Chapter 122: Bowing to Her

Gu Fanglin was truly annoyed.

At a banquet, he had been intercepted by people the moment he stepped through the door.

"Chairman Gu! Congratulations, congratulations!"

He tugged at the corner of his mouth: "Congratulations to you too."

The other party smiled with a look of warm familiarity: "Such a happy event for your daughter, why didn't Chairman Gu host a few tables? Let us share in the joy as well."

"I will host some," he said perfunctorily.

"That... regarding Mr. Shen, is there any chance you could help introduce us? Our company has a project recently, and we'd like to cooperate with Shen Corporation..."

Gu Fanglin's smile stiffened: "We'll talk about it later."

Having barely managed to shake off one person, the next one crowded up.

Gu Fanglin's face turned green; he made an excuse about having business and left the venue early.

Returning home, his expression was still not great. It only softened slightly when he saw Su Jin sitting on the sofa.

"Xiao Jin is here?"

Su Jin looked up and called out "Dad" with a smile.

Gu Fanglin walked over and sat down opposite her.

"How is your health lately? Is the morning sickness still bad?"

"Much better," Su Jin touched her belly, "just a bit nauseous when I get up in the morning, but otherwise it's all quite good."

Gu Fanglin nodded.

"How is that brat Gu Chen taking care of you? Has he been accompanying you to your prenatal checkups on time?"

"He has, don't worry, Dad," Su Jin said gently.

"That's good." Gu Fanglin paused, "Come home to eat more often and have the auntie stew some soup for you. You're eating for two now, you can't be careless."

Su Jin smiled and agreed: "Okay, thank you, Dad."

No sooner had she finished speaking than Gu Chen walked over with a glass of warm water and handed it to Su Jin.

"Dad."

Gu Fanglin glanced at him and gave a grunt of acknowledgement.

Gu Chen sat down beside Su Jin, his arm naturally draped around her waist.

Watching him like that, Gu Fanglin suddenly remembered something, and his expression darkened a few shades further. His tone was not particularly good: "Are you very busy lately?"

Gu Chen paused: "It's alright."

"Alright? Then how is it that you didn't notice such a big thing as your sister getting her marriage certificate?"

The living room was quiet for a moment.

Su Jin was stunned for a second, looking at Gu Chen, then at Gu Fanglin.

"Dad, this..."

"Don't try to smooth things over." Gu Fanglin interrupted her, his eyes still fixed on Gu Chen, "You're out and about every day, well-informed, did you really not hear a single whisper of wind?"

Gu Chen was silent for a few seconds.

Gu Fanglin looked at him and suddenly understood something: "You knew about it early on too?"

Gu Chen said helplessly: "It was precisely because I was afraid you'd be like this now that I didn't say anything."

Gu Fanglin was choked for words.

He continued: "The wood is already carved into a boat; you can't force Yan Yan to divorce. Besides, Dad, you know in your heart that this man Shen Yanhui is beyond reproach from any angle."

"Family background, ability, character—which one can you find fault with? You've also seen how he treats Yan Yan. I'm afraid you couldn't find a second one like him in all of Jingcheng."

Gu Fanglin looked at him gloomily, his eyes filled with the disappointment of "you've defected too."

After a long while, he gave a light huff and got up to go upstairs.

Su Jin was a bit worried: "Is Dad alright?"

Gu Chen held her and said calmly: "He's fine, he's just worried and therefore confused."

Su Jin nodded, paused, and asked again: "... So how did you know that Yan Yan had already gotten her marriage certificate?"

Gu Chen pinched her palm with annoyance: "You were so guilty during those few days in Monza, how could I not see that something was wrong?"

Su Jin covered her face; she really couldn't hide anything, especially in front of him.

"I didn't expect that once I checked, it really gave me a big surprise."

Su Jin smiled awkwardly: "Yan Yan entrusted me to keep it a secret, and it wasn't right for me to blabber..."

Gu Chen pulled her closer into his arms and raised his hand to gently cover her lower abdomen: "I don't have the time to worry about her; I have my own treasure to worry about."

——

On Saturday night, the car pulled to a steady stop in front of Danyuetai.

Only then did Gu Yan know that Danyuetai was a property of Zhou Wei's family; the private banquet hall on the east side of the top floor was a place you couldn't even find the door to without an introduction from a regular guest.

She was about to get out of the car when she suddenly remembered something, turned, and pressed down on Shen Yanhui's hand: "Wait a moment."

Shen Yanhui looked at her.

She had already pushed the car door open and slipped out, circling to the other side to pull him out of the car.

"What is it?"

She didn't answer, just took a step back and stood still in front of him.

Then she did a spin.

The champagne-colored satin skirt hem swirled open with her movement. She stood steady, looking up at him with bright eyes and a hint of mischievous laughter: "Does it look good?"

The lights fell on her face, reflecting those eyes curved into crescent moons, and that small, faint mole at the corner of her eye. She stood there, the hem of her skirt still swaying gently, like a rose in full bloom.

Shen Yanhui's gaze swept over her inch by inch, his eyes pitch-black.

He chuckled: "It looks good."

Gu Yan was satisfied; she stepped closer and took his arm: "Then let's go."

This was her first time meeting his friends as his wife; even if she couldn't stun the whole room, she at least had to save some face for Shen Yanhui, right?

Shen Yanhui was still looking at her.

She felt a bit embarrassed under his gaze and nudged him: "Let's go."

He finally moved, taking her hand and interlacing his fingers with hers: "Let's go, Mrs. Shen."

When the door to the top-floor private room was pushed open, the conversation inside ceased for a moment.

Several people were sitting on the sofa; seeing Shen Yanhui walk in with Gu Yan, they all stopped what they were doing and nodded in greeting one after another.

Shen Yanhui gave a faint nod and led Gu Yan inside.

Gu Yan's gaze swept past those people and landed behind the screen.

Fang Qinru was sitting there, holding a teacup and looking over; meeting her eyes, she curved her lips.

Gu Yan ignored Shen Yanhui, broke free from his embrace, and headed behind the screen: "Sister Fang, long time no see!"

Shen Yanhui looked down at his empty embrace and raised an eyebrow.

He didn't follow her, instead turning to walk toward the bar.

The bartender at the bar saw him coming and gave up the spot.

Shen Yanhui tossed his jacket aside and picked up the cocktail shaker. He chose gin as the base, measuring the proportions unhurriedly. Then he added elderflower liqueur, lime juice, and a bit of butterfly pea flower syrup.

Zhou Wei walked over with a wine glass and stood beside him.

"Happy wedding."

Shen Yanhui gave a hum, his hands not stopping their work. He covered the shaker and began to shake it; the sound of ice colliding was crisp and rhythmic.

Zhou Wei leaned against the bar and took a sip of his drink.

"You kept it tight enough; not a single one of us knew."

Shen Yanhui's gaze drifted over the crowd and landed on the side with the screen.

Gu Yan was leaning close to Fang Qinru with a smile in her eyes, not knowing what she was saying, laughing like a little fox.

A hint of a smile appeared in his eyes.

"She didn't want to make a scene." His tone was somewhat nonchalant.

Zhou Wei also followed his gaze, though his eyes were fixed on his own wife; she was amused by Gu Yan, her expression gentle.

His hand paused, and he withdrew his gaze.

Shen Yanhui had already set down the shaker, picked up a glass, and began to pour the drink.

The liquid presented a faint blue-purple hue, cascading from the mouth of the shaker with a touch of allure.

He picked up a thin slice of lime and placed it gently on the rim of the glass.

Then he picked up the mixed drink and walked toward Gu Yan.

Behind the screen, the young woman was chatting animatedly with Fang Qinru.

She had specifically worn that dress designed by Fang Qinru today, a champagne-colored satin with a sharp cut that made her look bright and moving.

Hearing footsteps, she looked up and beamed, her smile dazzlingly bright.

Shen Yanhui handed the glass to her: "Want to try?"

Gu Yan took it; the color of the drink was beautiful, a blue-purple gradient, but it looked a bit bewitching.

She took a skeptical sip, but it didn't taste like the strong liquor she had imagined; instead, it was actually quite good.

She couldn't help but take another sip.

"You mixed this?"

Shen Yanhui sat down beside her and naturally wrapped his arm around her slender waist: "Do you like it?"

Gu Yan nodded.

"Then I'll mix you another one in a while."

Only after saying this did Shen Yanhui look at Fang Qinru and give a slight nod in greeting.

Fang Qinru also smiled, took a velvet box from the side, and handed it to Gu Yan: "A wedding gift; if I had known you two had registered so early, I should have given it sooner."

Gu Yan took it and opened it; it was a pearl bracelet with a warm luster.

"Thank you, Sister Fang, I love it!"

She smiled, put the box away, and leaned in to talk to her again.

Zhou Wei also walked over and sat down beside his wife. He looked around and suddenly asked: "Where is Sheng Ze? He organized this gathering, where did he run off to?"

Fang Qinru said: "Maybe he got held up by something."

Zhou Wei: "The one who organized the gathering is the last to arrive; that's not right."

As soon as his voice fell, the door to the private room was pushed open. Sheng Ze's voice exploded from the doorway: "Who is bad-mouthing me? I heard it while I was still outside the door."

As soon as he arrived, the atmosphere instantly became lively.

"Zhou Wei, was it you? I knew it was you the moment I heard it." Sheng Ze walked over swaggeringly and plopped down next to Zhou Wei, "I went through all the trouble to organize this, and you guys, on the other hand, are bad-mouthing me behind my back."

Zhou Wei glanced at him: "You know it was trouble, yet you're still late?"

"Traffic jam on the road, can you blame me for that?" Sheng Ze was righteous and confident, then his gaze shifted and landed on the sofa.

Shen Yanhui was leaning back in the sofa, Gu Yan was nestled in his arms, still holding that glass of blue-purple drink, taking small sips.

Sheng Ze got excited the moment he saw it.

"Yo, yo, yo," he drawled, "I just walked in and saw this scene. Shen Yanhui, can you be a bit more mindful of the impact? There are single people here, you know."

Shen Yanhui raised his eyes to look at him but didn't speak.

Gu Yan poked half her head out from his arms and blinked at Sheng Ze.

"Single person? Who?"

Sheng Ze choked: "Me!"

Gu Yan gave an "oh," then shrank back into Shen Yanhui's arms: "Then you should work hard yourself, why are you looking at me?"

Zhou Wei laughed out loud from the side.

Sheng Ze was so choked he couldn't speak: "... Old Shen, control your wife."

Shen Yanhui lowered his head to look at the person in his arms, the corners of his mouth curving: "I can't control her."

Sheng Ze: "What do you mean you can't control her?"

Gu Yan raised her head from his arms and said with a smile: "He said it himself, he listens to me."

Sheng Ze: "..."

Zhou Wei laughed even harder.

Fang Qinru also couldn't help but curve the corners of her mouth.

Sheng Ze looked at this one, then looked at that one, and took a deep breath: "Fine, you husband and wife are ganging up to bully me, I admit defeat."

Zhou Wei patted his shoulder and asked with a smile: "What about that little beauty you met at the bar earlier?"

As soon as Sheng Ze heard this, he got angry: "Don't mention it, I was unilaterally dumped."

He loved to play and had women one after another, but he had principles. One was not to date two people at once, and the other was that both the beginning and the end had to be clearly stated.

He prided himself on having passed through ten thousand flowers, but he never expected to crash his car.

The little beauty wouldn't answer his calls or reply to his WeChat, as if she had disappeared; it was a waste that he had specifically brought back a set of jewelry from Milan, only for it to go ungiven.

It had depressed him for several days, and he had almost started to doubt his own charm.

He had finally managed to adjust himself, yet this Zhou Wei had to go and poke at his wound.

Shen Yanhui glanced at him coldly: "You deserve it."

Sheng Ze: "?"

Fine, he deserved it.

He leaned back into the sofa, downed a glass of wine, and suddenly remembered something: "By the way, Old Shen, have you heard that Zhou Shuyao has a painting by Yan?"

Zhou Wei's brows twitched slightly as he looked at Sheng Ze.

Shen Yanhui's expression remained unchanged as he picked up his wine glass and took a sip.

Sheng Ze didn't notice Zhou Wei's reaction and continued: "I heard she wants to sell that painting by Yan. The price is set quite high, but I don't know who will take it."

Gu Yan pricked up her ears; if possible, she kind of wanted to take the painting back.

Zhou Wei: "How do you know that?"

Sheng Ze replied nonchalantly: "Heard it from a friend."

After he finished speaking, he suddenly realized something and looked at Zhou Wei: "Oh right, she's your cousin. Sorry, I forgot about that."

Zhou Wei waved his hand: "It's fine."

Sheng Ze looked at Shen Yanhui again.

"Old Shen, are you buying it? Haven't you always been collecting Yan's paintings—"

His elbow was suddenly bumped by Zhou Wei, and he frowned and stopped: "What are you doing?"

Zhou Wei winked in Gu Yan's direction.

Sheng Ze suddenly understood; the man's wife was still here, how could he say in front of her that her man had been silently collecting another woman's paintings?

Although it could also be a man, that wasn't important; what was important was that it could easily cause discord between the couple.

Unexpectedly, Gu Yan looked up and asked Shen Yanhui without any avoidance: "Are you buying it?"

Shen Yanhui lowered his head: "Buying it."

"Whoa!" Sheng Ze was surprised and asked Gu Yan, "Aren't you jealous?"

Gu Yan thought for a moment: "Why would I be jealous?"

Sheng Ze gave a thumbs up: "As expected of the magnanimity of a legitimate wife."

Gu Yan felt this person was foolish beyond measure and said in a slow, haughty tone: "Because that is my painting."

Sheng Ze was a bit stunned: "Your painting?"

Gu Yan nodded.

Sheng Ze asked again: "You are Yan?"

Gu Yan nodded again.

Sheng Ze: "... Damn, Old Shen, you actually went down the pure love path; you've been silently collecting your wife's paintings for four years! Even novels wouldn't write it like this!"

It wasn't just Sheng Ze who was surprised; Zhou Wei and Fang Qinru were also surprised.

Someone as arrogant as Shen Yanhui would actually bow his head to this extent for a woman.

Gu Yan couldn't help but raise the corners of her mouth.

A smile spread in Shen Yanhui's eyes, and his deep voice sounded in the private room: "As long as my wife has been painting, I have been collecting."

Gu Yan smiled even more happily and rubbed her head against his chest.

Sheng Ze was speechless.

This mouthful of dog food was too intense; he was a little choked.

Shen Yanhui lowered his head and kissed the little girl on the head, then looked up at Zhou Wei.

"Regarding the painting, please help me contact her."

Zhou Wei nodded in agreement; it was indeed more appropriate for him to step in.