“What are you looking at?”
Wen Ying noticed him staring toward the door and followed his gaze.
Gu Qingyu tilted his head slightly to block her view. “Nothing!”
Seeing her still trying to look, he smiled and pulled her close. “Let’s go, aren’t you hungry?”
“What are you doing?” Wen Ying wriggled slightly, feeling uneasy at his public display of intimacy.
After all, they weren’t officially a couple.
But Gu Qingyu didn’t seem to mind and just smiled.
Wen Ying gave him a sharp glance but said nothing further.
The two were led to their table by the waiter, ordered their meal, and ate until almost finished, at which point Wen Ying excused herself to the restroom.
Fu Tingchuan, after receiving Yi Jie’s call, rushed over.
The restaurant was some distance from where he lived, so by the time he arrived, more than half an hour had passed.
He scanned the restaurant but didn’t spot anyone.
He glanced sideways and saw an unexpected figure—Gu Qingyu?
Fu Tingchuan froze. Seeing Gu Qingyu seemingly glance his way, he assumed he had been seen and was about to greet him when Gu Qingyu suddenly got up and walked in another direction.
Fu Tingchuan assumed he hadn’t noticed him and took a few steps forward to say hello.
But he stopped short.
Not far off, two people were kissing, and his eyes went wide with shock.
The woman was held in Gu Qingyu’s arms with absolute dominance, her head tilted as he kissed her deeply. His body partially obscured her face, so Fu Tingchuan couldn’t see clearly.
All he could discern was her slightly raised jaw, fair and delicate skin, and her left ear, pristine and unadorned.
Fu Tingchuan only glanced once, then looked away.
He recalled Gu Qingyu saying in the morning that he had someone he liked, this must be her.
He hadn’t expected Gu Qingyu to progress so quickly; that morning, he claimed she wasn’t even his girlfriend, and now he was already kissing her.
Shaking his head, Fu Tingchuan refocused. He was here to find Wen Ying, not to disturb anyone’s private moment.
Nearly an hour had passed since Yi Jie’s call—it was almost four in the afternoon, long past lunch.
By the time Yi Jie saw Wen Ying, she had likely nearly finished her meal.
Meaning she might have already left.
Fu Tingchuan turned to call Wen Ying, but then he heard a ringtone behind him.
Turning, the sound stopped, accompanied by the tone of a call being disconnected.
He froze in confusion, then looked back to see the two who had just been kissing were gone.
Shaking his head, he stepped out of the restaurant, phone in hand.
“What are you doing?”
Wen Ying, completely unaware, glared at the man before her, slightly annoyed.
She had just exited the restroom when Gu Qingyu unexpectedly pulled her into a kiss, startling her.
Then, without warning, he drew her into a nearby storage room.
The scent of their body washes mingled in the air, indistinguishable from one another.
Gu Qingyu leaned down and lightly kissed her lips, voice gentle and amused: “Just suddenly wanted to kiss you.”
Wen Ying blushed. Normally, more intimate acts would not embarrass her, but at this moment, a warmth inexplicably surged.
“You’re insane,” she muttered, pushing him slightly. “Let’s go out.”
But Gu Qingyu held her hand, drawing her back into his embrace. “Wait a moment.”
“For what?” she asked, wary and suspicious. “You’re not thinking of… here, right?”
Gu Qingyu smiled helplessly. “Where would you think I’m thinking?”
“Just kidding,” she said.
A smooth, clear voice sounded above them, quietly asking, “Suppose Tingchuan appeared and asked you to go with him, would you?”
“Why bring him up again?” Wen Ying felt uneasy. She tried to push him away, but her hand was held again.
Looking up, her gaze met the dark, deep eyes of the man.
She frowned, unsure why he insisted on asking this, and after a moment replied, “Depends on the situation.”
If it were a family emergency, she would go, but such circumstances were unlikely.
First, Fu Tingchuan wouldn’t beg her.
Second, nothing at home could require her to leave.
Gu Qingyu’s eyes darkened slightly at her answer. “Why ask this?” she questioned curiously.
He shook his head, leaned down, and kissed her gently at the corner of her lips. “Let’s go.”
Wen Ying was pulled outside, still a bit suspicious, and glanced around—Fu Tingchuan was nowhere in sight.
Seems it was just a hypothetical question.
She didn’t think further. After paying, they left the restaurant.
Originally, Wen Ying expected Gu Qingyu to take her home, but he instead led her to a jewelry store.
As a prominent heiress of the Wen family, no luxury store failed to recognize her.
Gu Qingyu had accompanied his mother here before, so the staff recognized him as well.
Their appearance together was unusual but not impossible.
Seeing their intertwined hands, the salesperson froze briefly, but maintaining professionalism, greeted them warmly and led them to a VIP room.
“Miss Wen, what kind of jewelry are you interested in? We just received new arrivals that would suit you. Would you like to take a look?”
Wen Ying nodded out of habit. “Sure, let’s see.”
Soon, the staff displayed a dazzling array of jewelry and explained the designs.
Wen Ying, though uninterested, nodded out of habit—wealth had taught her to make quick decisions.
A long hand suddenly lifted a nearby earring, holding it up to her ear.
Wen Ying turned to see Gu Qingyu smiling. “These earrings are nice.”
She examined them—a pair of purple earrings, matching her dress.
“Try them?” he asked.
Wen Ying rarely tried things in stores; her outfits and accessories were always pre-coordinated, never changed.
Typically, she would simply have something packaged to take home immediately.
But today was different.
Wen Ying touched her bare earlobes and nodded. “Alright, I’ll try them.”
Gu Qingyu stood, gently lifting her hair, placing the earrings on her delicate ears.
The salesperson’s eyes flicked between them, slightly awkward.
She recalled that Wen Ying’s fiancé was Fu Tingchuan, how was this possible?
The luxury world was truly complicated.
Still, bound by professional ethics, she said nothing, respecting their privacy.
Gu Qingyu finished placing the earrings, tidied her hair, and complimented, “Very pretty.”
“Really? Let me see.” Wen Ying glanced in the mirror, barely smiling, “Not bad.”
Gu Qingyu turned to the staff. “Check out, please.”
The salesperson hesitated. “Nothing else?”
Wen Ying was still examining herself in the mirror, seemingly uninterested in other items, so Gu Qingyu shook his head. “No need.”
Slightly disappointed, the staff prepared to process the payment.
Wen Ying reached for her card, but Gu Qingyu pressed her hand down.
Confused, she looked up and saw him smiling. “You lost these earrings at my place, so consider this compensation.”
He handed the card to the salesperson.
The purchase was completed.
Wen Ying didn’t lack money or jewelry, but no one had ever bought such things for her personally—at least, Fu Tingchuan never had.
Not only had he never purchased them, he probably couldn’t even recognize what she had worn before.
By contrast, Gu Qingyu was far more attentive as a partner.
Wen Ying’s mood visibly brightened, her features smiling, her whole face lively.
Gu Qingyu leaned closer, whispering into her ear, “Staying tonight?”
“Sure.” Wen Ying was easy to please when happy, agreeing quickly.
Gu Qingyu smiled low, meaning unclear.
Fu Tingchuan truly wasn’t innocent.
A girl so easy to please—how could Fu Tingchuan manage to make her constantly angry, to the point her bad temper was well-known?
Unaware of his thoughts, Wen Ying asked, “Earlier I said I wanted to go to your place, and you weren’t keen. Why are you suddenly taking me now?”
She tutted, pushing him, standing up.
“I knew you were pretending to be proper,” he said.
“Saying no with your mouth, but secretly loving it,” he added.
Gu Qingyu might not have admitted it before, but now he didn’t deny it.
There was no such thing as a truly proper man—only the collision of reason and desire, with the winner dictating the outcome.
Occasionally following one’s heart wasn’t so bad.
Exiting the jewelry store, Wen Ying’s phone rang. She answered, “Li Jiayue, what’s up?”
After the call, Wen Ying looked at Gu Qingyu with a peculiar expression.
“Why?” he asked.
“My friend liked you and asked me to help set you up.”
Though she hadn’t explicitly mentioned arranging an introduction, her words hinted at his situation, and Wen Ying, recalling previous events, understood Li Jiayue’s intentions.
“So?”
“I agreed,” she said casually.
Gu Qingyu’s eyes darkened.
Wen Ying remained unconcerned. “Nothing to it—just going to see.”
Old City Time was a large entertainment complex, fully equipped.
When Wen Ying arrived, Li Jiayue and two other girls were there. To avoid awkwardness, they had invited another male friend.
They were surprised to see Wen Ying and Gu Qingyu together, but didn’t dwell on it; Wen Ying had a fiancé after all.
Li Jiayue remarked, impressed, that Wen Ying had been generous, bringing someone along as promised.
Slightly embarrassed, Li Jiayue stepped forward. “Mr. Gu, I’m struggling a bit—could you teach me?”
Wen Ying immediately understood, this was why they came to play billiards.
She sat on the nearby sofa, ready to watch the show.
Gu Qingyu glanced at her, smiling slightly, refusing, “Sorry, I don’t know either.”