While washing her hands, Gu Nianqing glanced at herself in the mirror. The woman staring back had eyes soft and alluring, glistening faintly—her fox-like gaze practically spelling out dissatisfaction.
Her face flushed instantly.
How did this end up looking like she was the one begging for more?
Her eyes drifted toward the shower door, and she mentally cursed the man inside several times.
It wasn’t that she felt disgusted or had any psychological hang-ups—Qin Fu had simply become far too good with his teasing.
Her hands were already tired, her body wasn’t in the best condition, and his increasingly heavy breathing had been both enticing and torturous.
…And that jerk had clearly noticed her reaction, leaning close to her ear with a wicked smile, whispering one provocative line after another.
Flustered and overwhelmed, Gu Nianqing didn’t dare stop midway—so the only thing she could do was tilt her head up and silence him with a kiss.
By the time it was over, her hands were sore, her lips slightly swollen, and even her legs felt weak.
She had definitely gotten the short end of the deal.
Being a fast learner could be intimidating—just a short while ago, Qin Fu had been all clumsy intensity, but now he has evolved into something far more… dangerous.
Truly terrifying.
After rinsing her hands, she was about to splash some water on her face to calm down—but then hesitated.
…Was it really appropriate to touch her face with these hands right now?
Just as she was caught in that dilemma, the sound of running water stopped.
Qin Fu stepped out of the shower with a towel wrapped around his waist, casually drying his hair. Droplets of water traced down his raised arm, gathering into a clear bead at his elbow.
Seeing her staring intently at her hands, he chuckled. “Still reminiscing?”
Gu Nianqing: …
Clicking her tongue, she strode over without hesitation. Ignoring his broad chest and sharply defined abs, she wiped her hands firmly against the towel at his waist—then reached up and rubbed them across his face for good measure.
Qin Fu: ?
Watching his usually composed face—one that could silence people with a single frown—now show confusion and shock, Gu Nianqing felt immensely satisfied.
Humming to herself, she washed her face and skipped out of the bathroom.
Qin Fu had always been efficient. By the time she returned to the bedroom, he had already changed the bedsheets, smoothing every corner neatly. Even the bedside table had a fresh fragrance set up—one she liked, no less.
…It was hard to imagine that the man who controlled one of the largest tech empires in the south could handle housework so skillfully.
Gu Nianqing herself had never done any of it.
When she was younger, Gu Sheng disliked her naturally striking looks, fearing her daughter would steal Xu Mingzhen’s affection. She deliberately limited Gu Nianqing’s clothing and living conditions.
But with the legitimate heiress of the Xu family around, Gu Sheng also couldn’t help competing with Zhou Ya. She was afraid her daughter would seem shabby in comparison, so she strictly forbade both Gu Nianqing and Gu Yongkang from doing any housework.
Although Xu Mingzhen couldn’t visit often, he provided generously. With financial security, Gu Sheng maintained the image of a wealthy lady, hiring housekeeping regularly to keep the home immaculate for his visits.
Later, after moving into the Xu family, Gu Nianqing had even less need to lift a finger.
Zhou Ya was quite satisfied with having her as a convenient shield, and in return provided flawless material comfort.
Whatever Gu Sheng’s original intentions had been, the result was exactly as she wished—Gu Nianqing grew up without the slightest trace of “roughness” or domestic skill.
Of course, that idea itself was completely flawed.
Watching Qin Fu sit at the edge of the bed, rummaging through his suitcase for fresh clothes, Gu Nianqing reached out and traced a circle along his back.
Where was the “roughness” in this? If anything, it was… attractive.
Qin Fu’s muscles tensed slightly. He turned his head with a helpless warning. “Niannian, behave.”
“I’m not doing anything,” she said, sliding closer and pointing toward the wardrobe. “There’s still space—you can hang your clothes there.”
Qin Fu paused.
For a moment, he couldn’t quite process the feeling. “So you’re really letting me stay? Niannian, don’t say I didn’t warn you—once I move in, it won’t be easy to kick me out.”
“Heh.”
Gu Nianqing let out a dry laugh. She picked out a set of clothes for him and dragged his suitcase over to the wardrobe.
Pulling out a few hangers, she carelessly hung up his clothes and stuffed them inside.
“It’s not like this is new. When have I ever told you to leave and you actually listened?”
A soft chuckle came from behind her.
Qin Fu reached over her shoulder, gently taking the wrinkled shirt from her hands to rescue it.
“These hangers aren’t the right size,” he said. “Let’s go out for dinner later and pick up some daily essentials.”
“Good idea.”
Leaning back against him, Gu Nianqing seemed thoughtful.
“If two people are living here, the place feels a bit small. I’ll check if there are larger units in this complex later…”
Qin Fu didn’t object. “Alright. Once you find something, let me know—I’ll transfer the money to you.”
Gu Nianqing gave him a puzzled look. “Old Qin, I can afford to rent a place myself.”
“…Rent?” Qin Fu repeated.
“Yeah,” she said, not quite understanding his reaction. “Don’t tell me you’re thinking of buying one outright? That would count as marital property. Splitting it later when our agreement ends would be such a hassle.”
Qin Fu looked down at her without saying a word.
Gu Nianqing suddenly understood. “Oh—you don’t like places other people have lived in? Don’t worry. The quality of this complex is high. Even rental units are well-maintained before being leased. You won’t feel uncomfortable.”
Qin Fu simply hummed in response, neither agreeing nor disagreeing.
“Then tomorrow—”
She wanted to settle things quickly—after all, she couldn’t neglect her “support system”—but before she could finish, a vibration from the bedside table interrupted her.
Both of them looked over. It was her phone.
Caller ID: Mr. Xu.
Gu Nianqing raised an eyebrow. “Feels like a storm is coming. How scary.”
Qin Fu smiled faintly at her obviously insincere tone. “Want me to answer it for you?”
“Really?” She immediately pressed the phone against his chest. “Then I’ll leave it to you, Tall, Dark, and Handsome!”
Qin Fu: …
Anyone else might think Xu Mingzhen was some kind of monster.
He watched as Gu Nianqing slipped out from under his arm and, without bothering to avoid him, started changing clothes right there.
That clear distinction—letting him in but still being entirely herself—was oddly satisfying.
He answered the call before the person on the other end could speak. “Hello.”
“….”
The silence from the other side said everything.
After a brief pause, Qin Fu continued, “I’ve heard a lot about you, Chairman Xu.”
It took Xu Mingzhen a moment to recover from the shock of hearing a stranger answer Gu Nianqing’s phone. He clutched his chest, the scolding he wanted to unleash stuck in his throat like something he couldn’t spit out.
The man’s tone was calm and composed—clearly not some naive nobody. Xu Mingzhen couldn’t help but take him seriously.
“…Who are you? Why are you answering Qingqing’s phone?”
Qin Fu smiled. “She’s… not available at the moment.”
Hearing the implication, Xu Mingzhen’s anger flared instantly. “Young man, you should know she is the daughter of the Xu family—not someone you can lay a hand on!”
“Is that so?” Qin Fu’s voice carried a hint of curiosity. “But my wife doesn’t have the surname Xu.”
“You—!”
Did Gu Nianqing find a male version of herself? Why were both of them so infuriating to talk to?
Veins bulged on Xu Mingzhen’s forehead. “Since ancient times, marriage requires parental approval. I can tolerate her nonsense in other matters, but not this. Without my consent, it doesn’t count!”
Qin Fu held back a laugh. “Mr. Xu, she isn’t even registered under your household.”
Xu Mingzhen: …
Grinding his teeth, he snapped, “Young man, I advise you to know your place. If you dare touch a daughter of the Xu family, I can have you thrown out of Beijing tomorrow!”
Qin Fu let out a soft sigh. “Mr. Xu, the weather’s dry—no need to get so worked up.”
The complete lack of fear in his tone only fueled Xu Mingzhen’s anger further.
“Put Gu Nianqing on the phone! Who do you think you are, speaking like this?!”
“That won’t be necessary. Niannian isn’t feeling well today—she doesn’t need to hear such unpleasant language.”
Xu Mingzhen was so stunned that even his anger faltered. “What did you say?!”
Qin Fu watched as Gu Nianqing finished changing and spun around in front of him. He gave her a thumbs-up in approval.
“Mr. Xu, my name is Qin Fu,” he finally introduced himself calmly. “When Niannian and I registered our marriage, she was already of legal age. Our relationship is protected by law—so your opinion isn’t required.”
As a stream of furious shouting burst from the other end, Qin Fu simply hung up.
He opened his arms, and Gu Nianqing immediately understood. Like a fluttering butterfly, she spun and settled onto his lap.
“What should we do, Niannian?” Qin Fu pressed his forehead against hers, his expression almost aggrieved. “If you don’t let me go public soon, your father might have me carried out of Beijing.”
Gu Nianqing clicked her tongue and reached up to pinch his face.
There wasn’t much flesh there—his sharp jawline made it hard for her to grab anything at all.
“What ‘father’?” she scoffed. “Old Qin, you know very well—you’re my only family now.”