and was eating elegantly.


    Ling Lin was a little disappointed. The moment she saw Wen Chi, she had a special feeling. She had never felt this way before. She knew that she was moved.


    Big Brother Wen had a good job and was very handsome. He was even more handsome than celebrities.


    However, he didn¡¯t seem to have anything special for her. When she asked him to take her out for a walk, he didn¡¯t seem to agree.<div>


    She knew that she wasn¡¯t bad. Her looks were above average, and she had graduated from a famous university. Moreover, she was also a rising star in the design world. It wasn¡¯t unfair for her to be with him.


    Ling Lin thought about the problem as she ate. However, she was so engrossed in her thoughts that her hands slowed down.


    ¡°Lin Lin is such a beautiful girl. Aren¡¯t you afraid that she won¡¯t have a boyfriend?¡± Mrs. Wen could not help but smile when she heard the answer she wanted to hear.


    ¡°Auntie, don¡¯t make fun of me.¡± Ling Lin looked shy.


    ¡°It¡¯s true. She¡¯s so good-looking. Who wouldn¡¯t like her? It would be their loss.¡± Mrs. Wen also looked at Wen Chi meaningfully.


    However, Wen Chi¡¯s self-control was really good. He pretended not to hear her and continued to drink the soup.


    Mrs. Wen saw that he was acting like an outsider and could not help but feel a little annoyed. She asked, ¡°Wen Chi, when are you going to get a girlfriend and bring her back?¡±


    Wen Chi finally put down his chopsticks and took out a piece of tissue to wipe his mouth. He replied, ¡°Mom, it¡¯ll be soon. I already have a girlfriend.¡±


    Wen Chi was the one who struck first. He was afraid that Mrs. Wen and Su Mei would mix things up, so he said it first. This way, they would not be able to bring up this topic again.


    Stunned, Mrs. Wen frowned. She asked, ¡°When did you get a girlfriend? Why haven¡¯t I heard you mention it before?¡±


    Wen Chi said slowly, ¡°We just confirmed our rtionship not long ago. I haven¡¯t had the time to tell you yet.¡±


    ¡°Who?¡± Mrs. Wen asked curiously.


    Coincidentally, Gu Huanhuan¡¯smercial was ying on the TV. Wen Chi pointed at the screen and said, ¡°That¡¯s her.¡±


    ¡°What? Are you kidding me? She¡¯s a celebrity.¡± Mrs. Wen thought that Wen Chi was just patronizing her by pointing at a random girl and saying that she was his girlfriend.


    ¡°It¡¯s true. I¡¯ll bring her back for you to meet herter,¡± Wen Chi said firmly.


    ¡°But I heard that the entertainment industry is very chaotic,¡± Auntie Su muttered at the side.


    Upon hearing this, Mrs. Wen chimed in, ¡°That¡¯s right, Wen Chi. I don¡¯t want a daughter-inw who doesn¡¯t know anything.¡±


    ¡°There were many reports that said that female celebrities were forced into unspoken things in order to have the resources to film.&quot,¡± Ling Lin also spoke up as well. She did not expect Wen Chi to already have a girlfriend and she was even a celebrity?


    She knew the main character of the advertisement just now. She was called Huanzi and was quite famous. She was a popr starlet in the entertainment industry.<div>


    ¡°Huanhuan is a pure woman. Acting is just her hobby,¡± Wen Chi exined calmly. He said that he already had a girlfriend. For some reason, the first person that came to his mind was Gu Huanhuan. It was unbelievable.


    The exnation he gave himself was that she was his only unmarried female friend.

 Chapter 824: Bring Her Home

    Chapter 824: Bring Her Home


    Editor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Mrs. Wen looked conflicted. She was very happy to hear that her son already had a girlfriend. However, she felt a little ufortable when she heard that it was a celebrity.


    She was quite satisfied with Ling Lin. After all, she knew her very well.


    ¡°Anyway, if her private life is messy, it definitely won¡¯t work,¡± Mrs. Wen said firmly.


    Wen Chi looked at everyone and could not help but sigh in his heart. He seemed to have shot himself in the foot.


    If his mother wanted him to bring her back¡­


    As expected, Mrs. Wen said, ¡°Wen Chi, find a time to bring her back for me to take a look at her.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s busy filming. Let¡¯s talk about it when we have the chance,¡± Wen Chi said tactfully.


    ¡°What favor? Don¡¯t you have time to see me?¡± Mrs. Wen obviously did not ept such an exnation.


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll talk to her. I¡¯ll try my best,¡± Wen Chi said helplessly. It seemed a little difficult to reason with his mother.<div>


    Ling Lin was stunned when she heard Wen Chi say that he had a girlfriend. Now that he was so protective of his girlfriend, she really did not feel good.


    What was so good about being a celebrity? Her private life was often disturbed, and she felt that the circle was so chaotic. Could she be two-faced?


    She really did not know what Big Brother Wen was thinking. He didn¡¯t look like such a superficial and vain person.


    What Wen Chi was thinking now was that he would make a deal with that girl when he returnedter. It would be fine if he could temporarily calm his mother¡¯s heart.


    ¡°Okay, after dinner, drive Linlin around. She just came back not long ago and is unfamiliar with the ce.¡± Mrs. Wen was still not very satisfied with Wen Chi¡¯s girlfriend. It seemed that if it wasn¡¯t someone she chose, she would always have a reason to be dissatisfied. It would be better to let him spend more time with Linlin. Maybe there¡¯ll be a turn for the better.


    Wen Chi knew that he couldn¡¯t refuse, so he could only agree. ¡°Alright.¡±


    Ling Lin¡¯s face was filled with joy, and she felt very happy inwardly. Big Brother Wen must care about her more. Otherwise, why would he listen to Auntie so much?


    Hence, she put down the chopsticks in her hand, indicating that she was full.


    Wen Chi saw that she had finished her meal and he was almost done, so he suggested that they leave.


    He was really worried that his mother would give him another difficult problem. After all, he had been her son for almost 30 years and knew her very well.


    Seeing that he was so cooperative, Mrs. Wen did not say anything else and happily sent them out. Then, she called her two friends and asked them to y mahjong together.


    Wen Chi started the car and Ling Lin sat in the front passenger seat.


    ¡°Is there anywhere you want to go?¡± Wen Chi turned around and asked her.


    ¡°Anything is fine,¡± Ling Lin said nonchntly. Actually, her original intention was to spend more time with Big Brother Wen.


    ¡°Then let me show you around themercial street here.¡± Wen Chi recalled that all women liked to shop.


    ¡°Sure,¡± Ling Lin was in high spirits.


    Themercial street of Bin City was themercial center, and thergest shopping mall was here.


    When Wen Chi arrived with Ling Lin, he was suddenly stunned by the huge billboard above the mall.


    The advertisement model was Gu Huanhuan. She was full of smiles and looked very youthful and lively. Wen Chi suddenly had a strange feeling in his heart. He seemed to be unable to control his heart.<div>


    She always seemed to be full of vigor and vitality, and it was easy to infect others. Even when she was angry, she seemed very cute.


    When Ling Lin saw Wen Chi stop in his tracks, she could not help but follow his gaze. When she saw Gu Huanhuan¡¯s billboard, she felt a wave of disappointment.


    In order to ease the awkwardness, she said clumsily, ¡°Huanzi is really beautiful.¡±


    Wen Chi did not know what she was thinking, but he replied, ¡°Thank you.¡±<div>


    Then, he continued to walk forward, and Ling Lin quickly followed.

 Chapter 825: Pretending to Be My Girlfriend

    Chapter 825: Pretending to Be My Girlfriend


    Editor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Wen Chi brought Ling Lin around and saw that it was almost time. He made up an excuse to say that he had to deal with some matters at the hospital and sent Ling Lin home.


    Actually, Ling Lin knew that he was just making an excuse, but she couldn¡¯t say anything.


    When Wen Chi returned to his own residence, it was already past five in the afternoon.


    He suddenly remembered something and immediately called Gu Huanhuan.


    Gu Huanhuan was exercising on the treadmill at home when she was startled by the sudden phone call.


    ¡°Who is it?¡± Gu Huanhuan asked politely. Actually, she was waiting at home for news of thest audition. It had been two days, but there was still no news. She could only wait until Monday.


    ¡°It¡¯s me. You didn¡¯t save my number?¡± Wen Chi¡¯s calm voice came from the other end of the phone.


    Gu Huanhuan could tell at once. It was strange. She seemed to have saved his phone number previously.


    ¡°Uh, yes¡­¡± Gu Huanhuan suddenly stuttered.<div>


    ¡°Do you have time? Didn¡¯t you want to pay me back for the car repair? Shall we have dinner togetherter?¡± Wen Chi invited her.


    ¡°Okay, sure. Then let¡¯s go to the usual ce.¡± It was safe and convenient there.


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll go pick you up,¡± Wen Chi suggested.


    Gu Huanhuan hung up after agreeing.


    She usually did not put on makeup when she was resting, let alone when she was going to eat. There was no need for that. She just wanted to have a rxed meal.


    Therefore, when Wen Chi came to pick her up, he was a little shocked to see her in face and casual sportswear.


    She was really different from what he knew. She did not seem to carry any celebrity baggage.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you afraid of being recognized?¡± Wen Chi was a little puzzled.


    ¡°There aren¡¯t many people there, and it¡¯s evening. Don¡¯t be afraid. Besides, celebrities have to eat too, right?¡± Gu Huanhuan said heartlessly.


    Wen Chi nodded and felt that she was right.


    When they arrived, Gu Huanhuan ordered the dishes. She wanted to eat everything she saw. She had been hungry for a few days because of the audition that she had.


    ¡°What should we do? I really want to eat it.¡± Gu Huanhuan ced her index finger by her mouth, looking very troubled.


    Wen Chi found it a little funny, but he also found her expression very cute.


    ¡°If you like it, then order it. If you can¡¯t finish it, don¡¯t you still have me?¡±


    ¡°However, you can¡¯t eat too much at night. Just order a few things that you especially want to eat.¡±


    Gu Huanhuan finally made up her mind.


    When the boss took the menu and went to prepare it, Gu Huanhuan finally remembered what was important.


    ¡°Dr. Wen, you haven¡¯t told me how much the repair fee is,¡± Gu Huanhuan asked anxiously.


    ¡°Well, there¡¯s no rush. I want to discuss something with you. Then, we¡¯ll be even. You don¡¯t have to pay me for the repair.¡± Wen Chi looked at her seriously.<div>


    Gu Huanhuan¡¯s heart skipped a beat. What happened? Why was he so serious?


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s like this. My mother was urging me to get a girlfriend, and yourmercial happened to be ying. Then, I pointed at it and told my mother that you were my girlfriend.¡± Wen Chi was still a little embarrassed when he said that.


    Gu Huanhuan was dumbfounded.¡±What? Girlfriend?¡±


    ¡°Fake girlfriend,¡± Wen Chi quickly exined.<div>


    ¡°You¡¯re using me as a shield?¡± Gu Huanhuan was speechless.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I was in a hurry at that time. Moreover, you hit my car and I didn¡¯t even hold it against you. You shouldn¡¯t hold it against me for this matter, right?¡± Wen Chi carefully observed her expression.


    Gu Huanhuan looked conflicted. She asked, ¡°Then what do you need me to do?¡±


    Wen Chi heaved a sigh of relief when he heard that. He said, ¡°Juste home with me for a meal. I¡¯ll tell my mother in the future that we¡¯re not suitable for each other and that we¡¯ve broken up.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that lying to the elderly?¡± Gu Huanhuan frowned.


    ¡°That¡¯s a white lie.¡± Wen Chi had a helpless look on his face. Actually, he didn¡¯t want to, but there was nothing he could do.

 Chapter 826: Something Happened to Your Rival

    Chapter 826: Something Happened to Your Rival


    Editor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    ¡°I¡¯ll make it clear first. This is the only time. After all, it¡¯s not good to lie.¡± Gu Huanhuan has never done such a thing.


    ¡°Okay, I know. I had no choice,¡± Wen Chi said firmly.


    After the dishes were served, Gu Huanhuan started eating without any scruples.


    ¡°When is it convenient for you?¡± Wen Chi asked. He knew that it was difficult for her to arrange her schedule.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine now. There aren¡¯t any results for the audition I went to thest time, so I¡¯ll be fine for the next few days,¡± Gu Huanhuan said as she ate.


    ¡®Wow, these vinegar ribs are really delicious. I¡¯m drooling.¡¯


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll tell you after I¡¯ve arranged it.¡± Wen Chi was finally relieved. At least his mother would not nag him for a while.


    Gu Huanhuan felt satisfied as if she had just eaten a feast.


    After dinner, Wen Chi sent Huanhuan home.<div>


    Since she had eaten too much for dinner, Gu Huanhuan decided to take a break and do yoga when she got home.


    The light in the room was soft, and the girl¡¯s ck hair was smooth and flowing, which made her small face look even more fair and delicate, like jade.


    At this moment, her chin was slightly raised. Her snow-white neck was slender and elegant, and she was shockingly beautiful.


    Gu Huanhuan was drenched in sweat and finally felt much better.


    At this moment, her manager, Sister Gao, called. ¡°Huanhuan, big news. Something happened to Susie.¡±


    ¡°What happened?¡± Gu Huanhuan was dumbfounded.


    ¡°She wore heavy makeup and hung out in nightclubs. The photos have been posted online and have already made the entertainment headlines. It happened not long ago.¡± Sister Gao was feeling a little schadenfreude. This was how the entertainment industry worked. They supported the high and trampled the low.


    Gu Huanhuan was stunned. She would not die if she did not do this, right?


    It was not easy for her to seed in the audition. She did not expect such a thing to happen.


    ¡°The entertainment news is out now. You can watch the TV,¡± Sister Gao said disdainfully. If something happened to her, Director Guan¡¯s movie would probably be ruined.


    Gu Huanhuan picked up the remote control and clicked on the entertainment channel. Sure enough, Susie¡¯s long hair was in a seductive and exaggerated wave. Her eyebrows were raised and she had put on some seductive eye makeup. Although she had heavy makeup on, her face was very recognizable.


    Susie was shocked by the sudden news. She had to attend a friend¡¯s birthday, and everyone usually sang in the private room. Today, her makeup was thicker, so she tried her luck and thought that no one would recognize her. Unexpectedly¡­


    She gave her fans the impression that she was pure, clean, and had almost no scandals. Her previous incidents were only known by people in the industry. Now that such news had appeared, especially after the audition for ¡°Meeting By Chance¡± and before the female lead was decided, such news would probably be out of the question.


    At this moment, Susie panicked. She quickly called her manager. Unfortunately, it was an information society now, and information spread very quickly. Soon, everyone knew about it.


    Gu Huanhuan was also dumbfounded. Why was there such a mess at such a crucial moment?


    ¡°Huanhuan, you¡¯ve seen everything, right? You have to be vignt. Don¡¯t let any scandals or chaos happen,¡± Sister Gao said emotionally.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Sister Gao. I won¡¯t go to that kind of ce.¡± Not to mention her manager, even her brother would scold her badly. Thest time she went there, she was taken away by her brother and taught a lesson for a long time. She even shut herself in for half a month to reflect on her mistakes.


    Sister Gao nodded her head in relief. Huanhuan was indeed quite obedient. Although she was a little girl and didn¡¯t seem very reliable usually, she was very hardworking when she really worked. She had been taking care of Huanhuan for so long and Huanhuan hadn¡¯t caused any trouble for her.


    ¡®Sister Gao, it¡¯s too early for you to be happy now. Later, you probably won¡¯t think so.¡¯<div>

 Chapter 827: The Mood of Meeting the Parents

    Chapter 827: The Mood of Meeting the Parents


    Editor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    After the incident broke out, the investors and Director Guan were the first to know. Everyone had originally been in favor of Gu Huanhuan, but one of the investors insisted on using Susie, so they could not make a decision for a long time. However, now that such a thing had happened, everything could be easily solved.


    The day after the incident, everyone gathered in the office to discuss it.


    ¡°Pass down the order and deal with it as soon as possible,¡± the investor said helplessly, his tone indifferent. He continued, ¡°Let the production team of ¡°Meeting By Chance¡± officially announce that Susie will be ying the role of the second female lead.¡±


    Director Guan was stunned. He said, ¡°That role suits her quite well. What about the female lead?¡±


    ¡°Female lead?¡± The investor said indifferently, ¡°Didn¡¯t you already have someone in mind? Director Guan, thinking about it, Gu Huanhuan was not bad. She is very intelligent and has a good foundation in dancing. Susie didn¡¯t seize the opportunity well so it can¡¯t be med on anyone else.¡±


    Director Guan nodded in satisfaction.


    When she received the news that she would be ying the female lead of ¡°Meeting By Chance¡±, Gu Huanhuan was having her meal. ording to the requirements of the production team, she would be undergoing a month of physical training.


    Gu Huanhuan reluctantly put the meat she had picked up to her mouth back into her bowl. There had to be sacrifices.


    However, the shooting would be done a monthter, so Gu Huanhuan still had time to do it. She was not fat, so she only needed to shape herself.<div>


    Suddenly, Gu Huanhuan thought of what she had promised Wen Chi. In reality, she had never even had a boyfriend, but she had dated many times in the movie.


    She believed that it wouldn¡¯t be difficult. She should be apetent actress.


    Soon, that day arrived.


    Wen Chi had called her in advance and said that he would bring her home for lunch tomorrow.


    It was fake to begin with, but for some reason, Gu Huanhuan felt inexplicably nervous.


    She was a cultured actress, so she went online to find out what her boyfriend¡¯s family needed to prepare for their first meeting.


    However, there were all sorts ofments on it, and she did not know which one to believe.


    It was said online that it was the first time meeting a parent, so the impression was very important. She had to dress more elegantly to give her future mother-inw the image of ady. She had to dress appropriately and avoid wearing sexy clothes.


    She also had to be diligent and help with the dishes. Of course, it would be even better if she could cook well.


    Some people even suggested buying some gifts to show their sincerity.


    ¡­


    Gu Huanhuan also remembered it in her heart. As it was not convenient for her to go out to buy things, she called Sister Gao and asked her to help prepare some gifts.


    ¡°What gifts?¡± Sister Gao was confused. Her celebrity wanted something done so it had to be done.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to visit the two elders tomorrow. Help me prepare a gift. What do you think I should buy?¡± Gu Huanhuan seemed to be talking to herself.


    ¡°What elder?¡± Sister Gao knew everything about Gu Huanhuan.


    ¡°Uh, uh¡­ It¡¯s just a friend¡¯s parents. Just buy something suitable for their age.¡± Gu Huanhuan was mumbling incoherently.


    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s buy some high-end nutrition products. Is that okay?¡± Sister Gao asked.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine as long as you don¡¯t be rude. Ask the driver to send it over early tomorrow morning. Thank you, Sister Gao.¡± Gu Huanhuan¡¯s voice dragged out as if she was acting coquettishly.


    ¡°Yes, my young miss.¡± Sister Gao couldn¡¯t help butugh.<div>


    The gifts were settled. Next was the clothes to wear. To lookdylike, the dress must be good. The longer the length, the better. It must not have any exposure.


    Gu Huanhuan opened her wardrobe. She had many youthful shorts and short skirts. After rummaging through them for a long time, she finally found a long white dress. The design was very ssic. It was a limited edition from a certain brand. It would not be rude to wear it out. Thus, she happily decided on it.

 Chapter 828: Holding Hands

    Chapter 828: Holding Hands


    Editor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Gu Huanhuan took a beauty nap.


    When she woke up the next morning, the sun was shining brightly outside. It shone through the curtains into the bedroom, making it warm.


    Gu Huanhuan stretched her back and got up to wash her face. Soon, the chauffeur brought the gift over.


    The packaging was very good. The red gift box looked very high-ss. Gu Huanhuan nodded in satisfaction. Sister Gao was always reliable.


    Seeing that it was still early, she did some exercises before looking at the script. Filming for ¡°Meeting By Chance¡± was about to start soon. She was not sure if it was because of the famous director, but she was especially nervous and very concerned. She hoped that her performance would be deeply rooted in people¡¯s hearts and that it would be close to perfection.


    When it was almost 11 pm, Wen Chi came to pick her up.


    From afar, Wen Chi could see a white figure carrying two gift boxes approaching.


    The figure was getting closer and closer. The girl¡¯s beautiful facial features were unbelievably exquisite under the sunlight. Her skin seemed to be slightly transparent, and a fresh and quiet feeling assaulted him.


    When she walked closer to his car, his expression was indifferent, but his tone was very gentle as he said, ¡°Actually, you don¡¯t have to prepare a gift. I¡¯ve already bought it.¡±<div>


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. You bought yours but I prepared on my end as a token of my appreciation. It¡¯s my first time visiting an elder, so I still have to be polite.¡± Gu Huanhuan ced the gifts in the backseat and sat in the passenger seat.


    It was only then that she noticed that Wen Chi was wearing a white polo shirt and a pair of khaki casual pants. It seemed to be the first time she had seen him dressed like this. He was tall and slender, clean and meticulous, like a perfect model who had juste down from the cover of a magazine.


    Gu Huanhuan realized that her heart rate had increased again. D*mn it, why did she feel that he was very handsome?


    ¡°Actually, you don¡¯t have to spend so much money. I¡¯m extremely grateful that you can help me,¡± Wen Chi said as he turned the steering wheel.


    ¡°You¡¯re wee. After all, I crashed into your car before.¡± Gu Huanhuan deliberately mentioned this matter and then smiled at him.


    Wen Chiughed in a low voice.


    ¡°What should I do when I get to your houseter?¡± Gu Huanhuan tilted her head and asked.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to be so nervous. My mother is just a little naggy usually. She¡¯s actually a very good person.¡±


    ¡°Alright then.¡± Actually, Gu Huanhuan was thinking that he definitely wouldn¡¯t be nervous.


    Finally, they arrived at Wen Chi¡¯s house. Wen Chi got out of the car first and held the gift in his hand. Then, he extended a hand to Gu Huanhuan.


    Gu Huanhuan thought that he wanted her to help him carry the things, so she quickly reached out her hand.


    Suddenly, Wen Chi¡¯srge palm grabbed her small hand.


    Gu Huanhuan was not mentally prepared at all, so she was shocked.


    Her heart beat even faster.


    ¡°Dr. Wen¡­¡± Gu Huanhuan¡¯s cry finally made Wen Chi stop in his tracks.


    ¡°What did you call me?¡± Wen Chi asked helplessly.


    ¡°Dr. Wen.¡± Gu Huanhuan wondered why she had such a hearing problem at such a young age.


    ¡°Have you ever seen a girlfriend call her boyfriend that?¡±


    ¡°Then how should I address you?¡± Gu Huanhuan asked in a daze. She could not ignore the warmth from his hand.<div>


    ¡°You can call me Ah Chi, Wen Chi, darling. You can call me anything.¡± Wen Chi saw that Gu Huanhuan¡¯s face was getting redder and redder, so he couldn¡¯t help but tease her.


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll call you Wen Chi.¡± Gu Huanhuan red at him. This person was getting more and more indecent.


    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go. They¡¯re probably waiting.¡± Wen Chi pulled Gu Huanhuan into the house.


    Mrs. Wen opened the door the moment they reached it.<div>


    ¡°Huanhuan, this is my mother,¡± Wen Chi introduced.


    ¡°Hello, Auntie. If Wen Chi hadn¡¯t introduced you, I would have thought you were his sister.¡± Gu Huanhuan had a serious expression on her face. She did not seem to be joking.

 Chapter 829: Heart Thumping

    Chapter 829: Heart Thumping


    Editor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Mrs. Wen burst intoughter when she heard that. ¡°Aiya, Auntie is getting old. Come in.¡±


    Which woman didn¡¯t like being praised?


    Wen Chi, who was standing at the side, really wanted to give Gu Huanhuan a thumbs up. This girl usually spoke very venomously. Why was she so good at talking today?


    His mother loved to hear such words. As expected, they hit the nail on the head.


    ¡°Mom, these are the supplements that Huanhuan bought for you and Dad.¡± Wen Chi handed over the gift box in his hand.


    ¡°Silly child, it¡¯s good that you¡¯re here. Why did you buy a gift?¡± Mrs. Wen was grinning from ear to ear.


    ¡°It¡¯s just a small token of my appreciation. I hope you like it, Auntie.¡± Gu Huanhuan felt less nervous when she saw how enthusiastic Mrs. Wen was.


    ¡°I like it. I like everything you give me. How long have you been together?¡± Mrs. Wen changed the topic.


    Gu Huanhuan was momentarily at a loss for words as she looked at Wen Chi.<div>


    Wen Chi understood and said, ¡°We haven¡¯t been together for long. Mother, Huanhuan is shy. Don¡¯t ask so many questions.¡±


    ¡°I know. Now you know how to feel heartache. Not bad.¡± Mrs. Wen hollered in the direction of the study room, ¡°Old man, Ah Chi and Huanhuan are back. Come out for dinner.¡±


    ¡°His father has been waiting for the whole morning. He just went in,¡± Mrs. Wen exined, worried that Gu Huanhuan would think that Mr. Wen did not wee her.


    Father Wen came out in high spirits. One look and one could tell that Wen Chi resembled his father.


    ¡°Hello, Uncle. I¡¯m Huanhuan.¡± Gu Huanhuan was the first to greet them. She felt that the atmosphere in their house was very good.


    ¡°You¡¯re here. Sit down. His mother has prepared a lot of delicious food for you.¡± Father Wen was also very enthusiastic.


    During the meal, Mrs. Wen kept helping Huanhuan with food. Huanhuan ate happily. After all, it was hard to refuse such a generous offer.


    However, she was also shouting in her heart. How much exercise was she going to do when she went back?


    ¡°Huanhuan, I¡¯ve seen your movie. You¡¯re really good at acting,¡± Mrs. Wen said with a smile. Ever since Wen Chi pointed at the television screen and said that Huanhuan was his girlfriend, Mrs. Wen had specially looked for Gu Huanhuan to watch her acting.


    To be honest, she felt that the little girl was not having it easy. Moreover, she looked very decent and did not feel like a fox.


    ¡°Thank you, but it¡¯s also out of interest. I didn¡¯t act well,¡± Gu Huanhuan said humbly.


    ¡°I¡¯m relieved to see that Wen Chi has finally found a girlfriend,¡± Mrs. Wen suddenly sighed.


    Gu Huanhuan suddenly felt a little guilty. After all, she felt that she had deceived the elderly.


    Wen Chi looked at her expression and was worried that she would expose him. He quickly said, ¡°Alright, don¡¯t worry, Mom.¡±


    ¡°Huanhuan, if he bullies you, you must tell me. I will help you,¡± Mrs. Wen warned.


    ¡°He¡¯s very good to me. Auntie, don¡¯t worry.¡± Gu Huanhuan followed the flow of the conversation.


    ¡°That¡¯s good. Let¡¯s eat.¡± Mrs. Wen was so proud of herself. Her future daughter-inw is a celebrity? This time, she could show off to her friends.


    After dinner, Mrs. Wen pulled Gu Huanhuan along and told her about Wen Chi¡¯s childhood scandals. Wen Chi did not know whether tough or cry.


    However, when he saw his mother and Gu Huanhuan chatting intimately, Wen Chi felt that this scene was so beautiful that he wanted to freeze it forever.<div>


    Wen Chi only left with Gu Huanhuan in the afternoon. Mrs. Wen only retracted her gaze when she saw them off.


    ¡°Thank you. You helped me a lot today. My mother likes you very much,¡± Wen Chi said gratefully. Today, he finally realized that it was time for him to start a family. Moreover, he felt that it was not bad to have a happy family.


    He nced at Gu Huanhuan beside him and felt an indescribable feeling in his heart.


    He felt that it was the feeling of his heart thumping.<div>

 Chapter 830: Female Lead

    Chapter 830: Female Lead


    Editor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    It had been three days since Gu Huanhuan went to Wen Chi¡¯s house. Gu Huanhuan had been reading her script at home for the past few days.


    Wen Chi was also quite busy, but when he was free, he would always involuntarily think of the day when he returned home with Huanhuan. He knew that he was already attracted to her.


    He still remembered the feeling of his heart thumping when he sent her back that day.


    At that time, he really wanted to tell her, ¡®be my girlfriend?¡¯


    However, he also felt that it was too abrupt and too sudden. It would scare her.


    Moreover, thinking about her profession, what kind of people had she not seen before? She might have very high expectations.


    Seeing how heartless she was, he swallowed his words.


    In the past few days, she would always pop up in his mind. He was really troubled. How could he make a move to achieve sess?


    Time passed quickly, and the gentle sunlight was gradually reced by the cool autumn.<div>


    The temperature in September began to cool down. A breeze blew in through the slightly opened window, refreshing everyone.


    As soon as she got into the car, Gu Huanhuan looked at the script in her hand with a very focused expression. The role of Yun Duo had already prated deep into her heart. She had already read the script thoroughly at home and copied the role in the mirror over and over again.


    She had never put so much effort into a movie before. She wanted to break through and pursue perfection.


    Sister Gao looked up at her and felt very gratified. She kept feeling that this girl had changed. There was something different.


    Yes, it was just that her temperament had be much calmer, and she was no longer as innocent as before.


    Sister Gao nodded slightly and pondered for a while. In the end, she did not say anything and continued to close her eyes to rest.


    Ever since the promotion of ¡°Meeting By Chance¡± began, it has continuously been a hot topic. The casting process was especially big, and many media outlets knew about it.


    Gu Huanhuan had also caused a sensation in the industry. After all, she had even defeated a starlet who was more famous than her.


    With thepany¡¯s support, the seniors¡¯ guidance, and the cooperation with the national idol, Wu Jie, her poprity on the Inte continued to soar. In the blink of an eye, she had already left many neers in the same period far behind her. Naturally, she had also be the target of the media reporters.


    Therefore, the moment she got out of the car, she became the target of the reporters. Gu Huanhuan smiled and apologized to the reporters. Because she was in a hurry, she had to put on makeup and start filming.


    At this moment, there was anothermotion behind her. The car door opened, revealing a corner of a bright yellow windbreaker. Susie, who was wearing high heels, got out of the car with a smile on her face.


    The reporters swarmed over again. After all, Susie had just been involved in a scandal recently. However,pared to Gu Huanhuan, Susie, who was popr and had a lot to talk about, was naturally more attractive to the reporters.


    Gu Huanhuan finally heaved a sigh of relief. Actually, her pursuit of fame was not that intense. When she first joined, she might have been ambitious, but now she only wanted to quietly film because she knew that there was a price to pay for being famous. First, she had to give up her freedom and rx. She had to be on tenterhooks every day. Would she be followed? Her private life would be greatly affected, which she was very resistant to.


    She was also worried that her family¡¯s lives would be disturbed because of her. If that happened, she would really be guilty.


    Therefore, she did not care if there were many media outlets paying attention to her.


    There were many studios and many people were already in position.


    The big shots had their own lounge, and most of the actors were still in the big lounge at the back.


    Gu Huanhuan put down her bag and wore a sweater and shorts. She looked very fashionable.


    She was touching up her makeup in front of the mirror when Susie and her assistant came in.<div>


    Her aura was somewhat arrogant.

 Chapter 831: Sarcasm

    Chapter 831: Sarcasm


    Editor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    When Susie stood in front of the dressing table, her assistant next to her began to tter her. ¡°Miss Susie, those reporters looked like they were going to chew you up and spit you out. It¡¯s ridiculous.¡±


    ¡°Lin, don¡¯t spout nonsense.¡± Susie scolded angrily.


    ¡°Miss Susie, I¡¯m just speaking the truth.¡± The assistant said with grievance. ¡°Those reporters swarmed you as soon as they saw you even when there were other people around. But it¡¯s also expected since anything Miss Susie does nowadays bes big news. After yourst movie, everyone called you the national goddess. Yourpetence and poprity are clear to all. Who else would they swarm if not you?¡±


    ¡°Lin, didn¡¯t you hear what I said?¡± Susie spoke again but there was no real reprimand in her tone.


    ¡°Miss Susie, you¡¯re just too kind. You only went out with your friends like any normal person and they wrote you up like that. Someone must have engineered this so you couldn¡¯t be the female lead in the new movie. Some people are just despicable.¡± Susie¡¯s assistant continued to speak up for her.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. We won¡¯t know the result until the end. Being the female lead isn¡¯t that easy.¡± Susie sat in the chair to wait for a makeup artist to help her with her makeup. She nced at Gu Huanhuan knowingly when she said that.


    Gu Huanhuan looked back at Susie innocently. Was Susie implying that it was her?


    As there were only a few people in the dressing room, and Susie sounded weird when talked about the female lead, the sarcasm in herst sentence especially obvious¡­


    There was indeed no peace in the industry. A nest of vipers was inevitable with so many women around.<div>


    Since Susie did not mention her name, Gu Huanhuan naturally need not admit to anything. So, she pretended that nothing happened and continued with her work. She did not need a makeup artist.


    Because she didn¡¯t need to have an exquisite face like Susie; her makeup was so light that she looked like she hadn¡¯t applied any. The faint blush on her cheeks brought out a quiet and gentle temperament. She didn¡¯t looked stunning but still very pleasant.


    Yun Duo in the movie was just like that, very pure and innocent.


    Gu Huanhuan looked at herself in the mirror and nodded in satisfaction.


    She just wanted to do her role justice and not pay attention to any malicious gossip.


    Susie was so angry when she saw Gu Huanhuan¡¯s indifference that she wanted to stomp her feet.


    If she hadn¡¯t been captured on video that day, how could Gu Huanhuan be the female lead? She didn¡¯t deserve the role because she cheated.


    Susie had always been very confident about her auditions. She felt that she had been perfect and would definitely win the role. That was why she went out that night. She hadn¡¯t nned on cheating that night, which wasn¡¯t a big deal to her anyway, but she was worried that people would recognize her so she put on very heavy makeup. Her image didn¡¯t match that of the female protagonist in the movie ¡°Meeting by Chance¡±.


    If her video popped up again when the movie was premiered, the audience would be up in arms.


    Therefore, the investors wouldn¡¯t take the risk and excluded Susie from the female protagonist role.


    Actually, Director Guan had always had his eye on Gu Huanhuan. He thought that she was very versatile and could portray the female protagonist¡¯s temperament well.


    It was just a fact that the overconfident person didn¡¯t know.


    The first day of filming went quite well because Gu Huanhuan was in top form. Most of her scenes were done in a single take.


    On the other hand, Susie kept making silly mistakes, which was uneptable for a perfectionist director like Director Guan.


    As a result, they were slightly behind schedule.


    Sister Gao arrived when it was almost time to wrap up for the day.


    ¡°How is it?¡± Sister Gao was busy today, so another assistant was taking care of Gu Huanhuan.


    ¡°It¡¯s alright. I feel good.¡± Gu Huanhuan said with a smile.


    As she spoke, she looked at her phone and then frowned. Why did she have two missed calls? She checked the caller IDs and found the number familiar.<div>

 Chapter 832: I Happen to Like You too

    Chapter 832: I Happen to Like You too


    Editor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Gu Huanhuan thought for a moment. Wasn¡¯t that Wen Chi¡¯s number? She seemed to have saved him as a contact before¡­ Why didn¡¯t his name show up on the caller ID?


    Why was he looking for her? She suddenly felt nervous.


    Gu Huanhuan walked away sheepishly out of Sister Guan¡¯s sight before she pressed the answer button. Soon, Wen Chi¡¯s deep and clean voice sounded from the other end of the phone.


    ¡°Are you free?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s up?¡±


    ¡°I guess something.¡± Wen Chi stammered as he responded with embarrassment.


    Gu Huanhuan had a puzzled look on her face. His response was ridiculous. She didn¡¯t get an answer about why he was looking for her.


    Wen Chi indeed felt a little ufortable. He used to be an expert at picking up girls but it seemed a little different with Gu Huanhuan. He always couldn¡¯t find the right words.


    ¡°Then, what is up?¡± Gu Huanhuan didn¡¯t think that Wen Chi would call her for no reason. He couldn¡¯t be calling to ask her to be his fake girlfriend again, right?<div>


    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you want me to be your fake girlfriend again¡­¡± Gu Huanhuan said tentatively. She couldn¡¯t think of any other reason he would call her.


    ¡°Um¡­ not the fake kind. The real kind. Will you be my girlfriend, please?¡± Wen Chi went with the flow and asked his question out loud.


    After he said it, he became nervous again. He didn¡¯t know how Gu Huanhuan would respond.


    Gu Huanhuan, who was on this end of the phone, was stunned. She thought that she was hallucinating.


    ¡°Are you serious? Why?¡± Gu Huanhuan was still rational. Wen Chi couldn¡¯t be doing this to please his mother, right?


    ¡°Huanhuan, I like you.¡± Wen Chi was surprised at himself after he said his deepest thought out loud.


    Gu Huanhuan¡¯s face instantly turned red. She often received love confessions but no one had done it like Wen Chi. It made her heart race.


    Gu Huanhuan bit her lips for a while until she said, ¡°Hmm¡­¡±


    ¡°Does hmm mean that you agree?¡± Wen Chi asked nervously. He didn¡¯t even get this nervous when going into a major surgery, but he was very anxious at the moment.


    He felt a thinyer of sweat on his palms.


    ¡°Yes, I happen to like you too.¡± Gu Huanhuan had always been direct. She didn¡¯t like beating around the bush. Moreover, she felt that it was just the right age for her to be in a serious rtionship.


    It really wasn¡¯t easy to meet someone you liked who liked you back.


    Wen Chi was ecstatic.


    ¡°But you know my profession. It might affect your private life.¡± Gu Huanhuan said worriedly.


    ¡°We¡¯re both single. We are not stealing or trafficking drugs. We¡¯re in the clear. What¡¯s there to worry about? Or do you think that I¡¯m not good enough for you?¡± Wen Chi joked.


    ¡°No, the opposite. You¡¯re too outstanding, and I don¡¯t want you be remembered as someone I pursued.¡± Gu Huanhuan said with a smile. This person was quite narcissistic, but he had earned the right to be arrogant.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. Let¡¯s just go with the flow. We¡¯ll face any difficulties together. We¡¯ll be able to ovee any difficulties if we work as a team.¡± Wen Chi¡¯s words finally lifted a weight off Gu Huanhuan¡¯s shoulders.


    She was worried that he would only realize the problem after they got together.


    ¡°Okay.¡± Gu Huanhuan also nodded with determination.<div>


    ¡°Then, my girlfriend, where are you now? I¡¯lle and pick you up.¡± Wen Chi said lightheartedly.


    ¡°It¡¯s toote. You should rest. Sister Gao is on her way to pick me up now. I just finished filming for the day.¡± Gu Huanhuan said reluctantly.


    She would very much like to see him now, but Sister Gao was with her. She couldn¡¯t let Sister Gao find out about her rtionship until she found a suitable ce and time to tell her.


    <div>

 Chapter 833: A Deeply Hidden Secret

    Chapter 833: A Deeply Hidden Secret


    Editor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    ¡°Alright then. Be careful. Call me when you get home.¡± Wen Chi exhorted.


    ¡°Will do.¡±


    The two of them hung up reluctantly after that.


    Gu Huanhuan stared at her phone in a daze for a long time. She felt like she was in a dream. Did she just confirm her rtionship status with Wen Chi?


    Had they turned their show into reality?


    Gu Huanhuan would smile one minute and look bashful the next.


    Sister Gao looked at her, full of suspicion and doubt.


    After they got into the van, Sister Gao asked Gu Huanhuan eagerly, ¡°Did something good happen? Tell me.¡±


    Gu Huanhuan saw Sister Gao¡¯s gossipy face and could not help but be vignt.<div>


    ¡°No, nothing. I just read a joke.¡±


    ¡°I thought it was something else.¡± Sister Gao replied disdainfully.


    Gu Huanhuan pursed her lips and smiled, secretly pleased at her own cleverness.


    This was still a deeply hidden secret for her. She couldn¡¯t tell anyone, not even Sister Gao.


    She wanted to develop her rtionship with Wen Chi first.


    ¡°By the way, how was filming today? Did Susie make things difficult for you?¡± Sister Gao had been very busytely and hadn¡¯t spent much time with Gu Huanhuan.


    ¡°It was okay. She just insulted me a little in the dressing room. I don¡¯t have any scenes with her yet.¡± Gu Huanhuan said indifferently. She had decided to ignore Susie anyway.


    ¡°You¡¯d better be careful. She¡¯s not someone to be trifled with. Her sugar daddy is rich and influential. How else could she be famous in such a short time with her acting skills?¡± Sister Gao has been in this industry for so long. No information could escape her.


    So, she had to remind Gu Huanhuan, worried that she would suffer.


    ¡°I understand. Her second female lead role will have scenes with me soon. I¡¯m also not someone to be trifled with.¡± Gu Huanhuan made a fierce expression but with a smile; she looked a littleical.


    ¡°Please just stay out of trouble, or your cousin won¡¯t let you act anymore.¡± Sister Gao urged.


    Upon hearing this, Gu Huanhuan immediately cowered.


    ¡°Alright.¡± It was better to stay out of trouble. She wasn¡¯t someone who¡¯d cause trouble anyway.


    All her thoughts were on Wen Chi now.


    The van soon arrived at Gu Huanhuan¡¯s apartment building. After she got out, she said goodbye to Sister Gao.


    Just as she was about to enter the lobby, a car near her shed its headlights at her, making Gu Huanhuan a little annoyed.


    After a while, she saw the driver open the car door. The person who appeared in her line of sight was noble, handsome, calm and confident.


    ¡°You¡¯re finally home?¡± That man took a few steps forward. His voice was very nice, like clear ice water, cool but pleasant to the ear.


    Gu Huanhuan stared nkly at the man.<div>


    ¡°It¡¯s already sote. Why are you here?¡± Gu Huanhuan thought that she had recognized the wrong person.


    ¡°I suddenly wanted to see you. I wanted to ask you in person if you will be my girlfriend.¡± Wen Chi¡¯s intense gaze fell on her.


    Gu Huanhuan suddenly felt a little awkward. She was still able to keep her cool just now over the phone.


    She couldn¡¯t help but feel a little shy when facing him.<div>


    Wen Chi couldn¡¯t help but smile when he saw her bashful look. He walked up to her, held her hand and pulled her into his arms.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to say anything. Just nod.¡± Wen Chi said softly, wrapping his arms around her waist.


    Gu Huanhuan nodded without hesitation. Wen Chi smiled in satisfaction and nted a kiss on her head.


    ¡°It¡¯s already sote. You should hurry home. I am busy filming these days, so I may not have time¡­¡± Gu Huanhuan was a little annoyed. They had just gotten together and were supposed to develop their rtionship, but now¡­


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. I can secretly visit you when I have time. I¡¯ll be your number one fan in the future.¡± Wen Chi said proudly.

 Chapter 834: Spotted By Reporters

    Chapter 834: Spotted By Reporters


    Editor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    ¡°Sorry to put this burden on you. I¡¯ll make our rtionship public when I find the right opportunity. I¡¯m afraid that the media will affect your life.¡± Gu Huanhuan said worriedly.


    ¡°Silly girl, what¡¯s there to be afraid of? Besides, I work at a hospital and have surgeries every day. They won¡¯t be able to see me at all. Don¡¯t worry.¡± Wen Chi was already mentally prepared.


    The two of them seemed to have endless things to talk about. But seeing that it was indeed gettingte, Wen Chi walked Gu Huanhuan upstairs before he went home.


    ¡­


    Early the next morning when the colors of dawn had just filled the sky and the air was fresh, two men were waiting at the entrance of the studio with their brows furrowed. They had been waiting for a long time, watching every celebrity that entered and exited the studio.


    The younger man said, ¡°I still think Susie is prettier ¨C sexy figure and stunning looks. Have you seen her recent photo book? She looks so sexy and charming, like the dream lover of all men!¡±


    The young man was going on and on. The slightly older guy looked at him disdainfully. ¡°That¡¯s why I call you shallow. I prefer Gu Huanhuan ¨C pure, innocent and smart, like the nation¡¯s goddess.¡±


    The younger man didn¡¯t respond for a long time, so the older one turned his head to follow his gaze.


    ¡°Brother Shen, look! It¡¯s big news! We¡¯re rich!¡± The younger man tugged at the older man¡¯s sleeve and said excitedly.<div>


    They were looking at a ck car parked not far away. A girl in a pure white chiffon dress and a cream-colored knitted cardigan slowly got out of the car. She was the girl they were talking about just now, Gu Huanhuan.


    They knew Gu Huanhuan, for certain. They had stalked her before, but she had always been picked up by a chauffeured van. They had never seen her in this ck car.


    Moreover, Gu Huanhuan got out from the front passenger seat. Through the rearview mirror, they could see that the driver was a young man.


    They quickly pressed the shutters of their cameras and snapped a few photos.


    After Gu Huanhuan got out of the car, she stuck her head into the open car window and said something to the driver before she smiled and waved to bid farewell to the young man.


    ¡°Brother Shen, do you think that¡¯s Gu Huanhuan¡¯s boyfriend?¡± The younger man asked.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. I haven¡¯t heard about any boyfriend before. Maybe he¡¯s a rtive.¡± The reporter called Brother Shen replied.


    ¡°But it¡¯s so early. Why would she trouble a rtive?¡± The younger man had a hunch that the man was Gu Huanhuan¡¯s boyfriend.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter if he¡¯s her boyfriend or not. As long as we post the photos, it¡¯s none of our business how people interpret them.¡±


    Were they or weren¡¯t they? This kind of suspense would definitely make interesting news.


    They were so lucky to catch this scene!


    Gu Huanhuan looked around and made sure that there was no one around before she walked carefully into the studio. She looked so demure and beautiful. Her slender and straight back made her look like a blooming white lotus in the early summer.


    She had toe in early because she had a scene to shoot this morning.


    She was going to ask the chauffeur to pick her up, but Wen Chi volunteered to send her since he was going to the hospital early.


    Wen Chi looked bright every time she saw him. They had clearly slept the same number of hoursst night, but she looked sleepy.


    She took a nap in the car just now. Wen Chi drove very slowly so she could sleep longer.


    Worried that they would be gossip fodder, Gu Huanhuan asked Wen Chi to drop her away from the main entrance, but they were still spotted.


    There was always a crack in the armor.


    <div>

 Chapter 835: Spreading Rumors

    Chapter 835: Spreading Rumors


    Editor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Wen Chi drove away the moment Gu Huanhuan left his line of sight. He was also worried that they¡¯d be spotted.


    The younger reporter only retracted his gaze after both the car and Gu Huanhuan left his line of sight. He then scrolled through the photos on the LCD screen of his camera andmented, ¡°So pure and innocent. I don¡¯t think we can find many like her in the entertainment industry nowadays.¡±


    Strange, why hadn¡¯t Gu Huanhuan caught his attention before? It wasn¡¯t until Director Guan¡¯s ¡°Meeting by Chance¡± that everyone turned their attention to Gu Huanhuan.


    Gu Huanhuan did not know that she had been spotted. She was still holding the breakfast that Wen Chi bought for her. She wasn¡¯t nning to eat it so she could keep herself trim, but Wen Chi gave her a lecture.


    That was expected, of course. Doctors usually paid great attention to personal health.


    However, she was very happy inside. It felt good to have someone care about her all the time.


    Susie walked in not long after Gu Huanhuan sat down. She was without her assistant this time but there was another person behind her. It was Liu Yiyi, who had also auditioned for the same movie.


    When the two of them came in and saw Gu Huanhuan, they treated her like she was invisible.


    ¡°Miss Susie, I feel so bad for you. You were supposed to be the female lead, but your role was snatched away just like that. In terms of acting skills, beauty, and talent, you¡¯re way ahead of her.¡± Liu Yiyi¡¯s words were full of regret.<div>


    Susie pulled some favors to get Liu Yiyi in, so it was natural for Liu Yiyi to brownnose her.


    ¡°What can I do? I can only admit that I¡¯m unlucky. Besides, she¡¯s rich and connected. I can¡¯t afford to offend her.¡± Susie said bitterly.


    There had been reports saying that Gu Huanhuan came from a good family, but no one knew the specifics. Groundless rumors like that were a dime a dozen in the industry.


    ¡°How despicable. Some people are just so thick-skinned.¡± Liu Yiyi said disdainfully.


    ¡°Don¡¯t say anymore. The audience has sharp eyes.¡± Susie always felt that Gu Huanhuan¡¯s acting skills were not as good as hers. If she acted better than Gu Huanhuan as the second female lead, it would be a p in Gu Huanhuan¡¯s face.


    A sinister look shed across Susie¡¯s beautiful face.


    Gu Huanhuan couldn¡¯t listen anymore. Although they didn¡¯t mention her name, she knew that they were talking about her.


    She found it strange though because no one actually announced that Susie was the female lead of ¡°Meeting by Chance¡±, so how could she use someone of stealing her role? Or was she so confident that she would be the female lead?


    Gu Huanhuan wanted to stay out of trouble at first, but she was angry and couldn¡¯t take it anymore.


    A schr would rather be killed than be humiliated.


    ¡°Susie, there¡¯s no one else here. Let¡¯s make things clear. I won the female lead role fair and square. I didn¡¯t steal it from you. Get your facts right and stop using me of stealing your role.¡±


    Gu Huanhuan felt really disappointed. She was in such a good mood in the morning, but now she felt like she had just swallowed a fly. She felt extremely disgusted.


    ¡°Gu Huanhuan, don¡¯t be so smug. If it weren¡¯t because of the photos of me going to a nightclub, would you be so lucky? Don¡¯t you know what you¡¯re worth?¡± Susie¡¯s tone was aggressive.


    ¡°Since you said so, you can confront the director and the producers. Don¡¯t nder people behind their backs.¡± Gu Huanhuan was furious. She had nevere across such a thick-skinned person. Susie was being ridiculous in the way she twisted the facts. What made her think that she had the right to do so?


    ¡°What¡¯s done is already done, so there¡¯s nothing more to say. But you should watch your back. You won¡¯t be lucky all the time.¡± Susie warned Gu Huanhuan.


    ¡°Thank you for the reminder.¡± Gu Huanhuan said impatiently. She was so angry that she didn¡¯t want to lose the temper anymore. She even found the situation funny.

 Chapter 836: The Photos Got Leaked

    Chapter 836: The Photos Got Leaked


    Editor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Gu Huanhuan felt that it was quite nonsensical, so she didn¡¯t dwell on the matter further. She just put on her makeup and left the room.


    Shortly after, Wen Chi called. Gu Huanhuan picked it up immediately.


    But her strange tone quickly caught Wen Chi¡¯s attention. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Have you finished your breakfast?¡±


    ¡°No. I got bitten by a dog.¡± Gu Huanhuan said angrily.


    ¡°What? Is there a dog in your studio? Is it a cast member? Hurry up ande to my hospital to get a rabies shot. No, I¡¯ll pick you up.¡± Wen Chi said anxiously.


    Gu Huanhuan was instantly amused. She was both touched and amused.


    Because she said it so seriously, Wen Chi believed her and thought that she had really been bitten by a dog.


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t really bitten by a dog. I was just ndered. How can people be so shameless? Sigh, it¡¯s really different strokes for different folks.¡± Gu Huanhuanmented.


    ¡°Just do you. Ignore what others say.¡± Wen Chiforted her. So that was the reason. No wonder she was in a bad mood.<div>


    ¡°Okay, go back to work. It¡¯ll be my turn soon.¡± Gu Huanhuan saw that it was almost time.


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll pick you up when you¡¯re done today and we¡¯ll have dinner.¡± Wen Chi took the opportunity to ask for a date.


    ¡°Alright, see you then.¡± Gu Huanhuan agreed.


    Filming went smoothly that morning. Gu Huanhuan was very professional and yed her role very well.


    When it was almost noon, someone suddenly saw thetest news about Gu Huanhuan.


    ¡°So, she has a boyfriend? Can you tell?¡± The staff members whispered among themselves.


    ¡°No. We didn¡¯t hear anything about it before, but we can¡¯t see the man¡¯s face.¡±


    ¡°Maybe it¡¯s her brother?¡± Another person asked curiously.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, but they arrived here so early. They are probably living together¡­¡± The spections got increasingly wilder.


    Gu Huanhuan, the protagonist of the news, wasn¡¯t aware of any of it until Sister Gao called her in exasperation and told her.


    Gu Huanhuan was dumbfounded.


    She had been so careful, so how could she still be spotted? They had stopped the car so far away from the entrance!


    Paparazzi was indeed everywhere.


    ¡°Huanhuan, is the report true?¡± Sister Gao asked routinely as she nned for a press release.


    Since they had been spotted, Gu Huanhuan didn¡¯t want to lie to Sister Gao anymore.


    ¡°The report said half of it. The person who dropped me off this morning is my boyfriend. He¡¯s not from the industry.¡± Gu Huanhuan was already prepared to be scolded.


    As expected, Sister Gao said with agitation, ¡°What? Boyfriend? When did this happen? Gu Huanhuan, you¡¯re all grown up now and hiding things from me.¡±


    Sister Gao¡¯s reaction was expected. Gu Huanhuan stuck out her tongue and massaged her forehead. Sigh, she was hoping to date Wen Chi in secret¡­


    ¡°Sister Gao, calm down. We¡¯ve just started dating. He¡¯s a doctor. I don¡¯t want this to affect his life. I¡¯ll have to trouble you to handle this matter.¡± Gu Huanhuan said coquettishly.<div>


    ¡°Damn it, girl! I thought I will have less trouble with you but you dropped me such a big bomb!¡± Sister Gao said unhappily. Actually, Gu Huanhuan was one of her more obedient artistes. She only had to deal with her asional troubles.


    ¡°My good Sister Gao, please and thank you.¡± Gu Huanhuan continued to fawn over her manager.


    ¡°You¡­¡± Sister Gao didn¡¯t have the heart to scold her. It was quite normal for Gu Huanhuan to be in a serious rtionship at her age. However, as a celebrity, she just had to be more careful.


    Especially since they had just started shooting a new drama; they wouldn¡¯t want any news to negatively impact the show.<div>


    ¡°Thank you, Sister Gao.¡± With a public rtions expert like Sister Gao around, Gu Huanhuan could rest assured.


    Sigh, she could only hope that the news wouldn¡¯t affect Wen Chi.

 Chapter 837: Clarification

    Chapter 837: rification


    Editor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    The moment the photos and the news report came out, news about Gu Huanhuan spread all over town.


    However, Wen Chi didn¡¯t know about it because he didn¡¯t care about or pay attention to gossip.


    He only found out when his colleague, Yu Li, came to find him.


    Yu Li had a photographic memory, especially when it came to women around Wen Chi.


    She went to Wen Chi¡¯s office during her break and hesitated for a moment when she saw that he was busy.


    ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± Wen Chi didn¡¯t like having people wander around him like that.


    ¡°Um, have you seen the entertainment news? The girl mentioned in the article looks like the girl who came to your officest time¡­¡± Yu Li looked tentatively at Wen Chi.


    But Wen Chi kept his expression. ¡°I never pay attention to entertainment news, so I don¡¯t know what you are talking about.¡±


    Wen Chi¡¯s indifferent tone depressed Yu Li a little.<div>


    ¡°Oh? Then maybe I¡¯m mistaken.¡± Yu Li said apologetically.


    But how could Yu Li be mistaken? She had met that girl when she came to the hospitalst time. She had actually paid special attention then because the girl seemed close to Wen Chi.


    She even thought that the girl was Wen Chi¡¯s girlfriend! But today¡¯s news report said that she was a celebrity. Yu Li became doubtful again.


    How could Wen Chi have a celebrity girlfriend? That was why she came to his office to find out, but Wen Chi did not want to tell her anything.


    ¡°If there¡¯s nothing else, please close the door on your way out.¡± Wen Chi said casually. How could a smart person like Yu Li not know when she was asked to leave?


    She could only close the door awkwardly on her way out.


    The moment the door closed, Wen Chi took out his phone. He had a bad feeling.


    As Yu Li had met Huanhuan before, he suspected that she was talking about Huanhuan.


    After much difficulty, Wen Chi found the entertainment news report and saw the familiar scene. As Huanhuan was currently filming a movie by Director Guan, the article had received a lot of attention.


    The photos in the news article were taken when he sent Huanhuan to the studio that morning. However, because his car windows were tinted, his face couldn¡¯t be seen clearly. Moreover, they weren¡¯t doing anything indecent, so the report was just spection without any real evidence.


    Wen Chi heaved a sigh of relief. He thought that he had caused trouble for Gu Huanhuan.


    He was still very worried though. So, he dialed Gu Huanhuan¡¯s number right away and his call was picked up very quickly.


    ¡°Huanhuan, what happened? Have we been spotted by paparazzi?¡± Wen Chi was not very sure.


    ¡°Yeah, it was probably a coincidence that they got those photos of us, but it¡¯s okay. They¡¯re just guessing. My managementpany will handle it.¡± Gu Huanhuan was actually more worried that he will be affected.


    ¡°Good, good. I¡¯m fine. I¡¯m just d that I didn¡¯t cause you any trouble. We¡¯ll have to be more careful in the future.¡± Wen Chi frowned. For the first time, he realized that there was absolutely no privacy when dating a celebrity.


    ¡°Yeah. We might not be able to meet for the time being though.¡± Gu Huanhuan said apologetically.


    Wen Chi had no choice but to agree.


    ¡°Then you mustpensate me in the future.¡± Wen Chi joked.


    Gu Huanhuan felt her face burn. Fortunately, they were just talking over the phone.<div>


    There was no doubt about Sister Gao¡¯s professionalpetence. Soon, a very official press release was published.


    It exined that the person in the photo was Gu Huanhuan¡¯s brother. As she was in a hurry, they didn¡¯t bother the family chauffeur.


    There was nothing out of the ordinary in the photos. Moreover, there had been very few scandals about Huanhuan. Basically, everyone believed the press release.


    Phew!<div>


    They had finally passed the hurdle. Gu Huanhuan wasn¡¯t too worried about being found out because she would make their rtionship public eventually. But because filming had just started for her new show, no one knew how the audience would react to news about her having a boyfriend. Furthermore, this happened so suddenly that she didn¡¯t really know how to handle it.

 Chapter 838: Coming Clean

    Chapter 838: Coming Clean


    Editor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    But Gu Huanhuan was still surprised that the press release mentioned her brother/cousin. That was not good.


    She couldn¡¯t help but massaged her forehead to calm down.


    Sure enough, the incident wasn¡¯t over. Gu Huanhuan was ¡°invited¡± to Qiyuan that night.


    When Gu Huanhuan arrived, Shu Pan was bathing the children while her cousin, Gu Shaoting, sat in the living room with a gloomy and unfriendly expression.


    Gu Huanhuan was quite afraid. She prayed in her heart that Shu Pan woulde out quickly because only she could control Gu Shaoting.


    Unfortunately, the heavens didn¡¯t hear her prayer and Shu Pan didn¡¯te out. Instead, her cousin gave her a cold look.


    ¡°Sit.¡± His word was like an icicle in the middle of winter, so cold that it was frightening.


    Gu Huanhuan sat down uneasily and asked softly, ¡°What¡¯s up?¡±


    Gu Huanhuan feigned innocence. She had experienced her cousin¡¯s bad temper before.<div>


    Gu Shaoting paused before he asked, ¡°Don¡¯t you have something to tell me?¡±


    ¡°Uh, everything¡¯s been pretty goodtely.¡± Gu Huanhuanughed. She wasn¡¯t sure if Gu Shaoting already found out about the photos.


    But it was hard to say. After all, some of her co-workers were referred by him. It wouldn¡¯t be a surprise if he had found out.


    ¡°What¡¯s with the photos? I don¡¯t remember sending you to the studio this morning. Gu Huanhuan, you are getting bolder. What did you promise me before?¡± Gu Shaoting¡¯s words were very soft, but they caused Gu Huanhuan to tremble with fear.


    She knew that the incident wouldn¡¯t be over so easily.


    ¡°Um¡­ Those were identally taken when a friend sent me to work.¡± Gu Huanhuan stammered.


    ¡°Which friend?¡± Gu Shaoting was relentless.


    Gu Huanhuan was getting a little impatient from the interrogation. She simply confessed, ¡°My boyfriend. We just got together. He¡¯s a good person.¡±


    ¡°How do you know he¡¯s a good person? There are so many love scammers nowadays, conning people for money and sex.¡± Gu Shaoting said coldly.


    ¡°He¡¯s cousin-inw¡¯s friend and a doctor. Do you think he¡¯s a bad person?¡± Gu Huanhuan did not hold back. She knew that her cousin would find out eventually given his status and influence.


    Gu Shaoting furrowed his brows and thought. Wen Chi¡¯s name came to him very quickly.


    But he couldn¡¯t find anything bad to say about Wen Chi. He was an outstanding man after all.


    It wasn¡¯t a bad thing for him to be in a rtionship with Huanhuan. That way, he would get over Shu Pan and give up on herpletely.


    He looked forward to telling Shu Pan the good news. It would please her.


    ¡°Just don¡¯t cause any trouble. Invite him here for dinner someday.¡± Gu Shaoting ordered Gu Huanhuan.


    Gu Huanhuan nodded reluctantly. Would other couples be like them? They had just gotten together and hadn¡¯t even enjoyed their honeymoon period yet everyone was talking about them.


    But it was a good thing that her cousin knew. She didn¡¯t have to hide it from him anymore.


    At this moment, Shu Pan walked out. When she saw Gu Huanhuan, she said in surprise, ¡°Huanhuan is here? I heard that you¡¯ve recently embarked on a new project. I thought you¡¯d be too busy toe over.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m shooting a new movie but I can stille over when I¡¯m free.¡± Gu Huanhuan nced at Gu Shaoting and knew that he would tell Shu Pan, so she didn¡¯t say more. After all, she was a thin-skinned girl. She was too shy to tell people such things.<div>


    ¡°Our whole family will go and support you when it¡¯s premiered.¡± Shu Pan said gently.


    ¡°Thanks, cousin-inw.¡± Compared to Shu Pan¡¯s kindness, Gu Shaoting was a monster.


    Gu Shaoting got up from the soda after he saw Shu Pan. He leaned over and nted a kiss on Shu Pan¡¯s cheek in front of Gu Huanhuan before he went to the study to catch up with work.


    Shu Pan was stunned. She didn¡¯t expect Gu Shaoting to do such a thing.<div>


    Gu Huanhuan was also stunned. She did not expect her cousin to be so considerate and romantic nowadays.

 Chapter 839: Scene Partners

    Chapter 839: Scene Partners


    Editor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    But honestly, Gu Huanhuan was very envious. Shu Pan looked like a blushing bride whose family life was happy and blissful.


    However, when Gu Huanhuan thought about Wen Chi, she still felt very happy.


    He was elegant, knowledgeable, and cultured. It was quite unexpected that he liked her. She hoped that they wouldst.


    Gu Huanhuan and Shu Pan chatted for a long time before she went home.


    As soon as Gu Huanhuan arrived home, Wen Chi video called her.


    He looked exhausted on screen and Gu Huanhuan¡¯s heart ached for him.


    ¡°Did you have a busy day? You look tired.¡± Gu Huanhuan could not help but ask with concern.


    ¡°A patient came in when I was about to get off work for ast-minute surgery.¡± Wen Chi said casually.


    ¡°Oh, then please have a good rest. Sorry about the trouble with the photos. We¡¯ll find a suitable time to announce our rtionship.¡± Gu Huanhuan also wanted to be in a rtionship openly.<div>


    ¡°Sure. Your call.¡± Wen Chi chuckled. He didn¡¯t expect her to care so much about his feelings.


    The two of them chatted for a while before they hung up.


    As usual, Gu Huanhuan arrived on time at the studio for her scenes. However, because of the photos, there were more paparazzi outside the studio.


    Gu Huanhuan had been very careful after the incident, so they didn¡¯t manage to capture anything since.


    But, some people couldn¡¯t stand it.


    Gu Huanhuan had just arrived at the door of the dressing room when she heard Susie and Liu Yiyi¡¯s conversation.


    ¡°Miss Susie, what do you think is happening to our industry? People must rely on scandals and hype to elevate their status?¡± Liu Yiyi said with passion.


    ¡°Yeah, right? It¡¯s fine if she found a rich second-generation heir, but he was driving such a crappy car. One can tell immediately that he¡¯s not rich.¡± Susie said disdainfully. To her, a celebrity¡¯s boyfriend must at least be rich.


    ¡°Exactly. But maybe she¡¯s not their type? Unlike you, Miss Susie, who have so many suitors who are either rich or noble.¡± Liu Yiyi ttered Susie.


    ¡°Stop it. What suitors? My goal now is to win a best actress award.¡± Susie said with conviction.


    ¡°I¡¯m rooting for you. You can definitely achieve that goal.¡±


    When Gu Huanhuan heard that they were no longer talking about her, she opened the door and walked in. It was really tiring for her to face women who liked to gossip all day.


    When Gu Huanhuan walked in, their conversation stopped abruptly.


    Gu Huanhuan pretended not to notice. There were just so much gossip in the entertainment industry. If she had minded every one of them, she would have died of exhaustion long ago.


    ¡­


    Gu Huanhuan and Susie would be scene partners for the first time today.


    Susie was looking forward to it. Only when there were two of them in the scene would people know who the better actress was.


    She had always been very confident of her acting skills. After all, she was the most sessful actress among her peers.


    As soon as the camera started rolling, Susie looked at Gu Huanhuan provocatively.<div>


    This scene was about the first meeting between the first and second female leads. Susie yed the role of Sun Nana, a young miss from a wealthy family. She and Yun Duo, the female protagonist, were love rivals. After the male protagonist split up with Yun Duo, he met Sun Nana and they started dating. They were close to getting married when the male protagonist met Yun Duo again in a performance. That meeting brought up the male protagonist¡¯s feelings for his old me. His current me, Sun Nana, was very unhappy and went to teach Yun Duo a lesson.


    As soon as they met, Sun Nana pped Yun Duo without saying anything. Yun Duo covered her face as she looked at Sun Nana calmly, trying to figure out what was going on.


    Sun Nana was still furious and wanted to p Yun Duo again. Yun Duo was determined not to be outdone this time and pped Sun Nana first. She pped her hard.


    ¡°You¡­¡± Gu Huanhuan pped Susie with all her might and a full handprint was forming on Susie¡¯s face. Susie pointed at Gu Huanhuan speechlessly because she was so angry that she could not speak.<div>


    ¡°Cut.¡± The director immediately stopped filming and looked at his two lead actresses with a trouble expression.

 Chapter 840: A Date

    Chapter 840: A Date


    Editor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    ¡°Have youdies also be screenwriters so you could change the scene yourselves?¡± The director couldn¡¯t help but mock.


    Susie quickly replied with grievance, ¡°Director, Sun Nana is extremely jealous of her love rival, so it¡¯s not too outrageous that she pped her, right?¡±


    ¡°But would she p her the first time they met without saying a word?¡± The director was also aware of the rivalry between these actresses, but this was too much.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, director. I only did it because of the plot.¡± Susie said apologetically. She then turned to Gu Huanhuan and said, ¡°Your character has always appeared as a weakling. Why did you p me?¡±


    Gu Huanhuan could not help but roll her eyes at Susie. Was she going to just let Susie p her? More importantly, she knew that it wasn¡¯t how the scene was written. Susie was obviously acting out of personal spite. Gu Huanhuan wouldn¡¯t just take it lying down.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Even the weak will instinctively fight back when they are bullied.¡± Gu Huanhuan replied inly.


    ¡°Please look in the mirror. You two have faces swollen like steam buns now. How are we going to continue today? I don¡¯t want such a thing to happen again in the future.¡± The director warned.


    Susie knew that it was her fault. Her face was sour but she didn¡¯t say anything.


    Because their faces were red and swollen, their scenes couldn¡¯t be filmed today. The director had no choice but to shoot scenes without them first.<div>


    When Gu Huanhuan heard the director¡¯s words, she said a quick ¡°sorry¡± and left.


    Since it was Saturday, Gu Huanhuan sent a WeChat message to Wen Chi asking if he was busy today.


    Very quickly, he texted back, ¡°Free today. Am at home.¡±


    Perfect. She would give him a surprise.


    Gu Huanhuan walked into the breakroom and put on a disguise. She wore a sun hat and lowered the brim of the hat before she hopped on to her chauffeured van.


    ¡°Please drop me at a nearby supermarket.¡± Gu Huanhuan instructed the driver after she got in. She then started to think about what she¡¯d buy at the supermarketter.


    The chauffeur left after dropping her off.


    Gu Huanhuan walked to the fruit and vegetable section of the supermarket and got tworge bags of food before she gged down a taxi.


    She wanted to text Wen Chi after giving her destination address to the driver but was met with a bunch of new messages from him. She was delighted.


    His messages asked if she had time today because he wanted to make soup for her. As it was still not convenient for them to eat out, they mostly cooked at home.


    Wen Chi had recently bought many recipe books and been practicing.


    The two of them really had a telepathic connection.


    Gu Huanhuan arrived at Wen Chi¡¯s apartment building and realized that a PIN was required to open the door, so she called Wen Chi to let her in.


    When Wen Chi saw her, he looked pleasantly surprised. It really pleased her.


    Seeing that she was carrying tworge shopping bags, Wen Chi asked with a frown, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you ask me to help?¡±


    He quickly took the bags from her as he spoke.


    ¡°I wanted to give you a surprise. Who knew that the door required a PIN to open?¡± Gu Huanhuan said with slight annoyance.


    ¡°Silly girl, I¡¯ll give you a key cardter so you can get in whenever you want to ess my apartment.¡± Wen Chi said with a smile.


    Gu Huanhuan looked around Wen Chi¡¯s apartment. The ck, white, and gray color palette was minimalist but ssy. She liked Wen Chi¡¯s taste.<div>


    She casually took off her sun hat and ran her fingers through her hair.


    Wen Chi¡¯s smiling face suddenly turned dark. ¡°Freeze.¡±


    He walked up to her and straightened her body. ¡°What happened to your face?¡±


    Gu Huanhuan¡¯s face was covered by her hair when she walked in, so he didn¡¯t notice it at first. Now that he saw her red and swollen face, he was shocked.<div>

 Chapter 841: Her Fans Speculate

    Chapter 841: Her Fans Specte


    Editor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    ¡°I got this on the film set.¡± Gu Huanhuan didn¡¯t want Wen Chi to worry, so she glossed over the reason for her red and swollen face.


    ¡°Your scene partner has taken it a bit too far, no?¡± Did they have to take things so seriously on a film set?


    ¡°It¡¯s more realistic that way. I¡¯m hungry. Why don¡¯t we start cooking?¡± Gu Huanhuan changed the subject.


    ¡°Wait first. I¡¯ll get you some ice.¡± Wen Chi got up and walked to the kitchen.


    Gu Huanhuan was very moved. Wen Chi was so very thoughtful and considerate.


    Wen Chi made Gu Huanhuan lie down on the sofa as he gently applied an ice pack to her face. As they were very close, his masculine scent lingered around the tip of her nose. She was a little distracted and ignored the coldness on her face.


    After applying the ice pack for a while and seeing that the swelling had visibly subsided, Wen Chi got up.


    ¡°Don¡¯t take things too far on the film set next time. Even if the scene calls for it, there¡¯s still room for discussion with the director, right?¡± After Wen Chi and Gu Huanhuan started dating, he started toe into contact with such knowledge.


    Gu Huanhuan stuck her tongue out at him and decided to never let him visit her on the set. He would probably be even angrier if he saw her being pped live.<div>


    ¡°Okay. I¡¯m starving now. Can we please fill my stomach first?¡± Gu Huanhuan said with a pitiful look on her face.


    As expected, Wen Chi¡¯s heart melted. He looked at her dotingly as he said, ¡°Lunch will be ready soon.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll help too. It¡¯ll be faster with the two of us.¡± Gu Huanhuan said as she walked into the kitchen.


    They worked as a team in the kitchen with one person making soup and the other person prepping the other ingredients. Gu Huanhuan suddenly felt that this was a picture of her ideal life.


    Wen Chi worked methodically. The two of them chatted andughed as they worked. Soon, theypleted making three dishes and a soup.


    Duck soup with morel mushroom, beef stir-fried with chili peppers, scrambled eggs with tomatoes, and stir-fried ms. The dishes all looked delicious. Gu Huanhuan was a little surprised. She didn¡¯t expect Wen Chi to be such a good cook.


    She couldn¡¯t help but praise him. ¡°Honey, you are a pretty good cook. You¡¯ve inherited Auntie¡¯s genes.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve been reading recipestely and am totally self-taught.¡± Wen Chi said proudly. He also felt that he was quite talented in cooking. If he weren¡¯t a doctor, he could consider being a chef.


    ¡°You¡¯re so talented.¡± Gu Huanhuan said adoringly. She felt that smart people could learn anything quickly.


    Wen Chi was on cloud nine because of Gu Huanhuan¡¯spliment.


    After they brought the dishes to the dining table and scooped out two bowls of soup, Gu Huanhuan took out her phone habitually to snap and upload a photo to her Weibo ount. She even titled her post, ¡°Look, smell and taste so good. Itadakimasu!¡±


    In less than five minutes, she received thousands ofments.


    I¡¯mNotAPuppy wrote, ¡°Prepared with love. I also want to eat.¡±


    LandscapePaintingmented, ¡°I see two bowls. Is this a date?¡±


    JustACasualFanmented, ¡°My Huanhuan is so domesticated. Whoever marries her is so lucky.¡±


    SelfService wrote, ¡°I¡¯m waiting for the official announcement. I¡¯m filled with love when I see the food. Brother-inw, brother-inw,e out quickly.¡±


    PerfectMatch wrote, ¡°Huanhuan didn¡¯t appear on the photo. No like.¡±


    I¡¯mDetectiveA wrote, ¡°This is so obviously a date. One person can¡¯t finish so many dishes. I¡¯m guessing it¡¯s for two. If they couldn¡¯t show their faces, it means that¡­ (contents omitted on purpose here).¡±


    ¡­<div>


    Thements section was flooded.


    Gu Huanhuan and Wen Chi sat down facing each other and drank some soup. When she opened Weibo again, her mind went nk momentarily.


    Just a simple photo like that and her fans were all ying Sherlock Holmes. Gu Huanhuan was a little dumbfounded.


    However, she did not intend to rify anything. She was going to let nature take its course.<div>


    She didn¡¯t know if she shouldugh or cry as she looked through thements. But it seemed that most of her fans wished for her to find her prince charming soon.


    She also looked forward to the day when she would hold Mr. Wen¡¯s hand and introduce him to all her fans.

 Chapter 842: The Wrap Party

    Chapter 842: The Wrap Party


    Editor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Wen Chi noticed Gu Huanhuan¡¯s strange behavior. ¡°What are you looking at? You¡¯re so engrossed.¡±


    ¡°Looking atments on Weibo.¡± Gu Huanhuan happily handed her phone to him.


    Wen Chi looked through thements. Celebrities indeed enjoyed no privacy. Just a simple photo like that had generated so much discussion.


    ¡°Are you okay?¡± Wen Chi looked at her.


    ¡°Yes. It doesn¡¯t matter even if they know. I just want to live my life and acting is just a hobby.¡± Gu Huanhuan said nonchntly.


    The two of them happily finished their meal and sat side by side on the sofa. Gu Huanhuan rested her head on Wen Chi¡¯s shoulder. Their movements were very natural, with no hint of awkwardness.


    Wen Chi put his arm around her shoulders. He then said, ¡°I¡¯ll take you on a holiday when you¡¯re less busy.¡±


    Gu Huanhuan nodded quickly. Although she had been to many ces while on projects, she never had time to wander leisurely.


    ¡°I¡¯ll take a break after filming for this movie wraps.¡± Gu Huanhuan knew the importance of work life bnce. ¡°But you¡¯re busier than me.¡±<div>


    ¡°With two new doctors joining our department, things are now much better than before.¡± Wen Chi replied.


    ¡°Yay!¡± Gu Huanhuan threw herself into his arms with a smile. Wen Chi quickly caught her and held her close.


    With her slender arms around his neck, Gu Huanhuan shyly pecked him on the cheek before she looked at him with her big, sparkling eyes.


    Wen Chi was stunned. He did not expect Gu Huanhuan to do that. As if encouraged by her, he lowered his head and kissed her.


    ¡­


    The director¡¯s warning probably worked because Susie didn¡¯t make trouble on the set again after the pping incident. Filming proceeded very smoothly and soon wrapped.


    To celebrate the end of shooting, the director booked a private room at a club for a wrap party with the main cast.


    Gu Huanhuan thought that since she didn¡¯t have anything important to do and it was difficult for her to turn down the director, she¡¯d go to the party.


    Shooting ended an hour earlier than usual so everyone could go home and change.


    Gu Huanhuan saw that it was still early, so she asked the driver to send her home.


    But Gu Huanhuan had long made up her mind that she would announce her rtionship with Wen Chi after filming wrapped.


    After Gu Huanhuan arrived home, she took a shower first. Out of courtesy, she also dressed up meticulously for the party.


    She then sent Wen Chi a WeChat message to tell him that she had a social engagement tonight.


    Wen Chi did not reply for a long time.


    He actually wasn¡¯t that busy today. His friend in the film and television industry had asked him out. Wen Chi wasn¡¯t very interested at first but he had done his friend a favor when his wife was giving birth at the hospital. His friend wanted to thank him and asked him out after work, telling him mysteriously that it was a surprise.


    Wen Chi was going to decline his friend¡¯s invitation. He would rather video chat with Huanhuan or watch her movies. But when he saw Huanhuan¡¯s message that she had a social engagement tonight, he epted his friend¡¯s invitation. Rather than going home to stare at the walls, he would just meet his friend, have a drink and something to eat, and then pick Huanhuan up when she was done. Since it was night, they didn¡¯t have to hide their rtionship too carefully.


    At eight o¡¯clock in the evening, the city was a symphony of lights and people wereing and going.


    Gu Huanhuan had just arrived at the second floor of tinum Club when she realized that she might have forgotten the room number where their party would be held.


    So, she found a quiet corner and sent a message to Shen Weiwei, a fellow actress in the main cast. As both their names contain repeated characters and they were both extroverts, they quickly became friends. Shen Weiwei was the first close friend Gu Huanhuan had in the entertainment industry.<div>


    Shen Weiwei was the second female lead in a rather popr drama before, so she was quite famous.

 Chapter 843: A Coincidence

    Chapter 843: A Coincidence


    Editor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Shen Weiwei replied very quickly. Their wrap party was in Room 305.


    As Shen Weiwei was arriving soon, Gu Huanhuan decided to wait for her at the corridor.


    She was worried that she would turn around and leave if she went into the room and found people she didn¡¯t know well or people like Susie and Liu Yiyi.


    Under the dim lights, Gu Huanhuan saw two tall men walked into Room 305. She did not know if it was because she was missing Wen Chi so much that she thought one of them looked like him.


    She chuckled helplessly. Was she crazy? Why would Wen Chi appear at a ce like this? His social circle didn¡¯t seem to include people who hang out at such ces.


    She must be missing him so much. One day apart felt like three years. What was happening to her? She suddenly wanted to see him.


    Just as she was in a daze, Shen Weiwei suddenly stood next to her. ¡°What are you looking at?¡±


    ¡°OMG, you scared me! Why didn¡¯t you make any sound when you walked?¡± Gu Huanhuan blurted out.


    ¡°You were just too engrossed in your thoughts. Why? Were you watching some handsome guy?¡± Shen Weiwei teased.<div>


    ¡°Yeah, you guessed right.¡± Gu Huanhuan said with a smile.


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to watch them from here. You can watch them openly when we go to our roomter. I heard that some investors and people outside the industry are joining us.¡± Shen Weiwei was well-informed.


    ¡°What?¡± Gu Huanhuan brows furrowed suddenly. ¡°Isn¡¯t the party just for our cast and crew?¡±


    Gu Huanhuan hated this kind of socializing that forced people to drink. She had always found excuses to decline such gatherings.


    What a mistake but it was toote to leave now.


    ¡°I also just found out, but what does it matter? What if you meet your Mr. Right in there?¡± Shen Weiwei sped her hands together and gave Gu Huanhuan an infatuated look.


    Gu Huanhuan thought in her heart that she was already attached; she wondered how Wen Chi would react if he found out that she was attending such a gathering.


    She hadn¡¯t told even her close friend Shen Weiwei that she was attached. So, Shen Weiwei always thought she was single.


    ¡°Then I wish you good luck.¡± Gu Huanhuan wished her good friend sincerely.


    ¡°You¡¯re making fun of me again.¡± Shen Weiwei held Gu Huanhuan¡¯s arm and the two of them got ready to go in.


    The private rooms at tinum Club were very spacious and could amodate many people.


    Gu Huanhuan saw that many people have gone in and didn¡¯t want to be thest one to appear.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Gu Huanhuan straightened her dress, then the two of them walked towards Room 305. After they went in, they saw that there were already a few people around the table chatting and drinking. One of them was slender and had an imposing aura. He was wearing a ck shirt with long pants and was holding a stemmed ss elegantly in one hand. His near-perfect facial features were vaguely visible in the darkness, and his peach blossom eyes were unforgettable.


    ¡°Our female lead is here.¡± Someone said, and everyone¡¯s eyes turned to the door.


    Gu Huanhuan stood rooted to the spot. Her legs felt like lead and she couldn¡¯t move.


    She never expected to see Wen Chi at such an asion because she always felt that he would feel out of ce at a club.


    But he seemed quitefortable here, and looked very charming.


    She wondered if he would tell her why he went to such a gathering if she hadn¡¯t met him here¡­


    Mixed feelings rose in Gu Huanhuan¡¯s heart. She suddenly felt that the air here was very thin and the room felt stuffy. She felt like she couldn¡¯t breathe.<div>


    Her mind went nk; she didn¡¯t know what to do next.

 Chapter 844: Pretending Not To Know Each Other

    Chapter 844: Pretending Not To Know Each Other


    Editor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    ¡°The female lead always appearsst unlike us whoe on time no matter what.¡± Susiemented. She was implying that Gu Huanhuan was acting like a diva, beingte all the time.


    Gu Huanhuan could not help but look at Susie when she heard her sarcastic remark.


    However, Shen Weiwei spoke first. ¡°Actually, Huanhuan was here early. She was just waiting for me. I¡¯m sorry for making herte. But Miss Susie has also just arrived, right?¡±


    Shen Weiwei did not like Susie¡¯s tone. She had also just arrived, so why did she have to say that about Huanhuan?


    Susie red at Shen Weiwei before she turned to Wen Chi and the other guests with a smile.


    The speed at which she changed her expression stunned them.


    Shen Weiwei whispered in Gu Huanhuan¡¯s ear, ¡°Ignore her, let¡¯s go sit down.¡±


    Wen Chi recognized Gu Huanhuan the moment she walked in. If it weren¡¯t for the other people in the room, he would have pulled her to sit beside him.


    He felt very anxious when he saw her shocked expression. It was all his fault for not exining things to her earlier.<div>


    What a small world. He never thought that he would bump into her like that.


    ¡°Huanhuan,e over here. I¡¯d like to introduce you to a few friends.¡± The assistant director, who was Wen Chi¡¯s friend, waved at her.


    Gu Huanhuan had no choice but toply. ¡°This is Mr. Li, one of the investors of our movie. And this formidable person here is a well-known doctor, Wen Chi.¡±


    The assistant director introduced the two men and then said to Gu Huanhuan, ¡°You all know her, right? Our female lead, Miss Gu Huanhuan, who might win best actress someday.¡±


    Gu Huanhuan smiled and nodded at them before she said humbly, ¡°Hello, gentlemen. Thanks for thepliment.¡±


    ¡°I have faith in you, Huanhuan.¡± The assistant director said sincerely. He felt that Huanhuan was very talented but she wasn¡¯t in the industry for fame and fortune. She just wanted to make good movies.


    Gu Huanhuan smiled and ced her hands on her knees as she sat down next to Wen Chi because that seat happened to be avable. She could feel the sweat on her palms, which was a sign that she was extremely nervous.


    ¡°Director, you¡¯re ying favoritism. You only introduced Huanhuan like the rest of us are invisible.¡± Susie walked over and said coquettishly.


    Gu Huanhuan felt goosebumps all over her body.


    ¡°Yes, and this is our Miss Susie. I almost forgot.¡± The assistant director pped his own forehead like he had indeed forgotten to introduce Susie.


    ¡°Look at my memory. Now that I¡¯ve introduced everyone, please get to know one another.¡±


    Wen Chi¡¯s face darkened. He pretended that Susie did not exist and kept stealing nces at Gu Huanhuan.


    Even if he wasn¡¯t dating Huanhuan, Susie wasn¡¯t his type. She was too much of a show-off and she had such a high-pitch and coquettish voice, which he couldn¡¯t stand.


    Susie felt a little slighted when she saw Wen Chi¡¯s reaction. Her charm didn¡¯t work on him.


    However, human beings were strange. We always wanted things that we couldn¡¯t get.


    The director introduced him as a doctor, and he did look refined and cultured.


    A mature man who exuded a bad-boy aura always fascinated women more.


    She also noticed his beautiful hands with slender and well-sculpted fingers.


    At least, Wen Chi was her highlight for the night.<div>


    Such a handsome man was indeed different from the bald and fat sugar daddies she had met in the past. Susie felt her heart race.


    It wouldn¡¯t be a bad thing if this man was her boyfriend¡­


    The more Susie looked at Wen Chi, the more she found him extremely good-looking, especially his peach blossom eyes, which seemed to be magical.


    <div>

 Chapter 845: Special Attention

    Chapter 845: Special Attention


    Editor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Susie¡¯s actions didn¡¯t escape Gu Huanhuan¡¯s eyes. Gu Huanhuan couldn¡¯t help but snort coldly in her heart. What a troublemaker¡­


    In fact, Wen Chi also felt wronged in his heart. Susie was so friendly and it wasn¡¯t something he could control. All he could do was ignore her.


    In order to hide her frustration, Gu Huanhuan poured herself a ss of red wine and took a sip.


    The mellow wine went straight into her throat and woke her up.


    Wen Chi also took a sip of his wine before he put down his ss.


    He couldn¡¯t help but ask casually, ¡°Miss Gu, what do you like to do in your free time?¡±


    Gu Huanhuan was in a daze until he asked her this question, which made her shudder.


    ¡°Um, nothing much. Maybe exercise and eat delicious food.¡± Gu Huanhuan replied perfunctorily.


    Wasn¡¯t this man a doctor? Why was his eyesight so bad? Couldn¡¯t he see that she was in a bad mood?<div>


    Wen Chi knew that Gu Huanhuan was probably sulking, but he was also secretly happy. She feeling jealous meant that she cared.


    ¡°That¡¯s good. Miss Gu¡¯s lifestyle is very healthy.¡± Wen Chi replied seriously, as if he didn¡¯t sense Gu Huanhuan¡¯s coldness.


    Susie was furious when she saw Wen Chi fawning over Gu Huanhuan. ¡°Why do people always feel that Gu Huanhuan is better than me? It was like that when they cast the female protagonist, and it¡¯s like that now.¡±


    ¡°Dr. Wen, I have a question for you. I sometimes feel weak and my chest feels tight.¡± Susie picked a random subject to engage Wen Chi.


    Wen Chi looked at her and saw that she was perfectly normal. Hence, he said, ¡°It¡¯s hard to say. If you feel unwell, it¡¯s best to find a time to go to the hospital for a check-up.¡±


    ¡°Then can I ask you to do the check-up? You know that people in our line of work are more concerned about privacy.¡± Susie asked opportunistically.


    Wen Chi looked at her awkwardly and said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m not from that department. Actually, all doctors will keep things confidential. You can rest assured.¡±


    Wen Chi¡¯s tone was calm and businesslike.


    Susie felt snubbed and gave up talking to Wen Chi.


    Gu Huanhuan felt much better when she saw Wen Chi reject Susie.


    More and more people gathered around the tables, ying drinking games, drinking and singing. The private room was extremely lively.


    When no one was paying attention, Wen Chi quietly held Gu Huanhuan¡¯s hand under the table and whispered in her ear, ¡°I¡¯ll give you a ride hometer.¡±


    Gu Huanhuan was shocked. This man was too bold.


    She quickly looked around in panic. Fortunately, no one was paying attention to them.


    She nodded.


    ¡°I¡¯ll find an excuse to leave first and wait for you across the road.¡± Wen Chi had wanted to leave a long time ago. He didn¡¯t enjoy this kind of gathering.


    ¡°Okay.¡± Gu Huanhuan replied softly.


    She saw Shen Weiwei singing and walked up to her. ¡°Huanhuan, sing a song.¡±


    ¡°No, thanks. I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s because I didn¡¯t sleep well. I have this nasty headache¡­¡±<div>


    ¡°Then go home and rest early.¡± Shen Weiwei said with concern.


    ¡°Alright.¡± Gu Huanhuan also said goodbye to the director and her other colleagues.


    When she turned around, she noticed that Wen Chi had already left.


    She picked up her bag and left too.<div>


    After leaving the club, she stood at the entrance and immediately saw the car across the road. It was Wen Chi¡¯s car, so she slowly walked over.


    Wen Chi had been staring at the club entrance. Under the crystal chandelier, Gu Huanhuan was so beautiful that she looked elegant and otherworldly in her short white dress. It was quite dark in the private room just now and Wen Chi hadn¡¯t paid much attention to her appearance.


    At this moment, the gentle and sweet smile on her face was like a flower bud that had just blossomed.

 Chapter 846: Explaining Himself

    Chapter 846: Exining Himself


    Editor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Gu Huanhuan didn¡¯t care too much this time. She quickly walked to the car, opened the door of the front passenger seat and got in.


    ¡°You must be tired.¡± Wen Chi¡¯s eyes slowly revealed a smile.


    ¡°Hmph.¡± Gu Huanhuan could not help but feel a little upset when she saw that he had no intention of apologizing at all.


    Wen Chi waited for her to sit still before he leaned over and helped her buckle her seatbelt.


    ¡°Let¡¯s talk when we get home.¡± Wen Chi smiled gently at her, knowing why she was sulking.


    ¡°Okay.¡± Gu Huanhuan knew that he was going to drive, so she didn¡¯t pick a fight then.


    The car started moving slowly. ¡°How much did you drink?¡±


    Gu Huanhuan suddenly thought of this question. Drunk driving was no joke.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t drink at all because I drove here. Besides, our profession doesn¡¯t allow us to drink alcohol. Drinking too much alcohol can cause nerve damage and that¡¯s fatal for a surgeon. Surgeons love their hands as much as their lives.¡± Wen Chi was a very self-disciplined person and has never craved alcohol. He had been pouring his own drink at the club just now.<div>


    Gu Huanhuan was relieved when she heard that.


    When they arrived at Wen Chi¡¯s apartment, Wen Chi went into the kitchen and made Huanhuan a honey drink. She had drunk wine at the party just now.


    Gu Huanhuan sat on the sofa. She had the key to Wen Chi¡¯s apartment too. They got together very naturally. Gu Huanhuan would asionallye over, so she had clothes she could change into here.


    ¡°Drink it, and you won¡¯t feel so sick when you sleepter. Otherwise, your mouth will feel dry.¡± Doctors were really good at maintaining their health.


    Gu Huanhuan happily took the honey drink and slowly drank it.


    Wen Chi sat down next to her and said, ¡°It was really a coincidence tonight. I didn¡¯t expect to see you there. If I had known, I would have driven there with you.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s really a small world.¡± Gu Huanhuan rested her head affectionately on Wen Chi¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Don¡¯t you have more things to tell me?¡±


    ¡°Your director is a friend of mine. He asked me for a favor when his wife gave birth at the hospital. So, tonight was like a thank you gift from him.¡± Wen Chi exined but he felt that Gu Huanhuan was so cute when she was angry.


    ¡°So how? What did it feel like to meet so many female celebrities?¡± Gu Huanhuan continued to interrogate him in a jealous tone.


    ¡°I made you a honey drink just now, right? I¡¯m sure I didn¡¯t put any vinegar in it. Why do your words smell a little sour?¡± Wen Chi teased.


    ¡°Stop it.¡± Gu Huanhuan pped his arm in feigned anger.


    Wen Chi hugged her and quickly kissed her on the cheek.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t pay much attention to the others because I already have a superstar named Gu Huanhuan in my heart.¡±


    Gu Huanhuan suddenly felt a little shy when she heard that.


    ¡°Okay, you passed.¡± Gu Huanhuan said with a smile. ¡°I guess your director friend wanted you to get to know more female celebrities. That¡¯s why he introduced so formally. It¡¯s a pity that you¡¯ve let him down.¡±


    ¡°Are you trying to take advantage of me after you¡¯ve won? If that happened, you¡¯d skin me alive when you get home.¡± Wen Chi caressed her head.


    As expected, it was the right decision to leave early. Wasn¡¯t it more rxing when the two of them just stayed home, chatted andughed?


    Wen Chi might have been a little ridiculous in the past, but he was now Mr. Nice Guy.


    ¡°I¡¯m not that violent but what did you think of Susie?¡± Gu Huanhuan pressed on.<div>


    ¡°Who? The woman who said weird things?¡± Wen Chi asked tentatively.


    ¡°I guess so. The one who asked you for a check-up.¡± Gu Huanhuan nodded.

 Chapter 847: Breakfast Made With Love

    Chapter 847: Breakfast Made With Love


    Editor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    ¡°Is she yourpetitor?¡± Wen Chi was not interested in Susie.


    ¡°I guess so.¡± Competitor? Susie was nothing but a jinx to her.


    Nothing good ever came out from meeting her.


    ¡°Stay away from her in the future. I¡¯m worried that an innocent girl like you will fall into her traps.¡± Wen Chi had always been a good judge of character. Susie was someone who would do anything to achieve her goal.


    ¡°Will do.¡± Gu Huanhuan pouted.


    ¡°Let¡¯s not talk about others. Let¡¯s go wash up and rest.¡± As soon as Wen Chi finished speaking, he scooped her up.


    ¡°Ah!¡± She let out a soft cry and instinctively wrapped her arms around his neck.


    Wen Chi¡¯s steps were steady, as if Gu Huanhuan was as light as a feather. His carried her with his strong arms and brought her into the bedroom.


    Gu Huanhuan blushed, but she was very happy.<div>


    Wen Chi often made romantic gestures like that.


    Warm water sshed down, and the bathroom was filled with mist.


    ¡­


    Dawn broke.


    Wen Chi was still asleep, but Gu Huanhuan had already opened her eyes. Her schedule had been rtively normaltely as she had been filming in the morning. She woke up naturally at this hour every day.


    She turnedzily in bed and suddenly remembered that Wen Chi had to go to work today. She decided to get up, wash up and then busy herself in the kitchen before he woke up.


    She got busy in the kitchen, warming milk and making two sandwiches before he left for work.


    Quick, quick, quick. She had to finish making breakfast before Wen Chi left for work. She wanted to give him a surprise because he was usually the one who made breakfast.


    Making a nutritious breakfast for the person she loved, seeing him off, and then exchanging morning kisses at the door was something she envied. This scene had only happened in movies before, but she hoped that it would y out for her in real life.


    She could finally realize her dream today. People who saw her like this would most likely think that she had be a different person. She was also very surprised that she could change so much after she met the person she loved.


    ¡°Huanhuan, why are you up so early?¡± Wen Chi¡¯s voice suddenly sounded behind her.


    Gu Huanhuan was startled. Her face turned red as she quickly erased the fantasies in her mind. She turned off the stove and ced two tender fried eggs on a te. Frying eggs was very simple and she had long mastered it.


    ¡°I¡¯ve slept enough and I don¡¯t have to go to the studio today. Since you haven¡¯t left for work yet, I thought I would make you a breakfast with love.¡± Gu Huanhuan smiled.


    Wen Chi watched as Gu Huanhuan removed soft toasts from the toaster, smeared them with sd dressing, added ham and fried egg on top, sprinkled some ck pepper and spices, and made two sandwiches. She then brought them to the dining table along with two sses of warm milk.


    Wen Chi felt his eyes burn. He could not help but lean against Gu Huanhuan¡¯s back and hug her from behind.


    ¡°Thank you for taking the trouble. You should be resting since you are not working today. I can make breakfast.¡± Wen Chi said with a little heartache.


    ¡°It¡¯s no trouble at all. I wanted to give you a taste of my signature breakfast.¡± Gu Huanhuan turned around and pulled him to the dining table.


    Under Gu Huanhuan¡¯s gaze, Wen Chi finished his sumptuous sandwich and a ss of milk.


    ¡°Is it nice? ¡°Gu Huanhuan asked.<div>


    Wen Chi nodded with a smile.


    Sun rays filtered through the window as Gu Huanhuan walked Wen Chi to the door. Wen Chi didn¡¯t disappoint her when he leaned over and gave her a goodbye kiss at the door.


    Gu Huanhuan felt a little shy. Why were they behaving like a married couple now?


    <div>

 Chapter 848: Mrs. Wen Drops By

    Chapter 848: Mrs. Wen Drops By


    Editor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Gu Huanhuan felt a little bored after Wen Chi went to work. Her movie was almost done and after that, she would most likely be marketing the movie, going on promotional tours.


    She would probably be neglecting Wen Chi for a while then, but he was also a busy man. With so many surgeries, meetings, etc., his schedule was also packed.


    Gu Huanhuan walked back to the dining table alone. She was busy watching Wen Chi eat just now and hadn¡¯t had her breakfast. Mostly, it was because she didn¡¯t have much of an appetite.


    Suddenly, the doorbell rang.


    Gu Huanhuan revealed a helpless smile. It was probably Wen Chi forgetting something again¡­


    She walked over and opened the door as she said, ¡°Did you forget something again?¡±


    She was stunned the moment she opened the door. The person standing outside wasn¡¯t Wen Chi but Mrs. Wen, whom she had met once before.


    ¡°Auntie¡­ Hi.¡± Gu Huanhuan stuttered. She never expected Mrs. Wen to drop by.


    ¡°Huanhuan, don¡¯t be nervous. Auntie just dropped by hoping to catch Wen Chi before he went to work. I wanted to remind him to take you home for dinner more often.¡± Mrs. Wen said with a smile.<div>


    ¡°He just left for work.¡± How could Gu Huanhuan not be nervous? She already didn¡¯t have much experience dealing with elders, especially with her boyfriend¡¯s mother. She wished that she had searched online for other people¡¯s experiences so she wouldn¡¯t be so awkward.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. It¡¯s even better that you¡¯re here.¡± Mrs. Wen looked at Gu Huanhuan in satisfaction. The more she looked at her, the more she liked her. She kept calcting in her heart when she would be able to hold a grandchild at the rate they were going. Just thinking about it made her happy.


    Wen Chi had finally done something right.


    Gu Huanhuan quickly poured Mrs. Wen a ss of warm water and ced it in front of her. She then sat down across from her and ced her hands on her thighs.


    ¡°Huanhuan, how about this? Since it¡¯s such a coincidence, why don¡¯t you go home with Auntie for lunch today? I¡¯ll cook something delicious for you. You can just tell Wen Chi about it when the timees.¡± Mrs. Wen said happily.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to trouble you.¡± Gu Huanhuan said softly.


    ¡°No trouble at all. It will be livelier with you there and I won¡¯t feel lonely. Auntie has always wanted a daughter. A caring daughter and now my wish has finallye true.¡± Gu Huanhuan was very touched by Mrs. Wen¡¯s heartfelt words.


    ¡°Then, please wait while I change out of my pajamas.¡± Gu Huanhuan dressed casually and went home with Mrs. Wen.


    They detoured to the market before they went home and bought tworge bags of groceries.


    Once they got home, Mrs. Wen went into the kitchen and Gu Huanhuan hurried in to help.


    Mrs. Wen was grinning from ear to ear. Not bad, a hardworking girl.


    ¡°Go out and sit. I¡¯ll be done soon.¡± Mrs. Wen couldn¡¯t bear to let smoke and oil soil such a delicate young girl.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. I would very much like to watch and learn from Auntie.¡± Gu Huanhuan said with a smile.


    Hence, the two of themughed and talked as they prepared a table full of dishes. As both Mr. Wen and Wen Chi were eating at work, the two of them began to eat happily.


    Although there were only two of them, lunch didn¡¯t feel quiet as the two had much to talk about.


    Mrs. Wen had even purposely watch Gu Huanhuan¡¯s television series so that the two of them have something inmon to talk about.


    ¡°Auntie, since it¡¯s still early, why don¡¯t you put some soup in a thermos so I can bring it to the hospital for Wen Chi?¡± Gu Huanhuan saw that Wen Chi hadn¡¯t replied her text and figured that he was probably busy; it was almost lunchtime.


    Mrs. Wen¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°What an excellent idea. Thank you for being so thoughtful. Wen Chi is so lucky to have you.¡±


    ¡°Auntie, you tter me. It¡¯s nothing.¡± Gu Huanhuan said humbly.<div>

 Chapter 849: An Overseas Study Trip

    Chapter 849: An Overseas Study Trip


    Editor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Mrs. Wen immediately filled a thermos with soup and said goodbye to Gu Huanhuan.


    Gu Huanhuan held the thermos of soup, lowered the brim of her hat, and walked into the hospital.


    The hospital was packed with people, so no one noticed Gu Huanhuan. She took the elevator and went to the staff lounge near Wen Chi¡¯s office.


    She didn¡¯t tell him that she was bringing him soup.


    Gu Huanhuan wondered what kind of expression Wen Chi would have when he saw her¡­ She was looking forward to it.


    As the lounge wasn¡¯t locked, she walked in.


    Not long after, Gu Huanhuan heard footsteps from the corridor outside. She suddenly felt a little nervous, but also a little excited.


    No one came in after a long time. Gu Huanhuan was puzzled. Wasn¡¯t that Wen Chi?


    So, she got up from the sofa and went to the door to check.<div>


    She heard voices as she neared the door.


    ¡°Wen Chi, this is a very rare opportunity. How can you just give it up? Do you know how high the expectations the medical director and the other senior staff at the hospital have on you?¡±


    It was a woman who spoke. As she was quite excited, her tone was shrill.


    ¡°Yu Li, stop dwelling on this. I¡¯ve already gone on many study trips and I want to give this spot to someone else.¡± Wen Chi said gently.


    ¡°Do you know what you¡¯re saying? It¡¯s different this time, Wen Chi.¡± The woman who spoke was still very excited.


    ¡°Yu Li, that¡¯s enough. You should seize this opportunity.¡± Wen Chi obviously did not want to continue the conversation.


    Gu Huanhuan could more or less make out their conversation. The hospital gave out spots for an overseas study trip to Wen Chi and this doctor named Yu Li. But Wen Chi didn¡¯t want to go and wanted to give his spot to someone else.


    Yu Li was exasperated by Wen Chi¡¯s stubbornness. She thought that going on the same study trip would bring her closer to Wen Chi, but who knew Wen Chi had such thoughts?


    ¡°Why? It¡¯s such a good opportunity.¡± Yu Li muttered to herself. ¡°Is it because you have a girlfriend and you can¡¯t bear to part with her?¡±


    Yu Li suddenly thought of this possibility because he had mentioned a girlfriend before.


    Wen Chi finally lost his patience and said in a harsh tone, ¡°This is my business. It¡¯s gettingte. Why don¡¯t you go to lunch. Excuse me.¡±


    With that, Wen Chi turned around and opened the door to the lounge.


    Before Gu Huanhuan could fully digest their conversation, Wen Chi had already pushed the door open and walked in.


    ¡°You¡­¡± Obviously, Wen Chi was shocked to see Gu Huanhuan, but he quickly came around.


    He closed the door behind him and said, ¡°Why are you here?¡±


    ¡°Auntie invited me home to have lunch with her today, so I brought you some soup.¡± Gu Huanhuan opened her eyes wide and said gently.


    Wen Chi only noticed her appearance now. She didn¡¯t have any makeup on, but her face was soft and bouncy like a newborn baby¡¯s butt. Her facial features were bright and beautiful. She was wearing a T-shirt and ripped jeans, but she looked very fashionable in them.


    Wen Chi walked up to her, held her hand and led her to the sofa.


    ¡°You sit down first. I¡¯ll get you some soup.¡± Gu Huanhuan hadn¡¯t forgotten her mission.<div>


    ¡°There¡¯s no hurry. Come and sit down first. I have something to discuss with you.¡± Wen Chi pulled her back.


    ¡°What is it?¡± Gu Huanhuan could guess what he was about to say.


    ¡°The hospital has secured a spot for me to go on an overseas study trip¡­¡± Wen Chi let his sentence hang and nced at Gu Huanhuan.


    Gu Huanhuan was stunned. It was an overseas trip. ¡°That¡¯s a good thing. It proves that they value you. How long will you be gone?¡±<div>


    ¡°About half a year. I n to decline.¡± Wen Chi said.


    ¡°Why decline such a good opportunity? It¡¯s something many people want but couldn¡¯t get.¡± Gu Huanhuan replied truthfully.

 Chapter 850: I Support You

    Chapter 850: I Support You


    Editor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    ¡°Are you saying that I should go?¡± Wen Chi asked.


    ¡°This is a good thing, so of course I support you.¡± Gu Huanhuan felt that half a year was not a long time. Moreover, there were limited spots and such opportunities were rare.


    Wen Chi did not think much of it though. He had gone on study trips like this many times, so he wasn¡¯t very interested. Moreover, they had only been a couple not long ago and he didn¡¯t want anything to change while he was away.


    Wen Chi pondered for a moment before he said, ¡°Then I¡¯ll think about it again.¡±


    ¡°Good. Now, have some soup.¡± Gu Huanhuan uncapped the thermos and poured out some soup.


    Wen Chi nced at her and smiled dotingly. He had a whole new level of respect for Gu Huanhuan now.


    He used to think that a young celebrity like her would be spoiled and not know how to do anything. He had epted it because he liked her and was prepared to do all the work. But since they got together, Gu Huanhuan had worked very hard and learned a lot of things. She even knew how to take care of him and cook him delicious food now.


    The feeling of being cared for was definitely wonderful, and he enjoyed it very much.


    Wen Chi used a spoon and drank his soup elegantly.<div>


    Gu Huanhuan watched him quietly because she had something on her mind.


    The usually chatty young girl seemed to be much quieter today.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Something bothering you?¡± Wen Chi put down his soup and pulled her into his arms.


    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s nothing. Are there many people going on this study trip?¡± Gu Huanhuan probed.


    ¡°There are three spots.¡± Wen Chi said.


    ¡°Is Dr. Yu Li, who was talking to you just now, going too?¡± Gu Huanhuan asked cautiously.


    And there was her point. Wen Chi finally realized that Gu Huanhuan was worried about Yu Li. She must have heard their conversation just now.


    ¡°Silly girl, what does it have to do with me whether she goes or not? One of the spots is hers, so she would probably go. After all, such opportunities are rare. Coming back from a study trip like that is having another feather in her cap. Her level of qualifications will be different from before.¡± Gu Huanhuan half-understood Wen Chi¡¯s words. Her main takeaway was that this female doctor named Yu Li would definitely go on this study trip.


    Besides, this woman had her eye on Wen Chi. Gu Huanhuan had met Yu Li once before and recognized her right away from her voice alone.


    Gu Huanhuan didn¡¯t want to dwell on this anymore. Many women liked Wen Chi, but his attitude had always been the same. There was nothing for her to worry about.


    Wen Chi looked at her and patted her head before he asked, ¡°Are you going to wait for me here? Or are you going home first?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll go home first. You¡¯re busy with work. I have to attend an award ceremonyter and need to get ready.¡± Gu Huanhuan had just heard about the assignment from Sister Gao not long ago.


    ¡°Okay, be careful. I¡¯ll pick you up for dinner tonight.¡± Wen Chi thought for a moment. He should be able to get off work on time today.


    ¡°Sure. We¡¯ll talk about it then.¡± After Gu Huanhuan finished speaking, she cleaned up the coffee table.


    Wen Chi was actually a little reluctant to let her go. Were all couples like them? They had been spending a lot of time togethertely, and it had be a habit. He would probably feel very lost if they were apart for a long period.


    After Gu Huanhuan left, Wen Chi closed his eyes and rested for a while.


    Doctoring was a high-pressure profession, especially when they performed surgeries. They had to be at their best during surgery and often felt exhausted after.


    However, Wen Chi did not regret his choice. Saving lives and healing the sick had always been his ambition.


    After Gu Huanhuan came out of the hospital, she put on a mask and took a taxi back to her own apartment.<div>


    She couldn¡¯t let herself go and wanted to grow together with Wen Chi.


    Filming for her movie wasing to an end, and it was time for her to enrich herself.


    <div>

 Chapter 851: The Movie Was Screened

    Chapter 851: The Movie Was Screened


    Editor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Time truly flew by. Gu Huanhuan¡¯s movie ¡°Meeting By Chance¡± was released, and the response was phenomenal. In a society driven by materialism, a refreshing and simple story like this was a real breath of fresh air.


    Gu Huanhuan yed Yun Duo, a character who was modest, gentle, quiet, and focused, evoking an indescribable feeling in the audience.


    In the film, even her slight smile captured the audience¡¯s attention, especially during the dancing scene, which left everyone in awe.


    With her graceful figure and elegant demeanor, her every move exuded charisma. Her subtle smiles touched the hearts of many.


    Gu Huanhuan once again won the hearts of the audience. Her fresh aura, beautiful appearance, and gentle personality,bined with her undeniable talent and determination in acting, made her unforgettable.


    Due to the movie¡¯s sess, Gu Huanhuan traveled extensively to promote it.


    As her boyfriend, Wen Chi was her first and foremost supporter. He booked an entire theater and invited friends and family to watch the film.


    Those who were unaware of the situation were puzzled, wondering why Wen Chi, a doctor, had suddenly taken an interest in the arts.


    However, an invitation to watch a movie was always weed, and everyone enjoyed it thoroughly.<div>


    Wen Chi was particrly proud, watching Gu Huanhuan intently throughout the film, his heart swelling with pride for his talented girlfriend.


    There was one scene in particr that left a deep impression on Wen Chi.


    Yun Duo, dressed in a gray crew-neck sweater, had her smooth long hair tied into a ponytail, looking serene and elegant. Her focused expression made it seem like there was something wonderful in front of her.


    From the audience¡¯s perspective, Gu Huanhuan¡¯s smooth forehead, fair profile, and slightly pursed pink lips, with a faintly furrowed brow, conveyed a sense of thoughtfulness.


    Her concentration was captivating, and herrge, clear eyes were especially striking.


    This side of Gu Huanhuan was new to Wen Chi, who was used to her carefree and mischievous nature. Now, she appeared calm and poised, not stunning, but very pleasant andforting.


    Since Yun Duo was busy promoting the film in other provinces, Wen Chi hadn¡¯t seen her for several days.


    Coincidentally, he had a three-day break and was contemting whether to surprise her with a visit.


    It was past 10 PM when Gu Huanhuan, exhausted, returned to her hotel. Despite her fatigue, she immediately called Wen Chi.


    ¡°Hey, babe, back at the hotel?¡± Wen Chi answered almost instantly, as if waiting for her call.


    ¡°Yeah, just got back. I¡¯m so tired,¡± Gu Huanhuan replied, lying on the bed, not wanting to move. Promoting the film was far more exhausting than shooting it.


    She had been on her feet all day, wearing high heels, and now her feet felt sore and numb.


    ¡°You¡¯ve worked hard,¡± Wen Chi said sympathetically. ¡°How much longer will you be there?¡±


    ¡°About four more days. I miss you so much. We haven¡¯t seen each other in ages. If only you had wings and could fly to me right now,¡± Gu Huanhuan said yfully.


    Wen Chi, who had been hesitant about visiting her, made up his mind instantly.


    ¡°Get some rest. There¡¯s a surprise waiting for you tomorrow,¡± Wen Chi said mysteriously, deciding to keep his n a secret for now.


    Gu Huanhuan continued to chat with him, pouting and being yful before hanging up.


    As soon as the call ended, Wen Chi opened his phone and booked a flight without hesitation.


    It was a morning flight, and he expected to see her by noon.<div>


    He had already checked her schedule for the next day. He couldn¡¯t wait to see her reaction when she saw him.

 Chapter 852: Visiting

    Chapter 852: Visiting


    Editor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    The next day, Wen Chi arrived at the airport early for his 9 AM flight.


    He hadn¡¯t told Gu Huanhuan about his ns. She had a promotional event in the morning, so he decided to wait for her at the hotel since she always returned there for a midday break.


    Gu Huanhuan was chatting with Shen Weiwei, but she seemed a bit distracted.


    ¡°Huanhuan, did you hear? Susie is supposedly seeing the young master of the Chifeng Corporation,¡± Shen Weiwei was sharing some gossip she had heard.


    ¡°That Wang Xu?¡± Gu Huanhuan replied absentmindedly. She vaguely remembered him sending her flowers, which she had promptly thrown into the trash.


    ¡°Yeah, him. I remember he was all over you during filming. How did he end up with her right after? It¡¯s so strange,¡± Shen Weiwei said, puzzled.


    ¡°Guys like him are always chasing after someone new. There¡¯s nothing strange about it,¡± Gu Huanhuan said dismissively. She couldn¡¯t even recall what he looked like, her mind was filled with thoughts of her Dr. Wen.


    ¡°True, he¡¯s probably just ying around. Guys like him deserve girls like her,¡± Shen Weiwei remarked disdainfully. She had quite a grudge against Susie.


    Though not as famous as Susie, Shen Weiwei had to work alongside her in a film. During the shoot, Susie had overshadowed her in many scenes, even having her lines reduced. The director had favored Susie¡¯s performance, which had infuriated Shen Weiwei.<div>


    ¡°Keep it down. If someone hears us, it¡¯ll cause more trouble,¡± Gu Huanhuan cautioned. These days, you never knew who might be listening.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I didn¡¯t mention any names. Huanhuan, I¡¯m curious, what kind of man would catch your eye?¡± Shen Weiwei nudged her yfully.


    Though they hadn¡¯t known each other long, Shen Weiwei knew Gu Huanhuan had a good reputation and was very selective.


    On set, many people had pursued her, including wealthy heirs and popr actors, but she always turned them down with a polite smile, never giving anyone a chance.


    She was curious about what kind of man Gu Huanhuan liked.


    ¡°I like someone who is refined, knowledgeable, with long, slender fingers, and distinct knuckles. Most importantly, he must be devoted and unconditionally spoil me,¡± Gu Huanhuan said dreamily, resting her chin on her hand.


    ¡°Do you think such a man exists? They seem as rare as dinosaurs,¡± Shen Weiwei teased.


    ¡°He does exist,¡± Gu Huanhuan nodded earnestly.


    ¡°Good luck with that,¡± Shen Weiwei said half-heartedly, thinking it was no wonder she hadn¡¯t found someone yet with such high standards.


    Gu Huanhuan chuckled. She was lucky because she had found exactly that.


    As noon approached, the promotional event wrapped up. There were no afternoon ns due to some issues with the sponsors.


    Gu Huanhuan desperately needed a break. The tight schedule had been exhausting, and she had even lost a few pounds, a small silver lining.


    She and Shen Weiwei headed back to the hotel, nning to grab something to eat at the hotel restaurant.


    As they entered the lobby, Shen Weiwei suddenly grabbed Gu Huanhuan¡¯s arm excitedly, ¡°Huanhuan, look, a dinosaur is at 3 o¡¯clock from where we¡¯re standing.¡±


    What was she talking about? Dinosaurs? Gu Huanhuan wondered if Shen Weiwei had lost her mind from all the busyness.

 Chapter 853: Surprise

    Chapter 853: Surprise


    Editor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    ¡°No, I meant a man as rare as a dinosaur. Look over there, isn¡¯t he just like what you described? Elegant and tall, even from the side, his profile is perfect, much better than those popr celebrities in the entertainment industry,¡± Shen Weiwei whispered in Gu Huanhuan¡¯s ear.


    Gu Huanhuan wasn¡¯t interested. Except for Dr. Wen, she was immune to other men.


    ¡°What man¡­?¡± Gu Huanhuan asked, obligingly ncing in the direction Shen Weiwei indicated.


    Was she hallucinating? She must have been missing Dr. Wen too much because the figure she saw looked just like Wen Chi.


    It couldn¡¯t be; he hadn¡¯t mentioned he wasing.


    Her heart felt like a herd of deer were dancing inside it.


    Seeing that Gu Huanhuan had stopped talking, Shen Weiwei turned to look at her, only to find her friend staring nkly.


    ¡°He¡¯s a catch, isn¡¯t he? Stunned speechless, right? Wasn¡¯t I right?¡± Shen Weiwei said triumphantly.


    The figure sitting in the lounge area seemed to sense their gaze and slowly turned his head.<div>


    He smiled slightly, carefully observing the radiant Gu Huanhuan.


    Wen Chi recognized Gu Huanhuan immediately, even among a crowd.


    Today, she wore a white strapless dress that hugged her curves perfectly. The dress was adorned with intricate embroidered roses, and she wore silver high heels. Her ck hair cascaded over her snowy shoulders, exuding a delicate yet seductive charm.


    This was yet another side of her; she could disy many different qualities.


    The moment he turned his face, Gu Huanhuan nearly cried out in surprise.


    It really was him. What a wonderful surprise.


    So this was the surprise he had mentioned yesterday. The rascal hadn¡¯t given her any hints, leaving her standing there like a fool.


    If Shen Weiwei hadn¡¯t been there, she would have run to him and thrown herself into his arms.


    With others around, Wen Chi remained where he was.


    ¡°Huanhuan, I¡¯m about to faint. He really is top-notch. I have no words. He¡¯s smiling at us, and I feel like I can¡¯t stand up straight,¡± Shen Weiwei said, starstruck and almost incoherent.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go quickly before we embarrass ourselves.¡± Gu Huanhuan, pulling Shen Weiwei toward the elevator, gave Wen Chi a quick wink, signaling him to follow.


    Wen Chi found the secrecy amusing, adding a touch of mystery.


    It was just a normal rtionship, yet it felt like a secret affair.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t we going to the restaurant?¡± Shen Weiwei asked as they entered the elevator, her stomach growling in reminder.


    ¡°Let¡¯s order room service. We¡¯re dressed so formally; we¡¯d probably be stared at like zoo animals,¡± Gu Huanhuan said, making up an excuse. She wanted to introduce Wen Chi to her friend, but now wasn¡¯t the right time.


    Plus, time was precious, and she wanted to spend as much of it with Wen Chi as possible.


    ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll find you for some shopping after I nap,¡± Shen Weiwei said reluctantly, admitting Huanhuan had a point. With Huanhuan¡¯s rising fame, being recognized would likely cause a scene.


    ¡°I¡¯m really exhausted. Ask Xiao Zhao to go shopping with you.¡± Xiao Zhao was her assistant.


    ¡°Alright then,¡± Shen Weiwei agreed, understanding that as the star, Gu Huanhuan had a heavy load of interviews, promotions, and appearances. She deserved a good rest.<div>

 Chapter 854: Reunion

    Chapter 854: Reunion


    Editor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Gu Huanhuan said goodbye to Shen Weiwei at her hotel room door. Once inside, she quickly sent her room number to Wen Chi.


    A momentter, there was a knock at the door. She looked through the peephole and, seeing that it was Wen Chi, immediately opened the door.


    As soon as he stepped in, Wen Chi closed the door behind him. Gu Huanhuan, without worrying about her gown, threw her arms around Wen Chi¡¯s neck and climbed onto him.


    ¡°Surprised?¡± Wen Chi asked, giving her a quick kiss.


    ¡°More like shocked,¡± Gu Huanhuan replied with a hint of irritation.


    ¡°Why? You don¡¯t like that I came to see you?¡± Wen Chi said casually.


    ¡°I¡¯m happy, but you should have given me a heads-up. We almost got caught,¡± Gu Huanhuan scolded.


    ¡°No worries, I handled it perfectly,¡± Wen Chi chuckled.


    The problem was that she couldn¡¯t control herself. Seeing him made her want to leap into his arms.<div>


    ¡°I need to change clothes. Let¡¯s go out to eat; I¡¯m starving,¡± Gu Huanhuan said as her stomach growled.


    ¡°Hmm, you¡¯ve lost so much weight. Haven¡¯t you been eating well?¡± He noticed how light she felt when he hugged her.


    Gu Huanhuan replied proudly, ¡°That¡¯s something everyone envies.¡±


    Wen Chi felt a twinge of concern. Despite her makeup making her look spirited, he could see the exhaustion in her eyes.


    ¡°Alright, these few days, I¡¯m going to fatten you up,¡± Wen Chi dered determinedly.


    Gu Huanhuan couldn¡¯t help but roll her eyes. What woman liked being called fat?


    But she was indeed hungry. Gu Huanhuan quickly changed into casual clothes: jeans and a white T-shirt, topped with a baseball cap.


    Hand in hand, they left the hotel. ¡°What do you want to eat?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Anything,¡± Gu Huanhuan pouted her pink lips.


    ¡°I dread hearing ¡®anything,''¡± Wen Chi said, ncing around.


    In the end, Gu Huanhuan chose a Korean royal cuisine restaurant.


    As they approached the entrance, Wen Chi hesitated, ¡°Are you sure you want to eat here?¡±


    She had just mentioned dieting, and now she wanted barbecue. Women were indeed unpredictable.


    ¡°You don¡¯t want to eat here?¡± Gu Huanhuan stared longingly at the marbled beef on the poster, swallowing a few times.


    ¡°If you want to eat here, then let¡¯s eat here,¡± Wen Chi said, pulling her inside. Typically, he avoided barbecued foods, being health-conscious as a doctor.


    The server greeted them, ¡°Would you like a private room or to sit in the main hall?¡±


    ¡°Private room,¡± Gu Huanhuan replied sweetly.


    The server gave her an extra nce, probably thinking she looked like a celebrity.


    Gu Huanhuan turned her face away, feeling a bit self-conscious.<div>


    The server led them to a private room on the second floor, decorated in a Korean style without chairs. They had to remove their shoes and sit cross-legged.


    The server handed them the menu, and Gu Huanhuan scooted closer to Wen Chi. ¡°What do you want to eat?¡±


    ¡°Order what you like. I¡¯m not picky,¡± Wen Chi said, ying the role of a well-behavedpanion.


    Gu Huanhuan nibbled on her finger while she thought, then began ordering without hesitation: marbled sirloin, steak, stir-fried rice cakes, bacon-wrapped enoki mushrooms, ginseng chicken soup, king prawns, fruit sd¡­<div>


    ¡°Anything else you want?¡± Gu Huanhuan asked Wen Chi.


    ¡°That¡¯s enough for now. If it¡¯s not, we can order more. Also, can we get a pot of Longjing Tea?¡± Wen Chi politely requested.


    The server nodded with a smile, then hesitated before asking Gu Huanhuan, ¡°Excuse me, are you the actress Huanzi?¡±


    Gu Huanhuan nearly choked but then nodded graciously, ¡°Yes, I am.¡±


    The server was suddenly excited, ¡°Could I get your autograph? I just watched your movie, ¡®Meeting By Chance.¡¯ It was fantastic. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll keep it a secret.¡±T


    Gu Huanhuan, beaming, signed her name.

 Chapter 855: Relationship Exposed

    Chapter 855: Rtionship Exposed


    Editor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    After the server left, Wen Chi sighed, ¡°It seems my girlfriend is quite famous now, huh?¡±


    ¡°Of course, so you better cherish me,¡± Gu Huanhuan boasted shamelessly.


    ¡°Yes, I should treasure you like a gem,¡± Wen Chi grinned.


    As they chatted andughed, the server soon brought out severalrge tters of meat, cing them on the grill. The sizzling aroma wafted up, making Gu Huanhuan¡¯s mouth water. She had been starving, and now, seeing the meat, she eagerly wrapped it in lettuce and devoured it.


    Wen Chi watched her indulgently, thinking that anything she ate looked delicious.


    Gu Huanhuan, after savoring a piece herself, wrapped another piece of meat in lettuce and held it up to Wen Chi¡¯s mouth.


    Wen Chi took a bite, finding it surprisingly tasty. He usually avoided barbecue, but today it had a unique vor.


    Gu Huanhuan thought about the pounds she had lost recently. Eating a few extra pieces to make up for it shouldn¡¯t be too bad.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you afraid of gaining weight?¡± Wen Chi teased her.<div>


    Gu Huanhuan paused mid-bite and said, ¡°I¡¯ll just work outter. You have no idea how long it¡¯s been since I had barbecue. It¡¯s best with lettuce; it¡¯s delicious and not greasy.¡±


    She enthusiastically wrapped another piece of meat, dipped it in sauce, and offered it to Wen Chi.


    As he reached for it, he noticed her licking her lips, and a dark look shed in his eyes. Silently, he took the wrapped meat.


    This meal brought Gu Huanhuan great joy and satisfaction. Usually, with Sister Gao around, she couldn¡¯t touch anything high in calories.


    The meat on the tter was nearly gone, with Wen Chi having stopped eating early on, content to sip his tea.


    ¡°Are you full?¡± Wen Chi asked.


    Gu Huanhuan patted her belly, looking distressed. ¡°What do I do? It was so good, I think I ate too much.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. One meal won¡¯t make you fat. Even if it does, I still like you,¡± Wen Chi chuckled, finding her endearing like a child.


    ¡°My legs are numb from sitting too long,¡± Gu Huanhuan pouted, her big dark eyes looking at him pitifully.


    Wen Chi extended his hand to help her up and called the server to settle the bill.


    After leaving the Korean restaurant, Gu Huanhuan linked her arm through Wen Chi¡¯s, and they strolled slowly.


    ¡°How about we take a walk?¡± Wen Chi suggested, concerned that she might feel ufortable after eating so much.


    ¡°Okay.¡± Gu Huanhuan put on her sunsses and let her hair down. Despite her bare face, her natural elegance was evident, making it impossible for her to blend in as an ordinary passerby.


    Gu Huanhuan enjoyed these moments, leisurely walking with him.


    Lost in each other¡¯spany, they didn¡¯t notice when someone took their photo.


    After a long walk, they returned to the hotel.


    Gu Huanhuan copsed onto the sofa.


    ¡­


    The next morning, just as dawn broke, Sister Gao¡¯s call came through.<div>


    ¡°My little ancestor, are you still sleeping? Have you seen the news? I leave you alone for one day, and you cause trouble,¡± Sister Gao sounded frantic.


    She had received numerous calls from the media that morning.


    ¡°Wait, Sister Gao, what news?¡± Gu Huanhuan, still groggy, asked in confusion.


    ¡°You and your boyfriend made the news, holding hands. Someone took photos. Now, you¡¯re trending everywhere,¡± Sister Gao exined, catching her breath.<div>


    ¡°Someone took photos?¡± Gu Huanhuan, although mentally prepared, was still taken aback. Her secrecy efforts were terrible. How did they get caught so easily?

 Chapter 856: Admitting the Relationship

    Chapter 856: Admitting the Rtionship


    Editor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    ¡°Then let¡¯s make it public,¡± Gu Huanhuan responded calmly. She had nned to announce the rtionship after the movie¡¯s release anyway. She wasn¡¯t one for sneaking around.


    ¡°I¡¯m just worried about the audience¡¯s reaction,¡± Sister Gao said anxiously. ¡°The movie is doing so well right now. If we announce your rtionship and the audience doesn¡¯t take it well, it could backfire.¡±


    The agency wasn¡¯t a concern. Her brother had ensured there were no contract disputes by not signing her directly to any agency; she was only affiliated.


    ¡°They¡¯ll find out sooner orter,¡± Gu Huanhuan said, thinking that since the movie had been out for a few days, it was worth the gamble.


    ¡°Alright then. Since you were caught red-handed, we might as well be honest,¡± Sister Gao sighed, seeing no other choice.


    ¡°Thank you, Sister Gao,¡± Gu Huanhuan said, sticking out her tongue yfully on the phone.


    ¡°Just be aware,¡± Sister Gao said, exasperated. ¡°You never give me a moment¡¯s peace. But your boyfriend is really handsome. Even with just a side profile and a back view, he¡¯s got people swooning. Ask him if he¡¯d consider joining the entertainment industry. I could be his manager.¡±


    ¡°No need to ask. He won¡¯t join,¡± Gu Huanhuan said firmly before hanging up.


    Just then, Wen Chi came in with breakfast. ¡°What¡¯s going on? Why are you so worked up this early?¡±<div>


    ¡°Nothing much. Sister Gao called. We were photographed yesterday,¡± Gu Huanhuan said calmly.


    Wen Chi frowned. ¡°How did that happen? Were we too careless? Will it affect you badly?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Sister Gao will handle it. I was nning to go public anyway. Now that we¡¯ve been photographed, let¡¯s just go with the flow,¡± Gu Huanhuan reassured him.


    ¡°That¡¯s good. I was just worried about you,¡± Wen Chi said, feeling relieved.


    ¡°It¡¯s no big deal. Worst case, I stop acting and let you take care of me,¡± Gu Huanhuan joked.


    ¡°I¡¯d be thrilled,¡± Wen Chi replied without hesitation.


    They exchanged a nce and bothughed.


    Gu Huanhuan knew she was just joking. Staying home all day and doing nothing would drive her crazy.


    Remembering what Sister Gao said about the photos, Gu Huanhuan quickly opened Weibo and saw that the top trending topics were ¡°National Goddess¡¯s Romance Revealed¡± and ¡°Huanhuan Holding Hands with Mystery Man.¡±


    She clicked on the headlines and saw photos of herself smiling up at Wen Chi, their hands intertwined. Wen Chi was asionally ncing back at her, the epitome of a couple in love.


    The photos exuded a beautiful, warm aesthetic.


    Gu Huanhuan felt a bit frustrated. Wen Chi¡¯s side profile was perfect, his tall figure and exceptional aura making him look every bit the part of a gentleman. No wonder Sister Gao had asked if he wanted to join the entertainment industry.


    Wen Chi noticed her alternating between frowning and worrying and asked, ¡°What are you so engrossed in?¡±


    ¡°Here,¡± Gu Huanhuan handed him her phone.


    Wen Chi saw the news report. Luckily, his face wasn¡¯t fully shown. Otherwise, his life might have been thrown into chaos.


    ¡°Nothing special,¡± Wen Chi said, finding it quite boring. Being a celebrity seemed like just another job to him, but without any privacy. Every little thing had to be reported to satisfy the public¡¯s curiosity.


    ¡°Only you would think that,¡± Gu Huanhuan said, taking the phone back to check thements.


    As expected, there were already tens of thousands ofments under the report. Gu Huanhuan was stunned by the number of people paying attention andmenting.


    She felt a wave of nervousness but reminded herself that she¡¯d been in the industry long enough. She had heard both praise and criticism and had developed a tough skin.<div>

 Chapter 857: Are You Two In a Relationship?

    Chapter 857: Are You Two In a Rtionship?


    Editor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Gu Huanhuan opened thement section and began reading carefully.


    ¡°I¡¯m the Great One: Finally, the truthes out! So much love here.¡±


    ¡°Autumn Waters: Oh my god, brother-inw is so handsome! He could rival any male star!¡±


    ¡°Anonymous: She said it was her brother before, huh? See, you can¡¯t trust what a female star says. Caught red-handed, not denying it now, huh?¡±


    ¡°True Fan: Waiting for the official announcement. By the way, the photographer¡¯s skills need improvement. Side profile, bad review.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m the Prettiest: They look so good together! I love it!¡±


    ¡­


    As Gu Huanhuan read thements, she couldn¡¯t help butugh and cry. Most of thements were supportive, with the screen filled with flowers and smirking emojis.


    Her heart, which had been suspended in midair, finally settled down.<div>


    Even though she would hold Wen Chi¡¯s hand no matter what people said, she still hoped for their blessings.


    After breakfast, Gu Huanhuan had to rush to her next appointment.


    With the romance just exposed, reporters were likely to be relentless.


    Since the photos had already been leaked, Wen Chi couldn¡¯t appear in public, fearing it would cause amotion.


    Gu Huanhuan got dressed and headed out.


    The car arrived at the venue, and the media reporters, who had already received the news, swarmed around them, leaving no space.


    Her assistant kept saying, ¡°Excuse us, please.¡±


    ¡°Miss Huanhuan, what¡¯s the story behind the photos? Are you two dating?¡±


    ¡°How long have you been together? Is he outside the entertainment industry?¡±


    ¡°How did you meet?¡±


    The sound of shutters clicking was incessant. The few people who got out of the car were bombarded with questions and could only move slowly through the crowd.


    The photo showed Gu Huanhuan¡¯s face clearly, while Wen Chi¡¯s side profile was not entirely recognizable. However, everyone in the industry knew he wasn¡¯t part of the entertainment circle. Since he was an outsider, they hadn¡¯t figured out his true identity yet.


    ¡°Please make way, everyone. We¡¯ll give you a statementter.¡±


    ¡°Please cooperate, we¡¯re runningte.¡±


    Despite the assistant and two security guards emphasizing repeatedly, Gu Huanhuan was still unable to move an inch due to the crowd.


    From past to present, Gu Huanhuan had never been good at dealing with the media. Seeing the crowd pressing in, she felt quite scared inside. It wasn¡¯t appropriate to say anything now, so she could only smile apologetically at everyone, saying nothing.


    But the reporters were not satisfied with her silence.


    ¡°Meeting By Chance¡± was still trending hot, and Gu Huanhuan was in high demand. Now, with such news breaking, the reporters would keep rehashing it for a while. They wouldn¡¯t let her off so easily.


    Gu Huanhuan was grateful Wen Chi hadn¡¯te out to see her off. Otherwise, the traffic would have been paralyzed.<div>


    After a long standoff, the event¡¯s security team arrived, allowing Gu Huanhuan to escape. She bowed to everyone and said apologetically, ¡°Sorry, there will be a statementter.¡±


    Finally, Gu Huanhuan entered the venue to promote ¡°Meeting By Chance.¡±


    They had been tirelessly promoting for half a month with excellent results. The box office had broken 200 million in three days, surpassed 500 million in six days, and now, after 12 days, it had crossed 1 billion, standing out among many films and achieving great sess.


    This was thest stop of their promotion. During the Q&A session, the first question the reporters asked was about the photos.<div>


    Since Sister Gao had already discussed it with the agency, Gu Huanhuan decided to take this opportunity to make the announcement herself.

 Chapter 858: He Is My Prince Charming

    Chapter 858: He Is My Prince Charming


    Editor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    ¡°Yes, I am in love. I have found the man who makes my heart flutter. He is my prince charming,¡± Gu Huanhuan said with a radiant smile.


    The crowd was taken aback by her straightforward admission, and the room suddenly erupted with excitement.


    Someone seized the opportunity to ask, ¡°Can you tell us more about your prince charming?¡±


    ¡°Sorry, because he¡¯s not from the entertainment industry, the photo exposure has already caused him significant trouble,¡± Gu Huanhuan said apologetically. ¡°I hope the media friends won¡¯t dig into his identity. Please be kind.¡±


    Gu Huanhuan figured that admitting it herself would take away the mystery and make the situation easier to handle.


    ¡°Can you tell us how you met? Satisfy our curiosity,¡± someone persisted, still curious.


    Gu Huanhuan cleared her throat and picked up the microphone. ¡°Actually, our meeting was quite ordinary, not as romantic as it appears on TV. So, you might be disappointed. We met before and were at odds. Over time, we got to know each other better and naturally came together.¡±


    She tried to downy their romance to quell everyone¡¯s curiosity.


    She was worried that the media would find out Wen Chi was a doctor and disturb his work.<div>


    ¡°But your prince charming is very handsome. Does he n to enter the entertainment industry?¡± someone joked.


    ¡°Thank you for thepliment. He¡¯s outstanding in his own field and likely won¡¯t consider joining the entertainment industry,¡± Gu Huanhuan replied with a yful tone.


    Gu Huanhuan answered the reporters¡¯ questions earnestly and sincerely. Her candid attitude made it hard for them to press her further.


    The promotional event turned into a press conference about her rtionship, but thements seemed mostly positive, and Gu Huanhuan finally felt at ease.


    The revtion of the leadingdy¡¯s romance kept the film¡¯s buzz high, boosting ticket sales.


    Wen Chi saw Gu Huanhuan¡¯s responses to the reporters and felt deeply moved. She had many choices, yet she chose him. In their rtionship, she was humble, and they interacted like any ordinary couple, without her being arrogant despite being called the ¡°national goddess.¡±


    He silently vowed to treat her even better, confident that they could walk hand in hand to the end.


    Due to the media frenzy, Wen Chi decided not to stay too long. The next day, he discreetly left and went home.


    As the film¡¯s box office continued to soar, more showings were added, so Gu Huanhuan had to keep promoting it without a break.


    However, they kept in constant touch through phone calls and video chats, sharing their thoughts and feelings.


    Wen Chi returned to work at the hospital as soon as he got back.


    The photo exposure had a significant impact. While others might not know who the man was, his colleagues immediately recognized Wen Chi. They were shocked, as a doctor and a female star seemed like an unlikely pair.


    When he returned, his colleagues looked at him with curiosity, but Wen Chi remainedposed, acting as if he didn¡¯t notice.


    ¡°Dr. Wen, well done! You¡¯ve won the heart of a beauty. No wonder you showed no interest in any of the women we introduced to you. You already had our ¡®national goddess¡¯ in your heart,¡± a close colleague teased.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Wen Chi smiled faintly and didn¡¯t engage further.


    He was prepared for this, understanding that people are naturally curious.


    However, some people¡¯s reactions weren¡¯t as positive.

 Chapter 859: Rumors

    Chapter 859: Rumors


    Editor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Wen Chi had just finished his rounds and was about to step into his office when he overheard a male doctor from the same department saying, ¡°You should learn from Dr. Wen¡ªmarrying a celebrity means a life of luxury.¡±


    The tone was sour. This doctor had previously been a candidate for a training opportunity along with Wen Chi but was ultimately not chosen. He felt resentful, believing that everyone favored Wen Chi and that all the good opportunities were handed to him. Now, with this chance to gossip, he couldn¡¯t resist spreading the news.


    Another doctor chimed in, ¡°Yeah, do you know how much celebrities make? They can easily earn millions, which we could never make in several lifetimes.¡±


    ¡°Well, you don¡¯t have Dr. Wen¡¯s looks, do you?¡±


    ¡°Exactly! Dr. Wen is even more handsome than those male celebrities. It¡¯s no wonder.¡±


    Wen Chi couldn¡¯t bear to listen any longer. He turned around and walked out to the balcony, taking a deep breath.


    Being with Huanhuan meant dealing with a lot of gossip, but hearing it firsthand was still hard to ept.


    However, his conscience was clear. They had never discussed financial matters. His sry was more than enough to support a family.


    Gu Huanhuan came from a well-off family and never had to worry about money. She didn¡¯t have much concept of it as someone else managed her finances, and she acted purely out of passion.<div>


    The cool breeze refreshed him, and thoughts of Huanhuan returning the day after tomorrow cheered him up. He decided to let go of all the negativity.


    When Wen Chi stepped back into the office, everyone was busy with their work, as if the earlier conversation had never happened.


    As others left for various reasons, Yu Li walked in and saw that Wen Chi was alone. Unable to resist, she approached him and asked, ¡°Dr. Wen, that person in the photo is you, right? The entertainment industry is so chaotic. How do you know she¡¯s sincere?¡±


    The day the photo came out, Yu Li immediately recognized Gu Huanhuan. She could never mistake that tall figure beside her.


    ¡°Do you need something? I¡¯m busy,¡± Wen Chi said, finding it annoying that everyone had something to say about his personal life.


    It was clear he wanted her to leave, but Yu Li ignored it. She continued, ¡°You might not like hearing this, but I have to say it. People say actors are heartless, that they just y around for fun. Think about it¡ªthere¡¯s so much temptation in their world. We constantly hear about breakups and divorces in the news.¡±


    ¡°I love her, and that¡¯s enough. Focus on your own work and don¡¯t worry about my affairs,¡± Wen Chi replied sternly.


    Normally calm, Wen Chi was deeply hurt and angered by anyone ndering Huanhuan.


    Yu Li was startled by his tone, as if she was seeing him for the first time. Her eyes welled up with tears, and she quickly left after giving him onest look.


    Wen Chi leaned back in his chair, feeling overwhelmed. Despite everyone¡¯s doubts, he was determined to prove their love was unbreakable.


    With a busy schedule and an uing surgery, Wen Chi threw himself into his work, confident that the rumors would fade over time.


    Meanwhile, Gu Huanhuan was also hounded by reporters because of their rtionship. Fortunately, she would be home the day after tomorrow. She had an awards ceremony to attend next, where ¡°Meeting By Chance¡± had been nominated, and she was up for Best Actress.

 Chapter 860: Cooking for You

    Chapter 860: Cooking for You


    Editor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Time flew by, and soon enough, two days had passed.


    Gu Huanhuan returned home in a chauffeured car, apanied by her assistant. To avoid being followed by paparazzi, she went straight to her own house. After being away for over half a month, she finally felt rxed back in her familiar surroundings.


    It was still early, and Wen Chi hadn¡¯t finished work yet, so she decided not to disturb him. She freshened up and nned to take a nap.


    She would wait for Wen Chi to return home for dinner.


    She must have been really tired because she fell into a deep sleep. In her groggy state, she felt her phone ringing. Without opening her eyes, she groped for it on the bedside table and saw that it was Wen Chi calling.


    ¡°Are you home?¡± Wen Chi¡¯s clean voice was especiallyforting.


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ve been home and already had a nap. Are you off work?¡± Gu Huanhuan¡¯s voice waszy, having just woken up.


    ¡°I¡¯m almost done. I¡¯lle to get you for dinner soon,¡± Wen Chi said.


    ¡°The media has been following metely. Before youe over, stop by the supermarket and buy some groceries. We can cook at home,¡± Gu Huanhuan suggested. She missed homemade food after eating takeout and restaurant meals for so long.<div>


    Wen Chi understood her feelings and bought two big bags of groceries after work. He was cautious, checking around as he drove in to avoid being photographed.


    Once inside, he put the groceries down and immediately cupped her face with hisrge hands, looking straight into her eyes with his dark gaze, and then nted a kiss on her soft pink lips.


    Gu Huanhuan wrapped her arms lightly around his waist. Neither of them spoke, but they understood each other perfectly.


    ¡°I¡¯ll cook. After my nap, I feel recharged,¡± Gu Huanhuan said with a smile.


    ¡°Okay,¡± Wen Chi nodded, ¡°I¡¯ll help you.¡±


    ¡°No need. I¡¯ve learned some new dishes recently. Let me surprise you,¡± Gu Huanhuan refused his offer.


    Meeting someone she truly liked had changed her a lot. In the past, she would scoff at the idea of cooking for a man. But now, she constantly wanted to make delicious meals for him and surprise him.


    Wen Chi smiled helplessly, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll just wait to eat then.¡±


    Gu Huanhuan started bustling around in the kitchen. She nced at the groceries Wen Chi had bought and quickly came up with a menu.


    With practice, her cooking skills had be more proficient.


    She soon had the rice cooking, then began cutting meat and washing vegetables. She nned to make braised beef with potatoes, steamed turbot, stir-fried greens, and a chestnut chicken soup.


    Wen Chi sat in the living room watching the news, asionally ncing into the kitchen. He saw her focused on cooking, her hair tied into a casual ponytail, with a few yful strands falling by her face.


    Before long, the fragrant, steaming dishes were ready and set on the dining table. Wen Chi went over to help set the bowls, and Gu Huanhuan served him a big bowl of rice before sitting across from him to eat.


    The braised beef was tender and melted in the mouth, and the greens were crisp and delicious. Only when the food hit his stomach did Wen Chi realize how hungry he was.


    As he looked at the beautifully presented and tasty meal, a strange emotion welled up inside him. The hurtfulments from his colleagues had affected him, but now he felt that caring about them was pointless.


    Gu Huanhuan never acted superior or high and mighty, despite her fame.

 Chapter 861: Youll Always Be the Best Female Lead In My Heart

    Chapter 861: You¡¯ll Always Be the Best Female Lead In My Heart


    Editor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    ¡°Does the food taste good?¡± Gu Huanhuan asked in hope of apliment. Although she could already tell from his expression that he was very happy with the dishes, she still wanted to hear him say it out loud.


    Wen Chi nodded and took a bite of the beef before he replied, ¡°It¡¯s so delicious that I bit my own tongue.¡±


    Gu Huanhuan propped her face on her hands and smiled. That was great.


    ¡°You eat some too.¡± Wen Chi picked up a piece of meat for her.


    ¡°I have to attend an awards ceremony on Monday. I¡¯m wearing a qipao this time, which is very demanding on my figure, so I must eat less.¡±


    Wen Chi frowned. Losing weight again; this was probably every woman¡¯s life mission.


    ¡°You¡¯re very thin. Eat some. You¡¯ll be fine. You¡¯ll always be the best female lead in my heart.¡± Wen Chi coaxed her. He couldn¡¯t help but think that she was ruining her health.


    After he finished speaking, he picked up a piece of beef and put it in her bowl. Gu Huanhuan did not want to make him feel bad, so she ate it. Indeed, the food tasted really good.


    After they finished dinner, Wen Chi volunteered to clean the dishes.<div>


    ¡°Chichi, do you feel pressure being my boyfriend?¡± Gu Huanhuan leaned against the kitchen door and asked Wen Chi casually.


    Wen Chi nearly choked on the nickname she gave him. He stopped what he was doing before he asked, ¡°Why are you asking me this question?¡±


    ¡°I just suddenly thought of it since everything about you may be dug out and disyed to the world because of my profession.¡± Gu Huanhuan said worriedly.


    ¡°I don¡¯t have any dirtyundry to be aired in public, so don¡¯t worry.¡± Wen Chi said light-heartedly.


    Gu Huanhuan walked up to him and hugged his waist from behind. She leaned her face against his back and muttered, ¡°I love you.¡±


    Although she said it very softly, Wen Chi still heard every word. His body stiffened for a moment, and then the corners of his lips curled up.


    Gu Huanhuan felt a little shy after she said that; she quickly broke the hug and walked out.


    ¡­


    The Golden Bear Awards were divided into eight categories: Best Film, Best Director, Best Scriptwriter, Best Lead Actor, Best Lead Actress, Best Supporting Actor, Best Supporting Actress, and Best Neer.


    The awards were a big deal in the entertainment industry. There was an borate selection process every year, where the Chinese audience would do the first-round selection and only five nominees would be shortlisted for each category.


    The selection process was open and transparent. Behind the scenes maniptions were nearly impossible.


    Therefore, every nominee and award winner were truly well-deserved.


    Director Guan¡¯s works had always been beautifully shot, even when it was a period film. Moreover, his stories were usually very touching.


    ¡°Meeting by Chance¡± had already received a lot of attention since the cast was announced. Andter, with Gu Huanhuan¡¯s rtionshiping to light, publicity for the film reached a new height.


    With the box office hitting 1.5 billion yuan, the period drama had lived up to expectations when it was nominated for four awards: Best Film, Best Director, Best Lead Actor, and Best Lead Actress.


    It didn¡¯t matter if they won any of these awards. Being nominated was already a clear recognition by everyone. Being able to stand out among so many outstanding films this year was already not an easy feat. Being nominated in one category was already very impressive, let alone four categories.


    Therefore, when the director called Gu Huanhuan to congratte her for being nominated for the Best Lead Actress award, he was grinning from ear to ear.


    The director was still feeling pleased with himself. He felt that he had a good eye when he picked Gu Huanhuan to y the role of Yun Duo. He had indeed picked the right actress.


    Gu Huanhuan was an actress with great potential.<div>

 Chapter 862: Walking the Red Carpet

    Chapter 862: Walking the Red Carpet


    Editor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Their car slowly pulled up at the red carpet. Gu Huanhuan got out from the car carefully and Shen Weiwei exited from the other door of the backseat. The two of them linked arms. Gu Huanhuan¡¯s managementpany had initially arranged for a male artiste to be her date but she rejected the idea. She didn¡¯t want Wen Chi to feel ufortable. Even if it was for work, she thought it best to avoid appearing in public with her male colleagues.


    Shen Weiwei looked at Gu Huanhuan and asked softly, ¡°Are you very nervous?¡±


    ¡°Yes, because it¡¯s my first time attending such an important award ceremony. It¡¯s an honor, but I¡¯m also very nervous.¡± Gu Huanhuan took a deep breath and nodded at Shen Weiwei before they walked in together.


    Gu Huanhuan collected herself and smiled at everyone as she walked the red carpet. Her smiling eyes were exceptionally moving.


    Her well-tailored, milky white qipao entuated her exquisite curves. The subtle floral embroidery on her qipao were simple and elegant. She looked irresistible.


    This was also the first time Gu Huanhuan wore a qipao on such an important asion. She had always thought that she was too young and inexperienced to carry off a qipao. But it seemed that she was ready now.


    A snow-white shawl was wrapped around her shoulders, revealing her fair and beautiful slender neck. The light makeup on her face made her skin looked even more radiant.


    Her long hair was pulled into an elegant high bun on her head. She looked like a ssical Chinese beauty from ancient times.


    She almost couldn¡¯t recognize herself when she saw herself in the mirror earlier.<div>


    She was suddenly looking forward to whether Wen Chi would recognize her when he watched the live broadcast of the awards ceremonyter.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, you¡¯ll definitely amaze everyer.¡± Shen Weiwei said with a smile. She could hardly recognize Gu Huanhuan, who looked thoroughly charming.


    Shen Weiwei was also wearing white. Her full-length gown had a train that swept the red carpet as she walked. Shen Weiwei was also keen to show her best self on such an asion.


    The two of them were rtively low profilepared to Susie¡¯s unique style that instantly caught the media¡¯s attention.


    This was Susie¡¯s first time showing off her career achievements as a popr starlet.


    Herst movie had been a hit and she received good feedback. Therefore, she had also been nominated for the Best Female Lead award, in directpetition with Gu Huanhuan.


    The winner hadn¡¯t been announced yet but Susie had already made a deep impression on everyone.


    She was wearing a red ballgown with a voluminous skirt cinched at the waist. She was a picture of youthful beauty.


    The cameras were all pointed at her. As she walked, she smiled and waved at everyone, ignoring themotion she was causing.


    Because of the overwhelming attention Susie received, Shen Weiwei could not help but whisper in Gu Huanhuan¡¯s ear, ¡°This is not a market. Not a ce that sells meat, right?¡±


    Gu Huanhuan was tickled by herment. She replied, ¡°You can also dress like that.¡±


    ¡°No way. Even if I have the figure, I don¡¯t have the courage.¡± Shen Weiwei was a conservative person at heart.


    ¡°Exactly. We already look great like this.¡± Gu Huanhuan did not like to be the center of attention. In fact, she already felt that her qipao was too tight.


    Susie¡¯s eyes were smiling, and she was beaming as if she had already won the Best Lead Actress award.


    Reporters scrambled to take photos of her, worried that they would miss out on her look when they published the headlines.


    Susie was walking towards Gu Huanhuan and Shen Weiwei when a shockin

 Chapter 863: A Fashion Faux Pas

    Chapter 863: A Fashion Faux Pas


    Editor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Susie¡¯s princess gown had a long and full skirt. As she was overconfident and smug, she identally stepped on her skirt as she walked.


    Her entire dress was pulled down from her body.


    Because it happened too quickly, everyone was stunned. Even Susie was shocked.


    Someone in the crowd said, ¡°Nice body.¡±


    Gu Huanhuan, who was almost at the end of the red carpet, turned her head and saw Susie standing there with a nk expression. Her arrogance from before hadpletely disappeared. Part of her bodice had fallen off. She tried desperately to pull up her dress, but the bodice was too tight. No matter how hard she tried, she could notpletely cover herself.


    She crossed her arms over her chest, and her face was pale from fear. She looked lost and oh so pitiful.


    The red-carpet host stopped talking, and the reporters frantically took photos of Susie.


    Gu Huanhuan frowned as she walked back to Susie, took off her shawl and put it on Susie.


    She was wearing a qipao and the shawl was just an essory.<div>


    Although Susie had always picked on her, Gu Huanhuan felt that she probably wouldn¡¯t dare to face the public after making a fool of herself on such an important asion. She couldn¡¯t bear to watch Susie¡¯s expression of shock and confusion.


    Susie looked at Gu Huanhuan gratefully. She did not expect Gu Huanhuan to help her at such a critical moment despite their history.


    She wrapped the shawl tightly around her torso. Fortunately, it was arge shawl that could be draped around her body.


    Susie looked at Gu Huanhuan with tear streaks on her face.


    ¡°Thank you.¡± She spat out the words with difficulty.


    ¡°The ceremony hasn¡¯t started yet. You still have time to change into something else.¡± Gu Huanhuan suggested.


    Susie seemed to snap back to reality. She walked back to her car and rushed somewhere to change into something else.


    ¡°Huanhuan, you¡¯re too nice. Have you forgotten how she treated you?¡± Shen Weiwei said angrily. Such a vain person who craved the limelight deserved to be embarrassed.


    ¡°Sigh, she was really pitiful just now. I helped her because she looked so helpless. It was nothing. Let¡¯s go in.¡± Gu Huanhuan left the red carpet with Shen Weiwei.


    Indeed, Susie¡¯s fashion faux pas would definitely have been recorded by the media and the audience. It was painful just thinking about the ridicule and sarcasm she would receive when this became news.


    Wen Chi was watching the event live on TV. Susie¡¯s fashion faux pas wasn¡¯t aired but the red-carpet host briefly mentioned the incident on screen.


    Wen Chi stared at Gu Huanhuan unblinkingly. Charming, demure, quiet, interesting, calm and refined¡­ There weren¡¯t enough adjectives to describe her beauty.


    This was his girl, kind and beautiful.


    Regardless of whether she won the award, she was always the best female lead in his heart.


    He had a surprise for her, too, when she came hometer.


    ¡­


    After Susie¡¯s fashion faux pas, the red carpet show gradually came to an end.


    Under an atmosphere of nervousness and anticipation, all the award nominees and their film crew trickled into the auditorium.


    Gu Huanhuan found the seat with her name on it and sat down. Actually, her state of mind was fine. She felt that she was still young and inexperienced, so she was prepared to just be a fellow nominee.<div>


    When the host of the awards ceremony announced the start of the ceremony, the audience burst into thunderous apuse.


    The host was steady and humorous. The first award to be given out was for Best Film. Clips from the five nominated films then yed on the big screen as everyone waited in anticipation. ¡°Meeting by Chance¡± lived up to its audience¡¯s expectations and won the Best Film award.


    Gu Huanhuan felt very proud too. She felt recognized when the film she acted in won an award.


    Soon, it was time to give out the Best Lead Actress award. Gu Huanhuan became more nervous.<div>

 Chapter 864: The Best Lead Actress Award

    Chapter 864: The Best Lead Actress Award


    Editor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Five actresses had been nominated for the Best Lead Actress award. They were all young starlets in the industry. Other than Susie, who had just made a fool of herself, there was another highlypetent young actress¡­


    Gu Huanhuan didn¡¯t feel confident at all.


    Susie had already changed into a new outfit. She was wearing a pantsuit now and looked very stylish. Because of her fashion faux pas earlier, she had decided to go low-key this time.


    Susie¡¯s manager also went into damage control mode as soon as she left the red carpet.


    Despite the likelihood that everyone knew about her fashion faux pas, Susie still walked into the auditorium with her head held high before she sat down on her assigned seat.


    She couldn¡¯t help but smile. After all, the movie she starred in was so popr; there was a high chance that she would win the award.


    The nominees all had different expressions on their faces. Clips from their movies yed on the big screen as a veteran actor presented the award on stage. He let out a long sigh before he said excitedly, ¡°I wonder who will be the winner of the Best Lead Actress award for the 28th Golden Bear?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s turn to the big screen.¡± The host continued with a smile on his face. As soon as he finished speaking, the image on the big screen behind him froze on a still shot from the movie ¡°Meeting by Chance¡±. Gu Huanhuan was the winner of the Best Lead Actress award.


    The award presenter¡¯s excited voice rang through the auditorium.<div>


    ¡°The winner of the 28th Golden Bear Award for Best Lead Actress¡­ Gu Huanhuan.¡±


    ¡°Congrattions.¡± Gu Huanhuan was still in disbelief when the host¡¯s voice sounded.


    The auditorium went silent before a thunderous apuse broke out.


    Gu Huanhuan¡¯s eyes turned red as she inadvertently covered her mouth with one hand. After the host announced her name again, she slowly stood up.


    Her back was straight, her neck fair and slender, and her eyes sparkling. Her petite and fair face was as beautiful as white jade under the spotlight, and her cheeks were pink from excitement. She looked extremely attractive.


    Gu Huanhuan collected herself and walked up lightly to the stage, looking a little nervous.


    ¡°Congrattions, Huanhuan.¡± The host congratted her again on stage with a smile.


    ¡°Thank you.¡± Gu Huanhuan bowed slightly as she took the heavy trophy from the presenter.


    She then took the microphone from the host and took a deep breath. Her smile got brighter as she teared up.


    Gu Huanhuan¡¯s voice was a little choked when she said, ¡°I didn¡¯t expect to win this award today because the seniors and other nominees were all so outstanding. They are all role models for me. I would like to thank everyone for your support and encouragement. Thank you for liking ¡®Meeting by Chance¡¯ and Yun Duo. I thank the ups and downs in making the movie, which shaped me. And finally, a big thank you to the person in my life. Thanks for your encouragement. I love you.¡±


    The apuse was thunderous. No one expected Gu Huanhuan to say something so sentimental at the end of her speech.


    This was the first time Wen Chi watched TV so patiently. It was also the first time he paid so much attention to an awards ceremony in the entertainment industry. He usually only watched the news.


    His girl had won the Best Lead Actress award. His eyes had been locked on the TV screen since Gu Huanhuan was announced as the winner.


    He stared at her delicate face with a smile.


    Of course, he had also heard her thank you speech. He was very shocked when he heard her confession. She had professed her love for him so publicly at such an important asion. That would probably make the headlines tomorrow.


    However, he also knew Gu Huanhuan¡¯s character. She never liked feigned politeness and was a very direct person. It was also why he liked her.


    He wanted nothing but to see her at this moment. He looked at everything he had carefullyid out on the table and felt a surge of excitement in his heart.

 Chapter 865: An Unexpected Surprise

    Chapter 865: An Unexpected Surprise


    Editor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    After Gu Huanhuan got off the stage, the host said, ¡°Congrattions once again to the cast and crew of ¡®Meeting by Chance¡¯ for winning three awards at this year¡¯s Golden Bear Film Festival. Outstanding movies resonate with people and are recognized. Let¡¯s hope for more such great works!¡±


    The apuse from the audience rang on.


    Soon, the awards ceremony came to an end.


    There was a celebration party after the awards ceremony but Gu Huanhuan was eager to go home. She had just checked her phone and saw Wen Chi¡¯s congrattory message.


    ¡°Sweetheart, you¡¯re the best. You¡¯re also the female lead in my life.¡±


    Gu Huanhuan¡¯s heart melted when she saw the message. She knew that he was the person who would always have her back.


    However, because she was too busy with people congratting her non-stop, she didn¡¯t have time to reply to his message. She could only wish that she¡¯d be home as soon as possible.


    After a while, Susie walked up to her without the embarrassment and loss she felt on the red carpet. She stood next to Gu Huanhuan and said, ¡°Thank you for helping me out just now, but the next Best Lead Actress award will not be yours. If I hadn¡¯t identally lost the female lead role in ¡®Meeting by Chance¡¯, this award wouldn¡¯t be yours too.¡±


    Her tone was very confident, a little bring-it-on.<div>


    ¡°Challenge epted.¡± Gu Huanhuan said indifferently. She didn¡¯t know what else to say when Susie kept insisting that she stole her role¡­


    At the end of the day, Susie cared too much about winning or losing. It seemed that some people were born this way and it was difficult for them to change.


    Susie nced at Gu Huanhuan before she walked away.


    As soon as she left, Shen Weiwei leaned over and asked, ¡°What happened?¡±


    ¡°Susie felt that she should have won the Best Lead Actress award today.¡± Gu Huanhuan did not know whether tough or cry.


    ¡°Is there something wrong with her brain? Why would she think that? Even if that thing didn¡¯t happen to her, she might not even have be the female lead. Even if she got the role, how sure is she that she would win the Best Lead Actress award?¡± Shen Weiwei felt indignant for Gu Huanhuan.


    ¡°You should have let her embarrass herself just now. Such an ungrateful woman!¡± Shen Weiwei said angrily.


    ¡°Never mind her. Let¡¯s not stoop to her level.¡± Gu Huanhuan understood that Susie simply felt upset and needed to vent.


    ¡°I haven¡¯t congratted you yet. Go girl!¡± Shen Weiwei said excitedly, as if she was the one who won the award.


    ¡°Thank you. You work hard too. It¡¯ll be your turn next time.¡± Gu Huanhuan said sincerely. She was more chilled nowadays. She used to be a snob, but after being with Wen Chi, she had let many things go.


    ¡°Me? No way. I know my limits.¡± Shen Weiwei would never dream of winning the Best Lead Actress award.


    Gu Huanhuan smiled. Finally, their post-award celebration came to an end.


    The cast and crew slowly trickled out of the party venue.


    Just as Gu Huanhuan was about to leave, her phone rang. ¡°The post-award celebration is over, right? Come out. I¡¯m waiting for you outside. I¡¯ll send you my location.¡± Wen Chi¡¯s voice suddenly came from the phone.


    Gu Huanhuan was delighted. She did not expect him toe and pick her up.


    ¡°Alright, wait a moment.¡±


    After she hung up, she received a message.


    Gu Huanhuan walked out quickly.


    As it waste and everyone was in a hurry to go home, no one paid any attention to her.<div>


    Gu Huanhuan could already see Wen Chi¡¯s car from afar.


    She walked over, opened the door to the front passenger seat and got in.


    Wen Chi reached to the back seat and picked up a bouquet of lilies. ¡°Congrattions, my best lead actress. You¡¯re amazing.¡±


    With that, he leaned over and nted a kiss on her cheek.<div>


    Gu Huanhuan took the bouquet from him and held it in her arms. Her face was full of smiles as she said, ¡°Thank you, Dr. Wen.¡±

 Chapter 866: The Proposal

    Chapter 866: The Proposal


    Editor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Wen Chi started the car and they slowly set off for home.


    Gu Huanhuan hugged the flowers, still in disbelief. She never expected Wen Chi to buy her flowers.


    Wen Chi looked at Gu Huanhuan from the corner of his eyes. He was quite amused that she was such a little girl, happy with just a bunch of flowers.


    ¡°I heard your love confession at the award ceremony. I don¡¯t mind you confessing to me directly next time.¡± Wen Chi suddenly recalled this matter.


    Gu Huanhuan¡¯s face instantly turned red.


    ¡°I won¡¯t repeat what I said.¡± Gu Huanhuan said arrogantly.


    Wen Chi gave her a meaningful look.


    Soon, they arrived home.


    Wen Chi opened the door while Gu Huanhuan waited behind him.<div>


    After Wen Chi opened the door, he did not turn on the lights and the apartment was quiet.


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you turn on the lights?¡± As Gu Huanhuan spoke, she reached out to turn on the lights.


    The living room lit up immediately. Gu Huanhuan changed her shoes at the foyer and was stunned when she looked up and saw the living room.


    The dining table and the living room were filled with red roses. Some of them were still buds, while others were in full bloom. The living room was a sea of red.


    The roses in the living room were arranged in the shape of a heart, very romantic.


    The girl who was a hair¡¯s breadth away from crying had tears in her eyes, her happiness and excitement overflowing. Gu Huanhuan did not know how to respond.


    Gu Huanhuan¡¯s adorable expression pleased Wen Chi. He walked back to her, held her hand and then led her to the center of the heart. Gu Huanhuan suddenly saw a small red velvet jewelry box there.


    Was that a¡­


    Gu Huanhuan¡¯s heard raced. She felt as if her heart had skipped a beat as she figured out Wen Chi¡¯s intentions.


    ¡°Surprised?¡± Wen Chi looked at her with his dark eyes, so gentle and full of smiles.


    ¡°Yes, and this is¡­¡± Before Gu Huanhuan could finish, Wen Chi had already opened the jewelry box and took out the ring inside.


    ¡°Huanhuan, although we haven¡¯t known each other for a long time, I¡¯ve always wanted us to spend our lives together since the day we became a couple. Although I can¡¯t give you avish lifestyle, I can let you live without worry. I¡¯ll always treasure you. You can do what you like without having to worry. If you got tired of making movies, you can always stay home. Will you marry me? Huanhuan, I love you.¡± Wen Chi¡¯s emotional words instantly made Gu Huanhuan cry.


    She looked up at him and nodded seriously. ¡°Yes.¡±


    Wen Chi then carefully put the ring on her finger.


    When Gu Huanhuan saw the sparkling ring, her tears turned into a smile. She would soon be Mrs. Wen.


    Wen Chi wrapped his arms around her waist, pulled her closer, and nted a kiss on her forehead.


    The two of them looked at each other affectionately and smiled.


    ¡°Let¡¯s find a suitable time to visit your parents.¡± Marriage was a big deal and her parents must be informed. Wen Chi was more thoughtful like that.


    ¡°Sure.¡± Gu Huanhuan was overjoyed. She could smell the roses.<div>


    She had a double blessing tonight. Not only did she win the Best Lead Actress Award, but she also became the female lead in Wen Chi¡¯s life.


    ¡­


    The next day, because she had won an award, she had to attend interviews and make appearances. Gu Huanhuan had no choice but to rush to work. She felt a little sorry for Wen Chi.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. We have a long time ahead of us.¡± Wen Chiforted her. He was not someone who cared about such nitty-gritty.<div>


    Because he had also said that he would support her in doing what she liked.


    ¡°Alright.¡± Gu Huanhuan gave him a kiss before she left in a hurry.


    The Golden Bear Awards was a grand event in the film and television industry, so the media coverage next day was all about the award ceremony.

 Chapter 867: A Live Broadcast

    Chapter 867: A Live Broadcast


    Editor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    What the actresses wore on the red carpet was the biggest news the following day. Gu Huanhuan was a little surprised that the media didn¡¯t report anything about Susie¡¯s fashion faux pas yesterday.


    Logically speaking, it would be the hottest gossip in town, but it was like it had never happened.


    Gu Huanhuan figured that Susie¡¯s managementpany had probably bought all the photos.


    But it was a good thing that they didn¡¯t report it. Susie might need to go into hiding for a long time if they did.


    Having a fashion faux pax at a public event. No one could withstand such negative news.


    Gu Huanhuan was going on Bin City TV Station¡¯s talk show ¡°Matters of the Stars¡±. It was a live broadcast with a prettyrge live audience.


    The host, Jiajia, had a sharp tongue. She was witty, direct and had sessfully dug up little-known stories from her celebrity guests. Her talk show was quite popr and consistently received high ratings.


    Gu Huanhuan had just won a prestigious award and had revealed her rtionship not long ago. So, she was the perfect guest.


    It was expected that this particr episode would catch many eyeballs.<div>


    Jiajia¡¯s hosting style was very bold and unique. Her questions were always sharp, stumping many of her celebrity guests.


    As the talk show was broadcast live, she often elicited genuine reactions and exposed the private lives of her celebrity guests.


    Gu Huanhuan was rtively calm. She wasn¡¯t involved in any scandals, so she wasn¡¯t worried about embarrassing herself on the show or being made the subject of gossip.


    She had just been proposed tost night. Her family didn¡¯t even know it yet, so she couldn¡¯t let anyone else know.


    The stage lights suddenly lit up, and two people walked out from offstage to the sofa in the middle of the stage.


    The host, Jiajia, was in her thirties. She had short hair, big eyes and a pretty but powerful look. She had on a pair of big earrings and a white pantsuit. She looked superpetent.


    Jiajia stood in the center of the stage and smiled at the audience as she opened the show. ¡°Hello, everyone. Wee to the live broadcast of ¡®Matters of the Stars¡¯. I¡¯m your host, Jiajia. It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you again. Our guest today is Miss Gu Huanhuan, who has just won a Best Lead Actress award. Let¡¯s wee her with a round of apuse.¡±


    Thunderous apuse rang out from the audience as soon as she finished speaking.


    Gu Huanhuan smiled at the audience and bowed. ¡°Hello, everyone.¡±


    Her soft voice was pleasant to the ears. Gu Huanhuan had on a pair of fashionable jeans and a baggy white shirt. She dressed quite ordinarily but she gave off a unique, pure and innocent aura.


    ¡°Please have a seat.¡± Jiajia said.


    Gu Huanhuan had just sat down when she heard the host say, ¡°First of all, we would like to congratte Huanhuan. She has only been in the industry for three years, yet she has won a very prestigious Best Lead Actress award. That¡¯s quite impressive.¡±


    ¡°You tter me. Thanks to everyone for your support. The other nominees were also very outstanding; I was just lucky.¡± Gu Huanhuan said modestly. Polite words were necessary on such asions, or tomorrow¡¯s news would make Gu Huanhuan out to be an arrogant b*tch who looked down on everything.


    ¡°I¡¯ve also watched ¡®Meeting by Chance¡¯. You acted really well, especially the dancing scene. You danced so beautifully that I couldn¡¯t take my eyes off the screen.¡± Jiajia said excitedly like a Huanhuan fan.


    ¡°I practiced for a long while before we filmed the scene. I would give myself 80 points. There¡¯s still a lot of room for improvement.¡±


    ¡°Sure, but we¡¯re more concerned about Huanhuan¡¯s boyfriend. Legend has it that he¡¯s a gentlemanly Greek god.¡± The host, Jiajia, probed nosily.


    Gu Huanhuan blushed. ¡°Actually, he¡¯s just a normal person. He¡¯s not from the industry and not someone you¡¯d imagine. I¡¯m afraid everyone will be disappointed.¡±


    <div>

 Chapter 868: Incessant Questioning

    Chapter 868: Incessant Questioning


    Editor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    ¡°I believe that the person Huanhuan dates is far from ordinary. He must be very aplished in some aspect.¡± The host replied tteringly.


    Gu Huanhuan thought for a while and said, ¡°If you love someone, you won¡¯t care about their superficial characteristics.¡±


    ¡°I wonder when Huanhuan will let everyone meet him? We¡¯re looking forward to it.¡± Jiajia¡¯s question was indeed pointed, but Gu Huanhuan could alsough it off.


    She smiled and then said, ¡°Let¡¯s see how it goes. My main consideration is that he¡¯s not from the industry. He has his own career and I don¡¯t want this to affect him.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s clear that Huanhuan is a very considerate girlfriend. I wish you two the best.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡± Gu Huanhuan¡¯s cheeks turned a little red as she thought about the romantic night they just had. She¡¯d probably not forget it for the rest of her life.


    ¡°We also want to know if the rumor is true that there¡¯s some ill-will between Huanhuan and Susie.¡± The host was really skilled at asking difficult questions. If Gu Huanhuan said the wrong thing, she¡¯d probably make the headlines tomorrow.


    This was the first time Gu Huanhuan got asked this kind of question since she joined the industry. But it was odd. They had never argued in public, so how did this rumore about?


    However, such a question definitely required an indirect non-answer. ¡°Susie is an excellent actress. I have much to learn from her.¡±<div>


    ¡°But how¡¯s your rtionship with her?¡± The host asked opportunistically.


    ¡°It¡¯s alright.¡± Gu Huanhuan replied.


    ¡°There has been a lot of negative rumors about hertely. Have you heard any of them?¡± The host continued her incessant questioning.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been quite busytely and haven¡¯t paid much attention to entertainment news. But I believe that the truth trumps everything and those are just rumors.¡± Gu Huanhuan closed the conversation topic.


    After hearing Gu Huanhuan¡¯s reply, the host stopped pursuing the topic and asked Gu Huanhuan about her movies.


    Soon, the interview ended.


    Gu Huanhuan quickly left the studio.


    ¡°Matters of the Stars¡± was a live talk show with the highest rating in the country. Gu Huanhuan¡¯s interview had probably spread like wildfire by now.


    ¡­


    Wen Chi had an important surgery today, so he went to the hospital very early.


    Gu Huanhuan went to Qiyuan afterpleting her jobs for the day. Her cousin and cousin-inw both happened to be at home today.


    Joy was at school and Shu Pan was ying with Xiaobao. Shu Pan saw Gu Huanhuan as soon as she arrived.


    ¡°Congrattions, our Best Lead Actress.¡± Shu Pan teased.


    ¡°Cousin-inw, are you making fun of me?¡± Gu Huanhuan said with a smile.


    ¡°No, you were really good. You acted very well in ¡®Meeting by Chance¡¯. Xiaomeng and I watched the movie together.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for your support.¡± Gu Huanhuan walked over and picked Xiaobao up.


    ¡°I was going to call you to ask you over for dinner. Your cousin is home today and your father and grandfather have also been asking about you.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve been busy.¡± Gu Huanhuan felt guilty as she counted the number of times she went home for dinner in the past few months, which could fit in one hand.


    ¡°I see. Since you are here, I¡¯ll ask Auntie Li to make you something delicious to eat.¡± Shu Pan stopped working since she had Xiaobao.<div>


    Her main job was to take care of Xiaobao. A child¡¯s childhood was very short and precious after all. She did not want to miss it.


    She wasn¡¯t the only person who felt that way. Gu Shaoting also came home right after work every day and often brought Shu Pan and Xiaobao to work.


    Shu Pan was very happy with her current life. She had a harmonious family life with a loving husband, a daughter and a son.


    ¡°Thanks, cousin-inw. You always treat me so well.¡± Gu Huanhuan thanked Shu Pan and gave Xiaobao a kiss.<div>


    Xiaobao was almost two now. He was very cute and could talk a lot now. Gu Huanhuan somehow felt that having a child was a very happy experience.


    She never thought like that before, but now she thought that it would be quite nice if she and Wen Chi had a baby¡­

 Chapter 869: Were Getting Married

    Chapter 869: We¡¯re Getting Married


    Editor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Gu Huanhuan felt a little shy as she thought about having a baby with Wen Chi. However, she was looking forward to it.


    She carried Xiaobao into the living room. Gu Shaoting was on the phone.


    He looked tall, elegant and understated in a tailored ck suit. He was talking on the phone by the floor-to-ceiling windows of the living room with his other hand in his trouser pocket.


    It looked like he had juste home. Today was a working day, but Gu Huanhuan actually saw him at home, which was unbelievable.


    Gu Huanhuan noticed Gu Shaoting¡¯s delicate and slender hand that was holding the phone.


    Gu Huanhuan had to admit that her cousin was truly outstanding. More importantly, he was now totally devoted to his wife.


    She even heard recently that he brought Shu Pan everywhere, even when he went to work.


    His current behavior was totally unimaginable in the past. But now? Her cousin was showing off his love even at home.


    He and Shu Pan seemed to still be in their honeymoon period, deeply in love.<div>


    Xiaobao, who was in Gu Huanhuan¡¯s arms, called out excitedly when he saw Gu Shaoting, ¡°Daddy, Daddy¡­¡±


    Gu Huanhuan walked towards her cousin.


    ¡°I¡¯ll look into this personally at the office tomorrow morning. Don¡¯t make any mistakes. I won¡¯t allow it¡­¡±


    Gu Shaoting sounded cold and stern, but his voice was very pleasant to the ear, maic.


    When Gu Huanhuan brought Xiaobao closer, Gu Shaoting ended his call.


    ¡°Cousin, why aren¡¯t you at work today?¡± Gu Huanhuan asked with feigned ignorance.


    ¡°I¡¯m off work now. I heard that there¡¯s a pretty good movie in town. I¡¯m nning to catch it with Shu Pan.¡± Gu Shaoting said openly.


    ¡°Wow, since when have you be so considerate and romantic?¡± Gu Huanhuan¡¯s jaw dropped.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Aren¡¯t you in a rtionship too? Isn¡¯t your boyfriend romantic?¡±


    Gu Huanhuan made a face at him.


    ¡°He¡¯s very busy.¡± Gu Huanhuan replied.


    ¡°That¡¯s just an excuse. We can always make time.¡± Gu Shaoting said as someone who had been through it.


    He used to spend all his time at work and neglected his family. But he knew now what was more important.


    Gu Huanhuan spent most of her time at work too, so she didn¡¯t dare to criticize Wen Chi.


    ¡°Dinner is ready.¡± Shu Pan¡¯s voice sounded.


    Xiaobao hugged his father¡¯s leg, asking Gu Shaoting to carry him.


    Gu Shaoting lifted him up.


    Gu Shaoting suddenly remembered what Shu Pan told him before they went to bedst night. ¡°I heard from your cousin-inw that you won an award. I didn¡¯t expect you to really make a name for yourself.¡±


    ¡°How can you look down on me?¡± Gu Huanhuan pouted.<div>


    But Gu Shaoting¡¯s words were already apliment to her.


    Just as everyone sat down at the dining table to eat, the doorbell rang. Gu Huanhuan sat closest to the door so she went to check.


    ¡°Huanhuan.¡± It was Wen Chi at the door.


    Gu Huanhuan suddenly felt nervous. She only texted him to say that she was going to Qiyuan after work. She did not expect him toe straight here too after work.<div>


    His hands were full of gifts.


    ¡°Come in, they¡¯re both here.¡± Gu Huanhuan would take this in her stride.


    After Wen Chi walked in, he put the gifts on the coffee table before Huanhuan pulled him to the dining table to introduce him. ¡°Cousin, cousin-inw, this is my boyfriend, Wen Chi. You know each other already. We¡¯re getting married.¡±


    Gu Huanhuan said everything in one breath. She was worried that she would not have the courage to tell themter.


    Gu Shaoting and Shu Pan were both stunned. These two were moving too fast! They had only started dating¡­


    However, Gu Shaoting being someone who had been through the same thing quickly calmed down. ¡°What¡¯s the rush? Didn¡¯t you just get together?¡±


    Gu Shaoting was mostly worried about Gu Huanhuan making an impulsive decision that she might regretter.

 Chapter 870: Meeting the Parents

    Chapter 870: Meeting the Parents


    Editor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Before Gu Huanhuan could say anything, Wen Chi spoke up. ¡°We¡¯ve already thought it through. We are here to let you know that we understand and love each other. We¡¯ve decided to grow old together after much consideration. I hope you¡¯ll give us your blessings.¡±


    Getting Gu Shaoting¡¯s blessings was as good as getting her family¡¯s.


    ¡°Congrattions.¡± Shu Pan said sincerely. She was very happy that Wen Chi had finally found his Miss Right.


    Shu Pan believed that Wen Chi would make Gu Huanhuan very happy based on her understanding of him and his character.


    ¡°Thank you.¡± Wen Chi smiled. He only saw Shu Pan as Huanhuan¡¯s cousin-inw now and harbored no fantasies about her.


    Gu Shaoting¡¯s prolonged silence made everyone a little nervous, so Shu Pan patted his arm.


    Gu Shaoting immediately understood. His wife had already given her blessings, and he knew Wen Chi.


    Wen Chi was indeed quite outstanding, or he wouldn¡¯t have been his former love rival. Gu Shaoting still couldn¡¯t quite ept Wen Chi as his cousin-inw.


    But thinking about it another way, Gu Shaoting was relieved that there would be someone else who¡¯d look out for Gu Huanhuan from now on. His uncle and grandfather would be very happy too.<div>


    ¡°When do you n to register or host the wedding banquet?¡± Gu Shaoting asked.


    ¡°We n to register our marriage first. The wedding banquet can wait.¡± Gu Huanhuan exined that it was mainly because she was a public figure and she wanted a small and cozy wedding attended only by their family and friends.


    Wen Chi had already gotten the girl, so he respected Gu Huanhuan¡¯s wishes and left the wedding ns to her.


    ¡°We¡¯ll do as Huanhuan says.¡± Wen Chi said without a mind of his own.


    ¡°Don¡¯t just give in to this girl, or she¡¯ll walk all over you and do whatever she wants in future.¡± Gu Shaoting said with feeling.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. I¡¯ll spoil her unconditionally. It¡¯s fine as long as she¡¯s happy.¡± Wen Chi said indifferently.


    Gu Shaoting gave Wen Chi a sidelong nce as he secretly praised him. Gu Huanhuan had found the right guy.


    Everyone then sat down and ate dinner while chatting happily.


    Wen Chi and Gu Huanhuan only left Qiyuan when it was almost 8 p.m.


    The two of them held hands as they walked out.


    Wen Chi suddenly stopped in his tracks and said, ¡°Huanhuan, let¡¯s set a date to register our marriage.¡±


    ¡°Why are you in such a hurry?¡± Gu Huanhuan teased.


    ¡°I am just anxious.¡± Wen Chi felt that he would feel more secure after getting their marriage certificate.


    ¡°How about next Monday?¡± Gu Huanhuan felt that it was time to put this on the agenda since she had other ideas, like having a baby¡­


    Gu Huanhuan could not hide her smile as she thought about it.


    Wen Chi nced at her and said, ¡°Okay, let¡¯s find time this weekend to tell my parents.¡±


    Gu Huanhuan nodded in disbelief. She couldn¡¯t believe that she was getting married when she was only 23 years old.


    When not so long ago she didn¡¯t even believe in marriage¡­ But since she met the person she loved, she had the urge to get married.


    After the two of them got home, Wen Chi made her a honey lemon drink. Wen Chi had memorized this particr habit of Gu Huanhuan.<div>


    Gu Huanhuan took the drink from him sweetly and took a small sip.


    ¡°I¡¯ve thought about it. We should just treat our family and friends to a meal as our wedding banquet to inform them that we¡¯re married.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you feel that you¡¯re shortchanging yourself?¡± Wen Chi felt that a big wedding was every girl¡¯s dream. He was worried that she would regret it one day.


    ¡°No. I¡¯m happy as long as we love each other and live happily ever after. I don¡¯t care about such formalities.¡± Gu Huanhuan didn¡¯t want to go through the trouble. Wen Chi was very busy too.<div>

 Chapter 871: Marriage Registration

    Chapter 871: Marriage Registration


    Editor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Wen Chi rubbed her little head and said, ¡°We¡¯ll discuss itter.¡±


    The main reason was that he did not want to make her suffer.


    A wedding should be every woman¡¯s dream. He did not want her to have any regrets.


    Over the weekend, Wen Chi sent Gu Huanhuan home with many big and small bags.


    Mrs. Wen was grinning from ear to ear. Her son was finally getting married, and she could show off to her sisters, rtives, and friends.


    After discovering they were getting married, Mrs. Wen held Gu Huanhuan¡¯s hand and sat on the sofa. She then returned to the bedroom and took out a wooden box that carried a vintage look. It would not take much to realize it was one of Mrs. Wen¡¯s precious belongings.


    ¡°Come, Huanhuan, take a look. Is there anything you like?¡± Mrs. Wen asked, opening her box of prized possessions to Gu Huanhuan.


    Gu Huanhuan was stunned by its contents.


    ¡°These were passed down by Wen Chi¡¯s grandmother when she departed died. I¡¯m giving it to you now.¡± Mrs. Wen smiled, gesturing to the precious family heirloom.<div>


    Gu Huanhuan¡¯s eyes locked on a bracelet. It sparkled with an emerald hue, almost translucent. Although the color had solidified with time, it did nothing to detract from its beauty.


    ¡°Auntie, this is too expensive. I can¡¯t ept it.¡± Gu Huanhuan hurriedly waved her hand. It was too precious. She would have no way to exin herself if she were careless and lost it.


    ¡°Silly child, why are you still calling me Auntie? You and Wen Chi are getting married soon. You should be calling me mother,¡± Mrs. Wen chided.


    Gu Huanhuan¡¯s face instantly turned pink.


    ¡°Take it; it¡¯s yours to keep or pass on should we have a daughter in the future,¡± Wen Chi chimed in.


    Gu Huanhuan finally epted the box after Wen Chi and Mrs. Wen persuaded her. It weighed heavily in her hand, but it was aforting weight that brought a smile to her face. It was proof that they had acknowledged her.


    The more Mrs. Wen looked at Gu Huanhuan, the more she liked her. Gu Huanhuan was simple and unadorned, yet able to maintain her conscience even in such an environment.


    She knew that Gu Huanhuan had just won the Best Actress Award, and her future shone brightly with the promise of even greater heights. Yet, she had chosen her son. How could Mrs. Wen not treat her well?


    ¡°Thank you, Mom,¡± Gu Huanhuan said shyly.


    Mrs. Wen held her hand tightly.


    ¡ª


    Monday, Civil Affairs Bureau¡­


    The staff handling the marriage certificate nced at the two newlyweds before him.


    The man was gentle and elegant, with an outstanding temperament.


    The woman was petite and delicate, with red lips and white teeth, herplexion as smooth as milk.


    They were a perfect couple.


    The staff member felt that the woman looked familiar as if he had seen her somewhere before, but he could not put the finger on this elusive sense of familiarity.


    Wen Chi and Gu Huanhuan wore matching outfits, jeans, and a white shirt.


    ¡°Are you both marrying willingly, with full knowledge of what it entails?¡± The staff member asked as a matter of routine just before he put the final stamps on their documents.<div>


    Wen Chi nced at Gu Huanhuan and replied with a smile, ¡°Yes.¡±


    Gu Huanhuan nodded.


    ¡°Alright, I wish the two of you a hundred years of happiness and a long life together.¡±


    When the staff member finished speaking, they officially became husband and wife.<div>


    As it was a Monday, many people registered at the Civil Affairs Bureau.


    Although Gu Huanhuan wore a simple white shirt and jeans with her long hair tied behind her head, she could not conceal her aura, which seemed to scream ¡®Celebrity!¡¯


    ¡°Look, isn¡¯t that Huanhuan?¡± A voice cried from the crowd, attracting everyone¡¯s attention. Some people even started taking photos of the newlywed couple.


    Soon, the registry of the Civil Affairs Bureau became very lively.


    Wen Chi held Gu Huanhuan¡¯s hand and left quickly.


    Gu Huanhuan was a little dumbfounded. How had she been recognized in civilian attire?


    It would not be long before word of her marriage would find its way into the papers.


    Gu Huanhuan was not concerned about this. She had already reported the news of their marriage to Sister Gao and thepany.


    She was only concerned that the media would intrude upon their private lives.


    Just as she expected, the news of her marriage became the number one trending topic on Weibo that night. Unbeknownst to her, it would only signal the beginning of muchrger waves to follow.

 Chapter 872: Studying Abroad

    Chapter 872: Studying Abroad


    Editor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    It was no wonder that everyone was curious. Now that Gu Huanhuan had won the Best Actress Award and her career was at its peak, getting married at this time would undoubtedly affect her future. Many celebrities were not as famous as before after getting married.


    That was why so many celebrities got married secretly.


    No one could decipher the reason for Gu Huanhuan¡¯s sudden marriage.


    Some said she had likely gotten pregnant, hence the hurry to get married.


    Most brushed this aside as gossip, but a small group held fast to their beliefs. After all, Gu Huanhuan was young and beautiful. It would not be the first time someone as young as she had fallen into temptation¡ªthere were far too many to count in the outside world.


    The inte was rife with spection. Gu Huanhuan did not know whether tough or cry. How had her private life be the focus of everyone¡¯s attention?


    Try as she might, she couldn¡¯t seal the bbering mouths gossiping about her. The only thing she could do was reaffirm that she was leading a happy life.


    While a media storm raged outside, Gu Huanhuan and Wen Chi continued living as usual.


    In the photos released at the beginning, Wen Chi¡¯s appearance was rather blurry. Some people could not help but wonder why a front-view photograph of him had not been taken.<div>


    A littleter, another passerby uploaded a photo on Weibo. This photo was of a far better resolution, and it was not long before Wen Chi¡¯s image blew up all over the inte. Wen Chi was just too handsome!


    Before, only a side profile had been visible. This time, everyone had an opportunity to examine him properly, and they could not suppress their shock.


    The Wen Chi in the photo was elegant and refined. He was even better than the male lead of many movies.


    Everyone finally understood. No wonder Huanhuan was in such a hurry to get married. It turned out that her Hubby was extremely handsome.


    Even after a couple of days, the news did not die down. Instead, many more reports about them began to circte.


    Some even concocted highly romanticized versions of their rtionship and how they got together.


    When Wen Chi read the headlines of a certain news outlet, he stared dumbfounded, not knowing how to react.


    More details regarding his background soon surfaced. It was not long before everyone learned that he was a doctor nicknamed ¡®Holy Hand.¡¯


    He was a very good doctor.


    Everyone was talking about his good looks and skills.


    Some people even went to the hospital where he worked, hoping to meet Wen Chi in person. Unfortunately, they often left disappointed, as Wen Chi was rarely around except when he was called to perform delicate surgeries.


    Moreover, the hospital deployed security staff to prevent the situation from getting out of hand, and they served as a strong deterrent for those of a more unruly temperament.


    Gu Huanhuan felt very apologetic. She had not wanted to draw such attention to him.


    Fortunately, Wen Chi would soon further his studies abroad. If he brought it forward, he would likely be able to escape the public eye. By the time hepleted his studies, the media attention on him should have subsided.


    They had just gotten married yet had to part ways so soon¡­ But there was nothing to be done about it. Gu Huanhuan did not want Wen Chi to live a life gued with regrets.


    Wen Chi¡¯s studies would take him abroad, where he would attend seminars and learn the most advanced techniques in modern medicine.


    It was a rare opportunity!


    There were still two days before Wen Chi was scheduled to set off. During that time, Gu Huanhuan stuck to him like glue, reluctant to part with him.


    Wen Chi heaved an inward sigh. In the past, he could live a carefree life in anonymity. Now, he could not even go anywhere without worrying about the paparazzi!<div>


    The night before he set off, he had a candlelit dinner with his wife, and they enjoyed a sumptuous spread.


    Not wanting to attract unnecessary attention, they spent their evening meal together at home.


    Both were reluctant to be apart since the earliest they would see each other again would be in a month.


    Gu Huanhuan pouted and muttered, ¡°Don¡¯t be attracted by the passionate and unrestrained foreign girls when you go there, okay?¡±<div>


    She heard that there were many blondes overseas, and they were as passionate as they were promiscuous. Wen Chi was so handsome that he would probably be the center of attention wherever he went.


    Wen Chi chuckled when he heard that. Her sour tone pleased him.


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 873: The Exposed Scandal

    Chapter 873: The Exposed Scandal


    Editor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    ¡°Did I use too much vinegar in my cooking tonight? Why do I smell something so sour?¡± Wen Chi teased, even pretending to sniff the air.


    ¡°Annoying.¡± Gu Huanhuan knew that he was making fun of her. He always said the same thing.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to further my studies. I¡¯ll be busy with academic matters, so I won¡¯t have time to spare. Besides, I¡¯m not interested in blond beauties. My loyalty is to you and no one else, my dear.¡± Wen Chi¡¯s words seemed to have had the desired effect, reassuring Gu Huanhuan.


    Gu Huanhuan nodded her head in satisfaction. As they were about to part ways, even if only for a while, they treasured their time together. After all, it would probably be a month before they would see each other again.


    The trending searches for the past two days were all about Wen Chi and Gu Huanhuan¡¯s marriage. They thought it wouldst a few more days; they did not expect news about Susie to appear.


    Susie was exposed as someone who had meddled in another¡¯s marriage, and there was even photographic evidence to substantiate it. It could not have been easy to obtain such proof.


    It was a shock to them. While rumors about Susie had always been around, no one had managed to unearth evidence of her misdemeanors, so she was left unchecked.


    But this time, there was photographic evidence, and it even showed her holding a married man¡¯s hand.


    It was really like a stone that caused a thousand ripples. Once the photo was released,ments flooded Susie¡¯s Weibo, attacking her character. The onught was so great that Susie had to deactivate thements function.<div>


    Susie stayed at home and did not dare to go out. Her eyes were zed over as she stared at her phone.


    The only thought ying on repeat in her mind was that her acting career was over.


    She had considered breaking off their rtionship earlier, but he had always been very physical. Susie had met Mr. Wang a while ago and developed a rtionship with him.


    Yet, now, something like that has surfaced.


    As the saying goes, if you don¡¯t want others to discover your mischief, don¡¯t do anything that would lead others to believe you¡¯d be capable of such a thing.


    Susie paced around the house anxiously, unable to do anything.


    She called her manager to discuss how thepany would manage the fallout. Perhaps they would be willing to offer a press statement exining the picture as a misunderstanding.


    However, thepany¡¯s higher-ups concluded that it would be unfeasible given that the man was married, and the picture showed the two holding hands in a high-end residential area at night. If they were to say it was a misunderstanding, wouldn¡¯t they be insulting the public¡¯s intelligence?


    Furthermore, this was not the first of such incidents. Following the red carpet fiasco, Susie¡¯s acting career was as good as dead. Why would thepany invest in someone doomed to fail? Thepany¡¯s attitude was clear; they were not about to save an artiste like Susie, who was about to go under.


    When Gu Huanhuan saw the report, she could not believe her eyes. Susie¡¯s hard work and dedication were traits even she admired. Although she often spoke without a filter and her words were often harsh, she had the right to do so as she could back up her words. Gu Huanhuan never expected Susie to be caught in the crossfire of a scandal. It was a pity.


    When Sister Gao called her, her tone was also quite regretful.


    After such an incident, Susie¡¯s career was over. She had only herself to me.


    The good news was that, following this incident, Gu Huanhuan¡¯s media presence decreased.


    ¡°Honestly, it¡¯s such a shame that your husband isn¡¯t in the entertainment industry.¡± Sister Gao brought up such an overused topic that it was almost clich¨¦ in Gu Huanhuan¡¯s ears.


    Gu Huanhuan rolled her eyes and said, ¡°My husband won¡¯t enter the entertainment industry. Besides, he likes his job as a doctor.¡±


    ¡°Is he there? Have you asked him?¡± Sister Gao joked.


    ¡°Him? He¡¯s gone abroad to study and attend a few conferences,¡± Gu Huanhuan said proudly. Although she was not a top student, her husband was. That was enough.


    ¡°Is that so? That¡¯s awesome! Your husband is so young yet so aplished at his age. His future is limitless. You should work hard, or you might end up holding him back,¡± Sister Gao reminded.


    ¡°I know, dearest Sister Gao,¡± Gu Huanhuan giggled coquettishly.<div>

 Chapter 874: Missing

    Chapter 874: Missing


    Editor:Nyoi-Bo Studio


    As Gu Huanhuan had won the Best Actress Award, many directors came knocking on their doors. Sister Gao sifted through the proposed roles and scripts, shortlisting only those that met her exacting standards.


    It was lonely being the only one at home. Gu Huanhuan had never felt this way in the past while she was still single. It was amazing how much her life had changed since they wed; now, she felt ufortable if he was absent for too long!


    She could not help but reminisce about the day she was supposed to send him off.


    Perhaps it was because she had sleptte the night before, so when she woke up sometime after nine o¡¯clock, Wen Chi had already left.


    Gu Huanhuan could not help but be annoyed with herself. Why did she have to sleep like a pig?


    Why didn¡¯t Wen Chi wake her up?


    She only saw a note under a ss of water on her bedside table, which read: ¡°Honey, I¡¯m off! Take care of yourself and don¡¯t forget your meals. I¡¯ll be back as soon as possible. Love, your Hubby.¡±


    His words warmed Gu Huanhuan¡¯s heart.


    Wen Chi had only been gone for a day, yet Gu Huanhuan missed him so much as if they had been apart for much longer.<div>


    When Wen Chi arrived, he immediately initiated a video call. Gu Huanhuan chatted with her husband for a long time.


    She did not sleep well that night; the next day, she had panda eyes.


    Shen Weiwei had invited her out shopping, so she had to leave the house.


    Since she was going to be in public, Gu Huanhuan spent some time disguising herself. If word got out of her presence, it would be rather troublesome.


    She still enjoyed leading an ordinary life, particrly when not acting.


    It was almost eleven o¡¯clock when she left the house.


    Shen Weiwei was already waiting at the ce they had agreed to meet.


    The first thing Shen Weiwei did when they met was to scold her. ¡°Good job. You¡¯ve kept your marriage a secret for quite a while, huh? Not bad!¡±


    ¡°I tried to keep things low-key; it didn¡¯t go quite as nned, so I can only do what I can to manage the situation,¡± Gu Huanhuan mumbled helplessly.


    ¡°That¡¯s for sure. I must admit how much I admire you. You chose to get married just as your career was on track to the summit.¡± Shen Weiwei felt that Gu Huanhuan¡¯s actions were not those any female celebrity would have had the courage to do. After all, one¡¯s youth is fleeting and quickly spent.


    ¡°Bah! That¡¯s nothing. Happiness means more to me than anything else. Besides, I want people to acknowledge me for my acting skills, not how I conduct my private life,¡± Gu Huanhuan dered firmly.


    ¡°Yes, but seeing howpatible and loving you two are, I¡¯m so envious,¡± Shen Weiwei said mournfully. Finding that special someone for oneself is harder than ascending to the heavens.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll find your match in time.¡± Gu Huanhuan patted her on the shoulder, hoping to cheer her up.


    ¡°I hope so¡­¡± Shen Weiwei took Gu Huanhuan by the hand and led her into the mall.


    Shen Weiwei nced at Gu Huanhuan, who stood by her side. She wore a formfitting sports outfit with arge, wide-brimmed sun hat, light makeup, and trendy sunsses. Although dressed casually, Shen Weiwei exuded the aura of a celebrity.


    Some people were just so lucky. She was the type to chance upon happiness, whereas all others chased it desperately. Even then, those who did gain this poisoned happiness would likely have had to pay a huge price.


    Susie was one such example.


    ¡°You¡¯ve heard about Susie¡¯s incident, haven¡¯t you?¡± Shen Weiwei asked.


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s a pity.¡± Gu Huanhuan¡¯s tone conveyed her sincerity.<div>


    ¡°What do you mean it¡¯s a pity? She asked for it!¡± Shen Weiwei huffed, not a trace of remorse in her callous words.


    Gu Huanhuan could not help but look at her. ¡°Why do you say that?¡±


    ¡°This is her former sugar daddy. He has always been in a rtionship with her. A while ago, she hooked up with Young Master Wang and thought that he would be a good match for her. She wanted to break up with her sugar daddy, but he refused, so she went to negotiate with him. The two discussed the conditions and were about to return when they were photographed.¡±


    Shen Weiwei was quite clear about this matter because one of the artists in Susie¡¯spany was a good friend, so she was well-informed.<div>


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