A small thrill ran through her heart. Although she and Shang Yuze had already registered their marriage and even been intimate, they had only known each other for a single day. That night had been a blur. They were both under the influence of medicine, and everything had happened in a daze.
If they had been fully conscious, sleeping together would indeed have felt… different.
Even though she had mentally prepared herself countless times when registering their marriage, telling herself over and over that it was perfectly normal for a married couple to sleep together and be intimate, knowing it was one thing actually doing it was another.
Now that it was actually approaching that point, she felt nervous.
A calm, indifferent voice sounded above her head.
“Half a year.”
“Huh?” Gu Qingyue’s thoughts hadn’t fully returned to her yet. Hearing those words abruptly, she blinked at him in confusion, not understanding their meaning.
Shang Yuze’s phoenix-like eyes fell on her, the depths of his gaze carrying emotions that were hard to describe, laced with danger. His dark eyes were deep and heavy, darker than the night in Beijing.
“We’re married now. We can’t keep sleeping in separate rooms forever. If word gets out, it would be difficult to explain to my grandfather. Let’s take half a year to get to know each other and give ourselves time to adjust.”
Gu Qingyue’s breath hitched, her heart leaping, and her body tensed slightly.
But then she reminded herself that they were already married, and her tense body slowly relaxed.
They weren’t in a platonic marriage, marital obligations were real, and avoiding them wouldn’t solve anything.
They couldn’t just sleep apart for the rest of their lives. That was unrealistic.
He was willing to give her half a year to adjust. That consideration alone was already thoughtful. If she refused outright, it would be overly petty.
Shang Yuze didn’t miss a single expression flickering across her face. Seeing her shift from initial shock and fear to calm and acceptance, he knew she was beginning to try to accept him, gradually adapting to her new role.
Gu Qingyue had long been ignored in the Gu household and had recently experienced being drugged, she lacked a sense of security. If he rushed her, it could backfire.
Shang Ming stepped out of the elevator and caught sight of the two of them silently standing at the bedroom doorway. The atmosphere seemed rather intimate, and he fumbled with the card in his hand, unsure what to do. What on earth was happening here? If he had known, he wouldn’t have bothered to coax someone to come over.
The timing wasn’t right. He’d better leave first and come back to deliver the card after the party.
He slowly stepped backward toward the elevator, trying to make as little noise as possible. Just as he was about to enter, Shang Yuze shot him a cold, piercing look.
Shang Ming’s heart skipped a beat. He forced himself forward, holding out the card with both hands. “Mr. Shang, here’s the card you asked for.”
Shang Yuze took it, and Shang Ming vanished as if he had oil on his feet, moving so fast that he didn’t even wait for the elevator to reach the first floor.he took the stairs instead.
Shang Yuze then handed the card to Gu Qingyue. “This is my secondary card. The password is your birthday.”
Gu Qingyue hurriedly waved her hands, refusing. “No, no, I have money.”
“Does it matter whether you have money or not?” Shang Yuze asked calmly, holding the card between his strong, defined fingers.
Gu Qingyue looked up in disbelief, her long eyelashes fluttering. Her large, bright eyes studied him carefully. “It doesn’t matter?”
In the Gu household, no one had ever given her pocket money. Outside of meals, they would not give her a single cent. Once they discovered she won scholarships, they didn’t even provide money for meals.
So she had thrown herself into studying,if she didn’t win a scholarship, she feared she wouldn’t even have food.
Whenever she asked her parents for money, they would look at her with a strange, almost alien expression.
She hadn’t understood it as a child, but now it was clear,they had thought spending money on her was a waste.
Shang Yuze’s tall figure was graceful and poised, exuding quiet nobility. He spoke lightly, “Of course it doesn’t matter. Now that we’re married, this counts as joint marital property.”
Gu Qingyue’s nose tingled, and the corners of her eyes were wet. She clenched her hands, holding back tears as best she could, though her voice trembled slightly. “Shang Yuze, thank you.”
These were clearly all her premarital assets, but she knew he had said it to relieve her of any burden.
“Keep it,” Shang Yuze said, pressing the card into her hand, leaving her no room to refuse.
Gu Qingyue held the card between her fingertips, her eyes curving with a bright smile. “How much money is in here?”
Shang Yuze replied solemnly, “I’m not sure. It should be enough to buy several apartments in Beijing’s most expensive districts outright.”
Gu Qingyue’s mouth twitched at the thought of several apartments in Beijing’s prime locations.
She had truly married a golden thigh.
She looked at Shang Yuze, her brows curved, eyes bright with sunshine. “Shang Yuze, why are you so different from the domineering CEOs in novels?”Gentle, considerate.
A gentleman, warm and graceful.
Shang Yuze gave a low chuckle, the corners of his eyes lifting in a seductive curve. “Life isn’t a novel. Even a domineering man must know his limits.”
A healthy marriage, after all, should be built on mutual respect.
His gaze shifted to the suitcase in the middle of the room, then back to Gu Qingyue. Warmth lingered in his eyes. “Do you want me to have someone help you pack?”
Gu Qingyue shook her head. “No need.”
Shang Yuze respected her choice. “Then pack first. I’ll take you to the old family residence for the party tonight.”
He had already mentioned meeting his grandfather, but after everything that had happened today, she had completely forgotten.
Gu Qingyue grew anxious. This was her first time meeting an elder. What if she went empty-handed? She asked in a flurry, “What should I bring as a gift? What does Grandpa like?”
“I’ve already prepared everything. You just need to come with me,” he said.
His voice was like a gentle spring breeze, smoothing all her worries and making her feel secure.
Gu Qingyue lowered her eyes, lightly biting her lip.
He really was considerate, thinking of everything for her.
Being married to him… it actually felt pretty good.
The Shang family’s wealth was immense, and their old residence was located in one of Beijing’s most expensive districts. The surroundings were quiet, with almost no traffic passing by.
Gu Qingyue fidgeted nervously in the car. As it entered the Shang family estate, her tension peaked, adrenaline surging, and her heartbeat raced.
She gripped the seatbelt so tightly her fingers went white, and her palms were sticky with sweat.
With Shang Yuze’s status, she was truly marrying above herself. What if his grandfather didn’t like her?
Shang Yuze noticed her anxiety. “Don’t worry. Grandpa is very kind. Our family doesn’t care about social status.”