Lin Xiaojiao deliberately chose a knitted maxi dress, giving off a forest-girl intellectual vibe.
She wore a hairband and styled her hair into a single braid.
It matched the autumn season perfectly.
She kept glancing at the expensive wristwatch—it was almost ten o’clock.
He still hadn’t arrived.
Finally, at five minutes to ten-thirty, she spotted the familiar Jeep on the second-floor corridor.
She practically ran downstairs.
The dormitory auntie had just begun to call out:
“Room 203—”
“Auntie, auntie! Please don’t shout! I’m here!”
Lin Xiaojiao, panting, stopped the robust-voiced auntie.
It was better to avoid social embarrassment whenever possible.
A few steps away, the man looked at her, his eyes smiling.
He was still wearing a white shirt.
Gu Tingzheng rarely wore anything other than military uniforms and white shirts.
Coincidentally, both styles were Lin Xiaojiao’s absolute favorites.
One was the allure of a uniform, the other the restrained dominance of a CEO.
Tsk tsk!
“What are you spacing out for? Come over here.” The man had already turned and started walking ahead.
“Coming, coming.” Lin Xiaojiao hurriedly jogged to catch up.
A lifetime altered by one glimpse of “Young Master Gu”!
Not advisable, not advisable.
“Hmph! If a boy doesn’t wait for a girl, what’s the point of dating?” The dormitory auntie’s grumbling voice was a bit too loud.
Lin Xiaojiao nearly stumbled.
But she didn’t fall; instead, she bumped into the man’s solid shoulder and back the next second.
“Ouch—” Lin Xiaojiao quickly held her forehead. “Why did you stop?”
“Afraid of being accused of not waiting for you.”
The man turned around, gently pulled the girl’s hand away, and looked at her slightly reddened forehead. He reached out and flicked it lightly.
“Such a delicate flower!”
“It hurts—” Lin Xiaojiao shot him a glare and took the lead in opening the car door to get in.
Gu Tingzheng licked his back teeth and followed her into the car.
…
After driving for a while, Lin Xiaojiao remembered to express her gratitude, speaking politely and obediently:
“Third Uncle, thank you for your arrangements that night.”
“Hmm.” The man focused on driving and didn’t say much more.
Lin Xiaojiao felt a bit deflated. Couldn’t he say a few more words?
After a moment’s thought, she raised an eyebrow and asked, “Third Uncle, what are we having for lunch today?”
Surely, this topic couldn’t just be answered with “hmm,” right?
Out of the corner of his eye, Gu Tingzheng saw the little girl’s face cycling through several expressions in less than a minute. He could hardly resist the urge to pinch her cheek.
Reason kept him focused on driving.
He only replied lightly:
“Taking you to meet a friend.”
…
The car stopped in a quaint courtyard, resembling a modern-day teahouse. A plaque above the entrance bore the characters “Cui Yuan.”
It offered excellent privacy.
Gu Tingzheng led the little girl into one of the elegant rooms.
Pushing the door open, the room was indeed filled with the fragrance of tea.
“Boss, you’re finally here. I’ve almost drunk all the tea—” I’m full.
The last two words were swallowed back by Zhu Yuehui.
A woman—
The boss brought a female creature in front of him??
Gu Tingzheng acted as if he hadn’t seen his friend and spoke directly to the little girl:
“Tea first or food first?”
“I’m not hungry yet.” Lin Xiaojiao told the truth.
“Then tea first.” Only then did Gu Tingzheng half-embrace the girl and walk to the tea table.
Zhu Yuehui jolted to his feet.
“Sister-in-law, hello!”
Who else could this be if not his sister-in-law? He had never seen the boss act so gently with anyone before.
“Stop shouting nonsense! Behave properly!” Gu Tingzheng shot a sharp glance across the table.
He pulled out a chair for the little girl.
“Zhu Yuehui, my childhood friend. Lin Xiaojiao.”
Zhu Yuehui was still waiting for him to elaborate.
But then, there was nothing more.
The perfect pair across from him had already taken their seats together.
He had no choice but to sit down as well, politely extending his hand for a handshake.
“Hello.”
Before his hand could cross the midpoint, it was slapped away. “My little girl is timid. Behave yourself. Hurry up and make the tea.”
Lin Xiaojiao felt her face was probably redder than the persimmons on the table.
She could only nod in greeting and say sweetly, “Hello.”
Afterward, although they were drinking tea, the topic of conversation between the two men left Lin Xiaojiao secretly astonished.
Gu Tingzheng was actually asking Zhu Yuehui to be a stock trader, and they weren’t trading the newly opened Shanghai Index.
Instead, it was the market on the other side of the ocean.
She understood everything perfectly, yet she had to desperately pretend to be bored, ignorant, and innocent.
Oh my goodness!
Someone save her!
And what was Gu Tingzheng, a perfectly good high-ranking military officer, doing studying these things?
Lin Xiaojiao had zero confidence in her acting skills.
She was afraid that if she heard a few more words like “leverage” or “closing a position,” she wouldn’t be able to stop herself from chiming in.
In her past life, she had a dedicated fund manager as a one-on-one financial tutor as soon as she started high school…
Steeling her heart, she stood up. “Uncle Gu, I don’t understand what you’re talking about. I’ll go out for a walk. Call me when it’s time to eat~”
Without waiting for the man’s response, she hurriedly left.
Watching the girl’s retreating figure, Zhu Yuehui couldn’t hold back any longer. “Boss, where did you get such a big niece?”
“Who said she’s my niece?!”
Zhu Yuehui felt that if looks could kill, he would have died several times already today.
“Then why did she call you Uncle Gu?” And she was even wearing the watch the boss had asked him to bring back.
He fearlessly pressed on, since looks couldn’t actually kill.
“Alright, the hedge ratio just now was wrong. Figure it out yourself. I’m stepping out for a moment. Notify them to start serving the dishes, and be mindful of what should and shouldn’t be said.”
In the courtyard, Lin Xiaojiao’s heart was practically leaping out of her chest. If she hadn’t left, she would have blurted out:
That operation just now was wrong—the hedge ratio was off!
What kind of person was Uncle Gu, really?
Just a military officer?
Involved in finance?
This was too surreal!
Casually walking over to a stone table in the courtyard, Lin Xiaojiao sat down, resting her chin in her hands.
She racked her brains but couldn’t figure it out.
In her past life, she had received elite, cram-style education from Old Lin, but what about Gu Tingzheng?
A high-ranking military officer minoring in finance??
Lost in thought, she didn’t even notice Gu Tingzheng appearing beside her.
“Jiaojiao, it’s time to eat,” he called softly.
Lin Xiaojiao was nearly scared out of her wits.
Her hand, which had been propping up her chin, jerked away from her face, and her whole body trembled.
“You scared me to death… Do you walk without making a sound…” Somehow, Lin Xiaojiao felt aggrieved.
Turning around, she furrowed her brows and looked at the man with an accusatory expression.
Gu Tingzheng paused for a moment, then curled his lips. So delicate, after all.
“Did I scare you?” He leaned in, placing his hands on the stone table and looking down at the girl.
She bit her lip, seemingly still shaken.
“What were you thinking about so intently?”
Thinking that Uncle Gu isn’t human!
Lin Xiaojiao looked up, meeting the man’s probing gaze, and blurted out, “Thinking about Uncle Gu—”
The man’s pupils suddenly trembled.
The fingers resting on the stone table tightened slightly.
“No, not thinking about Uncle Gu—I mean, I was thinking about Uncle Gu—ugh! I was thinking about what you were talking about!” Lin Xiaojiao hurriedly tried to correct herself, her tongue nearly tying itself in knots.
What on earth was she saying?
Embarrassed, she lowered her head. Telling a grown man she was thinking about him.
Really, who else would do such a thing?
A soft, low chuckle came from above her head.
“Alright, I know Jiaojiao misses her third uncle.”