The Shen parents spoke with great excitement, even delving into increasingly detailed plans—down to the exact dishes they would serve when inviting Gu Zhaoping over. Their household had recently hired a new chef skilled in Huaiyang cuisine, and Gu Zhaoping seemed to favor that particular flavor.
Yet they failed to notice that Shen Yifeng had not responded to any of this.
It wasn’t until they registered his unusual silence that Shen Father finally paused mid-speech, looking at him with surprise.
Taking in his expression, Shen Father first froze, then seemed to vaguely grasp something.
“…Did you and Zhaoping have a fight?”
Shen Father had heard whispers about the tensions between them.
At this, Shen Yifeng’s expression finally shifted—and it wasn’t a pleasant one. He averted his gaze slightly, a telltale sign to those who knew him well that he was avoiding the question.
Shen Father was taken aback. Shen Yifeng rarely dodged questions.
He had the ability to resolve nearly any problem, after all.
“If you two argued, then this is the perfect opportunity to mend things,” Shen Father offered, ever the mediator between the younger generation.
“Zhaoping might have seemed unreliable before, but that was just youth, wasn’t it? She’s two years younger than you—barely in her twenties. At this stage of life, she’s like the sun at eight or nine in the morning, still a fledgling. Even if she makes mistakes, they’re understandable. Yifeng, don’t be too hard on her.”
Shen Father spoke earnestly, but Shen Yifeng’s brow twitched in barely restrained irritation.
Was that really the issue with Gu Zhaoping?
If she were still as unreliable as before, he wouldn’t be reacting like this. He’d know exactly how to handle it. But the problem now was that Gu Zhaoping seemed…
Reliable. Too reliable.
His mind replayed images of her calm demeanor.
Her words had been so logical, so composed—nothing like the frantic, chaotic version of Gu Zhaoping he’d expected.
But the timid, flustered Gu Zhaoping who used to hide her little thoughts in front of him… that version of her seemed to have vanished completely, without him even noticing.
Shen Yifeng lowered his head, hands clasped between his knees.
Then, slowly, he lifted his gaze and finally spoke to his parents:
“The engagement is being called off.”
Shen Father, mid-sentence, froze. Every word he’d been about to say died in his throat.
His gesture of concern hung stiffly in the air. Shen Mother, equally stunned, shot to her feet.
“What? What happened? How could this be? What’s going on between you and Zhaoping? Was the fight that bad?”
She rushed over, gripping Shen Yifeng’s shoulders. “Is it because of what’s happened these past few days? Are you upset with her actions? Are you the one breaking it off?”
“Yifeng, this is no small matter! Even if you’re grown now, you can’t just disregard your elders’ opinions and cancel the engagement on a whim! You and Zhaoping have years of history, you studied abroad together, and our families still have so many shared interests—”
“You’re not the impulsive type. How could you act out of momentary anger?”
Her grip wasn’t forceful, just enough to make him sway slightly—yet Shen Yifeng didn’t pull away. He let her shake him, his expression growing increasingly complicated until it finally betrayed his emotions.
Right. Why did everyone assume he was the one calling it off?
No one had even considered that Gu Zhaoping might be the one initiating it.
Everyone seemed to agree that Gu Zhaoping valued this engagement far more than he did.
Shen Yifeng kept his head down.
…“Don’t overestimate your own importance.”
…“Most people aren’t worth that much.”
Gu Zhaoping’s words echoed relentlessly in his ears.
The initial fury had faded, leaving behind only a strange, hollow confusion.
“Mom,” Shen Yifeng said blankly, “Zhaoping is the one ending it.”
The entire Shen household fell silent.
……
Even as his parents dragged him toward the Gu Family’s residence, Shen Yifeng couldn’t stop replaying those words.
No one had ever spoken to him like that before—it was too direct, too cutting.
And now, for the first time, Shen Yifeng found himself questioning: What had he done wrong?
He was, by nature, a rational person.
He believed every judgment of him had its reasons. If the assessment was unfavorable, it could stem from bias—or perhaps he truly was the problem.
If it was truly his own fault, he would change. If it was prejudice, he would dismiss it with a laugh. In his eyes, those who blindly attacked others based on prejudice had no real competitiveness or threat.
At this thought, Shen Yifeng froze.
Wait a minute…
Hadn’t his judgment of Gu Zhaoping been… colored by some long-held prejudice all along?
Shen Yifeng was momentarily stunned.
By then, the car had already arrived at the Gu Family estate.
Earlier, he had passively followed his parents here, knowing they wouldn’t relent unless he came in person. But now that he was standing at the doorstep, an unexpected wave of hesitation washed over him—like the unease of returning to a place once familiar yet now distant.
How could he face Gu Zhaoping so soon after their confrontation? She would surely greet him with cold disdain.
Gu Zhaoping had once said: if he found it amusing to have a devoted fiancée fawning over him, he might as well hire an actress to play the role in his self-centered drama…
Was that really it?
Looking back, Gu Zhaoping had indeed invested far more in their engagement—festivals, anniversaries, birthdays—she had been the one eagerly arranging everything.
Even the subtle irritation he’d felt at her closeness might have stemmed from… nothing more than the fact that they were bound by this engagement in the first place.
Gu Zhaoping had taken their betrothal seriously. He had not.
When a behavior or attitude persists long enough, it starts to feel like the natural order of things.
Shen Yifeng had always assumed, without question, that Gu Zhaoping would remain that persistent presence trailing behind him.
But an engagement was a two-way commitment.
He had never treated it as anything more than a vague obligation, a faint burden.
Emotionally, they had never been equals. So how could he blame her for growing distant?
After all, he had never given her anything in return.
The realization struck Shen Yifeng like a bolt. His mind flashed to the image of that young man—the one who had tugged his hat brim down with a careless grin as he stepped back.
Fragments of memory surfaced: the male models Gu Zhaoping had favored in the past, all around twenty years old, smooth-talking and eager to please—the exact opposite of him.
People’s tastes were consistent. Gu Zhaoping clearly preferred those who were talented, charming, and emotionally expressive—nothing like him.
Shen Yifeng’s breath hitched as another thought dawned on him.
He might not even be her type at all.
The realization made his pupils constrict.
Had all her actions over the years been nothing more than dutiful fulfillment of their engagement?
As the car came to a stop, Shen Yifeng was engulfed by an unfamiliar, gnawing unease.
Why had he, in matters concerning their betrothal, so thoroughly betrayed his own upbringing and failed in his responsibilities?
The obligations he thought he owed Gu Zhaoping might not have been what she needed at all. Even if she made mistakes, the entire Gu Family—her parents, her grandfather—stood ready to support her.
Their engagement was meant to forge an alliance, a partnership of mutual support. Not for her to acquire another guardian.
For over a decade, he had known they were betrothed. Yet only now did the understanding settle into his bones with chilling clarity.
Their timing was unfortunate. When the Shen Family’s car pulled up, they noticed a crowd still gathered at the Gu Family’s ancestral home.
Shen Father and Shen Mother exchanged glances, recognizing them as executives from one of the Gu Family’s subsidiaries—likely here for business discussions.
But there was no turning back now. After sending word to the Gu Family, they were ushered inside.
“Goodness, Yifeng! What brings you all here?” Ms. Hua exclaimed in surprise. “You never visit without a reason. To what do we owe this rare honor of hosting all three of you?”
The Shen Family trio stiffened slightly. Though Ms. Hua was straightforward and meant no sarcasm, her words cut sharply in light of Gu Zhaoping’s decision to break off the engagement.
They had indeed grown distant over the years—so much so that they hadn’t even noticed the shift in Gu Zhaoping’s demeanor until it was too late.
“Bingfan, we’ve come to discuss something important,” Shen Mother began hesitantly. “I hope… we’re not interrupting?”
Ms. Hua glanced back at the uneasy executives from Yuanqi Tech waiting nearby.
Recalling the purpose of their meeting, she simply smiled. “Not at all. Given our families’ ties, you’re always welcome. Though it’s a shame Zhaoping isn’t home today—otherwise, she and Yifeng could’ve shared a meal.”
The expressions of Shen Father and Shen Mother grew even more strained, their gazes dropping in discomfort.
It seemed the Gu Family still knew nothing about Gu Zhaoping’s intention to call off the engagement.
This matter was difficult to bring up. Shen Mother simply said, "Zhaoping, you can attend to your own affairs first. We’re not in a hurry since we’ve just arrived—we can discuss things later."
Ms. Hua looked at them somewhat perplexedly, wondering what could be so important that they’d come with such formality yet weren’t in any rush to speak.
So she could only nod, a little awkwardly, and say:
"We’re all family here. Since it’s spring, I won’t hide anything from you. Lately, Zhaoping has been acting very differently—her changes are too drastic. I’m afraid she might have suffered some kind of blow. I heard she did something at the company, so I called the people from Yuanqi Tech over to ask what happened."
Shen Yifeng’s brows lifted slightly. He had heard a little about this—rumors that Gu Zhaoping had angered Gu Zhaoye so much that he stopped going to the office altogether.
His gaze shifted to the employees from Yuanqi Tech, who all looked extremely uneasy. Under the weight of everyone’s stares, they fidgeted nervously before speaking:
"Ms. Hua, it’s like this… Miss Zhaoping raised a financial issue the other day…"
Because Gu Zhaoye had flown into a rage, no one dared to report it to the Gu Family. After all, this was a matter that had humiliated the CEO.
Even they felt deeply awkward bringing it up.
Ms. Hua had been listening casually at first, but as the story unfolded, her expression grew increasingly shocked, her pupils contracting slightly.
Her hand trembled as she held her teacup. "What? You’re saying Zhaoping uncovered a problem in the financial reports?"
"And she brought it up in a meeting? Zhaoye’s financing deal fell through?"
Every word sounded utterly unbelievable!
The protagonist of this story left her even more stunned, making her question whether she had misheard.
"Yes, that’s right. Miss Zhaoping even pointed out the specifics. She said she would reorganize the financial issues, conduct a thorough review, and prove Yuanqi Tech’s value to all investors again…"
The executive did his best to recall every detail from that day, laying everything out truthfully.
As his words faded, silence fell over the entire household.
Especially for Shen Father and Shen Mother—they were even quieter, even more stunned than Ms. Hua.
What had happened to Zhaoping lately? Not only had she been revealed as a master of chess, but she was also this proficient in corporate affairs?
She had discovered a problem even Gu Zhaoye had overlooked?
This… this was…
Everyone was struck speechless by the same overwhelming realization. At this moment, faced with Gu Zhaoping’s recent, repeated displays of unexpected brilliance, a single word rose unbidden in their minds—
Concealed edge.
What else could explain her sudden, dazzling emergence other than the fact that she had been hiding her true abilities all these years?
Shen Father and Shen Mother also seemed to have an epiphany, as if they had abruptly grasped something profound.
Now that Gu Zhaoping was revealing her capabilities, her desire to break off the engagement… made sense.
Even if she wasn’t one yet, for a female entrepreneur, marriage was often more of a burden than a benefit—something that could easily hold her back.
If Zhaoping had always been quietly biding her time, waiting for the right moment to shine, then her ambitions must be far greater than anyone imagined.
Just like how powerful, successful men often chose gentle, docile partners…
…Gu Zhaoping would never like Shen Yifeng.
This conclusion had initially flitted through their minds like a fleeting shadow, but for some reason, a growing sense of certainty made the thought solidify—clear and undeniable.
Everyone sat in restless silence, unsure how to break it, unable to find the right words.
And Shen Yifeng? He simply sat there, perfectly still.
Outwardly, he appeared calm, his hands folded neatly over his knees as he gazed ahead. But only he knew just how far his thoughts had spiraled in the midst of his shock and bewilderment.
All this time, he had carried such strong prejudices against Gu Zhaoping.
Extremely strong prejudices.
And now, he was about to face the consequences of that arrogance—retribution for his own pride.
---
The preview for Seasons of the Elite wasn’t long, and the editing wrapped up quickly.
When Zheng Anling informed Gu Zhaoping that the episode would air tonight, she was in the middle of sorting out financial issues.
Yuanqi Tech had left behind too many problems, and instead of rushing to fix them, Gu Zhaoye hadn’t even stayed to address the company’s vulnerabilities after the last meeting. Instead, he had disappeared somewhere, shutting himself away from the world.
Gu Zhaoping found it laughable, but she wasn’t about to let the opportunity slip by.
"Understood. I’ll make time to watch it."
She set the phone down.
Participating in the show wasn’t a big deal in her mind. As for the broadcast’s reception, time would tell. If the response was poor, she’d think of ways to improve. If it went well, she’d build on that momentum. There was nothing to worry about.
As for watching the show itself? That wasn’t really her thing.
But she didn’t have such hobbies, though plenty of others did—yet none of them remained so composed.
Ms. Hua paced around her home for a long time, hesitating, before finally dialing Gu Zhaoping’s number with a troubled heart.
"Zhaoping, is that program about to air?" Her voice softened, gentler than ever before.
Though their last meeting had ended unpleasantly—with Gu Zhaoping even snapping at her—this time, Ms. Hua’s tone held no resentment, only a faint trace of nervousness.
This was a mother. While she had always valued Gu Zhaoye’s achievements and status more than Gu Zhaoping’s, it wasn’t that she didn’t love her daughter.
For a child who was too outstanding and yet emotionally distant, a mother’s heart couldn’t help but tread carefully, as if trying to understand her all over again.
"Mm," Gu Zhaoping acknowledged, glancing at the documents in her hand. "Are you worried about how the show will turn out?"
If this was another round of fretting over whether she’d offend Old Master Gu again, there was no need. She was tired of explaining.
Some things didn’t require so much preemptive worry.
But to her surprise, the response came almost immediately—sharp and hurried: "No!"
Ms. Hua caught herself, realizing how forceful she sounded. Her hands clasped together, and she gave an awkward chuckle, glancing at Sister Zhang, who was holding the phone for her.
Sister Zhang nodded encouragingly.
Ms. Hua continued, "No, Mom isn’t worried about you. It doesn’t matter how you perform—it’s not a big deal. The Gu Family can handle whatever comes."
"If the show makes you unhappy, you don’t have to keep filming."
After a pause, she stood before the floor-to-ceiling windows, the blue hues of dusk casting over her elegant silhouette.
"...I just want to understand you better."
She had known Zhaoping for 27 years, yet misunderstandings still piled up. It was as if she’d never truly grasped what Zhaoping thought or wanted.
Her voice grew quieter, almost tentative. "Zhaoping, give Mom another chance to know you, okay?"
Gu Zhaoping was taken aback.
She wasn’t close to any elders, so she’d never let anyone truly understand her. She saw no point in it—she did as she pleased, letting others interpret her actions as they wished. No further explanation was necessary.
But Ms. Hua was different. Her request felt strange, yet not something worth refusing.
After a brief silence, Gu Zhaoping replied, "Okay."
Ms. Hua froze, her arched brows—styled to match her qipao—lifting slightly in surprise.
A light seemed to flicker in her eyes, and before she knew it, she was smiling.
——
"It airs tonight?" Gu Kaichang sneered, steering his sports car one-handed down a foreign highway. "Well, well. Gu Zhaoping’s about to put on quite the show."
"Who knows how she charmed Grandpa into letting her promote herself on TV. Since when does the Gu Family need her to represent us? What kind of image will she even project?"
He skimmed the list of celebrity guests—plenty of young, handsome actors among them—and scoffed.
For Gu Zhaoping, this was practically a playground. Who knew which pretty boy would catch her eye this time? And then she’d throw another tantrum with Shen Yifeng.
This wasn’t some private modeling gig—this was a nationally televised show.
Audiences judged women more harshly. If Gu Zhaoping slipped up even slightly, the backlash would be brutal.
He’d always said she was a liability. The main branch of the family was full of disappointments—why Grandpa still trusted them was beyond him.
But no matter. After this, their influence would take a nosedive.
Gu Kaichang touched his cheek. Though the slap mark had faded, the phantom sting lingered. His jaw tightened at the memory.
In all his years, Old Master Gu had never struck him before!
Sure, the old man had just grabbed the nearest thing to shut him up, but to Gu Kaichang, it was nothing short of a public humiliation.
He’d remember this disgrace.
And when Gu Zhaoping inevitably screwed up? He’d be the first to kick her while she was down.
——
At Nyx Club—and every other nightclub Gu Zhaoping had frequented—something unusual was happening tonight.
Their massive screens weren’t playing music videos or romantic visuals.
The movie playing was actually all from this one program channel!
The arriving guests burst into laughter: "Have you all been going for a comedic vibe lately?"
The team manager quickly clarified, "No, no! This is our top-selling show of the month. Our biggest client is appearing on it—of course we have to support her ratings!"
Everyone was stunned.
Bizarre.
Other guests on the show usually have their venues packed with supporters—friends, family, colleagues, and fan clubs.
But Gu Zhaoping? The ones cheering for her were a parade of male models from high-end clubs!
"Sister Zhaoping! Sister Zhaoping’s here!"
A few young guys cheered excitedly. Though they’d never been personally chosen by Gu Zhaoping, her commanding presence and wealth had earned their admiration. Even just catching a glimpse of her or exchanging a greeting was something to brag about.
When Gu Zhaoping appeared on the TV screen, everyone froze for a second. She looked completely different from her usual self.
Her hair was slicked back in a sleek, high ponytail, paired with rectangular frameless glasses. Her sharp nose and thin lips stood out against the black turtleneck she wore, drawing attention to her long neck and impeccable posture.
Who styled her like this?
Wait—this aesthetic was way too refined! Had the wealthy heiress transformed into a supermodel-esque tycoon?
The male models were speechless.
As the show began, millions of viewers flooded the stream, spamming the chat with comments.
Finally, it’s starting!
This program was nothing short of explosive—the anticipation had been sky-high!
Even the celebrity guests were A-listers, and fans immediately began spamming their idols’ names. The chat was instantly flooded, like a meteor shower of text.
But one name was conspicuously absent: Gu Zhaoping.
Then, the screen cut to the recording studio.
The set was hot, and Gu Zhaoping had draped her blazer casually over her shoulders. The jacket’s structured silhouette and broad shoulders accentuated her cool, unapproachable aura—the kind that made people instinctively straighten up just by looking at her.
The moment she appeared, the chat seemed to freeze.
"I’m Gu Zhaoping, the eldest daughter of the Gu Family." Her demeanor was calm as she spoke to the host across from her, one arm resting lightly on the table beside her.
She lifted her head, a single strand of hair slipping free beside her gray glasses. Her voice was steady, measured, almost indifferent as she added, "I hold dual degrees in Business and Law from Stanford University."
No exaggeration—within seconds, every viewer in front of their screens collectively blurted out the same curse:
What the hell?!
Who was this? What happened to the Gu Zhaoping they knew?
Had she been possessed? Or was this a body double?
