However, some people couldn’t help but feel puzzled upon hearing the name Jiang Wan.
The eldest daughter of the Jiang family was also named Jiang Wan. It was unclear whether this was merely a coincidence or if it was indeed the same person.
Those present were all clever individuals who knew how to read the room. Naturally, they wouldn’t be foolish enough to ask directly and risk offending Gu Shilan.
Instead, they subtly glanced toward Jiang Yi, who was standing by the entrance. Jiang Yi maintained his usual gentle and refined demeanor, showing no change in expression, though inwardly he was displeased.
Seeing that nothing could be discerned, the guests put away their gossipy thoughts, and this little episode quietly passed.
Gu Shilan led Jiang Wan back to the sofa where they had been sitting earlier. He sat beside her, placing one arm casually on the backrest behind her, and swept his gaze over the crowd dancing in the center of the hall.
“Wanwan, would you like to dance?” he asked with a gentle smile.
Jiang Wan shook her head. “Uncle Gu, I’m not very good at dancing…”
Gu Shilan didn’t mind. “It’s fine. I don’t particularly enjoy dancing either.”
Jiang Wan said, “You don’t have to stay with me. You can go attend to your matters.”
Business elites attended banquets primarily to expand their networks and strengthen relationships. It was clear that many didn’t want to miss the opportunity to get closer to Gu Shilan, as their eyes frequently drifted toward them.
Gu Shilan pinched the bridge of his nose and said with an amused tone, “Wanwan, dealing with them and engaging in all that pretense is truly exhausting. And here you are, trying to push me back into the fire.”
Although she knew Gu Shilan was just teasing her, Jiang Wan couldn’t help but feel a pang of heartache for him.
As the leader of the Gu Group, Gu Shilan had to handle numerous challenging issues every day, reluctantly navigate many insincere and superficial occasions, and bear the weight of all difficulties alone. It was easy to imagine the immense pressure he carried.
“Uncle Gu.”
In the past, it had always been Gu Shilan protecting her. But now, Jiang Wan didn’t want to rely solely on his one-sided protection. She said somewhat clumsily, “If you’re tired, you can tell me too. Although… my abilities are limited, I can be a good listener. And I will work hard to keep up with your pace. Even if it’s just a little, I hope that when you feel tired, I can stand by your side and share some of your burden.”
She spoke sincerely, her words plain and unadorned, yet to Gu Shilan’s ears, they sounded melodious and pleasing.
“Alright, Wanwan,” he said, a deep smile rising in his eyes. “But Uncle Gu wants to tell you this: don’t underestimate yourself. You are not lacking compared to others; you just need opportunities.”
Jiang Wan nodded. Gu Shilan’s perspective was far beyond that of ordinary people. Talking with him always brought her many insights and subtly encouraged her.
As the two chatted casually, perhaps due to a woman’s intuition, Jiang Wan suddenly felt an inexplicable gaze directed at her.
Puzzled, she followed her instinct and looked in that direction. Sure enough, her eyes met those of a woman wearing a silver evening gown.
Lu Tong showed no panic upon being discovered by Jiang Wan. With lips painted a fiery red, she smiled lightly and gracefully walked over with a wine glass in hand.
As the daughter of Lu Zhengyu and a popular, sought-after actress, she naturally received much attention. Several people had approached her to converse, but she appeared rather disinterested.
In just a few steps, Lu Tong had already arrived before the two of them.
A perfectly appropriate smile graced her face, her every gesture exuding grace and poise, her voice gentle as water: “Shi Lan, this is our first meeting since you returned from abroad this year.”
Gu Shilan gave a slight nod, his demeanor no longer as gentle as when he had been speaking with Jiang Wan, now distant and aloof, clearly unwilling to engage in further conversation with her.
Lu Tong, however, seemed not to notice, her gaze lingering on his face for a moment before shifting to Jiang Wan.
“Might I ask which family this Mrs. Gu hails from?”
Gu Shilan narrowed his eyes slightly, finally deigning to look at her, but his words were far from courteous: “You don’t need to know.”
Lu Tong was immediately taken aback, her meticulously made-up face nearly failing to maintain its usual composure.
Jiang Wan glanced almost imperceptibly at Gu Shilan; this was the first time she had seen him act so discourteously.
Not wanting Gu Shilan to be criticized for this, she stood up to defuse the situation.
“Hello, Miss Lu, my name is Jiang Wan.”
Looking at Jiang Wan’s outstretched hand, Lu Tong’s embarrassment eased slightly, and she reached out to give it a light, formal shake.
“Miss Jiang, you look quite young. Are you still in school?”
Jiang Wan smiled calmly: “I graduated this year.”
A faint smile played on Lu Tong’s lips: “It seems Shi Lan is truly a good man, able to make Miss Jiang decide to marry him right after graduation. Many women lack that kind of resolve.”
Jiang Wan nodded: “Yes, Shi Lan is indeed an excellent choice. I must have used up all the luck from my past life to meet him.”
Lu Tong said in an ambiguous tone, “From the way Miss Jiang speaks, you really treasure him.”
Jiang Wan replied half-jokingly, “When you finally find someone good, you have to hold on tight, don’t you? What if someone else snatches him away? I’d regret it forever.”
Gu Shilan, initially worried that Jiang Wan might be at a disadvantage, had intended to interrupt Lu Tong from the start. But seeing Jiang Wan hold her own without faltering, he relaxed and leaned back against the sofa.
As the mistress of the Gu family, Jiang Wan was destined to face various challenges in the future. He couldn’t always be there to protect her in time; she needed to grow under his wing.
Lu Tong hadn’t expected Jiang Wan, who appeared soft, to be anything but weak, effortlessly deflecting her provocations without leaving a trace.
Outwardly, she maintained her usual elegance, but her hand gripping the wine glass seemed ready to shatter it.
“How could that be?” Lu Tong said. “Shi Lan and I grew up together, and even he has become so cold toward me. What other woman could possibly snatch him away?”
“Grew up together?” Gu Shilan scoffed, standing up, hands in his pockets, looking down at Lu Tong. “As far as I recall, we only met a few times at family gatherings. When did we ‘grow up together’? I don’t remember that.”
“Shi Lan, you…” Lu Tong widened her eyes, both humiliated and stunned.
Gu Shilan interrupted her overly familiar address: “Miss Lu, I’d prefer you to address me as Mr. Gu. I don’t want any inappropriate terms of address to cause misunderstandings with my wife. Besides, you and I have no relationship whatsoever. Please keep your distance from me in the future.”
Having said that, he ignored Lu Tong and instead took Jiang Wan’s hand: “Wanwan, it’s a bit stuffy in here. Shall we step out for some fresh air?”
Jiang Wan nodded, and the two walked past Lu Tong, heading outside.
Lu Tong stared blankly as the two figures gradually moved away. Her mind felt as if it had just been struck a heavy blow, leaving her ears ringing and her vision blurred, unable to even make out the overlapping silhouettes before her.
Only Gu Shilan’s words echoed in her mind: “Stay away from me.”
Was she really that detestable to him?
She was no less than Jiang Wan—why could Jiang Wan stay by his side while she couldn’t?
She had first seen him at a family gathering years ago and had been captivated by him ever since.
She had watched him silently for so many years, believing he was a commitment-phobe, only for some girl who appeared out of nowhere to become Mrs. Gu.