Chapter 94: I’m Not a Child
The tense atmosphere between the two men left Shen Xi speechless.
One was the original owner's biological father, the other was her contract husband, both "fake relationships."
Yet somehow, the two of them were competing over her?
For the first time, Shen Xi realized she was actually quite in demand.
She slowly raised her hand and placed it over Gu Hanling’s, which was still resting on her shoulder. Then, she looked up at him with deep ‘affection’ and flashed a sweet smile.
The warmth and softness of her touch made Gu Hanling’s expression shift slightly. Her sudden gesture caught him off guard.
Especially the way she looked at him, with those ‘tender’ eyes and that beautiful smile, it almost made him dazed for a moment.
This was the first time she had ever been this gentle and proactive.
But it only lasted a second. His gaze darkened as he thought she was acting again.
Maybe she was even imagining him as someone else, which was why she could put on this expression.
Sure enough, Shen Xi turned to Edward and said,
"I really appreciate you coming all this way to find me, but… Hanling is right. I am his legal wife. I can’t leave him, and I’m not used to living abroad."
If there was one thing Shen Xi was good at, it was knowing her own limits. She was barely managing to live as a regular woman, let alone some European princess.
She’d probably be even more awkward than Mia from the Princess Diaries. She’d rather embarrass herself in front of just one man than humiliate herself on an international scale.
Besides, she was still under contract. She didn’t want her so-called biological father to pay her breach-of-contract fee.
Next to her, Gu Hanling’s lips curled into a faint smile as he glanced down at her delicate profile.
He knew she was acting, but even so…
Some words, once spoken, sink deep into the heart, like falling fireflies lighting up the darkness.
Edward’s expression darkened slightly. He didn’t argue right away. After taking a slow breath, he chuckled softly and said,
"There’s an old Chinese saying…"
Shen Xi instinctively answered in her head, ‘A wise man adapts to the circumstances.’
"A married daughter is like spilled water, she can never return home."
Wait…was that the right phrase?
Edward paused for a moment before sighing.
"Fine. Happiness is your own choice. I’ll respect my daughter’s decision."
Hearing those words, Shen Xi felt a wave of relief but also a hint of guilt. She lowered her head slightly, her emotions in turmoil.
Even though Edward wasn’t truly her biological father, she could still feel the belated fatherly love he was trying to give.
Edward stood up with a polite smile, his gaze shifting to Gu Hanling, now carrying a scrutinizing look.
"Mr. Gu, I hope you will truly take good care of her. Otherwise, I will take her back by force."
There was a clear sense of threat in his tone.
Hearing this, Gu Hanling smile slightly, raising an eyebrow. Then he spoke with a serious tone.
"No need for you to worry. She is my wife, and of course, I will take good care of her."
Shen Xi stood beside him, a little amazed. She thought her big brother act was very good. It seemed like genuine emotion, not just a show.
Even so, Shen Xi rolled her eyes internally and muttered in her heart,
"Heh, big brother, you’re really good at delivering these lines. But who’s the one always keeping a straight face and deducting my pay for every little thing?"
Still, she kept up a ‘sweet’ smile on the surface. This was not the time to ruin her financial backer’s reputation.
Seeing his daughter’s seemingly ‘happy’ expression, Edward’s tone softened a little.
"I hope so. Oh, and Xi... Xi, please save my phone number so we can stay in touch."
"Uh…"
Shen Xi felt a bit awkward. She turned to Gu Hanling and explained that her phone had fallen at the entrance downstairs. Then, she quickly wrote Edward’s number down on a piece of paper from the conference room.
Since he had accomplished his goal, Edward was ready to leave. But just as he turned, Shen Xi quickly called out, for the first time,
"Dad!"
Edward froze for a moment. His eyes reddened slightly as he slowly turned back, his voice soft and warm.
"What is it, Xixi?"
Shen Xi hesitated for a moment but finally spoke up.
"Can your jewelry collaboration with Hanling… still continue?"
Hearing this, Gu Hanling frowned slightly in confusion, his gaze landing on Shen Xi.
He had already given up on this overseas luxury market project. After all, the current Shen Xi was no longer the ‘Susie’ from the past.
How could she still design jewelry?
Even though the board of directors would surely make things difficult because of this, he didn’t care.
Edward glanced at Shen Xi, then at Gu Hanling, and couldn’t help but sigh.
His daughter was finally willing to call him "Dad", but only for the sake of another man. Amused by the thought, he let out a small chuckle.
"Alright."
After Edward left, the conference room was left with just the two of them, Shen Xi and Gu Hanling, who hadn’t seen each other in days. Shen Xi suddenly felt the atmosphere become a bit… strange.
Gu Hanling stepped closer to her, his usual cold and indifferent voice breaking the silence.
"Madam, do you really know jewelry design?"
Shen Xi lifted her chin slightly, a playful yet proud smirk appearing on her face.
"Of course! And not just any designer, I’m world-class."
As soon as she finished speaking, she saw the man suddenly reach toward her. Shen Xi instinctively leaned back, her heart tightening.
‘He's not going to kiss me again, is he?!’
Gu Hanling’s eyes darkened slightly when he noticed her reaction. But instead of stopping, he continued moving his hand, only to gently ruffle her hair.
"Madam, what other surprises are you hiding from me?"
His deep voice carried a hint of amusement as it reached her ears.
Shen Xi was momentarily stunned by the unexpected and somewhat intimate gesture. She blinked, dumbfounded.
The warmth of his hand on her head sent a strange, tingling sensation through her, making her feel a bit numb.
Just then, Assistant Liu suddenly pushed the door open, only to find his boss… busy. He froze for a moment but quickly gathered himself and shut the door just as fast.
The sound of the door closing brought Shen Xi back to reality. She immediately pushed Gu Hanling’s "naughty" hand away, feeling utterly exasperated.
Damn it! Her hair is all messed up now!
If it weren’t for the fact that long hair looked good on her, she would’ve shaved it all off already, taking care of it was such a hassle.
Gu Hanling smiled and withdrew his hand.
"Come in."
Hearing the command, Assistant Liu cautiously re-entered.
"President Gu, the board members are all here and waiting for you."
After a brief pause, he handed over a phone with a cracked and leaking screen.
"Uh… Madam, we found your phone… but, well… it’s broken."
Gu Hanling glanced at the phone briefly, his brows slightly furrowing.
"Got it."
After Assistant Liu left, Shen Xi turned to Gu Hanling.
"Big brother, go handle your work. I’ll head back first. I’ll send you the jewelry design drafts in a few days."
Before the film crew started shooting, she still had to finalize her styling and go through a month of dance and martial arts training. She was planning to leave today.
Gu Hanling’s eyes flickered slightly when he heard her words. He knew that when she said going back, she didn’t mean returning to the villa.
"Auntie has been experimenting with a few new dishes lately. She wants you to come back and try them."
Shen Xi’s eyes lit up at his words. She instinctively swallowed. It had been a while since she last tasted the villa’s chef’s cooking. Clearing her throat, she tried to act nonchalant.
"New dishes, huh… Well, I guess I could go and have a taste? Wouldn’t want to let Auntie’s effort go to waste, right…?"
Gu Hanling watched her attempt to stay calm, the corners of his lips curling slightly. Yet, his voice remained as cool as ever.
"Mm, after my meeting, we’ll go back together."
As he finished speaking, he naturally reached out and took Shen Xi’s hand.
Shen Xi froze for a second, instinctively lowering her gaze to their interlocked fingers.
A strange feeling rose in her chest, and her heartbeat inexplicably quickened.
There’s no one from the Gu family here… So why was he holding her hand all of a sudden?
She looked up at him with a hint of confusion in her eyes.
"Big brother, what are you…?"
"I didn't want you to get lost."
Gu Hanling’s tone was calm, his expression unchanged. Shen Xi twitched at the corners of her mouth and muttered under her breath,
"I’m not a kid. How could I possibly get lost?"
Seriously? A grown adult like her getting lost? Well… okay, she was barely 170 cm tall now.
Gu Hanling didn’t respond. He simply held her hand firmly and led her straight out of the conference room.