Ruan Nian was utterly stunned. She wished she could slap her own mouth for ever uttering those words.
She had only said, "I wish Old Master Gu didn’t value you so much," in a moment of playful whining. And now, just like that, the conference had fallen apart?
Her face turned pale, then green. She knew how seriously wealthy families took superstitions, and an instant jinx like this was definitely an ill omen.
If Gu Zhaoye had been even slightly more hot-tempered, they might have ended up in a huge fight.
Why did you have to say something like that? Never again!
Her expression shifted back quickly, and she hurriedly asked, "Zhaoye, is... is there something wrong here?"
Ruan Nian scrambled to piece things together. "What just happened? Why would Old Master Gu suddenly treat you like this? He mentioned provoking your sister—did Gu Zhaoping say something to him?"
She desperately tried to soothe him. "Zhaoye, don’t worry. Let’s figure out the root of the problem and explain it to Old Master Gu. He’s always favored you the most. This must just be anger talking. It’ll be resolved soon..."
Since Gu Zhaoye had already mentioned the importance of the summit, she knew she couldn’t let this opportunity slip away—nor could she allow herself to be tied to Old Master Gu’s reprimand.
Old Master Gu had berated him, telling him to shut himself away with that little starlet and calling him an embarrassment. Ruan Nian didn’t need to think hard to realize someone must have been whispering poison in the old man’s ear.
After all, the two of them hadn’t seen each other in a while. How could they have done anything to upset him?
She genuinely cared and naively believed that once everything was cleared up, Old Master Gu would surely trust his beloved grandson again.
But instead of easing his mood, her words only darkened Gu Zhaoye’s expression further.
She might not understand, but he knew exactly why.
It was because of that fight—no, that one-sided beating—he took from Gu Zhaoping at the restaurant. Someone must have leaked it!
He had already sent people to suppress the news. Such a humiliating incident couldn’t get out. But how had it slipped through? With his influence, how had he failed to contain it?
Was someone targeting the Gu family?
Gu Zhaoye’s mind was in chaos. This was the only explanation he could grasp, and his face grew stormier by the second.
It felt like disaster upon disaster. He didn’t even consider Gu Zhaoping’s involvement—in his eyes, Gu Zhaoping lacked the cunning, even if he had become terrifyingly unpredictable lately.
"—Enough. If Old Master Gu has made his decision, there’s no room for negotiation. No begging for mercy."
Gu Zhaoye gritted his teeth and stiffly pushed Ruan Nian away.
Ruan Nian froze. No begging?
What else could he do? Go to Old Master Gu and explain what happened between him and Liang Zhiwei? Or how things escalated with Gu Zhaoping?
He’d rather die.
Gu Zhaoye took a deep breath. Old Master Gu doted on him, but he was furious right now. Pleading would be useless—he knew the old man’s temper better than anyone.
If he still wanted to attend the summit, he’d have to wait a couple of days for Old Master Gu’s anger to cool. Then, he could visit personally. Seeing his beloved grandson would likely soften the old man’s heart.
From the tone of Old Master Gu’s words, it seemed he was upset that Gu Zhaoye hadn’t visited lately. Gu Zhaoye frowned. The last two times he’d gone off the radar, it was because Gu Zhaoping had driven him into seclusion. That man was nothing but a curse.
He didn’t feel like explaining any of this to Ruan Nian. He just looked up and said, "Forget about all this."
Gu Zhaoye’s expression was so grim that Ruan Nian grew uneasy.
Why wasn’t he confiding in her anymore?
Was his affection level too low?
She bit her lip and braced herself to ask her system: Do I have any charm points left to convert?
Nian, there’s nothing left. All your stats are dropping. If you want to convert, you’ll have to deduct from other attributes.
After a long pause, she finally steeled herself. Lower my constitution and transfer the points to Gu Zhaoye’s affection.
Nian, are you sure? If your constitution drops, you’ll get sick easily.
Isn’t it still above the baseline? What else can I lower? My looks? My figure? My acting skills? Those are my livelihood—I can’t afford to lose them.
Her resolve was absolute. The system could only sigh and adjust her stats.
Gu Zhaoye’s gaze flickered.
A strange emotion surged within him. The frustration he’d felt over Liang Zhiwei suddenly vanished, replaced by an overwhelming focus on Ruan Nian’s face.
Even the question of why the scandal couldn’t be suppressed slipped from his mind.
He seemed dazed, murmuring almost involuntarily, "Never mind. Let’s not think about it. I’ll stay with you for a couple of days."
Ruan Nian beamed and threw her arms around him. This time, despite the pain in his hand, he didn’t push her away.
"You’re so good to me."
Behind them, Li Xunxi rolled her eyes. Great, now they were flaunting their love. But what about their business? Who was going to handle that?
Even though it was just a show’s game, seeing Ruan Nian flaunt her connections and evade responsibility irritated Li Xunxi.
Her carefully planned restaurant was nearly empty—thanks to the chaos Ruan Nian had caused earlier. The area downstairs was cordoned off, and barely any customers dared to come up.
If not for Ruan Nian, their team would’ve had a real shot at winning.
Thinking of the deposit she’d gambled, Li Xunxi’s annoyance grew until she finally snapped, "President Gu, are you planning to stay and help Ruan Nian film the show?"
"Yes."
Gu Zhaoye rested a hand on Ruan Nian’s shoulder and glanced at Li Xunxi, his gaze cool but possessive—as if he wanted to meld Ruan Nian into his very bones.
Li Xunxi nearly laughed. She clapped her hands together. "Perfect! Then you can take Ruan Nian’s place and help us turn this restaurant around!"
"Do you know what she did this morning?"
Ruan Nian, still in Gu Zhaoye’s arms, stiffened and whipped her head around to stop her—but it was too late.
"She organized her fans to pose as customers, disrupted public order, and got the police involved. Now we have zero clients left."
Li Xunxi smirked. "President Gu, aren’t you the business prodigy? Can you help us salvage this? We’ve all placed bets. If we don’t win, we lose everything—to Gu Zhaoping’s team!"
Ruan Nian felt uneasy, her fingers tightening around Gu Zhaoye's hand, afraid he might scold her for causing trouble.
But the effect of the points she had just added was too overwhelming. Gu Zhaoye didn’t dwell on it, merely furrowing his brows slightly.
Using a cannon to kill a mosquito—it was sheer overkill.
Yet, the moment he remembered it was Gu Zhaoping they were up against, he decided letting her off so easily wouldn’t do. Even in a small competition like this within the show, he had to secure victory.
He couldn’t let Gu Zhaoping keep gloating.
His cheek still stung from earlier.
His frown deepened as he glanced down at Ruan Nian, who was nestled in his arms, her eyes glistening with cautious admiration as she watched him.
Gu Zhaoye brushed it off casually and agreed, "Fine."
This would also serve as a reminder to Gu Zhaoping not to celebrate too soon.
He surveyed the restaurant and commanded, "Redo everything according to my instructions."
Li Xunxi spread her hands helplessly. "We’re out of funds."
Gu Zhaoye paused. "What did you spend all your budget on?"
Li Xunxi nearly blurted out the truth—how Gu Zhaoping had tricked them into wasting their ingredients, monopolized their oil supply, and pressured them into gambling away their remaining capital. Now they had nothing left to reinvest.
But before she could speak, Li Xunwen cut in, "We overspent earlier and now lack the resources to hire help. We’ll have to manage on our own. Given your years of experience running Yuanqi Tech, surely you can devise a way to turn this around?"
Gu Zhaoye almost laughed. Despite a minor hiccup in his recent financing endeavors, handling a simulated restaurant challenge in a show was child’s play.
Though Gu Zhaoping’s earlier critique still lingered faintly in his mind, his confidence easily overshadowed that sliver of doubt.
"It’s just a game. I’ll make sure you win."
His tone was so commanding that Ruan Nian gazed up at him, starry-eyed. Li Xunxi finally relaxed. "Spoken like a true CEO! We’re counting on you."
He began by asking, "What was your original plan?"
"High-end private dining? That won’t work." Gu Zhaoye dismissed Li Xunxi’s idea without hesitation. Her expression soured, but she swallowed her pride, acknowledging his track record. "Then what do you suggest?"
"It’s a weekday. The primary customers around here are office workers. Few would splurge on upscale private lunches during work hours. Building a brand takes time—it’s impossible to achieve in a single day."
Gu Zhaoye spoke with effortless authority, his demeanor radiating competence. Ruan Nian couldn’t tear her eyes away.
"Your initial direction was flawed. You need to cater to the local demographic."
Li Xunxi’s face darkened. Starting from scratch in an unfamiliar market? How was that her fault? She’d never even dined at casual restaurants—how could she possibly know where to begin?
Gu Zhaoye shot her a look, understanding now why so many privileged heirs failed spectacularly in business. They dove in blindly, driven by whims rather than market research.
But he wasn’t like that. Years of grinding in the corporate world had honed him into the most seasoned strategist of his generation in the Gu family.
"Listen to me. Lower your prices and reposition immediately to attract mass appeal."
"Benchmark the busiest restaurant nearby—the one with daily queues. We’ll position ourselves as their affordable alternative and draw crowds quickly."
Gu Zhaoye rattled off the plan without blinking. When the others just stared, he frowned. "Why aren’t you moving?"
Li Xunxi grudgingly admitted his logic made sense. For the sake of winning, she’d tolerate his bossy attitude.
"Fine. We’re at your mercy, CEO Gu. Better hope you’re right!"
Ruan Nian alone harbored no doubts. As the male lead of this novel—a prodigy in the business world—Gu Zhaoye was a titan of commerce. How could he possibly lose to another team in such a trivial contest?
His involvement guaranteed effortless success.
In her excitement, Ruan Nian completely forgot about one thing.
Meanwhile, at the first team’s restaurant, the guests were leaving.
Gu Zhaoping smiled politely. "Take care."
Liang Zhiwei watched them go before sidling up to Gu Zhaoping and whispering, "Zhaoping-jie, what was the second weakness you mentioned about their team earlier?"
"Their initial positioning was too upscale for the local crowd," Gu Zhaoping replied offhandedly. "But it’s too late to change now. They’ve already invested in premium ingredients and equipment. Sticking to their original plan might’ve worked, but if they lower their standards now, they’ll hemorrhage money."
Liang Zhiwei’s eyes lit up. "So they’re doomed!"
She followed Gu Zhaoping inside, buzzing with excitement. "If we win, all their bets go to us. Rumor has it those stakes carry over to the next round—an extreme sports special, filmed overseas. They’ll come in handy!"
"Though it’s a shame you won’t be there, Zhaoping-jie. I’d have loved to see you tackle those challenges..."
"Next time." Gu Zhaoping almost said there was nothing remarkable about it—she’d outgrown extreme sports years ago. What had once been an adrenaline rush had become just another social credential.
Wealthy elites, bored with conventional thrills, often sought excitement in daring feats. She’d long mastered the art of leaving them awestruck.
But repetition had dulled the novelty.
Still, she humored Liang Zhiwei with a vague promise, unlike her usual aloofness toward others like the photographer.
Liang Zhiwei beamed. "I’ll hold you to that!"
Nearby, Chu Yanze, who’d been silently wiping tables, paused mid-motion. He stole a glance.
Truthfully, he wanted to see it too.
What can extreme sports entail? Rock climbing, surfing, bungee jumping, parkour, wingsuit flying, skydiving, cave exploration, downhill mountain biking, or backcountry skiing?
He had tried them all before, even excelled at some. If only Gu Zhaoping were here, perhaps he could stand side by side with her.
In fact, near his university, there was an excellent backcountry skiing spot he had visited before—a world-class location in terms of both danger and fame, frequently chosen for extreme sports shows due to its popularity. With winter approaching, it should be opening soon.
For some reason, he felt Gu Zhaoping would be skilled at these activities too.
The image of himself skiing alongside her, watching her agile movements, lingered stubbornly in Chu Yanze’s mind.
But Gu Zhaoping was taking leave next time, and after much deliberation, he could only scrub the table harder in frustration.
Ah, well. No matter.
There would be plenty of time. He still had many skills to show off… No, better to do it sooner rather than later. Otherwise, those random, clueless young men might start swarming around her.
Especially that Su Yubai from the show—Chu Yanze sensed an ambitious streak in him, and his gut told him the guy had some sneaky, manipulative tendencies.
Chu Yanze scrubbed the table even more vigorously.
After CEO Hou left the restaurant, his subordinates, who had been waiting nearby, finally emerged. "Sir, you’ve finished your meal already?"
They had just seen the online exposés and were still reeling from shock. In the short time it took to eat, their boss had gone through such a major incident alone!
CEO Hou waved it off with a chuckle. "Quite a fruitful day. I even scouted a potential brand ambassador. Have the business team reach out to Liang Zhiwei—she’s a perfect fit for our new eco-friendly kitchenware line. Her cooking skills are excellent, and she has great presence. Get this deal done."
The subordinates were stunned. "Wait, you’re really signing her?"
They were baffled. From the viral video, it had seemed like CEO Hou was just handing out a business card—and had been misunderstood by Gu Zhaoye. They thought it was just a polite gesture, not an actual deal.
But CEO Hou, being the visionary he was, shook his head. "Don’t you see the advertising potential here?"
As the driver pulled up to the intersection, he got into the car, ready to leave.
Only then did the subordinates snap out of it, slapping their foreheads. Of course—this was free, massive publicity! They needed to sign her fast, announce it immediately, and ride the hype while taking a dig at Gu Zhaoye.
Perfect. Absolutely perfect. No wonder he was the CEO!
One subordinate climbed into the car and began reporting the day’s schedule. Listening, CEO Hou suddenly asked with a smile, "Do you know about the Gu family’s Gu Zhaoping? What school did she graduate from? Ever heard anything?"
Gu Zhaoping? Of course they knew her—she was a household name. Recently, discussions about her true persona had been rampant online, and even the subordinates couldn’t help but gossip.
"Rumor has it she graduated from Stanford with dual degrees in business and law."
CEO Hou unscrewed his thermos, took a sip of tea, and nodded. "Hmm, no wonder she’s so sharp and strategic. The Gu family must have invested heavily in her upbringing."
If they were only unveiling her now, perhaps she was their hidden trump card? Could she be the one to elevate the Gu family’s status and assets to new heights?
Truly, the younger generation was formidable.
The Gu family’s long game was nothing to scoff at.
"Absolutely, sir! The buzz around Miss Gu has been insane lately. First, she offered a public reward to debunk all the slander against her—a masterclass in PR. Then she floored that jiu-jitsu coach who doubted her, completely shattering her old image!"
The subordinate rattled on knowledgeably. "Honestly, the only thing that still fits her former ‘spoiled heiress’ persona is her slapping Gu Zhaoye in the restaurant today. Back in the day, Miss Gu was a regular at high-end male model clubs across several cities. People said she was good for nothing but partying, bullying her brother’s girlfriends, and that the Gu family was ready to disown her!"
"Pfft—!"
CEO Hou spat out his tea, spraying the expensive car’s passenger seat. The subordinate froze, feeling a chill down his spine—what the hell just happened?!
He turned to touch his soaked shirt. Uh… Boss?
CEO Hou’s face was a picture of shock, his hand covering his mouth as he struggled to process this.
Wait—what?! You’re telling me Gu Zhaoping used to be a spoiled brat? And this is all a recent transformation?
The Gu family was going to disown her? Am I losing my mind, or are they?!
CEO Hou was thoroughly shook.
Meanwhile, Ruan Nian was asking the director, "Director, since we’ve invited Gu Zhaoye, this doesn’t count as outside help, right?"
Gu Zhaoye had always been one of the show’s intended guests—he just hadn’t been available earlier, much to the director’s regret.
Ruan Nian knew how eagerly they’d awaited his arrival, so her question, while seemingly humble, carried an undercurrent of smug triumph.
With Gu Zhaoye here, she finally had leverage. No one would dare mistreat her or give her attitude now.
The feeling of having backup was intoxicating.
The director swallowed a mouthful of curses. Well, Gu Zhaoye was here now, regardless of how it happened.
Despite the earlier drama, the fact remained—he had arrived.
Forcing down his irritation, the director plastered on a smile. "Of course not! Mr. Gu was always meant to be part of the show. We’re thrilled to have him boost our ratings!"
"With Mr. Gu here, the restaurant will surely thrive!"
Under normal circumstances, this would’ve been sincere praise. But after Ruan Nian’s earlier blame-shifting, the director’s resentment simmered beneath the surface, lending his words a distinctly sarcastic edge.
But accustomed to constant flattery, neither of them noticed.
Under Gu Zhaoye’s direction, their team of three bustled around, reorganizing the restaurant, redesigning the menu and pricing, and even going out to attract customers.
Li Xunxi didn’t want to participate, but with Gu Zhaoye standing there, laying out meticulous plans with military precision, she had no choice.
Grudgingly, she followed her brother downstairs.
Never in her wildest dreams had she imagined she’d be handing out flyers to drum up business—but Gu Zhaoye’s strategy was undeniably effective.
After all, they were somewhat well-known online personalities. While ordinary people handing out flyers might not attract many customers to a restaurant, they were different—just their faces alone could easily draw people in to dine.
Who wouldn’t want to catch a glimpse of celebrities and public figures?
Li Xunxi took the flyers downstairs and approached a random crowd, starting to distribute them. "Hello! Today, we’re running a newly opened restaurant here, using ingredients comparable to Michelin three-star standards—"
Before she could finish, the group turned to look at her. Upon seeing her face, they froze for a moment before someone suddenly exclaimed, "Li Xunxi?"
"Is that really Li Xunxi?"
"Their show is still filming here? And it hasn’t been shut down yet?"
As the passersby began murmuring in shock, more people gathered around. Li Xunxi glanced around, confused. Sure, she had some fame, but was she really that recognizable? Why did everyone turn to stare the moment her name was mentioned?
She had been busy working in the restaurant all morning and hadn’t had time to check the internet. She didn’t think the incidents from earlier that day would have spread so widely.
Ignoring the crowd, she noticed their gazes weren’t exactly friendly—more like scrutinizing and mocking. Instantly irritated, Li Xunxi forgot her flyer-distributing mission and reverted to her usual haughty heiress demeanor.
"What are you all staring at? Is there something to see? Are you coming to eat or not?"
This attitude.
What kind of attitude was this?!
The online rumors must be true!
The onlookers erupted into chatter, their eyes filled with disdain. So this was the woman who had scolded Ruan Nian’s fan and even hogged the elevator!
She really thought being a rich heiress made her special, huh? So arrogant, acting like everyone should bow down to her.
Though Li Xunxi had never explicitly said such things, deep down, she did think that way.
The more she was stared at, the angrier she became. Her grip on the flyers loosened, and in a fit of rage, she threw them to the ground. Just as she was about to confront someone and demand why they were gawking at her, Li Xunwen suddenly rushed over from a distance, shouting, "Sis!"
Li Xunwen grabbed her arm in a panic. Before he could say anything, he saw the discarded flyers on the ground and froze.
Oh no. He was too late!
"Sis, stop standing around. Let’s go back upstairs first!"
Li Xunxi resisted being dragged away, glaring back at the crowd. "Why are you pulling me? I haven’t even asked them why they’re staring at me! Is my makeup smudged? Or do I look bad today?"
Her temper was giving Li Xunwen a headache. Frantically pressing the elevator button, he shoved her inside and slammed the door shut before anyone else could enter.
"Have you checked the internet? We’re trending!"
Li Xunxi blinked, confused. What could possibly be trending about them? Was it about the show?
Then it hit her—the crowd of Ruan Nian’s fans this morning, the person whose camera got smashed…
Her expression darkened as she snatched Li Xunwen’s phone. The screen displayed a flood of gossip about them.
It was that same person from the elevator who had called her a "short-drama villain" now accusing her of cutting in line and acting high and mighty!
Others claimed Ruan Nian was only on this show to "serve the young mistress"—except it wasn’t Gu Zhaoping, but Li Xunxi herself!
Criticism.
Nothing but criticism!
The harsher comments outright called her insane!
They said she bullied others with her temper, acting like she was above everyone else.
And Ruan Nian? She deserved it—betraying her fans, organizing fan events only to blame them for causing traffic jams. Serves her right for having to serve a spoiled heiress like Li Xunxi. May she be stuck with it forever!
And that so-called "sibling bond" between the Li siblings? Pure fakery. They were nothing compared to the Gu siblings—now that was entertainment!
Li Xunxi’s eyes widened.
What? How did this blow up so fast? It hadn’t even been half a day!
All she did was argue with someone in an elevator! And that person had insulted her first—she just snapped back! How did that warrant this level of hate?
Used to being pampered and prioritized, Li Xunxi vaguely sensed she might not be entirely in the right, but self-reflection wasn’t her style.
She was just furious. What did they mean by "Ruan Nian serving her"? If anything, she was the one suffering because of Ruan Nian!
And what was this nonsense about the Gu siblings being "better"? What sibling bond did they even have—
Then she clicked on another trending post. The video that loaded made her jaw drop.
Who was hitting whom?!
Was she seeing this right? Gu Zhaoping was beating up Gu Zhaoye? No, this wasn’t just a fight—it was a full-on humiliation!
Wait, Gu Zhaoping, you learned jujitsu just for this?! Just so you could pin Gu Zhaoye down and pummel him?!
And Gu Zhaoye… had a past with Liang Zhiwei?!
Holy hell, are you all insane?!
Are the entire Gu family out of their minds?!
Gu Zhaoye, Gu Zhaoping, Ruan Nian—you’re all a bunch of lunatics!
What the hell is wrong with you people?!
Li Xunxi was on the verge of a breakdown. So when netizens said the Gu siblings were "better," they meant their fight scenes were more entertaining?!
The elevator doors opened. Inside the restaurant, Gu Zhaoye and Ruan Nian, assuming customers had arrived, were met with the sight of the Li siblings storming in.
Li Xunxi’s face screamed one thing: You’re all deranged.
"CEO Gu, you’re really something, huh? The internet’s in an uproar, and you’re just sitting here doing nothing?" She turned to Ruan Nian, her tone dripping with sarcasm. "Oh, busy serving the young mistress, are we? Serving me, right?"
"Well, I’m so sorry you got stuck with our team. We’ve been working hard to come up with ideas, and then your fans cause a huge scene, ruining our entire day’s sales—and now I’m the one getting dragged online! Who’s really the unlucky one here?"
Though this was just a game for the show, after everything that had happened, Li Xunxi was fully immersed. The thought of their business being disrupted made her livid.
Ruan Nian was stunned. What was Li Xunxi even talking about? Was she still hung up on the fan incident from this morning?
Was she seriously going to hold that against her?
She quickly grabbed her phone and started scrolling, comforting her by saying, "Xunxi, don’t worry, let me see what’s going on first. What are people saying about you? If anyone’s targeting you, I’ll definitely speak up for you—"
Ruan Nian had endured humiliation just to maintain this facade of dignity, but the moment she opened her phone, Gu Zhaoye saw it too—there was no stopping him now.
Ruan Nian was stunned to see the hottest trending topic at the moment—it wasn’t about her at all, but about Gu Zhaoping slapping Gu Zhaoye!
Ruan Nian was dumbfounded.
What? Was she seeing this right? Gu Zhaoye being slapped by Gu Zhaoping?! How was that even possible? Who had lost their mind?
Gu Zhaoping had always been arrogant, but she would back down the moment Gu Zhaoye got angry. What was going on? Was she dropping the act, cutting ties with the Gu family?
And then Ruan Nian saw Gu Zhaoping shielding Liang Zhiwei from Gu Zhaoye—she was absolutely furious. Why was Gu Zhaoping protecting Liang Zhiwei now??
She had been so harsh on Ruan Nian, so why wasn’t she targeting Liang Zhiwei?? What had Liang Zhiwei done to win her over?
Ruan Nian could hardly believe it. She had assumed Liang Zhiwei would be tormented by Gu Zhaoping forever—what kind of twisted game was this?!
Shouldn’t Gu Zhaoping be criticizing Liang Zhiwei for being unworthy of Gu Zhaoye? So why was she helping Liang Zhiwei and even slapping Gu Zhaoye? None of this made sense!
Did this mean she had to admit that Gu Zhaoping simply disliked her? That Liang Zhiwei had not only won Gu Zhaoye’s affection in the past but also Gu Zhaoping’s? How was that possible? What did she even have to offer?
Ruan Nian stood frozen, and at that moment, Gu Zhaoye snatched the phone from her hand.
Only now did he take a closer look at the scandalous reports.
Reading the comments, his hands trembled with anger. His face remained expressionless, but the hand Gu Zhaoping had twisted earlier could barely hold the phone steady.
Noticing his strange reaction, Ruan Nian suddenly looked up at Gu Zhaoye’s face. It dawned on her—the slight swelling she had noticed earlier… could it be…?
Gu Zhaoye sharply raised his gaze and saw Ruan Nian, Li Xunxi and her brother, and even the camera crew behind them all staring straight at his face.
After hearing Li Xunxi’s words, they had all quietly pulled out their phones to check.
Everyone was shocked. So Gu Zhaoye had actually dated Liang Zhiwei before? And Ruan Nian, who everyone thought had Gu Zhaoye’s backing, was just one of his many girlfriends?
And judging by the looks of it, Gu Zhaoye still had feelings for Liang Zhiwei! That meant their previous united front against Liang Zhiwei—had they all misjudged the situation? The realization sent a wave of panic through them.
Was there another layer to the conflict between Ruan Nian and Liang Zhiwei? Who could have guessed?
Gu Zhaoye’s expression darkened to an unbearable degree. As a domineering CEO, this was the first time in his life he had been surrounded and mocked like this.
"What are you all staring at? Is there something interesting to see?"
Normally, his roar would have made everyone cower in fear. But after seeing the video of Gu Zhaoye cowering under Gu Zhaoping’s slap—unable to fight back, meekly apologizing, then storming off in a pathetic attempt to save face—his tyrannical image had been completely shattered. Who would still be afraid of him?
Now, watching him lose his temper, some even struggled not to laugh. Was this the same man who had been slapped by Gu Zhaoping?
Gu Zhaoye burned with humiliation.
Screw this stupid restaurant! He turned to leave, but Ruan Nian grabbed his hand. "Zhaoye," she asked, her voice trembling with disbelief and pain, "did you just go see Liang Zhiwei?"
Here we go again.
For a brief moment, he had inexplicably felt that being with Ruan Nian right now was more important. But the moment she brought up Liang Zhiwei, the frustration he had just suppressed surged back.
Liang Zhiwei’s words—that she had never loved him, that she had merely endured his presence—echoed in his ears again.
"Stay out of it!" Gu Zhaoye roared, his mind consumed by fury.
Ruan Nian was stunned. He had actually yelled at her because of Liang Zhiwei?
Had the affection points she’d added earlier not been enough?
Now she was truly panicking. Deep down, she had always feared one thing—though she refused to admit it—that Liang Zhiwei, despite having no special advantages, had won Gu Zhaoye’s affection simply by being by his side for years. Meanwhile, Ruan Nian had relied heavily on her system’s tricks.
What if Gu Zhaoye’s true preference was someone like Liang Zhiwei, while she was just a product of artificial enhancements?
In her desperation, Ruan Nian gritted her teeth and asked her system again: Can you increase his affection points a little more?
Nian, you don’t have many points left to spare.
Do it anyway!
With so many people watching, she couldn’t let Gu Zhaoye lose his temper at her over Liang Zhiwei. If others realized his love for her wasn’t that deep, she’d be looked down upon.
Gu Zhaoye’s favor was her lifeline in the entertainment industry.
Seeing her determination, the system sighed and reluctantly adjusted the settings one more time.
Everyone watched as Gu Zhaoye’s eyes gradually calmed. He seemed momentarily dazed, then his gaze softened with guilt as he looked at her.
"I’m sorry, Nian," he said dismissively, deciding to placate her. "It was a misunderstanding. I only went in because Gu Zhaoping was there. Don’t overthink it."
Ruan Nian exhaled in relief. "It’s fine. We can slowly correct and clarify the rumors online. Zhaoye, I believe in you. Netizens only see fragments—they jump to conclusions based on edited clips. Don’t let it upset you."
"Let’s focus on running this restaurant first."
She then turned to Li Xunxi and her brother, forcing an apology. "I’m sorry, Xunxi. I dragged you into this. But the game isn’t over yet—none of us want to lose the bet. Let’s just get back to work!"
Li Xunxi had been unsettled by Gu Zhaoye’s sudden mood swings—first lashing out, then sweet-talking Ruan Nian. What kind of psychos are these two?
She rolled her eyes. Whatever. She couldn’t be bothered with Ruan Nian anymore.
"You better make it clear you’re not some spoiled brat’s servant!"
Once this episode aired, Ruan Nian’s reputation as a celebrity would take a far worse hit. No amount of scapegoating her manager would fix it.
Ruan Nian clenched her teeth. "Fine, Xunxi. I will."
As she spoke, she suddenly felt dizzy, her face paling.
The side effects of tampering with her stats were kicking in.
This day had been way too long.
Her hands slowly clenched—her current reservoir of affection had truly been completely drained.
She desperately needed more, so much more!
...
The chaotic day finally came to an end. By evening, after seeing off the last table of guests, Chu Yanze was busy clearing the dining tables. He looked up at the bright lightbulb overhead and suddenly felt like the day had passed too quickly. He was reluctant for it to end.
Though the busyness of the business had left him little opportunity to speak with Zhaoping-jie, just being in the same space as her, watching her move about busily, made him happy.
And he had even witnessed her striking someone—so cool.
Whether it was her calm and collected demeanor while negotiating prices, driving the neighboring team into a corner, or the way she grabbed Gu Zhaoye’s wrist and casually slapped him—it was all incredibly cool.
Chu Yanze touched his own face and thought back to that fiancé from before. He felt a slight regret—why hadn’t that arrogant fool been slapped by Zhaoping-jie too?
Zhaoping-jie really had it tough, surrounded by so many lunatics in her life.
But in a way, it was a good thing. Against the backdrop of all these troublesome people, Zhaoping-jie’s impression of him was bound to be much better.
"Closing time," Gu Zhaoping announced. She had finished calculating the day’s earnings, removed her glasses, and looked up.
Chu Yanze acknowledged her with a sound. From the kitchen, Liang Zhiwei also emerged, untying her apron and stretching her neck and shoulders as they all headed back to the estate to tally the day’s results.
On the way, they passed the quietly diligent Team 3, who seemed to still be wrapping up their own bustling business.
As they walked by, Chu Yanze silently turned his head and closed the window.
Best to guard against green tea.
"Alright, today’s operations are over. Let’s begin calculating the day’s revenue!"
The director, having rushed back from Ruan Nian’s side to set up the scene at the estate, was mentally exhausted and just wanted to wrap things up quickly.
"The team that arrives first can start counting!"
Just then, a car pulled up outside, and several people hurriedly stepped out. Ruan Nian called out, "Wait! We’re back too!"
Panting, she rushed over with their ledger in hand.
After smoothing over the tensions among their group, their business had picked up slightly by evening. Ruan Nian heaved a sigh of relief—with their level of popularity, they definitely wouldn’t be in last place.
After handing over the ledger, Ruan Nian turned and caught sight of Liang Zhiwei, her eyes darkening slightly.
She needed someone to drag down with her.
Behind her, Gu Zhaoye, Li Xunxi, and Li Xunwen also approached.
Those who had seen Gu Zhaoye earlier weren’t too surprised, but Team 3, who had been too busy to pay attention to the day’s events, froze in shock.
They had been too occupied to check online and were puzzled by Gu Zhaoye’s sudden appearance—until someone whispered in their ear about what had happened earlier.
Instantly, everyone was stunned.
Su Yubai, after hearing the explanation, gave Gu Zhaoping a complicated look and couldn’t help but sigh.
He had known that once Zhaoping-jie returned to the country, she wouldn’t stay hidden for long. Now, it seemed she had fully revealed herself, completely severing ties with the Gu Zhaoping of the past.
Her behavior—acting as though she didn’t recognize him—made sense now.
Zhaoping-jie had returned to inherit the family business, to pursue greater ambitions. She wouldn’t waste time on trivial entanglements with these young men.
Gu Zhaoye sat down with a grim expression. Noticing everyone’s stares, he merely furrowed his brows and said, "Proceed."
But no one moved. It wasn’t until Gu Zhaoping, seated at the front, spoke up—"Let’s continue"—that the atmosphere thawed, and everyone sprang into action.
"Right, right! We’ll start with Team 3!" The director, as if waking from a dream, was now slightly afraid of Gu Zhaoping. Her ruthless slapping had left him unsettled—she was unfathomable.
Gu Zhaoye’s expression darkened further. What was this? They wouldn’t move when he spoke, but the moment Gu Zhaoping said something, they obeyed?
The production team quickly tallied Team 3’s earnings. "Not bad at all! Your costs were the lowest, but your revenue was still solid."
Out of the three teams, only this one had stayed out of trouble. The director looked at them with relief.
He then moved on to Team 2.
Ruan Nian’s group had rushed through their closing, not even having time to review their ledger on the way back.
But Ruan Nian was confident—with Gu Zhaoye leading them, their business couldn’t have been that bad. And even if it was, they surely wouldn’t be last. The other teams couldn’t have done much better.
The director counted once, then again, his expression shifting to disbelief as he looked up at them.
He awkwardly cleared his throat and picked up Team 1’s ledger. "Let’s tally both teams’ results together."
His face was full of confusion, as if doubting his own calculations.
At Team 2’s table, Gu Zhaoye remained composed. When it came to revenue, he had nothing to worry about—this was his forte.
But sitting in the same room as Gu Zhaoping made him restless. He just wanted this to be over so he could leave.
Yet no one expected the director to recount again and again, his face growing more bewildered with each pass.
The tension in the room thickened.
Li Xunxi and Li Xunwen exchanged glances, sensing something was off.
Ruan Nian raised her hand. "Director, why haven’t you announced the results yet? Is our ledger too impressive to tally? That’s understandable—Zhaoye redesigned our strategy for the second half of the day."
Even now, she couldn’t resist praising Gu Zhaoye. Gu Zhaoping couldn’t help but click her tongue.
No wonder Gu Zhaoye was so arrogant—with people like Ruan Nian feeding his ego, it was no surprise.
Of course, her flattery was reserved solely for Gu Zhaoye. Everyone else was just a stepping stone for her.
The director hesitated, lips pressed together, as if dreading the fallout of his next words.
"Just say it, Director. What’s the result?" Gu Zhaoping said coolly.
He turned to her. Her gaze was steady, neither expectant nor resistant—just urging him to hurry up.
The director’s scalp prickled under the weight of her presence. He blurted out, "Right—well, the results are in! Team 1 wins!"
"Congratulations, Team 1! All the bets go to you!"
But only he was clapping. The rest of the room had fallen dead silent.
Chu Yanze and Liang Zhiwei were delighted, but everyone else was stunned.
Ruan Nian’s pupils constricted.
What?
What did she just hear? Team 1—Gu Zhaoping’s team—had won? How was that possible?
Their team had been personally managed by Gu Zhaoye! Gu Zhaoye, who had turned Yuanqi Technology into a thriving empire—how could he lose in a small competition like this?
She blurted out, “Director, are you sure you didn’t miscalculate? We were organized by Zhaoye—”
Gu Zhaoye’s face darkened.
He whipped his head toward Gu Zhaoping. If her team had won, did that mean he had truly lost to her?
He opened his mouth to speak, but no words came out. The image of Gu Zhaoping from that financial meeting flashed in his mind, and a wave of psychological trauma surged over him again.
His thoughts were in chaos. His face burned hotter than when Gu Zhaoping had slapped him earlier that day.
Seeing Ruan Nian about to continue her disbelieving protests, he quickly grabbed her arm. “I arrived late, and after everything that happened earlier, just keeping the business running without losses was already an achievement. This result makes sense. I accept it.”
His words sounded magnanimous, but his teeth were clenched so tightly they might shatter. He had hastily crafted an excuse for himself.
Ruan Nian snapped back to reality and quickly added, “Ah, right, right! We only started operating properly in the afternoon. It’s normal that we were slower—they had a full day to work with. But at least we didn’t lose money!”
Internally, though, she refused to believe their team could have performed worse than the cautious, conservative Team 3. With their low pricing, even if Team 3 had worked themselves to the bone, they couldn’t have earned much.
But then, Gu Zhaoping spoke up, unhurried. “Oh? Did you at least break even?”
Ruan Nian froze. Gu Zhaoye’s head jerked toward her.
Gu Zhaoping continued, “Team 3 worked hard all day. Why not disclose everyone’s profits so their efforts can be recognized?”
Team 3’s members were taken aback, touched.
This was the same Gu Zhaoping who had slapped Gu Zhaoye and thrown a jujitsu coach to the ground—yet she was being so considerate of their hard work.
Still, their leader waved his hands, trying to politely decline, afraid their embarrassingly low numbers would be exposed.
The director, however, took one look at Ruan Nian’s expression and felt a surge of irritation. He finally announced, “Team 3’s final profit was 1,300 virtual coins.”
It didn’t sound like much, but given their stall setup, it was the result of four people working like dogs all day.
Then he glanced at the ledger and read aloud, “Team 2… losses of 32,480 virtual coins…”
Silence.
In that dead quiet, the director mercilessly delivered the next line—
“Team 1’s profit—17,500 virtual coins!”
The moment the words left his mouth, everyone was stunned.
That much?
The gap was that huge?!
They didn’t lose money?!
Everyone remembered Ruan Nian’s earlier attempt to save face.
The humiliation burned.
It burned so badly!
Ruan Nian shot to her feet in disbelief.
What was going on? How had Gu Zhaoping’s team managed to earn so much in just one day?!
Their team had Gu Zhaoye! How could this have happened?!
Had their restaurant actually succeeded?
Then, a sudden realization struck her.
That traitorous fan who had betrayed her—wasn’t he supposed to be a paid troll hired by Gu Zhaoping to smear her and boost Gu Zhaoping’s image?
But even if they had no other expenses and had exchanged for ingredients, their shop’s rent was exorbitantly high. There was no way they could have earned that much in a single day!
And their own team had done a rough estimate earlier—they shouldn’t have lost that much!
Before Ruan Nian could voice these questions, Gu Zhaoping had already retrieved her team’s bet and collected the stakes Ruan Nian’s team had wagered.
They had bet 10,000, while Ruan Nian’s team had put up 15,000—a 2.5:1 payout ratio.
In the next moment, Gu Zhaoping turned to face her.
With a smile, she said, “You lowered your standards, didn’t you?”
“To lose this much, you must have dropped your positioning to match the surrounding restaurants, abandoning any differentiation. The more business you did, the more you lost.”
Ruan Nian and Li Xunxi paled.
They immediately thought of Gu Zhaoye—but didn’t dare blame him aloud!
Was that it? Was that how the gap had widened so drastically?
In the suffocating silence, the group seethed, especially Gu Zhaoye.
And then, Gu Zhaoping casually dropped another bombshell.
“I’ve been meaning to ask this for a while. Now that all parties are present, let me clarify.”
She spoke slowly, deliberately.
“Ruan Nian, you claimed Gu Zhaoye couldn’t attend the show because he was accompanying Old Master Gu, who was in poor health. Care to explain?”
“Gu Zhaoye, why don’t you tell us?”
