After agreeing to attend the banquet at the Fu family’s home, Su Yanxi went upstairs to rest.
In the first-floor living room, Gu Nanchu looked at Gu Yanze with exasperation. “Just listen to yourself. Yanyan’s such a wonderful girl—beautiful, good-hearted, kind, successful at work. She’s good in every way. What about her isn’t good enough for you? Why won’t you marry her?”
“Grandpa, I’m only twenty-nine. I’m still young. I don’t want to get married this early.”
“Twenty-nine is young, is it? Don’t try to pass yourself off as young by painting green lacquer over an old cucumber. When I was twenty-nine, I’d already had your father—and your father was old enough to buy soy sauce.”
“Grandpa, times have changed. People get married and have children later now.”
“Just because something’s popular doesn’t mean it’s good. If eating shit were popular, would you eat shit too?”
“…”
“You little brat. Look at that sorry face of yours—you look like Zhu Bajie. Yanyan would be marrying down if she married you, and you still think you’re too good for her? What have you got going for you? Do you think you deserve her? There are plenty of mirrors in this house. Go take a good look at that pig face of yours.”
Gu Yanze: …I can’t stay in this house any longer.
Gu Yanze went with a group of friends to Lingxiao Heavenly Palace, a high-end entertainment club in the capital.
The minimum spend for even the smallest private room there was 2.48 million. It was a veritable money pit, with real-name registration and entry limited to the top tier of the elite—so expensive that the poor couldn’t even imagine the prices.
The private-room door swung open, and a man who was impossible to miss walked in.
He wore a yellow suit, a thick gold chain and three jade necklaces from different brands around his neck, and ten diamond rings of different designs on his fingers. He looked like a walking jewelry display case.
The “jewelry display case” swaggered over to Gu Yanze, swaying with every step.
“Buddy, what’s up? I heard you’re depressed.”
The bright yellow suit, thick gold chain, jade necklaces, and huge diamonds made Gu Yanze’s eyes ache. He casually tossed a glass bottle at him.
“Shen Hebai, could you try dressing like a normal person for once? What kind of deranged taste is this? ‘Poisoned’ doesn’t even begin to describe you. You look possessed.”
Shen Hebai raised a hand with practiced ease and caught the bottle flying straight at him. “Nice shot—three points! Come on, give me a round of applause!”
The whole gang played along, clapping their hands. “Young Master Shen’s got skills! Woo!”
Shen Hebai set the bottle on the table and crossed his legs as he sat opposite Gu Yanze.
“What’s my taste got to do with you? I’m the one wearing these clothes. I didn’t make you put them on. I’m the one who looks ugly, not you—so why are you getting worked up?”
He proudly straightened his yellow suit and thick gold chain.
“This is what you call bedecked in gold and silver, dressed in every color under the sun. It’s festive! I walk out wearing this, and everyone knows I’m filthy rich.”
Their friend Liang Jihei glanced at Shen Hebai’s eye-catching suit—the sort most people wouldn’t dare wear outside—and laughed. “I don’t see anything festive about it, but it sure is yellow.”
Laughter and heckling filled the room. “The Yellow M&M! Hahaha!”
Gu Yanze leaned back against the sofa with his head tipped up and his eyes closed, looking thoroughly agitated. The tiny mole at the outer corner of his right eye stood out against his cool, pale skin.
Shen Hebai asked cheekily, “What’s got Young Master Gu in a bad mood? Come on, tell us so we can enjoy it.”
Gu Yanze threw a second glass bottle at him.
Shen Hebai ducked, his movements as nimble as a turtle’s.
“My grandfather’s pressuring me to get married. It’s annoying.”
Shen Hebai had grown up with Gu Yanze and Su Yanxi in the Military Compound, so he knew their situation.
“May you find the one you love and be spared all the pressure to marry. If you don’t want to be pushed into marriage, why not just marry Little Sister Yanxi? Once you’re married, no one will pressure you anymore.”
Flawless logic, but completely useless.
Gu Yanze pressed his fingers to his brow. “I’m not planning to get married for the next few years, but Grandpa’s putting a lot of pressure on me.”
Shen Hebai thought hard for a moment, then slapped his thigh. “I’ve got it! I thought of a great idea!”
Gu Yanze opened his eyes and looked at him. “What idea?”
“Introduce a man to Little Sister Yanxi. If she falls in love with him, she won’t want to marry you, and then your grandfather won’t pressure either of you to get married.”
Someone nearby heckled, “Little Sister Yanxi’s still so innocent. Introducing her to a man—isn’t that just pushing our little sister into a fire pit?”
Shen Hebai downed a glass of brandy. “I care about Yanyan more than anyone. Would I set her up? Even if I did introduce a man to her, I’d make sure he was an absolutely top-notch guy.”
Of the whole group, Liang Jihei was the most curious. “What makes a guy top-notch?”
Someone else looked delighted to have something to watch unfold. “Shen Hebai, what do you think about introducing Liang Jihei to Little Sister Yanxi?”
Liang Jihei puffed out his chest. “I think I’m a great choice.”
“A great choice, my ass. You’re one big slap in the face.”
Liang Jihei protested, “Why am I not good enough? You think I don’t deserve our Little Sister Yanxi?”
Shen Hebai patted Liang Jihei on the shoulder and said gravely, “Buddy, is your piss matte? With a face like yours, you think you’re good enough for our gorgeous Yanyan? Even a three-yuan bunch of keys is a better match for her than you.”
The room erupted in laughter.
Liang Jihei’s face darkened. “Fuck, Shen Hebai, did you eat garlic and forget to brush your teeth? Your mouth stinks.”
Listening to everyone’s laughter, Gu Yanze leaned back against the sofa again, eyes closed. “Liang Jihei really isn’t good enough.”
Liang Jihei tipped back a glass of whiskey. “Fine, fine, I’m not good enough. Then tell me, who is good enough for Little Sister Yanxi?”
Shen Hebai was always full of schemes. He slapped his forehead and exclaimed, “Fu Linchen! Perfect timing—Beijing Circle Heir Fu just returned from Yuncheng after leaving the service. Gu Yanze, why don’t we introduce him to Yanyan?”
Over the next week, Su Yanxi ran into Fu Linchen once while she was working at the hospital.
The mother with lung cancer, Zhao Yun, was too weak to care for her child after surgery. The hospital staff offered to help for free, taking turns caring for the two-month-old baby.
Su Yanxi carried the chubby, fair-skinned baby to Zhao Yun’s room to check on her recovery. In the corridor, she saw a group of people coming toward her.
The hospital president, vice president, department heads, and administrators of every rank had all turned out. They were fussing over a tall, handsome man, attending to his every need as they surrounded him.
The man wore an expensive black suit. His shoulders were broad and straight, the crisp lines narrowing at the waist, and his legs looked long in his black dress trousers.
He had an air of natural nobility.
Su Yanxi looked toward the man walking in the center of the group and, to her surprise, recognized him.
Fu Linchen. What was he doing at the hospital?
The group passed by Su Yanxi. She stood at the side of the corridor and lowered her head in greeting.
Fu Linchen’s dark, eagle-like eyes were fixed straight ahead. His handsome face was cold and sharp, his brows and eyes keen. He didn’t so much as glance at Su Yanxi as he walked past her.
Su Yanxi didn’t look at him either. She carried the baby away.
Suddenly, the baby opened its mouth wide and began to cry, its loud, babyish wails echoing through the corridor.
Fu Linchen stopped and said to the people around him, “Go on ahead.”
The hospital president and the others looked startled and apprehensive. “Mr. Fu, is there something about our hospital’s inspection that you’re unhappy with?”
“We’ll discuss work later. I have some personal business to take care of now.”
Personal business?
Hospital Director Sun Limin was completely at a loss, but didn’t dare ask. He led the group away.
When they reached the corner, the entire group abruptly stopped and hid behind the wall, secretly watching to see what kind of personal business that imposing figure had to attend to.
Su Yanxi gently soothed the baby. “What’s wrong, sweetheart? Did the big brother walking in the middle scare you? That big brother looks so scary. Don’t cry, sweetheart. Let’s ignore that scary big brother.”
She carried the baby forward. Fu Linchen’s tall, imposing figure suddenly blocked her path.
“Who looks scary? Who’s that scary big brother? Su Yanxi, who were you badmouthing behind my back? Explain yourself.”
Su Yanxi: “…………”