Chapter 24: Chapter Twenty-Four: Ambiguity

Time quickly turned to evening, and Wang Yan arrived early at the restaurant where he had arranged to meet Gu Jia—it was bad manners to make guests wait while the host dawdled.

Wang Yan told the staff that their party consisted of two men, one woman, and a child, and asked them to arrange accordingly; leaving such matters to professionals ensured everything would be handled perfectly.

Not long after, Gu Jia and her family arrived.

Wang Yan sat inside the private room, watching them enter, and rose to greet them: "Mr. Xu, good to see you again—we'll have to have a proper chat later."

"No need for formality, no need at all. Mr. Wang, don't be so polite—I'm Xu Huanshan, just call me Huanshan."

Wang Yan said, "Haha, fine, fine—let's all drop the formalities. I'm Wang Yan, just call me by my name."

He turned to Gu Jia: "Come on, Gu Jia, Ziyan, please take your seats."

Wang Yan signaled the server to bring tea. He had already instructed them to begin serving dishes as soon as the three arrived.

Once everyone was seated, Wang Yan said: "I heard this restaurant is decent, with a fairly good reputation."

"It's my first time here too—I left everything to their judgment. Don't pick on me, you two."

Xu Huanshan said: "Wang Yan, you're too courteous—we'd never pick on you. Whether the food's good or not doesn't matter; what counts is making friends."

Gu Jia, attending to the child, replied to him as well.

The dishes came at a decent pace; before they'd even finished a few sips of tea and casual chatter, the food arrived.

No meal is complete without alcohol—this table of Chinese dishes demanded baijiu; otherwise, eating just felt incomplete.

Wang Yan ordered two bottles of Wuliangye, not using small wine cups—those were too tiny and pointless—he used tall wine glasses instead. He poured wine for Xu Huanshan and himself, intending not to serve Gu Jia since she had a child to care for. But Gu Jia, ever the socialite, insisted she must drink a toast. Wang Yan offered a token attempt to dissuade her and then poured her a small glass.

"Come on, let me raise a toast—to celebrate us gathering today, and to celebrate our meeting."

Gu Jia and Xu Huanshan both raised their glasses; the three clinked and drained their drinks in one go.

"Eat, eat—try the dishes, see how they taste."

Wang Yan enthusiastically urged them on.

After eating a while and exchanging a few idle remarks, Wang Yan raised his glass to Xu Huanshan and asked: "I still don't know what you do for a living?"

Xu Huanshan replied: "Our family runs fireworks—handling all kinds of celebratory events. Gu Jia is a full-time housewife, taking care of Ziyan at home."

"Ah, I see. I'll look around later and see if any friends need fireworks—I'll hook you up."

Hearing this, though unsure if it was genuine, the couple thanked him profusely.

Gu Jia, who was tending to the child's meal, asked: "Wang Yan, I heard from the property management that you work in finance? What exactly do you do?"

Gu Jia was cautious—she only mentioned what the property staff had said about Wang Yan working in finance.

In a complex like Junyue Mansion, management was strict. Property staff were gossip-prone—if Wang Yan had reacted harshly, those nosy ones wouldn't have escaped.

Wang Yan guessed those same people had mentioned it, and she later asked Zhong Xiaoqin for confirmation.

"Nothing special—just trading stocks and such. If you have any questions about it, feel free to ask me."

Wang Yan didn't say anything about investing money—he knew it was taboo to speak too deeply too soon; such talk made him sound like a con artist, and that wouldn't do.

He had no intention of helping Gu Jia.

To Wang Yan, this story world was as real as any—these people had flesh and blood, their own thoughts and feelings.

The tension between Gu Jia and Xu Huanshan stemmed partly from Gu Jia's domineering nature, and partly from events after they moved into Junyue Mansion.

If he made things too smooth for her, and they grew even closer, what place would there be for old Wang?

He had to wait until Xu Huanshan met Lin Jiayi before taking any action.

His main task now was to subtly curry favor and establish himself in Gu Jia's mind.

Thus, throughout the meal, Wang Yan showed no restraint—he spoke cleverly, livened the atmosphere, and eliminated all awkwardness of first-time small talk.

Xu Huanshan's alcohol tolerance couldn't compare to Wang Yan's; after half a jin, he was clearly drunk. Under Wang Yan's deliberate guidance, Xu Huanshan draped an arm over his shoulder, calling him brother.

Yet he never neglected his primary target—Gu Jia was never left out.

He showed extreme fondness for Xu Ziyan, treating the child as an equal in conversation. Children, with low visibility, crave attention and validation.

Children are highly perceptive; Xu Ziyan sensed Wang Yan's difference. That man kept calling him "Uncle Wang," with unmistakable warmth.

To get close to a mother who adores her child, starting with the child is the most efficient method. Wang Yan was certain: once home, Xu Ziyan would mention him constantly.

Gu Jia clearly noticed Xu Ziyan's happiness—normally a struggle to eat, now he finished two bowls.

Watching the two men, arms around each other, babbling nonsense, Gu Jia felt the vast gulf between Xu Huanshan and Wang Yan.

In her life, she had never met anyone like Wang Yan.

Though his appearance was ordinary, his eyes spoke volumes. His posture was always straight, his words always soothing, sometimes casually dropping remarks that provoked deep thought. A fleeting glance sometimes revealed the aura of a reclining tiger—yet upon closer look, everything seemed normal, leaving behind a sense of mystery.

In comparison, Xu Huanshan was a complete mess.

He could never control his emotions—sometimes, in Gu Jia's view, he acted like a child. Stubborn, inflexible, naively idealistic, clueless about human nature and social nuance.

With Xu Huanshan, she was always the one compromising.

"If only Huanshan were like Wang Yan…"

Unconsciously, she merged the two into one—the Xu Huanshan of her ideal.

Lost in thought, she grew still.

Xu Ziyan, gobbling his food, noticed Gu Jia hadn't spoken for a while and tugged at her: "Mom, what's wrong? Why aren't you talking?"

Xu Ziyan's action jolted Gu Jia back to reality. She saw Xu Huanshan and Wang Yan both staring at her.

Meeting Wang Yan's gaze, she remembered her earlier thoughts and felt her cheeks warm. But she'd had a bit too much wine—no one could tell.

She explained: "Nothing—I just got lost in thought." Then she glanced at Wang Yan and returned to soothing the child.

Watching the child devour his food, she recalled the sweet memories with Xu Huanshan.

"No matter what he's like, he's still the person I love most in my life—I love him just as he is."

Gu Jia strengthened her resolve, giving herself a mental pep talk.

Yet she couldn't help but form a strong, favorable impression of this man—witty, articulate, poised, and profoundly wise—her level of affection skyrocketed.

Wang Yan noticed the look Gu Jia gave him after speaking—he understood perfectly. As the saying goes: it's not ignorance of quality that matters, but comparison. The result was obvious—could old Wang be compared to anyone?

The meal lasted several hours; Wang Yan and Xu Huanshan were both thoroughly drunk.

Wang Yan couldn't say he was fine, but he was still sober, pretending to be a complete mess from drinking. A normal person would be wrecked after two jin, so Gu Jia never suspected he was faking it.

Unlike him, Xu Huanshan was genuinely wasted. He could only handle seven or eight liang, but Wang Yan had forced him to drink one and a half jin—he was already unconscious. Wang Yan drank more than Xu Huanshan; his drinking was essentially a suicide mission. He'd consumed about two jin.

The two leaned on each other's shoulders, mumbling nonsense as they staggered out, stepping unevenly, swaying three steps for every one they took.

This made things hard for Gu Jia—she had to care for the child while also looking after Xu Huanshan and Wang Yan.

Of course, her main focus was Xu Huanshan; Wang Yan was handed over to the server.

They all lived in Junyue Fu; Gu Jia couldn't let Wang Yan go home alone. She hired a driver, put the two drunk men in the back seat, and sat in the front passenger seat with Xu Ziyan as they returned to Junyue Fu.

The property staff, seeing Gu Jia with two drunk men and a child, kindly sent two people over to support Wang Yan and Xu Huanshan.

Gu Jia first took Xu Huanshan and the child home and left them in the nanny's care. Then she followed the property staff up to the 18th floor to see Wang Yan home—she couldn't leave him alone. If anything happened to Wang Yan, they'd bear some responsibility, and that would be bad. Besides, she had a strong liking for this new friend.

Arriving at the 18th floor, she saw the smart lock on the door was malfunctioning. Though the smart lock had a keyhole, since it was "smart," who carried keys anymore?

She asked the property staff if there was any solution.

The staff said there was no solution at all—only wait for Wang Yan to wake up or call a locksmith.

Gu Jia had no better idea, so she told the staff to go back. She held Wang Yan up and asked him what the password was.

Old Wang was cunning. Seeing only the two of them, still drunk, he couldn't miss the chance. He smacked his lips, collapsed his body, staggered backward, and leaned against the wall, sliding down.

Gu Jia couldn't just watch him fall to the ground. She walked over and struggled to hold him up.

With support, Wang Yan took the opportunity to wrap his arm around Gu Jia's shoulder, half-leaning against the wall, halting his slide.

Feeling the warmth of Wang Yan's hand on her shoulder, the weight pressing against her, and the muscles against her body, Gu Jia trembled, her body stiffening.

After adjusting, she patted Wang Yan: "Wang Yan, wake up. We're home."

"Wake up, Wang Yan. We're home. Open the door."

Wang Yan lifted his head drowsily, looked at Gu Jia, then at the door. He let go of her, staggered upright, walked to the door, and tried to enter the password.

He pressed for a long time—either pressing the wrong keys or hitting outside the password area.

Gu Jia stood there watching him, growing increasingly frustrated.

She stepped forward, holding him, coaxing: "Wang Yan, tell me the password. I'll open it for you."

Wang Yan turned his head, eyes unfocused, toward Gu Jia: "Who are you?"

Before she could answer, he shook his head, rubbed his eyes, then suddenly realized: "Oh… Gu Jia."

He paused, then said, "Good thing you're here—quick, check my front door. It keeps avoiding me, won't let me in." He swayed his body as he spoke.

Gu Jia was both amused and exasperated by his childlike words. She sighed and asked again: "What's the password? Tell me—I'll open it."

Wang Yan recited a string of numbers.

Gu Jia guided Wang Yan to the side so he wouldn't block the door.

After entering the password and opening the door, she looked again—Wang Yan was slumped against the wall, head drooping.

She shook her head helplessly, stepped forward, looped one of Wang Yan's arms over her shoulder, and struggled to drag him inside.

It turned out that once you've done something once, it gets easier. At first she'd been holding his arm, but after Wang Yan's earlier move, she now naturally supported him herself.

Stepping inside, Gu Jia was stunned by what she saw.

Few people were so foolish as to keep only two rooms—the rest, except the kitchen, had been demolished. The 200-square-meter space was completely open, unusually spacious.

Paired with understated, unique, and naturally harmonious décor—calligraphy and paintings on the walls, decorative pieces as dividers, indoor landscaping, and more—

It delivered a powerful impact.

Gu Jia was awestruck.

She had never seen, nor imagined, such a design style. It gave her new insight into Wang Yan.

The bedroom was easy to find—only two rooms: one study, the other the bedroom.

She helped Wang Yan to the bedroom, intending to lay him on the bed.

Wang Yan seized the chance and pulled Gu Jia down. She cried out "Ah!" and fell atop him.

Lying on his chest, she heard his strong heartbeat, felt the contours of his muscles, and saw his face so close—her body grew limp.

After lying there a moment, she recovered, pushed herself up using his firm chest.

She went to the kitchen, poured a glass of water, and fed it to Wang Yan. Then she struggled to adjust his posture, laid him properly, and covered him with a blanket.

She didn't remove his clothes—she was a married woman; that would be inappropriate. Besides, her heart belonged to her husband and son—she wouldn't betray them.

Gu Jia wandered through Wang Yan's home, glancing over the layout. She was genuinely curious.

Afterward, she returned to the bedroom and sat beside the bed, watching Wang Yan sleep, lost in thought.

Coming out of her daze, confirming Wang Yan was fine, she turned and left.

She had to go back and care for her husband and son.

Hearing the door close, Wang Yan opened his eyes and sat up.

He walked to the balcony, lit a cigarette, stared at the night view, and thought about tonight.

To be fair, he was impressed with his own acting—he'd played the drunkard perfectly.

This came from experience. Before he got the system, his body wasn't as strong. Every time he drank heavily, he'd collapse like a dog—he knew that state inside out. He nailed the drunkard act perfectly. Too many tears—life's just damn hard.

Through this flirtation, he didn't know about other things, but his body was definitely fine. Wang Yan clearly felt Gu Jia's tremble when she lay on his chest—and a hint of excitement?

Wang Yan was certain Gu Jia wouldn't sleep well tonight. What kind of woman doesn't find this attractive?

This had established him in Gu Jia's mind. He just needed to show up more often in front of her.

Xu Huanshan had been completely fooled by Wang Yanhong—he was still calling him brother, clueless. He didn't know Wang Yan's goal from the start had been clear: to be Old Wang, to love married women, to seduce his wife.

Wang Yan still had some principles—he feared damaging future prospects. If he'd just taken advantage then, he would've taken her. Gu Jia would've resisted only half-heartedly.

After finishing the cigarette, Wang Yan stopped thinking about useless things, drank some water, and went back to bed.

Gu Jia returned home.

Xu Ziyan was already asleep; children get sleepy easily. If not for being reasonably well-behaved and not wanting to trouble Gu Jia, he would have fallen asleep at the restaurant.

Xu Huanshan was being cared for by the nanny, having just vomited and now was drunk and ranting, muttering incessantly.

The nanny was sent to sleep; Gu Jia took off Xu Huanshan's clothes and wiped his body with a damp towel, trying to sober him up a bit.

After all that fuss, she settled Xu Huanshan into bed and turned off the light for him to sleep.

As Wang Yan had predicted.

Listening to the snoring beside her, Gu Jia lay awake, troubled and restless over tonight's events. She thought and rethought, her agitation unyielding.

Gu Jia gave up thinking about matters of men and women, and began to ponder Wang Yan.

People fear overthinking; once she started, she couldn't help comparing him to Xu Huanshan.

The result was obvious: the more she compared, the more she felt Xu Huanshan was a complete mess—every single thing about him fell short.

Women are prone to wild thoughts; Gu Jia felt every flaw in Xu Huanshan was glaring. Minor habits she'd ignored before now loomed large, old arguments resurfaced, and the more she thought, the more unbearable Xu Huanshan became.

Fortunately, Gu Jia was a strong woman who could accommodate Xu Huanshan's shortcomings.

Gu Jia got up and took a cold shower, suppressing her inner unrest. Reasonably, she knew dwelling was useless; after flipping through memories, she finally fell asleep.

And this—this is marriage.