Gu Yu had someone keep a close watch on Jiang Yumo, sending updates in real time.
Even during afternoon work, he occasionally got distracted, a rare occurrence for Gu Yu, which made several department managers break into cold sweats.
When he received the message that Jiang Yumo and the others had returned to the city center and were planning to go to a restaurant for dinner, Gu Yu immediately interrupted his assistant, telling him to send the remaining work to his email. He didn’t delay for a moment and left work early for the first time.
The dinner restaurant was a Chinese-style private restaurant chosen by Gu Xuan, decorated with an ancient manor aesthetic. The private rooms were separated by exquisitely crafted screens full of classical charm, and through the glass windows, one could see beautifully arranged artificial hills and flowing water.
Gu Xuan was clearly a regular. Upon entering, a waitress in a [1]qipao is a traditional Chinese dress for women, also called a cheongsam. It’s typically form-fitting with a high collar, side slits, and often made of silk or similarly elegant fabrics. It’s … Continue reading jQuery('#footnote_plugin_tooltip_1988498_1_1').tooltip({ tip: '#footnote_plugin_tooltip_text_1988498_1_1', tipClass: 'footnote_tooltip', effect: 'fade', predelay: 0, fadeInSpeed: 200, delay: 400, fadeOutSpeed: 200, position: 'top center', relative: true, offset: [-7, 0], });qipao led him straight to a prime spot with perfect visibility.
He expertly ordered a few dishes. As soon as Gu Youyou sat down, she craned her neck, looking around curiously.
Earlier, Jiang Yumo had said he wanted to buy something and went out again right after sitting down.
“Big brother, do you think Brother Jiang won’t come back?” Gu Youyou fidgeted anxiously.
Gu Xuan, with a teasing, nonchalant tone, said, “If he doesn’t come back, he doesn’t. Maybe he’s busy. Why? Do you like him?”
“How did you know?” Gu Youyou asked casually, showing no embarrassment that her older brother had figured out her feelings.
Gu Xuan’s heart skipped a beat. He hadn’t even poured wine yet and had to put the bottle down. He fidgeted with the teacup, ran his hands through his hair, moving constantly, looking almost comically restless. A few minutes later, he frowned and asked, “Do you know his family situation? How long have you known him before you liked him? And even if you like him, what about him? Does he like you?”
Most importantly, he asked, “Does Ah Yu know you like him?”
Gu Xuan’s rapid-fire questions felt overwhelming, almost like physical blows, and Gu Youyou quickly held up her hands to stop him. “Wait, wait! Big brother, what are you talking about?”
Gu Xuan, flustered, grabbed the teacup and drank in one gulp, burning his tongue and spitting it out. Gu Youyou, concerned, handed him a wet wipe. “Big brother, slow down, no one’s going to snatch him away from you.”
Gu Xuan: “……”
After wiping his mouth and hands, he slowed his tone. “You like him… does he like you?”
“I like him, that’s my business. What does it have to do with him?” Gu Youyou said in surprise. “I just want to be with him, that’s all.”
Gu Xuan slammed the table in shock. “You’re the Gu family heiress! How can you be so… humble?”
“Ah?” Gu Youyou looked confused. She just liked being with her lifesaver; simply being near him made her feel comfortable. How was that humble?
Gu Youyou protested, “Those fans chase after stars, running all over just to take a photo with them. At least I get to eat, drink, and have fun together with him!”
Gu Xuan was speechless.
Then Gu Youyou suddenly remembered something and asked, “Besides, what does this have to do with Second Brother?”
Gu Xuan felt like he’d been struck dumb by her words. His throat felt blocked by sand, and he struggled to squeeze out each word. “Nothing… it’s just… if, I mean, if your Second Brother also likes him?”
“That would be great!” Gu Youyou’s eyes sparkled so brightly that it nearly blinded Gu Xuan. She clapped her hands together and pressed them to the side of her face. “If Second Brother also likes him, that would be amazing.”
Yet she still had a feeling that Second Brother didn’t really like her lifesaver. Although he always smiled at him, she had a strange, instinctive sense that he didn’t feel the same way.
Her intuition had always been sharp. Back in the village, a single man had tried to win her over with food, but her gut told her he had bad intentions, so she never fell for it.
It would be wonderful if Second Brother liked her lifesaver. Both were people she cared about, and she wanted them to get along.
Gu Xuan was dumbfounded.
Good grief, what kind of upbringing had this little girl received?
“Just as long as Second Brother likes him!”
Meaning the reputation of the Gu family didn’t matter at all!
No, under no circumstances could there be a scandal where both siblings loved the same man.
Gu Xuan poured himself a full glass of wine and his gaze hardened. It was time to take on the responsibility of being the Gu family’s eldest.
He clenched his fist.
At the very least, maintaining the Gu family’s reputation was his duty.
It wasn’t until all the dishes were served that Jiang Yumo returned from outside.
As soon as he sat down, he sensed Gu Xuan looking at him oddly. Jiang Yumo pretended not to notice and calmly placed a rectangular pink paper bag tied with a ribbon in front of Gu Youyou. “A gift.”
Gu Youyou was overjoyed. “Thank you, Brother Jiang!”
The expression on his sister’s face, like she had received a treasure, was almost blinding to Gu Xuan. He couldn’t help but tease a little. “Little brother, that’s not fair! My sister got one, why didn’t I? Didn’t I spend the whole morning playing with you two?”
【System: Why does the male lead’s brother have such a temper? Could it be that the male lead’s sister said something bad about the host behind his back?】
Jiang Yumo noticed Gu Youyou’s eyes widening in mild anger at Gu Xuan, it didn’t look fake.
He thought for a moment, then said with a gentle smile, “You’re Youyou’s big brother, so I’ll call you big brother too.”
At the same time, Jiang Yumo handed over a small bag. “A little gift, just a token of respect.”
Gu Xuan: !!!
He never expected to get one too. He had been looking for a reason to tease, yet somehow his mood had strangely improved.
The system watched coldly as the host used something casually bought, wrapped as a small gift, and effortlessly got the male lead’s eldest brother and youngest sister smiling and pleased.
System: Tsk! Absolutely hopeless!
And yet, the male lead’s the most spirited one!
Having received the gift, Gu Xuan couldn’t bring himself to say anything unpleasant.
The rest of the meal went splendidly for everyone.
Jiang Yumo was particularly perceptive, noticing what the others liked and subtly serving dishes to them using the communal chopsticks.
The eldest Gu son and his youngest sister were looked after so well that, without realizing it, the two of them were completely cheered up by a boy who had just come of age.
System: 【Host, why are you doing all this?】
Not to brag, but the system probably understood the host better than anyone else on the scene.
The host wasn’t the type to care for others. He always prioritized his own needs.
And the moment the host starts putting others’ needs before his own, there’s no doubt, he’s definitely plotting something!
So what’s the host’s plan this time? Is it aimed at the male lead?!
Jiang Yumo thought to himself: “Guess.”
He propped his hand against his cheek, his cheekbones slightly raised, and his crescent-shaped eyes filled with a mesmerizing smile. He just kept gazing at the Gu siblings, Gu Xuan and Gu Youyou.
The scene was captured and sent in real time to Gu Yu’s phone.
Snap!
Without a doubt, Gu Xuan had broken another stylus.
Before Gu Yu even said a word, just by moving his fingers, a brand-new stylus was immediately delivered in front of him.
Gu Yu glanced at him, slightly surprised.
The personal assistant pushed up his nonexistent glasses on the bridge of his nose.
Gu Yu’s handsome face hardened. “Drive faster.”
It was just rush hour, and the driver looked a bit nervous but still tried to maintain composure. “Mr. Gu, there’s traffic. We might not make it faster.”
Gu Yu: “…”
Meanwhile, inside the private restaurant, the three hadn’t finished their meal when suddenly the outside became chaotic. The sharp sound of porcelain bowls hitting the floor, a woman’s piercing scream, and a man’s impatient growl filled the air.
Jiang Yumo hadn’t wanted to care, but his ears were sharp. He immediately sensed that the commotion outside sounded oddly familiar.
Their seating was perfect. A large potted plant next to them blocked several people’s figures while still letting them secretly watch the scene unfold.
Not far away, in the center of all the eyes, was a seemingly well-behaved young man. He wore a light yellow hoodie, beige cargo pants, and sneakers worth tens of thousands.
His carefully styled hair, like the hoodie, had streaks of red wine. Across from him stood a sexy woman in a red backless dress, holding an empty wine glass high, glaring at the young man. “So thirsty, huh? Go find another man! What? Or do you just like eating from other people’s plates?”
She was beautiful and spoke without restraint.
The young man had clearly never been in such a situation. He looked bewildered, touched his hair, glanced down at the red stain on his hoodie, and pouted in grievance.
The woman wasn’t done. She grabbed another glass of wine from the table. The man in a suit finally stood up, firmly gripping her wrist, disapproving. “Stop this!”
“Oh, really?!” The woman’s anger exploded, like someone had stabbed her lungs. “I cause a scene, right? Who told me to work overtime! You eat my food, wear my clothes, use my stuff! But in reality, you’re dating someone else! A guy!”
The woman was furious. The suited man glanced around at the crowd watching. His face and neck immediately flushed red. He growled, “We can talk about this at home. Don’t make such a scene here for people to laugh at!”
“Laugh at me?!” The woman laughed in rage, grabbed the red wine bottle from the ice bucket on the table, and swung it at the young man’s head. “You’re cheating and don’t even care about your own face, yet you’re afraid people will laugh at you?!”
Just before the wine could pour from the bottle, a cold, clean hand pressed precisely on the mouth of the bottle. “Say what you want, but don’t take it out on someone else.”
“Who’s there!” The woman spun around, and the instant she saw the newcomer’s face, her anger froze for a moment. Suppressing the wildfire in her chest, she forced herself to speak calmly, “You look young, so get lost! Adult matters aren’t something you should interfere with!”
Jiang Yumo: …
Sure, he had just come of age in this life, and malnutrition made him look younger than he actually was. Purely thanks to his mother’s strong genes, he could look so youthful and handsome. But in his previous life, he had already lived to twenty-five!
Jiang Yumo knew that whenever he smiled, he could instinctively trigger certain people’s “cute gene.” Without a trace of annoyance, he grinned. “Miss, I believe you’re just trying to resolve the situation, right?”
He pointed at the young man. “He’s clearly dumbfounded from being scolded by you. Such a dopey guy, do you really think he’s the type to deliberately seduce a married woman?”
“This is a custom piece from XXXX, the clothes are high-end luxury brands, and those flashy accessories,” Jiang Yumo said while pointing out the price, “all together, it easily exceeds a million.”
The woman’s expression instantly turned icy. Seeing this, the man in the suit stepped directly in front of her. “I don’t know what nonsense you’re talking about. Miaomiao, he’s just my junior at school. The one I love is you! Let’s go home, alright? We can talk about this there.”
The suited man genuinely seemed terrified that the woman might abandon him. He used the most pitiful, pleading expression he could muster, the one she liked best, and half-dragged her away.
The entire incident lasted barely ten minutes. Jiang Yumo placed the wine bottle back on the table and casually asked, “Are you okay?”
The young man, as if encountering someone like Jiang Yumo for the first time, looked at him with bright, shining eyes. He wiped his face clean and spoke with energetic cheer, “I’m fine!”
Jiang Yumo nodded casually and turned toward the private room.
【Daily Mission: Do a Good Deed 10/10, Current Energy 14】
System: 【Host, you’re getting more and more impressive!】
【Handled it in just a few words, amazing!】
Jiang Yumo had walked only a few steps before turning back. “Why are you following me?”
The young man eagerly stepped forward, holding Jiang Yumo’s hands with both of his. “Uh, I-I-I’m Xu Chengying. What’s your name? Can we exchange WeChat and be friends…”
“Xu Chengying!”
Xu Chengying twitched his ears, feeling the voice sounded familiar.
“Xu Chengying!”
The voice called again twice. Xu Chengying, slightly impatient, turned his head, the annoyance fading from his face, and reluctantly said, “Big Brother Gu.”
Xu Chengying was Xu Feiyao’s younger brother. Already a university student, he had no worries about employment and thus had a very young, even childish, mindset.
The slim girl in sportswear sitting nearby must be Gu Youyou, the recently recovered heiress of the Gu family.
A while ago, during Gu Youyou’s birthday, Xu Chengying happened to be traveling on the other side and couldn’t make it back in time.
Now he nodded at her and greeted her politely.
But for some reason, Gu Youyou kept glaring at him like a wolf cub that had lost its treasure, as if she didn’t welcome him at all.
Xu Chengying was a little confused. He hadn’t met Gu Youyou much, and he didn’t think he had offended her.
‘Still touching! Still touching!’
Gu Youyou glared at Xu Chengying holding her savior’s hand. If her eyes could shoot lasers, Xu Chengying’s hand would already be pierced.
Gu Xuan looked at these two little brats fighting over food like this and rubbed his temple in frustration. “Standing like that doesn’t look good. Why don’t you sit down first?”
Jiang Yumo immediately pulled his hand back, returned to the private room, and very unceremoniously wiped it clean with a disinfecting wipe.
Xu Chengying didn’t mind at all. He plopped down beside Jiang Yumo. “I’m Xu Chengying, twenty years old. What’s your name? Let’s add each other on WeChat and be friends~”
Gu Youyou slammed both fists on the table, holding chopsticks in each hand. “Brother Jiang hasn’t eaten enough yet…”
Xu Chengying glanced at the table, most of the food had already been eaten. He waved over a waiter and quickly ordered four or five new dishes.
Jiang Yumo sighed.
The system finally realized why the host hadn’t immediately stepped in to handle the situation.
Xu Chengying looked physically grown, but his brain was like a child’s, chattering nonstop.
Jiang Yumo rolled his eyes without hesitation. “Noisy.”
Xu Chengying immediately fell silent.
Gu Xuan was completely exasperated.
It was obvious that Xu Chengying had a crush on Jiang Yumo.
Gu Youyou liked Jiang Yumo, Gu Yu also seemed to have a favorable impression of him, and now here came Xu Chengying, brother of Xu Feiyao, who was Gu Yu’s friend.
Gu Xuan felt his head was about to explode.
How could he make both of them give up on Jiang Yumo?
He couldn’t think of a way.
He looked at the scene: Jiang Yumo sitting with Gu Youyou on his left and Xu Chengying on his right, both shooting glances at him from time to time.
Gu Xuan buried his head in his hands. Maybe he should just give up.
Meanwhile, this “[2]“Embraced on both sides” refers to him being flanked by two people, while “surrounded by butterflies” conveys the sense of excitement, attraction, or a flustered, romantic-like atmosphere … Continue reading jQuery('#footnote_plugin_tooltip_1988498_1_2').tooltip({ tip: '#footnote_plugin_tooltip_text_1988498_1_2', tipClass: 'footnote_tooltip', effect: 'fade', predelay: 0, fadeInSpeed: 200, delay: 400, fadeOutSpeed: 200, position: 'top center', relative: true, offset: [-7, 0], });embraced on both sides, surrounded by butterflies” scene was being transmitted live to Gu Yu’s phone.
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