As soon as Gu Zhaoping finished speaking, Gu Zhaoye's expression darkened, his brow twitching before he managed to regain his composure.
Something was off—how could they have actually lost?
He had intended to use this opportunity to knock Gu Zhaoping down a peg, but who could have predicted this outcome?
—But it wasn’t his fault!
Within 0.001 seconds, Gu Zhaoye had already crafted an excuse for himself.
He hadn’t been involved in the early filming of the show, so of course he didn’t know their previous rules! When Gu Zhaoping brought it up, he’d even been momentarily confused—what was she even talking about?
She claimed his method had caused them to lose even more?
How was that his fault?
At first, Gu Zhaoye was utterly disbelieving.
Then he glanced at Li Xunxi and the others—what was with their expressions? Were they blaming him because he hadn’t known their team’s situation, leading to their loss?
Gu Zhaoye immediately wanted to snap back—this was because they hadn’t explained properly, hadn’t told him their costs were so high!
What kind of attitude was this? He was here to help them. Were they implying he’d made things worse? Who had begged him to come?
If they hadn’t kept him in the dark, would he have lost so embarrassingly to Gu Zhaoping?
His first instinct was to defend himself, but then he froze, suddenly realizing how petty he sounded—arguing over such a trivial loss. It was beneath him.
He wasn’t like Li Xunxi and her group, people with nothing better to do than take a stupid game so seriously.
This was just a show setup, and he’d only been here half a day—why should he care?
But seeing the way Li Xunxi and her brother looked at him—as if they doubted his abilities, even looked down on him—made his temper flare.
Gu Zhaoye closed his eyes, forcing down the irritation bubbling in his chest.
Arguing over something like this was beneath him.
Fine, let Gu Zhaoping win—it didn’t prove anything.
This game had nothing to do with real life. Losing here didn’t change the fact that in reality, he was President Gu, someone everyone respected.
Only people with no real presence in life cared so much about wins and losses.
Still, he had just been humiliated by Gu Zhaoping, and his face still ached faintly from earlier. Seeing the outcome, his first instinct was to lash out at her mocking tone.
But the lingering pain kept his anger from fully igniting, so he redirected it toward Li Xunxi, who had dragged him into this mess.
“What are you looking at?”
Gu Zhaoye’s sharp demand made Li Xunxi scoff in disbelief.
What was she looking at? How dare he ask? Wasn’t he the reason their team had lost so spectacularly?
Who knew he’d be this incompetent? Weren’t you supposed to be a business genius? Ruan Nian hyped you up for nothing!
Ruan Nian herself seemed stunned, her pupils shrinking as she blurted, “President Gu personally oversaw this—how could we lose by this much?”
“Director, are you sure?”
Seeing Ruan Nian on the verge of demanding a recount, Gu Zhaoye acted fast, grabbing her wrist and yanking her back.
A recount? Were they trying to look even more pathetic?
Did Ruan Nian not realize the more she protested, the worse their loss appeared?
For once, Gu Zhaoye was clear-headed.
But Gu Zhaoping wasn’t done.
Amid their team’s chaos, she pressed further, “Ruan Nian said you were with the ailing Old Master Gu. So what’s this about?”
Gu Zhaoye stiffened, his expression shifting to confusion.
Ruan Nian froze too. The others hadn’t caught on yet, but her face changed the fastest.
Her first thought: I’m screwed!
She immediately tried to intervene, but Gu Zhaoping’s words were already out—there was no stopping them now.
“With Old Master Gu?” Gu Zhaoye frowned, not understanding. What was she talking about? He hadn’t been back to the family estate in a while, let alone visited his grandfather at the sanatorium.
He was about to accuse Gu Zhaoping of lying when he realized—Ruan Nian had said it.
“I—I—” Ruan Nian’s mind blanked, stammering for an explanation.
“Right before filming started, the director asked Ruan Nian why you weren’t coming,” Gu Zhaoping said with a faint smile, her tone deceptively mild. “She said you were with Old Master Gu, that his health was poor and you needed to stay by his side. I was surprised—if he was so unwell, why wasn’t I called?”
The hidden mockery in her words was unmistakable.
Chu Yanze’s eyes gleamed as he caught on. Wait—was Ruan Nian lying?
Why did Gu Zhaoye look like he had no idea?
Now was the perfect time to stir the pot.
“Right,” Chu Yanze chimed in, unusually talkative. “Ruan Nian insisted President Gu wouldn’t come because Old Master Gu’s condition was critical. I wondered why you weren’t visiting him too, Zhaoping-jie. So has his health improved? Congratulations—it seems President Gu’s presence worked miracles.”
He smirked.
Chu Yanze was known for being reticent, rarely speaking up in groups. People called him aloof, but those close to him knew he was just socially awkward.
After being misunderstood so often, he’d learned to stay quiet.
His sudden verbal jab made his manager stare at him like he’d lost his mind.
What the hell? Since when did this kid become so bold?
First, he’d publicly supported Gu Zhaoping’s giveaway online—maybe out of shared experience—but now he was jumping into the fray like some knight in shining armor?
The manager’s stomach dropped. This didn’t feel right.
Gu Zhaoye’s first thought was: What nonsense is this guy spouting?
Why would Ruan Nian say he was with his sick grandfather? That was practically cursing the old man!
Sure, Old Master Gu was at the sanatorium, but his health was fine—he’d just spent half an hour yelling at Gu Zhaoye with enough energy to shake the walls. Did that sound like someone on death’s door?
Besides, he’d never told Ruan Nian he was with Old Master Gu!
Which meant only one thing…
Gu Zhaoye whipped around, staring at Ruan Nian in disbelief. Her face went deathly pale.
She’d thought even if the Gu family knew the truth, no one would bother exposing her. But who could’ve guessed Gu Zhaoping would rip the lie wide open?
"Did you say that?" Gu Zhaoye couldn't believe it. In his mind, Ruan Nian had always been gentle, kind, innocent, and guileless—someone who was constantly bullied in the cutthroat entertainment industry.
How could she lie?
In front of him, Ruan Nian had always been completely transparent, her gaze brimming with sincerity and naivety. There was no way she would lie behind his back!
This wasn’t the Ruan Nian he knew.
But the moment Gu Zhaoping spoke those words, no one around them refuted it. So it must be true?
Gu Zhaoye seemed deeply shaken, unable to process it.
Hadn’t he already explained to her why he wasn’t attending the show? He was in a bad mood and didn’t feel like going. He’d even warned her to stay away from Gu Zhaoping.
Yet now, the illusion shattered. If that was the case, Ruan Nian hadn’t listened to him at all. Not only had she attended the show, but she’d also clashed repeatedly with Gu Zhaoping.
What else was Ruan Nian hiding from him?
Why couldn’t she just say he wasn’t coming? Why fabricate a story about him staying to care for the old master?
Was his absence that embarrassing for her? Or was he just a prop to boost her image?
Gu Zhaoye’s expression darkened.
The lie itself was bad enough, but the real problem was the consequences. If word got out—especially to the ears of the Gu Family, particularly Gu Kaichang—he’d be in deep trouble with the old master.
The old master was perfectly healthy, and here they were, implying he was gravely ill!
No, he didn’t even need Gu Kaichang to find out. Gu Zhaoping already knew. If she so much as mentioned it to the old master, he’d be furious!
Gu Zhaoye couldn’t fathom how Ruan Nian could be so reckless. This wasn’t the Ruan Nian he remembered at all.
The others in the room caught on quickly. Something was off—had Ruan Nian been lying all along? Was she just exposed?
Then came the realization of today’s earlier incident: Ruan Nian had organized her own fan support but later blamed it on the fans acting independently. In an instant, her image crumbled in the eyes of many.
Was she really this much of a liar?
If she could lie about something involving Gu Zhaoye—even using his family as an excuse—what kind of person did that make her?
It was terrifying to imagine how many other lies she’d spun.
How many had she told about Liang Zhiwei? How many about her conflicts with Gu Zhaoping?
Right!
Hadn’t Gu Zhaoping recently offered rewards for evidence exposing those very lies? If those were fake, and this was fake, what about Ruan Nian was real?
Even Li Xunxi and her brother, who had always disliked Gu Zhaoping, were stunned. They stared at Ruan Nian, their expressions a mix of shock and disgust.
So this was the truth? Gu Zhaoye had never planned to come, but Ruan Nian, afraid of losing face or wanting to show off, had spun a tale about him being held back by the old master’s illness?
She’d been playing them for fools from the start!
Damn it, this Ruan Nian! They’d underestimated her—she’d been lying through her teeth all along!
Ruan Nian felt as if her blood had turned to ice. For the first time, she experienced the humiliation of being the subject of hushed, critical whispers. Her palms were clammy, her mind blank, unable to form a single coherent defense.
For someone who always had others take the fall for her, shifting blame was second nature.
She’d blamed the fan gathering on her manager, the broken camera on the director, and any fan misconduct on the fans themselves.
With such habits, she’d never learned to take responsibility—nor was she willing to face embarrassment.
After all, her charm was sky-high. Everyone adored her, believed her without question. So what was the harm in a little white lie? She refused to pay the price.
Only now did panic truly set in.
Had she really told so many lies?
Once one lie was exposed, the rest would topple like dominoes.
"I… didn’t… This is…" Ruan Nian’s mind was empty. All she could think was to deny everything. Only Li Xunxi, her brother, and Gu Zhaoping had heard it. If she stuck to her story, she could explain it to Gu Zhaoye later…
Watching her, Gu Zhaoye finally understood. He paused.
As much as he hated to believe Ruan Nian would lie about something like this, he couldn’t confront her in public.
He took a deep breath, his voice low and stern. "We’ll talk later!"
Gu Zhaoye’s grip on Ruan Nian’s wrist tightened painfully. She winced, her heart pounding in terror, dreading the explanation she’d have to give later. Her mind was a chaotic mess—she wanted to scream.
But to her horror, Gu Zhaoping wasn’t done.
"Not so fast."
Gu Zhaoye stiffened. He wanted to leave, but his feet betrayed him, freezing in place.
"How many more lies will you tell?" Gu Zhaoping’s tone was light, almost casual. "Ruan Nian, I’ve been meaning to ask—what exactly happened between us before? Care to elaborate?"
Gu Zhaoping hadn’t been idle. She’d looked into their past and found no record of her ever harming Ruan Nian.
So how had such a blatant falsehood spread so widely?
Silence fell over the room, thick and suffocating.
What was happening?
Was Gu Zhaoping declaring war? Were they really going head-to-head now?
The onlookers tensed, bracing for impact.
But Gu Zhaoping remained calm, as if this were just a friendly chat.
Ruan Nian’s face drained of color. She couldn’t even look at Gu Zhaoping. Why was she being so petty? What did she gain from this?
Gu Zhaoping wasn’t being petty. She was leaving soon, and she wanted to leave them with a warning—to keep them in line. She wasn’t one to tolerate slander.
If they wanted to frame her, they’d better be ready to explain themselves. In detail.
"About that rumor where I supposedly hit you—should we revisit that?" Gu Zhaoping even smiled as she said it.
Gu Zhaoye frowned upon hearing this, wanting to say, "Weren’t you the one who came last time just to hit her?" Though he hadn’t noticed whether Ruan Nian was injured, hadn’t Gu Zhaoping also struck someone? It just landed on him instead.
But seeing Gu Zhaoping’s clenched fist, he shrank back slightly, his face darkening as he swallowed those words.
Ruan Nian had been hoping Gu Zhaoye would defend her, but at this moment, he stayed silent like a mute.
Her expression shifted several times before she finally forced herself to say:
"I’m sorry, Sister Zhaoping! I didn’t know you still cared about this matter. I thought it was all in the past. Next time, if there’s any negative publicity online, I’ll make sure to address it and clarify things so no one misunderstands you again!"
Ruan Nian’s face was pale, her long lashes fluttering like tiny butterflies, making her look pitiful—as if Gu Zhaoping had backed her into a corner, leaving her on the verge of tears.
"You didn’t know I still cared?" Gu Zhaoping nodded slowly. "So in your logic, no one cares about their reputation? I was dragged through the mud, and you didn’t think I’d mind?"
Ruan Nian’s trembling lashes froze.
All expression stiffened on her face—now she couldn’t even cry.
Gu Zhaoping found this so-called "pure white moonlight" rather amusing. To shift blame, she’d say anything.
The others caught on too. Exactly—how could she claim ignorance? Everyone cares about their reputation. If you were insulted, wouldn’t you be angry or upset? You manage your own image so meticulously, yet when your fans slander someone else, you pretend not to know they’d care?
To put it bluntly, what’s the act for? How could you not know about such a huge scandal online?
If you’d just admitted you failed to clarify things sooner and should’ve reined in your fans, people might’ve respected your honesty. But here you are, still playing dumb even with your back against the wall—it’s infuriating.
"I… I…"
"Stop with the victim act. I’m not obligated to tolerate your guilty conscience. I want solutions, not just apologies." Gu Zhaoping cut her off. "Of course, solutions come first. An apology after fixing the problem is just icing on the cake. Without solutions, what good is an apology? Should I just magically get over it?"
Her tone was calm, indifferent, almost detached—yet the words were razor-sharp.
The two standing behind Gu Zhaoping nearly laughed out loud.
Satisfying!
Liang Zhiwei couldn’t speak up, but Chu Yanze had no such reservations. He immediately said, "Sorry, Ruan Nian. I didn’t know you’d mind being exposed for lying."
"Now that I’ve apologized, can I tell everyone what lies you’ve told?"
Chu Yanze asked outright, dead serious. He nodded and pulled out his phone. "No refusal means consent. I’ll take that as a yes."
"—Wait! Wait!" Ruan Nian shrieked, nearly lunging to snatch the phone from his hands.
Her face twisted in panic, far uglier than tears. "I’m sorry! I’m sorry, Sister Zhaoping! No, no, no—that’s not—I mean, I’ll fix it! I swear I’ll fix it! I’ll make sure no one misunderstands you again! You never hit me!"
"That’s already been resolved. I dug up evidence and clarified it last time. Don’t waste effort repeating what’s already done, okay?"
Gu Zhaoping’s calm reply left Ruan Nian scrambling. Right—Gu Zhaoping had already debunked that. So what did she want now?
The car incident was clarified.
The rumors about her targeting Gu Zhaoye’s girlfriend were dispelled after she slapped Gu Zhaoye for Liang Zhiwei.
Now, the only thing left was to clear up their so-called feud—to confirm Gu Zhaoping had never targeted her.
But without that conflict, Gu Zhaoping wouldn’t be the meddling, villainous sister, and Ruan Nian wouldn’t be the pitiful Cinderella anymore…
Ruan Nian realized that if she clarified things, she’d be the one losing the most.
Her public favorability had already dropped. People weren’t blindly believing her anymore. If anyone scrutinized the rumors of her clashes with Gu Zhaoping over the years, the blame would inevitably land on her.
Regret gnawed at her. Why had she ever provoked this supporting character?
A character with no cheat codes—no system, no overpowered backer—how had she turned the tables so completely?
Even now, online sentiment toward Gu Zhaoping had shifted dramatically. The crowd that once demonized her no matter what had shrunk, with many even praising her for standing up for Liang Zhiwei.
Why?
Ruan Nian couldn’t accept it.
Public favor was a zero-sum game. When someone was vindicated, those who’d opposed them were dragged out and criticized anew.
Time was running out. She had to deny that the "villains" who’d helped shape her persona were truly bad.
How could she willingly do that?
But with so many witnesses, Gu Zhaoping left her no escape. She had no choice but to grit her teeth and say, "I’ll do it, Sister Zhaoping."
"You still don’t get it. You should specify: What exactly will you do? By when? On which platforms? How will you clarify the whole story? And before posting, you’ll send me the draft for approval. Once I confirm it’s accurate, you’ll publish it—with my simultaneous response. Understood?"
Gu Zhaoping kept her tone even, though her patience was thinning.
Her reputation reflected the Gu Family’s image. With an industry leadership summit approaching, failing to clean up the slander now would make damage control far harder later.
Besides, her online visibility was at its peak—pairing a clarification with this momentum would sustain her public presence until after the summit. Perfect timing.
Ruan Nian seethed. So many demands! Such detailed instructions—was she Gu Zhaoping’s subordinate now?!
She was furious—but didn’t dare negotiate. Biting her lip, she forced out a tearful whisper:
"I’ll do it, Sister Zhaoping… I’ll clarify that you never targeted me…"
At this point, Gu Zhaoping frowned deeply. He couldn’t help but think—was Gu Zhaoye really being this disrespectful to his own woman?
The moment he shifted slightly, Gu Zhaoping seemed to have already seen through him. She turned her head and looked at him coolly. "Gu Zhaoye, do you want to be the next one lying in a hospital bed because of some fabricated story?"
The words were harsh and venomous, freezing Gu Zhaoye in place, his expression shifting rapidly.
He had no doubt that if Ruan Nian ever spread such rumors again, Gu Zhaoping wouldn’t hesitate to make good on that threat and put him in the hospital herself.
After a long pause, his face darkened, and he gripped Ruan Nian’s wrist tightly before growling, "Let’s go."
As for why Ruan Nian had fabricated the story about Grandpa Gu, Gu Zhaoye would have to question her in private later.
But no one really cared how the two lovebirds settled their dispute. What mattered was that Ruan Nian had lied from the start—Gu Zhaoye had never intended to come, and now everyone knew it.
Combined with the previous conflict between Gu Zhaoye and Liang Zhiwei, people couldn’t help but let their imaginations run wild.
This so-called "Gu-Nian" couple looked utterly fake. There was no "love stronger than gold," no "standing together against the world and their families’ disapproval."
Honestly, the two of them had been putting on such an elaborate act, it was practically theater. "Family opposition"? Did it even look like anyone was interested in standing in their way? If they hadn’t been making such a scene, would things have escalated like this?
For all anyone knew, Gu Zhaoping might not have even done anything to Ruan Nian before the rumors started spreading.
The core of this couple seemed less like romance and more like a hyper-masculine, domineering CEO flaunting his possessiveness—while the so-called sweetness felt like nothing more than Ruan Nian’s grand delusion.
Once the two had left, Gu Zhaoping turned to the Li siblings, who had been watching the drama unfold with amusement. "Are you two still betting next round?"
Li Xunxi scoffed at the question. "You’re skipping the next episode—what’s there to bet on? Thin air?"
"Not necessarily. Who says you can’t bet without being on-site?"
These two were quite entertaining. Gu Zhaoping smiled faintly, her eyes calm and unreadable. "You seem to dislike me. What else do you want to wager?"
Sometimes, playing these little games with the kids was a decent way to pass the time.
Li Xunwen, who had been silently standing beside his sister, finally stepped forward. "Next episode is extreme sports. Since you won’t be there, let’s bet on which team wins—our siblings or your two teammates!"
It was rare for Li Xunwen to speak up, but his tone was firm, almost as if he believed this was an outright unfair advantage.
The Li siblings had practically grown up doing extreme sports, while the other two didn’t seem like they’d ever touched anything remotely extreme.
As for Gu Zhaoping? Sure, she might be hiding some skills—but she wouldn’t even be there!
They could still salvage the reputation they’d lost this round.
Gu Zhaoping glanced back at her teammates. Chu Yanze exchanged a look with Liang Zhiwei before nodding at her.
Chu Yanze was skilled in all the activities the show could throw at them. His only concern was whether Liang Zhiwei could keep up.
But to ensure Gu Zhaoping’s victory, he’d push himself beyond his limits if he had to.
"Fine," Gu Zhaoping agreed indifferently. "What’s the stake?"
"No money. That’s too boring."
Li Xunwen smirked. "Gu Zhaoping, after next episode, we’ll play a game of chess. The losing team takes the first move—and gets handicapped by the winner. How’s that?"
The rule was unconventional. Normally, the winner would take the first move, but Li Xunwen was flipping it—the loser would go first.
It sounded strange, but the deeper meaning was clear: sheer arrogance.
He was certain Gu Zhaoping’s team would lose. And even if they took the first move, he was confident he’d still win—decisively.
He wanted to handicap himself and still claim victory, twice over, in the most humiliating way possible.
Shen Yifeng had always been the Li siblings’ idol. They’d grown up following him around, and chess was one of Shen Yifeng’s passions. At the very least, they had to prove to him that Gu Zhaoping—well, even if she wasn’t completely useless (she did know some martial arts!)—wasn’t his true soulmate!
Gu Zhaoping raised an eyebrow, looking almost amused by the suicidal offer.
"And what’s the prize for the chess match?"
Li Xunwen’s eye twitched. "Don’t you want to clear your name? If you win, I’ll write you a daily essay about how wonderful and innocent you are!"
That was the most revolting punishment he could think of. "And if I win, you’ll do the same for me."
"If that’s what you want, then perfect." She paused, as if worried he might back out, and added kindly,
"Should we seal it with a handprint?"
