She is his Achilles’ heel
Gu Jingchen leaned lazily against the door with one hand in his pocket, his cold gaze almost pinning her in place. “Miss Qin, I hope you can give me a reasonable explanation.”
Thump. Thump.
Qin Mingzhu could clearly hear her heartbeat pounding up into her throat.
She blinked, and without thinking, blurted out, “Mr. Gu, what a coincidence you’re here to use the restroom too?”
Gu Jingchen narrowed his eyes, then suddenly stepped back two paces and looked up at the restroom sign.
He hadn’t gone into the wrong one.
“Miss Qin has a habit of entering the men’s restroom?” His tone carried a deeper meaning.
Qin Mingzhu’s hand trembled, nearly splashing water onto her face. Blushing furiously, she said, “Of course not! I… I just went into the wrong one!”
Guilty, she quickly grabbed a paper towel to wipe her hands and tried to slip away.
As they brushed past each other, Gu Jingchen casually caught her wrist. The force wasn’t strong, but it was enough to keep her from moving.
“You were eavesdropping on my call?”
Though phrased as a question, it sounded like a statement.
Qin Mingzhu swallowed and snuck a glance at his sharp jawline and elegant neck.
The collar of his dark shirt was slightly open, faintly revealing the lines of his chest. His broad shoulders gave off the steady presence of a mature man.
“I…”
She suddenly snapped out of it.
Why was she nervous? He was the one cheating not her!
“I did it on purpose,” she huffed lightly, her fingers teasingly brushing across his palm. “Everyone knows Mr. Gu dominates half the business world. If I don’t keep a close eye on you, what if you set your sights on someone else? Where would I go cry then?”
“So worried?” Gu Jingchen narrowed his eyes and caught her mischievous fingers. “Then let’s go register our marriage.”
Qin Mingzhu’s heart skipped a beat. “Now?”
“Up to you.” He raised a brow.
“Right now!”
Qin Mingzhu clicked away in her heels, running toward the private room her household registration booklet was in her bag!
But… why did this man suddenly bring up getting married out of nowhere?
She abruptly stopped. The man behind her reacted quickly, catching her by the waist to keep her from stumbling.
“Having second thoughts?” he asked casually.
“No way I’d regret it,” Qin Mingzhu grabbed his wrist, her eyes sparkling. “Why so sudden?”
For a brief moment, Gu Jingchen looked like he wanted to say something but held back.
He tilted his head slightly. “Did you come today just for the meal?”
Qin Mingzhu slapped her palm. Right this meeting was for discussing marriage in the first place.
“Then wait for me outside, I’ll be quick!” she said cheerfully, waving her arm.
There were several turns on the top floor. Walking in a hurry, Qin Mingzhu ran straight into Qin Xuanjiao, who had come out looking for someone.
Seeing that Qin Mingzhu had followed Gu Jingchen out and hadn’t returned, Qin Xuanjiao had been anxious for a while.
Why hadn’t she thought to follow him when he went to the restroom?
That vixen stole her chance!
“What’s the rush did something blow up behind you? Did Brother Chen discover your true colors and cancel the wedding?” Qin Xuanjiao shoved her, secretly putting force into it.
Unfortunately, her little tricks were nothing Qin Mingzhu didn’t even need to try to dodge.
“Dear sister, don’t say such unlucky things. Your brother-in-law and I will live happily ever after,” Qin Mingzhu said with a smile, patting Qin Xuanjiao who had nearly lost her balance before striding into the private room.
“Dad, Grandma, no need to pick another day. Jingchen and I are going to register our marriage right now.”
The room fell silent instantly.
Qin Hai couldn’t hide his delight, but Old Madam Gu, instead of celebrating, frowned.
Qin Mingzhu blinked, but the old lady quickly returned to a faint smile. “Then go ahead.”
…Did she imagine that just now?
Shaking her head, Qin Mingzhu didn’t dwell on it. She picked up her bag, said a quick goodbye, and left.
At the door, Qin Xuanjiao’s eyes widened with jealousy, her nostrils flaring. “No! I won’t allow it!”
She tried to grab Qin Mingzhu’s arm, but Qin Mingzhu, long used to her unreasonable behavior, deftly sidestepped, her eyes curving into a beautiful crescent.
“That’s not up to you. If you’ve got the guts, go blow up the civil affairs bureau.”
Of course Qin Xuanjiao couldn’t do that. Just as she chased after her, Qin Mingzhu shut the elevator doors.
Lowering her head, she quickly texted Gu Jingchen and arranged to meet at the parking lot.
The marriage registration process wasn’t complicated. When she finally held the marriage certificate with their photo on it, Qin Mingzhu couldn’t stop stroking it fondly.
“They made me look so beautiful.”
She happily tucked the little red booklet deep into her bag, then turned to compare it with the one in Gu Jingchen’s hand.
“I have something to do. I need to leave first.”
Gu Jingchen had already lost his earlier relaxed demeanor. He casually stuffed his certificate into her hand, his brows tightly furrowed.
“Have the driver take you home.” So busy? They just got married.
Qin Mingzhu instinctively grabbed his sleeve. “What is it?”
He paused slightly but did not waver. Her hand was slowly pulled away.
Catching the fleeting impatience on his face, Qin Mingzhu immediately withdrew her hand obediently and said sweetly, “Bye, husband.”
They had just left the registry office, and she had already changed how she addressed him.
Gu Jingchen glanced at her with deep eyes and gave a slight nod in acknowledgment.
A gust of wind rose.
Qin Mingzhu wrapped her jacket tighter, watching as his black coat flared behind him while he walked away.
The softness in her smile faded, and her fox-like eyes narrowed.
He left in such a hurry did it have something to do with that Lin Zhi who had just returned from abroad?
“Madam, I’ll take you home.”
The driver twirled the car keys on her finger. With her shoulder-length hair, she looked capable and efficient.
Qin Mingzhu asked her name. After a brief pause, she replied concisely, “Xu Yan. I turned 28 this February. I’ve worked under Mr. Gu for five years. If you need anything, Madam, you can tell me directly.”
Five years long enough to know many things.
Qin Mingzhu rubbed her bare ring finger and smiled. “Xu Yan, have you heard of Lin Zhi?”
Xu Yan’s expression remained calm, but Qin Mingzhu sharply noticed her grip on the steering wheel tighten at the name.
“Why do you ask, Madam?”
“Isn’t she my husband’s childhood sweetheart? I’m curious,” Qin Mingzhu said, revealing two small canine teeth in a fox-like smile. “You were the one who drove her to the airport back then, weren’t you?”
A flicker of surprise finally crossed Xu Yan’s otherwise composed face.
Qin Mingzhu knew she had guessed right.
Leaning over the back of Xu Yan’s seat, Qin Mingzhu cupped her face innocently. “Why did Gu Jingchen send her away back then?”
“Madam…”
“Don’t rush to answer,” Qin Mingzhu adjusted into a more comfortable position. “Since you call me ‘Madam,’ you should understand who will be ‘in charge’ of Gu Jingchen from now on.”
Xu Yan fell silent for a long time. A faint, bitter smile even appeared at the corner of her lips, as if amused by the idea of “who’s in charge.”
Women were always this naïve. A marriage certificate was just a piece of paper something a man could easily tear apart.
A shadow flickered in her eyes as she slightly lifted her lips. “Madam, I can only tell you this never try to use Miss Lin Zhi to provoke Mr. Gu’s bottom line.”