The door to the private room downstairs swung open.
Shen Que, Qin Yu, and Zhou Yu'an were the first to step inside.
Their eyes immediately landed on the two figures seated on the central sofa.
Gu Chengyu lounged casually against the backrest, his head slightly tilted as he murmured something to the girl beside him. One arm wrapped possessively around her slender waist, while his other hand toyed with her delicate, pale fingers. His posture radiated intimacy and undisguised adoration.
Nestled in his embrace, Su Qianqian wore a simple white dress, her sea of dark hair slightly tousled. Her cheeks were flushed, and though she seemed shy, her body melted effortlessly against him.
Truth be told, just before the group had entered, Gu Chengyu had been kissing her—leaving her limbs weak and pliant.
When Su Qianqian noticed the imposing entourage accompanying these favored sons of fortune, she instinctively clung tighter to Gu Chengyu.
After all, no matter how capable she was, she was still just a girl who’d spent most of her life confined to a hospital bed.
The gap between her and these battle-hardened elites from the cutthroat worlds of business and aristocracy was vast.
But it didn’t matter. Men conquered the world; women only needed to conquer men. There was no reason for her to fear them.
At the sight before them, Shen Que, Qin Yu, and Zhou Yu'an paused mid-step, exchanging silent glances.
This level of devotion from Chengyu… was anything but ordinary.
Without a word, the trio moved with practiced tacit understanding to the sofas flanking the center—Shen Que taking the left, Qin Yu the right, while Zhou Yu'an chose a slightly removed single seat.
The other socialites and their companions who trailed behind held their breaths, wisely scattering to the more distant seating areas along the sides of the room.
The entire box fell into a hush, every gaze fixed on the center stage.
Tonight’s main event clearly revolved around Young Master Gu, his new favorite, and the yet-to-arrive Lin Shu.
They were all spectators here, waiting for the drama to unfold.
Lin Shu was the last to enter.
Her face was pale, but her eyes—no longer hollow—burned with a desperate resolve.
She didn’t wait for anyone to speak, nor for Gu Chengyu’s icy interrogation. Instead, she lifted her chin first.
Her gaze locked onto the girl cradled protectively in Gu Chengyu’s arms, and her voice rang clear:
"Chengyu, you must be wondering how Su Qianqian ended up here, right?"
A pause. Then, under the stunned scrutiny of the room, she confessed outright:
"It was me. I was the one who told her."
"What?"
"She admitted it herself?"
"What’s going on?"
Murmurs of shock rippled through the crowd.
Shen Que arched a brow.
Qin Yu’s expression screamed what the hell.
Even Zhou Yu'an’s eyes flickered with surprise.
A voluntary confession? What could Lin Shu possibly gain from this?
Lin Shu ignored their reactions.
She knew Gu Chengyu too well—and understood her predicament tonight all too clearly.
If they parted ways now, she might still scrape by.
But their reconciliation had come too swiftly; Gu Chengyu had clearly grown attached to Su Qianqian.
Better to confess now than wait for him to uncover the truth himself. At least this way, she might salvage a shred of dignity—or even a graceful exit.
Her tear-filled eyes turned to Gu Chengyu, brimming with wounded affection as she whispered:
"That day… outside the dressing room on set… I heard everything."
Lin Shu's voice trembled with emotion: "I heard you tell her that I was just a plaything, heard you say she was the only one who held your heart."
Tears streamed down her pale cheeks.
"I was so furious I could’ve gone mad, and so heartbroken I thought I’d die..."
She looked at Gu Chengyu, her eyes raw with unmistakable pain and adoration.
"Chengyu, I admit, I used some push-and-pull tactics before..."
"But do you know why?"
Lin Shu’s voice suddenly rose, laced with bitterness and self-mockery.
"Because I loved you so much it drove me insane!"
"For all these years by your side, I’ve been careful, treading on thin ice, doing everything to please you."
"Yet in Gu Chengyu’s eyes, I was just a companion you could summon or dismiss at will."
"The only reason I played hard to get and walked away was to carve out the tiniest space in your heart."
"Was I wrong?" she nearly shouted, tears flooding her face.
Then her voice softened, weighed down by exhaustion and resignation, as she turned to Su Qianqian: "As for Su Qianqian, yes, I envied her. But I never once harmed her."
She drew a deep breath, straightening her posture. "Inviting her here tonight was just my way of giving myself a fair chance to compete."
Every word was drenched in tears, every sentiment laid bare.
She painted herself as the tragic figure—devoted, heartbroken, yet dignified enough to fight fairly.
Skillfully, she sidestepped any mention of her scheming, emphasizing she’d caused Su Qianqian no real harm.
Gu Chengyu had no reason to destroy her completely.
