“I’m not an idiot. There’s no need for you to waste your breath with useless nonsense. From today onwards, I don’t ever want to hear it again.”
“Hmph!” Liu Guang opened his mouth stubbornly, but Wang Guang didn’t hold back at all when he saw him like that.
“Do you really think anyone is willing to save you from danger? If I weren’t afraid you’d drag me down, I wouldn’t bother mentioning any of this to you.”
“I hope your body is as tough as your mouth. When problems arise, don’t rely on others to solve them, or I’ll truly look down on you,” he said with a sly grin. Liu Guang was furious but didn’t know how to respond, so he huffed angrily and climbed back onto his bed. Their argument had just ended.
Meanwhile, Gu Yanshen noticed something was off and wanted to figure it out quickly, a cold smile tugging at his lips.
Knock knock knock!
He didn’t hesitate at all and went straight to knock on Wang Guang’s door. In the military camp, these few kids were usually the most reckless. If anything happened to Shen Suyu, it would likely involve them.
“Boss, didn’t you just come back today? What brings you here? Do you have a problem to tell us about, or are you giving instructions for tomorrow’s training?”
“You could have mentioned it casually just now; there’s no need to come all the way here yourself. Sorry for the trouble,” Wang Guang said, sensing something bad, forcing a smile. His smile was obsequious, hoping Gu Yanshen wouldn’t be too frightening, or he wouldn’t know how to survive.
“I’ll be going out tomorrow and may be gone for two or three days. From tomorrow onward, your training tasks will double—no rest. When I return, I will inspect the results. If even one of you fails to complete my orders, I won’t be lenient,” Gu Yanshen said coldly, a faint smile lingering at the corner of his mouth.
Wang Guang groaned internally. He had a bad feeling, and it had come true.
“Boss, I don’t understand why our actions displease you so much to warrant such a harsh order. If there’s an issue, just tell us. We’ll try to fix it. Usually, our daily tasks are already plenty. Doubling them may cause problems,” he pleaded, grimacing. Normally, they barely had any free time except during meals. Doubling the workload felt like a death sentence.
“This will also keep you from running your mouths during idle moments. Don’t think I haven’t heard the rumors circulating in the cafeteria,” Gu Yanshen said bluntly.
“I’ve just been too busy to manage it. Now you’re giving us a lesson,” Wang Guang realized, understanding why he was being punished. He no longer dared to plead and decided to accept it obediently—otherwise, matters would only get worse.
“I understand, boss. From now on, we’ll control our mouths and make sure no more nonsense is spread. Please don’t be angry. We were wrong and caused trouble for Miss Shen. It won’t happen again,” he said obediently. Gu Yanshen was satisfied. Although still slightly annoyed, he didn’t punish them further. They were just kids, and more punishment wasn’t necessary.
“Alright. I won’t hold this against you for now, but don’t let me hear such rumors again. Otherwise, I won’t be lenient. You know my temperament—I’m not soft. Anyone who gossips behind my back must bear the consequences,” Gu Yanshen said firmly. Wang Guang nodded obediently.
With the matter settled, he returned to his room, though his expression was still dark. Everything was just as he suspected—no wonder Shen Suyu had suddenly distanced herself. He would need to think about how to repair the relationship.
The next morning, Shen Suyu got up early as promised. Gu Yanshen had just opened his door when he saw her waiting outside, a triumphant smile on his lips. He froze for a moment before his expression softened into fondness, though his face remained cold enough to hide his smile.
“Officer Gu, I got up a bit late today. I thought you’d be waiting outside for me, but here I am waiting for you instead,” she said, teasing.
“Can you tell me how you felt when you saw me just now? Did it feel like I outdid you? I’m so happy—I’m better than you!” Shen Suyu said, unable to hide her excitement. She had been planning this moment for so long, and now it had finally happened—she was genuinely thrilled.
“I’m just surprised. I didn’t expect Miss Shen to get up so early. It seems you really care about your business. Let’s go quickly. I’ve already arranged the boat; they should be waiting at the dock.”
“Alright,” Shen Suyu replied. Gu Yanshen spoke gently, but she didn’t respond as much as he expected. She felt a little disappointed but didn’t dwell on it; time was too important to waste.
“I just hope everything goes as I envision. Absolutely no accidents—I couldn’t bear it,” she thought.
“Officer Gu, could you tell me a bit in advance? What’s your friend’s personality like? Will it be possible to reach a deal?” Shen Suyu asked while walking, unwilling to fall behind. As the saying goes, know your opponent to succeed in battle—understanding his friend’s personality was crucial to securing a successful deal.
“I don’t know my friend’s personality either. I get along with him well, but that’s only in the context of business. We don’t interact otherwise. Success will depend on how you handle it—I can’t intervene,” Gu Yanshen said gently. Shen Suyu couldn’t glean any accurate information, and a sense of frustration crossed her face.
Gu Yanshen, feeling concerned, hesitated but decided to explain further.
“My friend is actually very easy to get along with, but he takes business very seriously. You can’t fool him easily. So it’s up to you to negotiate the deal. It’s not a matter of me saying it’s possible; it depends on how much you’re willing to offer,” Gu Yanshen said honestly. He had little business experience, and these were the best words he could offer after much thought.
“I understand. I’ll make concessions in terms of profits, both for your friend and for your sake,” Shen Suyu said confidently.