Su Jin Yue looked at him for a few seconds before finally letting out a soft laugh.
For the first time during the blind date, she felt that she had met a man even harder to read than herself.
Su Jin Yue leaned back slightly in her chair and said calmly, “You’ve looked into me so thoroughly.
You must know about my father too, right?” Gu Jing Shen shook his head.
“I’m only interested in you.
I have no interest in your father.” His answer caught Su Jin Yue slightly off guard.
She had only asked to test him, never expecting him to answer so directly.
Her eyes narrowed, and the corners of her lips curved into a smile that was half amused and half assessing.
“You’re not interested in my father?” “Mm.” “He’s the richest man in the Su family, and he’s also the one who decides what I can and cannot do.
You want to marry me, yet you don’t care about him?” Gu Jing Shen calmly lifted his teacup but didn’t drink from it.
He merely turned the cup slightly in his hand before answering, “I’m marrying you, not him.” Su Jin Yue laughed.
“You make it sound so easy.” “It was never complicated to begin with.” “Not complicated?” She tilted her head slightly as she looked at him.
“You know I’m his only daughter.
You also know I’m the heir to Shengshi.
A man like you, with no money, no status, and no powerful family background, suddenly wants to marry me.
Do you really think I’ll believe this is nothing more than an ordinary marriage?” Gu Jing Shen set down his teacup.
“You can believe me or not.
It makes no difference.” His calm, almost indifferent answer surprised Su Jin Yue.
“Gu Jing Shen, you really are the strangest man I’ve ever met.” “Thank you.” “I was insulting you.” “I know.” She looked at him and couldn’t help laughing again.
It was the first time that day she had genuinely felt at ease talking to a man.
She picked up her teacup, took a sip, and asked, “You’re a corporate lawyer.
Your income shouldn’t be bad.” “Enough to live on.” “Do you have a car?” “Yes.” “What about a house?” “I’m renting.” “Do you have savings?” “Enough to marry you.” Su Jin Yue nearly choked on her tea.
She set the cup down and stared at him in disbelief.
“Do you talk this bluntly to every woman?” “No.” “Then why are you like this with me?” “Because you don’t like beating around the bush.” Su Jin Yue looked at him, not quite understanding why she suddenly felt a little pleased.
This man seemed to have a way of using the most ordinary sentence to leave her completely unable to argue.
She rested her chin on her hand and continued asking, “After we get married, how do you want me to live?” “The way you lived before.
Nothing changes.” “You’re not going to ask me to cook, do the laundry, or take care of you?” “I’m an ordinary man.
I can take care of those things myself.
I don’t need anyone else to do them for me.” Su Jin Yue stared at Gu Jing Shen.
“Anything else you want to ask?” “Yes!” “I’m listening.” “Why do you want to marry me instead of some other woman?” Gu Jing Shen was silent for a few seconds.
The question seemed to be within his expectations, but for the first time since they sat down, his gaze was no longer completely composed.
He looked at Su Jin Yue with deep, quiet eyes, as though carefully considering how he should answer her.
“Because you’re suitable.” Su Jin Yue raised an eyebrow slightly.
“Suitable in what way?” “You don’t need a man with money, and I don’t need a woman who uses her money to change my life.
You don’t like being controlled by others, and I don’t like controlling other people.
You need a marriage without feelings, and I don’t need you to give me yours.” Su Jin Yue looked at him, her expression gradually turning serious.
“It sounds like you’re choosing a business partner rather than a wife.” “To me, marriage is first and foremost a long-term partnership.” “What about love?” “Not necessary.” His answer was so decisive that Su Jin Yue paused.
She had assumed that any man who wanted to marry her would at least say something romantic, something like love at first sight, there’s something special about you, or at the very least come up with a reason that sounded more romantic.
But Gu Jing Shen clearly had no intention of saying any of those things.
He simply sat there, calm to the point of coldness, as though the two of them were negotiating a contract.
Su Jin Yue rested her chin on her hand and looked at him.
“You don’t believe in love?” “I do.” “Then why say you don’t need it?” “Because it isn’t part of my plan.” “You’re far too rational.” “Rational people make fewer mistakes.” “But it can also make people miss out on a lot of things.” Gu Jing Shen looked at her.
“Such as?” “For example, someone who genuinely loves you.” The air between them suddenly fell silent.
Su Jin Yue had only said it casually, but when she met Gu Jing Shen’s gaze, she suddenly had the strange feeling that he had been looking at her for a very long time.
His gaze was so deep that it made her slightly uncomfortable.
She instinctively looked away and reached for her teacup.
“Forget it.
I was just asking.” Gu Jing Shen continued looking at her before finally speaking slowly.
“You asked why I chose you.
So let me give you one reason.” Su Jin Yue looked up at Gu Jing Shen, curiosity flashing in her eyes.
“Because if I marry you, I won’t have to worry about you falling in love with me someday.” Su Jin Yue froze.
She hadn’t expected that answer at all.
“I don’t like trouble.” She looked at him for a few seconds before laughing.
“Gu Jing Shen, you really don’t know how to say sweet things.” “You want to hear something sweet?” “Of course.” He thought for a moment before saying, “You’re very beautiful.” The smile on Su Jin Yue’s lips immediately grew wider.
“What else?” “Smart.” “Keep going.” “You have money.” “Forget it.
Pretend I never asked.” Su Jin Yue turned her face away, but the corners of her lips still curled upward despite herself.
Gu Jing Shen watched her expression, and his gaze softened ever so slightly.
“I have a bad temper.
I’m stubborn, headstrong, and I lose my temper easily.
Most of all, I hate people interfering in my life,” she said.
“No problem.” Gu Jing Shen answered almost immediately.
His decisiveness caught Su Jin Yue slightly by surprise.
She looked at him one more time before saying nothing else.
She opened the handbag beside her, took out a prepared document, placed it on the table, and gently pushed it toward him.
“This is a marriage contract.” Gu Jing Shen lowered his eyes to the documents in front of him.
He picked them up and turned through the pages at an unhurried pace.
His eyes moved over the densely written clauses, his expression remaining calm.
After a while, he spoke.
“After marriage, neither party interferes in the other’s private life.
Finances remain separate.
No emotional obligations.” He raised his eyes to look at her.
“These are exactly the terms you want.” Su Jin Yue rested one hand on the table and looked at him.
“Do you have any objections?” Gu Jing Shen closed the contract and placed it back in front of him.
“Yes.” Su Jin Yue immediately became wary.
Gu Jing Shen said calmly, “The lawyer who drafted this contract for you seems to have been out of practice for quite some time.” Su Jin Yue frowned.
“What do you mean?” “Some of these clauses no longer comply with the newer regulations.” He tapped his finger lightly against the contract.
“If you actually intend to use this as a legal basis, this version isn’t airtight enough.” Su Jin Yue looked at him, suddenly remembering that Gu Jing Shen was a corporate lawyer.
Only then did Su Jin Yue understand why his presence was so different from the other men she had met before.
It wasn’t the ostentatious air of wealth, nor the arrogance of some rich young heir.
Gu Jing Shen possessed a very particular kind of composure, like a man accustomed to controlling every word he said and every situation unfolding before him.
She glanced at the contract.
“So you don’t want to sign it?” “No.” Gu Jing Shen looked up at her, his voice still calm.
“I mean, let me rewrite it and make it more airtight.” Su Jin Yue was slightly surprised.
But it was his next sentence that truly made her frown.
“And I want us to add another agreement.” “What agreement?” “No divorce for the next two years.” The room suddenly fell silent.
Su Jin Yue looked at him, the ease in her expression already gone.
“Why?” Gu Jing Shen met her gaze without avoiding it.
“I need enough stability to handle my work without being affected by sudden changes in our marital relationship.” The reason sounded reasonable.
But Su Jin Yue still felt that something wasn’t quite right.
She had only wanted a marriage in name.
The two of them would not interfere with each other’s lives, there would be no feelings involved, and they could divorce whenever necessary.
Two years?
That had never been part of her original plan.
Yet after a few seconds of consideration, Su Jin Yue still nodded.
“Okay.” Gu Jing Shen raised his eyebrows slightly.
Su Jin Yue glanced at the watch on her wrist and said, “Are you free at three tomorrow afternoon?” “Don’t worry.” Gu Jing Shen gathered the contract and spoke with certainty.
“I’ll revise it and send it to you today.” “No need.” Su Jin Yue stood up and picked up her handbag.
Gu Jing Shen looked up at Su Jin Yue.
She said calmly, “Tomorrow at three, let’s meet at the Civil Affairs Bureau and register our marriage.” With that, Su Jin Yue turned and walked away.
After taking a few steps, she suddenly stopped and turned back to look at the man still sitting at the table.
“Gu Jing Shen.” “Mm?” “I hope you remember the terms of the contract after we get married.” Her gaze was cool but unmistakably clear.
“Don’t fall in love with me.
And don’t interfere in my life.” Gu Jing Shen looked at her in silence for a few seconds before giving a slight nod.
“Okay.” Su Jin Yue said nothing more.
She turned and walked out of the restaurant.
The door closed behind her.
Gu Jing Shen remained where he was, his gaze lingering on her silhouette through the glass until she disappeared completely.
He lowered his eyes to the contract on the table, the faintest curve appearing at the corner of his lips.
Two years.
Two years would be enough.
Because from the moment he walked into this restaurant, Gu Jing Shen had already known something that Su Jin Yue had no idea about.
This marriage had never been a simple transaction to him.