Chapter 58: Playing Around Again
Hearing an unfamiliar male voice behind her, Shen Xi frowned slightly, feeling a bit annoyed.
She turned around and saw a short, chubby old man in a suit. He was about the same height as her, with a receding hairline reminiscent of the villain from Kung Fu Hustle. Though he tried to act gentlemanly, his eyes roamed over her unscrupulously.
"Uncle, what do you want?"
She responded casually, her tone distant.
The man’s expression stiffened, but he forced a smile.
"Uh... I'm only 27! Still young!"
“Huh?”
Shen Xi’s eyes widened slightly, her lips twitching as she gave him a once-over. This guy is supposed to be the same age as Gu Hanling? He could pass as the man's father!
"You sure you don’t mean 47?"
The man’s face turned a little awkward, but he kept his forced smile.
"Haha, beautiful ladies sure have a sense of humor. Let me introduce myself, I’m Qin Shou from the Qin family, a real estate group in Su City."
Now Shen Xi knew who he was. In the original story, the Qin family managed to secure 20% of Su City's real estate market despite the Gu family's overwhelming dominance. That alone proved they had some capability.
But if this Qin Shou really was only 27, then he was nothing more than a rich second-generation heir.
"Miss, did you come to the banquet alone?"
Shen Xi casually forked a piece of gold-leaf chocolate, slowly putting it in her mouth. She glanced at him and replied flatly.
"I came with my big brother. What exactly do you want?"
The short, chubby man hesitated when she mentioned "big brother." There was something about the way she said it that gave off a streetwise, gangster-like vibe...
He let out an awkward laugh.
"Ah…haha..ahem… I was just asking. By the way, would you like to meet Gu Hanling from the Gu family in Su City?"
Qin Shou lowered his voice mysteriously, looking smug, as if he had some exclusive insider information.
The moment Shen Xi heard the name Gu Hanling, her hand holding the fork paused slightly. She glanced at Qin Shou, a sly smile playing at the corner of her lips.
"Oh? A big shot like him… you actually know him?"
Seeing her obvious interest, Qin Shou got excited. He leaned in a little closer and lowered his voice further, acting as though they were close confidants.
"The Gu family isn’t just any wealthy family. They're old money, true aristocrats. And President Gu? He’s young, capable, and incredibly powerful. Look, he’s right over there."
As he spoke, he gestured toward the other side of the banquet hall.
"The one surrounded by all those people, that's him. If you want, I can introduce you."
Following Qin Shou’s finger, Shen Xi looked over.
Gu Hanling stood among a group of elite businessmen, his expression calm and refined, exuding confidence and elegance in every movement.
On the outskirts of the group, many beautiful young socialites held their wine glasses, waiting for a chance to strike up a conversation and make connections.
Shen Xi’s gaze lingered on Gu Hanling for barely a second before the man suddenly looked up. His sharp eyes cutting through the crowd, locking onto hers.
The smile on his lips instantly disappeared.
The coldness in his gaze sent a chill down her spine. Shen Xi quickly averted her eyes, her thoughts racing.
Great. I was supposed to be playing the role of Mrs. Gu, but now he’s caught me slacking off, sneaking around just to eat and drink for free…
She lowered her head, pretending to focus on her fork, while her mind worked overtime, trying to come up with an excuse.
Qin Shou, seeing her lower her head, thought she was just shy. His confidence grew.
"President Gu is even more charming than the rumors say, isn’t he?"
"If you want to meet him, it’s easy, just follow me. I’ll bring him over to you in a bit."
As he spoke, he took a step closer, getting near enough to catch the delicate floral scent on her. The light fragrance of gardenia mixed with her natural scent made his heart race.
His hand, full of bad intentions, slowly lifted.
Well, as high as he could considering his height, reaching out toward Shen Xi’s bare shoulder.
Just then, Shen Xi was hit by a strong wave of cologne mixed with sweat, snapping her out of her thoughts. She wrinkled her nose in disgust and instinctively took a step back.
However, Shen Xi accidentally stepped on the hem of her dress, lost her balance, and fell backward.
Even as she was falling, one thought popped into her mind.
Wait… is this that classic "female lead slips and falls" moment?!
Just as Shen Xi was about to fall embarrassingly, her back landed against a warm, solid chest. A strong, slender arm wrapped securely around her waist, holding her firmly in place.
Shen Xi looked up and locked eyes with Gu Hanling’s deep, piercing gaze. His expression was cold, with a hint of displeasure.
Her mind raced. ‘Oh no, oh no… Is he actually mad that I was slacking off?’
"Hehe… Hey there, big brother…"
Shen Xi blinked and forced an awkward, guilty smile.
"You’re playing around again."
Gu Hanling’s tone was calm but carried a trace of reproach. His gaze then shifted to Qin Shou, who was standing across from them, his expression completely indifferent.
Qin Shou shuddered under that icy stare, his smile stiffening as shock filled his heart.
What the hell?! This girl’s 'big brother' is actually President Gu?!
Cold sweat broke out on his forehead.
"G-Gu… President Gu…"
Qin Shou stammered, scrambling to explain.
"I was just… just trying to help this lady meet you… I didn’t realize you already knew each other…"
Gu Hanling let out a cold chuckle, his voice chilling.
"Help my wife meet me?"
"W-wife?"
Qin Shou’s face instantly turned deathly pale. He turned to Shen Xi in disbelief.
"She’s… your wife?"
His vision darkened for a moment, and the next thing he knew, the proud heir of the Qin family's real estate empire had collapsed onto the floor.
Regret hit him like a tidal wave. He had just been running his mouth in front of this woman, even daring to make a move on her.
I’m done for. Completely done for.
I probably just dragged my entire family down with me. Could the Qin family end up like the Jiang family…?
"Qin family, very impressive."
Gu Hanling’s voice was cold as ice, leaving only that one chilling remark before he turned away without another glance.
He released his grip around Shen Xi’s slender waist and walked off, guiding her with him.
Lowering his head slightly, he leaned in close to her ear and murmured in a soft voice,
"This is your idea of a perfect performance as Mrs. Gu?"
"Two mil…"
Before he could finish his sentence, Shen Xi quickly clung to his arm, playing the good girl. Her voice carried a hint of guilt.
"Come on, big brother, I was just hungry! You gotta eat well to work well, right?"
All she could think about was how to talk her way out of trouble, completely unaware of how intimate her actions seemed.
Clinging to him like this, she looked just like a little wife relying on her man.
Maybe it was because he was Gu Hanling, but she didn’t feel the usual disgust she had when other men got too close.
Maybe it was because they had already "slept together" that she had gotten used to this level of closeness.
What she completely failed to notice, however, was the way her soft, full curves were pressed tightly against his arm, their shape slightly altered from the pressure.
Gu Hanling felt the warmth and softness against his arm. He glanced down at her, his gaze narrowing slightly.
Yet, he made no effort to remind her.
"Who is that woman? She’s holding onto President Gu so intimately!"
"I saw her at the auction earlier. I was surprised that President Gu even brought a female companion… but I didn’t expect their relationship to be this close!"
Throughout the banquet hall, whispers spread among the elite young women. Their gazes kept drifting toward Shen Xi and Gu Hanling, filled with jealousy and shock.
None of them had ever seen Gu Hanling be so close to a woman before, let alone allow someone to cling to him so intimately.
"Could she be… Mrs. Gu?"