Chapter 15: Just a Joke?

Gu Wenyan really had no interest in arguing with this Miss Xiao.

But the other party had run into her today with a firm determination to make trouble, probably still unclear that her relationship with Bao Sihan had long since ceased to be as fragile as they assumed.

Sure enough, Miss Xiao even asked in front of her gaggle of sisters: "That necklace you wore around your neck that day—was it really the Rose Comet that the Head of the Bo Family gave you?"

"Or did you deliberately put on a fake necklace to make everyone mistakenly think you have a very good relationship with the Head of the Bo Family?"

"Miss Xiao, why don't you be more straightforward—you don't want me to have a good relationship with him, do you?"

"…" Never expecting Gu Wenyan to be so blunt, Miss Xiao couldn't quite laugh it off, and even felt deeply embarrassed.

She forced a smile and said: "Of course I wish you well. After all, you're Mianmian's sister, and I'm good friends with her—how could I not want you to do well?"

"It's just that I think people should be a bit more honest, don't you think?"

This kind of laughable slander was no longer enough to affect Gu Wenyan. She called over a server, ordered the afternoon tea she wanted, and reminded them: "Please pack it up for me."

"Pack it up?" Miss Xiao frowned. "You don't want to have afternoon tea here anymore?"

Gu Wenyan tilted her face slightly, her posture relaxed and at ease, every smile and frown radiating the elegance of a well-bred young lady, her tone gentle as well: "Miss Xiao just said that people should be more honest. I think that applies to you too. I don't enjoy keeping company with insincere people."

"Gu Wenyan!" Miss Xiao, as expected, had her sore spot struck by a single sentence. She dropped her false façade and sneered viciously: "A woman who grew up in the countryside like you only got lucky enough to marry the Head of the Bo Family!"

"But do you really think he loves you that much? It's just…" Miss Xiao mocked. "Women like you are the most foolish and naive, and the easiest to be deceived. Even if your husband has long been keeping other women outside and leaves you at home as a pretty vase, you wouldn't have any right to fight back!"

The people beside them listened to these words and all secretly mocked her.

It was at this moment that Gu Wenyan received a call from Bao Sihan.

Bao Sihan's deep, gentle voice came through: "Are you done?"

He knew what she had gone to do today and hadn't disturbed her. This kind of respect surprised Gu Wenyan a little, but she also appreciated it.

Her tone carried a smile as well: "Mm, I'm having afternoon tea at a hotel near your company, waiting for you to get off work."

"Mm? You're nearby?"

"Yes, I've been here a while, just ordered some food… Unfortunately there are too many flies here, I've already prepared to change locations."

Bao Sihan, a man so shrewd he was almost demonic, naturally understood what Gu Wenyan meant with just one sentence. His voice immediately turned much colder: "Don't leave. Wait for me to come over."

Gu Wenyan hung up the phone and suddenly felt that her future life with Bao Sihan would probably be better than she had imagined.

Although… she hadn't completely fallen in love with him yet—it was more a sense of gratitude and guilt toward Bao Sihan—she was now certain of one thing: Bao Sihan would be a decent marriage partner.

Miss Xiao, hearing Gu Wenyan on the phone, showed a disdainful expression beside her: "What, you're not thinking of calling the Head of the Bo Family over, are you? I heard the Bo Group is holding some Annual Summary Meeting today—he probably doesn't have the leisure to come find you here, right? Don't put on an act!"

In her eyes, Bao Sihan should be disgusted with this fiancée of his, Gu Wenyan, and had no intention of marrying her at all.

And in her belief, Gu Wenyan also didn't like Bao Sihan, and was even involved with another man, her private life a complete mess.

And all this information came from her conversations with Gu Mianmian and the others—spoken by Gu Mianmian herself.

Gu Mianmian's image as an innocent little white flower had taken deep root in people's hearts, so those who had dealt with her naturally believed she couldn't possibly be lying.

Miss Xiao therefore took it as a matter of course to detest Gu Wenyan, and also felt that once this legitimate heiress Gu Wenyan returned, she would snatch away everything that the adopted daughter Gu Mianmian had, completely reversing the situation.

Gu Wenyan had no mind to waste any more words. She didn't understand what meaning there would be in winning this kind of verbal sparring match.

Miss Xiao took it as a sign that she was feeling guilty, grew even more smug, and mocked her alongside her group of sisters beside her, becoming increasingly excessive: "Speaking of which, there's something you probably don't know yet…"

"What thing?"

"The reason the wedding was canceled that day was actually because someone ran away from the wedding before it happened, and ran off with another man! What do you think the Head of the Bo Family will feel when he learns of this?"

"How could a man possibly accept such a thing? I think… the Head of the Bo Family will sooner or later cast aside anyone who dares to betray him!"

"Exactly! If I were a man, I couldn't accept it either!"

One after another, they spoke without controlling their volume, and the other people having afternoon tea around them all turned to watch their table.

Having an audience, Miss Xiao grew even more smug and spoke with increasing enthusiasm.

The only thing that gave her pause was Gu Wenyan's utterly composed manner, which she couldn't quite figure out, unable to understand why Gu Wenyan could remain completely unaffected.

"Miss Gu, your afternoon tea has all been packed up. Would you like to take it with you now?"

"I'll take it with me, thank you."

Gu Wenyan stood up, took her things and prepared to leave, but was stopped by Miss Xiao: "What's the rush? Didn't you say the Head of the Bo Family was coming to find you? Why not wait a little longer? I think that phone call just now wasn't from anyone at all—you put on a little performance all by yourself. How pitiful!"

Miss Xiao's disgusting face was completely undisguised. "How about I help you call the Head of the Bo Family and have him come over right now…"

"No need to call. I'm here."

The man who strode into the restaurant was imposing and tall, his cold, stern face carrying an inherent pressure, his eyes filled with a chilling, fierce aura.

Miss Xiao, caught off guard, followed the sound of the voice and looked over, only to be locked in place by a thin, sharp gaze. In an instant, she heard the sound of her own heart shattering, so frightened her legs went weak.

"Bo… Head of the Bo Family…"

He had actually come?!

Then everything she had just said…

Miss Xiao's face turned deathly pale. Realizing she had poked a hornet's nest, she knew she had caused a catastrophe!

Gu Wenyan didn't pay any attention to what kind of reaction she would have, and gave Bao Sihan a slight nod: "You're here. I was planning to head downstairs directly."

Bao Sihan walked up to her, his gaze softening considerably: "Let me see just how filthy the flies here really are."

He took the packaged afternoon tea box from Gu Wenyan's hands, and with his other hand loosely encircled her waist. His gaze turned to Miss Xiao again, this time carrying absolutely no warmth: "Which family are you from? From what you're saying, you also have my personal phone number?"

"N-no, I was just joking…"