At the same time Song Qingwan received Lin Man's message, at the Gu family's old mansion.
Madam Gu looked at her son sitting opposite her, who had noticeably lost weight and had a lingering gloom between his brows, and let out a soft sigh.
"That girl from the Shen family, Nian An."
Madam Gu's tone held a touch of regret: "From our recent interactions, I actually think she's improved quite a bit."
"Her temperament is still a bit spoiled, but her heart is simple, and she knows her boundaries. She's better than I imagined."
"I was originally thinking, if things on your end remained unsettled, she wouldn't be a bad choice."
She paused, then changed tack: "What a pity, though. With all these troubles the Shen family has run into lately, it seems it just wasn't meant to be."
She raised her eyes to look at Gu Chengyu, her tone turning serious: "Chengyu, you're not young anymore. Your father's health hasn't been what it used to be lately; he's truly planning to step down and enjoy his retirement."
"What are your thoughts on the arranged marriage? We really need to have a plan."
Gu Chengyu had been listening absentmindedly, counting the days left until the weekend in his head, thinking about that charming yet carefree young girl.
An arranged marriage? He had almost forgotten about the whole matter.
He had initially planned to refuse outright. His own life was a mess; why would he bring a wife over to add to his troubles?
Just as the words were about to leave his mouth, a flicker passed through his eyes, and his thoughts took a turn.
He suddenly looked up at his mother, his face expressionless, his voice unnaturally calm: "No need to wait for later."
Madam Gu was taken aback: "What?"
"Let's do it now."
Gu Chengyu gave a slight tug at the corner of his mouth: "Put the word out that the Gu family is preparing for an arranged marriage."
Madam Gu was stunned, almost doubting her own ears.
Over the past few months, she had broached the subject with him several times, but each time he either impatiently cut her off or simply walked away in a huff. Why the sudden change of heart today?
"Chengyu, are you serious?" Madam Gu looked at Gu Chengyu, trying to find any trace of a joke on his face.
"Of course I'm serious." Gu Chengyu's tone was indifferent, yet firm.
"You can decide on the candidate. No need to arrange meetings; it's a waste of time."
He paused, then added: "The sooner, the better."
Madam Gu was momentarily at a loss: "Don't worry about the candidate, Mom will definitely pick the best one for you."
"If the Shen family is out, there's still the Song family. That girl from the Song family, Qingwan, is quite excellent, well-educated and refined, plays the piano beautifully..."
She chattered on, unable to conceal her joy.
Gu Chengyu, however, seemed not to hear her. He simply stood up and left.
He thought, let it be quick.
He wanted to see what that girl's reaction would be when she heard the news that he was going to marry someone else—the girl who kept insisting she didn't like him.
Would she continue her campus life indifferently, or would she feel even a little bit uncomfortable? A little bit jealous?
If she came back and told him she was jealous, he could also choose not to marry someone else. It could be just her from then on.
As long as she stopped disliking him and was willing to like him.
Even just a little bit of liking would be enough.
Two days later, on Friday.
A slew of black rumors about Su Qianqian exploded on Weibo—posts about her being an orphan, getting into luxury cars, the unclear origins of her acting resources, suspected of having a sugar daddy bankrolling her, and so on.
And Su Qianqian, from the moment she stepped out of her dorm, felt that something was off.
The gazes her classmates cast upon her were no longer simply appreciative or curious, but mixed with scrutiny, disdain, and even lewd malice.
"That's her, right? Su Qianqian from the acting department..."
"I heard she has a sugar daddy behind her, gets picked up by luxury cars every day!"
"No wonder her resources are so good. After playing two such standout minor roles, she directly landed a major production as the second female lead..."
"Qiao Xi and Lin Shu were suddenly blacklisted, supposedly because her sugar daddy intervened to clear the way for her!"
"Who's the sugar daddy? Someone that powerful?"
"Seems like it's Shen Que from the Shen Group? Tsk tsk, you really can't judge a book by its cover. She looks so innocent..."
The rumors and gossip densely flooded into Su Qianqian's ears.
She told herself not to care, but the speculation and slander still made her heart ache with discomfort.
She was in a relationship, not being kept! And she had absolutely nothing to do with Shen Que!
Those roles were ones she worked hard to audition for and won herself!
Why did they have to say such things about her?
After all, she was still a girl not yet nineteen. Tears welled up in her eyes, but she stubbornly held them back.
She asked her teacher for leave and practically fled back to her dormitory.
Chen Xue and Zhou Wan seemed to have heard the rumors too, looking at her with concern in their eyes, but considerately didn't ask too many questions.
Su Qianqian closed her bedroom door. She took out her phone, instinctively wanting to see if there were any messages from Gu Chengyu.
However, as soon as she unlocked the screen, explosive news pushed by Weibo forcibly intruded into her line of sight.
[Breaking! Gu Group's heir Gu Chengyu and piano prodigy Song Qingwan set to marry! Song family's net worth skyrockets overnight!]
[Society Belle Captures Playboy Heir! A rundown of the starlets who once captivated Young Master Gu, but the ultimate winner is actually a low-key talent?]
[Arrogant Noble Son Bows to Gentle Pianist? Uncovering the romantic journey of Gu Chengyu and Song Qingwan!]
On the screen were photoshopped images of Gu Chengyu and Song Qingwan placed together.
The editors lavished praise, hailing Song Qingwan as the brightest rising star in the piano world, from a respectable family, immensely talented, a true match made in heaven with Gu Chengyu.
The article also hinted that Gu Chengyu's recent lack of scandals was precisely because he was settling down for Song Qingwan, playing out a romantic tale of a playboy's redemption.
The comments section was even more lively, filled with netizens' envy and blessings.
"Miss Song is just too outstanding! Indeed, only such a talented woman could capture Young Master Gu!"
"Wahhh, jealousy is twisting my face! But gotta admit, they're such a perfect match in looks and family background!"
"Those actresses from before were clearly just passing fancies. This is the real aura of the rightful wife!"
