Chapter 15: Big Bro, You Wanna Try?
Shen Xi sat up angrily, fixing her messy clothes. Her fair cheeks still had a faint blush, and her hair was a complete mess. She looked like a little kitten that had just gotten flustered.
Just now, she reflexively used her hand to push against the man, unintentionally touching his firm chest muscles. She had to admit, the man had an amazing physique. But she had never once seen him working out.
A big-shot CEO like him spends all day in an office, attending meetings, making billion-dollar deals… so where did he get that body from?!
Shen Xi glanced at the two useless lumps of fat on her chest and felt a wave of jealousy wash over her. Then, she spoke in a challenging tone.
"What’s wrong, big brother? You wanna try?"
If it were the old Shen Xi, Gu Hanling wouldn’t have even considered any physical contact with her. But this playful, unpredictable little troublemaker piqued his curiosity. Watching her get all worked up yet unable to do anything about it was oddly entertaining.
"Sure."
He leaned in slightly, his cool lips moving closer to her face.
Shen Xi’s heart skipped a beat.
Oh crap, was this guy serious?!
Panicked, she quickly turned her head away and raised her hands to block him.
"I was just joking, big brother! My heart already belongs to Jingyan! Forcing things never ends well, you know!"
A few seconds passed, but the touch she had been bracing for never came.
Instead…
Splash.
The sound of running water came from the sink.
Gu Hanling was washing his hands, rinsing off any trace of contact with her skin.
Shen Xi slowly lowered her hands, frowning slightly.
This was obviously payback for when she had washed her hands earlier after he touched her.
Tch, who knew this guy could hold a grudge?
When Gu Hanling finished washing up and stepped out, Shen Xi immediately switched to a bright smile.
"Hehe, big brother, just to be clear. I have absolutely no improper thoughts about you! That was all just an act, my way of making it up to you!"
"But… I think little beauty Feng Weiwei must be heartbroken right now. You’re not gonna blame me for breaking her heart, are you?"
Gu Hanling’s tone remained as cold as ever.
"You did well."
Then, his gaze darkened slightly.
"Did you use the same tricks on that Shi guy?"
Shen Xi blinked, completely caught off guard.
Wait, what? Why is he suddenly bringing up Shi Jingyan?
Did She overdo it? Did her whole ‘character’ just collapse?!
Meanwhile…
Feng Weiwei had rushed back to Gu Hanling’s stepmother, Wu Xiaoman. The tears that had been welling up in her eyes finally spilled over as she choked out,
"Cousin, that shameless woman… she was… she and Xiao Han were…"
Wu Xiaoman clicked her tongue in annoyance.
"They’re legally married. What difference does it make whether it’s day or night? Whatever they do is their business. Your crying isn’t gonna change that."
"But the Shen family is nothing! That low-class vixen has no right to even touch my Xiao Han!"
Feng Weiwei wiped her tears with a tissue, her swollen eyes filled with resentment.
Wu Xiaoman gave her a glance, took a sip of tea, and sighed. She had thought she understood Gu Hanling. After what happened years ago, he should have had no interest in women. If anything, he should have despised them. But now…
She had already investigated the Shen family’s financial situation. Plus, there were rumors in high society that the two weren’t on good terms.
It wasn’t hard to figure out. Gu Hanling had probably used his wealth to strike some kind of deal with the Shen family. He must have rushed into this marriage just to get ahead of her, preventing her from forcing Feng Weiwei into becoming his fiancée. This was clearly him going against her on purpose.
But now that she had seen Shen Xi in person, she started to feel uncertain.
A woman like her… her soft and gentle ways… it might just be enough to melt Gu Hanling’s frozen heart.
"Weiwei, stop crying. Give it two years at most. Those two are definitely getting divorced."
Feng Weiwei clung to Wu Xiaoman’s hand like a drowning person grabbing onto a lifeline. Her voice was urgent as she asked,
“Really? How do you know, cousin?”
Wu Xiaoman set down her teacup, leaned back slightly in her chair, and let out a soft hmm without answering. Her expression was unreadable, making it clear she wasn’t going to explain.
……………………………………
Lunch Time.
Shen Xi had mentally prepared herself for dining with the entire Gu family, rehearsing how she should act at the table. But to her surprise, Gu Hanling instructed the servants to bring lunch for just the two of them in their room.
The official family banquet would be in the evening, and everyone was already familiar with Gu Hanling’s personality, so they weren’t the least bit surprised.
And so, the two “introverts” sat across from each other in the room.
Shen Xi felt a little relieved. Compared to facing a whole room full of unfamiliar Gu family members, being alone with Gu Hanling somehow gave her a strange sense of security.
Although he always had a cold expression, the more she interacted with him, the more she got used to it.
When the dishes were served and the attendants left, Shen Xi looked at the beautifully arranged Chinese dishes on the table. Each one vibrant, aromatic, and mouthwatering. Her stomach growled, and she couldn’t wait to dig in. She picked up her chopsticks but then hesitated, sneaking a glance at the man across from her.
Seeing that Gu Hanling still looked as indifferent as ever, she quietly let out a breath of relief. She slowed down her movements, pretending to be ladylike, carefully picking up only small portions and placing them into her bowl.
“If you’re bad at pretending, just don’t bother.”
Shen Xi looked up at him and saw the faintest trace of amusement hidden in his otherwise cold gaze.
She pouted, then decided to drop the act altogether.
Boldly, she grabbed a glistening piece of braised pork and stuffed it into her mouth. Her cheeks puffed out like a little hamster, pure satisfaction written all over her face.
Gu Hanling looked at her like this, raising an eyebrow involuntarily, finding this woman becoming increasingly unrestrained lately.
"Can't get your dream guy and decide to let yourself go?"
The old Shen Xi had been strict about maintaining her figure and would never have touched such greasy food.
“Who said that… Jingyan… actually likes… girls with a bit more meat on them now… so I’m working on it.”
She mumbled through mouthfuls of food, too focused on the feast to notice the flicker of darkness in Gu Hanling’s eyes.
……………………………………
In the afternoon, after Gu Hanling’s grandmother returned from the ancestral hall. Gu Hanling led Shen Xi to the front of the elderly woman's resting room. As usual, he held her small hand.
This time, Shen Xi was prepared and didn’t react too strongly. She bit her lip and forced herself to endure the discomfort, mentally comforting herself.
Holding hands is worth a fortune. It’s not like she’s selling herself… right?
Inside the room, an elderly woman with a gentle aura sat on an ornately carved wooden chair. She wore a simple cheongsam and held prayer beads, her eyes closed as she softly murmured prayers.
Hearing the sound of footsteps, she slowly opened her deep, kind eyes and smiled warmly.
“My little crybaby has finally come to visit Grandma.”
Her voice was slightly hoarse, but there was no trace of the arrogance typical of high-society elders. Just the warmth of an old woman longing for her grandchild’s return.
Pfft~ Little Crybaby? Is that his childhood nickname?!
Shen Xi stole a glance at the emotionless iceberg beside her.
This guy… his nickname is “Little Crybaby”?!
She pressed her lips together to hold back her laughter.
“Grandma.”
Gu Hanling gave a slight bow, and, surprisingly, a rare gentle smile appeared on his face. He glanced at Shen Xi, giving her a subtle warning look.
Shen Xi instantly straightened up, shivering slightly, and quickly followed his lead.
“Grandma,” she called out sweetly.
The elderly woman turned to look at Shen Xi, her gaze scanning her up and down with satisfaction.
“Come here, child. Let Grandma take a good look at you.”
Shen Xi immediately let go of Gu Hanling’s hand and obediently trotted over, taking the old woman’s hands in her own.
“These eyes… so pretty, like a little porcelain doll. And they’re blue, too. Such a good girl.”
She chuckled softly before sighing.
“I thought Xiao Han would end up becoming a monk.”
She patted Shen Xi’s hand affectionately and added with a smile,
“Turns out, he was just waiting for you.”