After waking up that morning, he had someone look into Gu Qingyue. Although she was the Gu family’s adopted daughter, she excelled in both character and academics.
In her second year of high school, she participated in the NOI competition and led her team through round after round, ultimately winning four gold medals. That year, Beijing No. 1 High School ranked first nationwide in total gold medals.
She herself won a gold medal with a perfect score and was directly admitted to the Computer Science School of Jing University.
Two years ago, she took first place nationwide in the science stream of the national exam and chose Integrated Circuit Design and Integrated Systems as her major.
During her time at university, she joined the Technology Research Institute under its director, Jiang Yan, as the top student in her major. Less than a year after joining the research team, she developed a new algorithm that greatly improved computer processing speed and became his personal disciple.
Recently, his grandfather had been urging him to get married. Every day he talked about introducing blind dates and had even arranged one for him, but Shang Yuze had turned them all down with the excuse of being busy with work.
Now his marriage had become the old man’s top priority, and the constant pressure was giving him a real headache.
After all, he had taken the girl’s innocence, and he truly should take responsibility.
The words “provide protection” made Gu Qingyue waver.
She had failed to escape this time. Who knew what scheme the Gu family might come up with next to send her back into some old man’s bed.
Without evidence, even if she called the police, there was nothing they could do to the Gu family.
Although the Gu family was only considered a second-tier family in Beijing, dealing with an orphan like her would be effortless.
At present, she had no means to stand against the Gu family.
As the saying went, it was easier to rest in the shade when leaning against a big tree. If Shang Yuze were her support, even if the Gu family had ten times the courage, they would not dare to bully her again.
But…
Could she trust him?
Those twenty years living with the Gu family had all been calculations and schemes. To her, Shang Yuze was still just a stranger. She did not want to escape a tiger’s den only to fall into a wolf’s lair.
Shang Yuze saw her hesitation and understood her concerns. He spoke slowly. “After we get married, you can continue and complete your studies. You don’t need to give up anything for me. You’ll still be free.”
Gu Qingyue lowered her eyes, her heart wavering. She spoke haltingly. “How about we sign a prenuptial agreement first? If you end up liking someone else, we can divorce at any time.”
Shang Yuze looked at her. His eyes were dark and deep, like thick night. “Gu Qingyue, who talks about divorce before even getting married? We can discuss that later. Right now, we’re talking about marriage.”
She was not surprised that he knew her name, yet she still could not believe such overwhelming fortune could fall on her. She pressed the question again. “You really don’t have any other intentions toward me?”
Shang Yuze leaned back, resting lazily against the sofa. His gaze was indifferent and his tone calm. “Didn’t I already say it? I want you to help me deal with my grandfather so he won’t have to worry about my marriage anymore.”
Gu Qingyue still felt uneasy. “If we do divorce, please tell me in advance. I won’t cling to you.”
Shang Yuze stared at her, his phoenix eyes sharp. “Do I really look that unreliable?”
“I…” Gu Qingyue clenched her hands together. Her long lashes cast a downturned shadow, and her expression carried a hint of bitterness.
It was not about reliability. She was simply afraid of being abandoned again, so she prepared herself for the worst.
Shang Yuze frowned slightly. This girl truly lacked a sense of security.
His tone softened for once. “No one can predict the future. What matters is living well in the present. Marriage does not necessarily require love, but it must require responsibility.”
“Treating each other with respect isn’t a bad thing either.”
Starlight seemed to touch his brows and eyes. Brilliant light flickered in his gaze, dazzling like stars. His eyes were so intense they could melt ice as he asked solemnly, “Will you marry me, Gu Qingyue?”
Gu Qingyue met his eyes. Seeing no falsehood in his words, she clenched her fists, gathered her courage, and answered softly, “Yes.”
She had nothing now anyway. As the most powerful man in Beijing, what could Shang Yuze possibly want from an orphan like her?
She was already at a dead end. Since that was the case, why not gamble once? No outcome could be worse than being sent by the Gu family into an old man’s bed.
Marriage should be with someone who was already a good person.
As the helmsman of the Shang family, a top financial dynasty, Shang Yuze showed none of the arrogance or debauchery of a rich heir. He was famously self-disciplined.
Even if they divorced in the end, they could part on good terms.
Shang Yuze asked, “Did you bring your documents?”
Gu Qingyue shook her head. “No.”
Shang Yuze looked jade-like and composed, cool and restrained. “Eat first. After that, I’ll take you to get them. Then pack your things and move in with me. Tonight, I’ll take you to meet my grandfather.”
Gu Qingyue said nothing and simply nodded.
In less than five minutes, his assistant, Shang Mo, delivered lunch. After setting it down, he quickly led everyone away, not lingering for even a second.
Gu Qingyue glanced at the table full of dishes. They were from a well-known private restaurant in Beijing, always packed and requiring advance reservations.
Shang Yuze casually draped his coat over the sofa armrest. His long fingers rolled up his sleeves, revealing a section of cold white wrist bone. He lifted his brow slightly and looked at Gu Qingyue across from him.
“I didn’t know what you like to eat, so I had them order several dishes. Just pick what you like.”
“Thank you.” Gu Qingyue kept her head down and only picked from the dishes in front of her.
Shang Yuze held his chopsticks and sighed quietly to himself. Did he really look that frightening?
The entire meal passed in silence.
Late autumn sunlight was thin and pale, carrying no warmth as it fell on people. The autumn wind was bleak, sweeping up dead branches and fallen leaves, desolate and forlorn.
A black limited-edition Bentley stopped at the gates of Jing University.
Shang Yuze rested one hand on the steering wheel. His profile was cold and refined as he turned to look at the girl beside him. “Can you carry everything? Do you need me to go with you?”
“No need. There isn’t much. I can handle it myself.” Gu Qingyue unbuckled her seat belt. Her hand had just reached for the door handle when he spoke again.
“Add my contact first. If you can’t carry it all, remember to call me.”
“Mm.” Gu Qingyue’s hand paused. She instinctively reached for her pocket, then suddenly remembered that the night before, to prevent her from calling for help, the Gu family had tried to take her phone.
She had clutched it tightly. During the struggle, it broke. Now the shattered phone was probably lying in some trash bin.
Just as Gu Qingyue was thinking of an excuse to refuse, a jet-black phone appeared before her eyes.
She froze and looked up.
The hand holding the phone had evenly shaped knuckles. Faint blue veins traced across the back of the hand, clear and striking. The neatly trimmed nails gleamed with a pearly sheen.