Gu Chiyuan nodded, “Alright.”
Yu Wan lowered her head as she ate. Hearing that, her chopsticks paused for a moment.
An assistant?
In the original novel, it wouldn’t be long before Gu Chiyuan chose Su Nanzhi as his assistant.
From then on, Su Nanzhi entered the core of Hongtai Group, spending every day by Gu Chiyuan’s side until she gradually found her way into his heart.
Sure enough, even though the male lead’s storyline had been completely thrown off course, the novel’s main plot was still steadily moving forward.
“Xiao Wan?” Mother Yu’s voice pulled her back to reality. “Will you be home this weekend?”
Yu Wan snapped out of her thoughts.
“I will. The café’s under renovation, so I don’t have to work.”
“That’s good.” Mother Yu smiled. “I haven’t seen much of you lately. Stay home this weekend and keep me company.”
Yu Wan nodded. “Alright.”
“Perfect! Your Second Uncle’s family is coming over tomorrow too,” Uncle Gu said. “You kids haven’t seen each other in ages. It’ll be a good chance to get together.”
“Okay.”
Yu Wan showed little reaction.
But sitting beside her, Gu Chiyuan’s brows furrowed ever so slightly.
After dinner, Yu Wan helped Mother Yu clear the table.
Gu Chiyuan went upstairs.
Yu Wan finally let out a sigh of relief.
Back in her room, she finally took out her phone.
A new message was waiting on the screen.
【Li Yi: Have you made it home?】
Looking at the message, the corners of Yu Wan’s lips unconsciously lifted.
The heaviness she had felt at the dinner table from thinking about the plot seemed to fade because of this single sentence.
Leaning against the headboard, she started typing.
【Yu Wan: I have.】
Li Yi replied instantly.
【Li Yi: That’s good.】
【Yu Wan: Have you all finished eating?】
【Li Yi: Yeah, we just wrapped up. Liang Ming got drunk and hugged Chen Siwei while calling him Dad.】
Yu Wan couldn’t hold back her laughter.
【Yu Wan: And then?】
【Li Yi: Then Chen Siwei got drunk too and actually called him Son.】
【Yu Wan: ???】
【Li Yi: Now the two of them are hugging each other and crying about their deep father son bond.】
Yu Wan laughed so hard that her shoulders trembled.
【Yu Wan: You didn’t get drunk?】
【Li Yi: Nope. That little bit of alcohol isn’t enough to knock me down. Besides, I still have to get everyone home.】
【Yu Wan: You’re taking more than ten people home by yourself?】
【Li Yi: I hired designated drivers and got three six seater cars.】
Yu Wan pictured the scene.
Li Yi standing outside the hot spring resort, staring at a group of people swaying all over the place with a completely lifeless expression.
【Yu Wan: Thanks for your hard work.】
【Li Yi: It’s not hard work. It’s a hard life.】
Yu Wan laughed again.
He really was quite entertaining.
【Yu Wan: Alright, stop texting. Go take care of everything.】
After sending the message, Yu Wan placed her phone on the bedside table, leaned back against the pillow, and couldn’t help smiling.
Outside, the night breeze rustled the peach tree beyond her window.
Spring was just around the corner.
Yu Wan pushed open the balcony door of her bedroom and took a deep breath of the flower scented air.
The cool night breeze carried a faint floral fragrance, sweeping away the exhaustion of the day.
She leaned against the railing, looking at the dim yellow lights illuminating the garden below, humming softly with a smile still lingering on her lips.
Then, the moment she turned her head, she saw Gu Chiyuan standing on the neighboring balcony in his pajamas.
Yu Wan: “…!”
The smile froze on her face.
…How had she forgotten that Gu Chiyuan lived right next door?
Gu Chiyuan was wearing a dark gray robe, his hair looser than it had been during the day, strands falling across his forehead.
Leaning casually against the railing with a glass of water in his hand, he looked at her quietly.
There was no telling how long he had been watching.
Bracing herself, Yu Wan greeted him.
“Brother.”
Gu Chiyuan said nothing.
He simply looked at her.
The night breeze drifted between them, lifting a few strands of Yu Wan’s hair.
She instinctively tucked them behind her ear, feeling a little uncomfortable.
“What were you smiling about just now?”
Gu Chiyuan finally spoke, his voice calm and unreadable.
Yu Wan hesitated for a moment.
“Nothing. I just thought of something funny.”
“What was it?”
“Well…” Yu Wan thought for a moment, unsure how to explain. “A friend sent me a message saying someone on their team got drunk and made a fool of himself.”
Gu Chiyuan looked at her.
“A friend?”
He repeated the word.
Yu Wan nodded. Gu Chiyuan didn’t ask any more questions.
Even without asking, he already knew.
It had to be that young café owner.
Although Lin Lang had reported that Yu Wan and the café owner weren’t dating, Gu Chiyuan still felt uncomfortable.
He suddenly recalled the investigation report Lin Lang had brought him that afternoon.
It contained the address of the old apartment complex where Yu Wan had been living nearby.
Working part time.
Moving out. Not staying in the university dormitory.
Gu Chiyuan couldn’t understand what Yu Wan was trying to do.
Did she want to become independent?
Did she really think he couldn’t afford to support her?
Lin Lang, however, had given him a different perspective.
“President Gu, do you think someone might have said something to Miss Yu?”
“I put myself in her shoes. If someone called me a parasite or something like that, I’d probably react the same way…”
Gu Chiyuan felt Lin Lang’s guess made a great deal of sense.
Grandpa Gu had passed away early.
His father’s branch of the family had become the most prominent one, naturally making them the target of others’ jealousy.
When Mother Yu married his father, countless people talked behind their backs.
Now that Yu Wan had become his younger sister, those same rumors would naturally be directed at her as well.
It was perfectly normal for jealous people to gossip behind her back.
He had spent the past several years overseas and rarely involved himself in affairs back home.
He had no idea what Yu Wan had gone through, whether at school or at home.
How many grievances she had endured.
How many hurtful words she had heard.
Perhaps Lin Lang was right.
Yu Wan hadn’t changed. She had simply been hurt.
Gu Chiyuan looked at the girl before him.
She stood on the neighboring balcony beneath the night sky.
Dressed in light colored loungewear, with her long hair hanging loose and gently stirred by the breeze, the soft yellow lights outlined her profile, making her appear unexpectedly fragile.
Fragile, like a butterfly that might flutter away at any moment.
“Yu Wan.”
Yu Wan turned toward him.
“Hm?”
Gu Chiyuan looked at her.
Then he said, “From now on, if anyone says anything hurtful to you, you don’t have to put up with it.”
Yu Wan froze. “I don’t have to?”
She repeated the words, utterly puzzled.
“That’s right,” Gu Chiyuan said. “You’re the Gu family’s daughter. You’re my younger sister. If anyone dares bully you, tell me.”
Yu Wan looked at him, her face filled with confusion.
Besides you, is there anyone else in this family who can bully me?
What on earth is this second male lead up to now?