On a sunny Saturday in Nanwan, the sea breeze carried a warm, briny scent.
The resort here, though nominally developed by the Shen Group, was in reality only possible due to the Gu family’s elite real estate team, which had swiftly constructed the luxurious ocean-view hotel.
The rest—such as planning the entertainment offerings, securing top global brands, and marketing to the world’s wealthy elite—were tasks the Shen Group had only fully committed to after Shen Que secured priority cooperation rights from Gu Chengyu over three months ago.
At its core, while the Nanwan Resort was a flagship project for the Shen Group, everyone knew the real authority remained firmly in the hands of the Gu family.
Still, riding the coattails of the Gu empire, the Shen Group had profited handsomely.
At that moment, Gu Chengyu was strolling along the shore, holding Su Qianqian’s hand.
He was dressed casually yet impeccably, wearing a white linen shirt paired with relaxed trousers.
Su Qianqian, in a soft green sundress that bared her slender, fair shoulders, wore a wide-brimmed straw hat for shade, looking fresh and radiant.
Gu Chengyu was in high spirits, idly toying with her delicate fingers as he murmured something that made her press her lips together in a smile, her eyes shimmering with affection and sweetness.
He felt a private satisfaction.
Having seen Shen Que’s message two days prior, he’d deliberately avoided the grand opening rush, arriving later to savor this very moment alone with her.
But his contentment was short-lived, as if fate itself meant to spite him.
After only a short walk, three unmistakable figures came into view.
Shen Que, flamboyant in a bright patterned shirt and white casual pants, grinned like a fox and waved from a distance.
Beside him stood Zhou Yu'an, refined in a light blue polo shirt, exuding quiet elegance.
Meanwhile, the boisterous Qin Yu, clad in shorts and a tank top, was eagerly scanning the surroundings.
“Well, well! Chengyu, Qianqian, what a coincidence!” Shen Que called out, striding toward them.
His gaze flicked over their intertwined hands before settling on Su Qianqian, his peach-blossom eyes crinkling with amusement.
“Spotted a pair of lovebirds from afar—knew it had to be you two.”
Gu Chengyu’s expression darkened. “What are you doing here?” he asked, irritation barely concealed.
Shen Que chuckled, feigning obliviousness to his mood. “Come now, Nanwan’s my project. Isn’t it natural I’d check on things post-opening?”
He gestured to Zhou Yu'an and Qin Yu.
“Yu'an’s here for his sleep therapy, Qin Yu’s testing his new yacht—we just happened to cross paths.
Then we figured, since it’s early and the weather’s perfect, why not enjoy the sea?”
Zhou Yu'an gave a slight nod in greeting.
His eyes discreetly assessed the couple.
Chengyu was clearly smitten, every bit the man in love.
But Su Qianqian, for all her delicate beauty and apparent devotion, seemed… oddly distant?
Was it just his imagination?
Qin Yu, ever blunt, bounded forward, beaming at Su Qianqian.
“Wow, Qianqian, you look stunning today! That dress makes your skin glow. Standing next to Chengyu? Damn, what a power couple!”
Shen Que also followed Qin Yu's lead and openly gazed at Su Qianqian.
Zhou Yu'an, deep in thought, kept watching her as well.
Su Qianqian grew slightly uneasy under the weight of so many stares.
Instinctively, she edged closer to Gu Chengyu, her small hand curling slightly in his palm.
Gu Chengyu immediately sensed her discomfort and shifted half a step to shield her from the other three’s lingering looks.
Shen Que paused, his usual lazy smirk playing at his lips as he averted his eyes.
Zhou Yu'an also looked away, though his brow remained faintly furrowed.
Qin Yu, belatedly catching on, blinked and glanced between Gu Chengyu’s stormy expression and Su Qianqian’s flushed face half-hidden behind him. Finally, he picked up on the tension.
Scratching his head, he shut his mouth.
Gu Chengyu’s voice was icy. "Well, enjoy your time. We’re leaving."
He wrapped an arm around Su Qianqian’s waist, ready to stride past the three unwelcome third wheels.
"Hey, don’t rush off, Chengyu!" Shen Que, never one to let things go easily, sidestepped to block their path, grinning innocently.
"Since we’ve run into each other, why not walk together?"
Gu Chengyu shot him a sidelong glance and scoffed. "I’m a taken man. What kind of image would it be, strolling around with a pack of single dogs?"
With that, he whisked his girl away.
The trio left behind stood frozen, thoroughly thunderstruck.
Since when was having a girlfriend something to brag about???
What’s wrong with being single?
They had different women in their beds every night, for heaven’s sake.
