Being taken to the police station was something the Shen family simply could not accept.
Not just them—most of the wealthy elite in their circle, accustomed to privilege, had an instinctive aversion to law enforcement.
The ones who came to pick them up were Shen Pei and his son, along with Shen Yu’s eldest uncle, Shen Lei.
Gu Nianqing’s reputation as the Xu family’s illegitimate daughter was well known. Even the Shen family had suffered losses at her hands before, so Shen Lei naturally didn’t look kindly upon her.
But when he saw the bandages wrapped around her wrist, he clenched his jaw and redirected his anger toward his own sister-in-law instead.
“Look at the mess you’ve made!”
There had been plenty of people in the café. The argument between Xiao Ran and Gu Nianqing had drawn attention, and the act of throwing tea had been clearly recorded by the surveillance cameras.
Xiao Ran knew she couldn’t argue her way out of it. All she could do was sit there, covering her face and sobbing quietly in the mediation room.
Shen Yu, seeing his mother so muddled and embarrassed—especially in front of Gu Nianqing—felt even more irritated.
“Mom, stop crying! You didn’t think twice before acting—why cry now?!”
His words only made Xiao Ran cry harder.
Neither of Xu family’s heads had shown up, but Zhou Ya had sent her long-time lawyer in her place.
Gu Nianqing calmly explained the situation to the lawyer, her expression devoid of any trace of grievance.
“I don’t want to trouble Madam Zhou,” she said plainly. “I’m willing to sign a settlement agreement—but only if Ms. Xiao publicly apologizes to me in a newspaper and promises not to verbally or otherwise attack me again. Otherwise, next time, I’ll pursue legal action directly.”
The lawyer and the mediating officer were relieved to see how reasonable she was.
But the Shen family’s expressions immediately changed.
Being brought to the police station had already cost them face. If Xiao Ran also had to publish a public apology, it wouldn’t just be her—it would reflect poorly on Shen Lei as well, earning him a harsh reprimand from the family patriarch.
For outsiders, it would look like the Shen family bowing to the Xu family.
And that loss of face would cost far more than money.
The situation reached a stalemate.
In the end, Shen Lei contacted Xu Mingzhen directly and agreed to withdraw from an upcoming exhibition.
The Shen and Xu families were both partners and competitors. Giving up that exhibition meant losing far more than 200,000—it meant forfeiting significant business opportunities.
But compared to publicly apologizing in the papers, this was still the lesser loss.
Faced with two bad options, Shen Lei had no choice but to take the hit.
The lawyer gave Gu Nianqing a subtle nod.
Gu Nianqing lowered her gaze. The usual sparkle in her fox-like eyes dimmed.
Leaning back in her chair, she brushed the corner of her eye with the back of her hand, then picked up a pen and signed the settlement agreement.
The Shen family finally breathed a sigh of relief.
Seeing his elder brother’s dark expression, Shen Pei couldn’t hold back any longer.
“In the end, it’s just about money!”
He seized the moment and turned to Shen Yu.
“See that? This is the person you’re so obsessed with! I told you long ago—people like her don’t have any sincerity. She only cares about the Shen family’s money—”
But Shen Yu didn’t react the way he expected.
Instead, when he saw Gu Nianqing’s reddened eyes, his heart clenched with pain.
It was the first time he had seen her look so fragile.
In his memory, she was always dazzling and bold. Even when they were at odds, every smile, every glare of hers had left a deep impression on him.
Thinking of the recent rumors, he hesitated, then asked tentatively:
“Qingqing… you’re not that kind of person, right? They all say that you—”
“That’s enough, Shen Yu.”
Gu Nianqing cut him off immediately. She had already guessed what he was about to say.
“No matter what your mother did to me, in the end—it all comes back to you.”
She looked at him as his expression shifted in shock, then repeated calmly:
“It’s because of you, Shen Yu.”
To him, it felt as if the girl who had just revealed a hint of vulnerability suddenly put her armor back on, pushing him away again.
A hollow feeling spread through his chest.
“Qingqing… don’t say that…”
Her voice turned calm and distant once more.
“You need to accept reality. The closer you get to me, the more criticism I’ll face. To me, you’re nothing but bad luck.”
Shen Lei frowned.
It was a good thing the girl knew her place—keeping her distance from Shen Yu showed some sense.
But why did it feel like things were slipping out of control?
Gu Nianqing didn’t give them time to react.
She took out the now-damp check from her pocket, placed it on the table, and left with the lawyer.
The Shen family remained behind, arguing among themselves in the mediation room.
The lawyer started the car and glanced at Gu Nianqing, who already looked completely composed again.
“No wonder Madam Zhou said I’d just be there for backup—you really handled everything yourself.”
Gu Nianqing smiled faintly as she sent messages to her team, arranging the afternoon’s progress meeting.
She was about to respond when she suddenly noticed, in the rearview mirror—
Shen Yu running after them.
“Drive—go, now! Don’t let him catch up!”
The lawyer stepped on the gas as instructed. Shen Yu chased after them for a few steps, watching the taillights grow farther and farther away.
Not caring that they were out on the street, he shouted at the top of his lungs:
“Gu Nianqing! I won’t give up on you! You’re the only one I want!”
Behind him, Xiao Ran—who had just rushed over—heard this and fainted on the spot.
Once the car turned the corner, the lawyer slowed down.
“You’re really toying with the Shen family’s young master like this,” he said as a warning. “Aren’t you afraid they’ll come after you once they figure things out? Overseas, the Xu family doesn’t have nearly as much reach as the Shen family. If something happens, you’ll have to handle it on your own.”
Gu Nianqing lifted her burned wrist slightly, narrowing her eyes.
“And what if they do figure it out? I’ve already made my stance clear. Whatever Shen Yu chooses to do—that’s entirely his own decision.”
She looked at her injury, her tone calm but resolute.
“As the Xu family’s illegitimate daughter, there’s only so much I can get. If I stop being ‘a Xu,’ and just become Gu Nianqing, I can get much more.”
Her unapologetic boldness caught the lawyer off guard.
He couldn’t help but think of the agreement Zhou Ya had recently asked him to draft.
Who would’ve thought that everything this young woman was doing was part of a calculated plan—to gain leverage in cutting ties with the Xu family?
“…Most people try their hardest to marry into wealthy families,” he remarked.
Gu Nianqing didn’t deny it.
“I tried. My mother did too. And look where that got us.”
She gave a faint, mocking smile.
“My mother’s still in prison, and as for me—I’ve brought in so much business for the Xu family, yet in the eyes of outsiders, I’m worth only 200,000.”
She didn’t care much about the insults—but the price they’d put on her still irritated her.
“Two hundred thousand? That’s pocket change! I pay my team members more than that in bonuses!”
The lawyer fell silent.
It sounded outrageous—but it was true.
And at the end of the day, Gu Nianqing had been dragged into this mess for no reason. She had always kept her distance from Shen Yu, but he was the one who kept coming after her.
After venting, she quickly regained her composure.
“Besides, according to my plan, I was going to meet Shen Yu today anyway—even if Xiao Ran hadn’t caused a scene. If she’s willing to act as the trigger, all the better for me.”
The lawyer had seen all kinds of cases, but looking at this still-young girl, he couldn’t help but feel a chill.
Where on earth did this kind of… monster come from?
Unaware of his thoughts, the “monster” was busy encouraging herself:
“One day, I’ll make them pay for all of this—with interest.”
Six years later, Xiao Ran saw Gu Nianqing again.
The once somewhat immature girl had grown into a sharp, capable professional woman—but the calculating gleam in her fox-like eyes remained exactly the same.
Just as irritating as ever.
Already on the verge of breaking down after seeing her son beaten, Xiao Ran’s emotions overflowed the moment she laid eyes on Gu Nianqing.
Like a flood breaking through a dam, she suddenly burst forward with surprising strength, breaking free from the security guards and charging straight at her.
Before Gu Nianqing could react, a handbag swung toward her face.
Amid Xu Xiaxia’s scream, she grabbed the strap and yanked hard.
Caught off guard, Xiao Ran lost her balance and fell to the ground.
People nearby pointed and whispered, but no one stepped forward to help her up. Instead, several gathered around Gu Nianqing in concern.
“President Gu, you’re hurt!”
“Does anyone have a bandage?”
“Miss Gu, are you okay? Does it hurt?”
Gu Nianqing looked at her palm, where the metal decoration had cut her skin. Beads of blood formed, making her already pale face look even worse.
Xiao Ran, humiliated, struggled to her feet—only to be restrained again by the guards who had caught up.
She screamed hysterically:
“You bitch! Why did you come back?! Why do you insist on seducing my son?!”
Gu Nianqing snapped her fingers lightly.
“You and your son really never learn, do you?”
Xiao Ran froze, the words sounding strangely familiar.
With clear impatience, Gu Nianqing forced out a cold, mocking smile.
“Call the police.”