At four in the afternoon,
Su Qianqian was enjoying her tea in her room, while Gu Chengyu had been invited by Zhou Yu'an to his suite under the pretense of "trying a newly brewed coffee."
Zhou Yu'an's suite was designed with a wellness theme, exuding a minimalist and elegant ambiance, the air faintly scented with sandalwood.
He stood by the small bar, leisurely grinding coffee beans.
Instead of getting straight to the point, he began with casual conversation, "The scenery here in Nanwan is truly pleasant."
Gu Chengyu, however, had little patience for small talk. Leaning back on the sofa, his gaze swept over the ocean view outside the window as he replied indifferently,
"You didn’t call me here just to discuss this, did you?"
Zhou Yu'an tamped the ground coffee into the portafilter, slowly pouring hot water over it as the rich aroma filled the air.
He glanced up at Gu Chengyu and said, "Chengyu, haven’t you been a bit too reckless lately?"
Gu Chengyu raised a brow, signaling him to continue.
"That night at the Yunque gambling event, if I hadn’t personally ensured every phone was checked and the news suppressed, your name and that of Miss Su would’ve dominated the entertainment headlines by now."
"How do you think the families your mother has lined up for potential marriage alliances would react?"
Gu Chengyu scoffed, utterly unfazed. "What they think doesn’t matter."
Zhou Yu'an handed him the first cup of freshly brewed coffee, his tone still mild.
"What about Shen Nian'an? She’s here in Nanwan today—you knew that, didn’t you?"
Gu Chengyu took a sip of the coffee. Hmm, good quality.
His response was nonchalant. "So what if she is?"
Zhou Yu'an poured himself a cup and leaned against the bar, watching Gu Chengyu intently.
"The Shen Family, especially Shen Nian'an and her mother, are dead set on securing the position of the Gu Family’s young madam."
"Moreover, among the candidates your mother favors for the marriage alliance, she’s likely at the top of the list."
"If she finds out you’ve been keeping a delicate little flower like Miss Su by your side, do you really think she’ll let it slide? Given her temperament?"
"And if she decides to make trouble, how long do you think that fragile girl you’re protecting can last?"
Finally, Gu Chengyu lifted his eyes, brimming with arrogance and disdain, as if he’d heard something laughable. "Make trouble?"
He set the coffee cup down with a sharp clink, leaning forward slightly, his posture dripping with condescension.
"Shen Nian'an? She’s nothing to me right now."
"A potential marriage candidate without even a title—what right does she have to meddle in my affairs? What standing does she have to make a scene in front of me?"
"Besides, no matter who ends up as the Gu Family’s young madam—whether it’s Shen Nian'an, Song Qingwan, or some other nobody—"
He locked eyes with Zhou Yu'an, enunciating each word deliberately, "The first and foremost rule is that they must learn to bow their head in front of Qianqian."
"They’re not allowed to put on airs around her, much less show up and cause a scene. That’s going straight into the prenuptial agreement."
Zhou Yu'an’s grip on his coffee cup faltered, as if he couldn’t believe his ears.
He stared at Gu Chengyu in disbelief, as though seeing his friend for the first time.
"Chengyu, have you lost your mind?"
His voice was laced with incredulity. "You expect the noble daughters groomed by elite families, the heiresses of conglomerates, to lower themselves before a girl with no background?"
"That’s impossible!"
"Especially those old-money families still clinging to outdated traditions—they care more about status and face than anything."
"If you do this, you’ll only provoke even fiercer jealousy and retaliation from them."
Gu Chengyu smirked coldly. "If anyone dares to target Qianqian or slight her, I’ll dismantle their family’s foundation."
"Let’s see how they keep up their pretentious airs without money or power to back them."
Zhou Yu'an was rendered speechless, staring at Gu Chengyu as if he were an incomprehensible madman.
For the sake of one girl, he was willing to crush other families—even destroy their foundations?
Did he not realize how many people he’d alienate? The kind of reputation he’d earn in their circles?
A fool led astray by lust? A man who’d wage war for a woman’s sake?
Seeing his friend’s rare shock, Gu Chengyu relented slightly, leaning back into the sofa with a marginally softer tone.
"Yu'an, I know you meant well by helping me suppress the news last time."
He swirled the liquid in his cup, his voice dripping with detached superiority.
"But you’re overthinking it. Frankly, I couldn’t care less who my wife is."
"As long as she can play the part—charming enough to accompany my mother to social events, capable of handling the tedious old-family formalities, and presentable as the Gu Family’s public face—that’s all that matters."
"There are plenty of ambitious families out there. Some will be smart enough to raise daughters who fit the bill, and they’ll come flocking."
He paused, his tone matter-of-fact. "Besides, I won’t even be living with my so-called wife."
"Qianqian and I will stay in our own place, just like we do now."
"My wife won’t affect her."
For a long moment, Zhou Yu'an was at a loss for words.
After a heavy silence, he asked the most critical question.
"If that’s the case, Chengyu, why not just marry Su Qianqian?"
At this, Gu Chengyu’s brows furrowed instantly, as though the suggestion were absurd.
He set down his coffee cup, his tone resolute. "That’s out of the question."
"Why?"
Gu Chengyu’s gaze drifted to the azure sea outside the window, his voice lowering with unreadable emotion.
"She’s an orphan. She has no one."
"If I put her in the spotlight as the Gu Family’s young madam, people would gossip about her relentlessly—scrutinizing her past, judging her with their prejudices, even slandering her outright."
"And those high-society gatherings? The women there trade barbs like daggers. She’s too naive to navigate that world."
"She wouldn’t even recognize their veiled insults—she’d just internalize the hurt."
He paused, as though the matter were already settled.
"She doesn’t belong by my side in those settings. She just needs to stay safe in my apartment, waiting for me. That’s enough."
Zhou Yu'an studied his friend’s handsome yet obstinate face and finally understood his logic.
To Gu Chengyu, Su Qianqian was a delicate songbird—meant to be cherished and sheltered in a gilded cage, never to stand beside him as an equal.
With a silent sigh, Zhou Yu'an let the matter drop.
After all, a common girl wasn’t worth his concern.
He’d only pressed the issue because Chengyu seemed so deeply entangled.
Zhou Yu'an picked up his now-lukewarm coffee and took a sip.
The bitterness spread across his tongue.
Was Su Qianqian truly worthy of Chengyu’s devotion?
Did she even love him in return?
Someday, he’d have to test her—for Chengyu’s sake.
Better to know now if her heart was genuine.
