"This child is a bit odd."
Ms. Hua Bingfan murmured, staring at the elevator without blinking, then added in a low voice, "It seems that young man from the Shen family has truly wounded her heart."
Father Gu, momentarily at a loss for a response, awkwardly sat down. "Ahem, since she didn’t go see those male models, we should inform Shen Yifeng and resolve the misunderstanding."
After all, the two families were set on an arranged marriage. Gu Zhaoping was their only daughter, and the wedding was of utmost importance.
Even though her previous outrageous behavior—scandalizing the entire city—had left Shen Yifeng thoroughly displeased, to the point where he rejected her heartfelt confession and declined her invitation to the New Year’s banquet, hadn’t she turned over a new leaf now?
Though Ms. Hua was skeptical about how long Gu Zhaoping’s reformed behavior would last, her eagerness to salvage the marriage led her to call her future son-in-law.
"Hello… Yifeng," she began warmly, adopting the tone of an elder doting on an accomplished junior. "Have you and Zhaoping had a fight?"
On the other end, Shen Yifeng pinched the bridge of his nose at the mere mention.
He had long since exhausted his patience with this fiancée. An arranged marriage was acceptable, but he preferred to have no entanglement with her before the wedding.
He could already vividly imagine the misery of being dragged down by her after marriage—no need to step into that cage prematurely.
"Aunt Hua, what’s the matter? Did Zhaoping say something to you?" He remained polite, his tone refined, with a lingering Cantonese accent he couldn’t quite shake.
Considering the time, Gu Zhaoping was probably still fondling some male model’s pectorals. Suppressing a sigh, he asked calmly, "Has she not come home yet? Or are you unable to reach her? Don’t worry—I can’t reach her either. You should contact Miss Fang for this..."
"No, no!" Hua Bingfan cut him off, her voice practically bubbling with joy. "She’s home! She even came back to the old estate!"
Ms. Hua was practically glowing, as if her child had just topped the imperial exams. "She even told me she’s not staying up late anymore—she’s going to bed early!"
"Yifeng, don’t you think this calls for a bit of admiration?"
Shen Yifeng paused.
After a moment of contemplation, he replied, "I see. You should rest early too."
Hanging up, he wondered if Gu Zhaoping had suddenly seen the light after his harsh scolding earlier. But just then, his assistant called.
"President Shen, the bank just reported that the card you issued to Miss Gu was used for a massive purchase—covering the year-end quotas for all those male models."
Shen Yifeng’s hand trembled slightly as he shut his eyes in resignation. "When did she make the purchase?"
"Twenty minutes ago. She announced she was covering the entire venue’s expenses and told everyone to 'play freely, no worries!'"
"And where is she now?"
"Miss Gu left right after saying that."
Shen Yifeng hung up, convinced that this marriage might need to be called off. And the next time he saw her, he’d have to scold her again.
Gu Zhaoping paid no mind to her parents’ stunned expressions.
This was simply her nature—she took charge of everything within her reach, handling matters methodically.
Managing her parents? A trivial task.
The true authority in the Gu Family lay with their grandfather. Though Father Gu was the former CEO, the real decision-making power remained in the old man’s hands.
Grandfather was a traditionalist. Decades ago, he had been sent abroad for studies, emerging as a refined gentleman shaped by both Eastern and Western education. He valued upright conduct and despised scandalous behavior.
Thus, the three branches of the family often used gossip as ammunition against one another.
On her way back, Gu Zhaoping had quickly familiarized herself with the Gu Family’s background, studying the preferences and traits of those around her. She concluded that her starting point wasn’t too bad—certainly not hellish.
She had assumed that the wayward Miss Gu would be neglected by the family, but upon closer inspection, she found that all necessary resources were still available to her. With what she currently had, she could advance further and seize control of the Gu Family.
Even though her younger brother, Gu Zhaoye, had ten times her resources and still failed to accomplish this.
Gu Zhaoping frowned. She couldn’t understand why such a prominent family wouldn’t prioritize grooming the eldest daughter. Miss Gu was two years older—plenty of time to learn and adapt. In family power struggles, two years was a significant advantage, enough to secure a long lead.
Yet, the Gu Family had poured nearly all their resources into the second son, Gu Zhaoye, without discretion.
How strange. Why abandon an advantage and take the harder path?
Time was running late. The alarm Gu Zhaoping had set on her way home chimed. After drafting a simple schedule for the next day, she headed to the bathroom to freshen up.
Miss Gu’s bathroom was spacious—a full suite. As she unbuttoned her blouse, Gu Zhaoping finally identified the source of the discomfort she’d felt all along.
Beneath her clothes was a tightly laced corset, cinched to the smallest setting. To look her best in that outfit, Miss Gu had constrained herself, enduring her beloved fiancé’s scolding—until her life ended at precisely this moment.
Gu Zhaoping tugged the strings loose, letting the corset drop to the floor. She soaked her slender, red-marked feet in hot water.
After finishing her routine, she stood before the mirror, patting her already flat stomach. "Be kinder to yourself," she said.
The next morning, Ms. Hua and Father Gu were still fretting over whether Gu Zhaoping would wake up on time.
Upon rising, they had a sudden realization.
"Today’s the day all three branches are sending their juniors to visit Grandfather. Is Zhaoping reliable enough…? Maybe we should just send Zhaoye."
Father Gu agreed wholeheartedly. Gu Zhaoping had a sharp tongue, and given her usual antics, Grandfather would likely be furious at the sight of her. Gu Zhaoye, their most outstanding child, would surely lift the old man’s spirits and earn their branch some favor.
Besides, the second and third branches would undoubtedly send their sons. This was a gathering of male heirs—Gu Zhaoping’s presence might seem out of place.
As the couple stepped out of their room, deep in discussion, they nearly jumped out of their skins upon reaching the dining area. Ms. Hua stumbled back, clutching a pillar for support.
Gu Zhaoping sat calmly on the sofa, sipping from a cup while perusing a freshly delivered newspaper—in English, no less. A foreign publication?
Everyone knew how lackluster her overseas education had been!
Ms. Hua grabbed her husband’s sleeve in shock, looking up at him helplessly. Father Gu wasn’t faring much better—both were suddenly aware of how slippery their slippers were.
Hearing the commotion, Gu Zhaoping turned, raising her cup in greeting. "Good morning, Mom, Dad."
She set the newspaper aside and placed her cup down, exuding the composed air of a host as she glanced at something on her tablet.
"...Morning, morning."
The Gu parents finally collected themselves, sitting awkwardly on the adjacent sofas instead of joining her on the main one. Only then did they notice the tablet in her hands.
"Zhaoping, you’re up so early?"
Gu Zhaoping nodded politely. "I’m accustomed to a 5:45 antioxidant smoothie. Boosts alertness."
Ms. Hua gaped as if struck by lightning. Waking up early for skincare? Understandable. But this? What kind of absurdity was this?
Father Gu ventured another question. "What are you looking at there?"
Gu Zhaoping picked it up and gestured slightly: "This is a simplified schedule."
The grid on the page contained several lines of text, spaced elegantly, with bold and unrestrained strokes that spilled slightly beyond the lines. Though not confined by the boundaries, the arrangement remained neat and pleasing to the eye, instantly putting one at ease.
Father Gu was stunned—he had never known Zhaoping possessed such calligraphic skill.
Even the old patriarch would surely praise it.
Staring at Zhaoping as if she were possessed, they hesitated to speak. This sudden "reform" was far too abrupt, wasn’t it?
Gu Zhaoping usually spent an hour after waking up checking work emails and listening to industry podcasts during breakfast. But today, upon opening her inbox, she found no work correspondence—only fawning emails from luxury hotels worldwide, eagerly awaiting her return.
She marked them all as read and headed straight to the gym for a run.
By the time the Gu parents woke up, she had already freshened up and was reading the newspaper, catching up on global industry trends.
Paper was easier on the eyes than screens.
Her room had a sofa, but she preferred the one in the first-floor hall—its feng shui and orientation were impeccable, giving her a regal sense of authority when seated there.
She observed her parents, sensing they had something to say.
After a long pause, Ms. Hua Bingfan finally spoke: "Zhaoping, we’re glad to see you changing your ways. And it’s wonderful that you’re taking the initiative to visit the old patriarch—he’d love to see you. But—"
Father Gu seamlessly picked up the thread, clearing his throat. "But today, only the male descendants from the second and third branches are going. It wouldn’t be appropriate for you to join. They’ll be playing chess with the patriarch—what would you do, just sit and watch? You represent our family’s dignity. You can’t—"
Gu Zhaoping frowned slightly, tilting her head in confusion. "I know how to play chess."
Father Gu choked mid-sentence. "Not checkers or Chinese chess—international chess!"
Her expression relaxed further as she nodded. "I’m quite good at it."
"Good" was an understatement. It was pure coincidence that this happened to be her specialty. She held the IM title with an Elo rating of 2450, ranking as an International Master. At 18, she had dominated online blitz tournaments, though her refusal to show her face had led to accusations of cheating.
Chess was like business—Gu Zhaoping excelled at both. If the patriarch enjoyed it, this would be effortless.
Father Gu: "..."
Was that the point? The point was that only the men were supposed to—
Wait, since when did Zhaoping know international chess? This was absurd. He was starting to suspect his daughter had been body-snatched.
Dry-mouthed, Father Gu switched tactics. "Look, I don’t want to sound harsh. It’s a gathering for the men—it’s not suitable for a woman. Let Zhaoye go instead. You can relax, maybe go have fun with Fang Yining. Buy whatever you want—I’ll cover it today!"
In the past, Gu Zhaoping had splurged wildly on shopping trips with her girlfriends. Given the chance, she might even seize this opportunity to buy jewelry or a private jet—things she’d normally hesitate over. Such generosity should have been enough to sway her.
But to his surprise, Gu Zhaoping merely smiled faintly, as if finally understanding the conversation.
It dawned on her: this world was rigidly gendered, and women were systematically excluded from power. No wonder Miss Gu, the eldest daughter, had been sidelined in favor of her younger brother, born two years later.
She lowered her head slightly, revealing a glimpse of flawlessly maintained teeth as she chuckled.
Gu Zhaoping removed the sunglasses clipped to her collar and slid them on, adjusting them before looking up. "Then here’s another question—is Gu Zhaoye even here?"
Father Gu and Ms. Hua Bingfan froze.
Their faces paled instantly.
—Today was Ruan Nian’s birthday, and Gu Zhaoye had gone chasing after her!
Just last night, Gu Zhaoping had gone out drinking in frustration because Gu Zhaoye had abandoned his fiancée, Fang Yining, to accompany Ruan Nian on the eve of her birthday. In a fit of anger, Zhaoping had confronted Ruan Nian, causing a scene that earned her a scolding from her own fiancé, Shen Yifeng.
The so-called heir, Gu Zhaoye, hadn’t even returned home yet!
Gu Zhaoping glanced at her Patek Philippe Ref. 7130 ladies’ watch, its 62 diamonds glittering as brightly as her future.
She had assumed her brother was a worthy rival, but his lack of judgment made him unworthy of her effort.
"It’s getting late. We shouldn’t keep Grandfather waiting—I’ll be on my way." She draped her coat over her shoulders, and only then did her parents notice her uncharacteristically refined attire—simple colors, sophisticated tailoring, an air of elite professionalism, a far cry from her usual bodycon battle dresses.
Steward Zhang scrambled to open the door for her. Before disappearing, Gu Zhaoping turned back to nod at her parents. "Mom, Dad, when Gu Zhaoye returns, do let him know he missed the men’s gathering."
Her figure vanished up the steps.
The Gu parents stood gaping, as if someone had force-fed them an egg and left them choking.
