Chapter 12: When Two Rivals Meet!
As Shen Xi watched Gu Hanling walk away, she let out a small breath of relief. But at the same time, she felt an odd emptiness inside. Her gaze swept over the grand yet empty dining hall, where only soft background music accompanied her.
She didn’t like being watched while eating, sure, but that didn’t mean she enjoyed eating alone like Gu Hanling did. The lonely childhood she spent in the mountains as a left-behind child had made her hate this kind of solitude.
"Seriously, he just left right after talking. What, does he expect a ghost to keep me company while I eat?"
She muttered to herself, but despite the complaints, her hands didn’t stop moving. She picked up a piece of French foie gras with her fork and took a bite. The rich, silky texture melted in her mouth.
Her eyes lit up.
"Alright, fine. Since the food is this good, I’ll temporarily forgive you, you brat."
She glanced around the restaurant, searching for cameras. That man probably wouldn’t bother tricking someone as insignificant as her. With that thought, she stopped pretending to be reserved and started eating to her heart’s content.
After finishing her meal, Shen Xi stepped out of the dining room, only to be greeted by a stunning woman in a tight-fitting black skirt and stockings, the hotel’s manager. With a respectful posture, she handed Shen Xi a card with both hands.
"Madam, this is the exclusive Black Gold Card Mr. Gu instructed me to give you. It allows you to use all the hotel's services free of charge."
Shen Xi blinked in surprise before taking the card.
"Uh… thanks."
The manager gave a slight nod, her professional smile unwavering, then quietly stepped back and left.
Shen Xi curiously examined the sleek, elegant card in her hands.
Wait… is this the legendary Black Gold Card from the novel? The one with only six in existence?!
It could only be used by the cardholder, but with this, she wouldn’t even need to make reservations for the famous "Starry Sky" restaurant anymore.
This card was priceless. Just owning one was enough to boost her status.
Just as she was about to test it by opening her room door, she suddenly hesitated. Her hand froze midair.
Wait a minute… people don’t just give out expensive gifts for no reason. There's no such thing as a free lunch.
Could it be… Gu Hanling is inside, waiting for her? What if he tries to force her to… play water shooter or something?!
A chill ran down her spine, and she shuddered at the thought. Maybe she should just run now while she still can…
She took a cautious step back, ready to escape. But before she could move any further, the door of the room behind her suddenly swung open.
"If you're not going inside to try on the clothes, why are you just standing at the door?"
A cold, deep voice sounded from behind her.
Shen Xi’s body stiffened instantly. Forcing a stiff smile, she turned around slowly.
"Uh… Big Brother, so you were here all along."
Gu Hanling stood there with his arms crossed, looking at her with a hint of suspicion in his eyes.
"Where else would I be? You’re not… having any dangerous thoughts, are you?"
"Absolutely not! You know Jingyan is here too. I was just worried that if he saw me, he’d misunderstand."
Gu Hanling shook his head slightly, as if she was beyond saving. Without another word, he closed the door.
Shen Xi, having barely bluffed her way through again, quickly turned and unlocked her own room.
Once inside, she shut the door and leaned against it, letting out a deep sigh of relief.
At this rate, I’m going to die from heart failure because of this man.
The suite was spacious, with elegant yet understated decor. Her eyes were soon drawn to the walk-in closet, where several trays were neatly arranged on a table.
She reached out to touch the fabric of a cheongsam. It was exquisitely hand-embroidered, perfectly tailored, and of impeccable craftsmanship. Just by looking at it, she could tell it was worth a fortune.
She wouldn't have minded admiring such a beautiful dress on someone else. But now, she was the one who had to wear it.
"Ugh, whatever. I’ll just treat it like a work uniform…"
Meanwhile, in the room across from hers, Gu Hanling noticed she had been quiet for a while. He sent her a text with a single question mark.
[ ? ]
After a brief pause, she replied:
[The clothes… fit.]
Shen Xi put down her phone and looked at herself in the mirror, her face full of complicated emotions.
The dress did fit.
A little too well, actually…
………………………….
The Next Day.
Shen Xi carefully put on the complete set of jade jewelry. The jade was of exceptional quality. Smooth, delicate, and warm to the touch, as if it had life.
This was her first time wearing so much jade. It was too valuable, and she hadn't dared to wear it last night.
As she stepped out of her room, the man was already waiting outside. The moment Gu Hanling saw her, his usually cold, expressionless gaze froze for a second, momentarily dazed.
The cheongsam was custom-made just for her. Every cut and seam was tailored to perfection, sculpting her breathtaking curves perfectly and highlighting her enviable figure.
Especially the slits at the hem. Every step she took revealed glimpses of her fair, slender legs, teasing yet elegant.
She hadn’t put on any makeup, only applied some lipstick to cover the paleness of her lips, which surprisingly enhanced her natural beauty. The simplicity of her look complemented the elegance of the cheongsam perfectly.
Seeing no reaction from him, Shen Xi felt a bit uneasy and softly asked,
"Is it… not good because I didn’t put on makeup?"
After all, this was her first time wearing such a distinctly feminine outfit. She wasn’t confident and had only forced herself to wear it for the sake of ‘work.’
"No, it suits you."
If it were the old Shen Xi, maybe she wouldn’t have pulled it off. But now, something about her seemed… different. Unknowingly, she made him lower his usual guard toward women, even just a little.
The two of them took the private elevator down to the hotel lobby. The moment they stepped out, every passerby turned their heads.
Shen Xi was simply too dazzling.
For a moment, people stood frozen in admiration.
Among the onlookers were a man and a woman stepping out from another elevator, Shi Jingyan and Lin Yueyue.
Last night, Shi Jingyan had been inexplicably restless and ended up drinking too much. Lin Yueyue had sent their other three roommates home first and stayed at the hotel with him.
Shi Jingyan's eyes were completely locked on Shen Xi. He didn’t even notice the man beside her. Taking a step forward, his voice held a trace of anticipation.
"Did you dress up just for me?"
Shen Xi’s heart skipped a beat.
Crap. The one thing I was afraid of happened. These two just had to run into each other! How am I supposed to act now?!
Although Gu Hanling had never met Shi Jingyan, he knew of his existence. After all, he was Shen Xi's childhood sweetheart and first love, and the one she was currently pursuing. That's why he chose her as his contractual marriage partner.
Shen Xi definitely couldn’t let it slip that she actually had no feelings for Shi Jingyan. If Gu Hanling even suspected she had other motives, her nearly 200 million payout would go down the drain.
Meanwhile, Lin Yueyue’s attention wasn’t on Shen Xi at all.
As a woman, she was more focused on the man standing beside Shen Xi.
She had always thought Shi Jingyan was already one of the most outstanding young elites, handsome, successful, and exceptional.
But the moment she saw Gu Hanling, she realized something.
There was always someone better.
Compared to this man with his otherworldly looks and commanding presence, Shi Jingyan didn’t even come close.
"Xixi, who are they?"
Gu Hanling’s voice was as cold and indifferent as always.
Only then did Shi Jingyan finally notice the man standing next to Shen Xi.
In that instant, an invisible pressure seemed to descend upon him.
"Shi Jingyan, Shen Xi's childhood sweetheart. This person beside me is my girlfriend, Lin Yueyue."
"Oh."
Gu Hanling’s eyes flickered slightly.
"Gu Hanling, Shen Xi’s husband."
Shi Jingyan was completely stunned.
He had already suspected something, but he still held onto a sliver of hope.
Now, that hope was completely crushed.
He never imagined that the Gu Hanling, the powerful and enigmatic figure from the Gu family, would be so young and ridiculously good-looking.
And he was Shen Xi’s husband?!