Ni Tiansong was genuinely stunned for a moment.
Truth be told, his record had stood unchallenged for many years, so it was only natural for it to be broken eventually. He wasn’t the type to dwell on such things or take it personally. What shocked him was the sheer coincidence—the moment he finished speaking, news of his record being shattered arrived. It was almost too perfect.
The butler stared at him in disbelief, as if questioning the very fabric of reality, wondering if some kind of "speak-and-it-shall-be" law governed the universe.
But words once spoken couldn’t be taken back. Ni Tiansong paused briefly, then calmly set down the brush in his hand, placing it gently on the brush rest beside him.
His fingers were long and slender, pale with faint blue veins visible beneath the skin. His nails were neatly trimmed, revealing a soft, rosy hue.
Lifting his gaze, Ni Tiansong asked, "Has Li Xunwen arrived? Who did he say this person is?"
"Well, about that…" The butler hesitated. At this point, he was less concerned about the so-called "rival" Li Xunwen had mentioned and more fixated on the message from the chess association. He glanced at his phone, then back at Ni Tiansong, as if struggling to find the right words. "Would you like to hear about the person who broke the record first?"
Ni Tiansong studied him. "Is there something unusual about them?"
"According to the report, she was introduced by Master Qi. The record states that she solved this endgame puzzle when she was just sixteen, and she remains the only person to have ever done so."
Ni Tiansong knew this field often favored prodigies. His own record had stood for a long time—it was only a matter of time before someone surpassed it. There was no reason to dwell on it.
He even nodded approvingly. "She must be quite talented."
"...She’s not a child," the butler muttered, scratching his head nervously. "Apparently, she’s a young lady from some prominent family."
"And she’s never had any recorded matches before. She just appeared out of nowhere."
Seeing that Ni Tiansong remained unfazed and walked away without another thought, the butler hurried after him, voicing his concerns. "I’m not entirely convinced this record is legitimate. There’s no prior evidence of her chess skills. To emerge out of nowhere and break your record like this… it doesn’t seem right. Could her family be pulling strings to elevate her reputation?"
"Don’t dismiss others’ achievements so easily," Ni Tiansong replied dismissively.
"The chess association requires video recordings, multiple verifications, and unanimous approval from experts before certifying any record. Whoever broke it, and however they did it, it’s their accomplishment. I was merely the previous record holder—I don’t own the record itself. There’s no need to be possessive about it."
As he turned to leave, the butler stood frozen for a moment, regretting his impulsive words, yet still sighing in frustration.
The young master’s temperament was simply different from theirs.
Nearly everyone in their household idolized Ni Tiansong—a man who, despite his frail health, carried himself with quiet dignity. Though reserved, he was unfailingly courteous, and he rarely refused requests for help. That was precisely why Li Xunwen felt comfortable asking him for assistance. Unless he had genuinely withdrawn from chess for too long, he seldom declined.
True to his word, the butler mused, Ni Tiansong was practically an "Eastern-style enchantment."
Upon receiving Ni Tiansong’s message, Li Xunwen rushed over as soon as he finished filming his show.
Spotting Ni Tiansong waiting outside, he hurried forward. "Ah! Sorry to keep you waiting, Tiansong-ge."
"It’s fine." Ni Tiansong spoke calmly. "Who is this person you mentioned? Where are you supposed to face her? Let me see if there’s any way I can assist."
"But I can’t guarantee I’ll be of much use. It’s been a long time since I last played."
Ni Tiansong was undeniably handsome, with a refined, classical elegance that lingered even in modern attire. His presence carried an ink-wash serenity, and Li Xunwen couldn’t help but stare for a moment, noting how his jade-like skin caught the light, the delicate glow accentuating the sharp bridge of his nose.
"Tiansong-ge, let me explain—this is serious. I had no choice but to come to you for help. I made a bet with her—no, it’s more than a bet. We signed an agreement! This match will decide everything!"
Snapping back to reality, Li Xunwen leaned forward, nearly rising from his seat in agitation. But Ni Tiansong remained unshaken, calmly pouring him a glass of water and urging, "Speak slowly."
"She’s insidious, you understand? She’s been hiding her skills all this time, waiting to humiliate people on the show! No one had any idea! She actually knows judo, skiing, all these random things—" Li Xunwen paused, suddenly recalling that Gu Zhaoping had mentioned these very skills in her first-episode introduction. They just hadn’t taken her seriously back then.
"Uh—" He coughed awkwardly and swiftly moved past the topic.
"Now she wants to challenge me to a chess match!"
"According to our previous agreement, I’ll take the first move, but I have no idea if she’s hiding even more skills. What she’s already shown is terrifying enough! Tiansong-ge, can you believe it? A woman barely over 100 pounds flung a 6’2" heavyweight around like a ragdoll, leaving him powerless! Is that normal for judo practitioners?"
Ni Tiansong regarded him placidly. "At higher levels, yes, it’s possible. She must be quite skilled."
Li Xunwen: "..."
Was now really the time to compliment Gu Zhaoping?
He pressed on urgently. "Tiansong-ge, that’s not the point! The point is—if I lose, I have to write a daily essay praising how wonderful and innocent she is, then post it online for the whole world to see! And I have to detail how I misunderstood her. Can you imagine? How could I possibly accept that?"
Ni Tiansong considered this seriously. "Then if you win, she’ll be the one doing the same?"
Li Xunwen nearly choked. Seriously, Tiansong-ge? I’m your childhood friend! Shouldn’t you be worried about me instead of her?
But he knew better. Ni Tiansong was fair to a fault—he wouldn’t play favorites, no matter how close they were.
Suppressing his frustration, Li Xunwen pleaded, "Tiansong-ge, I’m begging you. In all these years, I’ve never asked you for anything. Just this once, please help me."
"I can help, if my skills haven’t rusted. I can give you some advice before the match, see if there’s any room for improvement so you can be more relaxed during the game."
Li Xunwen stared. That’s it?
Ni Tiansong nodded seriously. That’s it.
Wait, he’d thought Ni Tiansong would at least offer something more substantial—like teaching him some unbeatable move that could instantly crush his opponent. After all, he remembered Ni Tiansong had once dominated the chess scene with such a killer technique, nearly unbeatable in his prime.
He’d been hoping to pick up some secret tricks, but Ni Tiansong’s idea of help was just… training together?
Li Xunwen almost laughed in frustration. "Tiansong, if I just wanted training, I could’ve gone to any coach!"
"I’m a good coach too," Ni Tiansong said, his calm, clear eyes meeting Li Xunwen’s. Then, his pale lips curved into a small smile. "Want to try?"
A groan echoed through the room.
…
After being forced to train with Ni Tiansong all day, Li Xunwen’s face was utterly drained of life.
It was terrifying. Ni Tiansong was still terrifying. Even after all these years away from chess, playing against him made Li Xunwen feel the crushing weight of being outmatched at every turn.
"You still lack mental discipline," Ni Tiansong remarked as he packed up the pieces, watching Li Xunwen’s shell-shocked expression.
Li Xunwen was truly despairing now. A whole day of matches, and all he’d gained was a brutal beating—no earth-shattering improvement in sight. His confidence was hanging by a thread.
He had no idea how skilled Gu Zhaoping really was, but since she’d dared to challenge him so boldly, the pressure weighed heavily on him.
As Ni Tiansong finished packing and prepared to leave, Li Xunwen hurriedly called out, letting out another despairing groan: "Tiansong, I really don’t stand a chance! If word gets out that I lost to some high-society girl who’s never even touched a chessboard before, where does that leave my reputation? Can’t you just teach me one surefire winning move?"
Ni Tiansong was about to warn him against shortcuts—but then he paused. Something about Li Xunwen’s description sounded familiar. Where had he heard it recently?
A girl who’d never played chess before… a young lady from high society?
Come to think of it, there were quite a few such people getting into chess these days. Ni Tiansong hesitated—that wasn’t necessarily a bad thing.
"No," he said gently, though he offered a sliver of hope. "But when the time comes for your match, I’ll be there with you."
Li Xunwen’s eyes lit up immediately. Perfect! With Ni Tiansong by his side, he’d have all the confidence he needed. There was no way he’d lose to Gu Zhaoping under Ni Tiansong’s watch!
…
After leaving the filming set, Gu Zhaoye was still engulfed in an unprecedented storm of fury. Ruan Nian wanted to say something but didn’t dare.
This was the most shocking incident of her life—she’d never expected Liang Zhiwei to appear like that.
The things Liang Zhiwei had said… Ruan Nian couldn’t bear to hear them, let alone dwell on them. Just thinking about it made her chest tighten with suffocating frustration, yet she couldn’t vent it.
Gritting her teeth, she muttered, "Liang Zhiwei went too far. She must have planned this as revenge."
"Revenge?"
Gu Zhaoye finally spoke, his voice laced with a cold laugh that tugged at the cut on his face. He winced, his expression darkening further, his tone almost breaking. "If this was revenge, if she had even a shred of feelings left for me, would she have said those things?"
Ruan Nian flinched and fell silent, watching him nervously.
The truth was hard to swallow—it felt like they’d both been slapped in the face. Liang Zhiwei didn’t care about them at all, reducing them to mere clowns in her eyes.
No. This couldn’t be how things ended for them.
Ruan Nian hesitated before asking, "Zhaoye… was that man really your brother?"
Gu Zhaoye didn’t even bother answering, just shot her a cold look, and she understood.
She hadn’t expected this rumored third brother to be even more troublesome than Gu Zhaoping. She’d thought there’d be at least one person in the family who’d stand with them against Gu Zhaoping.
Weren’t all the Gu siblings supposed to be on bad terms with Gu Zhaoping? What was going on?
With her hoped-for ally now useless, Ruan Nian clenched her jaw, frustration gnawing at her.
"And what he said about… your fiancée… could that…?" That was her real concern. Everything else was manageable, but if Gu Zhaoye’s engagement came to light, her position would change entirely.
She’d always assumed Gu Zhaoye would eventually break off the engagement. Once that happened, she’d have nothing to worry about. But now, before they could even settle that, Gu Zhaosi had exposed it.
A family like the Gus treated marriage contracts with extreme discretion—nothing was publicly announced until the wedding was finalized.
Even Ruan Nian’s closest colleagues and crew members didn’t know. She feared that if this secret leaked, a storm would follow.
Gu Zhaoye lifted his gaze, his tone icy. "Relax. No one would dare spread rumors about me."
If he were just another young master of the Gu family, it wouldn’t matter much—just another piece of gossip.
But he was the heir apparent. That changed everything.
The media always framed stories about him carefully. In the past, despite his long-standing entanglement with Ruan Nian, the narrative had painted him as a devoted lover, not a cheater—that was the advantage of controlling the narrative.
But recently… Gu Zhaoping had become a wildcard, and with too many bystanders around, it was impossible to block every camera lurking in the shadows.
Gu Zhaoye’s expression darkened further.
His personal driver pulled up, ready to take him away. Ruan Nian followed, asking, "Zhaoye, where are you going?"
Taking a deep breath, Gu Zhaoye replied, "I need to go apologize to Old Master Gu."
"Make yourself at home."
Ruan Nian quickly followed after him. "Zhaoye, I'm coming with you!"
This time, Gu Zhaoye didn’t stop her. He had a feeling that whether it was Gu Zhaoping or Gu Zhaosi, one of them would inevitably sneak word to Old Master Gu about the incident in the snowy mountains.
And then there was the earlier clash with Gu Zhaoping during the show—now was the perfect time to apologize to the old man together. The summit was still ongoing, and if he hurried, he might make an appearance in the last two days. At the very least, he couldn’t let the families familiar with theirs suspect that he’d been cast aside by Old Master Gu or pushed out of the power circle.
These matters were far more pressing. He couldn’t afford distractions now.
…
Gu Zhaosi stood frozen, clutching his ski poles, trailing behind Gu Zhaoping like a shadow as they entered the manor.
He glanced back. The man named Theodore had politely bid them farewell with a nod after seeing them in, and his sister hadn’t spared him much of a reaction.
But just before leaving, Theodore had said, "Miss Gu, I’ll come see you in a couple of days."
Gu Zhaoping had looked at him, then smiled faintly, giving a noncommittal hum.
"You’re welcome."
Their trip up the mountain had at least secured Theodore’s promise to attend her upcoming speech. Then, she’d confirm whether he was truly willing to ally with her in the fight for control of the Gu family.
She was confident.
Gu Zhaosi, however, was still baffled.
What the hell? What did Theodore mean by "coming to see his sister in a couple of days"?
As they stepped into the grand hall, he finally blurted out, "Sis, did Old Master Gu really appoint you for this?"
"Is there anyone else?" Gu Zhaoping shot him a sidelong glance.
Gu Zhaosi was instantly cowed.
Damn, that was such a domineering tone.
He ventured cautiously, "Sis… don’t tell me you’re also giving a solo speech at the closing ceremony?"
Gu Zhaoping finally stopped walking and turned to look at him, her expression one of mild amusement.
"Why else would I be here?"
Gu Zhaosi sucked in a sharp breath.
His face immediately turned solemn.
Just listen to her! So confident, so unyielding! This was the kind of self-assurance that came with absolute capability!
—Though, truth be told, he had no idea just how capable his sister really was or what else she could do.
Baffled and bewildered, Gu Zhaosi followed her deeper into the manor.
Well, if he could mooch off this place for a couple of days, why not? It sure beat going back to his tiny apartment.
Still lost in thought, Gu Zhaosi absentmindedly climbed the stairs, gripping the railing. Suddenly, he heard a sharp "tap-tap"—the sound of a cane striking the steps. He jerked his head up, only to nearly collide with an elderly man at the landing.
Gu Zhaosi: "!"
Both of them recoiled in shock!
Gu Zhaosi stumbled back half a step, while the old man’s eyes widened in disbelief, nearly toppling backward. Gu Zhaosi lunged to grab him—
But he was too slow.
Yet, in that split second, his sister, Gu Zhaoping, as if she had eyes on the back of her head, moved like lightning. She vaulted over the railing from the floor above, landing squarely on their level and catching Old Master Gu before he fell!
Holy—?!
Gu Zhaosi flattened himself against the wall, utterly stunned.
What just happened?
Here’s the scene: Gu Zhaosi had been on the stairs between the first and second floor. Gu Zhaoping had been ascending from the second to the third. And Old Master Gu had been shuffling along the second-floor landing, seemingly a bit disoriented.
The moment he and Gu Zhaosi nearly collided, Gu Zhaoping had leapt down from the upper flight, clearing the railing in one fluid motion to save him!
Gu Zhaosi was completely shell-shocked.
Sis, did you really have to flex your skills like that right off the bat?! I knew you could ski, fight, and do judo—but freaking parkour too?!
He whipped his head toward the old man, his throat tightening as he croaked out a strangled cry:
"...Grandfather!"
Old Master Gu was equally shaken. Still clutched in Gu Zhaoping’s grip, he hastily adjusted his glasses and squinted at the figure before him, eyes widening in recognition.
"Gu Zhaosi?"
It had been ages since he’d last seen this grandson. The old man could hardly believe it. But once it sank in, a mix of fresh and old grievances surged in his chest.
Who was it again that had claimed he didn’t need to return to the country because none of his direct relatives had died yet?
Old Master Gu promptly reached out and twisted Gu Zhaosi’s ear.
"Ow ow ow ow! Grandfather, violence isn’t the answer!"
Gu Zhaosi yelped in pain, desperately looking to his sister for help.
Gu Zhaoping didn’t even glance his way. Instead, she said coolly, "Grandfather, why are you still up? Did we wake you?"
Old Master Gu paused mid-twist, blinking before turning to her. "Ah, Zhaoping! Thank goodness you were here. At my age, a fall like that would’ve been disastrous..."
He rambled on for a bit before finally getting to the point, pulling out his phone. "I should be resting, but you know your Uncle Qi is in town, right? Remember when we reached out to him to help with your application? Well, the results are in—they’ll be announced in the next couple of days. He’s here to meet some young talent he’s been mentoring. He’s waiting in the tea room now."
Gu Zhaoping nodded. "I’ll go greet Uncle Qi."
Gu Zhaosi gaped as his sister walked away.
Damn, she’s smooth. After a whole day of intense activity—skiing, rescuing people, flying back by helicopter—she’s barely set foot in the manor and is already off to entertain guests?
How?! Is her energy limitless?! Meanwhile, I’m exhausted as hell and couldn’t deal with people right now if my life depended on it!
His sister was truly heaven’s chosen socialite.
Old Master Gu watched her stride off with visible pride before rounding on Gu Zhaosi again, promptly giving his ear another vicious twist.
"You! You actually dared to come back!"
"Ow ow ow! Grandfather, I didn’t come back! I’m still in L.A.!"
The old man froze, suddenly realizing that he was the one who’d traveled abroad—not Gu Zhaosi returning home. This only incensed him further. "You brat! You still haven’t come back?!"
Gu Zhaosi wailed. Wait, so am I supposed to return or not?!
"You said you wouldn’t come back until a direct relative died, didn’t you? Huh? Are you waiting for this old man to kick the bucket first?"
Gu Zhaosi pleaded for mercy. "Grandfather, today I nearly became the deceased direct relative you’re talking about! Spare me!"
Old Master Gu paused, finally releasing his grip.
Eyebrows raised, he demanded, "What happened?"
After hearing about today’s harrowing ordeal and learning that Gu Zhaoping had saved him, Old Master Gu looked just as shocked as he was.
Slowly turning his head, the old man glanced in the direction where Gu Zhaoping had disappeared.
"Zhaoping knows how to do that?"
Finally released from his grandfather’s grip, Gu Zhaosi rubbed his ear, still shaken. He knew he shouldn’t have come back. But he quickly added, "Yeah, Grandpa, didn’t you know? My sister’s amazing at skiing. By the way, did you bring her here for this summit? You’re not bringing Gu Zhaoye or… Gu Kaichang?"
Old Master Gu snapped out of his thoughts and snorted. "When have those two ever been reliable? If they were even half as dependable as your sister, I wouldn’t have to worry so much."
Gu Zhaosi wholeheartedly agreed. Just as he’d thought. The fact that neither of them had gained any favor lifted his spirits a little.
Afraid his grandfather might turn his attention back to scolding him, he hurriedly said, "Grandpa, Uncle Qi is still waiting. Let’s head inside first."
Only then did Old Master Gu grumble and allow himself to be escorted back to the tea room.
Halfway there, the old man suddenly remembered something and shook off Gu Zhaosi’s arm. "I’m going to the restroom. Why are you dragging me back?"
Gu Zhaosi awkwardly let go and watched his grandfather stride off.
Left to his own devices, he slunk into the tea room as inconspicuously as possible. Socializing—especially with elders and relatives—was the last thing Gu Zhaosi enjoyed. It was, without a doubt, the most painful activity in the world. And given how much their family emphasized etiquette, it was even worse. Every uncle and aunt had to be addressed with the utmost respect, every action had to be flawless, and every mannerism had to be impeccable. How was an ordinary person supposed to handle all that?
Just as Gu Zhaosi was nursing his headache, he spotted his sister sitting across from Master Qi, chatting and laughing effortlessly, as if such formal gatherings were second nature to her.
…His sister really was in a league of her own.
Master Qi, deep in conversation, noticed the interruption and glanced over. Gu Zhaosi stiffened, forcing a nervous smile and nodding before scurrying to a corner seat.
Uncle Qi should have at least acknowledged him, but he was too engrossed in his lively discussion with Gu Zhaoping to spare more than a brief nod before diving back in.
Gu Zhaosi exhaled in relief and took a sip of tea. Then, a voice beside him asked, "Would you like to try this blend?"
Startled, he turned to see a young man standing nearby—the same tea master from last time. Old Master Gu was fond of his skills and always brought him along for guests.
Accepting the offered cup, Gu Zhaosi found the tea well-brewed. But when he glanced up again, he couldn’t shake the feeling that the tea master kept drifting toward his sister. Was it his imagination?
The guy seemed to have subtly groomed his brows and styled his hair. His loose, modern-traditional outfit revealed glimpses of toned muscles and fair skin as he moved.
And even though Gu Zhaoping’s cup wasn’t empty, the tea master had already refilled it three times.
His sister, however, remained unflappable, calmly continuing her conversation with Master Qi.
Weird.
Why were so many men orbiting around his sister?
Gu Zhaosi frowned suspiciously just as Old Master Gu finally returned.
Settling back into his seat, the old man got straight to the point. "By the way, Zhaoping, Uncle Qi’s here to meet a young protégé he holds in high regard. Since you’re around the same age, I thought it’d be good for you two to meet and exchange ideas. He’s quite the chess prodigy, you know—exceptionally talented."
Gu Zhaoping showed no objection, nodding. "As you wish."
Old Master Gu and Master Qi exchanged pleased smiles. But Gu Zhaosi froze. Wait, something wasn’t right.
The way they described this person… it couldn’t be—
"This young man’s name is Ni Tiansong. He’s upright, principled, and outstanding in every way. I’m sure you’ll like him once you meet. The two of you would make excellent friends," Master Qi said, stroking his beard. His words were tactful, but the implication was anything but subtle.
Gu Zhaosi gaped. What was this?
Were they trying to set his sister up with Ni Tiansong?!
Old Master Gu chuckled. Ever since he learned that Zhaoping intended to break off her engagement with Shen Yifeng, he’d been entertaining other possibilities.
Zhaoping was still young. She shouldn’t limit herself to just one man, even someone as accomplished as Shen Yifeng.
Shen Yifeng was undoubtedly among the best of his generation, and letting him go was a shame. But there were others just as remarkable—if not more so.
The old man had been keen on introducing her to more promising young men, hoping one might catch her interest.
It wasn’t about rushing into marriage. Life needed balance, after all. Zhaoping couldn’t just bury herself in work—she ought to socialize more with these outstanding individuals.
He’d met Ni Tiansong before, and with Master Qi’s endorsement, his character was beyond reproach. Plus, after seeing recent photos of him, Old Master Gu was even more impressed.
Earlier, he and Master Qi had spent a long time admiring the young man’s looks on their phones. Ni Tiansong was undeniably handsome—a classic, refined beauty that perfectly aligned with their traditional tastes.
It’d be a pity if Zhaoping missed out on him.
Right then and there, Old Master Gu had decided to ask Master Qi to arrange a meeting.
Gu Zhaosi stared at his sister in disbelief.
Ni Tiansong and his sister interacting? Wasn’t Ni Tiansong that chess genius, someone operating on a completely different level? The elders adored him.
What common ground could his sister possibly have with him? Did she even play chess?
For a moment, Gu Zhaosi was baffled. Then it hit him—wait, how many men was this now?
Sis, can you even keep up?
Ni Tiansong was known for his aloof, almost ethereal demeanor. Gu Zhaosi couldn’t even picture him standing next to his sister. Holy crap, it’d be like a celestial descending to the mortal realm!
Meanwhile, Ni Tiansong had just received the news.
He paused. "Uncle Qi wants me to meet someone?"
Checking the time, he looked up apologetically. "I’m afraid I’ll have to decline this time. I already promised Li Xunwen I’d assist him in a match."
The person sent by Master Qi quickly interjected, "Oh, but the timing doesn’t conflict at all! We can meet first, and then you can go to your match afterward. There’s no rush."
After much persuasion, Ni Tiansong still declined politely, his tone calm but firm. "I’ve already made a promise to someone else, and I intend to keep it. I’ll have to visit Uncle Qi another day."
Truthfully, he wasn’t particularly interested anyway. He had a feeling Uncle Qi was likely trying to introduce him to some young lady again.
But right now, he was far more eager to play chess.
Rather than sit through what would probably feel like a matchmaking session, he’d much rather spend his time across the board from someone who could challenge him move for move.
Ni Tiansong sighed softly, hoping Uncle Qi would finally take the hint and stop setting him up.
