Chapter 24: He can’t mess around

Ye Tianhui: “Mm, how did you know?”

Logically, even if she called, he couldn’t have seen the caller ID, especially since she used the stable’s phone. He shouldn’t have known.

Gu Shizhang’s lips curved into a slight smile. “A guess. No one ever calls my home phone. So, if there’s a missed call, it must be from you.”

Ye Tianhui: “I thought you’d gone abroad. Turns out you haven’t yet.”

Gu Shizhang: “Plans changed, postponed. My flight is the day after tomorrow. The itinerary is set, and I figured I’d take today to come see you.”

Ye Tianhui: “When did you get here?”

Gu Shizhang chuckled. “Just arrived. I thought you’d be finishing work soon, so I came to wait for you. Let’s go, grab some food first, then I’ll help you move.”

A light happiness arose in Ye Tianhui’s heart. “Alright.”

Gu Shizhang was clearly in a good mood too. With his hands in the pockets of his khaki trousers, he smiled and asked, “What do you want to eat?”

Ye Tianhui glanced at him. “You’re treating, right?”

Gu Shizhang smiled at her. “If I suggested you treat, wouldn’t you probably jump up and threaten to never speak to me again?”

Ye Tianhui gave a soft snort. “As long as you know.”

To her, nothing was more important than money. Any friend who expected her to pay for meals wasn’t a true friend.

At this moment, the stable’s main gate opened, and a line of vehicles drove out.  

Gu Shizhang gave them a casual glance, lifted his hand, lightly pressed the brim of his hat with his slender fingers, and smiled. “Let’s go. I’ll take you for clay pot rice.”

The two of them went off to eat clay pot rice.  

Perhaps because she’d worked hard that day, Ye Tianhui had a great appetite and found the rice especially fragrant.  

Seeing this, Gu Shizhang ordered an extra bowl of rice. When Ye Tianhui heard him call the owner “handsome guy,” she felt puzzled and asked curiously, “What’s that supposed to mean?”

Gu Shizhang looked up and smiled at her. “Rice that’s steamed to be crystal clear and perfectly white—doesn’t it look nice? That’s what you’d call ‘handsome.’”

Ye Tianhui suddenly understood, thought about it carefully, and found it amusing.

Then, out of the blue, Gu Shizhang asked, “Why’d you suddenly call me earlier?”

Ye Tianhui: “I was going to ask you something, but it turned out I didn’t need to anymore.”

Gu Shizhang: “Oh? What was it? Work-related?”

Ye Tianhui brought up Ye Wenyin. “I don’t like her.”

Gu Shizhang frowned slightly. “Then why not just find another job?”

Ye Tianhui thought of how the Ye family members were coming to the stables. To her, this was an opportunity.

Wasn’t the Ye patriarch supposed to be visiting? If he came, then her biological father might come too. When that time came, she’d reveal her identity right there and then!  

She’d do it openly and see if the Ye family dared deny her.

So she said, “No need. She’s just a spoiled young lady. I won’t bother with her.”

Gu Shizhang raised his eyes to look at her. “What, you have other plans?”

Ye Tianhui didn’t want to share too much about it with him.

She had a feeling that Gu Shizhang had some sort of background or status. She could sense it.

Whether interacting with Jiang Lingfeng, knowing Lin Jianquan, chatting with Jessie, or dealing with other stable staff, she could tell that Gu Shizhang was different from them.

He didn’t flaunt anything, but his calm elegance and effortless grace weren’t traits a regular jockey should possess.

It was evident he had investments in the UK, and perhaps businesses in Singapore or elsewhere. Overall, he seemed like a wealthy man of leisure. His identity as a jockey might not be a lie, but it was likely just a hobby.

That said, it didn’t matter to her. She didn’t care about his background.

If they got along, they’d stay friends. She wouldn’t look down on Lin Jianquan just because he was an orphan who grew up selling meat, nor would she hold Gu Shizhang in higher esteem because of his wealth.

In this sense, she even felt that Gu Shizhang was the same way.

Or, from a somewhat pretentious and self-assured perspective, she felt that her relationship with Gu Shizhang transcended the superficialities of the mundane world—things like money, status, or the fact that she was a mainland girl. To her, these were unimportant.

She believed Gu Shizhang felt the same way.

So, she had no intention of delving into the soap-opera-like drama of her family background or sharing her plans with him.  

She cared a lot about this person, and she knew that if she asked, he would help her. He was genuinely kind to her—she could feel it.

But when it came to her own matters, she wanted to handle them herself.

As she smiled, Gu Shizhang lifted his gaze to scrutinize her. “Seems like you’ve got something planned?”

He had asked her twice, so she replied, “—I just remembered something.”

Ye Tianhui said, “That day, when I reported to the stables for the first time, I almost ended up being late.”

She began recounting how she had to abandon her car and run on foot. Gu Shizhang’s expression turned a bit odd before he smiled. “That’s exactly the kind of thing you’d do, Ye Tianhui.”

Ye Tianhui laughed. “At that moment, a car stopped next to me.”

Gu Shizhang raised an eyebrow slightly. “Oh?”

Ye Tianhui recounted the incident. “At first, the driver seemed very kind, but in the end, they kicked me out of the car.”

Gu Shizhang’s expression became more serious, and he asked for more details. Ye Tianhui didn’t mention her motives but didn’t hide much either, describing how she had tried to engage the driver amicably, only to be met with a cold demeanor.

Finally, she said, “I was just wondering—could that person be Ye Wenyin’s dad?”

Gu Shizhang: “What made you think that?”

Ye Tianhui replied with interest, “Just a guess. He looked really good—no, exceptionally good—with a scholarly air about him. And he was dropping Ye Wenyin off at the stables. I figured that must be him. As for his age, he looked like he was in his thirties.”

Gu Shizhang’s expression grew somber.

He stared at Ye Tianhui, his face emotionless. “Tianhui, you’re new here from the mainland. You’re straightforward and may not realize certain things, so as your friend, I must remind you.”

Ye Tianhui was puzzled. “What is it?”

By now, they had almost finished eating, so Gu Shizhang led her out. They didn’t take the bus but walked along the roadside, chatting as they went.

With great patience, Gu Shizhang explained some unspoken rules, etiquette, and workplace—or rather, adult—norms.

Out of consideration for Ye Tianhui’s feelings, he was very tactful in his explanations, but he made sure to convey everything clearly.

Ye Tianhui, though rough around the edges, was perceptive. She wasn’t clueless—she just hadn’t given things much thought. Now, with Gu Shizhang’s guidance, she recalled the incident and instantly understood.

She began analyzing the situation from the start. “So, when he first stopped the car in front of me and offered me a ride, it wasn’t even on his way—he did it on purpose.”

Gu Shizhang nodded. “Exactly. His intentions weren’t pure; he deliberately struck up a conversation with you.”

Ye Tianhui: “Later, he offered me his jacket.”

The night breeze was cool, the lights dim. A faint chill flickered in Gu Shizhang’s deep eyes.

Still, he spoke in a gentle voice. “First, don’t casually accept a man’s jacket—it invites misunderstandings. Second, he was clearly overthinking things.”

Ye Tianhui tried her best to recall. “I didn’t do anything inappropriate, did I? Maybe I had a bit of sweat on my back…”

But that was hardly anything significant.

At this stage, she was more focused on survival and making money. She wasn’t like a rich young lady who never stepped out of her home, so she couldn’t afford to be picky about these little details.  

Gu Shizhang said, “This shows that the person is prone to overthinking.”  

Ye Tianhui somewhat agreed. “Seems so. Some men, just seeing a woman’s arm, would start imagining having children with her!”  

Gu Shizhang: “…”  

After a pause, he admitted, “That makes sense.”  

Ye Tianhui: “Then why did he later kick me out of the car?”  

Gu Shizhang, seemingly unconcerned, looked off into the distance. “Maybe his mind isn’t right.”  

However, Ye Tianhui suddenly realized. “He misunderstood me. He thought I was some kind of unseemly woman! He thought I was a ‘lou feng^[1][楼凤] Floor Phoenix – Derived from the phrase 一楼一凤 – one floor one phoenix.  Refers to women who engage in sexual transactions in their own homes or rented apartments . … Continue reading’!”  

Hearing this, Gu Shizhang’s eyes showed a hint of helplessness.  

Clearly, Ye Tianhui’s life experience made her less familiar with the flashy and extravagant world of Hong Kong. Her only understanding of such matters was through “lou feng,” as she had only come into contact with them.  

Such things didn’t exist in mainland China, so she had never encountered them.  

She didn’t know that, with Ye Lixuan’s status and identity, and due to his impressive appearance, many women would try all kinds of ways to get close to him, flirt with him, hoping to rise to the top and become a phoenix.  

Perhaps at first, Ye Lixuan had some sort of affection for her, which led him to do something that was clearly against his usual style—he took the initiative to give her a ride.  

But after getting into the car, her behavior made Ye Lixuan misunderstand.  

Ye Lixuan was a proud and solitary person, which was why he kicked her out of the car.  

He tried to comfort Ye Tianhui. “Tianhui, don’t overthink it. It’s not what you think.”  

Ye Tianhui: “He misunderstood me? How dare he misunderstand me? I was polite at the time, and he still thought that? He’s so old, could I possibly like him?”  

She almost wanted to jump up and beat him down!  

She had even foolishly guessed that this person might be her father—could her father be someone like that?  

Gu Shizhang: “That person is clearly getting old. Though his appearance might be decent, he’s just a false gentleman. It’s not worth worrying about what someone like that thinks. Why should we bother with him?”  

Ye Tianhui sneered. “I actually felt grateful? I didn’t expect someone like that to be so self-righteous!”  

Suddenly, she thought of Gu Zhixin. “That person is just like those people from the Gu family—arrogant and self-righteous. If I see him again, I’ll make sure he regrets it!”  

Gu Shizhang smirked. “Right, let’s show them who’s boss. Beat them up a little, and they’ll know their place.”  

Ye Tianhui heard this and was puzzled, looking at him curiously. “Aren’t you going to advise me not to stir up trouble?”  

She couldn’t believe she had a friend like this, one who added fuel to the fire when she was upset.  

Gu Shizhang: “But aren’t you mad? Since you’re upset, shouldn’t you beat them up?”  

Ye Tianhui glanced at him. “You’re so simple-minded, no twists or turns! How did you end up with such a big family business, and you even have investments in the UK? You must be quite wealthy, but your brain works like this?”  

Gu Shizhang: “…”  

Ye Tianhui chuckled. “I’m not the kind of person who has courage without strategy!”  

Gu Shizhang tentatively asked, “So, what do you plan to do?”  

Ye Tianhui: “If I beat them up now, it might feel good, but it would only hurt their bodies and get me into trouble. That would just be a momentary release of frustration. If I’m going to deal with them, I’ll need to think long-term.”  

Gu Shizhang: “Long-term? What do you mean by that?”  

Ye Tianhui smiled but spoke calmly. “That means rising steadily to the top. These small-minded people will eventually be under my foot. Now that I’ve made up my mind, why bother worrying about the short term?”  

Gu Shizhang was momentarily stunned.  

Looking at her, the autumn air seemed calm, and the night wind was a bit cool. She raised an eyebrow and smiled, exuding an air of grace and freedom.  

For a moment, his thoughts seemed to wander, and he almost saw, a thousand years ago, that young girl, holding a two-foot-long green peak, smiling as she vowed to rid the world of all traitors for him.  

—

When Ye Tianhui returned home that night, she began to pack her things. In fact, she didn’t have much to pack—just a few outfits for the season and some basic daily necessities.  

After tidying up, she piled the luggage to one side and went to sleep.  

The next morning, when Ye Tianhui heard the knocking on the door, she was still in a deep sleep.

She jolted awake, her voice still thick with sleep as she muttered, “Who is it?”

She instinctively thought it was one of the tenants in the building, maybe an old woman or an old man, coming about things like the sanitation fee, rent, or hallway clutter—those tedious chores.

But then she heard Gu Shizhang’s voice: “It’s me. It’s already seven o’clock. Aren’t you supposed to go to work today?”

Ye Tianhui was momentarily confused: “Gu Shizhang?”

Gu Shizhang: “Just call me by my first name, no need for the last name.”

Ye Tianhui wasn’t fully awake yet: “Alright, Shizhang, why are you here?”

She hurriedly got up, threw on some clothes, and was about to open the door for Gu Shizhang.

But after standing up, she glanced around at the small, cramped place she was living in and thought about how messy and disheveled she must look after just waking up. It was a bit embarrassing. She could only say, “I haven’t washed up yet!”

Was he being too much? Couldn’t he give her a little bit of dignity?

Behind the thin door, Gu Shizhang chuckled lightly: “I thought you’d be moving and going to work, so I worried you wouldn’t have enough time. Here’s what we’ll do—I’ll wait downstairs for you, and you can call me when you’re ready?”

Ye Tianhui: “Oh, no need. I’ll be done soon.”

At once, Ye Tianhui quickly got dressed, tidied up her things, grabbed her toiletries, went to wash up, wiped her face, and combed her hair. Only then did she turn to Gu Shizhang and say, “Alright, I’m ready.”

Gu Shizhang smiled. She really was quick. “That’s some military-speed efficiency.”

Ye Tianhui raised an eyebrow. “Who told you to come so early?”

Gu Shizhang bent down and picked up the bag by her feet. “What do you want to eat?”

Ye Tianhui glanced at the time. “I want to hurry up and move in. Once I settle down, I’ll just grab a quick bite at the racetrack.”

Gu Shizhang, however, pulled out a bag and smiled. “Look, I brought some food. How about we eat together when we get to the racetrack?”

Ye Tianhui: “Sure!”

So, Gu Shizhang accompanied Ye Tianhui downstairs, where they went to cancel the lease, sign the papers, and finalize the handover with the landlady.

His appearance was so striking that even though he was only wearing simple workwear and jeans, it still caught the attention of many people. While Gu Shizhang was helping her with the handover, a “lou feng” secretly approached Ye Tianhui and asked, “How did you manage to get such a good man? He must be rich, right?”

Ye Tianhui: “He’s super stingy.”

He wouldn’t even treat her to a nice meal.

The “lou feng” looked over at Gu Shizhang, scanning him with wide eyes. Tall, handsome, broad shoulders, long legs—his seemingly simple jeans looked like an international top brand, and his shoes were expensive, not to mention the watch!

She whispered in awe, “His watch must be worth a lot! He’s really wealthy!”

Ye Tianhui replied indifferently, “Yeah, he said he spent a few months’ salary on it.”

By this time, Gu Shizhang had already finished the handover. She walked over to him, and the two of them walked out together.

Behind them were envious glances.

Once they were on the street, Ye Tianhui said, “That woman just now said you were handsome and that you looked like a rich person.”

Gu Shizhang: “Oh.”

Ye Tianhui: “She also said your watch was super expensive!”

Gu Shizhang sighed lightly. “Sounds like you’re jealous. If you like it, I can give you the watch.”

Ye Tianhui: “I was just saying it!”

As they chatted, the two of them grabbed the bags and got on a bus heading to the racetrack.