But… even if he really had some gift for reading people, what good would it do?
As long as she never admitted it, everything he suspected was nothing but baseless speculation.
The final say still rested with her.
The tension that had just risen in Shen Zhaozhao’s heart instantly settled again.
Beneath Gu Shichuan’s scrutinizing gaze, Shen Zhaozhao offered a faint, knowing smile.
“We’re two of a kind, aren’t we? You get to put on an act, but I can’t? Don’t you wear two different faces in public and in private?”
“You’ve changed far more—your whole demeanor is nothing like it was two minutes ago.”
Looking at him now, who would ever guess he was once an aimless, slouching loafer?
“When you’re out in the world, you’ve got to wear a mask. Would you lay every part of your true self bare for everyone to see? Only a fool would do that.”
Gu Shichuan fell silent for a beat.
So all that clumsy, unworldly act she’d put on before… it had all been deliberate, just to lower everyone’s guard? And only after last night, when she could no longer keep it up around him, had she finally shown her true colors?
Just like him?
Gu Shichuan pressed his thin lips together.
Which meant even those little, seemingly innocent gestures she’d made were all carefully calculated ploys.
He’d never imagined Shen Zhaozhao could have acted so perfectly—so seamlessly that even he had been completely fooled.
The moment the truth sank in, Gu Shichuan couldn’t help but question his own professional judgment.
Clearly, he still had a lot to learn about observation and investigation from his old squad leader.
Seeing he had nothing left to say, Shen Zhaozhao let out a quiet breath of relief, then turned to drag over a chair.
She’d barely started to sit down when a sharp, throbbing pain shot through her lower back.
She quickly straightened up, bracing herself with one hand before slowly lowering herself into the seat.
The ache hadn’t faded; she gritted her teeth and rubbed at the spot, then couldn’t help but glare daggers at the man who was the cause of it all.
It was a sidelong glance, half chiding, half furious.
Shen Zhaozhao thought she’d looked fierce enough to make her anger perfectly clear—but in truth, her eyes glowed bright as gemstones, their radiance heightened by the flush at their corners and her fair skin. She looked vivid, spirited, and undeniably alluring—though she had no idea how she appeared. She shot him glare after glare, completely unaware.
Gu Shichuan seemed outwardly unperturbed, yet his thin lips had unconsciously tightened.
She curled her slender, pale fingers, rapping her knuckles sharply against the table, her tone sharp and demanding.
“What are you staring at? Get me pen and paper right now—we’re drawing up the divorce agreement first!”
Gu Shichuan frowned.
“We haven’t even married yet.”
“I know that! But we’ve already… well, you know.” Shen Zhaozhao cleared her throat. “We’re effectively married in every way that matters—common-law, recognized by law. No need to go through the official paperwork, and it’ll make splitting up easier later on.”
“Besides, everyone already knows we’re together. I’m going to be living as your wife until I go back to the city.”
“Since that’s how things are, we need to lay down some ground rules first—so we both know where we stand.”
“I’m writing all of it into this agreement.”
Gu Shichuan knew the one Shen Zhaozhao truly loved was Fu Shixuan. What had happened last night was almost certainly a mistake, and this marriage was likely nothing more than a front for her.
In short, their relationship was nothing more than a partnership.
And every partnership had its terms.
After a moment’s thought, Gu Shichuan agreed. He pulled out a sheet of paper and a pen from a drawer and handed them over.
Shen Zhaozhao took them, writing carefully for a long time before tossing the finished page straight at him.
“Read it over. Anything you want to add?”
Gu Shichuan took it, glancing down in confusion. The entire page held only a few short lines, written in a fine, elegant script.
His eyes skimmed quickly until they reached the line: Before Party A returns to the city, Party B (Gu Shichuan) shall abide by the following… He slowed, reading every word carefully.
The first two clauses were reasonable, aligned closely with his own expectations. He read on calmly, with no objections—until he reached the third.
Gu Shichuan: ?
One meter? His bed was only one point two meters wide.
He looked at her, his expression unreadable.
“Are you saying I should sleep on the floor in my own room?”
Shen Zhaozhao propped her chin in one hand, tilting her head and blinking at him with a bright, teasing smile.
“Smart man.”
“You’re strong, fit, and built like a tank—surely you wouldn’t make a helpless woman sleep on the floor?”
As she spoke, she rubbed her slender waist—so narrow his hands could have spanned it—for extra effect.
“Ouch… my back hurts so much. I wonder who’s responsible for that?”
Her smile never faded, but every word carried a sharp edge of threat.
Gu Shichuan: …
If he said no now, he’d look like a heartless brute—especially when he was clearly the one who’d caused her pain.
He was more confused than ever by Shen Zhaozhao. The woman he’d known before would have screamed, argued, and clung to him endlessly to get her way.
Now she knew exactly how to coerce and bargain.
Could all of that really have been an act?
Well… he’d slept on plenty of hard floors during his time in the army.
Gu Shichuan said nothing, simply took the pen and signed his name.
They made two copies, each keeping one.
Shen Zhaozhao read through her copy twice to make sure nothing was missing, then folded it carefully and tucked it into her inner pocket with deep satisfaction.
This agreement was her guarantee—now she could finally breathe easy.
Going back to the city was all but settled.
Since she was here, she’d make the best of it. She’d protect herself, build a new future, and make a better life for herself. There was no future for her in this village—her real life would start the moment she returned to the city.
No one was going to stop her from going back in peace!
Once she was there, she’d spread her wings and make her mark on the world again. If she could thrive in her old life, there was no reason she couldn’t do the same here.
With the divorce agreement tucked safely away, Shen Zhaozhao felt as if a heavy weight had lifted from her shoulders, and her heart filled with hope for what lay ahead.
Now that she had a plan, she turned her attention to the days right in front of her. She remembered her luggage was still at the educated youth dormitory—she’d go collect it first.
Thirty days remained until she left. It wasn’t long, but she had to make sure she got through every single day without trouble. No more surprises, no more complications.
It felt like the final trial on a long journey—all she had to do was get through it smoothly.