Some words are spoken precisely because the answer is already known.
Li Xunwen’s eyes flickered slightly. The reason he had asked was that he knew Gu Zhaoping was completely overlooked in the Gu Family. Old Master Gu had hardly ever acknowledged her existence before.
And it made sense. After all, what use was a granddaughter who achieved nothing but stirred up trouble? Apart from being a pawn in a marriage alliance, she served no purpose. Why would a shrewd business magnate like Old Master Gu care about her?
So when Li Xunwen heard her response, his first reaction wasn’t confusion or emotional disturbance—it was a sense of validation.
Of course Gu Zhaoping wouldn’t know Gu Zhaoye was accompanying Old Master Gu. That was just like her—someone utterly lacking in perception.
Beside him, Ruan Nian blinked nervously before speaking up. "Sister Zhaoping must have been too busy lately. If you have time, you should pay more attention to family matters. Zhaoye often mentions you… You should visit the old estate more often."
In the past, Gu Zhaoping had indeed avoided the old estate.
Gu Zhaoping seemed to smile faintly. Her gaze swept over the group, her expression unreadable, as if their disrespect didn’t faze her at all.
"Before joining this show, I consulted with Grandfather. It was his decision to send me here. What do you think of that?"
"Gu Zhaoye…" She paused thoughtfully. "He hasn’t been home much either, has he? Even the gatherings for the men of the family—has he attended any recently?"
"If you’re so eager to see him, I could always ask Old Master Gu if he’s available to join us."
Her tone was calm, even laced with a hint of amusement, as if their words meant nothing to her.
Li Xunwen’s expression shifted to confusion. It had never crossed his mind that Gu Zhaoping’s participation in the show wasn’t her own idea, but Old Master Gu’s arrangement.
How strange. Had Old Master Gu suddenly changed his temperament? To actually trust Gu Zhaoping enough to let her appear on a public program—wasn’t he worried she’d tarnish the Gu Family’s reputation?
And even more unexpected—since when had Gu Zhaoping become so assertive?
Offering to summon Gu Zhaoye for them? Did she not realize that if he joined, he’d be assigned to their team, leaving her own group short-handed? No matter what challenges they faced, her team would be at a disadvantage.
What they failed to notice was the drastic change in Ruan Nian’s expression.
Just as Li Xunwen sneered, "Fine, go ahead and call him over—"
Ruan Nian abruptly cut in, "No!"
All eyes turned to her. She forced her panic down, masking it with composure.
How could this be happening? She had heard Gu Zhaoye complain countless times—no one in the family had any regard for Gu Zhaoping. There was no way she’d be involved in important family affairs.
Every visit to Old Master Gu was reserved for Gu Zhaoye and his brothers. Gu Zhaoping was never included.
Her relationship with Gu Zhaoye was undeniably closer than his with Gu Zhaoping. She had assumed that mentioning his presence with Old Master Gu would go unquestioned—after all, it was such a common occurrence. Who would doubt it?
Under their collective scrutiny, Ruan Nian paled before quickly recovering. "Old Master Gu hasn’t been well lately, and Zhaoye’s been in a terrible mood. Plus, I heard something happened at Yuanqi Tech. Disturbing them now might provoke their anger."
She struggled to maintain a calm facade as she met their gazes.
The Li siblings didn’t react much. They knew Gu Zhaoye had a temper, and Ruan Nian, having been with him for years, would know how to avoid setting him off. It made sense she wouldn’t dare contact him.
But the way Gu Zhaoping looked at her—there was something else in that gaze. Eventually, she even smiled, a trace of mockery in it.
"Yuanqi Tech is in trouble, you say?"
Under that stare, Ruan Nian’s unease grew. She could barely hold her ground.
But then she remembered—her system had assured her that today, Gu Zhaoping would be forced to miss the recording as punishment. The thought steadied her slightly.
"Yes, though I’m not sure what exactly happened. But if even Zhaoye lost his temper over it, it must be serious. Sister Zhaoping, it’s best if you don’t reach out to him right now."
Her tone was earnest, as if she genuinely cared about preserving their relationship.
Gu Zhaoping studied her in silence, her expression unreadable—as if she had already seen through everything.
Just as she seemed about to speak, her phone rang. She glanced at the screen, then at the group, before stepping aside to take the call.
Ruan Nian exhaled sharply in relief.
The Li siblings muttered disdainfully, "What’s gotten into Gu Zhaoping? She actually dared suggest asking Old Master Gu to send Gu Zhaoye over? At a time like this, she thinks she can just casually contact him?"
"Probably just putting on a show. She knew we’d never let her disturb Old Master Gu. She just wanted to prove she still has some standing in the Gu Family," Li Xunxi remarked dismissively.
Meanwhile, Ruan Nian’s system finally spoke up in her mind. "Nian, I’ve just issued the punishment."
It didn’t mention that it had tried to connect with the supporting female lead earlier—only to find itself unable to establish contact this time.
A sense of unease crept in. This side character’s willpower seemed unusually strong. It would have to rely on external forces.
Watching Gu Zhaoping walk away to answer the phone, Ruan Nian relaxed.
If Gu Zhaoping was absent, her team would only have Liang Zhiwei and Chu Yanze left.
She was somewhat familiar with Chu Yanze—he had always been lenient with her, harboring a faint affection.
Ruan Nian was confident in her past charm stats. As for Liang Zhiwei? She wasn’t even worth worrying about.
In truth, winning or losing in a variety show didn’t matter much. But this particular program had a special prize—a coveted endorsement deal.
Ruan Nian had plenty of endorsements already. Missing out on this one would be disappointing, but not devastating.
What she couldn’t tolerate was Liang Zhiwei winning it.
Human nature was like that. Liang Zhiwei’s success shouldn’t have concerned her—but she couldn’t stand seeing someone with a face so similar to hers rise to fame, nearly snatching away the person she had worked so hard to win over.
Liang Zhiwei was nothing but a cheap imitation, a thief stealing the fruits of her labor. She refused to let her thrive.
The show’s final evaluation had two components: task performance and audience votes.
When it came to popularity, Ruan Nian was confident. Among everyone present, only Chu Yanze might be able to rival her in terms of fan appeal—the others posed no real threat.
The only area where she needed to seize the opportunity was in completing her tasks.
Gu Zhaoping walked to a corner to answer a call. "Grandfather."
"Zhaoping, you're recording a show right now, aren't you? There's something I need to discuss with you." Old Master Gu paused thoughtfully. "I heard about the issues you raised at Yuanqi Tech. I didn’t expect that despite your busy schedule, you’ve still managed to learn so much over the years."
"Even Zhaoye was careless this time and overlooked the loopholes. Yet you caught them—that’s commendable."
"You flatter me, Grandfather. It’s only my duty."
Gu Zhaoping replied calmly, "You placed me at Yuanqi Tech precisely to oversee their financial matters. If problems arise, how could I not point them out? Besides, anyone with experience would notice the irregularities. Their loopholes were glaring—it’s fortunate the issues were raised now. If a business partner had discovered them later, the consequences would’ve been far worse."
Old Master Gu fell silent for a moment, lost in thought.
Indeed, Yuanqi Tech had developed terrible habits. How could Gu Zhaoye have missed such glaring financial mismanagement all this time?
Was he incompetent, or were his subordinates simply too good at deceiving him?
The more he considered it, the more suspicious he became. Old Master Gu’s expression darkened slightly, his trust in Gu Zhaoye wavering.
His tone turned colder. "Zhaoye has grown too complacent lately. His performance has been lacking, and now we don’t even know where he is."
"In a few days, the Global Energy Industry Leaders Summit will be held in Los Angeles. The top minds in the energy sector worldwide will be there. I want you to accompany me."
Gu Zhaoping was momentarily stunned. She was usually quick to react, but her grandfather’s words had caught her off guard.
The Global Energy Industry Leaders Summit?
Of course she knew how significant it was. The Gu Family had built their empire on energy—it was their cornerstone. CEOs of Fortune 500 energy companies, energy ministers from various nations, and renowned energy experts from leading research institutions would all be in attendance.
The Gu Family had spent half a year preparing for this summit, eager to forge partnerships and shape future strategies.
Gu Zhaoping had joined the family business relatively late, and with the summit so close, she knew that even her best efforts might not have been enough to earn her a spot. She hadn’t been in a hurry—there would be other opportunities.
But who would’ve thought Old Master Gu would hand her this chance so easily?
Just… like that?
What had she done to deserve it?
Gu Zhaoping pondered for a long moment. She knew she’d been performing well lately, but surely not well enough to warrant this. If securing family power was this simple, what had all her previous struggles been for?
Old Master Gu sighed. This year’s summit would heavily focus on the integration of artificial intelligence and the energy sector—a hot topic. Gu Zhaoye was originally supposed to represent Yuanqi Tech, and countless opportunities would’ve come his way.
But given his current state, Old Master Gu couldn’t bring himself to take him to Los Angeles without reservations.
"Understood, Grandfather. I’ll cancel my next recording. Should we keep this confidential?"
Gu Zhaoping didn’t hesitate. When opportunity knocked, she knew how to seize it.
She didn’t even ask what would happen with the variety show—she’d simply drop it. Nothing was more important than securing her place in the family business.
Old Master Gu silently admired her decisiveness. Somehow, she seemed far more capable than his grandsons.
"Don’t spread the news yet. I don’t want the second and third branches making a fuss."
He was well aware of the infighting among the family branches. At his age, he preferred to turn a blind eye—as long as no major scandals erupted, he wouldn’t intervene.
Besides, competition among the younger generation drove them to excel. That wasn’t necessarily a bad thing.
But lately, he’d grown tired of the second branch’s scheming, and his patience with Gu Kaichang had worn thin.
"Once it’s a done deal, no one can object. Zhaoping, make sure you perform impeccably—don’t give anyone a reason to criticize you." Old Master Gu added as a final reminder.
"I won’t fail you." Gu Zhaoping replied.
She had never given anyone grounds to doubt her.
"However, the variety show’s appeal partly relies on the Gu Family’s presence. If I’m absent next episode and no other Gu member attends, it might seem… excessive." Gu Zhaoping pointed out.
Old Master Gu waved a hand dismissively. "Then send either Gu Zhaoye or Gu Kaichang! If neither works, there’s still Gu Yingjie."
After hanging up, Gu Zhaoping informed the production team that she’d be absent for the next recording.
The staff was taken aback. Zheng Anling asked cautiously, "Ms. Gu, next episode features extreme sports—it’s a high-stakes round with great potential to win audience popularity. Are you sure you want to skip it?"
Gu Zhaoping nodded. "I’m sorry, but I have prior commitments. However, the Gu Family will send another representative."
Another representative? That would be Gu Zhaoye, then?
The director, overhearing, brightened and quickly cut in before Zheng Anling could respond. "No problem! We’ll arrange your leave for next episode."
When that video had gone viral earlier, he hadn’t reacted in time—he’d simply delegated the matter. But once the online frenzy erupted, he’d checked it and been stunned.
He never expected Gu Zhaoping to actually know martial arts!
The director had felt somewhat embarrassed. In the first episode, he’d deliberately edited her introduction to stir controversy—and it had worked, sparking heated debates. But in the end, Gu Zhaoping had proven everyone wrong.
Still, the ratings boost had made it worthwhile.
Now, he avoided her gaze awkwardly.
But compared to Gu Zhaoping, Gu Zhaoye’s appearance was far more valuable. Finally, he could push the Gu Zhaoye and Ruan Nian pairing.
Though Gu Zhaoping had already generated significant buzz in earlier episodes, he doubted it would last.
Only the currently trending stars could guarantee consistent hype.
Who could promise she’d keep delivering drama and attention every single episode?
All the guests had basically arrived, and the production crew gathered everyone together. "Now that everyone is here, we’ll begin the three-day, two-night recording session. Please refrain from leaving the estate unless absolutely necessary," the director announced.
He then added, "By the way, Ms. Gu will only participate in this session. She’ll be absent for the next one due to prior commitments, so we may need to adjust our task assignments slightly."
The announcement caught everyone off guard. The first to react was Ruan Nian, who felt a surge of delight.
The system’s punishment was indeed swift and effective. If she could endure this session, she wouldn’t have to see Gu Zhaoping again in the next one.
As long as Gu Zhaoping wasn’t on the show, she wouldn’t have the chance to appear in front of the public.
Ruan Nian found Gu Zhaoping rather strange—somehow, inexplicable camera angles always seemed to capture her actions.
But if she wasn’t part of the recording, she wouldn’t have the opportunity to redeem herself.
Ruan Nian still had a chance to regain the public’s sympathy.
Chu Yanze froze for a moment.
He had just arrived, pulling off the hood of his sweatshirt, his voice slightly rushed. "Zhaoping-jie, you won’t be in the next recording?"
"I have some things to take care of."
"Will you come back after that?"
The question slipped out before he realized he might have overstepped.
It occurred to him that their social circles didn’t overlap—the only time they interacted was during the show. If Gu Zhaoping stopped recording, he might not have another chance to see her.
"I’ll return once everything’s settled," Gu Zhaoping replied casually. Then, as an afterthought, she added, "By the way, the watch you gave me last time was quite nice. Thank you."
Chu Yanze stiffened slightly before turning away and pulling his gray hood back up.
After a pause, he murmured, "...Good."
He felt relieved. As long as they’d meet again, it was fine.
Liang Zhiwei glanced at him, sensing something different in the air.
"Zhaoping-jie, I saw the episode—you were amazing," Chu Yanze said, staring ahead as he waited for the production crew to announce the tasks. His voice was soft but clear enough for the two beside him to hear.
Liang Zhiwei perked up immediately. "Right, right! Zhaoping-jie, you were absolutely stunning! Watching it made me want to jump in and kick that guy myself!"
"What episode?"
Gu Zhaoping looked at them, her expression unfazed, as if she wasn’t bothered by her own lack of awareness.
"...Zhaoping-jie, did they air that segment without your approval?"
Gu Zhaoping raised an eyebrow. She remembered the production crew sending a cameraman to film her daily routine.
She hadn’t reviewed the footage, nor did she think there was anything worth hiding, so she’d let them proceed.
Lately, she’d been busy with company matters and hadn’t checked online reactions, but she wasn’t particularly concerned either.
Seeing her reaction, Liang Zhiwei was utterly impressed. "Zhaoping-jie, you really don’t care about public opinion at all. That’s incredible!"
Only then did Gu Zhaoping ask, "Is there a video?"
Liang Zhiwei quickly reached for her phone, but before she could unlock it, Chu Yanze had already handed his over.
The screen displayed the episode featuring Gu Zhaoping’s daily life.
Liang Zhiwei blinked, studying Chu Yanze’s expression—calm, as if this were completely normal.
How had he pulled it up so fast? Did he watch it regularly?
She couldn’t help but wonder.
Gu Zhaoping skimmed through it and realized the cameraman had done an excellent job—especially the jiu-jitsu sparring segment. The shots made her look powerful, dynamic, and even aesthetically striking.
She turned and motioned to her assistant, Little Zhao, who approached immediately.
"Ask that cameraman if he’s interested in switching jobs," Gu Zhaoping said.
Little Zhao: "?"
She was startled but quickly adapted to her boss’s unpredictable style. "Right away, boss!"
Gu Zhaoping nodded. "If he’s open to it, I’d welcome him at the highest market rate for his level."
Whether for her upcoming trip to Los Angeles or her corporate work, she needed someone to document her image—perhaps even a promotional video.
Important moments deserved to be recorded.
This cameraman’s work was exceptional, almost like an action film. She was pleased.
Chu Yanze: "..."
Liang Zhiwei: "..."
They were momentarily speechless. Money really did buy freedom.
So Zhaoping-jie also appreciated her own presence? And seemed quite satisfied with it?
Somehow, this side of her felt unexpectedly lively and endearing.
Chu Yanze couldn’t help but chuckle, raising a fist to cover his smile before slipping his phone back into his pocket—but not before instinctively tapping the like button.
Liang Zhiwei asked eagerly, "Zhaoping-jie, is jiu-jitsu really useful for self-defense? I’ve wanted to learn, but online, people say it’s pointless—that running is the only real solution."
"People who say that likely haven’t needed to defend themselves or trained in any combat skills," Gu Zhaoping mused.
She turned to Liang Zhiwei. "No skill you learn to protect yourself is ever a disadvantage."
Liang Zhiwei paused, realizing the logic.
If people claimed combat training was useless for women’s self-defense, would doing nothing be any better?
Before she could dwell on it, the production crew finalized their plans and announced the first task.
"Thank you for your patience, everyone. For the first session, each team will receive 100,000 yuan in virtual funds to negotiate rentals for their chosen spaces—commercial storefronts, mobile stalls, or even office buildings—within the town. Then, you’ll open restaurants in your selected locations."
The program team will provide the ingredients, but the guests must bid for them in groups. The setup of the kitchen also requires investment using virtual funds or personal props brought by the participants. The pricing of the dishes will be determined by the guests themselves.
In the end, the winner will be decided based on the ratio of each shop's daily revenue to its costs.
After hearing the task arrangement for the first episode, everyone’s expressions turned varied.
Li Xunwen and Li Xunxi nearly burst out laughing right away—wasn’t this just a simulation of running a business? For people like them, who had undergone commercial training and even managed family affairs, this was child’s play.
As for attracting customers? With Ruan Nian here, they practically had a ready-made crowd magnet. What more could they ask for?
As for the other groups, especially Gu Zhaoping’s team, Li Xunwen couldn’t help but smirk at the thought. Letting Gu Zhaoping run a shop? Who knew how much he’d lose.
And when it came to cooking skills, their group didn’t seem to have anyone particularly outstanding either.
Ruan Nian had won Gu Zhaoye’s favor, so she must have some culinary skills—after all, they’d heard Gu Zhaoye preferred people who could cook well. "To win his heart, you must first win his stomach," as the saying went. They were fairly confident in Ruan Nian.
As for the other pair—one was a top-tier male celebrity, and the other was just an ordinary actress—neither seemed to have any standout strengths.
Though Liang Zhiwei… hadn’t she mentioned she was good at cooking?
But with Ruan Nian’s face drawing in customers, as long as their dishes were decent, people would naturally flock to their side.
The director then raised the megaphone again. "Now, we can start placing bets. Guests can wager their chips on who they think will win. Those who guess correctly will receive extra rewards, while those who lose will forfeit everything to the opposing side. Would you all like to give it a try?"
Without hesitation, Li Xunxi raised her hand. "I’m in!"
