《Mr. CEO Has a Crush on Me》 Chapter 1 - Mr. CEO Has a Crush on Me Chapter 1: Chapter 1: When there¡¯s a villain, the hero saves the day At 8 pm, the bar¡¯s Midsummer Night event had just begun. The deafening remix dance music drove an explosive atmosphere, mingled with countless cheers and laughter. Lu Wanwan stumbled and ran through the swaying, crowded mass of people, desperately trying to shake off the person following her from behind. Her jaws were clenched in determination, yet her steps were weak and unsteady, and there was an indescribable feeling spreading through her body. Without a doubt, she had been drugged¡ªwith some sleazy substance, no less! On reaching the second floor, she found herself in a quiet, straight corridor with almost nowhere to hide. Without time to think, she darted into the nearby restroom. The second floor was the VIP area, and the restroom was decorated lavishly. Lu Wanwan rushed inside with a burning urgency, her steps faltering as she ran. The door of the first compartment happened to open at the same time. The hand pushing the door looked nice, slender and graceful under the pale golden light. She charged forward recklessly, accidentally colliding full-on into the man. The man was tall¡ªher head only reached his chest, causing a sharp pain. A rich masculine scent hit her, and it felt like countless tiny claws were scraping at her heart. Her face burned as if with a high fever, and she felt so uncomfortable she wanted to cry. ¡°Move aside,¡± Gu Annan said indifferently, without as much as a glance at her as he pushed the drunkard aside. Lu Wanwan had finally caught hold of a sturdy man¡ªthere was no way she would let him go. ¡°There are bad people outside, hero, save me¡­ ¡± Gu Annan, upon hearing her voice, furrowed his brows in confusion and came to a halt. Arms immediately wrapped around him from behind in a grip that wouldn¡¯t let go, ¡°Hero, can you call the police for me?¡± The moment she latched on, it was as if a current surged from the bottom of her heart, sending Wanwan into a faint shiver. Huh? This feels a bit¡­ nice! Before she could indulge in the feeling further, she was abruptly and not so gently yanked to the front. Gu Annan held her waist with one hand and pinched her chin with the other, lifting her face from the disarray of long hair. His eyes, dark and slightly luminous, swept over her from above with a piercing gaze. It was indeed that face¡ªLu Wanwan! Her porcelain-white skin was tinged with an abnormal blush, her eyes were blurry and smoldering. The T-shirt outlined an enticing figure, tightly pressed against him. ¡°Miss Lu, stop running. Where do you think you can escape to?¡± the sleazy laughter came from outside, ¡°Even if it¡¯s the King of Heaven here, I would still¡­¡± The cursing of the man with a buzz cut outside came to an abrupt stop. The man who emerged from the restroom was exceptionally tall, radiating an air of inapproachability. His innate nobility and presence made it clear he was no ordinary man. He held Lu Wanwan, not even sparing a glance at the man with a buzz cut. Intimidated by his demeanor, the buzz-cut man remained frozen until the man was almost out of the restroom, recalling the promise of money from Miss Lu. He stepped forward with a sycophantic smile, reminding him, ¡°Sir, that girl is mine¡­¡± Before he could finish, a scream like that of a pig being slaughtered came from the restroom. The buzz-cut man clutched at his crotch, seeing stars from the pain. Only when that terrifying figure had vanished did he shakily take out his phone. ¡°Miss¡­ Miss Lu, she has been taken by another man!¡± * No sooner had Gu Annan thrown the person onto the bed than two arms wrapped around him from behind. A pair of hands roamed his chest, mangling the shirt into a mess. The sounds of moaning and unconscious whimpering filled the room. Listening to those sounds, Gu Annan¡¯s eyes darkened in an instant, his lips tightened slightly. Chapter 2 - Chapter 2: Chapter 2 Move Again at Your Own Risk Chapter 2: Chapter 2 Move Again at Your Own Risk Before his breathing could become ragged, he peeled those clawing hands from his body and tossed her onto the other side of the bed. He stood up straight, straightening his clothes, and casually dialed a number. ¡°Shao Yang, there¡¯s a guy on the second floor restroom I just kicked in the crotch. Beat him up, then throw him out.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± The voice on the other end was more than surprised, ¡°Restroom, guy, crotch. Were you¡­?¡± A cold smile spread across Gu Annan¡¯s handsome face. Feeling the icy silence for a moment, the other party spoke seriously, ¡°No problem, I¡¯ll make sure you¡¯re satisfied.¡± Gu Annan hadn¡¯t hung up the phone when the persistent woman wound herself around him again. His muscles tensed up, as if a fire had ignited in his lower abdomen. ¡°It hurts¡­¡± Lu Wanwan whimpered. The sound of a fall immediately came through the phone receiver. ¡°Gu Annan, is there actually a woman beside you?!¡± Gu Annan hung up the phone with a thunderous temper, turned around, pinned her to the bed, and secured those restless hands firmly. Her clear eyes hungered for him, staring as if ready to pounce on her prey at any moment. His brow furrowed as he looked at her, reaching his limit, his voice low and hoarse, ¡°Move again and suffer the consequences!¡± * The next morning, the room was still dim. The heavy drapes were pulled tightly shut to make sure not a sliver of light could penetrate. Lu Wanwan opened her eyes, her body aching as if it were not her own. After seeing the scattered men¡¯s and women¡¯s clothing from the bed to the floor, she was instantly jolted awake from her lethargy. Did she really sleep with the man she met in the restroom yesterday? Regret washed over her, and she gingerly got out of bed with her aching body, checking the time on her phone¡ªnine in the morning?!! She was doomed, late and doomed to be fined! Lu Wanwan hurriedly got dressed, thought about the unfamiliar man still in the bathroom, and fingered the pocket of her clothes, biting her lip in dilemma. Eventually, she hesitantly pulled out a handful of change from her pocket. Even if it was her fault yesterday, she had to leave something behind after sleeping with someone. Unfamiliar with such transactions, and only having that much money on her, she feared it wouldn¡¯t even be enough to split the room fee. She tossed the money onto the cabinet by the bed without counting, scribbled a few words on the hotel¡¯s notepad and placed it beside it, then fled the scene, her head hung in shame. Before she could reach the main door, the bathroom door suddenly opened. The tall figure that emerged stood in her way, and Lu Wanwan immediately halted, her hand still covering her face, not daring to move it. He was casually wrapped in a loose robe, the sash around his waist loosely tied without a button, revealing a sensual deep V. Her heart pounded furiously, recalling this was the man she had slept with last night¡­ Her face turned beet red as she looked up. His physique was surprisingly eye-catching, droplets of water traveling down his toned muscles screamed temptation. Her gaze seemed magnetized, unable to shift away. ¡°Have you seen enough?¡± A cool, pleasant voice came from above, ¡°Now you remember to cover your face?¡± Her heart almost leapt out of her chest as the voice emerged, her back breaking out in a cold sweat. It couldn¡¯t be such a coincidence. She lifted her head. The man in front of her, his black hair still half-damp, that beautiful, icy face seemed to retain the mist from his shower. The moment their gazes collided, her frantic heartbeat seemed to stop for an instant as she took a sharp step back. ¡°How can it be you¡­¡± Chapter 3 - Chapter 3: Chapter 3: It Takes Two to Tango Chapter 3: Chapter 3: It Takes Two to Tango [The previous two chapters, as well as a small portion of subsequent chapters, are being screened and will be released once the author has made the necessary revisions and they pass the review. You should still be able to understand the continuation of the story.] Gu Annan¡¯s brows suddenly furrowed as he looked at the shock on her face, his gaze growing heavy. ¡°What, are you disappointed?¡± he asked, his eyes lowering to hers, ¡°Or do you have the courage to sleep with someone, but not the guts to admit it?¡± ¡°Who says I won¡¯t admit it!¡± Lu Wanwan straightened her spine to hide the guilt and panic in her eyes, ¡°I just didn¡¯t expect it to be you. But what¡¯s done is done, so let¡¯s just leave it at that.¡± A chilling danger emanated from Gu Annan¡¯s eyes, bearing down on her. Her wrist ached as he efficiently pressed her against the wall behind her, ¡°You mean to say, it doesn¡¯t matter to you who you sleep with?¡± ¡°Gu Annan, what does it have to do with you?¡± Lu Wanwan, unable to break free, retorted angrily. Facing his inexplicable rage, what troubled her the most was the strong scent of hormones mixed with his post-shower fragrance, which embarrassingly made her legs go weak. ¡°Sorry, I apologize.¡± Her temples throbbed; she was certain the drug from last night hadn¡¯t entirely worn off, which was why she felt so flustered, ¡°I really didn¡¯t know it was you. If I had known it was you last night, I definitely wouldn¡¯t have¡­ Ah!¡± Anyone would do, but absolutely not him? Her wrist was suddenly squeezed tighter, causing her so much pain that stars danced in her eyes. ¡°You must be disappointed,¡± Gu Annan¡¯s voice, cool and icy, rang in her ear, ¡°but Lu Wanwan, I¡¯m not someone who¡¯s easy to sleep with.¡± Her back was against the wall, and he was too close. Lu Wanwan took a deep breath and lifted her chin, trying to sound conciliatory, ¡°Look, it takes two to tango; you can¡¯t place all the blame on me. We are both adults, so let¡¯s just pretend nothing happened once we¡¯re out of this room! Okay?¡± ¡°You might regret that,¡± he warned in a low, deep voice. ¡°You agree? Goodbye then!¡± She didn¡¯t give much thought to the meaningful undertone in Gu Annan¡¯s low voice; she immediately pushed past him and ran out of the room. Gu Annan watched her hasty retreat, his lips pressed thin, his dark and deep eyes unknowingly shifting. His phone chimed. The WeChat message included a photo and a link. The photo, taken at the entrance of a bar, showed a utterly naked man clutching his head, wearing an expression of unbearable pain¡ªit was clearly the buzz-cut man from last night. His long fingers moved to the link and opened it; it was a striking headline, ¡°Man brutally sodomized in bar, flees and weeps naked in the streets.¡± As he read, heading back into the room, his eyes remained cold and indifferent. Just before closing it, his hand slipped and he tapped ¡®Like¡¯¡­ Just having set down his phone, he looked up with a slight furrow in his brow. On the nightstand by the bed, there was a crumpled pile of cash and a scribbled note, ¡°Payment for last night.¡± His face suddenly collapsed into an expression cold as millennia-old ice. Did this woman actually treat him like a male escort? Lu Wanwan, you better get back here and wait for me! * Lu Wanwan was on the verge of a breakdown, with no time to even mourn her lost virginity. It was only after she ran out of the hotel that she remembered a problem¡ªif she had known it was Gu Annan, why on earth would she leave money? Aside from their existing grievances, now that she¡¯d given him the money, what would she use for the cab? Fortunately, the hotel wasn¡¯t despairingly far from the newspaper office where she worked. After a night of physical exertion that left her legs trembling with soreness, she relied on sheer willpower to make it to the newspaper office. ¡°Lu Wanwan, do you have any concept of time? You¡¯ve just been here a short while and you dare to be an hour late! Is this your work ethic? Do you think you¡¯re some kind of princess?!¡± Editor-in-chief Li Mochou¡¯s voice echoed through the office, ¡°You¡¯re losing this month¡¯s entire bonus!¡± Thinking about the money, Lu Wanwan tentatively spoke up with a touch of pain in her voice, ¡°Editor, it¡¯s still ten minutes shy of ten¡­ there¡¯s no need to take away the entire bonus, right¡­?¡± ¡°Are you questioning my decision? Or would you prefer to get out of here instead?¡± Lu Wanwan silently lowered her head. Her father had made it clear that they were expecting an important guest at home today, and she was supposed to arrive early. She had planned to ask for the afternoon off. Chapter 4 - Chapter 4: Chapter 4 Mr. Gu waited for half an hour Chapter 4: Chapter 4 Mr. Gu waited for half an hour But compared to not having a job, going home didn¡¯t seem that important. By the time she returned to the Lu Mansion after working overtime, it was already seven in the evening. The villa was brightly lit. As soon as Lu Wanwan entered, she heard Lu Jingtian¡¯s voice, heavy with anger, ¡°Wanwan, look at the time, Mr. Gu has been waiting for half an hour!¡± On the sofa, a fresh and slender figure was sitting leisurely in a way that was somehow familiar to her, though she couldn¡¯t see his face, just a portion of his back obstructed by the sofa. This must be the Mr. Gu her father mentioned. ¡°It¡¯s only seven o¡¯clock,¡± Lu Wanwan replied indifferently, with a hint of hoarseness in her voice. She had worked tirelessly all night and been squeezed by her job all day. In order to leave work early and return home, she hadn¡¯t even had a moment to drink a sip of water. ¡°Sister, you¡¯re back,¡± Lu Kexin said, getting up and walking over in her newly purchased Chanel suit. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you come back all of last night? Do you know how anxious Dad and Mom were?¡± Stepmother Lin Yu was still sitting on the sofa with a slight smile, ¡°Mr. Gu, I¡¯m really sorry for the wait. Wanwan didn¡¯t do it on purpose, she probably¡­ just forgot.¡± ¡°Ah!!¡± exclaimed Lu Kexin, pointing at her neck, ¡°Sister, did you get hit?¡± The marks left from the previous night had been pointed out to Lu Wanwan when she arrived at the newspaper office. Later, she borrowed a coat to wear, but since the neck was the worst affected area, it couldn¡¯t be hidden. The man on the sofa turned his head slightly when he heard Lu Kexin¡¯s words. His gaze became cold when it fell on the oversized men¡¯s jacket she wore. ¡°It doesn¡¯t seem like she was hit¡­¡± Lu Kexin¡¯s tone was full of alarm and curiosity, ¡°But sister, what are those red marks on your body?¡± Lu Jingtian, who hurried over, recognized immediately what kind of marks they were. Anger was etched all over his face, and he was seething, biting his teeth. Gu Annan had come to discuss the prearranged marriage between the Gu Family and the Lu Family. Although it hadn¡¯t been decided who it would be with, for her to go fooling around at this time was utterly disgraceful! He had heard rumors before that the Gu Family was considering calling off the marriage, and Gu Annan might just be looking for an excuse to nullify the engagement! ¡°Don¡¯t be angry, Dad. Maybe sister just has an allergy,¡± Lu Kexin feigned innocence as she comforted him. Lu Wanwan knew that there was no point in saying anything now, the medicine that had caused this was unmistakably given by Lu Kexin. ¡°Anyway, I¡¯m back now. Say whatever you want to say.¡± Seeing her indifferent attitude, Lu Jingtian, in a fit of irritation, raised his hand to slap her. ¡°Mr. Lu,¡± came a voice, clear, cold, and embellished with an undeniable authority, ¡°I do not have more time to waste here.¡± That voice made Lu Jingtian¡¯s hand freeze in the air, and he immediately answered with a smile, ¡°You¡¯re right, Mr. Gu, my apologies for the inconvenience of having you wait.¡± Lu Wanwan stood stunned in her spot, unable to utter a word as she looked at that figure. This Mr. Gu, before whom her usually arrogant father kowtowed, the chief heir to the Gu Consortium, was actually¡­ Gu Annan. ¡°Aren¡¯t you coming over?¡± Lu Jingtian shot her a severe glance, gesturing for her to come and sit down quickly. Lu Wanwan stiffly walked over and sat down. In the morning, he hadn¡¯t told her that he was going to be the one coming to her house this evening! The imposing man sat expressionless, not even sparing Lu Wanwan a glance¡ªas if the person who returned after waiting for half an hour was nothing more than air to him. ¡°Now that everyone is here, let¡¯s get straight to the point,¡± Gu Annan finally lifted his eyes, his gaze coldly sweeping past her and turning to Lu Jingtian, ¡°Since the marriage between me and the Lu Family was agreed upon, I do not intend to back out for the time being. Let¡¯s consider this matter settled for now.¡± Chapter 5 - Chapter 5: Chapter 5 He Knew What Was Going to Happen Chapter 5: Chapter 5 He Knew What Was Going to Happen Lu Wanwan suddenly looked up, a marriage arrangement? Since when did Gu Annan have a marriage engagement with her family? Lu Jingtian pondered for a moment, Gu Annan said he didn¡¯t want to call off the engagement for now, which meant he might call it off at any time! He was eager to establish a marriage connection with the Gu Family and wanted everything to go his way. Before he could ask who the engagement was with, the doorbell of the villa rang. The servant asked through the intercom, then came forward, ¡°Master, it¡¯s someone looking for Miss.¡± Lu Kexin¡¯s mouth curved into an involuntary smile, finally, he came. ¡°She¡¯s not available,¡± Lu Jingtian said irritably. ¡°It¡¯s urgent, Miss left something at his place,¡± said the servant. Lu Wanwan had a bad feeling, how could someone come here looking for her? ¡°Dad, it might just be my sister¡¯s friend coming to return something. Don¡¯t get angry with her just yet.¡± Lu Kexin immediately said to the servant, ¡°Let him in.¡± Lu Jingtian couldn¡¯t be bothered with this and smiled at Gu Annan, ¡°It¡¯s quite a nuisance for Mr. Gu to make the trip in person today. I wonder who Mr. Gu thinks is more suitable between Kexin and Wanwan?¡± Before Gu Annan could express his opinion, a strange man had already entered. Thin, with a buzz cut and some bruises on his face. ¡°Wanwan, you left this behind last night. You said it was very important so I came to return it to you,¡± said the man with the buzz cut, smiling and holding a wholly green bracelet in his hand. Lu Wanwan stood up abruptly. This man was no other than the buzz cut who had been relentlessly pursuing her after she had been drugged the day before. The bracelet her mother left her, how could it be in his hands, when she hadn¡¯t taken it out at all! ¡°Who are you, and what do you have to do with my sister not coming home all night yesterday?¡± Lu Kexin asked slowly. The buzz cut knew exactly what he should say, ¡°I met Wanwan at the bar yesterday, but she forgot this when she left in the morning.¡± ¡°Wanwan!¡± Lu Jingtian felt extremely embarrassed, his daughter¡¯s hook-up had actually brought a man home, and in front of Gu Annan no less! ¡°I didn¡¯t take the bracelet out at all, I left it at home!¡± Lu Wanwan advanced to snatch back the bracelet, furiously looking at Lu Kexin, ¡°How dare you steal my stuff?¡± Lu Kexin defended herself innocently, ¡°Sister, what are you talking about? I don¡¯t understand. How would I know why your bracelet ended up in his hands?¡± Gu Annan turned around leisurely, and when he saw the buzz cut, a fierce chill flashed in his eyes. The sight of that man nearly scared the buzz cut to death; he stammered for ages without spitting out a single word. This was fucking bad, this was the guy who had kicked him in the groin yesterday and taken Lu Wanwan away! That was one thing, but then he¡¯d inexplicably been stripped naked by a few guys and thrown out to run around in the street, also because of that man. His promise to sleep with Lu Wanwan had fallen through, but Miss Lu the second still insisted he follow the original plan. She said it didn¡¯t matter, nobody would believe her anyway, and the man who took her away must have been some random guy; one was as good as another to her. Who would¡¯ve thought the world could be this fucking small! ¡°Speak up!¡± Lu Kexin kept giving the buzz cut meaningful glances, ¡°If you can¡¯t say it, then don¡¯t insult my sister¡¯s integrity for no reason!¡± Biting her lower lip, Lu Wanwan looked at Gu Annan, but he seemed to have no intention to speak. He stood there, cool and composed, one hand in his pocket, eyes watching like he was enjoying a show, and deliberately glanced at her, his lips curving into a malicious smile. In her mind, she suddenly remembered the conversation from the morning. ¡°¡­Anyway, once you leave this room, act as if nothing happened!¡± ¡°Just don¡¯t regret it.¡± Just, don¡¯t, regret, it! He must have known what was going to happen! Chapter 6 - Chapter 6: Chapter 6 Explanation? I was bitten by a dog last night! Chapter 6: Chapter 6 Explanation? I was bitten by a dog last night! ¡°I¡­this¡­¡± Inch Plate Head suddenly didn¡¯t know what to do. It was such bad luck, he had thought he could easily pocket two hundred thousand, but then this happened. Inch Plate Head, seeing that the terrifying man seemed to have no intention of speaking and was only watching the excitement, decided to take a gamble. ¡°We met at the bar, and then went to a hotel together. This morning, she left something behind when she left, and remembering she said she was the young miss of the Lu Family, I brought it to her.¡± Lu Jingtian was so angry he almost leaped up, he never expected Lu Wanwan to do something so shameful, and still dared to use the Lu Family¡¯s name! Family scandals should not be publicized, and such a shameful matter was laid bare in front of Gu Annan, how could he hold his head up? ¡°Miss Lu, do you often go to hotels?¡± Gu Annan¡¯s thin lips parted slightly, his tone incomprehensible. ¡°Mr. Gu, maybe my sister isn¡¯t that kind of person. Don¡¯t misunderstand.¡± Lu Kexin explained, ¡°Sister, won¡¯t you explain? How could you do this¡­Is he your recent boyfriend? Where were you last night?¡± Lu Wanwan looked at Gu Annan, until she confirmed that he would certainly not admit to last night¡¯s events. It was true, aside from the consensus reached this morning, he of course wouldn¡¯t admit to last night. He wasn¡¯t going to be engaged to her, and her father along with Lin Yu would surely make Lu Kexin his fianc¨¦e. ¡°Wanwan, go to your room and reflect behind closed doors!¡± Lu Jingtian said with a livid face. Lu Wanwan held the bracelet, her lips curling coldly, ¡°Explain? It¡¯s simple, I was bitten by a dog last night!¡± She threw down those words and left without looking back. Gu Annan¡¯s face suddenly darkened, and a chill seemed to emanate from his eyebrows. Very well, bitten by a dog! ¡°Mr. Gu, I¡¯m really sorry, it¡¯s my fault for not disciplining her well.¡± Lu Jingtian thought it was because Lu Wanwan walked away rudely, ¡°I will definitely discipline her properly next time!¡± Lin Yu also chimed in, ¡°It¡¯s my fault, although Wanwan isn¡¯t my daughter, I should teach her more about how to behave.¡± Gu Annan¡¯s patience finally ran out. He strutted over to Inch Plate Head, towering over him with his height, his gaze indifferent. ¡°Tell the truth, where did the bracelet come from?¡± Inch Plate Head collapsed to the ground with a snap from loss of strength. This time, he didn¡¯t dare to hide half a word, having experienced this man¡¯s means of revenge. ¡°It was the second young miss who gave it to me. She told me to say all this. I, I didn¡¯t want to¡­but I was short of money, and she said she¡¯d give me two hundred thousand if it worked out!¡± Lin Yu and Lu Kexin turned pale. Lu Kexin shrieked, ¡°You¡¯re lying! It must be Lu Wanwan framing me!¡± Inch Plate Head took out his mobile phone, tears streaming down his face, ¡°I have call records from the second young miss to prove it!¡± He didn¡¯t want to be beaten up and thrown out to run naked again! ¡°You can leave.¡± Gu Annan spoke indifferently. Inch Plate Head didn¡¯t dare stay a moment longer and bolted. ¡°Kexin!¡± Lu Jingtian¡¯s face was dark, trembling with anger, ¡°Is this true?¡± Lu Kexin shook her head tearfully, ¡°No, dad, it¡¯s not, I was framed!¡± Lin Yu also became anxious, ¡°Mr. Gu, I think there might be some misunderstanding here.¡± ¡°I saw an interesting news today, someone was running naked outside a bar in South City, and I just happened to see the photo of the person involved.¡± Gu Annan tilted his head slightly, ¡°Mr. Lu might also like to check it out. Then, whoever needs to be disciplined, should be disciplined properly.¡± Chapter 7 - Chapter 7: Chapter 7 That was for the room fee! Chapter 7: Chapter 7 That was for the room fee! Lu Wanwan was holding the bracelet and walked briskly down the empty street outside the villa. This area was Huacheng Xinguang, an expensive villa district. Forget buses, not even taxis would be around now. Besides relying on her own two legs, she had no other choice. Before long, a beam of car headlights shone from a distance, and the sound of an engine slowly approached. She turned her head and a black Bentley Mulsanne stopped beside her, the driver¡¯s window rolled down completely. ¡°There are no cars here, it would take you at least half an hour to walk out,¡± Gu Annan said from inside the car without looking at her. Lu Wanwan gave him a cold glance. His bland tone continued, ¡°I¡¯ll take you to the city center only. I don¡¯t have time to drop you off, don¡¯t think too much.¡± Lu Wanwan really wanted to turn around and leave with dignity, but if it took half an hour to walk out before hailing a taxi, the dormitory doors at school would be closed already. A wise man does not eat the loss before his eyes, so she swallowed her pride and sat in the passenger seat. ¡°I told you, don¡¯t regret it,¡± Gu Annan drove off, his gaze fixed on the windshield ahead. ¡°Mr. Gu, you¡¯re thinking too much, I don¡¯t regret it,¡± Lu Wanwan explained. ¡°After all, you can¡¯t tell the truth. Otherwise, everyone would know you¡¯ve slept with my sister, how would you then get engaged to the younger one?¡± She called him Mr. Gu. Gu Annan¡¯s eyebrows tensed up momentarily. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I will keep this matter secret for you,¡± she said in a feigned casual tone, ¡°It¡¯s a family marriage arrangement, after all; it wouldn¡¯t look good for anyone if it got out.¡± The silence inside the car gave her an indescribable feeling. ¡°You¡¯re engaged to her, right?¡± she wanted to confirm. Gu Annan replied coldly, ¡°The Lu family has only two daughters, my choices are limited.¡± Lu Wanwan quickly turned away, looking at the villas speeding by outside the window to hide the sudden pallor on her face. This ¡®limited choice¡¯ clearly never included her in the options. How could she have felt even a flicker of unwarranted anticipation! Suddenly feeling the air conditioning in the car was too strong, Lu Wanwan pulled at her clothes, wrapping herself tightly. Gu Annan caught a glimpse of her action, and the glaring men¡¯s attire, his gaze as cold as a frigid pool. Once they were out of Huacheng Xinguang, he abruptly stopped the car. ¡°You can get a cab here.¡± Despite hearing that emotionless voice, Lu Wanwan still felt somewhat reluctant. Would driving a bit longer kill him? Taxis are so expensive! Before she unbuckled her seat belt, suddenly a bundle was thrown onto her lap. She looked down and broke out in a cold sweat. It was the change she¡¯d tossed at the hotel that morning¡­ ¡°Lu Wanwan, you¡¯ve really grown, huh? Sleeping and then leaving with three hundred and eighty?¡± Gu Annan¡¯s frosty gaze, for the first time tonight, fixed directly on her. She desperately wanted to crawl into a crevice. She hadn¡¯t known at the time. ¡°You¡­ think it¡¯s too little?¡± The suddenly oppressive atmosphere inside the car made it hard to breathe. ¡°Not too little since you counted it so clearly¡­¡± She didn¡¯t even know how much money it was total; she couldn¡¯t imagine Gu Annan with his icy-block face counting each bill meticulously. ¡°I didn¡¯t know it was you at the time, otherwise¡­¡± He was so rich, who would go dutch with him! Gu Annan fixed his eyes on her face, ¡°If you knew it was mine, how would you have paid the whoring fee?¡± ¡°Whoring fee?¡± Lu Wanwan¡¯s eyes widened, startled, ¡°When have you¡­¡± become a gigolo¡­ She looked at Gu Annan¡¯s expression; fortunately, she didn¡¯t finish her sentence. ¡°Ahem¡­¡± she raised her hand to press her forehead, blocking the murderous gaze beside her and explained in a soft voice, ¡°That was for¡­ the room fee.¡± Chapter 8 - Chapter 8: Chapter 8 Are You Not Interested in What I Did Yesterday? Chapter 8: Chapter 8 Are You Not Interested in What I Did Yesterday? Gu Annan¡¯s face darkened as he looked at her for a long time. It wasn¡¯t until Lu Wanwan couldn¡¯t bear it and planned to get out of the car that he finally said, ¡°Take off your clothes.¡± ¡°In your dreams!¡± Lu Wanwan quickly tightened her jacket around her, clutching it in front of her chest. ¡°I am not interested in you, so don¡¯t overthink it,¡± he said coldly. ¡°But having my fianc¨¦e¡¯s sister dressed like this is embarrassing to me.¡± ¡°What does how your fianc¨¦e¡¯s sister dresses have to do with you? If you are not interested, what was yesterday all about?¡± she retorted angrily. Gu Annan was reminded of last night and immediately felt his mouth go dry. He averted his gaze and pursed his lips. ¡°Last night was initiated by you. You didn¡¯t come home at night, fooled around with someone else, and even wore a man¡¯s clothes. Your reputation is too bad, it could affect my fianc¨¦e¡¯s reputation.¡± Affect Lu Kexin¡¯s reputation? Nonsense! Lu Wanwan forcefully tugged at the car door, only to find it locked. It seemed he wouldn¡¯t let her out unless she took the clothes off. ¡°Fine! I¡¯ll take them off!¡± She immediately stripped off her jacket and threw it to the side, unbuckling her seatbelt. ¡°I wish you and your oh-so-pure fianc¨¦e a lifetime of happiness! From now on, I¡¯ll stay out all night and fool around every day, and I don¡¯t believe you can do anything about it!¡± Gu Annan pressed his lips together, and the temperature inside the car seemed to plummet to freezing point. Lu Wanwan got out of the car and slammed the door behind her with a flourish. Immediately, the clothes she had just taken off flew out of the car window, landing perfectly in a trash can as the car sped away. Watching the disappearing tail lights of the car, Lu Wanwan trembled with anger. Four years had passed, and he returned only to become her future brother-in-law, with whom she had spent one night. Life really has a sense of humor. ¡°Darn it!¡± It was only after her dramatic exit that Lu Wanwan remembered the clothes were her colleague¡¯s! She needed to return them tomorrow! She stood next to the trash can, gathering a lot of courage to fish the jacket out. The disgusting smell of hot and spicy soup on the clothes drove her insane. But she couldn¡¯t just dispose of it, as the clothes cost several hundred yuan, and she, having her bonus deducted for a month after just three days on the job, could not afford to pay for them. Finally, holding her nose, she picked up the clothes with two fingers and took them away. Drugged, slept with, docked pay, wronged, despised¡­ With such a day behind her, her only relief now was to regain the 380 yuan ¡°prostitution fee.¡± Being poor really toughens one¡¯s nerves. * The next day, Lu Wanwan received a call from her dad who said he had learned the truth. He had grounded Lu Kexin, speaking in a tone so kind that she suspected the person on the other end was an impostor. Days after she declined, no one asked her to return home. Instead, she received a bragging call from Lu Kexin, sincerely inviting her to help choose an engagement dress for a ceremony scheduled over a month later. Lu Wanwan hung up directly, and then didn¡¯t return to the Lu family for half a month. Every day, she stayed in her school dormitory, about to enter her senior year next month. Fortunately, the school was still available to live in, otherwise, with roommates going back to their provinces and her best friend Xu Yuan suddenly deciding to travel as a backpacker during the summer vacation, it would have been difficult for her to find a place to stay. On Friday, just before the end of the workday, Lu Wanwan was called into the editor-in-chief¡¯s office. ¡°Editor-in-chief, a public figure like Bai Lingyun has many bodyguards and really values privacy. Isn¡¯t it exceedingly difficult to dig up personal scandals on him?¡± she asked. Li Mochou flipped through the documents in her hands and didn¡¯t even look at her. ¡°Of course it¡¯s difficult¡ªthat¡¯s what makes it valuable!¡± Lu Wanwan held her forehead. ¡°I¡¯ve only been interning for half a month, this kind of responsibility¡­¡± ¡°Can¡¯t do it? If you can¡¯t, then leave!¡± Li Mochou snapped the documents shut, her arrogance soaring. ¡°Our newspaper won¡¯t miss one more or one less.¡± Chapter 9 - Chapter 9: Chapter 9: Looking for Someone Named Gu Annan Chapter 9: Chapter 9: Looking for Someone Named Gu Annan Lu Wanwan was torn, only she knew how hard it was to get this job. She studied media studies, but the Lu Family¡¯s Jin¡¯an Media now dominated the media circles. As long as Lin Yu and Lu Kexin were there, none of the branches under Jin¡¯an, as well as the large media companies they collaborated with, would want her. But in fact, Jin¡¯an Media was the Ye Family¡¯s enterprise, the fruit of her mother Ye Jing¡¯s labor. However, people now only knew about the media tycoon Lu Jingtian, not realizing how he gradually absorbed the Ye Family¡¯s assets over a few years, completely assimilating them into the Lu Family. Nor would they know that Lu Jingtian and Ye Jing¡¯s daughter, now stooped to working in a tabloid to earn living expenses, getting verbally abused without daring to retort, fearing dismissal. It was with difficulty that she found an internship at this notorious gossip tabloid in Manchester. ¡°One minute to think,¡± Li Mochou didn¡¯t want to waste time, ¡°Take it, get a commission. Don¡¯t take it, pack up and leave.¡± The word ¡®commission¡¯ completely shattered Lu Wanwan¡¯s hesitation, and she looked eagerly at the editor-in-chief, ¡°How¡­ how much can I get for commission?¡± Li Mochou glanced at her with disdain, ¡°Depends on sales. At least three to four hundred, or more than a thousand. For Bai Lingyun, normally it won¡¯t be less than two thousand.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll do it! Do it, do it, do it!¡± Lu Wanwan was stimulated. Had she known digging up celebrity dirt paid so well, she wouldn¡¯t have been wasting her time doing odd jobs in the office. She must have deep love and strict demands from the editor-in-chief to assign such a valuable task to a rookie like her. Having gotten Bai Lingyun¡¯s schedule information and seen the new path to wealth, Lu Wanwan left cheerfully. That very night, she began staking out at the entrance of the Dijing Clubhouse. The vague schedule had no detailed timetable; she suspected she might be waiting until the end of time before Bai Lingyun would show up. After much difficulty, on a Sunday evening, she finally saw the mysterious figure in sunglasses entering under the protection of bodyguards, and found herself completely unable to get close. It was at times like this that she sorely felt her lack of experience. ¡°Hey, editor-in-chief, I¡¯ve been waiting three days and finally saw Bai Lingyun, but he¡¯s got several bodyguards. I was stared down before I could get close, I couldn¡¯t approach at all!¡± From the other end of the phone came the editor-in-chief¡¯s usual cold voice, ¡°Are your bust and face both grown for nothing?¡± ¡°¡­¡± What, what does that mean? The call was disconnected. Lu Wanwan looked down at her 36D bundled up in an ordinary T-shirt. So, it was because of her face and chest that she was given this chunk of meat. In the struggle between integrity and money, after much hesitation, she decided to at least go in and take a look. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, non-members are not allowed inside!¡± ¡°Handsome, can I borrow the restroom for a moment?¡± ¡°Non-members are not allowed to use the clubhouse restroom!¡± Lu Wanwan learned for the first time how hard it was to enter a clubhouse. The security guards looked at her with eyes that seemed to see right through her inner thoughts, making tracking stars no easy task. ¡°Can I come in if I¡¯m a family member of a member? Everyone in my family except for me is a member here!¡± The security guard glanced at her, wearing a street-stall T-shirt and shorts, with a pair of flip-flops on her feet. Only her gaze was sincere. She immediately searched her phone for a media group photo from years ago, with her and her parents in it. ¡°We need to confirm with a member¡¯s phone,¡± the security guard said, frowning as he looked at it, ¡°Go find the manager.¡± Lu Wanwan eagerly followed inside. ¡°Who do you want to confirm with?¡± the manager asked her. Lu Wanwan thought of the people in Lu Family, ¡°Call someone named Gu Annan.¡± The manager was skeptical but made the call, going through several transfers, speaking to the person on the other end with utmost respect. ¡°Miss Lu, you may go in,¡± the manager said as he hung up the phone, a sycophantic smile plastered on his face. Chapter 10 - Chapter 10: Chapter 10 The Bosss Mind Is Always Hard to Read Chapter 10: Chapter 10 The Boss¡¯s Mind Is Always Hard to Read Lu Wanwan sighed in relief, no way around it, poverty made her ambitions short. She needed money, desperately needed it. So even if he hated her, when she could use him, she would shamelessly do so. In the Bentley Mulsanne that had just stopped at the entrance of Dijing Clubhouse, the driver Zhao Chen ended a call. ¡°Mr. Gu, I¡¯ve let Miss Lu in!¡± Gu Annan¡¯s gaze shifted towards the outside of the car, to the swiftly disappearing figure inside the gates of the clubhouse. ¡°Miss Lu is here¡­ to see you?¡± Zhao Chen mustered his courage to ask another question. The boss had clearly informed his parents and fianc¨¦e in the United States that his fianc¨¦e was Miss Lu Wanwan. Yet, he had instructed Zhao Chen just recently to tell Lu Jingtian about his engagement with Miss Lu Kexin. Even though the boss¡¯s thoughts had always been hard to guess, this time it seemed really far-fetched! ¡°It¡¯s none of your business.¡± ¡°Cough, I¡¯m speaking out of turn.¡± Gu Annan straightened his shirt and opened the car door to step out. * Lu Wanwan was wandering in the third-floor corridor of the clubhouse. When she almost reached the end of the corridor, she saw a burly man in a black suit standing outside a private room door¡ªit was Bai Lingyun¡¯s bodyguard! She couldn¡¯t go in, so she had to think of another plan. Her eyes narrowed with a cunning smile as she nonchalantly walked into a restroom not far away. She didn¡¯t believe that a celebrity could avoid using the restroom! Lu Wanwan stood at the vanity in the outer area of the restroom, where she could see outside through the mirror from this angle. In her mind, she started planning what to do once Bai Lingyun came out. The first scoop had to be a big story that would make the editor take her seriously from now on. Then these commission-based jobs would keep coming to her. Considering their newspaper¡¯s usual audacity in targeting celebrities, she should probably follow him to the restroom and then report extensively on the kidney function and size issues that Bai Lingyun¡¯s wife¡¯s group was most interested in. After all, their ¡°Zui Entertainment¡± was notorious in the entertainment industry, sued countless times. It was a publication with no limits and no integrity that stars and their fans dreaded. As she was brainstorming, a tall man wearing a casual baseball shirt and a cap walked in. Pretending to look down and wash her hands, Lu Wanwan quickly glanced and confirmed the target! Bai Lingyun had entered. Her feet stopped at the door of the men¡¯s restroom, unable to take another step. Lu Wanwan pressed her hand against her forehead, feeling cowardly at the critical moment, wishing she could pinch herself a few times. To earn a commission, acting a bit like a hooligan wouldn¡¯t cause her to grow pimples, right? She hesitated until the sound of flushing came from inside, and Plan A was completely abandoned. She had no choice but to start Plan B! Lu Wanwan lowered her head and saw the proud curves of her chest under her white T-shirt, the shorts covering only half of her thighs, and her long, straight white legs. The food she had wasn¡¯t eaten for nothing; she knew she had some substance to her figure. After quickly fixing her hair, she efficiently tied the hem of her T-shirt into a knot at her waist, revealing her waistline, then puffed out her chest¡­ Pretending to be drunk or something later would spin an interesting and valuable story. Lu Wanwan, already contemplating poses, was completely unaware of the pair of grim and furious eyes fixed on her, ready to burst into flames. Gu Annan¡¯s face darkened as he pressed his lips together. So this was the woman¡¯s virtue now, throwing herself at anyone she met in the restroom? Just as Lu Wanwan, listening to the approaching footsteps from inside the restroom, was making her final preparations, she finally sensed an uncomfortable feeling from behind. Before she could turn around, she was suddenly yanked forcefully. Her head unexpectedly hit a firm and muscular chest. Chapter 11 - Chapter 11: Chapter 11 The Cooked Duck Flew Away! Chapter 11: Chapter 11 The Cooked Duck Flew Away! The feeling of this collision was all too familiar, as though she had experienced the same thing not long ago! Before she could think more about it, her waist was quickly encircled by an arm, and a large palm pressed her head firmly against a chest at the back of her skull. Her face became hot and flushed. Under the overwhelming momentum, she was led to the men¡¯s restroom, face against chest, catching a glimpse of Bai Lingyun coming towards her out of the corner of her eye. Who was this person dragging her to the toilet, unaware that he was disrupting her chance to behave inappropriately! If he didn¡¯t let go soon, Bai Lingyun would leave, and all her efforts today would be in vain! Unless the superstar has a frequent, urgent, or incomplete urination issue, who knows how long it would be before he next goes to pee? ¡°Gu¡­ young master?¡± The other¡¯s steps halted with a puzzled voice. Gu Annan, holding the woman¡¯s head, didn¡¯t stop his stride, merely ¡°mm-hmming¡± in response and leading her in without a sidelong glance. The ¡°Out Of Order¡± sign was also kicked aside with a clang. ¡°Let, let me go!¡± Lu Wanwan cried out in protest. He held on to the struggling woman in his arms and kicked open a stall. In the upscale club¡¯s restroom, even the stall dividers were polished spotless. ¡°Gu Annan!!¡± Driven to desperation, she leaned against the wall and pushed him forcefully away, ¡°What are you doing ruining my plan!¡± The man cast a brief glance down at her hand pushing against his chest. ¡°Wanting to lecture your fianc¨¦¡¯s sister again? Do you again think I will affect your fianc¨¦¡¯s reputation?¡± Lu Wanwan was exasperated, the cooked duck was flying away! Even if she chased after him now, it would be in vain; there was no way she could get close to Bai Lingyun again anytime soon. The more she thought about it, the angrier she got, glaring with wide, furious eyes, grasping the shirt on Gu Annan¡¯s chest, trying to push him far away. On the imposing face, the immovable man arched an eyebrow, his expression still seemingly stern. He raised a finger to point at the delicate hand on his chest, ¡°Here, have you touched enough?¡± Lu Wanwan looked and realized she had unbuttoned his shirt, the mess looked quite¡­ scandalizing. What made it worse was that being so reminded, she finally focused on her hand. She could feel the heat coming through the shirt, even the heartbeat. The heartbeat was a bit fast! Not knowing what to do, she found it a bit awkward. Gu Annan suddenly furrowed his brows and pulled her hand off his body, pushing her slightly away. Lu Wanwan felt a trace of his disdain and immediately lifted her chin, ¡°I warn you Gu Annan, if you keep ruining my plans and holding on to me, be careful, or I¡¯ll let the whole world know what happened that night, bringing scandal to the Gu Family, and ruining your marriage to Lu Kexin!!¡± Gu Annan pushed her back against the wall of the stall with a countermove. His tall nose almost brushed against the tip of hers as he murmured indulgently, ¡°I¡¯m quite curious too, what would happen if the whole world knew you¡¯ve slept with me. We will see!¡± Her eyes widened in shock ¡ª she slept with him? She Lu Wanwan, slept with him Gu Annan?! If it weren¡¯t for her being drugged that day, and if Gu Annan hadn¡¯t been hesitant, could she have succeeded? ¡°What, there¡¯s a problem?¡± She glanced with her head, not intending to argue about this in the men¡¯s restroom. Especially considering that if the incident went public, she would be the one most in trouble. Her stepmother and her family would be furious. ¡°You take your Sunnie Road, I cross my log bridge. What¡¯s your intention in dragging me into the men¡¯s toilet?¡± She glared unhappily at the hand pressing her down. After that day, she didn¡¯t want to run into him in the men¡¯s toilet ever again. Chapter 12 - Chapter 12: Chapter 12 Hes Really Angry... Chapter 12: Chapter 12 He¡¯s Really Angry¡­ ¡°How did you get into the club, forgotten?¡± Gu Annan asked coldly, even clenching his teeth, ¡°Lu Wanwan, you come here to flirt and even dare to use my name. You really are bold!¡± She looked away, wishing she could cover her face. With a clear cough, ¡°Then you could have disagreed, I didn¡¯t force you to let me in.¡± Her words were so feeble, she was almost begging for mercy. Awkward, guilty, her nervous lips trembled slightly, unnaturally pursed. She dared not see the man¡¯s reaction. It was true that she used his connections to enter, she indeed had some shame left. ¡°What do you want then!¡± Lu Wanwan tried to negotiate, her tone reluctant. Gu Annan watched her lips move lightly open and close, remembering that night, uncontrollably wanting to kiss them. Within his restraint, his hands tightening around her wrist grew forceful. ¡°Ouch¡­¡± her voice carried a whimper. Lu Wanwan gasped in pain, and after making a sound, her wrist was finally released. Looking up again at the man standing very close to her, his handsome face was terrifyingly stern, and the clear contours of his face were also tense. A pair of deep, limitless eyes stared at her, the tightly furrowed brows indicating that his mood was extremely foul. He was truly angry¡­ She really shouldn¡¯t have used his name to get in. ¡°That, I¡¯ll go first, I still have things to do¡­¡± Lu Wanwan turned her face away, slightly lowering her head, her long eyelashes concealing the nervousness in her eyes. Her hand had just reached for the compartment doorknob when a large hand reached out faster than hers and briskly opened the door. Gu Annan, with a dark face, indiscreetly pulled her out, regardless of the consequences. The more she was eager to find that man, the more he wanted to take her away from here. The club¡¯s lobby manager watched, dumbfounded, as the always cold and aloof Gu Annan personally dragged the woman who had entered not long before, hurriedly walking out. Unseen, rare, unheard of! This must be a rush to get a room, right? The legend that Young Master Gu disdains women must not be true. * Lu Wanwan was dragged all the way until she was shoved into the car outside the club. ¡°Bang¡±, the car door slammed shut. Zhao Chen, sitting in the driver¡¯s seat, controlled his surprise and calmly spoke, ¡°Mr. Gu, shall we leave now?¡± ¡°If you want to leave, you go, I¡¯m not leaving! Let me out of the car!¡± Lu Wanwan struggled and pushed. Gu Annan restrained her, calmly said, ¡°Drive, back to Gu Mansion.¡± The car smoothly started, and Lu Wanwan felt like dying. And with every move, she felt as if her whole body was rubbing against him. This man, in his effort to hold her steady, wrapped his arms around her, pulling her into an embrace that made her particularly uncomfortable, her heart pounding. He had a hint of fresh mint scent on him, just like back then. The intense masculine scent mixed in made her brain dizzy, limbs weak, similar to the feeling of being drugged that day. Remembering that day, her face involuntarily heated up. She truly hated how weak she was, forgetting the lessons she had stumbled over because of this man? ¡°Try moving again and see!¡± A deliberately lowered voice, fiercely came through. Lu Wanwan instinctively stopped moving, clearly hearing his breathing quicken a bit. The throbbing from his chest was even more intense. Probably because¡­ he was angry? The car finally quieted down. As Lu Wanwan desperately tried to steady her breathing, she suddenly heard Gu Annan command in a low voice, ¡°Speed up.¡± Chapter 13 - Chapter 13: Chapter 13 President Gu Loses Composure Chapter 13: Chapter 13 President Gu Loses Composure The air conditioning in the car was cranked up, but Lu Wanwan still felt hot. The heat of her body temperature, the heat of her breath, ultimately its source was indeterminate. ¡°The car has already started, and now I can¡¯t get out even if I want to, so could you¡­ let go of me first?¡± As soon as the words fell, the arms that had been around her just released, without any dragging. Gu Annan shifted his gaze away, and his expression instantly turned icy, suppressing the brewing coldness within. That look made Lu Wanwan dare not make a sound. Her heart¡¯s racing finally began to slow, but it could never return to its usual calm. Gu Annan sat in the middle of the backseat, catching a glimpse of Lu Wanwan slowly moving towards the car window from the corner of his eye. Her movements were very light, as if she were careful not to be noticed by him. Bit by bit, she moved farther away from him. He had already been struggling to suppress the heat surging inside him, and now, seeing Lu Wanwan¡¯s actions felt like a bucket of cold water was dumped on him. It extinguished the moment that was about to erupt. * The car drove into the most expensive lakefront district in Manchester, where Gu Mansion was especially conspicuous among the buildings. ¡°Get out.¡± Gu Annan stood at the car door, frowning at the woman inside who refused to come out. Lu Wanwan shook her head, ¡°I won¡¯t get out, unless you let me go.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll say it one more time, get out!¡± At this moment, that handsome face of his looked to her exactly like a devil¡¯s. Forget staying a minute with him in the same place, even if there were a necessity, she couldn¡¯t go to his house which was far too private. She was convinced that Gu Annan was deliberately getting back at her. Life was hard enough already, and soon she would have to ask her family for tuition fees. If her stepmother and Lu Kexin found out she had gone to her future brother-in-law¡¯s house, even that slight fa?ade would probably be torn apart. ¡°Gu Annan, I don¡¯t want to go inside!¡± she protested loudly. Zhao Chen sat in the driver¡¯s seat, feeling very awkward. Miss Lu, is it really okay to talk to Mr. Gu like that? He hinted at the beginning, ¡°Miss Lu, if you don¡¯t get out of the car, I can¡¯t drive it into the garage.¡± Gu Annan lost his patience, stepped one long leg into the car, and forcefully dragged her out from the inside. Zhao Chen glanced over, choosing to pretend he hadn¡¯t seen anything. He suddenly started to understand why Mr. Gu had told the old master and madam that Miss Lu Wanwan would be his fianc¨¦e. At least from the time he started working as an assistant for Mr. Gu when he took over Gu Corporation, this was the first time he had seen him lose his composure to this extent. Though the gesture was a bit rough, in case of other women, Mr. Gu didn¡¯t even bother to look at them directly, so much so that there were rumors claiming Mr. Gu was gay¡­ Now, at least, Mr. Gu was physically grabbing a woman¡¯s hand! ¡°I can walk by myself, let go of my hand first!¡± ¡°Gu Annan, did you even hear what I said!¡± Lu Wanwan was really getting anxious, not only because of entering Gu Mansion, but also because Gu Annan¡¯s entire behavior was disconcerting. He had always been composed, distant, and cold. Since childhood, she had known him to be unflappable, making her feel that there was hardly anything in the world that could provoke his emotions. Except, that one time. Lu Wanwan frowned deeply, her lips turning white from biting them. ¡°Young Master¡­¡± As soon as they entered the gate of Gu Mansion, an elderly maid looked at Lu Wanwan in surprise and continued, ¡°The master just called, he said that the young master and Lu¡­¡± ¡°Auntie Li!¡± Gu Annan quickly interrupted her, still holding onto Lu Wanwan¡¯s wrist, his tone returning to calm, ¡°I know, I¡¯m a bit busy right now.¡± Chapter 14 - Chapter 14: Chapter 14: Heart Racing Chapter 14: Chapter 14: Heart Racing Lu Wanwan¡¯s wrist ached terribly, and she despaired upon hearing Gu Annan¡¯s words. Auntie Li tactfully nodded and stepped back, then the Gu Mansion fell silent again. ¡°If you¡¯re busy, I won¡¯t disturb you any longer,¡± she feigned ignorance immediately. Gu Annan glanced at her panicked look as if she thought she were in a dragon¡¯s den. Lu Wanwan¡¯s wrist was released, and she gently massaged it. Looking up, she asked, ¡°Why did you bring me here?¡± He shoved his hands into his pockets, ¡°To investigate everything related to my fianc¨¦e.¡± ¡°She¡¯s ungrateful and hypocritical, always pretending. Is that enough?¡± ¡°It sounds like you hate her to the bone. So, for the safety of my fianc¨¦e, from now on I forbid you from approaching her,¡± a cold voice responded, ¡°and that also means you don¡¯t need to return to the Lu Family either.¡± Lu Wanwan stared in disbelief at his stunningly handsome, cold face. After a moment, she clenched her teeth and said, ¡°I can assure you I won¡¯t touch a single hair on her head. Can I go now?¡± She didn¡¯t want to get close to Lu Kexin, nor did she want to go back to the Lu Family. But she still needed money; her current salary was far from enough. Gu Annan didn¡¯t answer whether she could leave, ¡°Continue talking about yourself, like why you had the club people find me to let you in.¡± This was the question Lu Wanwan least wanted to answer. ¡°Because I couldn¡¯t find anyone else.¡± ¡°I¡¯m asking why you wanted to go in,¡± his voice dropped a few notches, his gaze locking onto Lu Wanwan¡¯s black pupils, not shifting away for a moment. She felt it was torture, this interrogative questioning. ¡°I went there to find someone.¡± The questioning voice was cold as ice, ¡°Who and for what purpose?¡± Lu Wanwan actually did not want to answer this question, did not want him to know how hard her life was now, as it would make her feel even less dignified in front of him. ¡°Who I was looking for, didn¡¯t you see it already?¡± She glanced and saw suppressed anger in Gu Annan¡¯s dark pupils, and her heart rate accelerated. This time, it was not because she admired his looks, but entirely because of his expression. Under that stern gaze, Lu Wanwan simply decided to face the worst. To her future brother-in-law, what point was there in hiding her situation? Once he got engaged, and then married to Lu Kexin, he would understand her current plight all too well. ¡°Zui Entertainment wanted a headline for an issue; I happened to get Bai Lingyun¡¯s schedule and needed a story that would drive sales. Clearly, I was the one to do this. Yes, I am interning at Zui Entertainment, so you¡¯d better be careful. The heir of Gu Corporation is also a guarantee for sales, and I won¡¯t go easy!¡± It wasn¡¯t that she was ashamed of this job; it¡¯s just that Zui Entertainment had a rather poor reputation. Especially in the eyes of celebrities, being called a sewer rat wouldn¡¯t be an overstatement. Yet it was still a publication that people cursed while buying, always envied by its peers in sales. ¡°Is it for the money?¡± Lu Wanwan did not wait for the disdain she expected but listened to his questioning tone in a mellow voice. ¡°Can¡¯t you believe that your fianc¨¦e¡¯s sister, the eldest daughter of the Lu Family, is now willing to do anything for money?¡± she scoffed self-mockingly. Upon hearing that she would do anything for money, he recalled all her actions at the restroom doorway earlier. If he hadn¡¯t happened to come to the club then, she really could have ended up doing anything! ¡°Can I go now?¡± Lu Wanwan didn¡¯t feel like explaining so much. Just as she was about to step away, she heard his voice, ¡°How much do you need?¡± Chapter 15 - Chapter 15: Chapter 15 The Patron Lord is Difficult to Serve Chapter 15: Chapter 15 The Patron Lord is Difficult to Serve Lu Wanwan turned her head, ¡°What did you say?¡± ¡°How much money do you want.¡± This time, he spoke one word at a time, very clearly. Lu Wanwan looked at him in surprise, unable to read anything from those cool and thin eyes, only feeling that the light within them was dim and profound. Was Gu Annan offering her money? Or was he asking this question just to humiliate her? If it were before, her pride would never allow herself to bow her head. But now, her temper had long been worn down over the years. The contemptuous looks, the mocking tone, these things could no longer hurt her. ¡°Two hundred thousand¡­¡± she said cautiously. Gu Annan gazed at her, his pale face contrasting sharply with his scattering black hair. Her gaze darted away, her rosy lips pressed tight and trembling slightly, stubbornness and endurance struggling in her eyes. ¡°Even if you shoot ten times with Bai Lingyun, you won¡¯t earn two hundred thousand.¡± ¡°I know.¡± What Gu Annan said was the truth, Lu Wanwan was very clear about that. But she couldn¡¯t give up just because the hopes were slim, she couldn¡¯t. ¡°Gu Annan.¡± She bit her lower lip, ¡°If there¡¯s nothing else¡­¡± ¡°I can give you the two hundred thousand.¡± His cold voice suddenly interrupted her. She stared at him in shock, thinking she had heard wrong. ¡°Of course, there are conditions.¡± Gu Annan watched the emotions change on her face, a slight cold smile on his handsome face, ¡°Two hundred thousand, for one month of service.¡± ¡°Wha, what one month?¡± Lu Wanwan looked at him, her eyes wide, logic telling her it can¡¯t be anything good. Gu Annan spoke mockingly, ¡°I¡¯m paying the money, naturally I¡¯m the sponsor. Of course, it¡¯s for selling your body!¡± She was completely stunned. She had thought he would at most mock her a bit, but didn¡¯t expect him to propose such a condition. ¡°But, aren¡¯t you supposed to get engaged with Lu Kexin? And you said you had no interest in me, and also¡­¡± ¡°One minute to consider.¡± Gu Annan said, somewhat annoyed. Proposing this condition hadn¡¯t been in his plan at all, it was almost a reflex, feeling like an opportunity, he had spoken without even thinking about whether he had a reasonable excuse. That¡¯s why he especially didn¡¯t want to hear any of her irrational reasons. But with this woman¡¯s usual pride, accepting such humiliation was almost impossible. ¡°I agree!¡± Lu Wanwan blurted out. No matter the reason, she couldn¡¯t waste this opportunity. She needed that two hundred thousand very, very much. ¡°What did you say?¡± Gu Annan frowned tightly, not expecting her to agree so quickly. Lu Wanwan, fearing he would change his mind, ¡°I said I agree to your conditions, Gu Annan, you¡¯re not thinking of going back on your word, are you?¡± She glanced at him quickly. The cold frown on his handsome face, completely inscrutable as to what he was really planning. But that wasn¡¯t important; the important thing was that she finally saw a turning point for the two hundred thousand she needed. At least she knew, once Gu Annan agreed, he would certainly not renege on the money. Confronting his grim eyes, she spoke with difficulty, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I know what you mean. I won¡¯t mention this to anyone, and I won¡¯t let anyone from the Lu Family find any clues.¡± Gu Annan watched her submissive manner and fell silent instead. * Three hours later, Lu Wanwan began to doubt her decision, doubting whether she could really get the money this way. Because she had been following this sponsor without a moment¡¯s separation for three hours, and he had not mentioned money again. Chapter 16 - Chapter 16: Chapter 16: Shockingly Gazing at His Amazing Physique Chapter 16: Chapter 16: Shockingly Gazing at His Amazing Physique The sound of the shower in the bathroom made her even more flustered. Lu Wanwan stood in the gorgeously elegant room, hand on her forehead, unsure of what to do. Since she had agreed, Gu Annan had utterly ignored her. She even started to doubt whether his offer was just to humiliate her and to see her enraged reaction. But she hadn¡¯t anticipated being so desperate for money that she couldn¡¯t afford to be angry, only fearing that he might go back on his word. Just knew it! With Gu Annan¡¯s pride, how could he tolerate being with a woman, especially after mistaking her room fee for a solicitation fee? He wouldn¡¯t be content until he got back at her for that, so he used the deed to humiliate her on purpose. Well done, Gu Annan, you won again. Madam is not playing anymore, it¡¯s not worth standing foolishly by his side for that unobtainable 200,000 yuan, letting him relish her embarrassment at every moment. The sound of the water in the bathroom had stopped. Her heart thudded wildly, but she couldn¡¯t move her feet to just leave. She couldn¡¯t just leave like this. Since she couldn¡¯t get the money, she didn¡¯t need to endure his mockery and simmer quietly like a dumpling. Lu Wanwan straightened her back, a stark contrast to her earlier demure demeanor. She just stood at the bathroom door, in a position too conspicuous to ignore. Gu Annan paused as he opened the door, nearly bumping into her face-to-face. ¡°Gu Annan, I¡¯m telling you¡­ I¡­¡± Gu Annan was only wrapped in a towel around his lower body, revealing slightly his Adonis belt, his well-sculpted muscular contours were perfect to a fault. The light at the doorway hit him, as if enveloped in a halo, misty with steam. She suddenly found herself at a loss for words. Staring in shock at his stunning physique, she accidentally swallowed. It felt as if the heat could transfer from his closely positioned body to her face, especially since her face was barely ten centimeters away from his chest. ¡°What were you going to tell me?¡± His voice came from above, deep and a bit hoarse, as sexy as his physique. Lu Wanwan had forgotten all the emotions and words she had prepared earlier. She secretly took a deep breath, ready to speak again. ¡°If you don¡¯t have anything to say, go get my clothes.¡± Gu Annan watched her reaction, his tone calm. Lu Wanwan looked up, meeting his gaze, ¡°Why should I fetch them?¡± What a joke, did he think she was submissive? Did he think after being humiliated, she would still obediently obey? Gu Annan spoke unhurriedly, ¡°You¡¯ll do what I tell you to do. You don¡¯t actually think ¡®selling yourself¡¯ involves only one thing, do you? Two hundred thousand yuan, averaging over six thousand per night. Do you think there should be such a huge discrepancy between us?¡± Lu Wanwan stuttered, ¡°I¡¯ve already explained to you¡­ that, that 380 was for the room, not for solicitation¡­¡± ¡°Lu Wanwan, you dare bring that up!¡± She immediately lowered her head, wishing she could bite her own tongue. Remember this lesson, don¡¯t raise what shouldn¡¯t be mentioned. ¡°Get, the, clothes!¡± Gu Annan¡¯s voice grew even hoarser, like a tightly strung violin string. Her breath kept coming at him, this infuriating woman¡ªif she didn¡¯t leave soon¡­ ¡°I¡¯ll get them, I¡¯ll get them!¡± She immediately turned around and walked away as if fleeing. Her face must have been as red as a tomato, how embarrassing! She relaxed slightly only once she entered the walk-in closet. Thinking back to what he had just said, not to assume that ¡®selling yourself¡¯ entails only one thing¡­ Until now, she had been like an ostrich, not wanting to think about what selling herself might involve. He had said he wasn¡¯t interested in her. Besides, not long ago while organizing files at the newspaper, she incidentally checked up on him. There were rumors that the mysterious heir of the Gu family was gay¡­ Chapter 17 - Chapter 17: Chapter 17 Can You Be Any Ruder! Chapter 17: Chapter 17 Can You Be Any Ruder! Perhaps he did this to debunk the rumors on his own, so no one would suspect his engagement was only in name and that he still needed other women? After all, expecting Gu Annan to come out and explain that he actually wasn¡¯t gay was simply impossible. As Lu Wanwan looked at the rows of cabinets inside the closet, she couldn¡¯t help but inwardly ridicule that a straight man would need so many clothes¡ªit was truly incomprehensible. ¡°Gu Annan, what do you want to wear?¡± Without any direction, she didn¡¯t dare to rummage around, fearing that an accidental glimpse of something unspeakable would stoke the flames of his existing anger. Gu Annan, the name that had disappeared from her life for years still rang clear in her mind; this person was definitely quick to anger, haughtily aloof, with an untouchable pride. ¡°It¡¯s ten o¡¯clock at night, you tell me what to wear?¡± Lu Wanwan rolled her eyes at the voice from outside the room and casually opened a wardrobe. If that was the case, she wouldn¡¯t hold back. * Lu Wanwan didn¡¯t find any embarrassing skeletons in his closet; everything was neat and orderly, more appealing than in a high-end store. Inside were mostly suits and dress shirts for formal events, with a portion dedicated to casual wear, primarily in a palette of black, white, and grey. She opened one after another, surveying and critiquing as she went. Years had passed, and his taste remained exactly the same. In the bedroom, Gu Annan had finished a glass of ice water, calming some of the uncontrollable urge he had just felt. Lifting his gaze toward the direction of the dressing room, his brow furrowed. So much time had passed, what in the world was she doing in there? He set down the glass, his footsteps mute on the carpet. Upon entering the dressing room, he saw Lu Wanwan, who had opened almost all his wardrobes, inspecting them one by one. Ironically, his pajamas were in the one closet that remained unopened. Gu Annan glanced at the woman rummaging through his clothes with her fingers and walked over to the wardrobe that contained his sleepwear, pulling it open. Upon hearing the noise, Lu Wanwan turned around to see the closet full of pajamas that Gu Annan had opened. The disdainful look he gave her was reminiscent of the way he looked at her math test paper, many years ago. ¡°Well, it¡¯s my first time in here,¡± Lu Wanwan said, scratching her head, searching for an excuse. ¡°I didn¡¯t know where you kept your clothes. It¡¯s not strange, right? But look, I¡¯ve familiarized myself with everything now, so I¡¯ll be quick at finding anything in the future.¡± Gu Annan¡¯s eyebrows raised slightly¡ªdid this mean she intended to pick out his clothes every day? ¡°Cough,¡± Lu Wanwan felt uncomfortable under his gaze and quickly stepped forward, pulling out a silk robe at random from the wardrobe. How he embodied the spoiled master, standing right there by the closet yet unwilling to lift a hand, expecting her to hand everything to him. She resigned herself, holding the dark robe in both hands. Gu Annan watched with downcast eyes, observing Lu Wanwan as she adopted an obedient wife¡¯s demeanor. Lu Wanwan, seeing him not reaching for it, assumed he was waiting for her to help him put it on. So, swallowing her pride, she spread the robe out, extending her trembling arms towards him. Serving a man¡¯s every beck and call was a first for her. Endure! She hadn¡¯t been paid yet. Being merely compliant wasn¡¯t enough; she had to be proactive. When her fingers brushed against his arm, she retracted them as if electrocuted. She felt the muscles in that arm tense in response. Thinking that Gu Annan was annoyed by her reluctance, she instinctively reached out and grabbed his arm. She lifted his arm and deftly slid one sleeve on. ¡°Lu Wanwan, can you be any rougher!!¡± Chapter 18 - Chapter 18: Chapter 18 Lu Wanwan, Are You Too Eager? Chapter 18: Chapter 18 Lu Wanwan, Are You Too Eager? ¡°I¡¯m sorry, it wasn¡¯t intentional.¡± She wanted to cover her face, the more she tried to please him, the more likely something went wrong. Lu Wanwan deliberately avoided looking at the expression on his face, not wanting to know how dissatisfied and annoyed he was. The sleeve went on, followed by the shoulder. Gu Annan was tall, so she had to reach up. Through the thin silk fabric, her hand kept sliding over his body, feeling his arm muscles become tenser and tenser, rigid. As she draped the robe over his shoulders, her movements were extremely gentle and cautious, trying not to touch him as much as possible. But unexpectedly, as she drew close, she stepped on his foot. Before she could apologize, Gu Annan¡¯s foot jerked back sharply, retreating several steps. And she, carried by that force, tilted, reflexively reaching out to grab something to steady herself. Then, she accurately embraced Gu Annan¡¯s waist and arm. By the time she realized her actions were improper, it was obviously too late. Apparently intending to free himself, Gu Annan silently moved back once more¡­ ¡°Ah!¡± Lu Wanwan screamed, her hands covering her eyes, trying to erase the image she had just seen from her mind. Because she had leaned on him with the weight of her loss of strength, and with his step back, her hands slid down from his body, directly pulling down the towel that was already loosely wrapped around his lower body! She had¡­ stripped Gu Annan! Lu Wanwan was on the verge of tears, her face so red it could bleed. The accident came too quickly, like a tornado, and by the time she came to her senses, it was already irretrievable. The room fell into a moment of quietness, where she could clearly hear her own heartbeat. Instead of the expected explosion of anger, in the silence, she heard his low, husky voice, exceedingly suggestive, ¡°What I said was ¡®put on clothes,¡¯ not ¡®take off clothes.''¡± The words ¡°take off clothes¡± were enunciated by him particularly clearly, on purpose. But, but this isn¡¯t quite right, is it? Gu Annan had been stripped bare, in such a humiliating moment, and his first reaction wasn¡¯t to throw her out directly? Lu Wanwan spread a small gap between her fingers covering her eyes. Through the gap, as expected, she saw that handsome, flawless face looking gloomily back at her. His sexy thin lips were tightly pursed, the pale skin seemingly tinged with a faint blush. Under the immense pressure, she watched as Gu Annan calmly picked up the robe and put it on. During this process, his deep and angry eyes didn¡¯t blink away from her for a moment. Her heart felt like it could jump out of her mouth. ¡°Lu Wanwan, are you too eager?¡± Gu Annan tied the belt of the robe methodically and leisurely took a step forward. Lu Wanwan, covering her face and eyes, quickly retreated. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I really didn¡¯t mean to. I, I just now¡­ I was careless¡­¡± In his suppressed anger, there seemed to be a mocking smile, ¡°Careless? You accidentally slept with me, accidentally stripped me, you agreed so eagerly when I simply mentioned selling myself for debt, every time so perfectly on point, you are very, very careless!¡± Lu Wanwan was at a loss for words, feeling more wronged than Dou E. She retreated step by step to the corner, while the approaching tall figure easily blocked all her paths to escape. All of a sudden, her hands covering her face were forcefully pulled down, her dark eyes wide open, trembling as she looked at the extraordinarily handsome face before her. Chapter 19 - Chapter 19: Chapter 19: Cant Tell if its Straight or Bent? Chapter 19: Chapter 19: Can¡¯t Tell if it¡¯s Straight or Bent? ¡°Gu Annan!¡± she immediately warned, ¡°don¡¯t come any closer.¡± The proximity to Gu Annan inexplicably gave her a sense of extreme danger. ¡°I¡¯ve spent two hundred thousand, and you¡¯re telling me not to come over?¡± Lu Wanwan couldn¡¯t tell if that was him deliberately provoking her, or a reminder before they rolled in the sheets. But what about the supposed lack of interest? However, she bit her tongue on that remark, knowing if said out loud, it might infuriate Gu Annan and then the two hundred thousand would be gone. ¡°I can help you prove it in other ways,¡± she said, like a rabbit cornered. Gu Annan¡¯s eyebrows knitted together as he crossed his arms and looked at her, ¡°Prove what?¡± ¡°Prove¡­ prove that you¡¯re not gay¡­¡± His eyes suddenly glinted with a cold light, and he dropped his hand sharply, his voice grave, ¡°Say that again!¡± ¡°It¡¯s not what I said¡­ there are rumors that you¡¯re bent, so¡­¡± The corner of Gu Annan¡¯s mouth twitched, and he raised his eyebrows suddenly, showing a look of immense doubt about her intelligence, ¡°Can you not tell if I¡¯m straight or not? Or is the feeling not strong enough?¡± Lu Wanwan thought to herself, when had she ever gotten that impression! Besides, it¡¯s not easy to spot someone closeted, right? ¡°Right, you were so out of it, you didn¡¯t even know who you slept with,¡± Gu Annan sneered coldly, his eyes and brows icing over with a layer of frost at the mention of the incident, ¡°No matter. You have a whole month to get a clear feel again!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t!¡± she blurted out, panic-stricken within. Gu Annan¡¯s brow furrowed as he grabbed her wrist, and with their faces extremely close, his lips curved into a cold arc, ¡°For every ¡®don¡¯t¡¯, I¡¯ll deduct ten thousand!¡± ¡°What, what?¡± Lu Wanwan instantly wilted like a frosted eggplant. She knew she had said something foolish the moment the words left her mouth, waiting for his outburst. But his opening response was to deduct money, a strike that was all too precise. ¡°You¡¯re shameless! Bullying!¡± Lu Wanwan¡¯s voice wavered. Two hundred thousand for a month, and just because of one sentence, he deducted ten thousand from her. At this rate, was she going to end up owing him money after a few more days? Gu Annan lifted her chin with his hand, looking down at her from above, ¡°Lu Wanwan, this was your own agreement; I didn¡¯t force you! You can still back out now, but soon you won¡¯t have the chance to break our deal midway. Lu Wanwan disliked that look in his eyes, so superior, making her feel as if she was beneath his notice. She bit her lip, mustering a defiant smile, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Mr. Gu; as long as you don¡¯t back out, I won¡¯t regret it. If you decide to back out, that¡¯s fine too. I thank you for giving me such a great idea; I really couldn¡¯t have thought of it myself. Just let me know a bit earlier, and I can still find other¡­ gold¡­¡± A sharp pain shot through her jaw as she clenched her teeth, facing the man who, in an instant, became furiously incensed, his gaze as if he wished to tear her apart. ¡°Repeat what you just said, and you won¡¯t get a cent of the remaining one hundred and ninety thousand,¡± Gu Annan¡¯s voice was ice cold, his articulation sharp and chilling, ¡°And I¡¯d like to see who in Manchester dares to want you without my permission!¡± As soon as his words fell, her lips hurt from his fierce bite, forceful enough to take her breath away. All struggles were in vain; her head was forcefully held in place, the kiss dominant and despotic, and she could even taste a trace of sweet, metallic flavor¡­ It was unclear how long it lasted before she was finally released, her cheeks scorched by his hot breaths. Gu Annan¡¯s forehead rested against hers as he took deep breaths, his gaze lowered to her now swollen and reddened lips. Realizing he had lost control again because of this detestable woman, all because of her one sentence. Chapter 21 - Chapter 21: Chapter 21 She is Covered with the Young Masters Blanket Chapter 21: Chapter 21 She is Covered with the Young Master¡¯s Blanket The servants whispered softly, unable to make sense of it. She had chosen to sleep on the couch, yet she was covered with a blanket. She recognized that blanket, it was from the young master¡¯s bedroom. With the young master¡¯s temperament of not sharing anything with anyone, not even the second miss could touch his belongings. Yet now, the young master¡¯s blanket was on her, which was odd. So, it must be that this young lady had a peculiar habit of liking to sleep on the couch¡­ ¡°Alright, go clean and prepare two breakfasts. Be quiet, don¡¯t wake up this young lady,¡± Aunt Li whispered. By the time Gu Annan came out of the bedroom and started downstairs, he halted halfway. The several servants on the first floor were quietly busy, while the woman on the couch was still in a deep sleep. He had thought that once the servants opened the door in the morning, she would be eager to leave. ¡°Young master,¡± Aunt Li approached as Gu Annan descended, ¡°breakfast is ready, shall we wake this young lady up?¡± Gu Annan withdrew his gaze from the couch and silently headed to the dining room. Aunt Li walked over to the couch and gently tapped Lu Wanwan, ¡°Miss, could you wake up?¡± Lu Wanwan opened her eyes and immediately sat up. The curtains in the villa were all drawn open, and the bright natural light was beautifully scattered. She had always had trouble sleeping, yet she had managed to sleep until daylight on Gu Annan¡¯s couch. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I overslept,¡± she said, looking down at the thin blanket on her, soft and warm, no wonder it felt so cozy. When she had first laid down, she remembered feeling a bit cold, holding only the throw pillow from the couch for warmth. Where was the throw pillow she¡¯d been holding? Lu Wanwan looked around and saw a discarded pillow not far away on the floor. That probably wasn¡¯t thrown by her, it was tossed too far¡­ ¡°Thank you,¡± Lu Wanwan said gratefully, standing up and handing back the thin blanket to Aunt Li, ¡°I¡¯m really sorry for the trouble. You should have woken me up earlier¡­¡± She assumed Aunt Li had brought the blanket over to cover her. Aunt Li took the blanket, thought for a moment, but did not clarify, simply saying, ¡°Miss, breakfast is ready; please come have something to eat first.¡± Lu Wanwan rubbed her temples, suddenly remembering something. She checked her phone, which had automatically turned off due to a dead battery. ¡°What time is it now?¡± she asked. Aunt Li answered, ¡°It¡¯s seven-thirty in the morning now.¡± She breathed a sigh of relief, she wasn¡¯t late yet, but the time was tight since leaving from here wasn¡¯t easy and might take quite some time. ¡°I won¡¯t eat, I must be going,¡± she said, hastily standing up. Aunt Li paid no mind to her words and called a servant, ¡°Take this young lady to the washroom.¡± ¡°I¡¯m really sorry but I really don¡¯t have time, thank you for your kindness,¡± Lu Wanwan insisted. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, miss, but this is the young master¡¯s order,¡± Aunt Li replied with a smile. Hearing that, Lu Wanwan was led away by the servant in a daze. After freshening up, she was brought to the dining room. The floor-to-ceiling windows next to the dining room were open, and the morning sun slanted in. Gu Annan sat at the dining table, the morning light casting a golden glow over him, rendering him breathlessly perfect. Lu Wanwan approached him, but he did not look up. Gracefully holding a knife and fork, his cold indifference beneath his expressionless face, even the sunshine seemed a bit chilly. Lu Wanwan had resolved not to deal with him last night, and now even more so, she had the notion to turn around and leave. ¡°Sit down!¡± Gu Annan commanded in a softly cold voice, his authority palpable. Chapter 21 - Chapter 21: Chapter 21 She is Covered with the Young Masters Blanket Chapter 21: Chapter 21 She is Covered with the Young Master¡¯s Blanket The servants whispered softly, unable to make sense of it. She had chosen to sleep on the couch, yet she was covered with a blanket. She recognized that blanket, it was from the young master¡¯s bedroom. With the young master¡¯s temperament of not sharing anything with anyone, not even the second miss could touch his belongings. Yet now, the young master¡¯s blanket was on her, which was odd. So, it must be that this young lady had a peculiar habit of liking to sleep on the couch¡­ ¡°Alright, go clean and prepare two breakfasts. Be quiet, don¡¯t wake up this young lady,¡± Aunt Li whispered. By the time Gu Annan came out of the bedroom and started downstairs, he halted halfway. The several servants on the first floor were quietly busy, while the woman on the couch was still in a deep sleep. He had thought that once the servants opened the door in the morning, she would be eager to leave. ¡°Young master,¡± Aunt Li approached as Gu Annan descended, ¡°breakfast is ready, shall we wake this young lady up?¡± Gu Annan withdrew his gaze from the couch and silently headed to the dining room. Aunt Li walked over to the couch and gently tapped Lu Wanwan, ¡°Miss, could you wake up?¡± Lu Wanwan opened her eyes and immediately sat up. The curtains in the villa were all drawn open, and the bright natural light was beautifully scattered. She had always had trouble sleeping, yet she had managed to sleep until daylight on Gu Annan¡¯s couch. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I overslept,¡± she said, looking down at the thin blanket on her, soft and warm, no wonder it felt so cozy. When she had first laid down, she remembered feeling a bit cold, holding only the throw pillow from the couch for warmth. Where was the throw pillow she¡¯d been holding? Lu Wanwan looked around and saw a discarded pillow not far away on the floor. That probably wasn¡¯t thrown by her, it was tossed too far¡­ ¡°Thank you,¡± Lu Wanwan said gratefully, standing up and handing back the thin blanket to Aunt Li, ¡°I¡¯m really sorry for the trouble. You should have woken me up earlier¡­¡± She assumed Aunt Li had brought the blanket over to cover her. Aunt Li took the blanket, thought for a moment, but did not clarify, simply saying, ¡°Miss, breakfast is ready; please come have something to eat first.¡± Lu Wanwan rubbed her temples, suddenly remembering something. She checked her phone, which had automatically turned off due to a dead battery. ¡°What time is it now?¡± she asked. Aunt Li answered, ¡°It¡¯s seven-thirty in the morning now.¡± She breathed a sigh of relief, she wasn¡¯t late yet, but the time was tight since leaving from here wasn¡¯t easy and might take quite some time. ¡°I won¡¯t eat, I must be going,¡± she said, hastily standing up. Aunt Li paid no mind to her words and called a servant, ¡°Take this young lady to the washroom.¡± ¡°I¡¯m really sorry but I really don¡¯t have time, thank you for your kindness,¡± Lu Wanwan insisted. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, miss, but this is the young master¡¯s order,¡± Aunt Li replied with a smile. Hearing that, Lu Wanwan was led away by the servant in a daze. After freshening up, she was brought to the dining room. The floor-to-ceiling windows next to the dining room were open, and the morning sun slanted in. Gu Annan sat at the dining table, the morning light casting a golden glow over him, rendering him breathlessly perfect. Lu Wanwan approached him, but he did not look up. Gracefully holding a knife and fork, his cold indifference beneath his expressionless face, even the sunshine seemed a bit chilly. Lu Wanwan had resolved not to deal with him last night, and now even more so, she had the notion to turn around and leave. ¡°Sit down!¡± Gu Annan commanded in a softly cold voice, his authority palpable. Chapter 22 - Chapter 22: Chapter 22 The Heart Beep of a Dog Chapter 22: Chapter 22 The Heart ¡®Beep¡¯ of a Dog The servant stood next to Lu Wanwan, and at Gu Annan¡¯s command, unhurriedly pulled out a stool, which was right across from Gu Annan. The dining table was adorned with exquisite, lavish dishes, and there were also exceptionally fine dining utensils. Lu Wanwan sat down reluctantly, and the servant immediately withdrew to a distant spot. The dining room was quiet, and there she sat, hands on her lap, slowly clenching them into fists. She watched the man opposite, eating breakfast with impeccable manners, not making the slightest sound. As she watched, she became a bit distracted. Suddenly, a loud clang of metal. Gu Annan abruptly set down his fork, looked up with a cold gaze, and said, ¡°If you don¡¯t finish it, I¡¯ll deduct another ten thousand.¡± Lu Wanwan¡¯s original posture was one of defiance; she was driven out, not to mention locked in this room, which forced her to sleep on the couch all night. She had intended to assert herself with pride, to show that from now on, she would have nothing to do with her future brother-in-law. But the moment he said those words, her indignation dissipated like smoke. Since their relationship was still clearly that of employer and employee, she had no right to be angry with him. The hand that had been clenched in a fist immediately relaxed, and she began to eat her breakfast. But people who sell themselves usually sleep on the soft, large beds of their benefactors. She sold herself and ended up sleeping on the benefactor¡¯s couch downstairs¡­ Lu Wanwan became hungrier as she ate; she hadn¡¯t had dinner the previous night and was famished, so she devoured the breakfast in front of her like a whirlwind, yet she still wasn¡¯t full. Of course, it wasn¡¯t just because she was hungry; she also hadn¡¯t had a breakfast of this quality in many years. She glanced at the two pieces of beef still remaining on Gu Annan¡¯s plate. It seemed he had no intention of eating them anytime soon, instead watching her eat. That look almost said outright, ¡°Lu Wanwan, how many days has it been since you¡¯ve eaten?¡± But at this point of desperation, she didn¡¯t care about his looks. She was poor enough to sell herself¡ªwas it strange that she wasn¡¯t full? ¡°Um¡­ are you still going to eat that?¡± Lu Wanwan shamelessly spoke up, pursing her lips, ¡°When you said to finish, you meant everything on this table, right?¡± Gu Annan slightly tugged at the corner of his mouth, and with a light flick of his fingers, he nudged his plate forward a bit. With just that small gesture, Lu Wanwan immediately understood. She unapologetically forked over the two pieces of beef. The servant watching from afar was stunned, their mouth remaining agape for a long time. Auntie Li, composed, said quietly, ¡°Next time, remember to prepare a bit more for this young lady¡¯s breakfast.¡± * Time ticked by, and Lu Wanwan followed Gu Annan out of the villa. What if he refused to give her a ride? He was the benefactor, not a driver, after all. Did she have to walk out of this villa neighborhood to hail a cab? She would definitely be late then. Although being late wasn¡¯t much compared to nineteen thousand, she hadn¡¯t seen a cent of the nineteen thousand yet. Gu Annan didn¡¯t speak, still maintaining an attitude that kept people at a distance, as if she were invisible, so Lu Wanwan quietly followed him like a little tail. She had no idea what she had sold herself into; there was no need to accompany him in sleep or conversation, just breakfast? Gu Annan entered the garage, walked up to a black two-seater sports car, opened the door, and got in. Lu Wanwan quickly circled to the passenger side, ready to shamelessly get in, but as the engine roared to life and Gu Annan stepped on the gas, the car sped away. She stood dumbfounded at the garage entrance, watching the sports car vanish along with its exhaust. A feeling overtook her, like a dog that had been ¡®beeped.¡¯ Chapter 23 - Chapter 23: Chapter 23 Our President Gu is also Tall, Rich, and Handsome Chapter 23: Chapter 23 Our President Gu is also Tall, Rich, and Handsome ¡°Miss Lu, please get in the car.¡± Lu Wanwan walked to the entrance of Gu Mansion in despair, where she saw the Bentley Mulsanne from yesterday. The driver inside was the same one from yesterday, who immediately greeted her to get in. ¡°Step on it, big brother, 38 Seaside Road.¡± Zhao Chen smiled, ¡°I know, Miss Lu, don¡¯t worry, we won¡¯t be late.¡± The car had everything, even a charger for her phone model. As Lu Wanwan charged her phone, she exclaimed, ¡°Xiaozhao, Mr. Gu¡¯s car really has everything, even a charger for my knockoff phone.¡± Zhao Chen¡¯s smile stiffened slightly, he paused, and then responded, ¡°Yes, we usually have everything prepared, just in case a client needs it.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true, it¡¯s quite convenient.¡± Zhao Chen felt like crying. For that knockoff phone charger, he had run around the electronics market all morning¡ªwho could understand his breakdown? ¡°Do you drivers make a good salary per month?¡± Lu Wanwan casually inquired. This had become her habit over the past two years, to inquire about the financial prospects of any profession, even from people she met only briefly. It could be another way to make good money that she might be able to take advantage of. For instance, during her second and third year of university, she had run a street stall for two years. Now, during her junior year vacation, she was starting to look for internships. The job at the newspaper was too busy, which was why she had temporarily set aside that fairly lucrative late-night gig. He coughed, ¡°Well¡­it¡¯s okay.¡± Zhao Chen¡¯s hands shook slightly as he drove. Miss Lu, I¡¯m not really a driver. It just happened that I was driving for Mr. Gu yesterday. Mr. Gu was afraid that a new driver might be too unfamiliar, so he asked me to fill in again today. ¡°By the way,¡± Zhao Chen, fearing that Miss Lu might pose another heart-stopping question, took the initiative to ask, ¡°Why were you in Dijing yesterday?¡± Lu Wanwan¡¯s brow furrowed, realizing her task was incomplete, and she was about to be scolded. ¡°What else could it be for our line of work? I went to look for Bai Lingyun, the new Best Actor, hoping to dig up some private scoop.¡± Zhao Chen nodded, ¡°I know, President Bai.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Lu Wanwan looked up, surprised, ¡°President what?¡± He laughed, ¡°Miss Lu, don¡¯t you do your homework before an interview? Bai Lingyun is not only an actor but also the legitimate grandson of the chairman of Bai Group.¡± This¡­ this is big news. She really hadn¡¯t had time to look up much on Bai Lingyun. She had just taken his vague schedule and went to stake it out. Bai Lingyun, being a big shot, should have been known as a domineering CEO if he was one. She shouldn¡¯t have been unaware. ¡°¡­This is the epitome of a tall, rich, and handsome man. I should write about this when I get back.¡± Zhao Chen felt a bit gloomy, Mr. Gu is also tall, rich, and handsome. ¡°But there¡¯s not much to write about this one because Bai Lingyun¡¯s fans all know it, which is why I asked, Miss Lu, don¡¯t you do your homework?¡± Lu Wanwan, having her professionalism questioned, scratched her head, ¡°I thought since he¡¯s a celebrity, knowing a bit about him would be enough. Mainly, this trip was too rushed, I didn¡¯t have much time. Xiaozhao, you drivers for the president must know a lot of private scoop, right?¡± Zhao Chen: ¡­ Driving for the president¡­ He wiped the sweat from his forehead, ¡°That¡¯s right, I just happen to know a bit of gossip about President Bai. Are you interested?¡± Lu Wanwan was resolute, ¡°Name your price.¡± This sudden turn of events made her feel as if she was being favored by the goddess of fortune. ¡°Miss Lu, you must be joking, how could I take your money?¡± This scoop came from Mr. Gu, why don¡¯t you try giving Mr. Gu some money and see if he freezes you to death in one second? Chapter 24 - Chapter 24: Chapter 24: President Gu, Miss Lu is Very Happy Chapter 24: Chapter 24: President Gu, Miss Lu is Very Happy ¡°I¡¯m so sorry about that.¡± Lu Wanwan went to dig through her wallet. Searching through her wallet, she couldn¡¯t even find a hundred-yuan bill, which was quite embarrassing¡­ Zhao Chen waved his hand, ¡°Really, it¡¯s not necessary. I don¡¯t rely on this for a living, it¡¯s just fun to see some gossip and share it.¡± Her eyes widened, watery, ¡°Xiaozhao, can you share more of this kind of stuff with me in the future?¡± ¡°Of course, no problem. For the greater good, for the greater good,¡± he said with a dry laugh. When they arrived at the newspaper building, Zhao Chen took out his mobile phone, ¡°I told you it¡¯s still early, we¡¯ve got fifteen minutes left. Oh, I have another photo, want me to give it to you too?¡± Lu Wanwan, now completely forgetting the gloom of being ditched by Gu Annan, asked eagerly, ¡°Would that be convenient?¡± Zhao Chen nodded repeatedly, ¡°Convenient, very convenient.¡± Not giving it would mean a dock in salary, okay? ¡°Then you can send it to me via Bluetooth,¡± Lu Wanwan quickly took out her knockoff phone. Zhao Chen paused for a moment: ¡°Miss Lu, my fruit phone, it can¡¯t send stuff via Bluetooth.¡± Lu Wanwan looked enviously at his phone, then reluctantly turned on her data, ¡°Then I¡¯ll add you on WeChat.¡± Driving for the president sure is nice, fruit phones are so expensive. Go to ????????????????????.co Back when fruit phones first came out, she bought every new model as soon as it was released. But after the incident four years ago, she didn¡¯t even dare to look at them anymore. Last year, after completely wearing out the outdated fruit phone she had, she was forced to buy a knockoff. Zhao Chen hesitated for a moment, considering it would make future communications with Miss Lu convenient, and then nodded. After the transfer was complete, Lu Wanwan got out of the car and went into the building with a spring in her step. Zhao Chen watched Lu Wanwan leave and dialed President Gu¡¯s number. ¡°President Gu, I¡¯ve given the material to Miss Lu. She was very happy and said she wants to share more in the future.¡± ¡°By the way, Miss Lu has no personal interest in Mr. Bo; she hasn¡¯t even investigated Mr. Bo¡¯s background¡­ Yes, President Gu, my extra effort was unnecessary, you don¡¯t need to learn about her personal interests¡­¡± ¡°Also, President Gu, although Miss Lu uses a knockoff phone, her heart is set on fruit phones¡ªI saw how envious she was when she looked at my phone.¡± ¡°President Gu, if you give one to her directly and tell her the scoop yourself, she would be even happier¡­ President Gu, I was wrong!¡± * Entering the newspaper office, the atmosphere was a bit peculiar, with several colleagues whispering among themselves. ¡°Hey, Xiaolu is here?¡± Tang Xiao, an intern who came in with Lu Wanwan, leaned in and whispered, ¡°Did you see the car that just parked downstairs?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°What do you mean, ¡®huh¡¯? Are you so oblivious when you walk? A Bentley Mulsanne just parked downstairs at our building!¡± Tang Xiao clasped her hands to her heart, ¡°In a place like our third-rate, old building where it¡¯s a rarity to see rich folks within a hundred miles, isn¡¯t that strange?¡± Lu Wanwan massaged her temples, feeling a headache coming on, ¡°What¡¯s so strange about that? Manchester is teeming with tycoons; someone was just passing by.¡± Their newspaper¡¯s location was not in a bustling commercial district, but rather in the old town area. Being a celebrity¡¯s natural enemy comes at a cost; too much flamboyance leads to quick downfalls. In places like the old town area, they were much safer, as to the ordinary people, their publications were harmless. ¡°It wasn¡¯t just passing by, it was parked there for quite a while. Didn¡¯t you check the WeChat group? A colleague saw a woman get out of the car from a distance and saw her silhouette.¡± Lu Wanwan was taken aback, ¡°I haven¡¯t had time to check WeChat yet!¡± As she spoke, she pulled out a hair tie and quickly pulled her hair up into a ponytail to change her hairstyle. In a moment, a gasp went through the office area, ¡°They found out the license plate, it¡¯s one of Gu¡¯s cars!¡± Chapter 25 - Chapter 25: Chapter 25 His Special Mystery Chapter 25: Chapter 25 His Special Mystery Lu Wanwan had just sat down when the sound made her hands tremble. Indeed, their newspaper had an all-encompassing database that contained all known license plates of celebrities and tycoons. Colleagues would spot luxury cars, check the license plate, and could instantly switch into paparazzi mode. Sitting at her desk, her hand propped against her forehead, Gu Annan¡¯s license plate was actually in the database as well. Her colleagues had already exploded with excitement, crowding around to see. Tang Xiao, seeing the headache-inducing expression on Lu Wanwan¡¯s face, patted her shoulder. ¡°Still sitting, didn¡¯t you sleep well last night?¡± Lu Wanwan had no choice but to stand up, ¡°Yeah, I slept on the couch all night¡­¡± About a dozen people from the office gathered around the computer that had just been used to check the license plate. ¡°It¡¯s the Gu family from Manchester, that top-tier family. When this car was first registered, someone accidentally discovered that it belonged to the mysterious heir of the Gu family.¡± ¡°I heard he¡¯s a returned overseas Chinese, just came back not long ago, and has already started taking over the Gu corporation.¡± ¡°Extremely mysterious, they say only Gu¡¯s senior executives and shareholders know who he is. He keeps a low profile, but his moves are incredibly sharp. He launched several high-profile projects upon taking over, earning the respect of the Gu higher-ups, with none daring to question him.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t there a rumor that he¡¯s gay? It came from the gossip in the Manchester elite circles.¡± Go to ????????????????????.co ¡°They need to keep it mysterious, otherwise it could affect the company¡¯s stock price if it got out.¡± Lu Wanwan silently listened in. Gu Annan had been in office for quite some time yet remained out of the public eye, a remarkably well-kept secret. Even Zui Entertainment, with its ability to dig deep, had at most just caught wind of the rumor that he was gay. There was suddenly a sly chuckle from the crowd. ¡°The number one wealthy bachelor of Manchester, rumored to be gay, ends up driving a woman to our building. Who¡¯s going to dig into this scoop? There are hundreds of nondescript little companies in our building, even though we¡¯re close to the action, it¡¯s not easy.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s split up, who saw that woman? Describe her.¡± ¡°I only caught a glance of her from behind. There were a lot of people at the time, and she moved quickly. She was wearing the most common white T-shirt and shorts¡­ similar to Xiaolu here, hair nearly down to her waist.¡± Lu Wanwan suddenly saw about a dozen pairs of eyes turning to look at her. She raised both hands, ¡°I came by the number 9 tram¡­¡± ¡°Nevermind,¡± her colleague looked at her thoughtfully, ¡°just getting a general idea. You¡¯d have broken the story a long time ago if you could have gotten close to him, right?¡± Lu Wanwan quickly nodded, ¡°Of course, like the scoop I got on Bai Lingyun that I plan to release immediately.¡± The editor-in-chief was already standing at the back of the room. Upon hearing Lu Wanwan¡¯s words, his eyebrows raised, ¡°You got it?¡± Lu Wanwan nodded, holding her phone, ¡°I have pictures, Bai Lingyun and a woman.¡± The office exploded again, ¡°Damn, you actually hit jackpot on your first try. Bai Lingyun has been in the industry for so long without a single scandal!¡± ¡°And with pictures, this is going to be big!¡± The editor-in-chief coughed with righteous indignation, ¡°Get it sorted out quickly, we¡¯re freeing up the front page headline for the next issue.¡± The incident with Gu Annan¡¯s luxury car was temporarily put aside as the photos from her phone were sent out and enlarged on the computer. An Eyes of Golden Flame colleague recognized it, ¡°That¡¯s Ji Jiayi, sister of Ji Shaoyang, leader of the young masters circle. She and Bai Lingyun are a good match. Maybe it¡¯s a family-arranged marriage, maybe childhood sweethearts, maybe a fresh romance, what¡¯s a good angle to take¡­ right, Xiaolu, the pixels on your knockoff phone aren¡¯t bad.¡± Chapter 26 - Chapter 26: Chapter 26: Cant Discuss How Paparazzi Are Hated Publicly? Chapter 26: Chapter 26: Can¡¯t Discuss How Paparazzi Are Hated Publicly? Lu Wanwan stared skyward. ¡°Xiaozhao¡¯s Fruit phone does the shooting, how could it be bad?¡± * Writing articles and arranging the layout, the headline for the next issue was changed at the last minute; the entire cover was redesigned, and everything had to be finalized before going to print. For these past few days, Lu Wanwan had been as busy as a dog, eating and drinking in front of the computer while arranging the suddenly inserted articles and the editor-in-chief kept sending over Bai Lingyun¡¯s schedule and information. The editor-in-chief actually handed over this star, known for having the most blind spots and being the hardest to dig up dirt on in the entertainment industry, directly to her. Do well, and the future profits will pour in. Do poorly, and if she couldn¡¯t dig up more dirt, she would have accomplished nothing. Tang Xiao was so sympathetic; it was a do-or-die situation. Getting Bai Lingyun¡¯s scandalous photo last time must have been sheer luck; otherwise, for a star like Bai Lingyun who has such a strong wife squad, it would be impossible to debut for so long without scandals breaking out. As for the matter of the Gu¡¯s mysterious successor, a team had already been specially arranged to investigate the entire building, which had nothing to do with her. After a few days of nervous deliberation, Lu Wanwan suddenly remembered she could simply send Xiaozhao a WeChat message telling him to never drive that car near the company again, or she would ¡®die¡¯ for him to see! In front of these colleagues who were deeply immersed in gossip and supervisors who would go to any lengths for a scandal, once they found out who was in the car, they would definitely do everything they could to get Gu Annan¡¯s private information. Go to ????????????????????.co Now, even with a hundred guts, she wouldn¡¯t dare to expose him. * At a high-end golf course. Gu Annan held a golf club, looking absent-mindedly into the distance. The man playing next to him wore a crisp smile on his lips. After taking his shot, he handed the club to the caddy and got a bottle of mineral water, ¡°Oh, by the way, Jiayi has been making a fuss these past two days, insisting that I explain things to you. I said it¡¯s unnecessary; you wouldn¡¯t care, but she just doesn¡¯t believe me.¡± Gu Annan showed little reaction, seeing that he had finished, he also tossed his club aside and sat down next to him. ¡°The person in charge at Dijing personally called to apologize, saying they had no idea how the sneak photography happened at their venue.¡± Gu Annan crossed his legs lazily, ¡°Really?¡± After Ji Shaoyang finished his drink, while twisting the bottle cap, he said, ¡°Jiayi and Bai Lingyun were just accidental victims too. They aren¡¯t even close; it was just a polite greeting when they met, such a coincidence to be photographed. And now ¡®Zui Entertainment¡¯ is selling out, beyond control. How has that tabloid not been sued into oblivion, huh?¡± Gu Annan¡¯s gaze drifted elsewhere. ¡°Paparazzi are really species that get chased and beaten down the street, especially ¡®Zui Entertainment¡¯,¡± Ji Shaoyang said with some anger. That damn tabloid wrote stuff like, ¡°Ji Shaoyang is suspected of wanting to enter the entertainment circle, using his sister¡¯s and Bai Lingyun¡¯s scandal to generate buzz¡­¡± What nonsense, as if he coveted that circle? Gu Annan suddenly turned his head, casting a warning cold glance at him. ¡°What? Did I say something wrong?¡± Ji Shaoyang looked askance, ¡°How is my comment about paparazzi getting chased and beaten in the streets inaccurate? Can¡¯t say that?¡± After repeating it once, Gu Annan¡¯s expression grew even darker. ¡°Xiaozhao, what¡¯s wrong with your boss, Gu?¡± Ji Shaoyang looked baffled, ¡°Xiaozhao, what are you smiling so happily about, finally off the market? Found springtime?¡± Zhao Chen stood off to the side, watching as the message on WeChat from Lu Wanwan, accompanied by a super funny begging emoji, popped up. He couldn¡¯t help but laugh when he saw it, and Ji Shaoyang happened to catch that moment. ¡°Of course not, it¡¯s just a message from Miss Lu¡­¡± he explained. ¡°Miss Lu?¡± Ji Shaoyang echoed with a smile. Zhao Chen¡¯s smiling face suddenly froze. Chapter 27 - Chapter 27: Chapter 27 Miss Lu, I Can Only Block You Chapter 27: Chapter 27 Miss Lu, I Can Only Block You Gu Annan¡¯s brows knotted as he hadn¡¯t looked for Lu Wanwan these days, trying to see what it would be like to have her disappear from his life again. Yet just a few days in, she¡¯s messaging Zhao Chen on WeChat with such glee? When did these two get so familiar without him knowing anything? ¡°Mr. Gu,¡± Zhao Chen felt the chill in the air, ¡°Miss Lu added me on WeChat to send pictures, and now she¡¯s messaging to say that leaving her car outside her company last time caused her a lot of trouble.¡± Ji Shaoyang¡¯s handsome eyebrows rose even higher, smelling the scent of gossip. Gu Annan stood up abruptly, his voice cold with disdain, ¡°What does it have to do with me who you add on WeChat?¡± Zhao Chen saw Mr. Gu turn and leave. Does this really have nothing to do with him? Looks like I can only block you now, Miss Lu! ¡°Xiaozhao, let me take a look.¡± Ji Shaoyang tossed aside the water bottle, hands in his pockets, and came over with a smile, ¡°What WeChat message?¡± Zhao Chen clutched his phone tightly, ¡°Mr. Ji, you can¡¯t.¡± Ji Shaoyang¡¯s lips curled with a playful smile, ¡°Right, if my sister knew who secretly took photos of her¡­¡± Zhao Chen handed over the phone with both hands, ¡°Mr. Ji, please take a quick look. I¡¯m about to block Miss Lu.¡± Ji Shaoyang took the phone, murmuring under his breath, ¡°Surname Lu, huh¡­¡± He scrolled through the WeChat, finding nothing of value, unfortunately. Go to ????????????????????.co But he finally understood why the paparazzi from Zui Entertainment couldn¡¯t complain anymore. The photo taken in secret was sent to her¡ªthis woman was a paparazzo for Zui Entertainment. * Without so much as a greeting, Gu Annan left the golf course. His car raced to the old town area and stopped under the only building that looked like a business tower, directly dialing that long-unused number. ¡°Hello, who is it?¡± Gu Annan¡¯s voice was chilly, ¡°Come down.¡± The voice on the other end sank immediately, ¡°I can¡¯t, I¡¯m at work. Could you¡­¡± ¡°You only have 190,000 left to deduct. Are you sure you think the salary is more important?¡± His voice was indifferent, hand squeezing the steering wheel. ¡°Then¡­¡± Gu Annan hung up the phone. Lu Wanwan hugged her head with both hands. She wanted to ask if he could park his car further away, but Gu Annan had no patience for that. She wasn¡¯t surprised. When had the word ¡®patience¡¯ ever been in Gu Annan¡¯s dictionary? Lu Wanwan risked making an excuse to leave work, at the price of a 100 yuan deduction from her salary. Looking left and right, she saw no sign of his car. As she took out her phone to call and ask, a sudden blast of the horn rang in her ears. The black sedan beside her was immaculately clean, so bright she could clearly see her reflection on its surface. Then the passenger-side window was rolled down. The icy, handsome face inside the car came into her view, with captivating, deep eyes staring at her and a furrow in his brow showing his displeasure with her dawdling. Lu Wanwan didn¡¯t dare to hesitate any longer and immediately opened the car door to get in. As soon as she got in, the car sped off. The silence inside the car made her feel the atmosphere was too tense. After some thought, she spoke up. ¡°I¡¯m sorry I¡¯m a bit late. It¡¯s just been really busy lately.¡± ¡°I of course know my salary can¡¯t compare with that 190,000, but this is my internship, and I can¡¯t take it lightly.¡± ¡°The editor-in-chief is very demanding and particularly hates tardiness or leaving early. My normal working hours end at half past five in the afternoon. If possible¡­¡± At a red light, the car came to an abrupt stop. Lu Wanwan hadn¡¯t buckled her seatbelt, and with an ¡°Ah!¡± she lurched forward. Chapter 28 - Chapter 28: Chapter 28 Do Not Guess the BOSSs Mind Chapter 28: Chapter 28 Do Not Guess the BOSS¡¯s Mind Her forehead almost knocked against something, but fortunately, Lu Wanwan reacted quickly, stretching out her hand to block it and thus avoiding a potential bloody outcome. Just as she settled in her seat, an arm suddenly stretched over from beside her and pressed her firmly into the seat. Gu Annan leaned his whole body toward her, his delicate and indifferent face extremely close to hers at that moment. Lu Wanwan was pressed against the backrest of the seat, her heart racing. The faint scent of mint on his body made her a bit nervous, and for a moment she was too scared to move, not even sure what he intended to do. But she quickly understood. With a ¡°swoosh,¡± Gu Annan forcefully pulled the seatbelt over. His cold gaze fell as he fastened the seatbelt over her with efficient movements. It wasn¡¯t until the ¡®click¡¯ sound that Lu Wanwan came back to reality. When she looked up again, she saw Gu Annan give her a dispassionate glance, as he moved back to the driver¡¯s seat, acting as if nothing had happened. Her face, against the strong cold air within the car, for the first time felt that the chill wasn¡¯t quite enough. It was only when the green light came on and Gu Annan started the car that she murmured a few words, ¡°Thank you.¡± For a moment, she thought he would kiss her, and the sound of the seatbelt actually made her feel a little disappointed. Go to ????????????????????.co Lu Wanwan really wanted to knock on her own head¡ªwhat on earth was she thinking! Gu Annan¡¯s long fingers pinched the steering wheel, and after he accelerated, his lips moved slightly, ¡°From now on, any fines for not wearing a seatbelt will be on you, and if there¡¯s an accident, it¡¯s all on you too. Medical expenses have nothing to do with me.¡± She: ¡­ A precise bucket of cold water poured down, and Lu Wanwan felt her previously racing heart instantly return to normal. She clenched her hand into a fist, repeating to herself thirty times, wear the seatbelt, wear the seatbelt, wear the seatbelt¡­ Gu Annan drove fast, and Lu Wanwan watched the neighborhoods outside the window, gradually approaching the business district. She didn¡¯t know where the sponsor wanted to go, so she simply took out her phone again. Maybe she could get some information from Xiaozhao? Her fingers flew over the keyboard, but the knockoff phone was a bit slow, hardly keeping up with her typing speed, almost driving her to despair several times. Seeing her quiet down, Gu Annan glanced from the corner of his eye to see her constantly on her phone, reminding him of what Zhao Chen had said earlier. His brows furrowed, a clear expression of displeasure. ¡°Delete WeChat.¡± Lu Wanwan looked up, startled and confused. Had WeChat offended him? Was there a fierce competition recently with the Penguin company? She couldn¡¯t recall noticing before that Gu Annan was so inhumane to his employees. Gu Corporation wasn¡¯t in the instant messaging industry, was it? ¡°Then let me post on Moments to let everyone know first.¡± She didn¡¯t directly ask why, to avoid another reminder of how much of her 190,000 was still subject to deduction. Just as Lu Wanwan casually tried to send a message to Xiaozhao, she saw, ¡°System Prompt: The user has enabled friend verification, you are not their friend yet. Please send a friend request first; after the user approves, you can chat.¡± She was sure she had added Xiaozhao¡ªjust a few hours earlier they had exchanged a few words. How could it suddenly say they weren¡¯t friends anymore? The only possibility was that she had been¡­ blocked by Xiaozhao. This maniacal BOSS, Lu Wanwan thought, as she mentally lit a candle for Xiaozhao. ¡°Sorry, my phone has frozen,¡± she showed Gu Annan her phone screen, blinking her clear eyes gently, and spoke in a negotiating tone, ¡°Can I delete it next time?¡± Gu Annan didn¡¯t pay any attention, only frowning as if annoyed. A few minutes later, the car stopped in front of a fruit retail store. A card was thrown into her hand. Chapter 29 - Chapter 29: Chapter 29: His Signature, Familiar to the Heart Chapter 29: Chapter 29: His Signature, Familiar to the Heart Lu Wanwan recognized the card, not because she knew Gu Annan¡¯s card, but because she recognized the exclusive black card from the Holy Covenant Bank. The world¡¯s most renowned international bank, the highest-end credit card possible, only obtainable by personal invitation from the bank president and not by application from just anyone. There¡¯s no spending limit; it can even act as an entry token at some famous international galas, where it serves as an implicitly accepted invitation. Unlike the long string of numbers on ordinary cards, this one had only five. Most people would think, ¡°Are you kidding me? Can this thing with a five-digit number even handle transactions?¡± However, the usual bearers of such a card wouldn¡¯t risk misplacing it by using it at places too low-end, leading to confused stares from the clerks as if they were insane. Lu Wanwan was well aware of the card¡¯s significance because her mother once had one, too. Yet she had only seen it, never used it herself. And now Gu Annan¡¯s card was casually tossed into her hands as if it were just a coin. ¡°There¡¯s no PIN. You can fake my signature,¡± Gu Annan turned off the car engine as well, ¡°The latest model, any color.¡± So she was being sent to help buy a smartphone. Lu Wanwan nodded, carefully placed the card into her bag, and then got out of the car. The Gu Family was indeed extraordinary in its generosity¡ªtossing around the Holy Covenant black card so casually. Once Lu Wanwan entered the store, she naturally relaxed. Gu Annan wasn¡¯t picky about shopping, and his requirements were simple; she didn¡¯t even need to look twice. Go to ????????????????????.co ¡°For the color¡­ rose gold,¡± Lu Wanwan said with a playful tilt at the corner of her mouth to the salesperson. He said to choose any color he wanted, so he couldn¡¯t blame her for picking this one. Thinking about it, a person like Annan would typically loathe going back on his word; having said the color was up to her, he would have to stick to it even if it pained him. Besides, such a cold character as his needed some balance with a flashy color. ¡°Alright, miss, please come here to pay,¡± the clerk said. A phone for Annan would naturally have the highest specs and, therefore, the highest price, too. Confronted with a bill exceeding ten thousand, she didn¡¯t even blink as she reached for the card. The president of Holy Covenant Bank would probably burst into tears if he knew his black card was used to buy a phone. ¡°Miss, you¡¯ve got the wrong card, haven¡¯t you?¡± ¡°It¡¯s alright, just swipe it, there won¡¯t be any problems.¡± The frowning cashier, not wishing to waste her breath, decided to swipe the card to prove her point, but to her surprise, it worked! Lu Wanwan collected the receipt calmly, but hesitated momentarily when it came to signing it. She had practiced imitating Annan¡¯s signature for over a month. She wrote it every single day, every moment she could; she even inadvertently wrote ¡®Gu Annan¡¯ instead of her own name on her exam papers. Back then, it became a joke for the whole grade, and one of her failing math tests was even prominently pinned up on the school bulletin board. But that guy, who was always so aloof towards her, didn¡¯t join in with the laughter for the first time, nor did he criticize her for having the audacity to fail a test and still sign his name. Instead, he offered a rare compliment: ¡°Out of the whole test, these are the only three words worth looking at.¡± She hadn¡¯t written that name in four years, let alone in his handwriting. How on earth was Annan so confident that she could still forge it perfectly? ¡°Here you go, miss,¡± the cashier handed over the now-authenticated receipt and phone with a smile, ¡°We look forward to welcoming you again.¡± Chapter 30 - Chapter 30: Chapter 30 A New Phone for Her Chapter 30: Chapter 30 A New Phone for Her Lu Wanwan carried her newly purchased phone and the credit card receipt out of the retail store and got back into the car. ¡°The phone is the latest version, as you mentioned. I let them choose the color randomly, since you said the color didn¡¯t matter.¡± As she spoke about the color, there was a subtle change in Lu Wanwan¡¯s tone. ¡°The price was sixteen thousand eight hundred. I saw something about a limited edition released this month. Although I don¡¯t know exactly what the difference is, I thought you might want it. It¡¯s a few thousand more expensive than the regular version¡­¡± Gu Annan cut her off, taking it from her, ¡°As long as it¡¯s purchased, that¡¯s fine.¡± Lu Wanwan let out a sigh of relief, turned her face to the side, and carefully observed him. His expression hadn¡¯t changed much from start to finish, it seemed he had no objections to the rose gold color. He glanced at the signing area of the payment slip before casually tossing it into the compartment of the car. Then he opened the phone box, took out the phone and its accessories, and threw the box directly into the garbage bin outside the window. While holding the phone, his fingers paused. He suddenly stretched toward Lu Wanwan, ¡°Give me the phone.¡± Lu Wanwan hesitated, then handed over her knockoff phone. Her phone had crashed, but a restart would have fixed it. However, she was relying on the fact that maybe Gu Annan didn¡¯t know, planning to use WeChat for a few more hours and delete it later. Go to ????????????????????.co Now that Gu Annan was asking for her phone, she thought he wanted to delete WeChat from it. In fact, she really wanted to add that she used WeChat for legitimate things, to discuss legitimate matters, and wondered if it could not be deleted¡­ ¡°Hey, what are you doing¡­¡± Lu Wanwan looked at Gu Annan in surprise as he took the SIM card out of her phone and directly inserted it into her newly bought phone. He moved very quickly. Once the card was swapped, he turned on the phone and started typing rapidly on it. While Lu Wanwan thought he was going to use her card for something, he had already finished typing. Then her knockoff phone was thrown out¡­ ¡°Gu Annan, you¡­¡± Before she could protest, the phone she had just spent ten to twenty thousand on was handed to her face, ¡°My number is already saved in it. As we agreed during this period, I¡¯ll be at your call.¡± Lu Wanwan received it nervously, her brows furrowed as she looked up, ¡°This is fine, but my phone¡­¡± Her biggest concern was that the cost of this phone would be deducted from the remaining one hundred ninety thousand. After all, he had just as easily declared that she would pay the penalty and bear her own medical expenses. ¡°Sometimes you might need to act as my assistant briefly.¡± Gu Annan turned his head, restarting the car, his tone calm, ¡°I don¡¯t want others to think I mistreat my employees.¡± Lu Wanwan felt slightly disappointed upon hearing this explanation. If it were just a gift of a phone to her, she could have immediately resold it. A limited edition device like this could easily make up at least ten thousand of the deducted amount as a nearly new second-hand device. What she lacked was ultimately two hundred thousand, and with her current salary and time, saving another ten thousand was not easy. The ten to twenty thousand worth phone felt heavy in her hand as she carefully placed it in her bag. Before the car drove off, a pretty face suddenly appeared at the window of the driver¡¯s side, an expression of surprise on her face, ¡°Brother Annan, is it really you!¡± Lu Wanwan followed his gaze, and as soon as she saw that face, she almost broke into a sweat. Wasn¡¯t this Ji Jiayi, the one from the photos exposed by Bai Lingyun not long ago? Chapter 31 - Chapter 31: Chapter 31 The First Woman to Be His Co-pilot Chapter 31: Chapter 31 The First Woman to Be His Co-pilot Gu Annan heard that voice and stopped the foot that was about to press the gas pedal. ¡°It¡¯s you.¡± His voice was still very faint, making it hard to discern any emotion. Ji Jiayi¡¯s smile froze on her face when she saw Lu Wanwan, her eyes complex, ¡°Brother Annan, who is she?¡± She had never seen a woman on Gu Annan¡¯s passenger seat, not even herself being allowed. ¡°Assistant.¡± Lu Wanwan stepped forward, answering in a low voice with a forced smile on her face, ¡°Hello, I am the new assistant of President Gu.¡± Gu Annan¡¯s face instantly darkened, and even the air conditioning inside the car seemed suppressed by him. Because Brother Annan and Gu Annan were childhood friends, Ji Jiayi always considered herself on the same level as them. Therefore, their subordinates, in her view, naturally were subordinates as well. Disdain naturally showed on her face, her tone still slightly doubtful, ¡°A new assistant should still know the rules, right? Can you sit in Brother Annan¡¯s passenger seat?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I needed to report work to President Gu, so¡­¡± Ji Jiayi knew what Gu Annan was like when he was serious about work and thus didn¡¯t bother to argue minutely with an assistant. She turned to Gu Annan and put on a bright smile again, ¡°Brother Annan, I didn¡¯t drive out today, could you give me a ride?¡± Gu Annan coldly glanced at Lu Wanwan, whose entire face was hoping he would not agree. Go to ????????????????????.co ¡°Sure, get in.¡± Ji Jiayi was delighted; she had only been testing the water with her question, knowing his temperament he probably wouldn¡¯t agree, but today was an unexpected surprise. ¡°Thank you, Brother Annan.¡± She immediately went to the passenger door, pulled it open, looked down at Lu Wanwan, and commanded, ¡°You, get out and sit in the back.¡± Though her looks had some merit, her clothing was so plain. This new assistant must be so new she hasn¡¯t even received her first month¡¯s salary, a poor student just graduated, shabbily dressed from head to toe, nothing she wore was of any value. In fact, Lu Wanwan couldn¡¯t have been happier. Although she didn¡¯t take the photos herself, they were leaked by her, and encountering the subject made her feel somewhat guilty. ¡°Alright, I will get down right away¡­¡± She took her bag and started to get out of the car. Ji Jiayi was pleased with her submissive attitude, but the next second, she heard Gu Annan¡¯s cold, deep voice, ¡°Jiayi, you take the back seat.¡± Lu Wanwan¡¯s right leg had just stepped out, she stopped in surprise, turning her head to look at him with a pleading gaze. Gu Annan¡¯s eyes were deep and cold without a ripple, ¡°Did I ask you to get up?¡± Lu Wanwan gently bit her lip and drew her foot back in unknowingly. ¡°Brother Annan!¡± ¡°If you¡¯re not sitting, take a cab yourself.¡± With no other option, Ji Jiayi reluctantly took the back seat. Fortunately, Gu Annan didn¡¯t show any kindness to the new assistant either, confirming the rumors that he was abnormally strict at work were not unfounded. Once Ji Jiayi got into the car, it started moving. ¡°I¡¯m going to find my big brother, Brother Annan, please take me there.¡± Ji Jiayi knew that her big brother had a golf appointment with Gu Annan today, but he just refused to take her along. It didn¡¯t matter, she was going to find her brother now, and surely Gu Annan wouldn¡¯t leave immediately. ¡°By the way, Brother Annan, something terrible has happened. That notorious Zui Entertainment somehow got a photo of me and Bai Lingyun, and they completely fabricated the story. It¡¯s infuriating, not a single word is true!¡± The two people in the front were both silent, giving Ji Jiayi the strange impression that she was the extra person. Chapter 32 - Chapter 32: Chapter 32: Must Not Provoke Lu Wanwan Chapter 32: Chapter 32: Must Not Provoke Lu Wanwan The woman in the passenger seat was just Gu Annan¡¯s assistant, and one he wasn¡¯t very satisfied with at that, yet she still felt like a thorn in her side. It was clear that she should be the one extra in the car, a sensation that made her particularly uncomfortable, and she couldn¡¯t put her finger on why. ¡°Those paparazzi can make up anything for money, twisting right and wrong, black and white. Brother Annan, you know I¡¯m not close with Bai Lingyun. I swear if I find out who did it, they should be thrown into¡­ into a pig cage!¡± Ji Jiayi said fiercely, clenching her fists tightly. ¡°No, even a pig cage isn¡¯t enough for such a person¡­¡± Lu Wanwan listened awkwardly and turned her head to look out the window. Gu Annan finally couldn¡¯t bear it any longer and sped up the car, interrupting her, ¡°Say one more word, and you¡¯re out of the car!¡± Ji Jiayi knew he meant what he said, and there had never been an exception, not even for her. Only then did she quiet down and sit still in the car, watching Gu Annan¡¯s eyes through the mirror in front of the driver¡¯s seat, seeing the chill at the ends of his eyebrows, furrowed tight. They soon arrived at the golf course, and the car stopped. Ji Jiayi didn¡¯t rush to get out, grinning as she said, ¡°Brother Annan, let¡¯s go inside. I heard you had an appointment with my big brother today, right?¡± Gu Annan¡¯s eyes finally lifted, looking at her through the mirror, without any superfluous words, ¡°Get out.¡± Ji Jiayi bit her lip and could only say, ¡°Goodbye, Brother Annan.¡± Go to ????????????????????.co When she got out of the car, the door had barely closed when the car sped away, nearly knocking her over. Furious, she stomped her foot; it was all because of that assistant occupying Gu Annan¡¯s time. At a time like this, talking about business affairs, she better be fired soon! By coincidence, Ji Shaoyang came out of the golf course and saw her, saying with a headache, ¡°Why did you still come? Gu Annan left early.¡± ¡°It was Brother Annan who brought me here. If it weren¡¯t for his new assistant needing to discuss business, he definitely would have gotten out,¡± Ji Jiayi said with her hands on her hips, ¡°It must be because of that gossip that he thinks I¡¯m a loose woman, it¡¯s disgusting.¡± ¡°Assistant?¡± Ji Shaoyang didn¡¯t really want to listen to this, ¡°Since when can¡­ a new assistant get into his car?¡± Ji Jiayi said discontentedly, ¡°A new female assistant, sitting right beside him, so irritating. If she¡¯s not fired within a month, I won¡¯t keep the Ji surname!¡± ¡°Mind your own business about Gu Annan¡¯s matters,¡± Ji Shaoyang decided he needed to keep a closer watch on her lately. ¡°Brother, I want to find ¡®Zui Entertainment¡¯, I have to see who¡¯s so hateful to make him misunderstand me.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you dare!¡± If she brought trouble upon herself, it would be a disaster; everyone who had ever crossed Lu Wanwan ended up regretting it deeply. * Lu Wanwan was feeling anxious, not expecting that breaking a story would provoke such a spoiled heiress. After their agency became official, each staff had significant personal accident insurance, but she wasn¡¯t made official yet! ¡°She was just talking, she won¡¯t find your agency,¡± Gu Annan¡¯s low voice broke the silence in the car, as if seeing through her worries, ¡°¡®Zui Entertainment¡¯ isn¡¯t new to this kind of stuff.¡± Lu Wanwan turned around in surprise to look at him, was he trying to comfort her? But the comforting tone held no warmth, plunging her into doubt. Gu Annan felt dizzy from her stare, his handsome brows furrowed tightly, ¡°Of course, if anything does happen, it would be your personal accident. Just to be clear, if there¡¯s an incident within the month, I¡¯ll extend the term.¡± Lu Wanwan immediately turned her head away, realizing that those who thrived in the business field were indeed ruthless. Chapter 33 - Chapter 33: Chapter 33 Countdown to Selling Oneself No content Chapter 34 - Chapter 34: Chapter 34 Drunk and Dizzy No content Chapter 35 - Chapter 35: Chapter 35 She was drunk and being taken outside No content Chapter 36 - Chapter 36: Chapter 36: Puked Happily on Him No content Chapter 37 - Chapter 37: Chapter 37 Lu Wanwan, You Have Guts No content Chapter 38 - Chapter 38: Chapter 38: Throw Away Her Clothes No content Chapter 39 - Chapter 39: Chapter 39 His Face Drained of Color Chapter 39: Chapter 39 His Face Drained of Color Gu Annan walked to the bathroom doorway, where it was completely quiet without even the slightest sound of water. ¡°Lu Wanwan, I¡¯m giving you one minute to come out!¡± The firm tone failed to elicit any reaction from inside. He immediately opened the door and quickly stepped inside. The surface of the bathtub water was covered with bubbles, and Lu Wanwan had her eyes closed, her body submerged under the water. Only her pale neck as white as jade was visible above the bubbles, her head resting on a pillow. Her scattered, damp hair obscured half her face, the stark contrast between black and white intensified the visual impact. A sudden, inexplicable sense of panic surged in Gu Annan¡¯s heart. He saw the scene only once, but his face almost drained of blood, and his fingers turned ice-cold. Without a moment¡¯s hesitation, he took large strides forward and lifted her from the water. The water sounded with a whoosh, and the bubble-studded water cascaded down from her body like a waterfall. When Lu Wanwan was lifted out of the water, she lost buoyancy, feeling particularly heavy in that instant. Drowsy, before her feet touched the ground, she vaguely felt she was being held. A towel was quickly wrapped around her body, alleviating the chill of emerging from the water. Gu Annan carried her to the bed, and Aunt Li, who had rushed over, was also startled as she came in. ¡°Get a doctor!¡± he roared, his voice hoarse and trembling. Aunt Li had never seen the young master like this; she quickly nodded and went to call the Gu Family¡¯s doctor. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï???.§ã? Lu Wanwan moved slightly, still unclear about what had happened. At the beginning of her bath, it was quite comfortable, but gradually she felt the comfortable warmth penetrating every pore, and darkness started clouding her vision. She felt like she was suffocating. Moreover, her dizziness had not gone away, and she was weak in her limbs. As darkness fell over her vision, she had no strength to get up and gradually lost consciousness. It wasn¡¯t until she was lifted from the water that she started to come around drowsily, as if from a dream. Rapid footsteps still echoed around her; finally, she opened her eyes, staring blankly at the face watching her intently, the cold, pale handsome features, not knowing whether the droplets on his brow were sweat or steam trickling down his face. Gu Annan? She lowered her head and saw that her body was still wet with bubbles, just covered with a towel, her neck leaning against his arm. Finally reacting, Lu Wanwan grabbed the towel on her chest and immediately sat up, moving back, ¡°What, what happened?¡± Aunt Li had just brought a cup of hot tea in, seeing Lu Wanwan sit up as if nothing was wrong, wary as if facing a great enemy while looking at her own young master. ¡°Nothing. But if you want to die, don¡¯t die in my house,¡± Gu Annan stood up, towering over her with a gaze that had turned dark again. His gaze darkened, his thin lips forming a cold, hard line, his sharply defined features making him appear especially indifferent. Lu Wanwan felt particularly wronged inside. When had she wanted to die? Watched as the person left the room without turning back, with a forceful slam of the door. Aunt Li brought the cup of hot tea up, ¡°Miss Lu, please drink some hot water. Did you feel unwell earlier?¡± Lu Wanwan accepted the tea cup, politely saying, ¡°Thank you. I just felt out of breath and didn¡¯t have the strength to stand up while taking a bath earlier, and I fainted.¡± ¡°It¡¯s alright then. Now Miss Lu, you should rinse off the foam on your body, change your clothes, and go apologize to the young master. He saved you,¡± Aunt Li handed over a bathrobe, ¡°We don¡¯t have suitable women¡¯s clothing for you right now, please make do with this.¡± Chapter 40 - Chapter 40: Chapter 40 Lu Wanwan, I Want an Explanation Chapter 40: Chapter 40 Lu Wanwan, I Want an Explanation Lu Wanwan¡¯s hand holding the cup paused in mid-air, ¡°Gu Annan saved me?¡± She rubbed her temples, feeling like that was indeed the case. It¡¯s just that she had been so embarrassed and panicked upon waking up to find herself wrapped only in a towel and lying on his body that she hadn¡¯t had the time to think too much. Now that she thought about it carefully, if she fainted in the bathtub, it could only have been him who carried her out so she could rest on the bed. Aunt Li placed the bathrobe on the bed, ¡°Miss Lu, do not take the young master¡¯s words to heart. You threw up on him, and he just cleaned himself up, got wet again because he had to save you, so I suggested you¡¯d better thank the young master. I¡¯ll leave the bathrobe here, and someone will bring your clothes later.¡± After Aunt Li left, Lu Wanwan hurriedly drank some hot tea to sober up, and once she felt a bit better, she rinsed off the suds on her body, put on the bathrobe, and ran out in slippers. Aunt Li was right, in both sentiment and reason, she should thank Gu Annan. It was not just thanks she owed him; the very least she should do was apologize, and then brace herself for his anger. * Gu Annan took another shower, and as soon as he came out of the bathroom, he saw Lu Wanwan standing against the wall in his room like a schoolchild who had done something wrong. ¡°Who let you in?¡± he asked, holding a towel and carelessly drying his still-dripping hair. Lu Wanwan¡¯s tone was especially contrite, ¡°I came in by myself. I just want to thank you, and then apologize. I know you don¡¯t want to hear excuses, but such a situation will absolutely never happen again, I can swear to it.¡± Gu Annan turned slightly, tossing the towel aside, and after hearing the so-called oath, the corner of his mouth twitched mockingly, without even a half-intention to believe. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?0¦Í??.§ã¦Ï I swear it will never happen again, Gu Annan¡­ Gu Annan, I can swear, it really wasn¡¯t me¡­ Gu Annan, I, Lu Wanwan, can swear to heaven¡­ ¡­ This woman¡¯s promises always seem so sincere yet are forgotten in the blink of an eye, worth less than a penny. ¡°Explain.¡± He turned back around, his tall and large frame standing about five to six meters from her, slowly putting his hands in the pockets of his robe, ¡°Who said I don¡¯t want to hear explanations? Right now, I want explanations.¡± Lu Wanwan was momentarily speechless, staring blankly at him with a puzzled look in her clear eyes. Is it really alright to be so unconventional? Isn¡¯t it that every time after she explained, he would coldly throw back at her saying he didn¡¯t want to hear explanations? ¡°And I want every detail explained crystal clear.¡± Gu Annan¡¯s voice was clear and distinct, enunciating every word, ¡°Keep your promises about it not happening again to yourself. As for the remaining ninety thousand, don¡¯t bother asking me for it. If similar incidents occur again, then you owe me money!¡± Lu Wanwan felt like she was collapsing inside. Becoming a businessman really makes a difference, huh? Despite such a cold demeanor, he could claim that she owed him money so confidently. Where did their second-generation rich carefree attitude towards money go? Making such a big deal out of a few tens of thousands with her? ¡°Gu Annan, can you¡­¡± Gu Annan abruptly raised his eyebrows, ¡°Right now, I only want explanations.¡± Having no choice, she laid out the entire incident, omitting details about being encouraged to drink as she didn¡¯t want to trouble her colleagues. After speaking, she waited quietly for judgment. Gu Annan leaned lazily against the table, and after listening, he asked coldly, ¡°Where is the man who hugged you out?¡± After hearing that, Lu Wanwan¡¯s eyes widened slightly. Wasn¡¯t the point supposed to be¡­ that she shouldn¡¯t have thrown up on him? Chapter 41 - Chapter 41: Chapter 41: From Now On, You Live Here Chapter 41: Chapter 41: From Now On, You Live Here Gu Annan saw her utterly confused, then racked his brain, not knowing what to say. He had seen clearly earlier, the stranger who draped the coat over her was wearing the one she had worn the first time he went to the Gu Family¡¯s home. He had clearly thrown that piece of clothing away, could it be that she¡­ ¡°I¡¯m talking about that coat!¡± Gu Annan said grimly, his voice low with a subtle threat, ¡°The coat I threw away, why was it on you just now?¡± Lu Wanwan was completely baffled this time, having no recollection at all of what coat she had just been wearing. From what Gu Annan mentioned, Yi Cheng probably brought the same coat, the one he had thrown away. It was bizarre, that coat must have been cursed. ¡°I of course picked it back up,¡± she pressed her fingertips to her forehead, explaining with a headache, ¡°Someone kindly lent me their coat, I couldn¡¯t just say I lost it, so I had to pick it up, wash it, and return it to them.¡± Her explanation, which she thought made perfect sense, only made his face grow even darker, as if a cold draft swept through the room, chilling her to the bone. The light from the pale gold wall lamp slanted across, illuminating his finely chiseled features with light and shadows that deepened his contours. His face gradually closed in on her until she had no escape and was cornered against the wall. The tall, robust figure in front blocked her, his shadow falling over her, bringing a chilling coldness. ¡°Gu Annan¡­¡± she looked up and spoke softly, with a hint of grievance. The familiar tone and intonation of his name tightened his brow, making his temples throb painfully. But when he thought about what she had just said, actually daring to wash clothes for another man, this intense displeasure made it hard to restrain himself. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?0¦Í??.§ã¦Ï Thump, thump¡ª a knock not too light nor too heavy came from the door. Lu Wanwan, grasping at straws, said, ¡°I¡¯ll go help you open the door.¡± She had just taken a step when her shoulder was harshly pulled back, a commanding force slamming her back against the wall, while an arm pressed against the wall, blocking her path. Gu Annan¡¯s lips barely moved, ¡°Come in.¡± The door opened, and the servant¡¯s voice followed, ¡°Young Master, Doctor Zhou has arrived. Should he wait, or¡­¡± Lu Wanwan was slightly stunned; it was so late, had the Gu Family¡¯s doctor come because of her? ¡°Send Doctor Zhou home,¡± Gu Annan dictated with a fierce determination in his brow, no needless words, no explanation given. The door closed again, and Lu Wanwan felt a fleeting warmth in her heart; the doctor must have come for her. ¡°Gu Annan, I have nothing to do with him, it¡¯s all a misunderstanding,¡± she finally found the right way to explain, looking at him eagerly. Suddenly, he seized her jaw, ¡°From now on, you will live here. You¡¯d better remember why you are living here. I don¡¯t like sharing my belongings with others, and women I¡¯ve been with even less so.¡± ¡°I understand; I will live here until the agreement expires and won¡¯t have intimate contact with anyone else,¡± she promised. Suddenly, her lips hurt¡ªjust as she finished speaking, her lips were fiercely captured by his. Gu Annan kissed her hard, that deep-seated uncontrollability bursting out in this kiss. Especially her forceful addition of the condition ¡®until the agreement expires¡¯ ignited his rage, his hand around her waist suddenly tightening, almost crushing her. ¡°Gu¡­ Gu Annan¡­¡± Lu Wanwan was frightened by this sudden kiss; it took a long while after he released her before she could breathe. Clear eyes misted over, looking at him through a foggy haze. Chapter 42 - Chapter 42: Chapter 42: Constantly Tugging at His Nerves Chapter 42: Chapter 42: Constantly Tugging at His Nerves Because of the tension, once released, her lower lip turned slightly pale from where she had been biting it, and her breathing was uncontrollably rapid. Gu Annan watched her with lowered eyes, each rise and fall of her breath tugging at his nerves. ¡°Leave,¡± he suddenly released her from his grip, stepping back half a step, providing space for her to exit. The feeling of being kissed felt like floating on a cloud, and then too soon, Lu Wanwan experienced the sensation of plummeting from the clouds again, suddenly alert. She didn¡¯t say a word and immediately left his room. * ¡°Young Master, a room has been arranged for Miss Lu next to yours. She has already gone to bed,¡± Gu Annan stood on the balcony, nodding his head. His profile was hidden in the moonlight, his eyes half-closed in shadow, his gaze resting on the balcony next to his, the distance between the railings no more than a meter. The drapes inside the balcony didn¡¯t leave even a sliver of a gap, the quiet darkness profound. He shifted his gaze away and lowered his eyes to a bank card receipt resting in his palm on the balcony railing, where Lu Wanwan had signed his name. The handwriting displayed unfamiliarity, the hesitation while signing the name, and the unsmooth transitions of pen strokes. If he hadn¡¯t received a confirmation call at that time, this imitated signature wouldn¡¯t even have been accepted by the bank. Initially, her imitation of his signature was eighty percent similar, to the point where no one but he himself could distinguish it. Now, however, it had become unfamiliar. He resisted this feeling in his heart, because of a woman who never truly had him in her heart, he struggled to restrain himself repeatedly. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í??.?¦Ï It was clearly she who tried to enter his life, yet in the end, it was he who couldn¡¯t forget her. * Lu Wanwan woke up particularly early, guessing that after an overnight cooling down, the events of yesterday wouldn¡¯t have any more twists. She opened the balcony¡¯s sliding doors and curtains, stepped onto the balcony, and took a deep breath, seeing the gardener trimming the plants in the back garden, feeling refreshed and invigorated. In the corner of her eye, it seemed that an additional figure appeared beside her, she turned her head to look, and Gu Annan was standing on the neighboring balcony, already changed into his clothes, casually and elegantly one hand in his pocket, only glancing sideways at her when he noticed her looking. ¡°Good morning!¡± Lu Wanwan didn¡¯t dare to delay, and immediately greeted him. A single slip-up had cost her ninety thousand, and it hurt her heart to bleed money, she had no option but to try to please. Gu Annan didn¡¯t respond with a word, turned, and left the balcony, his aloofness making her feel that speaking out was truly a poor decision. ¡°Miss Lu, your clothes are here. After you change, please come down for breakfast,¡± Lu Wanwan looked at the clothes the maid brought, ¡°Where are my clothes?¡± This was YLP¡¯s new release this year, she couldn¡¯t imagine squeezing onto a bus in clothes worth tens of thousands. Did Gu Annan think YLP was just regular attire for common folk? For god¡¯s sake, with that kind of money, couldn¡¯t he stop deducting hers? ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Miss Lu, but the young master instructed last night that your clothes¡­ need to be disposed of,¡± Looking at the apologetic smile of the maid, Lu Wanwan knew that being ¡®disposed of¡¯ was just a euphemism for being thrown away! ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll be right down,¡± Breakfast was particularly silent this time, Lu Wanwan wondered why there was more food on her plate than on Gu Annan¡¯s? Not wanting to give Gu Annan another reason to complain, she planned to finish her meal at the risk of overeating, like a warrior resigned to a tragic fate. Gu Annan watched for a moment, finally unable to hold back, ¡°Is it that unpalatable?¡± Chapter 43 - Chapter 43: Chapter 43: The BOSSs Mind is as Deep as the Sea Chapter 43: Chapter 43: The BOSS¡¯s Mind is as Deep as the Sea Lu Wanwan chose to answer honestly, ¡°Too much, I¡¯m a bit full, I can¡¯t eat another bite.¡± ¡°Full but still eating, when¡¯s the last time you ate?¡± She responded with a pout, ¡°Didn¡¯t you say before that I have to finish everything?¡± Gu Annan glanced at her visible distress, took a long while to get up, and said, ¡°I didn¡¯t say that today.¡± Lu Wanwan, staring at his retreating figure, felt like flipping the table with her fork-holding hand in anger. His mood changes daily, is this man¡¯s heart as elusive as a needle at the bottom of the ocean? * ¡°So you see, your boss is really good at tormenting people, keeping me on edge all the time. I¡¯ve lost several years of my life because of it. Xiaozhao, how do you put up with him?¡± Lu Wanwan, feeling quite familiar with Zhao Chen by now and being alone in the car, decided to pour out her grievances. After all, they were both in miserable situations, constantly being tormented by Gu Annan. She figured he could surely empathize. ¡°Miss Lu, you¡¯re really funny,¡± Zhao Chen chuckled heartily. Commenting on Boss Gu was something he dared not participate in, much less feel empathy for. ¡°Xiaozhao, you can¡¯t be biased just because he¡¯s handsome. How is he simple at all! His mind is deep as the sea, always keeping us guessing!¡± Lu Wanwan vented out her frustrations. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï???.§ã¦Ï Eating breakfast, one day it¡¯s ¡®not a single bite left.¡¯ Another day it¡¯s, ¡®I didn¡¯t say that today.¡¯ Does he intend not to let us eat tomorrow? ¡°It¡¯s indeed hard to guess what Boss Gu is thinking, but Miss Lu, if you go along with him, he¡¯s really quite straightforward,¡± Zhao Chen advised. ¡°Like how you say he¡¯s handsome, you could totally say that to his face.¡± So, Miss Lu, you weren¡¯t blind after all; you do see that the boss¡¯s charm is endless! Maybe the hard one to deal with isn¡¯t Boss Gu, but you, Miss Lu! Zhao Chen had always wondered why someone with Gu Annan¡¯s attributes found it so difficult to get closer to Miss Lu. Realizing there was no mutual understanding, Lu Wanwan lost her urge to complain and lazily watched out the car window. Xiaozhao could never understand. Saying Gu Annan was handsome, she had said it a hundred and eighty times in the past, yet not once did he even lift an eyelid in response. Later, she realized Gu Annan was the type who, despite his stunning appearance, preferred not to rely on his looks but on his abilities. Calling him handsome might even make him feel his talents hadn¡¯t overshadowed his looks, as if she were belittling him. ¡°Stop, stop, stop, stop! Xiaozhao, stop right there at that bus station, and definitely don¡¯t drop me off under the building.¡± Zhao Chen, hesitant, stopped the car, suggesting, ¡°Not going all the way is fine, but Miss Lu, why don¡¯t you take a cab? Why bother with the bus?¡± Lu Wanwan quickly unbuckled her seatbelt, ¡°Who wants to, cabs are expensive! This is fine, goodbye.¡± He watched her hurry off the car to catch the bus ahead, without having the chance to say, ¡°Miss Lu, if you just make Boss Gu a bit happier, money really wouldn¡¯t be a problem anymore!¡± Lu Wanwan got off mid-journey to change buses, then got stuck in traffic. By the time she reached the office, she was breathless and nearly late as she sat down at her desk. ¡°Xiaolu, am I seeing things, or is that outfit you¡¯re wearing very similar to the one from YLP¡¯s spring collection this year?¡± the older lady at the desk opposite said, eyeing her suspiciously. Lu Wanwan was drinking water and choked, coughing violently and splashing some on herself, ¡°Cough cough¡­ it¡¯s a knockoff, otherwise I wouldn¡¯t treasure it so.¡± Just yesterday a rumor spread that she had been taken away by a wealthy and handsome suitor¡ªshe definitely couldn¡¯t give anything away. ¡°This quality is poor; look, it¡¯s even coming apart here. I didn¡¯t notice when I bought it,¡± Lu Wanwan, heartlessly pulling a snagged thread from her bus ride, showed it to her, tugging at it secretly. Chapter 44 - Chapter 44: Chapter 44: The Man Who Was Outed Chapter 44: Chapter 44: The Man Who Was Outed Big Sister slowly held her cup of water, ¡°I know, of course, this is a knockoff, or else how could it be one you bought the authentic version! I saw Tang Na wearing this exact outfit in some street photography shots just a few days ago, while she was writing. Her smile was so sweet back then, posing in all kinds of ways in front of the cameras, making sure the logo of the clothes was clearly visible.¡± Lu Wanwan hadn¡¯t relaxed yet when Tang Xiao, with her loud voice, joined in, ¡°Wow, isn¡¯t that the dress worn by Tang Na, the one worth tens of thousands? Xiaolu, you¡¯re impressive, has your wealthy friend fallen for you?¡± The remark drew countless gazes in the office. Big Sister calmly explained for her, ¡°It¡¯s a knockoff.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°It¡¯s even coming unraveled. Xiaolu, find a better quality place next time, I know a good one that specializes in knockoffs of major brands¡­¡± Lu Wanwan pretended to listen intently, eagerly asking for the shop¡¯s address, finally managing to bluff her way through. It was good that the women in the editorial department were so observant; if it had been one of the photographers, those big guys, even if she were wearing a haute couture gown right in front of them, they¡¯d probably just come up with something like, ¡°Xiaolu, your princess dress looks pretty, where did you buy it? Help me get one for my sister.¡± Lu Wanwan breathed a sigh of relief as she proofread today¡¯s copy, which was about the encounter they had last night with Qiao Moran and Ji Shaoyang. ¡°Qiao Moran suspected of coming out, seen at Entertainment City with the young master of the Ji family, entering as a pair.¡± She almost burst out laughing at the screen, the photo had paired these two up as a couple, everyone else was just background. It had been a while since she had seen Ji Shaoyang, and the first scoop she handled about him was his coming out. Suddenly, her phone rang, ¡°Miss Lu, please come to the hospital immediately.¡± Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í??.?? Lu Wanwan stood up sharply, her voice trembling, ¡°Doctor, are things not looking good? How is it? If it¡¯s urgent, please start the treatment right away, I¡¯ll cover the medical expenses, I¡¯ll bring them to you as soon as I get there¡­¡± ¡°Miss Lu, you should come over first and then we can discuss it. Remember to bring your bank card.¡± Lu Wanwan hung up the phone, her face pale, and quickly asked for leave before leaving the office. As she was leaving the office, she ran into Yi Cheng, ¡°Wanwan? About yesterday¡¯s incident¡­¡± Lu Wanwan was walking so fast, completely distracted, she walked right past Yi Cheng before he could even finish speaking, not catching a word. Yi Cheng still stood there when suddenly someone slapped his shoulder, and the person behind him clicked their tongue a few times, ¡°What¡¯s the use of explaining now, I told you not to leave yesterday, you can¡¯t be timid when it¡¯s time to play the hero. Luckily, it was all a misunderstanding, and Wanwan is fine¡­¡± Yi Cheng, thinking of something, silently pushed the hand off his shoulder and, with a cold face, walked back in. * ¡°Money? But the medical fees I paid in advance should have been sufficient until next month.¡± ¡°Sorry, Miss Lu, what you¡¯ve prepaid isn¡¯t enough. You can check the statement.¡± After Lu Wanwan had the statement printed, she was stunned. ¡°Doctor, I need to speak with your Superintendent Wang regarding this fee, there seems to be a problem.¡± The doctor looked rather sympathetic, ¡°Miss Lu, we¡¯ve had a change in management. Superintendent Wang has been unwell for a while and stepped down from his position not long ago to recuperate; his children completed the paperwork and sold his shares. That means our hospital no longer has any affiliation with the former Superintendent Wang. Now everything must adhere to the standard procedures, I will do my best to take care of the patients personally, but for dialysis fees, hospitalization fees, nursing fees, and such, you can no longer get the special considerations that Superintendent Wang used to provide.¡± Chapter 45 - Chapter 45: Chapter 45 More Than Two Hundred Thousand Needed Chapter 45: Chapter 45 More Than Two Hundred Thousand Needed ¡°Director Wang¡­ has the hospital been sold?¡± Lu Wanwan could hardly believe it, as the bill for the medical expenses slipped out of her fingers to the floor. If it hadn¡¯t been for Director Wang¡¯s care all these years, grandma would have stopped her medications long ago due to the lack of medical funds. With such high treatment costs, she, a student, could not possibly bear that much, and after her mother¡¯s death, her father and grandmother, who had always been at odds, had stopped interacting completely. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but that is the case,¡± the doctor said helplessly, ¡°I know this is a huge blow to you, but it was only a matter of time. We are a private hospital. Previously, we managed to keep going through Director Wang¡¯s efforts, but as he got older, the business performance has been declining year by year. Incoming funds couldn¡¯t keep up with the expenditures, and his children have wanted to sell it for a long time. Now, Director Wang no longer has any capacity to keep the hospital, and it¡¯s not just people like your grandmother who had a relationship with Director Wang who are affected. There are also patients with special hardships who have been helped by him in the past. If they can¡¯t pay the fees they owe, they have to be discharged according to normal procedures. After all, we are not a charity.¡± Lu Wanwan did not listen clearly to what the doctor said afterward as she wandered into the hallway in a daze. She had originally thought that once she had the 200,000 yuan for the surgery, and they got a kidney source, there was hope for grandma¡¯s uremia. Now, never mind the surgery, the regular cost of dialysis was such a big sum of money. Lu Wanwan walked to the outside of her grandmother¡¯s ward but didn¡¯t dare to go in. Through the window, she saw her grandmother was napping. ¡°Lu Wanwan?¡± A young nurse approached her and, seeing the unpaid bill in her hand, read her name with an official tone, ¡°If the overdue bill isn¡¯t paid, just like the patient in the next bed, you¡¯ll need to proceed with the discharge process and stop the medication immediately.¡± Seeing that she didn¡¯t respond, the nurse urged her, ¡°To pay or to be discharged? If you don¡¯t have money to pay, then arrange for discharge. We can¡¯t allow overdue payments like we did before!¡± Lu Wanwan took the bill and said, ¡°I¡¯ll go pay.¡± Fortunately, Gu Annan had given her a hundred thousand in advance; otherwise, she would have been at a dead end at this moment. Not only was she unable to afford future expenses, but she also had to pay off all the past dues unmet during Director Wang¡¯s tenure. Paying all of the one hundred thousand in one go only covered the ninety thousand owed from the past two or three years, leaving just a few thousand left. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ??¦Í??.§ã¦Ï The cashier reminded her that in the future, the policy would be to pay in advance and that overdue payments would not be allowed. Those few thousand wouldn¡¯t last long. ¡°Thank you, auntie, I¡¯ll just pay this much for now.¡± After paying the bill, she went back to her grandmother¡¯s ward. ¡°Wanwan? Wanwan, is that you?¡± The elderly woman on the bed sat up and grasped her hand with a warm smile, ¡°Did you get out of school early today?¡± Lu Wanwan smiled sweetly, ¡°Yes, we got out especially early today, so I came to see you.¡± ¡°What a good child you are, Wanwan, but you must focus on your studies. Don¡¯t follow those who waste their opportunities, thinking that our family¡¯s financial security means you can live without worries forever. You must get into a good university, you hear? Look at your mother, she was so outstanding; don¡¯t let her down.¡± ¡°I know, I¡¯ll go peel an apple for you.¡± Lu Wanwan picked up an apple and carefully began peeling it. Grandma was already somewhat muddled, and her memory had faded after falling ill. She had long forgotten the family¡¯s upheaval, still thinking that Lu Wan was in high school and that her mother, Ye Jing, was still there. ¡°Miss Lu, I know your situation, but did you cover all the previous expenses at once?¡± the nurse asked in wonder, ¡°I thought you would arrange for a transfer to another hospital. Even if you had a little money left, it didn¡¯t make sense to clear all the past dues. The new owners of this hospital are really heartless, just driving people out.¡± Chapter 46 - Chapter 46: Chapter 46 The Stepmothers Fake Smile Chapter 46: Chapter 46 The Stepmother¡¯s Fake Smile ¡°I know, but the chief physician is still here. He¡¯s the most familiar with Grandma¡¯s treatment history, and he was specially recruited by Director Wang as a urology expert. There aren¡¯t many better than him in Manchester, so I would like him to continue as the chief physician,¡± The caregiver looked at her, hesitating to say, ¡°That¡¯s not a small amount of money. Paying off the arrears might be a waste.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll figure something out.¡± The few thousand left would only be enough for a month¡¯s dialysis. If there were any emergencies that required resuscitation, she had to find a way. After leaving the hospital, she took out her cellphone at the entrance, and while scrolling through her contacts, she paused at Gu Annan¡¯s name. She looked at it, then finally boarded the bus to Huacheng Starlight, heading to the Lu Family¡¯s home where she hadn¡¯t returned for over half a month. Asking Gu Annan for help was a last resort. She would try using tuition as an excuse to seek help from the Lu Family first. * ¡°Wanwan is back?¡± Lin Yu came out with a beaming smile. Her hair was newly done, and even at home, she wore clothes of considerable value. ¡°Why haven¡¯t you been home for so long? Even if you don¡¯t accept me as your mom, you should come home to see your dad.¡± Looking at her stepmother¡¯s hypocritical smile, no matter how hard Lu Wanwan tried, she couldn¡¯t squeeze out even a sliver of a smile. Lu Jingtian came down the stairs at a leisurely pace, glancing at her with displeasure, and said as he walked to the dining room, ¡°You¡¯ve been unwilling to come home for so long. Your sudden return today must be for more than just a simple visit.¡± Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í??.§ã0 Lu Wanwan didn¡¯t say anything. ¡°Let¡¯s eat first. Where¡¯s Kexin? Why is she not here today either?¡± At her husband¡¯s mention, Lin Yu¡¯s smile widened even further, ¡°She¡¯s out shopping. After all, she will be the Young Madam of the Gu Family. We have to maintain the front.¡± Lu Jingtian nodded repeatedly, ¡°That¡¯s right, as it should be.¡± ¡°I heard that the engagement banquet is being prepared by the Gu Family. Ah, Annan didn¡¯t even say a word to us. I know he¡¯s busy, but a heads-up would have been nice so Kexin could get ready early.¡± Lu Jingtian lit a cigar, frowned, and waved his hand dismissively, ¡°It¡¯s only natural for a man to be busy. Other things don¡¯t matter as long as Kexin can marry smoothly into the Gu Family; then I can rest easy.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true. They¡¯ll have plenty of time to develop their relationship after marriage. Still, though the engagement is not the wedding, the Lu Family cannot fall behind. When the time comes, we have to prepare well and let Kexin shine, making the whole city envious of us.¡± Lu Jingtian blew out a puff of smoke and grunted softly, ¡°Of course, the company has had some issues recently, and I¡¯ll use this opportunity to shake up the shareholders. This headline will also be an exclusive from our own media.¡± The two chatted as if no one else was around. It wasn¡¯t until a while later that Lu Jingtian realized Lu Wanwan still hadn¡¯t seated herself at the dining table. There she stood, her expression unreadable. Her face was so much like that woman¡¯s, making Lu Jingtian¡¯s face darken with impatience as he said, ¡°Why hasn¡¯t Wanwan come to eat? I remember you mentioning earlier you had something to say.¡± Just as Lu Wanwan was about to speak, Lin Yu interjected with a smile, ¡°Come eat, Wanwan. Oh, right, I heard Yongkang Hospital was acquired. Is that so?¡± ¡°Wang Yongkang¡¯s private hospital?¡± As she served him food, Lin Yu added, ¡°Yes, that¡¯s the one where Wanwan¡¯s grandma has been receiving treatment. Director Wang suffered a stroke and became paralyzed recently, and his children sold the hospital. Wanwan, is your grandmother still hospitalized there? How is she doing recently?¡± With a loud ¡°snap,¡± Lu Jingtian¡¯s face turned to steel as he slammed his chopsticks down on the table, ¡°We were eating just fine. Why bring her up?¡± Chapter 47 - Chapter 47: Chapter 47: Wipe Yourself Dry Chapter 47: Chapter 47: Wipe Yourself Dry ¡°After all¡­ she is Wanwan¡¯s grandmother, and I had hoped that once Director Wang sold the hospital, she would no longer owe medical expenses. But what about her future treatments then?¡± Lin Yu explained, with a smile that her lips could not hide, ¡°Let¡¯s not talk about that anymore, I¡¯m being nosy. Right, Wanwan, didn¡¯t you want to talk to your dad about something?¡± Reminded by Lin Yu, Lu Jingtian seemed to suddenly remember. He shot Lu Wanwan a sharp, warning look, ¡°Wanwan, you didn¡¯t come back just to talk about this, did you?¡± Lu Wanwan¡¯s face looked terrible. At this point, even if she used tuition as an excuse, her dad probably wouldn¡¯t believe her. If he harbored even a sliver of doubt, it would be immediately clear that she had used her tuition money for her grandmother¡¯s medical expenses. ¡°It¡¯s nothing, I just came back to have a look. I suddenly remembered there¡¯s something at school I need to take care of, so I¡¯ll leave first,¡± Lu Wanwan said with a tense face, and left the Lu Mansion right after finishing her words. ¡°You!¡± Lu Jingtian pointed at her retreating figure, furious, ¡°Look at her attitude! She just makes a long face whenever she¡¯s at home, and now she doesn¡¯t even show respect to me, her father!¡± Lin Yu sighed softly, ¡°It¡¯s all my fault. Wanwan used to be a girl who loved to smile. She grew up before my eyes and she always called me ¡®Auntie Lin.¡¯ But I never would have thought that ever since I entered your home, her attitude would change so drastically.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not your fault, I am the one who owes you both. Besides, you two have already been kind enough to her!¡± Lu Jingtian scoffed, ¡°I¡¯ve spoiled her too much. Last time, she felt aggrieved over a simple misunderstanding and since then, she has refused to come back. I¡¯d like to see if she can avoid coming back for the rest of her life!¡± * By the time Lu Wanwan had left the Lu Mansion, the sky had already grown dark. The sound of rolling thunder rumbled in her ears, and soon after, a torrential rain began to pour down, as she stood in the rain hugging her arms and shivering. Exiting Hua City Starlight, it was quite a walk to the nearest bus stop. The two passing taxis already had passengers, and Lu Wanwan failed to hail one. Resigned, she walked in the rain for half an hour, completely drenched. Just as she stood under the awning of a street-side shop, her phone began to ring. She looked at the caller ID¡ªit was Gu Annan. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í??.§ã¦Ï ¡°Hello, Gu Annan, I might be a bit late today.¡± Gu Annan must know the time she gets off work. She guessed that he had probably returned to the Gu Mansion and, not seeing her, decided to call and inquire. Amidst the whooshing sound of the rain, Gu Annan¡¯s crisp, low voice came through the phone, ¡°I¡¯ll be near your news office soon.¡± Lu Wanwan¡¯s voice trembled from the cold, ¡°I¡¯m not at the news office right now. I just came out from Hua City Starlight¡­ Could you wait for a bit? I¡¯ll try to catch a cab back soon.¡± Gu Annan, detecting something unusual in her voice, didn¡¯t ask further, ¡°Stay where you are.¡± The call ended. Lu Wanwan furrowed her brows. Even if he drove from their office area to here, it would take at least twenty minutes. Should she just wait? About ten minutes later, a dark Bentley tore through the curtain of rain, speeding towards her and stopping beside her. She was startled¡ªhow could he have arrived so quickly? Without time to think further, she immediately opened the back door and got inside. As soon as the door closed, a thick towel was tossed onto her. Lu Wanwan assumed Gu Annan certainly couldn¡¯t tolerate his clean car being sullied with rainwater she brought in. She quickly began to dry the area around her seat. A cold voice from beside her sounded, each word deliberate, ¡°Lu Wanwan! Dry yourself off!¡± Chapter 48 - Chapter 48: Chapter 48: Really Want to Teach Her a Lesson Chapter 48: Chapter 48: Really Want to Teach Her a Lesson The driver ahead, Zhao Chen, also showed a very helpless expression. Looking at the questioning in Lu Wanwan¡¯s eyes, Gu Annan glanced at her askance, ¡°If you don¡¯t dry yourself off, the rain will keep trickling down.¡± Lu Wanwan understood that she was the source of the wetness in his car, the chief culprit, so to speak. She felt a little warmer, her face was wiped free of water droplets, revealing an even paler complexion. Her dark hair, damp and clumped together, lay plastered against her face. Gu Annan glanced over and then turned his gaze outside, ¡°Turn on the heater. I can¡¯t stand the heavy dampness in the car.¡± Zhao Chen silently turned on the heater, thinking to himself, Could you die from telling the truth for once, Boss Gu? Lu Wanwan felt rejected. She simply wrapped herself in the bath towel, sitting there like a wrapped zongzi, leaning against the door and keeping her distance from Gu Annan. Once at the Gu Mansion, she was unceremoniously thrown into the bathroom. Gu Annan just stood at the bathroom door, making her feel utterly uncomfortable, not daring to remove the bath towel she was wearing, looking bewildered. Was he actually going to watch her take a bath? Lu Wanwan deliberately coughed to remind him. Gu Annan glanced at the time, ¡°You have fifteen minutes. If you¡¯re not out in fifteen minutes, I¡¯ll come in directly.¡± ¡°I¡¯m completely soaked!¡± Lu Wanwan protested vigorously, ¡°From head to toe, how could fifteen minutes possibly be enough, are you doing this on purpose?¡± Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï???.§ã0 Gu Annan gave her ¡®head to toe¡¯ a sweep and replied, ¡°Fifteen minutes is sufficient. Are you saying you¡¯re deliberately trying to make me come in?¡± Lu Wanwan immediately shut up. Was this reverse psychology? After Lu Wanwan had washed up as quickly as she could, she discovered a serious problem. Where were her clothes? Naturally, she couldn¡¯t wear the ones she had on before since they were soaked, but there was nothing else to wear in the bathroom apart from towels. She had just been thinking about getting washed quickly and forgot to remind Gu Annan to bring some clothes in for her. She was so annoyed she wanted to bang her head against a wall. Wrapped in a towel, she stood by the door, not daring to push it open, and softly called Gu Annan¡¯s name a few times¡ªno response. Obviously, there was no one else in the room. Lu Wanwan squatted down against the wall, hugging her legs and drawing circles with her finger. If she were to just walk out like this, she would resemble a spa hostess, and Gu Annan would give her another disdainful look. Thirty minutes had passed, and Gu Annan had already paced back and forth at Lu Wanwan¡¯s door three times. Thinking back to the disheveled sight of her standing at the roadside avoiding the rain when he saw her from the car, he felt annoyed and almost wished he could stuff ten umbrellas in her bag in the future. Lu Wanwan was a fussy person. He said fifteen minutes just to scare her, to speed up her movements, lest she doze off in there and faint. But after half an hour with no sign of her, he felt inclined to give her a lesson. Gu Annan, growing impatient, finally couldn¡¯t wait any longer, twisted the door open, and walked in. Just as he reached the bathroom door, he heard a mumbling from inside. ¡°Gu Annan, Gu Annan, Gu Annan, Gu Annan¡­¡± Repeatedly saying his name, filled with all sorts of resentfulness and frustration. He stood at the door, his brow arching slightly, and a ripple appeared on the corner of his lips on his otherwise cold and handsome face. Having heard enough, he spoke deliberately and slowly, his tone unusually not as coldly detached as usual, ¡°Lu Wanwan, you didn¡¯t lock yourself in there, did you? Planning to spend the night?¡± The person inside quickly stood up, ¡°Gu Annan, I don¡¯t have any clothes to change into!¡± Gu Annan silently cursed her for a fool. Chapter 49 - Chapter 49: Chapter 49: Backing Away with Arms Crossed Chapter 49: Chapter 49: Backing Away with Arms Crossed Without clothes, she was just waiting inside? Didn¡¯t she know it¡¯s humid inside the bathroom after she had just taken a shower? His face stern, he took a set of pajamas out of the wardrobe. This was the room prepared for Lu Wanwan, and necessities like clothes had been ready since this morning. Why didn¡¯t this blockhead go out to check? ¡°Open the door.¡± Lu Wanwan held the bath towel with one hand and hesitated with the other on the doorknob. She looked down at herself and thought, opening the door like this wouldn¡¯t be very proper. ¡°Lu Wanwan!¡± Gu Annan frowned impatiently, ¡°The clothes can¡¯t just walk in by themselves if you don¡¯t open the door, can they?¡± Lu Wanwan cautiously cracked the door open just a bit, hiding her body behind it and only sticking out her head with a forced expression. When she looked up and met Gu Annan¡¯s disparaging look, she squeezed out a strained grin and stretched out an arm, ¡°Thank you.¡± But then she thought, he was the wealthy patron, after all, how could she expect such thorough service from him? Her arm extended a bit more determinedly, she had to fend for herself if she wanted to be clothed and fed! Gu Annan watched her hesitant, embarrassed demeanor and just as her fingertips were about to touch the clothes, he withdrew his hand. At the same time, he forcefully opened the bathroom door wide, deliberately exposing her in full view, and her face instantly flushed to the root of her ears. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í??.§ã? ¡°Gu Annan!!¡± Lu Wanwan yelled frantically, hugging her chest and taking a big step back, afraid that the towel would fall off. She still couldn¡¯t shake off the image of Gu Annan standing like the statue of David, exposed in front of her, from their last encounter at his house. If it were her, she definitely couldn¡¯t be as composed as he was! Suddenly, the clothes were rudely tossed onto her, and as Lu Wanwan looked up after catching them, she realized that Gu Annan had already left. She rubbed her face in irritation, realizing she had thought too much. She had been worried about accidentally exposing herself, but he clearly wasn¡¯t interested in looking¡­ Gu Annan¡¯s face was tightly drawn, a barely perceptible heat on his handsome face, and his breathing was somewhat fast. Just as he opened the bedroom door, he encountered Auntie Li carrying in the brewed ginger tea. ¡°Young Master, the ginger tea for Miss Lu is ready.¡± Auntie Li was slightly surprised to see him coming out of this room. Gu Annan quickly turned his head away and continued walking without stopping, dropping a sentence behind him, ¡°Bring it in. After she drinks it, tell her to come to me.¡± Auntie Li watched his slightly hurried figure with curiosity. The young master didn¡¯t seem very composed; his face was stern, yet it wasn¡¯t the kind of grimness that came with a bad mood. The young master was indeed becoming stranger lately. * Watching Lu Wanwan finish the ginger tea, Auntie Li said with a smile, ¡°If Miss Lu feels rested, you can go to the young master¡¯s room, he¡¯s waiting for you in the bedroom.¡± He¡¯s waiting for you in the bedroom¡­ That phrase inexplicably made her nervous, her heart thumping wildly. She accidentally choked on a sip, spraying the tea onto her clothes. Auntie Li was calm, immediately getting another piece, ¡°Please change into this, Miss Lu.¡± Lu Wanwan felt defeated by her own recent neuroticism as she looked at the stain on her clothes, ¡°Auntie Li, this piece of clothing¡­ it¡¯s quite expensive, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Miss Lu, a piece of clothing means nothing to the young master,¡± Auntie Li said for the first time someone at the Gu Family was concerned about the matter of money, ¡°As long as you¡¯re happy, the young master wouldn¡¯t give it a second thought.¡± Lu Wanwan felt she must have said something wrong; it should be about Gu Annan being happy, but when had that icy face ever shown happiness? After changing into the new clothes, Lu Wanwan gently knocked on the door of Gu Annan¡¯s bedroom. Soon, his clear, low voice came from inside, ¡°Come in.¡± Chapter 50 - Chapter 50: Chapter 50: Impulsiveness Feels Good For a Moment Chapter 50: Chapter 50: Impulsiveness Feels Good For a Moment Gu Annan sat on the sofa with his legs elegantly crossed. He saw Lu Wanwan blink and change into another outfit but didn¡¯t ask about it, going straight to the point, ¡°Who allowed you to go to the Lu Family?¡± Lu Wanwan had thought she was summoned here for his bedtime needs, even imagining that once the bedding tussle was over, she might have the chance to bring up borrowing money. But Gu Annan¡¯s words left her puzzled, wondering if she needed to report her own visit home. Considering the rest of her money had already been deducted due to vomiting on him while drunk last time, Lu Wanwan didn¡¯t have many concerns left, ¡°I¡¯m not avoiding you. Is it wrong to go home for a meal?¡± ¡°Have you forgotten? I said you¡¯re not allowed to return to the Lu Family,¡± he reminded her. Caught under his probing gaze, Lu Wanwan felt even more bewildered, ¡°You said that?¡± Looking at his handsome face that almost seemed to run out of patience, she suddenly remembered. The first time she was brought to the Gu Mansion, Gu Annan had said, ¡°¡­For the safety of my fianc¨¦e, from now on, you¡¯re strictly forbidden from approaching her, and that includes not going back to the Lu Family.¡± He was actually serious! Just for Lu Kexin, she was really forbidden from returning home? ¡°Gu Annan, I didn¡¯t even run into your fianc¨¦e when I went back! Haven¡¯t I already promised you, I wouldn¡¯t harm her in any way?¡± she said, gnashing her teeth inwardly with irritation. Gu Annan observed her anger and fell silent for a moment. He¡¯d already had Zhao Chen investigate the current basic situation of the Lu Family. After Ye Jing passed away, Lu Jingtian took over all the businesses of Jin¡¯an Media and married Ye Jing¡¯s former best friend Lin Yu less than six months after the funeral. Lin Yu¡¯s illegitimate daughter, Lin Kexin, was also brought into the Lu Family, taking on the Lu surname directly. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í¨À?.§ã¦Ï From that time on, Lu Wanwan¡¯s status in the Lu Family underwent drastic changes. Although Lu Kexin was the daughter Lin Yu had brought along, Lu Jingtian clearly showed her more favoritism. In contrast, his actual daughter, Lu Wanwan, fell out of his good graces over time. She had had many conflicts with Lin Yu and her daughter, but no matter who was in the right or wrong, Lu Jingtian always sided with the mother and daughter duo and not Lu Wanwan. He didn¡¯t know what had happened in the Lu Family before, but the fact that Lu Kexin had drugged Lu Wanwan once meant she had the guts to do it a second time. Without giving an explanation, Gu Annan spoke in an indifferent tone, ¡°I¡¯m going to say this one last time. Until the engagement is over, you are not to enter the Lu Family¡¯s doors again.¡± Feeling deeply aggrieved, Lu Wanwan was filled with a smoldering resentment that had been building up over the years. For four years, ever since becoming the second young miss of the Lu Family, countless revolting acts by Lu Kexin had made her sever ties with this once friend. Yet no matter what happened, her father always sided with Kexin. And now, Gu Annan was doing the same. ¡°Gu Annan, you¡¯ve taken all my money, why should I listen to you? I¡¯ll tell you this: that hundred thousand is all spent. You won¡¯t get a single word back from me. I am penniless now. What can you do to me?¡± After she spoke, there was a moment of silence. She immediately regretted her words. A moment of impulsiveness felt good. If she didn¡¯t have to borrow money from Gu Annan, she could just let herself feel good this once and, at worst, Gu Annan, in a fit of embarrassed rage, would kick her out, and they would never cross paths again. But if she was to ask him to lend her money immediately after, she knew her own tongue would curl up in self-contempt¡­ Gu Annan didn¡¯t show anger at her bold provocation. Instead, he looked at her with a calm and playful gaze, watching her momentum and expression falter bit by bit after her outburst. ¡°You went to the Lu Family but didn¡¯t get any money, right?¡± he asked leisurely, leaning against the sofa. Chapter 51 - Chapter 51: Chapter 51: Like Honey Was Smudged Chapter 51: Chapter 51: Like Honey Was Smudged ¡°¡­¡± Lu Wanwan¡¯s mind was a blur. The recently unpredictable menopausal temper of Gu Annan didn¡¯t flare up? It wasn¡¯t that she was masochistically waiting to be scolded every day; it was just that since encountering Gu Annan, his expression had either been cold and impassive or his fiery gaze fixated on her, often making her doubt her own life, feeling like everything she said was wrong. ¡°Answer me, is it true?¡± His tone was so calm it made her nervous, and Lu Wanwan timidly spoke, ¡°Sort of. I had originally planned to, but I couldn¡¯t bring myself to say it.¡± Gu Annan took out a check, holding it casually between his fingers. If not for the slightly less flamboyant expression, he resembled the extravagant image of a wealthy playboy splurging money. ¡°For me?¡± Lu Wanwan couldn¡¯t believe it, the thing she planned to do, yet hadn¡¯t even spoken about, was no longer necessary to mention. She looked at the check, reaching out for it. Gu Annan gently lifted it back slightly, ¡°Don¡¯t rush; I haven¡¯t finished talking. This is two hundred thousand, but it comes with conditions.¡± Lu Wanwan thought, she had already sold herself for a month, what more conditions could there be? She looked at him, ¡°Okay, even if you add another month, I can accept it!¡± Gu Annan inwardly scoffed, another month? By then she would be his, no need to deceive her with money. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï???.§ã? ¡°Two hundred thousand for you, but during this period you¡¯re not allowed to go to the Lu Family, nor to see Lu Kexin.¡± He knew Lu Wanwan was not a pushover, and unless forced by circumstances, she would not suffer in silence. But she was clueless about underhanded tricks and manipulation; confronting Lu Kexin would undoubtedly put her at a disadvantage. ¡°Agree and the money is yours immediately. If you don¡¯t agree, I will tear it up.¡± When Lu Wanwan heard those words, it felt like a knife was slicing through her heart. Her already pale face turned even whiter. Seeing her biting her lip and silent, Gu Annan knew she might be considering something. His long fingers pinched the center of the check, ready to tear it in half with just a little effort. ¡°I agree,¡± Lu Wanwan said each word with difficulty, ¡°I won¡¯t go to the Lu Family¡¯s house, nor will I meet Lu Kexin.¡± No sooner had she made the promise than the check was already in her hand. Gu Annan rose from the sofa, the light casting his large shadow over Lu Wanwan. ¡°It¡¯s only until the engagement; I don¡¯t want any trouble before then. The engagement party is set for the ninth of September, in half a month,¡± he said indifferently, ¡°For these half a month, just go straight home from work to here.¡± Lu Wanwan clutched the check tightly, ¡°Mr. Gu, if there¡¯s nothing else, I¡¯ll go back to my room to rest. I wish you a happy engagement in advance, may it last forever and ever.¡± Her words, clear and slow, carried a heavy tone that anyone could hear the sarcasm. Not only was there no sincerity in her blessings, but there was also a hint of sourness. ¡°Thank you,¡± Gu Annan responded, his lips curling up slightly. Lu Wanwan felt stifled to the core, no wonder he was in such a good mood today, no matter what she said, he wouldn¡¯t get angry. Apparently, it was the joy of the engagement date being set. Even a simple thank you sounded like it was coated with honey; it pained her ears. With the check in hand, she stormed off. Inside, all sorts of vicious thoughts swirled; she just wanted to quickly get through the final half a month and never see these two people again. Just after Lu Wanwan left, Gu Annan¡¯s phone rang. He looked at it, answered, and said somewhat irritatedly, ¡°Father, haven¡¯t I told you not to worry about the engagement matters?¡± Chapter 52 - Chapter 52: Chapter 52 Who Prepared the Cold Medicine for Her? Chapter 52: Chapter 52 Who Prepared the Cold Medicine for Her? ¡°` The voice of a middle-aged man on the other end of the phone sounded unhappily, ¡°You think anyone cares about your business?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°What¡¯s the deal with your fianc¨¦e? Your mother heard that your fianc¨¦e is the second miss of the Lu Family? Annan, although we really don¡¯t want to waste time meddling in your affairs, anyone would get it wrong when it comes to who their future daughter-in-law is. This makes your mother lose face, so I had to come and ask. Didn¡¯t you say it was Ms. Ye Jing¡¯s daughter from the Lu Family?¡± ¡°Father, you¡¯re not mistaken. Anyway, this is not something you need to worry about. The only thing you two need to do before then is to keep silent and just show up on the engagement day.¡± ¡°So you treat us as a pair of mascots to use?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Gu Annan¡¯s brows slightly furrowed, ¡°I didn¡¯t.¡± This serious reply dissatisfied Mr. Gu, ¡°Seriously no sense of humor. Hard to believe you¡¯re my son. How can I retire in peace with you being so lacking in EQ?¡± Gu Annan wasn¡¯t surprised by the nonsensical worried tone on the other end of the phone. ¡°Father, if you don¡¯t want to retire, you can come back,¡± he said slowly, ¡°As it happens, right after I get engaged, I would like to take a vacation with my fianc¨¦e.¡± ¡°No more nonsense with you, wasting my time! I still have to make breakfast for your mother, goodbye!¡± * ¡°Achoo!¡± Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ??¦Í?0.§ã¦Ï Lu Wanwan¡¯s trash bin next to her desk was filled with balls of tissue paper, as her sneezes followed one after the other. The effect of getting caught in the rain yesterday was quite clear, as today she came down with a glorious cold. ¡°Xiaolu, take some medicine, eh?¡± Tang Xiao sat with her legs manspread. Lu Wanwan sniffled, her voice heavy with nasal congestion, ¡°I¡¯ll buy some later.¡± Although she had received another two hundred thousand, that sum was only reserved for the kidney source surgery. Now that her grandmother couldn¡¯t be discharged from the hospital, the daily expenses flowed away like water, and no one knew how many more days they¡¯d have to wait before the surgery. The last hundred thousand had less than a few thousand left, meaning unless the surgery happened immediately, the money was still not enough. A cold isn¡¯t such a big deal; one could just tough it out without necessarily needing medication. ¡°Where is the document I gave you yesterday, in the USB drive?¡± asked Tang Xiao. Lu Wanwan frantically rummaged through her bag, and after dumping out the contents, a box of cold medicine fell out. Tang Xiao¡¯s sharp eyes spotted the USB drive amidst the mess and took it, ¡°Hey, you have cold medicine.¡± Lu Wanwan held the medicine box in surprise ¨C this definitely wasn¡¯t something she bought herself. When had it appeared in her bag, and how did she know nothing about it? Could it be Gu Annan? ¡°The meeting is starting, hurry up.¡± ¡°If you¡¯re late, the queen mother will be furious!¡± Having no time to think it over, Lu Wanwan put the cold medicine back into the drawer and followed to the conference room. After the editor-in-chief went over the usual business, he tapped his finger, and the slide immediately refreshed to Gu Corporation. ¡°The last time the team conducted a carpet-like investigation throughout the building, they didn¡¯t find a single clue,¡± said the editor-in-chief as he pushed up his black-framed glasses with a serious mien, ¡°I¡¯m very dissatisfied with this result.¡± Those assigned to that group murmured quietly ¨C they were supposed to find someone from just a blurry silhouette that only appeared once among the countless people coming and going in the building. A sneeze from Lu Wanwan came at just the right moment, and she quickly apologized, ¡°Sorry, sorry, I¡¯ve caught a cold.¡± The editor-in-chief looked on in disgust and, from seemingly nowhere, pulled out a face mask and quickly put it on, then continued, ¡°However, I recently received a valuable piece of information ¨C the Gu Corporation heir is getting engaged in half a month.¡± ¡°` Chapter 53 - Chapter 53: Chapter 53 Reigniting the Fighting Spirit Chapter 53: Chapter 53 Reigniting the Fighting Spirit ¡°The team originally searching for the mysterious woman has now shifted its focus to the engagement banquet. Dig three feet into the ground if you must, but find me the time, place, and people involved. We are definitely covering this story!¡± Lu Wanwan had a wicked thought flash through her mind and immediately raised her hand, ¡°Editor, may I take part in this assignment?¡± When it came to infiltrating the engagement party, no one could do it more easily than her, especially since her contract with Gu Annan would be over by then, leaving her without any reservations. They were the infamous Zui Entertainment, after all, where there was no talk of sending positive energy or blessings. This suited her intentions perfectly. The editor simply ignored her, ¡°Xiaoqin, you¡¯re responsible for drafting a proposal for me.¡± ¡°Editor, editor, I want to join.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s move on to the second task for the near future.¡± ¡°Editor¡­¡± Finally, the editor turned to look at Lu Wanwan, ¡°You, join another group.¡± Lu Wanwan had last successfully snapped photos of Bai Lingyun. The editor couldn¡¯t quite tell whether this girl had potential or it was all just luck. But at the very least, getting into Dijing Clubhouse, the first barrier, posed no difficulty for her, so she was the most suitable for the next assignment. ¡°The news about Qiao Moran last time was well received. He¡¯s been out of the spotlight for a year, hasn¡¯t sung for two years, and recently recorded a single out of nowhere. Many people are speculating whether he has plans for a comeback.¡± The editor flung a stack of materials down with a slap, sliding them toward Lu Wanwan with such force it was impressive, ¡°The Gu Family¡¯s engagement is our journal¡¯s highlight this year. If you want to join that group, first prove yourself.¡± Many pairs of eyes turned towards Lu Wanwan, their expressions varying. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í??.?0 An intern, who by luck got a shot of Bai Lingyun, surely isn¡¯t that full of herself, is she? Just a few days here and she¡¯s eager to leave the menial office tasks behind to join the key teams. What does she take the veterans for? Lu Wanwan¡¯s hopes had been dashed, and she listlessly flipped through the documents. Dijing Clubhouse again? Her eyebrows raised slightly. This wouldn¡¯t be difficult. At least she knew she could freely enter and exit that so-called high-end club. ¡°Alright!¡± Lu Wanwan¡¯s fighting spirit reignited. If she did well on this story, not only would she get a commission, but she¡¯d also be able to join the group plotting against Gu Annan and Lu Kexin. By the time she made those two look bad and got her commission, she would be killing three birds with one stone! She simply had to agree! * When Lu Wanwan returned to the Gu Mansion, Gu Annan hadn¡¯t arrived yet. She seized the opportunity to turn on the computer and started searching for various news about Qiao Moran, determined to avoid the previous situation where Xiaozhao questioned her lack of preparation. Qiao Moran was a name familiar to Lu Wanwan. They had attended the same high school. However, Qiao Moran was three years her senior. When she entered high school, he had just graduated, so they had never met. Qiao Moran had an early start to his career, becoming famous at 16. In a school teeming with celebrities, Qiao Moran was the first to top their alumni notable list before even graduating, and he¡¯s maintained a position in the top three for years. ¡°Son of the chairman of Qiao¡¯er Group, born with a silver spoon in his mouth, but with an impressive set of credentials, able to act and to sing¡­¡± As Lu Wanwan was looking at this, Aunt Li knocked and brought in a bowl of soup. ¡°Miss Lu, you need to nourish your body after being sick. Take a break for a moment.¡± Lu Wanwan stopped what she was doing and picked up the bowl of soup, ¡°Aunt Li, the box of cold medicine in my bag¡­¡± Aunt Li said, ¡°You must remember to take that medicine on time.¡± There was a hint of dejection in Lu Wanwan¡¯s eyes. So, it was Aunt Li who was so attentive. ¡°I¡¯m taking it on time. Thank you, Aunt Li.¡± Aunt Li glanced inadvertently at the computer and smiled, ¡°Miss Lu, are you a fan of young master Qiao?¡± Chapter 54 - Chapter 54: Chapter 54: Does He Have a Hidden Illness? Chapter 54: Chapter 54: Does He Have a Hidden Illness? Lu Wanwan hadn¡¯t noticed the familiarity in Auntie Li¡¯s tone when she mentioned ¡°Young Master Qiao,¡± and casually said, ¡°I¡¯m not a fan, I just have a recent work task related to him.¡± Auntie Li watched her finish drinking and seemingly casually said, ¡°Young Master Qiao and our young master have known each other since childhood, and I don¡¯t know if they have met recently.¡± Lu Wanwan knew that Qiao Moran and Gu Annan knew each other because at Huangcheng last time, not only were Gu Annan and Ji Shaoyang present, but also Qiao Moran. But she truly didn¡¯t know that Qiao Moran was so close to him. However, even after Auntie Li¡¯s reminder, she still had no plans to seek Gu Annan¡¯s help. Their relationship was just about money, and it was better to owe fewer personal favors. Plus, her plan was to use this news as a stepping stone to get into the team following Gu Annan¡¯s engagement, which made her feel somewhat guilty about reaching out to him. During the days she lived in the Gu Mansion, initially, she was scared every night, not knowing when Gu Annan would demand to use her body. Yet each day passed without incident, making her wonder if Gu Annan had paid to have her stay for a month just to keep her, a potential threat to Lu Kexin, under his watchful eyes to prevent any incidents. Aside from that one unexpected forceful kiss, he hadn¡¯t even touched her once, and he would deliberately keep his distance. She should be relieved, but every time Lu Wanwan thought about how it was because of Lu Kexin, she deeply despised Gu Annan¡¯s unmanly behavior in her heart. What ascetic male god, campus heartthrob¡ªwho knows if he¡¯s impotent? Why else would rumors of him being gay circulate? Pushing her away after each kiss, was he testing if she liked women? As for the night they had relations, she didn¡¯t remember anything; it was hard to say how it had happened. So, recalling Gu Annan¡¯s infuriated retort, ¡°You can¡¯t feel it? The feeling isn¡¯t deep?¡± seemed to her nothing more than a weak cover-up. Where had she felt it, to talk of feeling deeply? Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?0¦Í??.§ã¦Ï Several days passed, and Qiao Moran¡¯s group still hadn¡¯t clarified Qiao Moran¡¯s recent specific activities; they only had vague itinerary data from the editor. Every day stalking at the Dijing Clubhouse revealed nothing unusual, inevitably raising doubts about the credibility of the information. After all, Qiao Moran had been away for a year, and no media had tracked his whereabouts during that year; most of the information was likely just smoke bombs. Finally, the weekend came, and their scheduled few, one said she had a date with her boyfriend, another had to return to her hometown for personal matters, and another needed to celebrate her home cat¡¯s birthday¡ªthey all coincidentally planned to discuss further after the weekend. In the end, Lu Wanwan alone continued to endure the scorching sun outside the Dijing Clubhouse. The commission from the cash and the involvement in exposing the scandal of Gu Annan¡¯s and Lu Kexin¡¯s engagement were her motivations to persevere. On Saturday evening, a Maybach stopped at the entrance of the Dijing Clubhouse. ¡°Surprisingly, it¡¯s Annan who initiated the meeting,¡± Shao Zhixing entered the clubhouse with a sinister smile, playfully saying, ¡°President Qiao, does it not feel a bit extraordinary?¡± The man next to him, hat on his head, kept his gaze on his phone, most of his face covered, revealing only the elegant curve of his chin, ¡°Hmm.¡± Shao Zhixing, visibly annoyed, squinted, ¡°Aren¡¯t you sick of that matching game?¡± Qiao Moran, still not looking up, replied contemptuously, ¡°This is ¡®Every Night Elimination¡¯!¡± * This time entering the Dijing Clubhouse, no one stopped her. Lu Wanwan, upon entering, began inspecting each floor, searching for her target task. Chapter 55 - Chapter 55: Chapter 55: The Repressed and Lonely Individual Chapter 55: Chapter 55: The Repressed and Lonely Individual Finally, she saw a particularly tall and robust man standing guard in front of a private room. Lu Wanwan remembered this man; he was the same bodyguard who appeared before Qiao Moran and another unfamiliar man got out of the car earlier. ¡°Miss, who are you?¡± the bodyguard stopped her. Immediately, Lu Wanwan placed her hand on her temple, her face a portrait of seductive haziness, and her body began to lean towards the door, ¡°I¡¯ve had a few too many drinks and seem to have lost my way. Handsome, can you let me in to have a look? Maybe I just came out of this room¡­¡± She had intended to collapse softly and ¡®unintentionally¡¯ open the door to the private room in the process. All of a sudden, the bodyguard extended his hand to stop her, ¡°You can¡¯t go in.¡± Lu Wanwan was wearing a form-fitting dress. Although the neckline wasn¡¯t low, the curve of her bust was particularly beautiful. From such a close distance, after blocking her, the hand that should have been hastily retracted paused for a moment. This woman had a great figure. If she insisted on going in, then it was inevitable that a bit of physical conflict would occur in the process of him dutifully stopping her¡­ Lu Wanwan particularly disliked being touched by others. When the bodyguard touched her arm, she instinctively wanted to pull back. Unexpectedly, he grabbed her arm instead. Could it be that they would detain and interrogate her for an attempted intrusion? ¡°Mr. Gu!¡± Suddenly, the bodyguard spoke out anxiously. As he spoke, Lu Wanwan¡¯s wrist was tightly gripped and she was yanked over. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ??¦Í?0.§ã¦Ï Gu Annan¡¯s face was iron-blue; he had seen everything clearly from before. It was bad enough for the bodyguard to seek his own death. Why did this woman not resist? She just let someone touch her so easily? ¡°This woman tried to sneak in,¡± the bodyguard hastily explained. Lu Wanwan really wanted to discuss life with the bodyguard. She could¡¯ve said she mistook the room, why must he tell the truth! It was as if the air pressure dropped in an instant. She lifted her head to meet Gu Annan¡¯s icy gaze and shivered. His eyes and brows were filled with chill, and after glancing sharply at her, his gaze swept toward the bodyguard, who instantly broke out in cold sweat. ¡°Get lost!¡± Gu Annan¡¯s tightly pressed lips uttered harshly. ¡°Mr. Gu, I¡¯ll immediately throw her out.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯ll leave right now¡­¡± Both voices nearly sounded at the same time. Lu Wanwan, thinking she was being sent away, was just about to turn around when her wrist was gripped again. ¡°I told you to get lost!¡± Gu Annan grasped Lu Wanwan, his face dark as he enunciated each word to the bodyguard. The short, forceful sound made his chest tremble. The fury seemed as if it could transfer through the thin shirt, and Lu Wanwan didn¡¯t dare to move a half-step. The bodyguard trembled, ¡°I need to stay here to protect Mr. Qiao¡­¡± ¡°As of now, you are fired by Qiao Moran. Get out immediately,¡± Gu Annan commanded. Only then did the bodyguard leave hastily without daring to raise his head. The door to the private room opened, and Gu Annan¡¯s grip still hadn¡¯t loosened. She staggered as she followed him inside, and immediately several pairs of eyes looked over. ¡°Gu Annan, can you let go of me first¡­¡± Before her voice fell, Gu Annan had already let go of her hand, his face still cold, and without looking back, he headed toward the sofa. She stood there, bewildered by the door, torn between staying and leaving. If she left now, thinking about the mission made her unwilling! If she stayed, he would just leave her there, and she¡¯d be obliging with a warm face to his cold ass. ¡°Here she comes.¡± Ji Shaoyang was the first to speak out, flashing a smile at her and pointing to the seat next to Gu Annan, ¡°Isn¡¯t that Lu Wanwan? Come and sit; it¡¯s been a long time.¡± The reclusive brooder thought to himself, if he didn¡¯t speak up to help, Lu Wanwan might just turn around and leave! Chapter 56 - Chapter 56: Chapter 56: Long Time No See Chapter 56: Chapter 56: Long Time No See Lu Wanwan¡¯s gaze landed on a corner of the sofa, where a handsome man in a black coat leaned back with a cell phone in his hand. When those eyes looked toward her, he was the only one who hadn¡¯t looked up from start to finish. Qiao Moran! ¡°Ji Shaoyang, long time no see,¡± Lu Wanwan said without hesitation this time. Lu Wanwan and Gu Annan attended the same high school, with Gu Annan a grade above her, and Ji Shaoyang was not only in the same class as Gu Annan but also his good friend. There was a time when Lu Wanwan, like a little tail, followed Gu Annan every day, naturally coming to know Ji Shaoyang as well. At first, she always wondered how such a tough and cold loner had a friend as approachable and kind as Ji Shaoyang, which seemed nothing short of a miracle. Shao Zhiheng¡¯s curious gaze lingered for a while, ¡°So you are Lu Wanwan, back then I¡­¡± Seeing him about to bring up the group fight from years ago, Ji Shaoyang interrupted without hesitation, ¡°Wanwan, do you play mahjong? We just happen to be one short.¡± She glanced at the private room, not counting herself, there were exactly four people; where were they short one? Clearly, it looked like they already had a full set up. ¡°Annan doesn¡¯t play, just look at his face, he doesn¡¯t want to play, now we are just three short of one,¡± pleaded Ji Shaoyang, his hands pressed together and his gaze sincere. ¡°Wanwan, you must know how to play!¡± Does that mean Qiao Moran will also play? She definitely needs to know how! Even just to write about the grace of Qiao Moran at the mahjong table would do! Plus, once she could become a fellow player, asking him when he would return to the scene would be a matter of course, right? ¡°Know, know, know,¡± said Lu Wanwan, not hesitating and rushing to the table even more eagerly than him. Shao Zhiheng was a bit disappointed; who wants to play mahjong at a time like this? He hadn¡¯t even commemorated his first group fight yet. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ??¦Í?0.§ã¦Ï Just then, the door to the room was pushed open with a flourish, ¡°Qiao Moran, you¡¯re fine to fire your bodyguard¡­ Lu Wanwan?¡± ¡°Lin Weiyang?¡± Lin Weiyang was in the same school year as Lu Wanwan but not in the same class; they also knew each other through Gu Annan. However, since the year before she graduated, they had not interacted further due to Gu Annan. Shao Zhiheng commented with a tinge of envy, ¡°You guys had it so good attending school domestically.¡± Dichen High School is a renowned aristocratic private school in Manchester, the top choice for the upper echelons, so it¡¯s no surprise they all went to the same school. If Shao Zhiheng hadn¡¯t gone abroad in middle school, he would have attended Dichen High as well. Worried Shao Zhiheng might stumble into a sensitive topic again, Ji Shaoyang urged, ¡°Hurry up and start, stop dawdling.¡± ¡°You guys are playing mahjong?¡± Lin Weiyang came over excitedly. Ji Shaoyang had finally made a three-player gap, and he couldn¡¯t let Lin Weiyang disrupt it, ¡°Weiyang, you half-starter, don¡¯t disturb us, just watch from the side.¡± A few rounds later, Ji Shaoyang realized that Lu Wanwan¡¯s ¡®know¡¯ was even worse than his description of Lin Weiyang as a half-starter. ¡°She¡¯s bluffing, right¡­¡± Lin Weiyang commented enthusiastically from the sidelines. Lu Wanwan, flustered, quickly stood the tile she had just pushed back up, ¡°Then let me think again.¡± Lu Wanwan held her head; heaven knows how much she regretted not playing a few extra rounds ordinarily. Her knowledge of mahjong was limited to what Xu Yuan taught her in theory, and this was her first practical attempt. Having unexpectedly won a few rounds earlier, with several bills of Mao Zedong piled next to her, she thought she was on a gambling streak, seeing the changing expressions of the other three players; but then Lin Weiyang openly called her out for bluffing. Damn, now she didn¡¯t even know which tile to play! A hand suddenly reached out, a slender index finger coldly pushing out one of her tiles, the two of bamboo. Chapter 58 - Chapter 58: Chapter 58 Zui Entertainment That Damn Paparazzo Chapter 58: Chapter 58 Zui Entertainment That Damn Paparazzo Gu Annan¡¯s lips were tightly pursed, emitting a sharp and piercing coldness from his eyes that seemed to radiate a chill from his very bones. Lu Wanwan didn¡¯t notice him, rather it was Ji Jiayi by his side who suddenly didn¡¯t know what she said wrong. Was it because she brought the reporters here, causing him trouble? When she followed Gu Annan¡¯s gaze, she was surprised to see Qiao Moran was also there. Indeed, she had caused trouble. Ever since Gu Annan returned to take charge of the family business, he had kept a low profile, never appearing in public. Now she led the reporters here, and to make matters worse, there was Qiao Moran, another hard one to shake off. ¡°Mr. Music God, do you always wear a hat when you go out?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Qiao Moran was always brief and to the point. Lu Wanwan felt like getting words out of him was like squeezing toothpaste¡ªwithout asking, he wouldn¡¯t say a word. ¡°So, are you so frugal with words because you need to protect your voice?¡± ¡°No.¡± Not? That¡¯s it? What about the reason? Lu Wanwan deeply felt that interviewing Qiao Moran was a daunting task. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í¨À?.§ã¦Ï ¡°Jiayi, who allowed you to come here?¡± Ji Shaoyang¡¯s temper flared at the sight of his sister. Can¡¯t she go one day without causing a scene? He strode forward, getting to Lu Wanwan first and pulling Ji Jiayi, preparing to leave. Ji Jiayi didn¡¯t have time to question why the assistant was also here, ¡°Brother, I can¡¯t go, don¡¯t pull me. There are reporters waiting outside!¡± ¡°You brought reporters here too?¡± Ji Jiayi cast a cautious glance at the stony-faced Gu Annan, ¡°It wasn¡¯t on purpose, okay? If it wasn¡¯t for that damned paparazzo from Zui Entertainment, would I be targeted?¡± ¡°We still need to go!¡± Ji Shaoyang was more determined this time, dragging Ji Jiayi and calling Lin Weiyang on the way, ¡°Weiyang, come over and help. While they don¡¯t know Qiao Moran is here, let¡¯s lead the reporters away.¡± There would be no more eating; it was best not to leave Lin Weiyang here to get in the way. As for Qiao Moran, this guy famous from north to south was actually the one with the least presence in reality. Once the three left, Lu Wanwan breathed a sigh of relief. Just as she was about to take the opportunity to ask Qiao Moran a few more questions before he left, she suddenly remembered something and instantly looked in Gu Annan¡¯s direction, colliding with his displeased gaze. ¡°Um, Gu Annan¡­¡± Lu Wanwan hadn¡¯t finished speaking when she saw Gu Annan turn his head and walk away without a word. * In the car. The silence brought a hint of pressure. When Zhao Chen started the car, he saw from the rearview mirror inside that the boss had a grim face. It was clearly because Miss Lu had recently been waiting in Dijing for Qiao Moran to no avail, that he had arranged for Qiao Moran to come here, delivering this juicy opportunity right to her, and yet now he was showing a scowl. Qiao Moran was looking down, playing on his phone, and Lu Wanwan, racking her brain, couldn¡¯t find a way to join the conversation, feeling a sense of urgency in her heart thinking about him getting off the car soon. ¡°Is the young master playing Bejeweled again?¡± Zhao Chen broke the too-quiet car atmosphere, his first sentence exposing his boss¡¯s habit. Without looking up, Qiao Moran replied, ¡°Nighty Night Crush.¡± ¡°You like playing games?¡± Lu Wanwan had thought he was playing Match-3 games out of boredom because there was nothing to do in the car. But from what Xiaozhao implied, he was a gaming enthusiast. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I play Nighty Night Crush too! Let¡¯s add each other as friends!¡± she said nervously. ¡°Okay.¡± Zhao Chen regretted it; he hadn¡¯t expected Miss Lu to play too, and now they had found a common topic. He dared not look at the boss¡¯s face anymore. ¡°Mr. Qiao,¡± Lu Wanwan thought better of it, ¡°let¡¯s not add each other.¡± Gu Annan, who had been looking out the window, turned his head slightly. Chapter 58 - Chapter 58: Chapter 58 Zui Entertainment That Damn Paparazzo Chapter 58: Chapter 58 Zui Entertainment That Damn Paparazzo Gu Annan¡¯s lips were tightly pursed, emitting a sharp and piercing coldness from his eyes that seemed to radiate a chill from his very bones. Lu Wanwan didn¡¯t notice him, rather it was Ji Jiayi by his side who suddenly didn¡¯t know what she said wrong. Was it because she brought the reporters here, causing him trouble? When she followed Gu Annan¡¯s gaze, she was surprised to see Qiao Moran was also there. Indeed, she had caused trouble. Ever since Gu Annan returned to take charge of the family business, he had kept a low profile, never appearing in public. Now she led the reporters here, and to make matters worse, there was Qiao Moran, another hard one to shake off. ¡°Mr. Music God, do you always wear a hat when you go out?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Qiao Moran was always brief and to the point. Lu Wanwan felt like getting words out of him was like squeezing toothpaste¡ªwithout asking, he wouldn¡¯t say a word. ¡°So, are you so frugal with words because you need to protect your voice?¡± ¡°No.¡± Not? That¡¯s it? What about the reason? Lu Wanwan deeply felt that interviewing Qiao Moran was a daunting task. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í¨À?.§ã¦Ï ¡°Jiayi, who allowed you to come here?¡± Ji Shaoyang¡¯s temper flared at the sight of his sister. Can¡¯t she go one day without causing a scene? He strode forward, getting to Lu Wanwan first and pulling Ji Jiayi, preparing to leave. Ji Jiayi didn¡¯t have time to question why the assistant was also here, ¡°Brother, I can¡¯t go, don¡¯t pull me. There are reporters waiting outside!¡± ¡°You brought reporters here too?¡± Ji Jiayi cast a cautious glance at the stony-faced Gu Annan, ¡°It wasn¡¯t on purpose, okay? If it wasn¡¯t for that damned paparazzo from Zui Entertainment, would I be targeted?¡± ¡°We still need to go!¡± Ji Shaoyang was more determined this time, dragging Ji Jiayi and calling Lin Weiyang on the way, ¡°Weiyang, come over and help. While they don¡¯t know Qiao Moran is here, let¡¯s lead the reporters away.¡± There would be no more eating; it was best not to leave Lin Weiyang here to get in the way. As for Qiao Moran, this guy famous from north to south was actually the one with the least presence in reality. Once the three left, Lu Wanwan breathed a sigh of relief. Just as she was about to take the opportunity to ask Qiao Moran a few more questions before he left, she suddenly remembered something and instantly looked in Gu Annan¡¯s direction, colliding with his displeased gaze. ¡°Um, Gu Annan¡­¡± Lu Wanwan hadn¡¯t finished speaking when she saw Gu Annan turn his head and walk away without a word. * In the car. The silence brought a hint of pressure. When Zhao Chen started the car, he saw from the rearview mirror inside that the boss had a grim face. It was clearly because Miss Lu had recently been waiting in Dijing for Qiao Moran to no avail, that he had arranged for Qiao Moran to come here, delivering this juicy opportunity right to her, and yet now he was showing a scowl. Qiao Moran was looking down, playing on his phone, and Lu Wanwan, racking her brain, couldn¡¯t find a way to join the conversation, feeling a sense of urgency in her heart thinking about him getting off the car soon. ¡°Is the young master playing Bejeweled again?¡± Zhao Chen broke the too-quiet car atmosphere, his first sentence exposing his boss¡¯s habit. Without looking up, Qiao Moran replied, ¡°Nighty Night Crush.¡± ¡°You like playing games?¡± Lu Wanwan had thought he was playing Match-3 games out of boredom because there was nothing to do in the car. But from what Xiaozhao implied, he was a gaming enthusiast. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I play Nighty Night Crush too! Let¡¯s add each other as friends!¡± she said nervously. ¡°Okay.¡± Zhao Chen regretted it; he hadn¡¯t expected Miss Lu to play too, and now they had found a common topic. He dared not look at the boss¡¯s face anymore. ¡°Mr. Qiao,¡± Lu Wanwan thought better of it, ¡°let¡¯s not add each other.¡± Gu Annan, who had been looking out the window, turned his head slightly. Chapter 59 - Chapter 59: Chapter 59 Gu Annan, Thank You Chapter 59: Chapter 59 Gu Annan, Thank You She didn¡¯t know Qiao Moran, and her plethora of questions were purely for work, but clearly Qiao Moran didn¡¯t regard her as a journalist. He was sparse with words, yet answered every question without the slightest guard up. Lu Wanwan felt that if she turned around and betrayed him, she would be utterly unprincipled. Lu Wanwan needed money, desperately, but she could not deceive. ¡°Alright.¡± Lu Wanwan: ¡­ Qiao Moran¡¯s notorious reticence was something she had heard about, even leading to numerous rumors about him being a prima donna and conceited. Now she truly understood that it wasn¡¯t him being haughty, it was just the way he was. ¡°But I should clarify, Mr. Qiao, when I asked you all those questions, it wasn¡¯t out of personal curiosity, but for my job. I¡¯m sorry, Mr. Qiao, I¡¯m an entertainment journalist, perhaps the type you dislike the most. But don¡¯t worry, I have principles and limits, and I won¡¯t publish anything without your consent.¡± Zhao Chen couldn¡¯t help but commend Miss Lu, not so much for her principles, but because she made the crucial point clear, so the BOSS wouldn¡¯t misunderstand. The shift from ¡®Music God¡¯ to ¡®Mr. Qiao¡¯ also immediately created a distance. ¡°It¡¯s okay, Miss Lu, young master Qiao is very easy-going, he doesn¡¯t mind. Rest assured, if something can¡¯t be published, he won¡¯t answer it.¡± Cheers of victory from a game echoed from Qiao Moran¡¯s phone, and he also hummed in response. ¡°Does that mean all the responses you just gave are okay to publish?¡± Lu Wanwan probed. ¡°Yes.¡± Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í?0.§ã? Lu Wanwan immediately got to the point, ¡°Mr. Qiao, you haven¡¯t released any music for two years and suddenly recorded a single track, does this mean you are planning a comeback?¡± It was at this question that Qiao Moran finally paused, instead of the unthinking replies he had been giving. Lu Wanwan waited quietly. ¡°No,¡± a scattered, chilly voice came from beside him; Gu Annan spoke for him, ¡°He¡¯s not coming back.¡± Retiring from the entertainment industry? Was Qiao Moran planning to retire from the entertainment industry? No, no, that wasn¡¯t what she was concerned about. The point was, did she now have firsthand news of Qiao Moran¡¯s retirement from the entertainment industry? ¡°Mr. Qiao, is this true?¡± Qiao Moran quickly regained his earlier rhythm, ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Then you must be planning to hold a press conference to announce it, right? When will it be announced?¡± ¡°Next Wednesday.¡± ¡°So, if I publish this news beforehand, would it affect you? I could phrase it as a speculation.¡± ¡°No problem.¡± With the affirmative response, Lu Wanwan finally confirmed that she truly had firsthand information, and there were four days until the press conference. By the time this headline hit the press, it would be just in time for the eve of the press conference. All of this came so smoothly, she could hardly believe it. But thinking back, although she didn¡¯t know why Qiao Moran had suddenly gone silent, if it hadn¡¯t been for Gu Annan¡¯s interjection, the following questions wouldn¡¯t have gone so smoothly. So, was Gu Annan helping her? After Qiao Moran got out of the car, Lu Wanwan glanced at Gu Annan, who was sitting by the car window. His eyes were deep, as profound as the ocean. ¡°Gu Annan, thank you for just now,¡± she mustered her courage to thank him. Gu Annan sat back lazily, legs crossed, gaze still looking out the window. His voice was low and detached, ¡°It¡¯s none of your business. I was just helping him make up his mind when he hesitated.¡± Chapter 60 - Chapter 60: Chapter 60: The Number One Competitor Chapter 60: Chapter 60: The Number One Competitor The next day, Lu Wanwan decided to go to the newspaper office for overtime, humming a song cheerfully. But as soon as she remembered Gu Annan¡¯s last words, she still felt somewhat upset. When she thanked him, he¡¯d reply, ¡°Mind your own business,¡± as if afraid she might overthink. Well, if he disliked her that much, she¡¯d better stay out of his way. ¡°Qiao Moran is quitting showbiz? Hah, Xiaolu, you must speak with evidence; rumors need solid info. Who would believe you without any proof!¡± After Lu Wanwan sent out a message, those who had dates, who were going home, or celebrating their cat¡¯s birthday, all hurried back to work under the editor¡¯s tyranny. It was only after they arrived that the few whose weekends were ruined found out that Lu Wanwan¡¯s so-called big scoop was just a bunch of empty talk, and they immediately threw cold water on her enthusiasm. ¡°Lu Wanwan, you are keen at work, which isn¡¯t an issue, and I understand you newbies who just graduated and want to climb the ladder quickly,¡± said Chen from her team, seemingly patient but with a sting, ¡°Last time, for Bai Lingyun¡¯s piece, photos surfaced and we nearly got a complaint from the Ji Family. Now, with your baseless claims, I don¡¯t believe them at all!¡± ¡°Chen, I assure you everything I said is true,¡± Lu Wanwan explained. Chen, with arms crossed, yawned, ¡°Our publication may have a bad reputation, but there¡¯s a reason we haven¡¯t been sued out of existence over the years; we don¡¯t make stories up. Besides, even if Qiao Moran told you himself, it doesn¡¯t mean it¡¯s true. We might post it on our headline and he could announce his comeback immediately afterward, making us look foolish.¡± Just as Lu Wanwan was about to speak, a mobile phone displaying the latest entertainment news was handed to her, ¡°Look, so many reporters at Dijing Clubhouse yesterday, and the Ji family¡¯s people were all photographed. If Qiao Moran was there, do you think he would have been overlooked?¡± ¡°Editor, so I have reason to believe that Qiao Moran wasn¡¯t at Dijing Clubhouse at all yesterday. Maybe Xiaolu felt the pressure to make progress these past few days and believed some post he saw online,¡± she reasoned. ¡°I didn¡¯t go online, I really saw Qiao Moran, I am a hundred percent sure of it!¡± Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í?¦Ï.?¦Ï The editor, with a stern and penetrating look, swept his glance over those who were dissatisfied with working overtime, ¡°Everyone¡¯s in a hurry to go home and sleep, right?¡± With a ¡°swoosh,¡± a newspaper was flung onto the table. ¡°Look closely at what others are doing while you are sleeping at home. ¡®Star Headlines¡¯ has surpassed our sales this issue!¡± Star Headlines, a rising small-scale publication, had quickly become the number one competitor to their Zui Entertainment, subtly vying to overtake them for the top spot in gossip and scandal. The issue the editor slammed down was the latest, with the headline about the newly popular actress, Ling Xiaoxue, fighting with a mysterious woman. Star Headlines featured a front-page photo of Ling Xiaoxue¡¯s fierce expression during the brawl, destroying her carefully maintained pure and elegant image. Frustrated by the expos¨¦ from Star Headlines, the editor said, ¡°Qiao Moran is quitting showbiz, huh? Immediately work on the latest issue¡¯s headline; we need to pull an all-nighter to get the piece out.¡± The teammates, too intimidated to speak, looked at Lu Wanwan even more displeased. All Lu Wanwan did was look at the fighting picture in Star Headlines. That mysterious woman fighting with Ling Xiaoxue, wasn¡¯t she her best friend, Xu Yuan? ¡°Editor, I want to follow up on this Ling Xiaoxue news,¡± she said. Chapter 61 - Chapter 61: Chapter 61 He Spares No Expense Chapter 61: Chapter 61 He Spares No Expense After leaving the newspaper office, Lu Wanwan immediately gave Xu Yuan a call. A sleepy voice came through from the other end, ¡°Her Majesty hasn¡¯t woken up yet, can we talk later?¡± Lu Wanwan gritted her teeth, ¡°The first thing you do when you come back isn¡¯t to find me, but to get into a fight! Could you be any more disappointing?¡± ¡°Ahem, about that¡­ But how did you find out, Wanwan?¡± ¡°You made the headlines, how could I not know? If I hadn¡¯t seen it, were you planning on never telling me?¡± The voice on the other end pledged earnestly, ¡°Absolutely not, I didn¡¯t lose; why would I be afraid of people finding out? It¡¯s just that I accidentally got a bit disfigured, and I¡¯m embarrassed to go out¡­¡± ¡°If you didn¡¯t lose, how did you get disfigured?¡± ¡°That green tea bitch had such long nails, anyone can have an off day, right? Let¡¯s talk when we meet; I¡¯ll treat you to a meal as an apology.¡± An hour later, at Huajin High-end Restaurant. Xu Yuan, with a battered face, was venting her frustrations. Lu Wanwan saw the nail mark, at least four or five centimeters long, scabbed over, showing the ferocity of the attack. ¡°Anyway, it¡¯s as simple as that.¡± Xu Yuan clenched her fork, angrily saying, ¡°How could I let it go without giving her a beating? That toilet smell disgusted me for a whole day and night.¡± ¡°She attended Fashion Week in New York; you were traveling in New York. She locked you in a bathroom so you couldn¡¯t get out, and you took it out on her when you came back to the country.¡± Lu Wanwan looked at her, ¡°May I ask, Miss Xu Yuan, why on earth would a celebrity, who was nicely attending Fashion Week, lock you in a bathroom for no reason? Your story is missing too many pieces.¡± Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï??¦Ï.§ã¦Ï Xu Yuan¡¯s hand loosened, she hemmed and hawed, ¡°Well¡­ there¡¯s a bit of a personal grudge, it¡¯s trivial, just her own paranoid delusions.¡± Lu Wanwan wanted to ask more, but Xu Yuan immediately called a halt to the topic, ¡°Let¡¯s eat, let¡¯s eat. Look at you, your very first gig as an entertainment reporter and I¡¯m showing you such support, treating you to a big meal. Don¡¯t you feel incredibly moved?¡± Lu Wanwan: ¡°I¡¯m so moved I could strangle you.¡± In a private room not far from the main hall of the same restaurant, Gu Annan sat with a finger raised, pushing the closed file across the table, ¡°Take a look for yourself, if there¡¯s no problem, then sign.¡± The middle-aged man across from him laughed respectfully, taking the file with both hands, ¡°You jest, Sir, of course there¡¯s no problem. Actually, I¡¯ve just taken over this hospital, which I heard was operating at a loss. But rest assured, sir, there are definitely no problems with the hospital. I guarantee it will start turning a profit within a year. Your investment is absolutely worth it!¡± Gu Annan looked up indifferently, ¡°My requirement is not profitability.¡± ¡°You can be assured, Mr. Gu, we will spare no expense in hiring the best doctors and will move quickly to find a kidney source. And we will not disclose your identity as the investor to anyone.¡± The middle-aged man quickly signed the contract, and seeing that Gu Annan had no interest in further conversation, he took his leave very conscientiously. ¡°General Gu.¡± The middle-aged man had just left when Zhao Chen came in, ¡°I just saw Miss Lu. What a coincidence, she¡¯s dining here with a friend.¡± Gu Annan was about to leave with the contract in hand, but paused at Zhao Chen¡¯s words, handing over the contract, ¡°Keep it safe.¡± He had just stepped out of the private room and he gave the hall a quick, indifferent glance, spotting Lu Wanwan almost immediately. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going over, General Gu?¡± ¡°No.¡± Gu Annan turned around, ready to leave. Suddenly, several burly men with unfriendly expressions, rushed in from outside the restaurant and headed straight for Xu Yuan and Lu Wanwan¡¯s table. ¡°Miss Xu, we finally found you.¡± The man who spoke had a rough and boorish tone. Chapter 62 - Chapter 62: Chapter 62: Cant Stand Others Touching Her Chapter 62: Chapter 62: Can¡¯t Stand Others Touching Her ¡°Who the hell are you? I don¡¯t know you,¡± scoffed Xu Yuan, rolling her eyes with disdain. Three burly men quickly surrounded the table. The man who had just spoken let out a cold, mocking laugh, ¡°Miss Xu, you pretend not to know us after the deed is done? Have you forgotten that you haven¡¯t paid up? You dare to owe money to my brother Qiang?¡± Seeing the confusion in Xu Yuan¡¯s eyes, Lu Wanwan realized something was wrong; these people were clearly looking for trouble, and Xu Yuan did not know them at all. ¡°Hiring my brother to teach that pure actress Ling Xiaoxue a lesson and now he¡¯s in the hospital with broken legs because of her bodyguard! Miss Xu, how are we going to settle this? You won¡¯t pay for medical expenses, and now you¡¯re even trying to deny the payment for hiring him?¡± Qiang suddenly slammed the table fiercely, ¡°Are you going to pay or not?¡± The restaurant¡¯s waitstaff, not knowing what to do, said, ¡°Who are you people? If there¡¯s an issue, take it outside.¡± Qiang shoved the waitstaff aside, ¡°Get lost, I¡¯m here to collect a debt.¡± Xu Yuan, known for her fiery temper, looked like she was about to retaliate, but Lu Wanwan immediately gave her a look that told her not to be impulsive. After all, this was a high-end restaurant. If these thugs had any brains, they would confront them after they left the establishment. Otherwise, the restaurant¡¯s security would quickly intervene, and they wouldn¡¯t stand a chance. If they insisted on causing a scene in public, it could only mean they weren¡¯t here for the money but rather to create a bigger problem deliberately. These men must have been hired by Ling Xiaoxue. If Lu Wanwan wasn¡¯t mistaken, there would definitely be ¡®bystanders¡¯ planted around to record the event. This way, Xu Yuan would be the one to take the blame, allowing Ling Xiaoxue to garner public sympathy through crisis PR, portraying herself as the victim. ¡°Yo, this chick isn¡¯t bad,¡± remarked a burly man with a gold chain around his neck beside Lu Wanwan, his lecherous eyes scanning her from face to chest, ¡°Qiang, if she doesn¡¯t have money, we could take her instead. Look at her, so fresh and tender.¡± ¡°Those causing a disturbance, get out now,¡± said the restaurant¡¯s security guards as they arrived on the scene. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ??¦Í?0.§ã¦Ï Qiang yelled, ¡°What¡¯s the problem? This woman hired someone to attack Ling Xiaoxue and is refusing to pay. I have every right to collect my debt!¡± No sooner had he spoken than he violently overturned the table, causing a clattering ruckus that was accompanied by screams from around the restaurant and swearing from the trio. ¡°Flip my table, you¡¯re asking for it!¡± Xu Yuan couldn¡¯t hold back any longer and kicked out swiftly. ¡°Stinking woman, refuses to pay and wants to fight, grab her!¡± ¡°No fighting in the restaurant!¡± ¡°The mafia is hitting people, run for it!¡± The scene became extremely chaotic in an instant, with Xu Yuan, who had practiced Taekwondo for several years and was never afraid of a fight, quickly entangling with the men. ¡°Ah!¡± someone screamed. In the midst of the pandemonium, Lu Wanwan¡¯s arm was suddenly seized, ¡°I¡¯ve got this chick! Heh heh heh.¡± Amidst the scattered debris, she was dragged backward by her twisted arm. Caught off guard by the panic, Lu Wanwan was unable to resist when, all of a sudden, a sharp cry rang out from behind, and her arm was released simultaneously. A gust of wind rushed past her, and she watched in wide-eyed shock as the burly man who had just been holding her was kicked several meters away. Lu Wanwan felt as if her mind had been instantly steadied, and as she turned around, she saw Gu Annan throwing a chair at the burly man who had just taken her hostage. His towering figure stood close by, radiating an icy, furious aura, his sharp gaze fixed sternly on the man¡¯s hands, as if he were about to chop them off and feed them to dogs in the next second. The chaos was momentarily halted by his intervention, and Gu Annan watched the thugs coldly. After a moment of shock, the thugs appeared to be contemplating their next crooked move. Without looking at Lu Wanwan, his lips pressed tightly together, Gu Annan uttered in a low tone, ¡°Stand behind me.¡± Chapter 63 - Chapter 63: Chapter 63: This Man is Not to Be Messed With Chapter 63: Chapter 63: This Man is Not to Be Messed With Lu Wanwan finally came back to her senses, rubbed her sore arm that had just been twisted, and took two steps back. ¡°Who are you? Mind your own business,¡± Qiang Ge grudgingly warned. A chill had run through him just now, and subconsciously, he felt that this man was not to be trifled with. Xu Yuan, who was rolling up his sleeves, also stopped and looked over. Haven¡¯t Gu Annan and Lu Wanwan been long estranged? Before anyone could speak, several uniformed police officers quickly walked into the restaurant. ¡°Nobody move, police!¡± Qiang Ge hadn¡¯t expected to draw the police and instantly turned sheepish, instantly offering a cigarette with a smile, ¡°Officer, I¡¯m just here to collect a debt, I¡¯ll pay for anything that¡¯s damaged¡­¡± The officer gave him a cold glance, ¡°Take everyone involved away.¡± It was unknown who made the report, but it was clear they had high connections, as the chief himself had personally dispatched them to quickly apprehend the suspects. ¡°Handcuff these three troublemakers.¡± Police station. Zhao Chen waited outside for Gu Annan and Lu Wanwan to give their statements. This must be the first time Gu has been to a police station. Normally, he could have just made a call for the police to handle it, and the BOSS didn¡¯t need to show up at all. This trouble also seemed unrelated to Miss Lu. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í?¦Ï.§ã? Who would have known someone would foolishly provoke Miss Lu? Before long, Gu Annan walked out under the chief¡¯s obsequious farewell, leading Lu Wanwan. ¡°We apologize for delaying Mr. Gu¡¯s time,¡± The edge in the man¡¯s eyes was barely perceptible, and he didn¡¯t stop walking as he said lightly, ¡°Just now, it seemed like someone was bragging, saying they had connections in the station, that they weren¡¯t afraid of getting caught?¡± The chief sweated profusely, ¡°Rest assured Mr. Gu, we will thoroughly investigate this matter, no amount of backing will help!¡± As they nearly reached the police station exit, Lu Wanwan looked back and didn¡¯t see Xu Yuan. ¡°Wait a minute.¡± Lu Wanwan hurried after him; the tall figure in front of her paused slightly, and she continued, ¡°Gu Annan, Xu Yuan hasn¡¯t come out yet.¡± Zhao Chen explained, ¡°This incident was targeted at Miss Xu. She¡¯s different from you, Miss Xu has to cooperate with the investigation.¡± ¡°Can I wait for her?¡± Lu Wanwan thought, unable to leave Xu Yuan alone here, in the police station. Gu Annan turned his face to look at her, a trace of bruise visible on her flawless wrist. Her skin was pale, especially delicate, and the slightest force would easily leave marks. His brows knitted instantly, finding the bruise particularly glaring, ¡°Get in the car immediately.¡± Gu Annan¡¯s car was parked just outside the police station. After speaking, he descended the steps without looking back. ¡°Miss Lu, if you¡¯re worried, just make a phone call or send a text message. Miss Xu might not know how long she¡¯ll need to assist in the investigation; waiting here is pointless. Don¡¯t worry, she¡¯s the victim, Gu has already informed the police, and a police car will take her home shortly. You can¡¯t help by staying here.¡± Lu Wanwan felt relieved; otherwise, she truly worried that some underworld figures might target Xu Yuan. Xiaozhao was right, waiting here was useless. All she could do to help was to immediately let everyone know about Ling Xiaoxue¡¯s actions. ¡°Gu Annan, can I discuss something with you?¡± Lu Wanwan quickly boarded the car, speaking earnestly, ¡°I want to go back to the newspaper office, I¡­ I need to work overtime.¡± ¡°Lu Wanwan, you really are dedicated!¡± Heading to work overtime on the weekend, especially after just leaving the police station. Is it dedication, or is it avoiding seeing him? Chapter 64 - Chapter 64: Chapter 64: Why Didnt You Mention Your Injury Earlier? Chapter 64: Chapter 64: Why Didn¡¯t You Mention Your Injury Earlier? Before Lu Wanwan could say anything more, he just tossed two to Zhao Chen, ¡°Drive.¡± * Lu Wanwan was anxious inside because she wasn¡¯t sure when Ling Xiaoxue would make her move. She worried that if Ling Xiaoxue acted first, the direction of public opinion would favor her, after all, first impressions are strongest. That person was still a celebrity, a popular young actress, backed by a public relations team from a management company above, and beneath, a fan club and paid internet troll army. And Xu Yuan? In front of the public, he was just a nobody. But Gu Annan didn¡¯t allow her to work overtime. Did he think that, being a trouble magnet, it was more reliable to keep her under close watch? However, thinking about the way he threw the chair just now, he indeed looked handsome to her. This person, who seemed cold, indifferent, and nonchalant about everything, was quite the man when he got tough. Lu Wanwan gave up the idea of working overtime, but right now, she was the only person who knew the whole story clearly. She decided to send a text to the editor-in-chief, to first post a spoiler on Weibo, and later explain in detail with a longer Weibo post. Gu Annan¡¯s phone rang, he glanced at the message, and then turned it off. It seemed someone had managed the situation. By the time they reached Gu Mansion, Lu Wanwan, who had been busy on her phone editing, finally sent the edited 139 characters to the editor-in-chief, asking him to trust her. However, their magazine hadn¡¯t operated Weibo well and had fewer followers than ¡°Star Headlines''¡± official account; she was very worried about the repost volume. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í??.?¦Ï ¡°Young Master,¡± Aunt Li glanced at Lu Wanwan, then spoke to Gu Annan, ¡°Just now the Lu family called. Miss Lu Kexin wants to have dinner with you tomorrow evening but didn¡¯t have your personal contact information.¡± Lu Wanwan¡¯s eyes were glued to her phone, anxious, but she looked up when she heard Aunt Li. Gu Annan paused his steps, then responded with something that seemed off to Aunt Li, ¡°Bring up some bruise ointment.¡± Lu Wanwan was looking at Gu Annan, curious about how he would respond to Lu Kexin¡¯s invitation. Did he just say ointment? When Gu Annan had elegantly handled the situation earlier, he hadn¡¯t shown any sign of discomfort the whole way, and she hadn¡¯t thought much of it. When had he gotten hurt without her knowing? She watched his swiftly ascending figure, guilt welling up inside her. Hurt and you didn¡¯t say earlier? Just trying to act cool! ¡°Aunt Li, give me the ointment. It¡¯s my fault, and it caused your Young Master a bit of injury.¡± ¡°Alright, alright,¡± Aunt Li hurriedly said, ¡°Miss Lu, please wait a moment.¡± Why did it sound like Aunt Li was happy and eager about the young master¡¯s injury? * Lu Wanwan carried the ointment upstairs, and saw Gu Annan sitting at his desk, clicking away on the keyboard, too busy to even glance up at her. She stood beside him, bored, in utter silence but for the sound of her breathing. The typing stopped eventually, ¡°Need something?¡± Lu Wanwan instantly offered the ointment in her hand, ¡°I brought this for you.¡± Gu Annan paused, slowly moving his hands away from the keyboard. He squinted his deep, ink-colored eyes, examining the hesitant concern in her eyes and remained silent for a long while. ¡°Should I just¡­ put this on your desk?¡± She knew Gu Annan was a perfectionist, who didn¡¯t like others to see him in anything less than a perfect state, and would pretend it didn¡¯t exist if he was injured. Lu Wanwan chose not to step into that minefield and expose him, ¡°I¡¯ll go out now, not disturb your work.¡± ¡°Hold on.¡± Chapter 65 - Chapter 65: Chapter 65 Uncompromising Domination Chapter 65: Chapter 65 Uncompromising Domination ¡°Do you think I sprained my ankle?¡± That voice held a hint of teasing, as if it were a rhetorical question, and she wasn¡¯t sure. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Lu Wanwan looked at the medicine still on the table, noting that Gu Annan didn¡¯t seem inclined to take it. ¡°I just brought it up for you.¡± Her response was deliberately ambiguous, avoiding a direct answer to that question. Gu Annan picked up the bottle of medicine, his gaze vaguely resting on her. Lu Wanwan¡¯s hair was slightly disheveled, giving her a somewhat unkempt appearance. Her expression seemed calm, but the anxiety in her eyes was apparent. ¡°Your worries are unnecessary,¡± Gu Annan began in a leisurely tone. ¡°Xu Yuan will be fine.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Lu Wanwan¡¯s eyes lit up as she stared at him eagerly. ¡°Thank you, no matter what.¡± She knew Xu Yuan¡¯s situation well. Her family was once affluent, but they hadn¡¯t survived the economic crisis of recent years, and their family company had been losing money for several years. With Ling Xiaoxue at the height of her popularity, it wouldn¡¯t be difficult at all to crush Xu Yuan. Although Lu Wanwan still hadn¡¯t figured out the grudge between the two women, Gu Annan¡¯s assurance naturally put her at ease. Gu Annan paused playing with the medicine bottle in his hand. ¡°Don¡¯t thank me; it¡¯s none of my business.¡± His words were cold, but the sliver of gratitude in Lu Wanwan¡¯s heart didn¡¯t fade. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í??.?¦Ï If Gu Annan hadn¡¯t intervened, she and Xu Yuan would have run into trouble at the restaurant just now. Now, he was assuring her safety; she couldn¡¯t think of any other explanation other than that he must have settled the matter behind the scenes. Yet she wondered, Annan and Xu Yuan had never been particularly close, so was his meddling this time because of her? Was she being overly self-important? ¡°If everything is fine, then I¡¯ll step out first.¡± ¡°Wait!¡± His tone grew heavier, followed by a ¡®snap¡¯ as the medicine bottle was placed back on the table. ¡°You have one day to clear the bruise on your wrist,¡± he said in his frosty voice. ¡°I¡¯ll remind you one last time; I¡¯ve paid good money and I don¡¯t like others touching what¡¯s mine. Without my permission, not a single hair on your head should go missing during this period.¡± Lu Wanwan, who had just felt a touch moved, now found herself fighting the urge to clench her teeth at his imperious tone. She was a person, not an object! ¡°Take the medicine!¡± ¡°Yes, Mr. Gu!¡± she said emphatically, picked up the medicine bottle, and stepped out without caring about the sharp gaze that followed her from behind. After leaving the study, she suddenly glanced down at her wrist and noticed the bruising. It had been inflicted by a thug earlier, who had twisted her arm and wrenched her hand behind her back. It hurt terribly. Subsequently, with the turn of events, her mind was preoccupied with how to help Xu Yuan reveal the truth, and she had forgotten about the painful twist. Only now did she remember, and it indeed felt sore. Upon returning to her room, Lu Wanwan was troubled as she applied the medicine over and over. Bruises don¡¯t heal that quickly, and Gu Annan had only given her one day. This was clearly making things difficult for her. As she applied the ointment, lost in the monotony of the task, her phone suddenly rang. It was Xu Yuan. ¡°Xu Yuan, have you been released from the police station? Are you all right?¡± ¡°Please, I am the victim here, not a criminal. Of course, I¡¯m okay,¡± Xu Yuan said, sounding relaxed. ¡°But Wanwan, having you at the newspaper is such a blessing. You managed to nip Ling Xiaoxue¡¯s conspiracy in the bud! Zui Entertainment truly lives up to its reputation as the combat jet of gossip; always ready at a moment¡¯s notice.¡± ¡°Are you referring to the Weibo post I had the editor publish? When I checked it earlier, hardly anyone had shared it,¡± Lu Wanwan was puzzled; their agency definitely didn¡¯t have that kind of clout. Chapter 66 - Chapter 66: Chapter 66: Fairy Tales Are All Deceptive Chapter 66: Chapter 66: Fairy Tales Are All Deceptive ¡°You have to go check it out, it has gone viral! And sure enough, someone made a smear video. After the smear video came out, all those paid influencers reversed their positions, questioning Ling Xiaoxue¡¯s IQ. Even the official police account stepped forward to confirm, promising to rectify the socially unstable elements. It¡¯s so satisfying, a real slap in the face!¡± ¡°This turnaround¡­ it¡¯s a bit fast.¡± ¡°Anyway, Ling Xiaoxue is now smeared to the max. That close-up fight photo of her by Star Headlines has turned into a wildly circulated meme.¡± Lu Wanwan breathed a sigh of relief as well, no wonder Gu Annan had said Xu Yuan wouldn¡¯t have any issues. ¡°That¡¯s good. Later I¡¯ll write up a detailed article about this whole incident and put it on the front page of our next issue. Right, how did you guys start this feud anyway?¡± ¡°Cough cough cough¡­ My throat is a bit sore; the police questioned me for a long time. Wanwan, let¡¯s talk about personal matters another time, I¡¯m going to rest.¡± ¡°Xu Yuan, you!!¡± Lu Wanwan stared at the ended call, really, she could tell such an obvious evasion. If she weren¡¯t worried that Xu Yuan would bring up Gu Annan, or question the rapid plot twist, she certainly would have insisted on questioning. However, Xu Yuan didn¡¯t mention a word about Gu Annan or the twist, which puzzled her as well. Xu Yuan had known her since high school, so of course, she knew about Gu Annan. Speaking of which, their names were well known in that session, though remembered in different ways. Xu Yuan was known for taking on four street thugs who harassed her and triumphing, deterring the opposite sex at Dichen High School from anything beyond distant admiration. As for her, Lu Wanwan, it was very simple¡ªit was all because of Gu Annan. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í??.?¦Ï Dichen High School was never short of celebrities¡ªoffspring of wealthy businessmen, descendants of noble families, children of stars¡ªthey were everywhere. But from the moment Gu Annan entered the school, he had garnered much more attention than all those others. Not because of his surname Gu¡ªin fact, at the time almost nobody in the school knew he was the heir to the biggest financial group, the Gu Family, let alone Lu Wanwan. He was famous purely because he was outstanding. Upon entering Dichen High School, the first thing was a very difficult test. It was said that because incoming students had it too good all their lives, their egos needed a little crushing to start with a humbling experience. Before Gu Annan¡¯s appearance became well-known, he had already made his name known to the whole school with overwhelmingly high scores, taking the term ¡®school elite¡¯ to new heights within Dichen High School. And when they finally saw him, you can imagine how much attention he attracted¡ªhis looks and intelligence made him the undisputed number one heartthrob. His influence even at times overtook that of Qiao Moran, who was a year above him and the Dichen Flower. Keep in mind, by then, Qiao Moran was already a singer known nationwide. Lu Wanwan always felt that if the social media and technology of that time had been as developed as it is now, he would definitely not have been able to stay low-profile for those three years. Just a few casual photos on Weibo and a couple of posts about his impressive resume would have been enough to make him popular. So, chasing after someone of such a high caliber was never perceived as promising for her back then. She was the kind who was academically lopsided, coined as the epitome of ¡®beauty without brains¡¯, in stark contrast to Gu Annan. But those people really got it right, overturning the male god was indeed only an illusion. Even though she felt that she had been so close to him, the outcome was still the same¡ªin fairy tales, it¡¯s all lies. * When Lu Wanwan finished writing the article, it was already midnight. She yawned, feeling a bit thirsty, and took a cup down the stairs to get some water. Chapter 67 - Chapter 67: Chapter 67: Lips He Just Wants to Bite and Not Let Go Chapter 67: Chapter 67: Lips He Just Wants to Bite and Not Let Go The night at Gu Mansion was so quiet that you could hear a pin drop. ¡°I¡¯ve said it before, I don¡¯t meddle in affairs that don¡¯t concern me, so there¡¯s no need for you to tell me why you had to take down those thugs or why Ling Xiaoxue had to be taught a lesson.¡± Gu Annan¡¯s room door was ajar, with warm golden light spilling out from the gap. The clear and pleasant voice coming from inside was all too familiar to Lu Wanwan, and her steps slowed unconsciously. ¡°Right, I¡¯m not curious.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. Xu Yuan and I only know each other¡¯s names; I don¡¯t care about other people¡¯s affairs.¡± Clutching the cup in her hand tightly, Lu Wanwan realized that this matter wasn¡¯t something Gu Annan had handled. So what he had said before, that it wasn¡¯t his concern and there was no need to thank him, was meant literally¡ªit genuinely had nothing to do with him. A vague sense of emptiness swept through her heart. Her lips curled into a self-mocking smile as she continued downstairs. She was overthinking it¡ªhe had made it clear to her that she was bought with his money; why would he bother with this trivial matter for her sake? * ¡°How you deal with it is your business. However, among those men, there¡¯s one called Liu Dahai¡ªI want you to cripple his hands,¡± Gu Annan said, his voice cold and his pupils filled with a chilling light as he spoke the last few words. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ??¦Í??.§ã¦Ï On the other side of the phone, the voice laced with leisurely teasing responded, ¡°OK, so he¡¯s the one who touched Lu Wanwan, right? By the way, before I come back to the country, Gu Anjin asked me to pass on a message. She won¡¯t return this year, and you should handle her birthday gift. If she doesn¡¯t receive a surprise, you¡¯ll get a surprise for your engagement gift from her.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Oh, Miss Gu¡¯s surprises, tsk tsk,¡± Shao Zhixing¡¯s voice suddenly bristled with trepidation, ¡°I hope you¡¯re still fortunate enough to enjoy it.¡± Gu Annan¡¯s lips twitched, and he responded in a cold, unhurried voice, ¡°If you¡¯re not good at Chinese, don¡¯t misuse idioms.¡± At that, he hung up the phone. He tossed the towel he had wiped over his head to the side, remembering there was a document still in his study. On leaving the room, he glanced towards the stairs in the periphery, where the lights were bright downstairs, and faint sounds could be heard. He didn¡¯t enter the study but went downstairs instead. In the kitchen, a figure was bustling about, occasionally checking a mobile phone. ¡°Add a proper amount of salt¡­¡± Lu Wanwan held her phone in one hand and a spoon in the other. A proper amount? How much is a proper amount? Lu Wanwan was a bit frantic, blaming her weak appetite. When drinking water, she had seen the ingredients in the fridge and suddenly felt hungry, but she didn¡¯t want to eat the cold food nor were there any leftovers. Having been privileged from young, she¡¯d never learned to cook. Although life had been harder after university, she had always eaten in the cafeteria. Her only concept of cooking was watching a dorm mate make noodles in a rice cooker. Now, out of necessity, she was trying to follow a recipe on her phone, but she didn¡¯t even know how much salt to use. It felt like a true self-inflicted humiliation¡ªgood thing nobody knew! Lu Wanwan added just a pinch with the spoon. If it¡¯s too bland, it can be fixed; if it¡¯s too salty, the whole pot is ruined. Anyway, she was the only one who would suffer if it tasted terrible. In a rush, she turned off the heat and was about to look for a bowl and chopsticks when she suddenly caught sight of the tall, slender figure at the kitchen door. ¡°Gu, Gu, Gu Annan¡­¡± Lu Wanwan was startled and stammered, ¡°You, why are you here¡­¡± Gu Annan looked at her with a faint gaze, his eyes fixated on her lips that he always wanted to bite into, now slightly parted in surprise. He slightly pursed his lips, quickly moved his gaze away, stepped forward, and said with a husky voice, ¡°I¡¯m a bit hungry.¡± Chapter 68 - Chapter 68: Chapter 68: Lu Wanwan, Are You Trying to Starve Me to Death? Chapter 68: Chapter 68: Lu Wanwan, Are You Trying to Starve Me to Death? Lu Wanwan stood there, not knowing what to do, and could only watch as Gu Annan nonchalantly walked in and pulled open the fridge door. The contents of the fridge clearly did not arouse his appetite, but rather furrowed his brows. ¡°Shall I call Auntie Li for you?¡± She knew that the servants of Gu Mansion, once they finished their duties, would not stay in the villa. If Gu Annan wanted to eat, they would have to call Auntie Li to come over and arrange for a chef. Gu Annan¡¯s face was still cold as he forcefully closed the fridge door. He who takes a person¡¯s money becomes that person¡¯s servant, though Gu Annan had never brought up any requests during this period, as time went on, she began to feel that she was getting her money too easily. True, he had no interest in her, he might seem like a sugar daddy, but he never laid a hand on her. But she had to do something within her capabilities, like now in this vast villa, the young master was hungry, and only she was with him. ¡°What¡¯s Auntie Li¡¯s number?¡± Gu Annan looked towards the pot, ¡°What¡¯s this inside?¡± She was stunned for a moment, and following his gaze, she immediately felt self-contempt, ¡°It¡¯s noodles I made.¡± ¡°Serve me a bowl,¡± Gu Annan said indifferently before walking towards the dining area outside. ¡°¡­¡± Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?0¦Í??.§ã¦Ï Was Gu Annan serious? Lu Wanwan felt like crying without tears, she had thought of many ways in her head, but none involved him eating something she cooked. This was her first time cooking anything other than instant noodles, and what if it caused him problems¡ªcould she afford it? ¡°Gu Annan,¡± Lu Wanwan, after much hesitation, approached the kitchen doorway and looked at the man sitting at the dining table, bowing his head to look at his phone, ¡°I think it¡¯s better to have Auntie Li come over¡­¡± ¡°She¡¯s asleep in the middle of the night, by the time you get her up and wait for her to come over, do you want me to starve to death?¡± ¡°But¡­¡± Gu Annan abruptly lifted his head, looking very displeased at her reluctance, ¡°Lu Wanwan, do you really think I¡¯m paying you to stay at a hotel?¡± Lu Wanwan: ¡­ ¡°I¡¯ve been too busy with official work recently, with no personal time. However, I¡¯ve started to have more free time lately.¡± He spoke leisurely, ¡°So your days won¡¯t be easy anymore.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Gu Annan crossed his long legs, his voice continuing clear and melodious, ¡°Having you live here includes taking responsibility for my personal life and daily care. It¡¯s just that there were servants in the house, so there was not much need for you. Now that there are no servants, I give you orders, and you tell me to wait for someone else?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not what I mean, but¡­¡± ¡°There are no buts.¡± His tone was commanding, and his face grew stern. ¡°Fine!¡± Lu Wanwan conceded. Don¡¯t blame her for not warning you, this is what you insisted on. Inside the pot was clear soup with pasta. In his storage cupboard, this was all she could find temporarily. But looking up how to make pasta online, she found it too complicated. Thinking that all noodles must be similar, she cleverly treated the pasta as regular noodles. She had watched her roommate make noodles before, so she should at least not be utterly clueless. Now, in this bowl of clear soup pasta, her only problem was not knowing how much seasoning to put in, just adding a little bit of each kind. ¡°Mr. Gu, please enjoy your meal,¡± Lu Wanwan said as she placed the noodles in front of him, articulating each word distinctly. She had only cooked one portion, thinking this was what Gu Annan wanted, and she hadn¡¯t dared to taste a single bite. ¡°Lu, Wan, wan!¡± Gu Annan couldn¡¯t bear it with the first bite, pronouncing her name syllable by syllable. Even if he had braced himself for some culinary disaster, he never imagined the noodles would still be hard! Chapter 69 - Chapter 69: Chapter 69 Her First Time? Chapter 69: Chapter 69 Her First Time? ¡°Is it really that bad?¡± Gu Annan glanced at her, laid down his chopsticks, ¡°Come here.¡± Lu Wanwan walked over, explaining, ¡°I told you we should have asked Auntie Li to come, but you couldn¡¯t wait. You can¡¯t blame me for the bad cooking; you never said I had to be able to cook¡­¡± He cut off her endless chatter with a single sentence, ¡°Taste it yourself.¡± Lu Wanwan took a seat beside him and pulled the bowl toward herself. She was hungry anyway, so since her cooking was rejected, she might as well feed herself. After eating the first bite herself, she suddenly understood. ¡°It seems, it¡¯s not cooked¡­¡± She clearly remembered her roommate didn¡¯t boil the noodles for long before they were good; they said boiling too long would absorb all the water, making the noodles less chewy, like when instant noodles have been soaked too long. Lu Wanwan remembered this lesson well, so she didn¡¯t dare to boil them for too long just now. Who would have known¡­ ¡°This is my first time cooking; I lack experience and only meant to use myself as a guinea pig,¡± Lu Wanwan was out of options, the food was simply inedible, and she looked helplessly at Gu Annan with a blink, ¡°Should we call Auntie Li then, and just throw this out, okay?¡± This was her first time cooking? Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï???.?¦Ï Gu Annan didn¡¯t say anything, just stood up and headed straight for the kitchen. At the door, he noticed Lu Wanwan hadn¡¯t followed him and saw her still fretting over the bowl of undercooked pasta; he reminded her, ¡°Aren¡¯t you coming over?¡± ¡°Should I wake Auntie Li?¡± Lu Wanwan took her phone, eagerly running over. In her mind, she was thinking, if Auntie Li came, she could still score a meal. But Gu Annan didn¡¯t seem to intend to give her the number; instead, he rolled up his sleeves a bit, opened the fridge, and took out some vegetables. ¡°Gu Annan, what are you planning to do?¡± Lu Wanwan couldn¡¯t believe it. Was he gearing up to cook? Did Gu Annan actually know how to cook? Gu Annan ignored her shock, ¡°I¡¯ve said, waiting for Auntie Li would be too late.¡± While Lu Wanwan was still in shock, she heard his dissatisfied urging, ¡°Weren¡¯t you supposed to stand there and watch? Wash this clean.¡± He handed her two tomatoes, which Lu Wanwan took somewhat unsteadily, still harboring a slight hope that maybe it was his first time cooking too, and he was just pretending to be skilled! As someone who had studied in the United Kingdom, Gu Annan¡¯s cooking had to be disastrous! After washing the tomatoes clean, Lu Wanwan picked up the knife to chop them, ¡°How should these be cut?¡± Gu Annan glanced at the gleaming knife edge, dangerously close to her fingers. He immediately set down the food he was holding and took the knife back, ¡°Don¡¯t make a mess here, get out.¡± It was he who asked her to wash them, but now he accused her of being in the way. Lu Wanwan, not convinced at all, stood at the kitchen door, determined to see just how capable the pampered and privileged Gu Annan was in the kitchen. Then, she witnessed from beginning to end how he really made pasta, and her disbelief persisted until she saw him plate the food before she finally gave up. When Gu Annan came out with the plate, the enticing aroma hit her, and her stomach growled loudly enough to be heard. But then she realized, he had only brought out a single plate! Indeed, Gu Annan had prepared just a late-night snack for himself¡ªhow could there be a portion for her! Gu Annan sat at the dining table, and after a while, as if he just remembered, he looked up, ¡°There¡¯s a little left inside, go take care of it.¡± Lu Wanwan was nearly starved, shamelessly pleading, ¡°Gu Annan, it would be too wasteful to throw away your hard work, right? How about I honor your effort and help you eat it?¡± Chapter 72 - Chapter 72: Chapter 72 How could she possibly come here? Chapter 72: Chapter 72 How could she possibly come here? ¡°It¡¯s all right,¡± Lu Kexin glanced at the bracelet, ¡°Under twenty thousand, not very expensive. If you like it, I¡¯ll buy one for you.¡± Lin Xin immediately beamed, ¡°Then thank you, cousin.¡± Lu Wanwan really didn¡¯t expect to encounter them here. But it¡¯s not surprising, this is Manchester¡¯s most luxurious shopping center, and Lu Kexin has been adding all kinds of clothes to her collection recently. She overheard the salesperson say in a soft voice, ¡°Miss, please come this way, we have a few limited-edition series that would be perfect as birthday gifts.¡± The salesperson could tell from the expensive clothes Lu Wanwan was wearing and her calm and natural demeanor upon entering, without any hint of intimidation, which was hard for an ordinary person to feign. They were a world-renowned luxury brand, and ordinary items were not cheap; the fact that the miss instantly asked for limited editions indicated she looked down on everything else. Lu Wanwan nodded, not planning to initiate conversation with Lu Kexin. ¡°Cousin, look at this necklace, such big gems, so shiny! Aren¡¯t you thinking about what jewelry to wear when you meet Young Master Gu? Of course, wear this!¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it a bit tacky?¡± ¡°Cousin! Only those who are tacky themselves and lack elegance but still try to flaunt something would look vulgar in it. You are the daughter of the Lu family, beautiful and elegant; it will only highlight the nobility and wealth of the Lu family!¡± Lu Kexin smiled and said, ¡°That¡¯s not necessarily true.¡± ¡°You are going to be young Madam Gu, after all, and in the future, you will wear things even more precious than this. Look at ¡®Titanic,¡¯ the heroine¡¯s fianc¨¦ is a noble, right? The necklace he gifted wasn¡¯t made of such large gems, and it wasn¡¯t tacky at all!¡± Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?0¦Í??.§ã¦Ï This Lin Xin is the daughter of Lin Yu¡¯s brother, Lin Ming. Ever since Lin Yu married Dad, all the Lin family rose along, even a nobody like Lin Ming became the general manager of a branch company. Lu Wanwan remembered when she used to call Lin Yu Aunt Lin. This single mom, who raised her daughter alone, often spoke of being ostracized by her relatives because she raised her daughter without getting married, bringing shame to the family. But once that mother-daughter duo got married into this family, those relatives who initially found them shameful and wanted to draw a clear line all flocked to them, treating them as if they were wealth gods. This Lin Xin was one of them, as she was especially good at flattering Lu Kexin, so she was frequently seen by Lu Kexin¡¯s side. The sales associate also complimented along with Lin Xin, calling it this year¡¯s new model, a famous designer¡¯s work, etc., making Lu Kexin¡¯s corners of mouth uncontrollably smile. ¡°Then let¡¯s buy it, it¡¯s only seventy or eighty thousand.¡± Lu Kexin¡¯s gloom from not getting a reply from Gu Annan also vanished. As she was about to go to the cashier, she suddenly spotted a familiar figure. Lu Wanwan! Lu Wanwan¡¯s wretched state right now, she knew it more than anyone else, she couldn¡¯t possibly afford to come to a place like this! And her outfit wasn¡¯t the cheap clothes she used to wear either. Could it be that Dad has given her money again? No, that¡¯s impossible! ¡°Miss, you have excellent taste. This is the only series designed by KellyR in recent years, particularly this watch, a first-time collaboration with Patek Philippe in a limited edition, only three available in all of Asia.¡± Lu Wanwan nodded, ¡°Just this one.¡± She wasn¡¯t like Lu Kexin, who needed people around her to endlessly flatter her before making a purchase. All that mattered was completing the task Gu Annan assigned her. ¡°Please follow me, miss.¡± As Lu Wanwan walked towards the cashier, she looked up and saw Lu Kexin by the cash register. ¡°Yo, isn¡¯t this Miss Lu?¡± Lin Xin followed Lu Kexin¡¯s gaze, and spotted her instantly, saying mockingly, ¡°Has Miss Lu¡¯s street stall moved here?¡± Chapter 71 - Chapter 71: Chapter 71: Enemies on a Narrow Road Chapter 71: Chapter 71: Enemies on a Narrow Road Gu Annan didn¡¯t answer, his dark, deep eyes looking at her as if to say, didn¡¯t this question need asking? ¡°I mean, if you don¡¯t tell me directly what to buy, I¡¯m afraid I might not meet your expectations,¡± she said in a fluster, quickly correcting herself under his gaze. Normally, assistants handle shopping, and it isn¡¯t too much to ask her if it¡¯s for personal matters. However, since Gu Annan hadn¡¯t previously instructed her to do anything, she had almost really forgotten why she was living here. ¡°I said it¡¯s a gift, it doesn¡¯t need to meet my expectations. Whatever people of your age usually buy as birthday gifts, just buy that.¡± Gu Annan recalled what Shao Zhiheng had mentioned on the phone yesterday and handed this challenging task to Lu Wanwan. As Lu Wanwan held the credit card, she hadn¡¯t expected Gu Annan, who was so aloof, to also be unable to escape worldly obligations. However, leaving the choice to her, it must probably be a girl who was having the birthday. Lu Wanwan suddenly lost her appetite. * Yesterday¡¯s news was both fierce and accurate, causing Zui Entertainment to trend again on Weibo, with the official account gaining tens of thousands of followers. Adding to that, Lu Wanwan had rushed to submit a detailed draft the previous night, and for once, the usually stern and stingy editor was in a good mood, so she took the opportunity to request leave. However, for this issue of Zui Entertainment, Ling Xiaoxue wasn¡¯t significant enough to make the headlines; the real scoop was supposed to be Qiao Moran leaving the entertainment industry. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï??¦Ï.§ã¦Ï If this news were true, this issue would definitely outperform Star Headlines. ¡°Contact the printing plant, increase the print run for this issue. Also, since Lu Wanwan has taken leave this afternoon, you will write up Qiao Moran¡¯s draft.¡± ¡°Should we really write it this way? Ling Xiaoxue has been following up well, but Qiao Moran¡¯s news shouldn¡¯t be written carelessly. Editor, you know Qiao Moran¡¯s background. Writing recklessly could lead to a lawsuit,¡± spoke Chen Jie, who had previously been assigned to Qiao Moran¡¯s group with Lu Wanwan. She was uncomfortable, the efforts of their group had been wholly credited to Lu Wanwan, and now she had to write the draft, who would take responsibility if there were issues? A minor magazine had previously written recklessly about Qiao Moran¡¯s scandal and ended up being sued into bankruptcy. For a publication like Zui Entertainment, which liked to tread a fine line for headlines, they were always cautious with such figures. ¡°Did I ask for your doubts? Every single one of you lacks the drive of a newcomer; no wonder those ragtag magazines could overtake us!¡± The editor snorted coldly, watching as Chen Jie left reluctantly. She knows nothing; were it not for certain reasons, would she let Lu Wanwan, a new intern, go on assignments? However, every time a satisfying result was delivered, it was indeed unexpected. The editor pulled up Lu Wanwan¡¯s resume and looked it over again. As per their usual habit, their agency never hired beautiful girls. Journalism is a particularly tough profession; those with outstanding looks often cannot handle the hardships. Hiring Lu Wanwan was an anomaly, with a particularly simple reason: she was a graduate of Dichen High School. * Madison Shopping Mall is located in the most prime area of Manchester, on a romantic, luxurious street, home to top international luxury brands. ¡°Miss, welcome,¡± said a gentle and pleasant saleslady following her. ¡°What¡¯s the latest limited edition, suitable as a birthday gift?¡± Lu Wanwan wasn¡¯t looking to waste time. ¡°Kexin cousin, take a look at this bracelet, it¡¯s the one endorsed by Tang Na!¡± Lu Wanwan looked up and found, as the saying goes, that adversaries are bound to meet. The two women leisurely browsing in front of her were Lu Kexin and her cousin, Lin Xin. Chapter 72 - Chapter 72: Chapter 72 How could she possibly come here? Chapter 72: Chapter 72 How could she possibly come here? ¡°It¡¯s all right,¡± Lu Kexin glanced at the bracelet, ¡°Under twenty thousand, not very expensive. If you like it, I¡¯ll buy one for you.¡± Lin Xin immediately beamed, ¡°Then thank you, cousin.¡± Lu Wanwan really didn¡¯t expect to encounter them here. But it¡¯s not surprising, this is Manchester¡¯s most luxurious shopping center, and Lu Kexin has been adding all kinds of clothes to her collection recently. She overheard the salesperson say in a soft voice, ¡°Miss, please come this way, we have a few limited-edition series that would be perfect as birthday gifts.¡± The salesperson could tell from the expensive clothes Lu Wanwan was wearing and her calm and natural demeanor upon entering, without any hint of intimidation, which was hard for an ordinary person to feign. They were a world-renowned luxury brand, and ordinary items were not cheap; the fact that the miss instantly asked for limited editions indicated she looked down on everything else. Lu Wanwan nodded, not planning to initiate conversation with Lu Kexin. ¡°Cousin, look at this necklace, such big gems, so shiny! Aren¡¯t you thinking about what jewelry to wear when you meet Young Master Gu? Of course, wear this!¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it a bit tacky?¡± ¡°Cousin! Only those who are tacky themselves and lack elegance but still try to flaunt something would look vulgar in it. You are the daughter of the Lu family, beautiful and elegant; it will only highlight the nobility and wealth of the Lu family!¡± Lu Kexin smiled and said, ¡°That¡¯s not necessarily true.¡± ¡°You are going to be young Madam Gu, after all, and in the future, you will wear things even more precious than this. Look at ¡®Titanic,¡¯ the heroine¡¯s fianc¨¦ is a noble, right? The necklace he gifted wasn¡¯t made of such large gems, and it wasn¡¯t tacky at all!¡± Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?0¦Í??.§ã¦Ï This Lin Xin is the daughter of Lin Yu¡¯s brother, Lin Ming. Ever since Lin Yu married Dad, all the Lin family rose along, even a nobody like Lin Ming became the general manager of a branch company. Lu Wanwan remembered when she used to call Lin Yu Aunt Lin. This single mom, who raised her daughter alone, often spoke of being ostracized by her relatives because she raised her daughter without getting married, bringing shame to the family. But once that mother-daughter duo got married into this family, those relatives who initially found them shameful and wanted to draw a clear line all flocked to them, treating them as if they were wealth gods. This Lin Xin was one of them, as she was especially good at flattering Lu Kexin, so she was frequently seen by Lu Kexin¡¯s side. The sales associate also complimented along with Lin Xin, calling it this year¡¯s new model, a famous designer¡¯s work, etc., making Lu Kexin¡¯s corners of mouth uncontrollably smile. ¡°Then let¡¯s buy it, it¡¯s only seventy or eighty thousand.¡± Lu Kexin¡¯s gloom from not getting a reply from Gu Annan also vanished. As she was about to go to the cashier, she suddenly spotted a familiar figure. Lu Wanwan! Lu Wanwan¡¯s wretched state right now, she knew it more than anyone else, she couldn¡¯t possibly afford to come to a place like this! And her outfit wasn¡¯t the cheap clothes she used to wear either. Could it be that Dad has given her money again? No, that¡¯s impossible! ¡°Miss, you have excellent taste. This is the only series designed by KellyR in recent years, particularly this watch, a first-time collaboration with Patek Philippe in a limited edition, only three available in all of Asia.¡± Lu Wanwan nodded, ¡°Just this one.¡± She wasn¡¯t like Lu Kexin, who needed people around her to endlessly flatter her before making a purchase. All that mattered was completing the task Gu Annan assigned her. ¡°Please follow me, miss.¡± As Lu Wanwan walked towards the cashier, she looked up and saw Lu Kexin by the cash register. ¡°Yo, isn¡¯t this Miss Lu?¡± Lin Xin followed Lu Kexin¡¯s gaze, and spotted her instantly, saying mockingly, ¡°Has Miss Lu¡¯s street stall moved here?¡± Chapter 73 - Chapter 73: Chapter 73 The Clown Skipping About Chapter 73: Chapter 73 The Clown Skipping About ¡°Lin Xin, don¡¯t say that. Sister rarely gets a chance to come in and browse.¡± Lu Kexin called her sister, but her eyes were filled with silent mockery. Ever since she became the Lu family¡¯s second daughter, she only showed her deep sisterly love in front of Dad and strangers. Privately, she had long lost any patience with Wanwan, and mockery was a staple of their interactions. ¡°Hehe.¡± Lin Xin covered her mouth and laughed, her eyes squinting into slits, looking at Wanwan with the eyes of a scorned dog, ¡°Cousin is right, she rarely has the courage to come in, so let her have a look around, satisfy her eyes. Anyway, she can¡¯t afford it. The price of a casual pair of earrings here is more than she could earn in several months of street vending, has Miss Lu forgotten?¡± Lu Wanwan gave her a cold glance, and Lin Xin felt intimidated by that look. Even though she was the poorest one here, why did she feel like a jester under her gaze? The irritation rising from embarrassed anger made her even more displeased with Wanwan, and she pointed at her, saying to the sales associate beside them, ¡°Why are you following her around? Do you think she¡¯s going to buy something? Don¡¯t be fooled by her pretending to be a wealthy young lady; she can¡¯t afford it!¡± Lu Kexin was initially unsure whether Dad had given her money on the side. Then her sharp eyes caught that the YLP dress Lu Wanwan was wearing was missing the Swarovski button it should have had. Lu Wanwan had intentionally cut off the button, so it looked less luxurious as an authentic product but still without flaws. It was this change that convinced Lu Kexin it was definitely a knockoff! ¡°Sister, is there anything you fancy? Want me to give it to you? No worries, I won¡¯t tell Dad.¡± Lu Kexin slightly lifted the corner of her lips, looking at the sales associate, ¡°Whatever she¡¯s interested in, bring it to the counter to pay together, okay?¡± The sales associate hesitated and hadn¡¯t opened her mouth yet when Lin Xin interrupted, ¡°Cousin, why bother giving her anything? You¡¯re so generous, but she won¡¯t thank you. She might even hate you for it. If it weren¡¯t for you, she would be Mrs. Gu now! What a pity, Mr. Gu doesn¡¯t even glance at her!¡± Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í??.?? ¡°The lady wants to buy a KR watch,¡± the sales associate said hesitantly, unsure whether to really take it over to pay. Lin Xin and Lu Kexin exchanged a glance, then Lu Kexin arrogantly moved forward, ¡°Since my cousin has said to bring it over together to pay, I might as well see what kind of watch Miss Lu was planning to buy with the money she¡¯d earn from several months of street vending.¡± The watch was exceptionally expensive, and the sales associate, seeing Lin Xin¡¯s unapologetic reach for it, prepared to intervene. ¡°Let her take a look, it¡¯s fine,¡± Lu Wanwan insisted on seeing what they wanted to do, ¡°After all, they can afford it.¡± Lin Xin snatched it and, without looking closely, sneered, ¡°What¡¯s this? Not a single diamond. Miss Lu, isn¡¯t buying such a cheap thing beneath you?¡± Lu Kexin usually didn¡¯t wear watches and didn¡¯t understand their value. She just thought the watch¡¯s design was very simple and didn¡¯t look expensive. ¡°Lin Xin, give it back to her,¡± she said nonchalantly. ¡°Miss Lu, here you go.¡± Lin Xin¡¯s lips curled into a disdainful smile, intentionally letting go a second before Lu Wanwan could grasp it. The watch clattered to the ground, its face shattering. ¡°Oh dear, I dropped it by accident.¡± Lin Xin blinked deliberately, ¡°Miss Lu, that¡¯s unfortunate. Why didn¡¯t you catch it?¡± The hearts of all the staff jumped, ¡°Miss, the watch is priced at one hundred ninety-eight thousand!!¡± Chapter 74 - Chapter 74: Chapter 74 - Kick Her Out! Chapter 74: Chapter 74 ¨C Kick Her Out! Lin Xin suddenly stuttered, ¡°What, what are you talking about!¡± What a joke, a watch without a single diamond, and they¡¯re asking for such an exorbitant price! The store manager immediately followed, looking at Lu Kexin and Lin Xin with a very serious expression, ¡°In our store, compensation is based on the price. This watch is an Asia limited edition, with no discounts.¡± ¡°Cousin¡­¡± Lin Xin didn¡¯t know how to deal with this situation. Lu Kexin¡¯s complexion was also very unsightly, clearly unexpected. ¡°It¡¯s all her fault, she didn¡¯t catch it!¡± In her panic, Lin Xin immediately pointed at Lu Wanwan and said through gritted teeth, ¡°It¡¯s not my fault. She bought the watch, and she asked that salesperson to show it to me. If you¡¯re looking for compensation, you should find her!¡± Lu Wanwan spoke leisurely, ¡°Oh? Just now, someone said they were going to buy it for me. Even if you¡¯ve changed your mind now because it¡¯s too expensive, I haven¡¯t bought the watch yet, it¡¯s not mine. How can you ask me to compensate for something I haven¡¯t even touched?¡± The store manager, seeing that Lu Kexin was not someone easy to offend, directly turned to Lin Xin, ¡°Miss, the watch fell from your hands, and we have surveillance in our store, you can¡¯t deny it. If we can¡¯t settle this privately, then we¡¯ll have to take judicial measures.¡± Lin Xin had no confidence left, especially seeing Lu Kexin¡¯s stern face without a word, she could only point the finger at Lu Wanwan and bark, ¡°Can¡¯t you see that she did it on purpose? She can¡¯t afford anything in your store, she just pretended like she was going to buy something. We¡¯re the real customers here.¡± The store manager repeated the previous remarks with a cold tone, ¡°Miss, our surveillance can prove that the watch fell from your hand.¡± ¡°Cousin¡­¡± Lin Xin was on the verge of tears, ¡°How can they be so unreasonable! They sell luxury goods and this is how they treat customers!¡± Lu Kexin was not a regular at this store, and even for her pocket money, the prices here were too high. This time, she was only able to shop there using her father¡¯s supplementary card, under the guise of Gu Annan¡¯s name. Even so, she wouldn¡¯t be willing to spend two hundred thousand on a watch that no one would recognize when worn. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í?¦Ï.?0 ¡°It¡¯s just a broken watch, what¡¯s the big deal, no backbone.¡± Lu Kexin glared at Lin Xin, then spoke in a haughty tone, ¡°It¡¯s broken, so what if it is, I¡¯ll just buy it.¡± Continuing to make a fuss would still mean having to compensate, better than letting these people think she couldn¡¯t afford it. She had originally thought it might cost at most twenty thousand, which would have been worth it just to provoke Lu Wanwan, but who knew that the watch would have such an astronomical price. She threw away two hundred thousand on a whim, and instead of upsetting Lu Wanwan, the latter seemed to be enjoying the show, which infuriated her. Lu Kexin grimaced as she swiped her card and signed. Feeling empowered by having paid, Lin Xin pointed at Lu Wanwan and commanded, ¡°We¡¯ve paid the money, now we request you to kick out the unwanted people! Otherwise, my cousin will feel nauseated and we won¡¯t buy anything else!¡± ¡°Wasn¡¯t there another limited edition that was temporarily out of stock?¡± Lu Wanwan ignored Lin Xin and asked the nearby salesperson. ¡°That one is a designer special commemorative edition.¡± ¡°Do you accept pre-orders?¡± Lu Wanwan asked again. The salesperson nodded with hesitation, ¡°But that model is not for sale to the public, qualifications for purchase have to be reviewed, and a unique number has to be assigned.¡± ¡°No problem, I¡¯ll buy it, then you can review.¡± Lu Wanwan thought she couldn¡¯t leave empty-handed anyway, she took out Gu Annan¡¯s card, swiped it, and signed. Soon, the bill was presented by the store manager with both hands, ¡°Our system shows that the review has already been approved, we¡¯ll notify you when it arrives.¡± The assistant manager apologized with a smile to Lu Kexin and Lin Xin, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, we can¡¯t kick out customers, especially our most esteemed S-level customers. Do you have any other requests?¡± Chapter 75 - Chapter 75: Chapter 75: A Crisp Slap Chapter 75: Chapter 75: A Crisp Slap ¡°Her?¡± Lin Xin pointed at Lu Wanwan incredulously. When they heard the salesperson say the item was not for sale to the public, they were looking forward to laughing at her. Some things can¡¯t be bought with just money, and besides, she doesn¡¯t even have money. But then they saw her swipe over two hundred thousand for a watch they had never even seen. Had Lu Wanwan lost her mind? Even if she had, where did she get the money? ¡°Lu Wanwan, have you turned the tables? Or is it that the old geezer you¡¯ve been tending to is hiding a fortune?¡± Lin Xin asked maliciously. That¡¯s right, it could only be her not-yet-dead grandmother, and maybe the Ye Family was hiding a treasure trove all along. ¡°Slap!¡± The previously calm and collected Lu Wanwan stepped forward and slapped her crisply, ¡°Lin Xin, watch your mouth! Try saying that again!¡± What Lu Wanwan could least tolerate was someone insulting her family. ¡°You dare to hit me!¡± Lin Xin covered her fiery cheek. Lu Wanwan said word by word, ¡°Repeat what you just said, and a second slap is ready for you.¡± ¡°Miss, if you continue to make a scene, I reserve the right to ask you to leave our store,¡± the manager said to Lin Xin in a tone that suggested she was no longer welcome. Lin Xin¡¯s face flushed and then paled, as she retorted indignantly, ¡°You just said you can¡¯t kick a customer out, and now you¡¯re driving people away? Do you believe I will post about this on Weibo?¡± Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í?¦Ï.?¦Ï ¡°According to our policy, S-tier customers can request a store clearance to ensure their shopping experience is undisturbed. Miss, you just verbally harassed our S-tier customer, so it¡¯s within our company policy to ask you to leave. Furthermore, our surveillance equipment records audio, and we can upload the footage online if netizens have doubts.¡± Their company¡¯s S-tier customers all had extraordinary identities, and in special circumstances, they indeed could request an early store clearance to avoid causing a disturbance. Although the manager didn¡¯t know who this miss was, the card she just swiped certainly qualified her as an S-tier customer, so of course, he wouldn¡¯t take the side of these two nouveau riche. ¡°Have you made a mistake, what makes her an S-tier customer!¡± Lin Xin still wanted to argue. ¡°Lin Xin, let¡¯s go,¡± Lu Kexin stopped her, no longer in the mood to stay there. No matter what the reason, now, with just a word from Lu Wanwan, they both could be thrown out, so instead of waiting for her to speak up, it was better to leave on their own accord. Lin Xin snorted coldly and stepped on the watch she had just smashed, ¡°Fine, cousin, we won¡¯t stoop to her level. Tomorrow is your birthday, don¡¯t get upset over such a trivial issue. It¡¯s just a watch; Annan will definitely give you a better one. We¡¯ll tell Annan tonight about how we were mistreated by this store.¡± Lu Kexin¡¯s face turned even uglier, but she said, ¡°You don¡¯t need to tell me that.¡± There had been no word from Gu Annan about tonight¡¯s incident, and an invitation to tomorrow¡¯s birthday banquet was still nowhere in sight. Just when she was finally regaining her spirits through shopping, it ended up being even more disturbed by Lu Wanwan. She must find out what was going on with Lu Wanwan recently! ¡°Miss, I¡¯m truly sorry for what just happened,¡± the manager said respectfully, ¡°Regarding the watch that was just damaged, let me inquire if Japan still has any in stock. If so, our company will offer it as a gift to apologize.¡± Lu Wanwan was still looking towards the entrance. Lin Xin had just mentioned that tomorrow was Lu Kexin¡¯s birthday? Chapter 76 - Chapter 76: Chapter 76: The True Owner of That Card Chapter 76: Chapter 76: The True Owner of That Card ¡°Miss, does this look alright to you?¡± The manager asked nervously as she remained silent. Lu Wanwan had just seemed to be calming down, but at the mention of Lu Kexin¡¯s birthday, that feeling vanished immediately. Today, she showcased such a grand gesture by flashing a watch worth over two hundred thousand in front of Lu Kexin, only to end up having to give it to her eventually. ¡°It¡¯s fine, I don¡¯t want that watch anymore.¡± Seeing her about to leave, the manager finally managed to say, ¡°Okay, as for the one you ordered, I will notify you immediately once it arrives.¡± Watching Lu Wanwan leave in low spirits, the manager felt uneasy. S-tier customers usually hold very high social statuses, and there aren¡¯t many such clients in a country; today was her first time encountering someone throwing a tantrum upon meeting one. ¡°Manager, that lady seemed to be in a bad mood. Did we handle something wrong and offend her?¡± ¡°We need to report this in detail to the higher-ups.¡± The manager frowned slightly, as the name she signed just now seemed different from the one the nouveau riche was mentioning. It probably wasn¡¯t the lady¡¯s card. This matter had to be correct, as the real owner of the card needed to be informed about the entire situation; otherwise, the blame would fall on their entire store¡¯s team. ¡°Cousin, that was so infuriating earlier.¡± As soon as Lin Xin exited the store, she couldn¡¯t hold back, ¡°What kind of tricks did Lu Wanwan pull? You¡¯ve been suppressed by her for so many years, and it was not easy to bring her down, but you absolutely cannot let her turn things around.¡± Lu Kexin¡¯s beautiful face was full of rage, ¡°Next time, be more observant and just annoy her a bit; who asked you to throw it on the ground?¡± ¡°Cousin, I thought that¡¯s what you meant. I, I didn¡¯t know that darn watch was so expensive; how could this store price things like that!¡± Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í??.?? Lu Kexin¡¯s intention had indeed been that, but now she could only vent her anger at this fool. All because she failed to recognize the true value! ¡°If this happens again, I won¡¯t help you, and you¡¯ll have to find a way to compensate on your own!¡± Lin Xin was terrified and didn¡¯t dare to say more. ¡°This time¡­¡± Lu Kexin clenched her fists secretly, only able to tell her father that the two hundred thousand was because of her beloved elder sister, and she chose to pay to calm things down. She must make sure that Lu Wanwan never gets the chance to rise again. Years ago, she could only watch helplessly as Lu Wanwan had everything she too deserved to have. Both daughters of Lu Jingtian, why could Lu Wanwan be the legitimate wealthy heiress while she could only take her mother¡¯s surname and go fatherless for over a decade? Having waited so long, and now that her mother had married into the family, she could no longer endure this sister, who had evoked her jealousy for over a decade and still had a better life than her! * At dusk, Gu Annan habitually glanced upstairs as he entered the door. Ever since that last time she had been scolded for coming home from the Lu family soaking wet, she truly got into the habit of diligently coming home after work, but most of the time, she locked herself in her room, seemingly avoiding him intentionally. It was still early today, she probably hadn¡¯t come back yet. ¡°Young Master, you¡¯re home early today? Miss Lu is upstairs, she seems to be in a bad mood today.¡± Gu Annan¡¯s brows furrowed slightly, Lu Wanwan worked so hard at the newspaper office, how could she be home at this time? ¡°I understand, prepare dinner.¡± His phone rang while he was climbing the stairs. ¡°It¡¯s my card, there¡¯s no problem.¡± ¡°Did this happen this afternoon?¡± ¡°I know now.¡± The tone of his response grew colder towards the end. When he hung up, he stood at the door of Lu Wanwan¡¯s room, his handsome face slightly grim, and he pushed the door open with his hand. Chapter 77 - Chapter 77: Chapter 77 The Childish Woman Who Deliberately Calls Him Mr. Gu Chapter 77: Chapter 77 The Childish Woman Who Deliberately Calls Him Mr. Gu ¡°Miss Xu Yuan, I strongly demand that you call me immediately after you turn on your phone! Being shut off all day is severely damaging the rights of emotional support and concern I should enjoy as your best friend!¡± Lu Wanwan stood on the balcony, leaving Xu Yuan a voice message in a stern and clear tone. Really, she had just been released from the police station yesterday and today she¡¯s vanished after turning off her phone for the entire day. Even if she set aside her own need to vent her frustrations after being disgusted by Lu Kexin, she still wanted to know if Xu Yuan was alright. Ling Xiaoxue¡¯s PR team had already quickly issued a statement, not making any excuses or evasions, mainly focusing on apologizing to the victim. But that was just PR; with Ling Xiaoxue receiving such a blow to her career, would she be content? Lu Wanwan suddenly recalled the phone call from Gu Annan yesterday, who exactly had helped Xu Yuan smooth over the issue? In any case, it had nothing to do with Gu Annan! Lu Wanwan prepared to enter the room and suddenly halted in her tracks as she turned around. Next to her desk, leaning against it at some point, was a tall and elegant figure. Gu Annan had his hands in the pockets of his dress pants, his side profile perfectly proportioned and striking. He watched her still-open laptop with a slightly bowed head, only lifting his gaze to her as she walked in from the balcony. ¡°Gu Annan, don¡¯t you knock before entering?¡± Lu Wanwan¡¯s annoyance flared up unexpectedly, pushing aside her own situation. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í??.§ã0 ¡°I knocked, and then I remembered, I don¡¯t need your permission to come in,¡± he murmured word by word. Lu Wanwan: ¡­ Right, this is his house, she was placed here by him for several tens of thousands, so that his fianc¨¦e wouldn¡¯t feel threatened. ¡°Mr. Gu, do you need something from me?¡± She quickly adopted a strictly businesslike demeanor. Gu Annan¡¯s lengthy, rippling black eyes slightly closed and opened, staring at her quietly for a moment, clearly in a bad mood. Every time she felt aggrieved, she would intentionally use a distant tone to call him Mr. Gu, as if afraid he wouldn¡¯t catch on. Childish woman. ¡°Did you handle the matter I asked you to?¡± he asked nonchalantly, parting his thin lips lightly. Lu Wanwan came in, her voice a bit muffled, ¡°I bought it. Though there was a problem, there was no stock in the store, and it can¡¯t be obtained tomorrow. If you¡¯re in a hurry, should I go buy another one now?¡± She had remembered after coming back that Lu Kexin¡¯s birthday was tomorrow, but the watch she had bought couldn¡¯t be delivered by then. ¡°It¡¯s fine as long as you¡¯ve bought it; no need to deliver it. I¡¯ll arrange for someone to send it abroad directly.¡± ¡°Abroad? You don¡¯t need it tomorrow?¡± She looked at him in complete surprise. Gu Annan raised a slight curve, asking softly in return, ¡°When did I say I needed it tomorrow?¡± ¡°But, her birthday is tomorrow¡­¡± The more Lu Wanwan spoke, the more confused she became, her gaze towards Gu Annan growing uncertain. ¡°Whose birthday is tomorrow?¡± he countered, his eyes narrowing slightly. ¡°Nothing, no one¡¯s birthday is tomorrow¡­¡± Her heart leaped with joy, and she shook her head without hesitation. So it had nothing to do with Lu Kexin after all. She suddenly felt a weight lifted off her shoulders, and the gloominess from the afternoon was swept away. But as she raised her smiling eyes, she saw Gu Annan¡¯s piercing black eyes fixed firmly on her, not intending to let her get away with brushing off the matter. ¡°Lu Kexin¡¯s birthday is tomorrow¡­¡± Lu Wanwan bit her lip, unable to meet his unfathomable gaze, yet somehow she blurted out, ¡°Do you need me to buy another gift?¡± Chapter 78 - Chapter 78: Chapter 78 Are You Getting Bolder? Chapter 78: Chapter 78 Are You Getting Bolder? Seeing her tentative manner, Gu Annan¡¯s cold brows raised as he stood. ¡°Go downstairs and cook!¡± Without waiting for a response, she was met with a baffling command. Lu Wanwan felt that dealing with a person as unpredictable as he was stretched her intelligence thin. ¡°What are you talking about, Gu Annan? I¡¯m asking you if we should buy a gift for her?¡± This time, she threw out a clear-cut question. Not knowing what he was avoiding, could it be he was planning to buy the gift himself? Silently? Considering this possibility, she felt an urgent need to get a clear answer. Seeing that intimidation didn¡¯t work on her, Gu Annan¡¯s brows furrowed, irritated by this relentless woman. His voice deepened, ¡°I told you to cook. Did you not hear me, or do you not understand?¡± ¡°I¡¯m asking you if you¡¯re buying a gift or not, yes or no!¡± Lu Wanwan lifted her chin, unabashedly meeting his intimidating gaze¡ªas if just short of adding, ¡°Be a man and give it to me straight.¡± After all, she had been frustrated all afternoon, watching Lu Kexin ready to gloat with the gift she had bought herself right in front of her. Now, with a sudden twist, it turned out Gu Annan had no idea about it all along. Her mood soared with elation, and she didn¡¯t know where she found the courage to challenge her wealthy backer. ¡°Is this how you speak to your backer?¡± Gu Annan¡¯s eyes narrowed with a dangerous glint, and he took several steps closer. ¡°Got bolder, have we?¡± Facing the overpowering aura that drew near, the courage of the newborn calf within Lu Wanwan dissipated by half under his gaze. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í??.?0 She stepped back, with no retreat, her head bumping against the balcony door. ¡°Gu Annan, I¡­ was worried you were too busy and had forgotten. A fianc¨¦e¡¯s birthday is a big deal, right?¡± Lu Wanwan instantly put on a smile, her eyes blinking. Her mind must have been flooded for her to become so spineless in a flash. Gu Annan¡¯s lips curved slightly, his magnetic voice captivating. ¡°What exactly are you trying to say?¡± Lu Wanwan looked upward, seeing his stunningly beautiful face with an aura that remained cold and commanding, gazing down on her. His amused smile held a perplexing charm, enigmatic and devoid of any anger. Gu Annan was a man of immense emotional restraint, plainly speaking, a deep thinker who never revealed his true thoughts. Unless he was erupting, it was hard to tell his good mood from his bad, they often looked too similar. But whether she had stepped on a landmine that infuriated him, she, Lu Wanwan, prided herself on having mastered that about seventy to eighty percent from their past skirmishes. Only, she hadn¡¯t anticipated that the experience she had failed to capitalize on back then would come in handy now, four years later. ¡°I just wanted to ask if you could pretend not to know?¡± After speaking, Lu Wanwan was a bit nervous, especially hearing his steady breathing up close, her heartbeat speeding up. Gu Annan looked at that hopeful, probing face, her eyes bright and brimming as they fixated on him. His throat tightened slightly, and he moistened his lips. His cool voice seemed to deepen even more, ¡°When did I ever know about it? Didn¡¯t you know I hate these matters?¡± ¡°Good, that¡¯s your word! Then I¡¯ll go cook right now!¡± Lu Wanwan, trying to contain her excitement, eagerly agreed and promptly rolled up her sleeves to leave the room. Let Lu Kexin celebrate her birthday with ghosts! Gu Annan watched as she happily left the room, completely ignoring his presence. His lips were tightly pursed, a dissatisfaction suppressed along with his heartbeat, as his eyes lingered on her departing figure. Chapter 79 - Chapter 79: Chapter 79: No Longer Calling Me Mr. Gu? Chapter 79: Chapter 79: No Longer Calling Me Mr. Gu? An hour later. Gu Annan sat at the dining table, looking at the dishes on the table which showed no difference from the usual quality, then glanced at Lu Wanwan standing to the side. ¡°Which one did you make?¡± Lu Wanwan stretched out her finger and pointed casually, ¡°These¡­ all of them.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Gu Annan looked at her, but found that this woman truly didn¡¯t show the slightest bit of embarrassment on her face. Seeing his expression which clearly did not believe her, she argued, ¡°You see, I washed this cucumber, I chopped the tomato, I picked the beef, and I arranged the lobster¡­¡± She pretty much mentioned every dish on the table, implying she had had a hand in all of them. Gu Annan was quiet for a moment, then under that pressuring gaze, his cool voice spoke out, ¡°Learn to cook within a week. You must reach the level where you can make whatever I feel like eating at any moment.¡± Lu Wanwan looked at him in shock, smiling, ¡°Gu Annan, you¡¯re not joking, are you?¡± Learning to cook in a week was not the hard part, but being able to cook whatever he wanted on demand, was this like entering a chef¡¯s competition? ¡°You¡¯re not calling me Mr. Gu anymore?¡± His cool voice deliberately pressed as he looked at her. Lu Wanwan clenched her teeth tightly, ¡°¡­I will complete the task, Mr. Gu.¡± Gu Annan¡¯s expression suddenly fell. Without another word, he picked up his chopsticks and stopped paying attention to her. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í??.§ã0 She didn¡¯t know what to say, only that his silence was a sign of his bad mood, which meant she had to be careful with her words. But wasn¡¯t it him who said to call him Mr. Gu? He didn¡¯t speak, and Lu Wanwan also didn¡¯t initiate conversation throughout the meal, for fear of stepping on a landmine. Until Gu Annan finished eating, that displeased and icy expression still hung on his face. He didn¡¯t pay attention to Lu Wanwan, just answered a work call before heading upstairs to deal with documents. Lu Wanwan heard Aunt Li¡¯s voice faintly coming from the living room. ¡°Miss Lu, I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± ¡°The young master isn¡¯t home, I apologize I can¡¯t contact him¡­¡± She remembered that tonight was when Lu Kexin wanted to invite Gu Annan out for dinner. Gu Annan didn¡¯t enjoy boring acts like celebrating birthdays, so he skipped this ordinary date as well? When Lu Wanwan went upstairs, her mobile phone suddenly rang. ¡°Wanwan, this is your dad. Come home for a meal when you have time these next few days.¡± Lu Wanwan stood on the stairs, her other hand tightly gripping the banister, as she casually said, ¡°No need, I¡¯m busy.¡± ¡°Are you too busy to even come home? Wanwan, school starts in a few days. Don¡¯t you want to come and get your tuition fees?¡± Lu Jingtian intensified his tone. He brought it up proactively; naturally, Lu Wanwan wanted it, but she had taken two hundred thousand from Gu Annan, under the condition that she wouldn¡¯t return to the Lu Family before the engagement. ¡°Dad, I¡¯ll see when I can squeeze it in. I¡¯m really tied up with work right now, there¡¯s no way around it. You were the one who said it, Dad. As the eldest daughter of the Lu Family, I should mature through trials and tribulations and not live in luxury and debauchery.¡± ¡°You¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s all for now, Dad. I¡¯ve got some work to attend to, goodbye.¡± The phone call was abruptly cut off, leaving Lu Jingtian clenching it, gritting his teeth in frustration. ¡°Dad, don¡¯t let it upset you,¡± said Lu Kexin with concern, ¡°Perhaps sister is really too busy¡­¡± ¡°Who knows what kind of nonsense she¡¯s getting herself into outside!¡± Lu Jingtian¡¯s face was dark with anger, ¡°Where does she get all that money from! If she¡¯s done something to disgrace the Lu Family¡­¡± ¡°Would sister really do that?¡± ¡°Hmph, I¡¯ll deal with her in a few days. I¡¯ve got no time for this at the moment. The most important matter for our family right now is to finalize your marriage with the Gu Family. Kexin, you mentioned you wanted to throw a birthday party to invite Gu Annan tomorrow, did you succeed?¡± Chapter 80 - Chapter 80: Chapter 80: Who is the New Investor? Chapter 80: Chapter 80: Who is the New Investor? Lu Kexin¡¯s face immediately turned ugly. ¡°Dad, it¡¯s like this, I heard that Gu Annan is taking over the entire Gu Family business. I¡¯ve called him several times, but he¡¯s always been incredibly busy. I think I shouldn¡¯t bother him with my trivial matters.¡± Lu Jingtian frowned thoughtfully. To win over someone like Gu Annan, Kexin still fell short. What exactly does Gu Annan mean? If it were just a matter of handling the arranged marriage as a business transaction, he could rest assured. What he feared most was a refusal of the marriage, as that would destabilize his position with the members of Jin¡¯an Group¡¯s board. He recalled the process of Gu Annan agreeing to the marriage. Initially, he had agreed in person, but then the matter was disrupted because of Lu Wanwan. Later, it was merely his subordinate passing on the message confirming the engagement. Finally, a date was set, and during this period, there had been no further personal contact between them. ¡°Alright, since the engagement is still on schedule, do not bother him for now. As long as you become Gu Family¡¯s Young Madam when the time comes, these minor issues will be insignificant,¡± Lu Jingtian offered as consolation. He guessed that even if Gu Annan married Lu Kexin, there wouldn¡¯t be much affection. But that¡¯s what business marriages are like, there¡¯s not always room for love and affection. ¡°Dad¡­¡± Lu Kexin, seeing that he had no intention to take her side, felt somewhat unwilling. ¡°Go and rest for now. I will confirm the marriage with the Gu Family again before the engagement,¡± Lu Jingtian didn¡¯t want to continue the conversation. ¡°Okay, I will wait obediently during this time. Dad, can I invite my sister then? The engagement is a significant event in my life, and I hope to have the blessing of our whole family!¡± ¡°Your father will inform her when the time comes, hoping she understands your feelings.¡± Lu Kexin finally smiled. How could she not allow Lu Wanwan to witness this moment with her own eyes? However, her father had recently been too preoccupied to look into Lu Wanwan, so she decided to try it herself. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï???.§ã? * These past few days, Lu Wanwan had been especially busy, all because of Gu Annan telling her to learn cooking. If it weren¡¯t for the recent news that had the editor regard her in a new light, she would never be able to leave work punctually each day and rush back to Gu Mansion to receive careful instruction from the cook. Ling Xiaoxue¡¯s news had helped ¡°Zui Entertainment¡± sales surpass ¡°Star Headlines¡± once again, followed by the sensational news of Qiao Moran retiring from the entertainment industry, which brought a surge in sales yet left the entire newsroom anxious, placing them at the forefront of public discourse. By Wednesday, the press conference arrived as scheduled. All the previous doubts silenced, and whether reluctantly or not, everyone congratulated her on another record-high commission, clamoring to be treated to a meal. This time, Lu Wanwan dared not take any chances. She firmly refused to take part in such events until her agreement with Gu Annan was fulfilled. Finally, on the weekend, she managed to contact Xu Yuan and made plans to visit Grandma in the hospital. ¡°No need to pay?¡± As she was about to leave, Lu Wanwan prepared to make another payment, but was told it wasn¡¯t necessary. ¡°Ward 809 doesn¡¯t need to top up the fees anymore.¡± How strange. She clearly didn¡¯t have much money left the last time. She was planning to use the two hundred thousand that Gu Annan had later given her for the hospital expenses. Why was it not needed now? ¡°There shouldn¡¯t be much left, right? I¡¯ll pay it now anyway. I¡¯m worried that if I don¡¯t have the time to come over next time, you¡¯ll stop the medication,¡± she said. The nurse explained kindly, ¡°Here¡¯s the situation. We recently had a new investor, and with policy adjustments, the hospital¡¯s previous debts before acquisition have been settled, and there¡¯s no need to pay them off. Since you, Miss Lu, had already contributed nearly a hundred thousand, all those funds will go towards future expenses. If you need money, you can also go downstairs to do the paperwork to withdraw a portion.¡± Xu Yuan was also incredulous. ¡°Can it really work this way? What kind of investor is so generous as to give money away?¡± Chapter 81 - Chapter 81: Chapter 81: The Person You Dont Want, She Treasures as a Gem Chapter 81: Chapter 81: The Person You Don¡¯t Want, She Treasures as a Gem ¡°I really don¡¯t know, I just heard about it. And the hospital is making some big moves lately. They¡¯re planning to high-salary poach talent and even plan to bring in a kidney specialist from abroad for consultations. Miss Lu, I¡¯ll let you know when the time comes.¡± ¡°Thank you for that,¡± Lu Wanwan said, grateful. ¡°This is the first time I¡¯ve heard of money being returned after it¡¯s been paid out. What¡¯s with the new investor?¡± Xu Yuan was curious. ¡°Come on, Dean Wang is that kind of person too, right?¡± She speculated, ¡°Do you think this might be someone like a former student of Dean Wang¡¯s, specially entrusted by him?¡± Lu Wanwan nodded, ¡°Very likely. I¡¯ve called Dean Wang¡¯s family. Dean Wang was recently sent abroad for treatment. I plan to visit him when he returns to the country to recuperate.¡± The two chattered on as they prepared to leave the hospital. ¡°Lu Kexin, who let you in?¡± Before Lu Wanwan could leave, she saw a woman with a double-C bag inside the hospital. Lu Kexin was startled, not expecting to run into her, ¡°Sis, what a coincidence.¡± ¡°Thought it was someone else. Isn¡¯t that the drag-along?¡± Xu Yuan raised an eyebrow. Lu Kexin was irritated but didn¡¯t dare to confront a fight master. ¡°Lu Kexin, don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re here to see the doctor,¡± Lu Wanwan asked bluntly. Over the past few years, whenever Lu Kexin felt unwell, she always went to high-end private hospitals like Saint Mary¡¯s Hospital, never this place. So, there were concerns about her impure motives. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í??.?¦Ï ¡°I¡¯m just here to visit a friend. So sis, you can rest assured,¡± Lu Kexin said innocently, ¡°I don¡¯t even know what you¡¯re worried about. I¡¯m getting engaged and have a lot of things to keep me busy. I don¡¯t have time to meddle in other people¡¯s affairs.¡± Xu Yuan chuckled sarcastically, ¡°Engaged? Who¡¯s so blind?¡± Lu Kexin lifted her chin, ¡°Sister Xu, it¡¯s not nice to say Mr. Gu is blind.¡± ¡°Mr. Gu?¡± ¡°It¡¯s Gu Annan. Didn¡¯t my sister tell you?¡± Lu Kexin covered her mouth in surprise, ¡°I thought you two shared everything.¡± Xu Yuan¡¯s brows tightened as she glanced at Lu Wanwan and realized it was true. ¡°No point in chit-chatting with you guys, I¡¯ve got lots to prepare for. By the way, you¡¯re going to attend my engagement, right?¡± Lu Kexin asked with a deliberate smile, ¡°After all, we¡¯re family. You can¡¯t miss such an important event. If it¡¯s alright with you, then I¡¯m off, goodbye.¡± Watching that smug retreating figure, Xu Yuan ground her teeth, ¡°That wretched girl did it on purpose. You treated her so well back then, and she stabs you in the back at the first opportunity, trying to snatch away everything you like! Disgusting! But Wanwan, could there be some mistake? If Gu Annan is getting engaged, it should be with you, not her, right?¡± Xu Yuan remembered clearly the look on Gu Annan¡¯s face when he stood up to Ling Xiaoxue¡¯s people that day. It definitely seemed like there was a chance. If it had been back when they were still in school, Lu Wanwan would have definitely secured him! Unfortunately, times have changed, and if she didn¡¯t like Gu Annan, there was no point in fighting with Lu Kexin over an engagement just for the sake of competition. ¡°There¡¯s no mistake. Let¡¯s not talk about this,¡± Lu Wanwan said curtly, frowning nonchalantly. ¡°Just watching that little bitch strut around makes me so angry,¡± Xu Yuan shook her head as they walked, ¡°Forget it. If you don¡¯t want him, let her treasure the trash. It¡¯s laughable.¡± Their voices faded as they moved further away. ¡°Mr. Gu, everything has been arranged. That looked like Miss Lu up ahead, do you¡­¡± Zhao Chen, who came back with documents in hand, stopped mid-sentence as the sudden drop in temperature froze him. Chapter 82 - Chapter 82: Chapter 82: Eyes Cold to the Extreme Chapter 82: Chapter 82: Eyes Cold to the Extreme Gu Annan¡¯s face was taut with resolute lines, his sharp, deep eyes cold to the extreme, his whole body exuding an ominously low air pressure. Zhao Chen didn¡¯t know what had just happened, but he knew that it was extremely rare for his boss to be on the verge of exploding, and clearly, the cause was the recent Miss Lu. But Miss Lu had clearly only been with a woman, the same Miss Xu from last time, the boss should have known they were friends long ago, so why was he so angry? Could it be that he had discovered they were not merely friends? God, what was he even thinking!!! That¡¯s so dirty!! ¡°Cough, Mr. Gu, we should go now,¡± Zhao Chen tried to distract him. ¡°By the way, while I was handling things earlier, I saw Miss Lu Kexin here. She was here to inquire about the medical expenses of Mrs. Ye¡¯s hospitalization, but I didn¡¯t let anyone reveal it.¡± Zhao Chen nervously watched his boss, unsure if he had heard him speak. Then, under the pressure-filled aura surrounding him, he strode towards the hospital¡¯s main entrance. * ¡°What?¡± Xu Yuan¡¯s mouth formed an O, ¡°I was wondering how you could possibly come up with so much money to cover those hospital bills, and it turns out it was really given by Gu Annan.¡± ¡°You guessed it earlier?¡± Lu Wanwan was surprised. ¡°Nonsense, if you had a way to raise that much money, you wouldn¡¯t have waited till now. I had my suspicions when Gu Annan appeared last time, so seeing you with money, of course, made me think of him.¡± She sighed deeply, feeling relieved as she spoke about these matters, ¡°No worries, just three more days. After three days, I can move out from the Gu Family¡¯s house, just in time for the 10th to report to school, I won¡¯t have to go back to the Lu Family, and I can finally have nothing to do with him.¡± Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?0¦Í??.?¦Ï ¡°That¡¯s a pity.¡± ¡°A pity for what?¡± Lu Wanwan saw her regretful expression. Xu Yuan shrugged, ¡°If you still had feelings for Gu Annan, you wouldn¡¯t have had to see that little bitch with her smug, intruding face. I think Gu Annan had no choice¡­ Why not rekindle your feelings for him? Look, by then you won¡¯t be lacking money, the man you¡¯ve longed for will be yours, and it will even infuriate Lu Kexin.¡± ¡°Do you think I have a choice in this?¡± Lu Wanwan was puzzled. ¡°If he weren¡¯t testing you, why would he keep you tied to his side for so long? Aside from yourself, have you ever seen him allow another woman to stay within three meters of him for an extended period?¡± Lu Wanwan fell silent. He had thousands of ways to prevent her from returning to the Lu Family while also keeping her out of his own sight, yet he chose to let her stay at his house. Lu Kexin asked him out, he didn¡¯t go. It was Lu Kexin¡¯s birthday, and he didn¡¯t attend. Where did it seem that he cared about his fianc¨¦e? ¡°Gu Annan?¡± Suddenly, the excited coo of Lu Kexin came from behind. Both of them turned around simultaneously, Lu Wanwan completely froze in place. Gu Annan¡¯s car was parked on the curb, his austere, striking face showing no emotion. At the sound of Lu Kexin¡¯s voice, he simply said indifferently, ¡°Get in the car.¡± The smile on Lu Kexin¡¯s face was so bright it almost seemed piercing as she immediately pulled open the car door and sat in the passenger seat. The car started quickly, nearly brushing past Lu Wanwan and Xu Yuan as it sped away. From beginning to end, he didn¡¯t glance at her once. Despite the short distance, he completely acted as though she didn¡¯t exist. ¡°Now I¡¯ve seen it,¡± Lu Wanwan thought, the feeling in her heart indescribable, ¡°the woman within three meters of him.¡± * The car sped away rapidly, Gu Annan¡¯s icy aura almost seeming lethal even across the distance. Although Lu Kexin had gotten into the car joyfully, once inside, she didn¡¯t dare utter a single word. Chapter 83 - Chapter 83: Chapter 83: She Sleeps in His Bed Chapter 83: Chapter 83: She Sleeps in His Bed For a long time, Lu Kexin got her emotions under control, and in that suffocating pressure, she carefully spoke up, ¡°Gu Annan¡­¡± No sooner had she called out his name than the car came to an abrupt stop. If it weren¡¯t for the seatbelt, she felt she would have hit the glass. ¡°Miss Lu Kexin.¡± An extremely cold voice sounded, ¡°We are not so familiar that you can call me by my name.¡± Lu Kexin¡¯s eyes instantly reddened, ¡°Mr. Gu, I¡¯m sorry, I know I¡¯m not your fianc¨¦e yet¡­¡± ¡°Get out.¡± He seemed to have no patience left to hear her voice. Lu Kexin really wanted to cry, shivering as she unbuckled her seatbelt and opened the car door. Could it be that Gu Annan really wanted to back out? ¡°Then, in three days¡­¡± She held onto the car door, unwilling to let go, and spoke up. At the mention of three days later, Gu Annan¡¯s hand on the steering wheel seemed to tighten even more. ¡°I will show up on time in three days, before then I don¡¯t want to see you.¡± ¡°Okay¡­¡± No sooner had Lu Kexin gotten out and closed the car door than the vehicle drove away. Was it just a marriage with no personal feelings involved? Lu Kexin clenched her teeth fiercely, it didn¡¯t matter, even if it was so, at least she would be Mrs. Gu, not Lu Wanwan. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í??.§ã? * For three days, Gu Annan had not returned to Gu Mansion, as if he had disappeared. ¡°Maybe the young master is busy lately.¡± Aunt Li seemed to comfort her casually as she started to clean up the dishes, ¡°Sometimes, the young master gets so busy that he doesn¡¯t come back for a few days. Tomorrow is the engagement, so there must be a lot to arrange in advance.¡± Lu Wanwan stood up, ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± She had waited for him for three days, and tonight was the last night. Lu Wanwan began to feel anxious inside because if she didn¡¯t see Gu Annan after tonight, there would be no chance to change the engagement. Because in these three days, she had decided on one thing: she couldn¡¯t let the engagement go smoothly. If it was just a family marriage arrangement anyway, why couldn¡¯t the person engaged to Gu Annan be her? Xu Yuan was right that day, being engaged to Gu Annan meant that everything she lacked after her mother¡¯s death could come back to her. It would not just be a fierce counterattack against the Lu Family, but also the best option for her grandmother¡¯s illness. She really regretted wasting the past month on her so-called self-respect, simply because she had been utterly defeated by him before and didn¡¯t dare to try again. But now, she had nothing left, what did she need self-respect for? What she needed was this marriage! ¡­ Gu Annan arrived back at the Gu Mansion at midnight. He opened the door to his room, turning on the wall light as he entered. With the buttons of his shirt not yet all undone, he stood still, his eyebrows deeply furrowed, his gaze as cold as smoke fixed on his bed. Lu Wanwan lay on the large bed in a thin nightgown, her lustrous, long black hair spread out like seaweed, making her face appear very small. Her long eyelashes cast peaceful shadows on her lower eyelids, and her breathing was steady and even. The air conditioning in the room was quite strong; she must have been cold, curled up without a blanket, just hugging her arms. His brows twisted as he looked at the unexpected scene before him, and he stepped closer to the bed. His footsteps were not at all concealed; in fact, he deliberately made them louder. Lu Wanwan¡¯s eyelashes quivered slightly, and her tightly closed eyes opened groggily under the dim light, seeing the familiar stern face become clear in front of her. ¡°Gu Annan!¡± She suddenly woke up, leaping out of bed, her heart racing, ¡°You¡­ you¡¯re back?¡± Chapter 84 - Chapter 84: Chapter 84: Fierce and Brutal Chapter 84: Chapter 84: Fierce and Brutal ¡°Lu Wanwan, who allowed you to enter my room on your own?¡± The icy, low voice startled Lu Wanwan, who had just woken up and stood by the bed, at a loss. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I was waiting for you and accidentally fell asleep. I swear it wasn¡¯t intentional. I have an alarm set on my phone.¡± She held up her phone to explain, ¡°I set it for 20 minutes, I just meant to close my eyes for a moment¡­¡± Lu Wanwan hurriedly checked her phone¡¯s alarm, only to discover that although it was set for 20 minutes, she had forgotten to start it. ¡°This¡­ I was too tired just now, I forgot.¡± ¡°Did you genuinely not hear me, or are you pretending you didn¡¯t?¡± Gu Annan towered over her, his cold gaze shifting, ¡°Who let you in?¡± ¡°I entered by myself. Gu Annan, I have something to tell you.¡± Lu Wanwan mustered her courage, facing his intermittently sharp gaze. Although she didn¡¯t understand why his attitude had changed drastically after disappearing for three days, this could not be her obstacle. This time, she had made up her mind, even if it meant resorting to some tactics. The encounter with Lu Kexin at the hospital had alerted her to the crisis. Stepping back wouldn¡¯t satisfy Lu Kexin, even if becoming Gu Annan¡¯s fiancee didn¡¯t stop her plans. If Lu Kexin intended to do something to Grandma, she felt powerless to stop it. ¡°You should call me Mr. Gu, we¡¯re not that close.¡± His lips curled into a cold mockery, ¡°If it¡¯s about the deadline I mentioned, no need to speak. The agreed period has ended, you can leave now.¡± ¡°Gu Annan,¡± Lu Wanwan did not back down; instead, she emphasized his name even more clearly, ¡°I know you are getting engaged tomorrow, but there¡¯s still room for redemption, right?¡± Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ??¦Í??.§ã¦Ï Seeing that his gaze did not change at all, the subtle sense of oppression became even more apparent. ¡°What do you want to say?¡± ¡°I want to be your fiancee!¡± She declared unwaveringly, her fists clenched but slightly trembling, ¡°Gu Annan, I would be a more suitable choice than Lu Kexin.¡± Her breath was light, but her heartbeat tormented her fiercely. After saying this, the room fell into silence. Gu Annan¡¯s gaze gradually deepened like the night sky. ¡°Reason?¡± His eyes narrowed slightly, yet still devoid of any warmth. ¡°We¡¯ve slept together!¡± She nearly gritted her teeth to say it, as if a flame shot up, reddening her ears, ¡°Anyway, what needed to happen has happened, isn¡¯t that convenient?¡± Seeing the mocking undertone deepen in his eyes, Lu Wanwan hastily continued, ¡°Moreover, we¡¯ve known each other for a long time, I know your preferences, your friends, and can even sign your name, isn¡¯t that more convenient than Lu Kexin?¡± She dared to remind him of the past? ¡°Get out!¡± Gu Annan exuded a chilling aura, pointing towards the door with his hand, ¡°I don¡¯t want to say it a second time.¡± She stubbornly shook her head, ¡°Unless you agree to my request.¡± Gu Annan laughed in anger, grabbed her wrist, and glared down at her, ¡°Otherwise, what? You plan to shamelessly stay in my room? Lu Wanwan, thinking you can marry me just because we slept together once, you really overestimate yourself.¡± The pain as if her bones were about to split made tears almost spill from her eyes. With tearful eyes, she suddenly tiptoed and kissed him recklessly. The motion was fierce and rough, and the moment she touched his lips, she felt as though her entire being buzzed. Chapter 85 - Chapter 85: Chapter 85: Suddenly swallowing saliva... Chapter 85: Chapter 85: Suddenly swallowing saliva¡­ She kissed him? She kissed Gu Annan?! And forcefully at that?!! Lu Wanwan¡¯s heartbeat almost stopped as she fluttered her eyelashes, looking at the person who was a mere inch away, seemingly shocked by her actions as well. Soon, his eyebrows furrowed fiercely, as if fire blazed within his gaze. Before he could push her away, Lu Wanwan closed her eyes tightly and, regardless of the consequences, pressed her lips against his cold, thin ones once more. The rich scent of masculinity caused her cheeks to burn, her heartbeat raced at an unimaginable pace, she didn¡¯t even feel the pain from her wrist being tightly grasped loosen. Her face was that of someone heading to their demise, not daring to open her eyes, regardless of his reaction. The only hand she could freely move desperately clutched at the shirt on his chest, crumpling it in her trembling grasp. It was a kiss without any technique, not knowing how to proceed, only feeling his lips pressed tight, as if signaling an imminent explosion. ¡°Get off!¡± he spat out each word with annoyance. Gu Annan grasped her hand that was holding him and yanked her backward, lifting her off himself. Already unsteady on her tiptoes, Lu Wanwan started to fall backward as her strength gave out. In a panic, she gripped the shirt even tighter. With a snap, the clear sound of buttons being torn off could be heard. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í??.?¦Ï As she pulled with all her might, several buttons of Gu Annan¡¯s unopened shirt flew off, instantly exposing a great deal of his chest. Lu Wanwan had just managed to pull herself back using his strength, but due to inertia, before she could steady herself, her head collided with the chest in front of her. ¡°Lu Wanwan!¡± he roared with rage from above her. Gu Annan¡¯s body tensed up instantly. Her deliberate seduction was far from alluring, and even the kiss was awkward to the extreme, yet such behavior easily disrupted his composure. ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± Lu Wanwan immediately let go of his shirt. Yet her eyes fixated on his chest heaving with anger, unable to look away. The shirt had been torn open violently, amidst the brutality there was a raw sensuality that caused her heart to flutter with fear at the intense feelings spreading within her. Suddenly, she found herself swallowing hard. In the silent, tense stand-off, this subtle action didn¡¯t escape Gu Annan¡¯s notice, and the fire within him blazed even fiercer. ¡°I¡¯m really sorry.¡± She reached out hastily, trying to straighten his shirt. But seeing the broken buttons, she felt a pang of regret ¨C it was expensive, how could she compensate? Her movements only served to further irritate Gu Annan, who quickly seized her restless hands, ¡°Just try moving again!¡± ¡°You¡¯re hurting me, be gentle¡­¡± Lu Wanwan gasped in pain; he, for some reason, was particularly brusque, and it really hurt. ¡°Lu.. Wan¡­ Wan¡­¡± he ground his teeth, his heart rate as unsettled as ever. This woman, does she even know what she¡¯s saying! Does she even know what she¡¯s doing! Just when Lu Wanwan thought she had failed and he was about to throw her out, he suddenly kissed her fiercely. The large hand that had restrained her hands swiftly moved to her waist, not a trace of tenderness in his cold motion, as he sought to seize the sweetness from her mouth. Her chin was also forcefully controlled by his large hand, turning her awkward initiative into an inability to struggle. No, she was about to lose the ability to breathe. Chapter 86 - Chapter 86: Chapter 86 His Proof Chapter 86: Chapter 86 His Proof The dominance in his presence seemed almost punishing, her face turning bright red, almost to the point of suffocation. She stepped back several paces, but her retreat only made him press in even closer. Her back was to the edge of the bed, and amidst her nervousness, Lu Wanwan was about to fall off accidentally. The support around her waist from Gu Annan was suddenly gone, and she fell backward, while the man looming over her propped his arm by her shoulder. He was only a few centimeters above Lu Wanwan, his gaze icy as he looked at her flushed, beautiful face, the eyes possibly bright with panic or tension, misty as water. ¡°Are you so eager to climb into my bed?¡± he moved his lips, speaking in a mocking tone that carried no pity for their recent struggle. Lu Wanwan found herself speechless, fully aware that Gu Annan was merely mocking her for falling onto the bed, and aware that she¡¯d fallen because he had intentionally let go. ¡°I¡­¡± She had intentionally waited in his room for three days, indeed for the reason he had described. ¡°What¡¯s the matter, can¡¯t speak anymore?¡± Gu Annan¡¯s gaze, deep and restrained, lowered to look at her, ¡°After waiting a month without me touching you, have you finally grown impatient?¡± The razor-sharp mockery, cold to the bone, seemed to torture her dignity, but she simply stared back at him unwaveringly. With a few strands of coldness on his lips, his handsome and detached face leaned back, already planning to get up. ¡°Gu Annan, are you even a man?¡± Lu Wanwan lifted her chin, her previously pitiful face on the bed now full of defiance as she stared directly into his eyes, which were cold as ice, ¡°Perhaps the rumors that you don¡¯t like women are indeed false. The only other possibility¡­ is that you¡¯re simply not capable!¡± Gu Annan¡¯s lips curled into a stark line as he quickly grabbed her wrist and pressed it above her head, his gaze sharp, ¡°What did you say?¡± ¡°Did I hit the nail on the head?¡± she retorted without backing down, ¡°You claim to be a sugar daddy, spending hundreds of thousands yet never daring to touch me, pushing me away after every kiss and telling me to scram¡ªisn¡¯t that just being angry and embarrassed for fear that I¡¯ll discover the truth?¡± Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í?¦Ï.§ã¦Ï The handsome and profound face of the man loomed over in the dim light, his presence overwhelmingly forceful, ¡°Say that again!¡± ¡°Being capable or not is just a physiological reaction, but you are afraid every time to let me find out. Don¡¯t use that night as your defense, I don¡¯t remember anything that happened that night, who knows if you¡­¡± Her last words were abruptly cut off, silenced by the fierce kiss that left her unable to utter a sound. For a long while, she breathed heavily, her jaw aching from being grabbed. ¡°This is what you asked for, Lu Wanwan!¡± The tense voice was hoarse, yet filled with emotion. * She didn¡¯t know how much time had passed, lying on the bed like a lump of mud, too lethargic to even move a finger. The final provocation had succeeded just as she wanted, but the cost was more terrible than she had expected. Although those words were only to provoke him, his proof was too decisive¡­ This wasn¡¯t a question of incapability at all! Lu Wanwan felt like weeping but had no tears, looking down at the near-torturous marks on her body, and for some reason, her eyes started to water. This was her true first time. The bathroom door opened, she heard the sound of someone coming out and quickly closed her eyes. Her head was groggy, but she couldn¡¯t afford to just fall asleep, there was still one critical step left. Chapter 87 - Chapter 87: Chapter 87 Shes So Afraid of Pain Chapter 87: Chapter 87 She¡¯s So Afraid of Pain Gu Annan came out of the bathroom, his casual steps halting suddenly as he reached the bedside. The woman on the bed was curled up in a fetal position, lying on her side with her eyes tightly closed. Her long, curled eyelashes were slightly wet, as if she had been crying. He frowned, recalling the harshness he had just displayed, feeling a twinge of regret and pity. She always hated pain, even a bump against the corner of a table would cause her eyes to brim with tears. Thinking of that, he sat down on the bed with cautious movements, ready to hold her in his arms. ¡°¡­Wanwan, the person you don¡¯t want, she treasures like a jewel, how laughable,¡± he murmured. The words he had heard that day reverberated in his mind, causing his hand to hang in mid-air. After what felt like a long time, he withdrew it and then, uncharacteristically, lit a cigarette. His deep eyes were illuminated by the sparks of the light, silent, as he exhaled circles of smoke, his gaze still fixed on that small face, his eyebrows furrowed in consternation. He was not ignorant of the reason she had deliberately spoken those provocative words, yet he could not resist. Even now, looking at her peacefully sleeping, her swollen lips, her fair skin, and even her scattered black hair were full of temptation. It was as if there was a layer of luminous light flowing around her, dazzling, causing dizziness, making one¡¯s breathing erratic. His brow could not relax, not even for the duration of a cigarette, and he quickly got up. If he stayed a moment longer, he really would hold this woman he hated to the bone once more in his arms, and would not let go. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?0¦Í?¦Ï.?¦Ï Lu Wanwan did not open her eyes throughout, not until Gu Annan got out of bed, left, and the last thing she heard was the gentle sound of him closing the door. She abruptly opened her eyes, her complexion ashen. He was gone! She had planned to wait until Gu Annan had fallen asleep, then sneakily take a photo of them. If he insisted on getting engaged to Lu Kexin, she could use this photo to try and blackmail him. She had even contemplated resorting to such despicable tactics, yet it turned out he had no intention of staying by her side for another moment. * ¡°Are you sure you want to join this team?¡± ¡°Positive.¡± ¡°The engagement location of the Gu Family is highly confidential. Are you confident you can infiltrate it?¡± ¡°I¡¯m confident. Don¡¯t worry, chief editor,¡± she assured. There was silence on the other end of the phone for a moment, ¡°Just you?¡± ¡°Yes, the only requirement is that I go alone. It¡¯s easier to move that way.¡± ¡°Alright, make sure to send the photos as you get them.¡± Lu Wanwan held her phone, then looked at her reflection in the mirror, already dressed neatly, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, it will definitely be a scandal in high society that everyone will love.¡± The dress just covered her collarbone, but numerous marks on her body were still there, still visible despite her use of concealer. But it didn¡¯t matter; after all, she was not the main character. Lu Wanwan looked at her reflection, a smile playing at the corner of her mouth, but unable to hide the anger in her eyes. If he had agreed to cancel this engagement, she would not have taken part in this operation for the magazine. But to sleep with her and then toss her aside to get engaged? Gu Annan really underestimated her. Their agreement was over; they were no longer in an employee-employer relationship, so what difference did it make if it was personal? * The engagement ceremony was held in a private banquet hall at a high-end hotel in Manchester, with not many attendees, just close family and friends of both sides. ¡°Sister.¡± Lu Kexin finally saw Lu Wanwan, and her smile stiffened for a moment at the sight of the haute couture mini dress on her. Quickly, her voice rose, ¡°Sister, I thought you wouldn¡¯t come.¡± Lu Jingtian turned his head at the sound, his brows suddenly tightening. Lu Wanwan was dressed in a nude-pink knee-length dress, simple and elegant, yet seductively highlighting her already fair complexion, making it seem even more translucent. Standing next to her, Lu Kexin, wearing an expensive Swarovski gown, looked particularly vulgar by comparison. Chapter 88 - Chapter 88: Chapter 88 Gentle in Public Chapter 88: Chapter 88 Gentle in Public Of course, that wasn¡¯t the point. Rather, Wanwan¡¯s dress was clearly expensive, so how could she possibly afford it? Could Kexin¡¯s words actually be true? ¡°Wanwan is here.¡± With this doubt in mind, Lu Jingtian walked over. But as he almost reached her, he suddenly stopped in his tracks, ¡°You¡­¡± Lu Wanwan was very pale, and because of that, some marks, whether deep or shallow, were clearly visible on her exposed skin. Lu Jingtian¡¯s face turned an ashen color. If her embarrassing situation resulted from an accident, then this time, it was obviously not an accident at all. ¡°Sister, you¡­¡± Lu Kexin pretended as if she had just seen it, ¡°How come you¡­¡± ¡°Miss Lu sure leads a busy life.¡± Lin Xin took the opportunity to look at her with utter contempt, ¡°I heard you haven¡¯t been living at school for quite some time now, wearing nothing but top brands; it seems you¡¯re doing quite well supporting yourself.¡± ¡°When did you see me supporting myself?¡± Lu Wanwan asked blandly, without any hint of irritation. Lin Xin, still holding a grudge over the last incident, and blaming Lu Wanwan for all the dissatisfaction Lu Kexin had towards her, spoke even more rudely, ¡°Sure, that time my cousin and I ran into you, you just casually spent over two hundred thousand; so generous indeed. A normal job couldn¡¯t earn you that much money, right? But Miss Lu, why were you also so busy before attending my cousin¡¯s engagement?¡± ¡°Xinxin, what nonsense are you spouting?¡± Lin Yu pretended to dismiss lightly, ¡°How could you say such things about Wanwan.¡± Lin Xin laughed, ¡°I always speak my mind, don¡¯t take offense, alright? I just find it so strange!¡± ¡°Wanwan, what¡¯s going on with you this time?¡± Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?0¦Í??.§ã¦Ï Ever since Lu Wanwan saw through Lu Jingtian¡¯s choice between her and Lu Kexin, she always faced accusations with indifference, ¡°Nothing much, I don¡¯t understand what you¡¯re talking about.¡± It wasn¡¯t appropriate for Lu Jingtian to make a scene in this setting, especially when he saw several influential figures from the business world approaching. He wanted even less to cause a big commotion. He glared fiercely at Lu Wanwan and moved on with Lin Yu to continue mingling with the entrepreneurs. ¡°Lu Wanwan, tsk tsk, I never expected you to fall this far,¡± with Lu Jingtian gone, Lin Xin dropped all pretense, ¡°the esteemed Miss Lu Family actually stooping to find a sugar daddy; how embarrassing to spread around. I wonder who it is, spending so much money on you.¡± Lu Wanwan did not retaliate, but instead smiled, ¡°Who do you think it would be then?¡± Lu Kexin sneered, looking at her, ¡°Truly shameless, for you to come out and meet people looking like that. Lu Wanwan, do you not have any standards when it comes to finding men?¡± ¡°Exactly, I reckon any man would do, as long as he pays her,¡± Lin Xin said scornfully, ¡°there are plenty of fools with more money than sense who wouldn¡¯t want to pamper a woman after spending money on her. I¡¯m only trying to give you friendly advice, you know; the rich have particularly unique tastes these days. They may seem genteel in public, but turn into beasts in private. Be very careful not to take your games too far. It would be so embarrassing to end up in the hospital over some mishap.¡± This wasn¡¯t the first time she was the target of their sarcasm, but this time Lu Wanwan didn¡¯t get angry at all; she just listened to them slander Gu Annan and felt relieved. From the corner of her eye, she saw a dashing figure in a suit break into her line of sight. Looking up, she saw that handsome face grim with anger, his eyes like ice chips. Chapter 89 - Chapter 89: Chapter 89: Look, Mr. Gu, she has no sense of shame at all... Chapter 89: Chapter 89: Look, Mr. Gu, she has no sense of shame at all¡­ ¡°Oh? Are you so sure that my sugar daddy is some refined beast? Not a high-class, handsome man with integrity?¡± Lu Wanwan¡¯s lips curled into an indifferent arc. Seeing her take the initiative to admit she had a sugar daddy, Lin Xin wished she could raise her voice loud enough for everyone to hear¡ªif the occasion hadn¡¯t restricted her, ¡°Ha, stop daydreaming. Would a man like that need to keep you? There are plenty of women lining up. Just looking at how secretive you are, I know you¡¯re nothing but shame¡­ Gu, Mr. Gu.¡± Lin Xin¡¯s excited demeanor hadn¡¯t fully played out before she saw Gu Annan, his handsome face darkening with displeasure. That tall figure had already walked to Lu Wanwan¡¯s side, the innate nobility and the intense pressure he carried making her suddenly dare not say more. ¡°Gu Annan.¡± Lu Kexin greeted him with a sweet smile, relieved that the ugly words hadn¡¯t come from her own mouth. ¡°Mr. Gu.¡± Lu Wanwan spoke unhurriedly, her proud smile lifting her head as she met his gaze, ¡°Congratulations.¡± His icy gaze fell upon her, but a trace of heat sparked in the depths of his eyes instantly. In the Gu Mansion¡¯s dressing room, there were many clothes prepared, all to her size. But this woman always picked the most understated outfits; she had never touched those formal gowns before. He had thought that after their agreement expired, she wouldn¡¯t touch those clothes. Yet, unexpectedly, she had picked the most revealing one to wear here. On anyone else, it would have been an innocently elegant design, but on her, it perfectly outlined her enchanting, alluring curves. Her smooth, fair skin bore faint, suggestive marks, adding a hint of provocative sexiness. Those clear, sparkling eyes held laughter as they watched him, yet they were so inscrutable. ¡°Mr. Gu, you¡¯ve finally arrived.¡± Lin Xin, noticing that his gaze stayed on Lu Wanwan and that sparks seemed to fly between their eyes, became somewhat anxious, ¡°Your cousin has been waiting for you for a long time.¡± If Lu Kexin hadn¡¯t seen Gu Annan¡¯s complexion and his fierce, ruthless eyes, she might have really thought he was bewitched by Lu Wanwan. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í??.?? But that obvious displeasure on his face should¡­ be just because he disliked seeing Lu Wanwan here, right? ¡°You should go touch up your makeup,¡± Gu Annan suddenly shifted his gaze, looking at Lu Kexin. ¡°I¡¯ll go right away.¡± Lu Kexin felt somewhat embarrassed. Was there something wrong with her makeup? Lu Kexin gave Lin Xin a look, signaling her to keep an eye on Lu Wanwan, and hurried to the makeup room. ¡°Mr. Gu, do you not want to see this woman?¡± Lin Xin, clearly knowing what her wealthy cousin was worried about, seized the opportunity to stir the pot, ¡°Right, such a shameless woman showing up at your engagement banquet does bring down the mood. Look at her, no telling which man she¡¯s been fooling around with, and only then remembering her sister¡¯s engagement today¡­¡± Lu Wanwan didn¡¯t need to look to know that Gu Annan¡¯s face must have turned frighteningly dark by now. She couldn¡¯t help but let out a light laugh. Suddenly, a chilling sensation enveloped her, as if two icy swords had struck. The air pressure around plummeted to an extreme low. ¡°Absolutely shameless.¡± Lin Xin snorted lightly, ¡°And still you can laugh. Mr. Gu, she admitted it herself just now.¡± ¡°You¡¯re mistaken, I remembered before messing around with any man. How could I forget such a big event?¡± Lu Wanwan corrected her. ¡°Mr. Gu, look at her, she has no sense of shame¡­¡± Lin Xin pointed at Lu Wanwan. ¡°I don¡¯t remember her name being on the guest list,¡± Gu Annan, out of patience, interrupted her coldly, ¡°Get out.¡± Chapter 90 03-25 - Chapter 90: Chapter 90: Who Let You Dress Like This? Chapter 90: Chapter 90: Who Let You Dress Like This? Lin Xin didn¡¯t know what she had said wrong to provoke the protagonist of the day into a furious rage. Especially when that gaze had turned her way, it was terrifying, as if the anger was meant to be directed at her. She immediately dared not say more and found an excuse to hurriedly leave Gu Annan¡¯s sight. As she left, she fiercely thought to herself, it must be Lu Wanwan who seduced him, and she had to tell her cousin about it. Lu Wanwan was in a great mood as she watched the man with the dark expression, ¡°Oh, Mr. Gu, you seem to be in a bad mood? You look quite upset.¡± Gu Annan glared at her provocatively, ¡°Who told you to dress like that?¡± ¡°Come on, I was once a sponsor, there¡¯s no need to be so stingy,¡± she thought he meant she shouldn¡¯t wear clothes from the Gu Mansion, and quickly responded with a sweet smile. ¡°On purpose?¡± he asked in a low, enticing tone. ¡°Mr. Gu, I don¡¯t understand what you are saying. You must be busy with your engagement today? I won¡¯t bother you then.¡± Gu Annan watched as the woman made her escape, just as someone appeared to greet him. After a few words, the woman had already run far away. * On this side, Lu Wanwan deliberately avoided Gu Annan and after several rounds, not seeing Lu Kexin, she went straight to the ladies¡¯ restroom. Jokingly, she did not want to provoke his wrath at such a time. However, it felt a bit thrilling to know that through Lu Kexin and Lin Xin¡¯s mouths, she had managed to darken his face. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í?0.§ã¦Ï Even though she had come over to cause trouble and dredge up scandal, she did not want to see the two of them getting engaged affectionately in front of her. Even pretending wouldn¡¯t do! ¡°Cousin, what should I do, how can my name not be on the list?¡± ¡°The list was made by the Gu Family. How could your name possibly be on it? If it weren¡¯t for my face, do you think you could have gotten in?¡± ¡°True, but does Mr. Gu really want to kick me out because of Lu Wanwan?¡± Lu Wanwan was standing in front of the vanity at the restroom, wondering if the marks on her body could be made less obvious. Before long, she heard two voices coming in. ¡°Lin Xin.¡± Lu Wanwan still faced the mirror, leisurely putting away her makeup, ¡°It¡¯s none of my business if they send you out. Did I even speak to your Mr. Gu when they were shoving you out?¡± Seeing her, Lin Xin was too angry to speak, ¡°Do you even need to say anything? Mr. Gu was staring straight into your eyes. Do you even realize this is Kexin¡¯s engagement party? You come dressed like this, you, what are your intentions?¡± ¡°I have no intentions at all!¡± Lu Wanwan turned around, seeing them both so angry, ¡°This dress was bought by my sponsor, I wear what he buys. Compared to your cousin, I¡¯m dressed quite modestly, right? Which gown isn¡¯t revealing the chest or legs? Mine isn¡¯t even low-cut.¡± It was infuriating that when she finally searched the wardrobe, she couldn¡¯t find a single low-cut dress, and this one up to her collarbone was the most revealing. Gu Annan¡¯s taste is like that of an old man! ¡°Lu Wanwan!¡± Lu Kexin finally couldn¡¯t hold back, ¡°Aren¡¯t you just trying to catch his attention? I advise you to face reality, and stop thinking about seducing my fianc¨¦!¡± Initially, she had invited Lu Wanwan here, hoping to see her filled with resentment and helplessness, perhaps even envious of herself. But today, Lu Wanwan unexpectedly seemed to be here to mock the protagonist, showing not a hint of resentment or envy. Lu Wanwan put the makeup into her handbag, and upon hearing Lu Kexin¡¯s words, stopped her movements, ¡°Well¡­ what if your fianc¨¦ seduces me?¡± Chapter 91 03-25 - Chapter 91: Chapter 91: Taken Away by Overbearing Force Chapter 91: Chapter 91: Taken Away by Overbearing Force Lu Kexin almost laughed aloud, ¡°What kind of grand delusions are you harboring? Gu Annan simply doesn¡¯t fancy you. Haven¡¯t you come to realize that by now?¡± A tinge of sorrow flickered in the depths of her eyes¡ªan acknowledgement of truth through Gu Annan¡¯s actions of leaving right after finishing last night. That dark light was only momentary, quickly replaced by Lu Wanwan¡¯s brilliantly radiant smile, ¡°Then let me congratulate you once more. Having a fianc¨¦ who¡¯s genteel in public and a beast in private.¡± Before the two could recover, she had already gathered her things and quickly left the restroom. Genteel in public and a beast in private, wasn¡¯t that what Lin Xin had just used to describe her sugar daddy? What did Lu Wanwan mean by saying that? Lin Xin scoffed, ¡°I really should have recorded it just now, to let Gu Shao hear what this woman has to say about him.¡± * As soon as Lu Wanwan stepped out of the restroom, the smile disappeared from her face. Ever since appearing here today, the feeling of powerlessness from spending a sleepless night had been suppressed deep in her heart, attending in her best condition. But being abruptly reminded in such a way still felt like being viciously stabbed. ¡°Hm? Is that you?¡± A voice suddenly floated to her ears. Initially, Lu Wanwan hadn¡¯t expected the voice to be directed at her, moving quickly as she was. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í??.§ã¦Ï As a waiter with a tray passed by, she swiftly grabbed a glass of champagne and gulped it down. It was not worth unsettling her emotions over a remark from Lu Kexin, especially since today she had an important mission and couldn¡¯t afford the trip to be in vain. ¡°Would you like another glass?¡± Holding the empty glass, Lu Wanwan then turned around, ¡°Are you speaking to me?¡± ¡°Ah! You are, you are¡ª¡± At that turn of her head, she was rooted to the spot in shock. Before her stood a man of handsome stature, leisurely swirling his glass of wine, a face she could never mistake¡ªBai Lingyun! The very Bai Lingyun she had been assigned by the editor-in-chief as a personal solo mission! If it weren¡¯t for the subsequent events that unexpectedly led her to acquire a piece of news no one else could obtain, thereby proving her worth, she might still be a struggling paparazzo in this enigmatic circle of high rollers, starving if she couldn¡¯t snapshot him. Lu Wanwan¡¯s emotions were complex, a feeling akin to tears of joy. Had fortune finally seen fit to compensate her, through this stifling banquet, earning double the money? ¡°You¡¯re the girl from Dijing Clubhouse last time, aren¡¯t you?¡± Bai Lingyun¡¯s refined brows slightly raised as he looked down, scrutinizing her. Her expression was caught between laughter and tears, neither appearing surprised nor excited. ¡°I¡¯m not!¡± Lu Wanwan immediately denied. Last time was too embarrassing; she barely even saw Bai Lingyun¡¯s face before Gu Annan dragged her away¡ªstraight into the men¡¯s restroom, no less. Bai Lingyun remained silent, his beautiful phoenix eyes watching her, pondering. Lu Wanwan looked at him as if she had just glimpsed a mountain of gold, ¡°Film Emperor, actually, I¡¯m your loyal fan. I grew up watching your movies. I would like¡­¡± Before she could finish asking her questions, ¡°I¡¯ve only been in the industry for three years,¡± Bai Lingyun interrupted calmly, ¡°Are you sure?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Bai Lingyun, watching her speechless reaction, slipped his hands leisurely into his pockets, his tone seasoned, ¡°Go ahead, ask me whatever you want.¡± ¡°She has nothing to ask,¡± declared a glamorous voice that appeared out of nowhere, the warning carried a chilling intent. Almost simultaneously, Lu Wanwan felt her arm seized by a forceful grasp, and she was led away with an overwhelmingly assertive dominance. Chapter 92 03-25 - Chapter 92: Chapter 92: Do You Expect Me to Let You Go Out Like This? Chapter 92: Chapter 92: Do You Expect Me to Let You Go Out Like This? ¡°Let go of me, let go first¡ª¡± ¡°Bang!¡± In the break room, Gu Annan slammed the door without hesitation. ¡°Gu Annan, what are you trying to do?¡± Lu Wanwan, with her back against the door, unable to advance or retreat, simply lifted her chin defiantly and looked at him. ¡°What are you scheming again!¡± He pinched the woman¡¯s chin, his cold brows deeply furrowed. Last time, he had seen her shamelessly plotting against Bai Lingyun, not knowing what else she was capable of doing. If he hadn¡¯t shown up just in time, was she planning to repeat the same trick? The fervent look she gave Bai Lingyun kindled a surge of anger in Gu Annan, who had just calmed down. ¡°I didn¡¯t¡­¡± Lu Wanwan, seen by that piercing gaze, felt insecure, ¡°You could see through that?¡± She took it as Gu Annan guessing how she planned to muddy the waters at the engagement party. ¡°You really dare!¡± ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t I dare, we have no agreement anymore!¡± Lu Wanwan, pinched painfully, struggled a few times without breaking free, ¡°Who said you stubbornly refused to call off the engagement, should I just watch?¡± With the money paid and the agreement ended, she no longer had to demean herself before him. Being figured out, she outright became furiously embarrassed. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?0¦Í??.§ã¦Ï ¡°Is it because of this?¡± He was slightly surprised. Because he had refused her, she deliberately intended to use other men to provoke him? Lu Wanwan felt the pressure on her chin relax and quickly moved, easily freeing her chin. ¡°Make way, please.¡± She still wanted to leave, but his strong body blocked her way, still making it impossible for her to move. What to do, just a little forward and she would touch him. While she contemplated in her heart, her steps also cautiously moved forward. ¡°Move out of the way? Do you expect me to just let you go out like this?¡± He looked down at the woman underneath, his gaze landing precisely on her pale neck. The reddish-purple marks on her fair skin clearly caught his eye. ¡°So, what do you want?¡± Lu Wanwan spoke fearlessly, ¡°Just now, more than one person saw you drag me in here, and even if we do nothing, standing here for long, people will inevitably speculate. This is your engagement party, are you trying to¡­ play with fire!¡± His voice was husky as he closed in, ¡°Right. Since suspicions had already been aroused, wouldn¡¯t it be a loss not to do something about it?¡± Gu Annan looked at her slightly agape mouth, under her confused gaze, he kissed her directly. His kiss was sudden, but not as intense as a forceful kiss, rather it slowly savored her sweetness without a trace of recklessness. Lu Wanwan was probably stunned, momentarily forgetting to resist. When she finally came to her senses, the first thing she did was not push him away but rather to reach out, wrapping her arms around his neck to continue. However, as her wrist rested on his shoulder, she squinted her eyes, looking at her cellphone in her hand, searching for a suitable angle on the screen. ¡°Gu Annan and Lu Wanwan in the break room? Let¡¯s hurry in and see.¡± Lu Wanwan, hearing the voices outside, had no time to think and quickly pressed the shutter button. ¡°Click!¡± The clear sound of the camera shutter resounded. Oh no, she panicked, having completely forgotten to turn off the sound! Gu Annan abruptly released her lips, looking at her with a piercing gaze. She was taking pictures? Was that intimate moment just now only for taking pictures? ¡°Mr. Gu, are you in there?¡± Chapter 93 03-25 - Chapter 93: Chapter 93 Lu Wanwan, You Have No Shame Chapter 93: Chapter 93 Lu Wanwan, You Have No Shame ¡°` ¡°Cousin, she¡¯s probably not there.¡± ¡°But just now¡­ Could that person have been mistaken?¡± Outside, the voices of Lin Xin and Lu Kexin were clearly audible, but Lu Wanwan didn¡¯t pay much attention. She stared at Gu Annan¡¯s anger-filled eyes, realizing that regret was now useless. In truth, she had never expected him to kiss her a moment ago. After being momentarily stunned, all she could think about was seizing this opportunity to keep Gu Annan from realizing she had taken his phone, forgetting that taking a picture would make a sound. ¡°Kexin, what¡¯s going on, have you found Mr. Gu?¡± Holding the phone in her hand, Lu Wanwan suddenly heard her father¡¯s voice from outside while Gu Annan¡¯s grip enclosed her hand. ¡°Dad, Mom, I heard¡­ I heard he took sister into the resting room, but no one responds when I knock,¡± Lu Kexin said grievously. ¡°Wanwan?¡± ¡°Yes, I don¡¯t know what happened either.¡± ¡°Crack!¡± Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í??.§ã? Lu Wanwan¡¯s face turned pale. Her wrist was gripped firmly by him, and after resisting for a long time, she finally couldn¡¯t hold onto the phone any longer and could only watch helplessly as it fell from her grasp. The screen, facing downwards, hit the floor, and it was likely shattered. ¡°Is there a sound inside?¡± The door to the resting room was pushed. It wasn¡¯t locked; Lu Wanwan had just been pushed against it, preventing it from opening. But that slight gap was enough for people outside to get a glimpse of Gu Annan by the door. Lu Wanwan lowered her eyes, seeing that Gu Annan made no attempt to hide; after all, it was the Lu Family that wanted to establish ties with him through marriage, so he was without fear. The door was pushed again, and Gu Annan stepped back, simultaneously pulling her aside to make way for the opening door. Then, the next second, as her hand was released, a jacket was quickly draped over her. ¡°Ah!¡± ¡°This, this¡­¡± ¡°Lu Wanwan, you have no shame!¡± Lu Kexin¡¯s face turned ashen; not only was Gu Annan half-embracing Lu Wanwan, but he also had covered her with his jacket the moment they entered. If they hadn¡¯t been doing anything inside, then why the rush to cover up? ¡°Is there a problem?¡± Facing the shocked onlookers at the door, Gu Annan displayed no signs of panic. The back of her dress was sheer single-layered, and a glimpse had revealed the white of her skin through a likely tear. Already deeply unsatisfied with the dress she had worn, he decisively covered her up thoroughly before anyone else saw. ¡°Put it on properly.¡± His thin lips moved again, noting that under the suit jacket, she appeared even more slender, though her arms weren¡¯t yet through the sleeves, leaving the front wide open. Lu Wanwan turned her face aside and obediently slipped her arms into the sleeves. Thinking Gu Annan would explain the situation, especially since there were several people eagerly awaiting an explanation in anger and shock. Instead, he pulled the lapel firmly around her, enveloping her completely within the coat. ¡°What happened¡­¡± A moment ago, someone¡¯s sharp scream had attracted several guests. This was a scandal! Lu Jingtian was now too preoccupied to seek justice for his second daughter and only wished to keep this matter quiet for the time being. His first reaction was to close the door, deal with the situation, then go back out. ¡°Father.¡± Just before Lu Jingtian closed the door, he heard Gu Annan¡¯s clear voice. Mr. Gu, the elder? Now he dared not close the door; how could he give Mr. Gu, the elder, such a cold reception upon his arrival? But this situation¡­ Lu Jingtian glared fiercely at Lu Wanwan, never having imagined she would do something like this to spoil her sister¡¯s engagement. However, after Lu Wanwan was properly dressed, she remained in the embrace of Gu Annan, her expression completely hidden from view. ¡°`