Those who are overly confident in love usually meet a bad end.
Zhu Zhixi replayed the same video over and over, her eyes growing increasingly dim.
In the video, two figures—a man and a woman—were kissing, surrounded by a chorus of cheers.
The man leaned lazily to the side, his index finger hooked around a pair of gold-rimmed glasses, dangling them over his crossed knees as he swayed back and forth, kissing with an air of indifference.
As his wrist turned, a ring on his finger was inadvertently revealed—a perfect match to the one on Zhu Zhixi’s hand.
The video had been posted in the group chat and was instantly buried under a flood of messages.
【Damn, who’s that? The back looks so much like Young Master Gu.】
【What kind of eyes do you have? It doesn’t look like him at all.】
【This is Xi Mei and Young Master Gu’s Wedding group. Don’t post random crap here.】
【Li Yaozi, if you like me, just say it. No need to secretly film me. Damn, my back looks so handsome, hahaha.】
“……”
Zhu Zhixi curled her lips slightly, a mocking glint flashing in her eyes.
Wedding group?
She remembered now—Gu Qishen had said they would get married after graduation.
Gu Qishen had said, “Xi Bao, I love you so, so much.”
“Xi Bao, I really, really want to marry you soon, so everyone knows Zhu Zhixi is my wife.”
“……”
Zhu Zhixi had scolded him for being shameless, but deep down, she felt sweet and proud.
She and Gu Qishen had known each other for over twenty years. In others’ eyes, they were childhood sweethearts, a perfect match made in heaven.
They started dating in college, and Gu Qishen had always doted on her, indulging her in every way.
“I don’t believe in love, but I believe in Gu Qishen”—this saying had been circulating at Jiang University for years.
Before they even graduated, Gu Qishen had proposed, saying he couldn’t wait to marry Zhu Zhixi.
Right after graduation, Zhu Zhixi created this group chat, inviting their childhood friends, close buddies, and acquaintances.
Every day, they discussed wedding plans, with a special focus on how to prank Gu Qishen.
After all, opportunities to mess with Young Master Gu were rare.
But as time went on, Gu Qishen seemed to have forgotten his promise.
The group chat grew larger, and its original purpose was gradually forgotten—just like Gu Qishen himself.
People in the group were still tagging Li Yaozi.
A few minutes later, Li Yaozi finally spoke up: 【Sorry, Xi Mei. Oops, the person in the video is Zhao Moran, not your Young Master Gu. I meant to send it to Zhao Moran to threaten him, but I sent it to the wrong chat.】
A series of apologetic emojis followed.
Zhu Zhixi: 〖Oh? Since when did Zhao Moran wear the same ring as me?〗
With that, she left the group.
She didn’t want to hear any more feeble explanations.
Looking away from her phone, her eyes stung slightly.
It was common knowledge that Gu Qishen had other women.
She twisted the ring on her finger.
【After all this time, you’re still the one I love most.】
How ironic.
They say the longer a relationship lasts, the harder it is to get married. In the past, Zhu Zhixi never believed it—she had never doubted Gu Qishen.
Gu Qishen was accompanying a woman shopping, seemingly with endless patience. At least, from what Zhu Zhixi had observed for a while, he showed no signs of impatience.
Zhu Zhixi felt a pang of bitterness. She had trained Gu Qishen too well.
When she entered, only Gu Qishen was there, leaning back on the sofa, his slender fingers flipping through a magazine. To an outsider, it might have looked like he was reading financial news.
Zhu Zhixi was a regular customer, and SA Lai Lai, who usually attended to her, also knew Gu Qishen. Her expression turned slightly awkward. “Miss Zhu…”
The man on the sofa heard the sound and lifted his eyelids slightly. His gaze froze for a second before instantly returning to normal. He raised his hand to remove his glasses, revealing a flawlessly handsome face.
Zhu Zhixi walked over calmly and took a seat opposite him. Her eyes swept over the coffee cup with lipstick marks on its rim.
Gu Qishen followed her gaze and noticed it too. “Looking for me?”
Zhu Zhixi hummed in acknowledgment, raising her eyes to look at him. “I came to return something.”
“Miss Zhu,” Lailai brought Zhu Zhixi a cup of coffee.
She smiled, her eyes bright and radiant. “Thank you.”
She didn’t drink it, casually placing it on the table instead.
Three cups of coffee—no matter how you looked at it, it felt strange.
Gu Qishen frowned slightly, closed the magazine in his hand, and tossed it aside. Just then, he heard Zhu Zhixi speak nonchalantly, “I want to get married.”
The topic shifted too abruptly, leaving a momentary silence.
Gu Qishen’s brows furrowed into faint creases before smoothing out again. He leisurely placed his glasses back on the bridge of his nose. The lenses reflected a cold, hard light—elegant yet distant.
Sometimes, silence was also an answer.
Zhu Zhixi lowered her eyes slightly.
After a long pause, Gu Qishen finally spoke.
“Alright.”
A loud clatter echoed from the fitting room as something heavy hit the floor.
Zhu Zhixi let out a soft, derisive snort, her crimson lips curling into a mocking smile. Her slender, pale fingers bore a faint imprint from the ring she had been wearing, and she kept gently stroking it with her thumb.
The next moment, she stood up and strode toward the fitting room.
Her arm tightened as someone pulled her back from behind.
Gu Qishen’s handsome features cast a shadow. “I’ll arrange the wedding. You go back first.”
Lailai and her colleagues tactfully stood at a distance, whispering among themselves.
“Miss Zhu is so beautiful. How could Mr. Gu fancy someone else?”
“Even the prettiest face can grow tiresome after a while.”
Lailai: “Anyway, I’m on Miss Zhu’s side. Beauty and sincerity shouldn’t be betrayed.”
“If they end up fighting later, who do you think Mr. Gu will help?”
“Definitely Wen Yuqing. Old flames can’t compete with new passions.”
“I think so too.”
“…”
It was at this moment that Wen Yuqing emerged from the fitting room.
She wore a creamy white knitted dress, her black hair cascading down to her waist—a gentle, unassuming beauty with a hint of pride and independence in her eyes.
Men liked you to be obedient, but not too obedient—someone who could evoke their protective instincts while also igniting their desire to conquer.
Perhaps Gu Qishen had always liked this type. He just hadn’t met the right one before.
In terms of temperament, beauty, and over twenty years of history with Gu Qishen, she believed she far surpassed Wen Yuqing.
Zhu Zhixi didn’t know where she had lost.
She couldn’t accept it.
From childhood, Zhu Zhixi had always been the center of attention. Perhaps life had been too smooth for her, and now fate had made her lose to a woman who was inferior to her in every way.
When he proposed, Gu Qishen had been deeply affectionate: “Once you wear my ring, you’re mine, Zhu Zhixi. Don’t even think about running away in this lifetime.”
But she had worn that ring for five years.
Gu Qishen had forgotten those words himself.
Only she still remembered.
How foolish.
A surge of heat welled up in Zhu Zhixi’s eyes. Their gazes locked, neither willing to back down. Her eyes were stubborn as she broke free from Gu Qishen’s grip and turned to walk toward Wen Yuqing.
The moment she raised her hand, her wrist was tightly seized in mid-air.
Gu Qishen stood protectively in front of Wen Yuqing, his brows deeply furrowed. “Don’t cause a scene here, Zhu Zhixi.”
His impatience was unmistakable.
The moisture in Zhu Zhixi’s eyes had not yet receded, yet through the haze she could still clearly see the cold indifference on Gu Qishen’s face.
She let out a soft, derisive laugh. “Afraid I’ll hit her?”
Her hand loosened.
A small, cool ring rolled down the back of Gu Qishen’s hand and fell to the floor, coming to rest silently beside his leather shoe.
Gu Qishen was momentarily stunned, his grip on Zhu Zhixi’s hand slackening slightly.
Over the man’s shoulder.
Zhu Zhixi looked at Wen Yuqing. Her voice was faint, as if a ball of cotton were lodged in her throat, making it feel both rough and swollen. “I slapped you before because you stole my man. I won’t apologize for that.”
“But from now on, he’s yours.”
Zhu Zhixi shook off Gu Qishen’s hand, raised her eyes to meet his. Her eyelashes trembled, and her voice was unsteady. “I’ve returned your thing.”
She didn’t want the ring anymore.
And she didn’t want the man anymore, either.
Gu Qishen was growing impatient with how many times she had said this. “Zhu Zhixi, using the same trick every time—aren’t you tired of it? I’m already sick of it. If you really want to get married, I can marry you…”
“I do plan to get married.”
“Just not with you.”
Zhu Zhixi cut him off.