“Ahem.”
Jiang Yan cleared his throat to ease the awkwardness.
When he heard Gu Xinyou say her sponsor could no longer support her, a thought emerged in his mind.
Yu Youwei barging into his office with the police, refusing to back down, was still fresh in his memory.
Back then, he had admitted to liking Mu Wanzhou only because of the pressure—but Mu Wanzhou was too overbearing and hard to control.
If he had a new girlfriend now, it would not only embarrass Yu Youwei but also give him a reason to reject Mu Wanzhou. A win-win.
However, Jiang Yan didn’t want to waste time and energy on another woman. Who knew if she’d turn out to be another Yu Youwei?
So…
He glanced at Gu Xinyou from head to toe.
Obedient, well-mannered, pretty, and had a good figure—taking her out wouldn’t embarrass him.
She needed money and a sponsor, and he had more than enough of that.
All things considered, she met the requirements of a perfect new girlfriend.
Jiang Yan asked calmly, “Do you need money?”
Gu Xinyou blinked and nodded.
“I can be your sponsor,” Jiang Yan said.
Her face lit up with surprise, and just as she opened her mouth to say thank you, he added,
“But there’s a condition. You’ll be my girlfriend. I’ll pay for your schooling, and you’ll receive a monthly allowance of 100,000 yuan.”
“The term is three years. When it’s over, I’ll also give you a seven-figure bonus.”
Gu Xinyou’s slightly parted lips froze.
“Huh?”
She tilted her head with a blank look, a little confused.
“A contract relationship. We’ll pretend to be a couple. You’ll only need to appear with me on certain occasions. Outside that, I won’t interfere with your freedom.”
“And don’t worry. I won’t touch you or force you. Once the three years are up, you’re free to go.”
Jiang Yan finished and waited quietly.
He knew this girl was slow to react. She needed time.
After a long moment, she finally answered firmly,
“Okay!”
Her mind might be slower than others, but she wasn’t stupid.
She understood exactly what Jiang Yan’s proposal meant.
And her instincts told her—he wasn’t a bad man.
She peeked up carefully, trying to sneak a closer look at him.
He was tall and handsome—more attractive than the boys she met at the library.
He stood with a unique presence, mature and magnetic.
Jiang Yan had originally planned to sweeten the offer to lure her in, but he hadn’t expected her to agree so quickly.
“Alright, add me on WeChat.”
Gu Xinyou was still hugging her chest with both arms. She bit her lip, then awkwardly shifted to covering with one arm while pulling out a five-year-old model of a phone from her pocket to add him.
Jiang Yan noted every movement.
If it had been any other man, seeing her up close like this would’ve been overwhelming—but Jiang Yan only felt mildly flustered and mostly composed.
“Let’s take a photo together,” he said.
With her permission, Jiang Yan stood beside her and draped an arm around her shoulders.
Feeling her tense up, he said, “Relax. You’re supposed to act like my girlfriend. If you’re this stiff, people will notice.”
Sure enough, her trembling stopped.
Jiang Yan calmly posed and took a photo that looked convincingly intimate.
In the picture, Gu Xinyou’s delicate face was flushed, as red as a ripe apple.
With his goal achieved, Jiang Yan didn’t linger. He reminded her to check her WeChat—he’d soon buy her a new apartment to move into. He also handed her a bank card, told her the password, then left.
…
Yu Youwei hadn’t gone home that night. She was still at the company, dealing with an overwhelming amount of trouble.
Xiao Bo was the heart of Huanyu, and she had to protect him at all costs.
But Qin Shiyu…
Yu Youwei massaged her aching temples.
Qin Shiyu’s scandal was spreading like wildfire. The entire internet was condemning her. Even if the company released a statement and paid influencers to clear things up, it wouldn’t be enough to reverse the damage.
If she couldn’t be saved, then she had to be abandoned.
Protecting one would be easier than both. With Xiao Bo, they could still recover the investment slowly.
Having made that decision, Yu Youwei finally exhaled in relief.
She opened her phone and habitually started browsing her Moments.
Most of her contacts were industry insiders and big names—sometimes she came across useful information. You are reading on g.com, the official source.
She casually scrolled…
Until her finger froze.
A couple’s photo appeared on her screen, captioned: [Let me introduce… my girl.]
Yu Youwei’s entire expression stiffened.
In the picture, Jiang Yan looked calm, but the girl next to him looked innocent and fresh—youthful and beautiful.
Her temples throbbed.
Though she didn’t want to admit it, even without makeup, the girl was on par with her.
Worse—she was younger. More lively.
A strong wave of panic surged in her chest.
She opened Jiang Yan’s alt account and sent a sharp message:
“Who is this girl? Trying to make me regret it? Keep dreaming!”
Jiang Yan replied, “Yu Youwei? This has nothing to do with you.”
In truth, he had posted it specifically for her to see.
He wanted her to regret it.
Yu Youwei snapped back, “She’s plain and ugly—not even as pretty as me! Jiang Yan, your taste can’t be that bad! If you’re trying to provoke me, it’s not working. You’d be better off trying to win me back. Maybe then I’d take back what I said about never forgiving you.”
Jiang Yan replied, “Heh. Blocked. Goodbye.”
“Jiang Yan!”
[The other party has enabled friend verification. You are not on his friend list. Please send a request to become friends.]
Yu Youwei froze.
He had blocked her again.
Refusing to give up, she checked Jiang Yan’s Moments.
Everything about his past was gone.
Now, all she saw… was his beautiful, young new girlfriend.
Yu Youwei shut her eyes in despair.
Why…
Her heart ached.
More than ever before.
Even breathing hurt.