Seeing her open the door, Gu Xingmo looked her up and down with a smile, his voice deep and a little absentminded, “It seems Teacher Su is fine.”
To be honest, Gu Xingmo was tall and handsome, with a truly excellent appearance.
And now, he was a well-known real estate tycoon in Shanghai, with countless assets.
And he was in his prime…
Naturally, his future was limitless.
If it weren’t for Su Jiaobai, the Lu family’s daughter, inexplicably snatching him away, many wealthy families in Shanghai would have wanted to marry him.
But even though he was a talented young man in the eyes of outsiders, Su Jiaobai had never thought he was that impressive, nor had she ever fancied him.
Although Gu Xingmo was rich, he had a low education. After graduating from junior high school, he attended a five-year vocational college and then entered society.
Although rich, he lacked education.
In Su Jiaobai’s opinion, his current status was merely due to the benefits of the era. If he hadn’t been born at the right time, he would have been just an ordinary member of the masses.
Besides being handsome, what other halos did he have?
Like Lu Leyao, all the halos he had now were obtained by exploiting loopholes.
In her eyes, Gu Xingmo was just a rich, uncultured brute, and she couldn’t stand him one bit.
But today, after suddenly learning about some future events in advance, she no longer thought that way.
Thinking he was an uncultured brute with a low education was simply because she didn’t understand him enough and had a one-sided view of him.
In fact, if you think about it carefully, a young man who could single-handedly carve out a niche for himself in Shanghai at the age of twenty and achieve his current status and accomplishments was bound to be extraordinary.
If given the opportunity, but he himself was mediocre, or lacked courage and means, he wouldn’t be able to seize it. He had his own talents, just not in academics.
It was laughable that she had looked down on him.
In that novel, his eventual “treatment” of her was effortless, like playing a game.
So what if she had a master’s degree?
Gu Xingmo had far surpassed her in the course of “society.”
Putting aside other things, she knew that she had to treat this “Buddha” in front of her with great care in the future.
And she and Gu Xingmo actually had no past grievances.
The one-night stand that night was probably not Gu Xingmo’s plan.
If he didn’t marry her, the Lu family’s daughter who grew up outside, he would have the opportunity to marry someone better.
In just a few hours, Su Jiaobai’s state of mind had undergone a complete transformation.
Before, she couldn’t be bothered to say a word more to Gu Xingmo, but now, as his wife, even without affection, she would at least offer a word of concern out of consideration for her status.
“Did you drink today?” she asked with concern, then added, “Drinking is bad for your health, you should drink less in the future.” Not good at caring for a stranger, after saying the concerned words, Su Jiaobai awkwardly pushed up the glasses on her nose.
But Gu Xingmo, because of her uncharacteristic words, had more interest and amusement in his eyes.
More than a year ago, he was invited to the coming-of-age ceremony of the Lu family’s daughter. He had no business dealings with the Lu family, but as fellow wealthy merchants in Shanghai, they had some social circles. Since he was invited, he naturally wouldn’t refuse.
However, he had only intended to make a brief appearance, but he was plotted against and had a physical relationship with the second daughter of the Lu family.
The Lu Group was a renowned name in Shanghai, and Lu Ting was a decisive figure who wielded great influence in Shanghai. He didn’t want to make an enemy. Therefore, after both parties sat down to discuss, he and the second daughter of the Lu family registered their marriage.
Although they had been married for over a year, and Junzai was several months old, the couple was still not familiar with each other.
After she moved to Xinghewan, the second floor was given to her, and he moved upstairs.
In their daily interactions, the couple maintained a relationship of “well water not interfering with river water.” Just like his knocking on the door to show concern today, it was just a formality.
After all, she was the Lu family’s daughter and Junzai’s mother. For the sake of Lu Ting and Junzai, he should show some concern.
He usually showed her a lot of such concern. Although it was just out of courtesy, his words and actions were always presentable.
But this second daughter of the Lu family was different.
She married him with hatred and unwillingness.
She looked down on him, so she often treated him coldly.
He was used to it and didn’t care.
But today was strange, she actually started to care about him.
Gu Xingmo was only curious about her change, not about whether she cared about him.
However, since she cared, he would accept her kindness.
So Gu Xingmo smiled and said, “It was a dinner party, I drank a little too much.” His answer was not perfunctory, and he gave Su Jiaobai enough face, “They were all acquaintances and friends, we hadn’t seen each other for a long time, and everyone was happy.”
Gu Xingmo’s answer undoubtedly did not make Su Jiaobai’s concern fall by the wayside. Su Jiaobai was really afraid that he would retort to her because of her previous attitude, saying, “What business is it of yours whether I drink or not?”
But on second thought, she felt that her previous worries were unnecessary.
Gu Xingmo’s emotional intelligence and composure were far superior to hers.
Only someone as simple and foolish as her would wear her displeasure on her face.
Looking back, in their interactions, it seemed only she had ever disrespected him.
And whether he was happy or unhappy, he had mostly given her face.
So, it could be said that he was deep-minded and very patient. He never revealed his inner thoughts, making him unfathomable. Then, when it was time to act, he was fast, accurate, and ruthless, with a slight flick of his finger, he would knock her to the ground, and she would have no power to fight back.
Thinking this, Su Jiaobai couldn’t help but take a deep breath.
“Then you go upstairs and take a bath first, I’ll go see Junzai.” She felt awkward about her sudden change in attitude.
Moreover, Gu Xingmo was deep-minded, and she was afraid that he would notice something if they stayed alone for too long, so she wanted to end this solitary encounter quickly.
She needed time to slowly accept and adapt to all of this.
Fortunately, Gu Xingmo did not make things difficult for her and agreed with a “good.”
Afterward, the two passed each other, one going upstairs and the other going downstairs.
When Liu Ma saw her coming downstairs, she quickly said, “Teacher Su, what do you want to eat tonight?”
Gu Xingmo was eating out. Although Junzai was eating complementary food now, he couldn’t eat with adults. His three meals a day were prepared separately by Sister Zhou. So, since Su Jiaobai hadn’t gone downstairs, Liu Ma naturally wouldn’t cook.
Su Jiaobai grew up in an ordinary family and couldn’t get used to the food that rich people ate. Her three meals a day were easy to prepare.
She asked Liu Ma to make her a bowl of noodles and, not seeing Junzai in the living room, asked, “Where is Junzai?”
Liu Ma said, “Little Zhou is taking him to play in the yard outside.”
Thinking that Junzai would become a problem child in the book, Su Jiaobai couldn’t put her mind at ease and immediately went outside.
Xinghewan was a high-end residential area, mainly consisting of villas, with only a few tall buildings, all of which were large apartments of over 200 square meters.
The landscaping in the community was excellent. In the villa area, each house was detached and not adjacent to each other. However, they were not too far apart, so they didn’t feel too isolated.
The distance between the buildings was just right, providing both private space and a sense of community.
Outside, there was a low white fence surrounding the yard. In one corner of the yard, there was a sunroom, and in another, many flowers and plants were planted. These flowers and plants were usually maintained by the property management.
They were chosen not to attract mosquitoes and insects, so on a summer evening like this, it was safe to bring Junzai out for some fresh air.
When Su Jiaobai found them, Sister Zhou was holding Junzai in her arms, fanning him gently with a small fan.
The ultraviolet rays were strong in the summer evening, and children’s skin was delicate, so Junzai was wearing a sun hat.
He was very well-behaved when brought out for fresh air. His bright black eyes were constantly looking around, and when he was excited, he would use his hands and feet, looking very happy.
“Sister Zhou, let me hold him,” Su Jiaobai did not want her son to become a problem child, and she realized that she had been neglecting him, so she wanted to accompany him as much as possible in her busy schedule.
Marriage and childbirth, these two sudden major life events were outside of Su Jiaobai’s plans, and she was career-oriented, so she didn’t spend much time with Junzai.
In a situation like today, if it were usual, she would have chosen to relax in the living room by herself.
Anyway, someone else was taking care of her son, and a professional at that, so she had no worries.
But now, some of her ideas were gradually changing.
The mother wanted to hold her son, and Sister Zhou did not refuse. She busily handed Junzai to Su Jiaobai and taught her how to hold him.
At Junzai’s age, he was no longer satisfied with being held horizontally; he wanted to be held vertically.
It was best to hold him close, so he could have a good view of his surroundings.
As Su Jiaobai held him, Sister Zhou gently fanned them with a small fan.
At first, Su Jiaobai felt fine, but after holding him for two minutes, she gradually felt her arm weakening, unable to support Junzai’s bottom.
Junzai didn’t look fat, but he was sturdy and had weight.
Sister Zhou had always been taking care of him and knew the situation. So, after a while, Sister Zhou said, “Teacher Su, I’ll hold him then.”
If it were before, Su Jiaobai would have readily handed Junzai over if Sister Zhou had said that. But now, as long as she could hold on, she continued to hold him herself.
“It’s okay, I can hold him,” she said, imitating Sister Zhou’s usual way of holding Junzai, walking back and forth and gently swaying him, and talking to him as if to herself, “Junzai, look, aren’t those flowers beautiful?”
“Junzai, look at the sky, the moon is so round.”
When she mentioned the moon, Su Jiaobai held Junzai and looked up at the sky.
Suddenly, she saw a tall figure standing on the balcony of the bedroom on the third floor. Upon closer inspection, she realized it was Gu Xingmo.
She didn’t know how long he had been standing there, but judging by his posture, his gaze was directed towards the yard below, and he was probably watching them.
Su Jiaobai was stunned for a moment, and then quickly, she interacted with Gu Xingmo using her son’s voice.
“Junzai, look, that’s Daddy.”
After Gu Xingmo returned upstairs, he originally intended to take a bath. But his wife’s unusual behavior today had caused him some confusion. He usually didn’t smoke, but after drinking, especially when he had something on his mind, he would smoke one or two cigarettes.
So, upon reaching the third floor and returning to the bedroom, he didn’t immediately take a bath but went to the balcony to smoke and clear his head.
Unexpectedly, as soon as he stepped out and lit his cigarette, taking a puff, Su Jiaobai’s voice came from downstairs.
Afterward, Gu Xingmo slowly exhaled smoke and silently observed the scene in the yard below.
Under the dark night, he looked at the harmonious scene of mother and son downstairs, and many thoughts flashed through his mind.
In the end, the cigarette was in his mouth, and he forgot to inhale and exhale.
The cigarette had burned out, and he still hadn’t recovered.
When he heard the Lu family’s daughter speaking to him in Junzai’s voice, Gu Xingmo finally removed the burnt cigarette butt from his mouth and replied to his wife in Junzai’s voice, “Wait for Daddy for a while. Daddy smells of alcohol and smoke. I’ll take a bath first and come down to accompany you later.” After speaking, Gu Xingmo turned and returned to the bedroom.
Liu Ma finished making the noodles and called Su Jiaobai to eat. Su Jiaobai then handed her son over to Sister Zhou.
As soon as Su Jiaobai finished her noodles, she saw Gu Xingmo come downstairs with wet hair, wearing pajamas.