Chapter 2

Three months later.

Gu Jingcheng and Jiang Yehui held a low-key yet luxurious wedding ceremony in the UK.

The decision to hold the wedding there was made by the Zhou family, mainly because the bride’s grandparents were elderly and not suited for long-distance travel.

The Gu family was considerate and agreed without complaint.

That evening, after the wedding banquet, both families’ closest relatives escorted the newlyweds to the elevator.

Madam Gu held Jiang Yehui’s hand lovingly and said with warmth, “Child, the future of the Gu family depends on you now!”

Madam Zhou stood to the side, smiling without saying anything, subtly giving her daughter a look.

Jiang Yehui had maintained a graceful and composed demeanor all evening. Now, she let a hint of shyness show at the perfect moment, glancing sideways at Gu Jingcheng and gently murmuring to her mother-in-law, “Mom…”

Madam Gu only had this one son. Though he was filial, he wasn’t as affectionate as a daughter might be. She had never been addressed so sweetly as “Mom” before, and her heart melted instantly. She beamed with joy. “Alright, alright, I won’t say any more. I’ve made little Yehui embarrassed!”

Madam Zhou lightly teased her in-law at the right moment, “You’re such an impatient mother-in-law!”

Madam Gu laughed, “I just want the house to be more lively. Unlike you—you’re so blessed. A loving husband, children both son and daughter, and even a grandson in your arms!”

Madam Gu had been widowed early. As a young widow raising a child in a powerful family like the Gu family, she had endured her fair share of hardship. What she said now was partly small talk, but also likely from the heart.

Madam Zhou’s smile didn’t waver, but her eyes flickered subtly.

Jiang Yehui glanced at her mother, then tugged gently on her mother-in-law’s arm and said warmly, “Mom, didn’t you say you’d treat me like your daughter from now on? I’m the one who’s truly blessed.”

Looking at her daughter-in-law’s soft expression and bright eyes, Madam Gu felt a deep sense of comfort. “We’re both lucky! You’re such a good girl. The more I look at you, the more I like you.”

Gu Jingcheng stood off to the side, the perfect image of a gentleman with a faint smile. But in his eyes was a trace of mockery. She really did know how to charm his mother.

He glanced at his watch. In ten minutes, he had a video meeting with people in China, and yet this scene didn’t look like it would wrap up any time soon.

Out of the corner of his eye, he spotted Jiang Yehui’s white high heels and subtly took half a step back, slightly turning his left foot.

Jiang Yehui staggered a little, her body swaying.

Gu Jingcheng caught her by the waist in time and asked in a low voice, “Tired?”

A tingling sensation ran through her waist. His deep voice was like a whisper right next to her ear. She looked up and met a pair of calm, unreadable eyes. Her heart stirred as she immediately understood his intention.

Ugh… her mind flashed with the kind of cliché slow-motion 360-degree “hero saves beauty” scenes from idol dramas. And he actually had the nerve to pull it off in real life?

Though she scoffed inwardly, she played along with a slightly embarrassed expression and said, “I guess I’ve been standing too long.”

A perfect picture: handsome man and beautiful woman, a tender moment. Those around them couldn’t help but smile happily.

Madam Zhou, pleased by her son-in-law’s attentiveness, quickly said, “It’s getting late. You two should head upstairs—must’ve been a tiring day.”

Madam Gu looked at her daughter-in-law, who had already stood up straight and looked perfectly composed again. She immediately chimed in, “Xiaoye, I’ve arranged for the hotel spa to send someone for a massage—you’ll sleep better.”

Jiang Yehui smiled. “Mom, no need. I’ll just take a bath upstairs. Didn’t you say there’s a place in Beigang with great massage technique? Take me there next time we’re back.”

Madam Gu was even more satisfied now. Not spoiled, sensible, and understanding. Time was precious—who spends their wedding night ignoring their husband for a massage?

Gu Jingcheng saw it was about time and finally turned to Zhou Yanjin, who had been silent the whole time. “Big brother, would you mind escorting both madams back to their rooms?”

Zhou Yanjin, still as cold and aloof as ever, gave a slight nod, but cast a reluctant glance at his younger sister before solemnly saying, “I’m entrusting Yehui to you.”

Jiang Yehui had always been more in awe than affectionate toward her big brother. It was rare to see him speak so gently, and it made her feel emotional. But more than anything, she felt thrilled—like she was finally breaking free from a golden cage.

She carried her mother’s surname, Jiang. Zhou Yanjin was eight years older than her and had been strict with her all her life. When she was a teenager, he had sent her to a prestigious girls’ boarding school in the UK to study, where she lived with their grandparents, who had already moved there.

Her grandparents were traditional, aristocratic types who raised her as a refined lady of status. Besides school, most of her time was spent learning various arts and accomplishments. Everything from her behavior to her friendships had to meet their high standards.

To be precise, from childhood until now, she had always gotten anything she wanted—but she was also constantly restrained. After coming of age, she didn’t even dare dream of moving out to live on her own.

Money? She had enough to spend for a lifetime.
Love? She’d long since stopped fantasizing about it.

What she needed most now was ,freedom.

So, when her father made a major mistake that caused significant losses for the company, and her older brother urgently needed a huge amount of funding for a critical upcoming project, her mother brought up the idea of meeting with the Gu family. Jiang Yehui only took a few minutes to consider before agreeing.

On one hand, she was a member of the Zhou family. Since she had enjoyed all the privileges and resources the family had given her, she also had a responsibility to carry some of its burdens.

If marrying Gu Jingcheng could help the Zhou family out of crisis, she had no reason to refuse.

More importantly, she had heard of Gu Jingcheng before, and occasionally saw gossip online linking him to actresses. A man like that was surely surrounded by women. Marrying someone like him might actually give her the most freedom.

Over the past six months, from meeting to engagement to marriage, everything had gone smoothly—far more so than she expected, even the prenuptial and supplementary agreement. For her, there couldn’t be a more ideal marriage.

While she was quietly calculating her gains, Gu Jingcheng pulled her into the elevator in a seemingly intimate gesture.

The elevator doors slowly closed under the warm, pleased gazes of their mothers. As soon as the doors shut, the two of them immediately pulled apart.

Jiang Yehui rubbed her stiff, forced smile, moved her neck a little, then leaned against the wall in the corner to relieve the ache in her calves.

After the prenuptial agreement incident, she no longer felt the need to put on a front around him.

Gu Jingcheng, whose hand had just been around her waist, now had both hands in his pockets. Standing with his legs slightly apart in front of the elevator mirror, he looked casual—but he was observing her every move.

The light yellow evening gown made her look like a delicate flower in bloom at dawn—fresh and elegant.

Even though her current posture was relaxed and unguarded, she still carried herself with grace, never appearing vulgar.

But Gu Jingcheng had seen many beautiful women in his circle. She wasn’t the most stunning he’d met.

Jiang Yehui, on her end, was also observing him through the mirror. Dressed in a white suit, about the same height as her brother, with a tall build—and in terms of features, perhaps even more handsome than Zhou Yanjin.

Outwardly, he seemed refined and gentle, but in reality, he was arrogant and somewhat harsh. She hadn’t forgotten his nasty comment last time, mocking her for her small chest.

Both were tired. Their expressions were cold and indifferent. Neither had any intention of starting a conversation.

Twenty-three seconds later, they reached the top floor—the presidential suite.

The elevator doors opened to reveal a British hotel butler in a tailcoat and bowtie, already waiting.

“Sir, Madam, congratulations on your wedding,” the butler bowed and respectfully said. “Please follow me.”

Gu Jingcheng stepped aside and held the door like a gentleman, gesturing for the lady to go first.

Jiang Yehui gracefully lifted her skirt and offered a curtsy with a smile, walking ahead without hesitation.

Gu Jingcheng stood in place leisurely, eyes falling on her straight back, the corners of his mouth slightly curled in mock amusement.

The butler opened the door and explained a few things before taking his leave. The suite was now left to the two of them.

Jiang Yehui kicked off her heels and, without a word, headed straight for the bathroom.

Gu Jingcheng loosened his bowtie and went straight to the office area.

Ten minutes later, Jiang Yehui had removed her makeup and was soaking in the luxurious heated massage tub of the presidential suite.

She was about to doze off when the phone rang.

Stretching her arm, she grabbed her phone and turned on speaker mode.

Xin Yan’s bright voice rang out. “Did I interrupt your wedding night? Hehehe…”

Jiang Yehui yawned. “Just say what you called to say.”

Her tone made Xin Yan’s mind go straight to the gutter. She squealed, “No way! Gu Jingcheng’s that eager? The wedding just ended!”

Jiang Yehui rolled her eyes. “Yeah, yeah, I’ve already devoured him clean.”

“Tsk tsk tsk! Do you even know? Weibo is mourning right now. So many women’s hearts shattered into pieces.”

“What’s it got to do with me?”

“A lot! The entire internet is digging into your background right now. My hands are itching—I really want to expose you!”

Jiang Yehui smirked. “Go ahead. If you dare expose me, I’ll expose you too.”

Who couldn’t play the mutual destruction game?

Xin Yan instantly backed down. “No no no, I still plan to rely on my own skills to dominate the scene when I return! But seriously, Gu Jingcheng is ridiculously handsome! He was like a real-life prince charming at the wedding—so noble and elegant. Totally different from the rumors.”

“What rumors?” Jiang Yehui asked curiously.

“You don’t know? My dad said this guy is ruthless. When Old Chairman Gu died, he was just a teenager, but over eight years, he took the company back from his own uncle step by step.

“On the day he regained control, he stomped on his uncle right in front of the entire company and said, ‘Beg me and I’ll let you go.’ His uncle actually begged… and he still sent him to jail.”

Wait, really?

Jiang Yehui truly didn’t know. Neither her brother nor her mother had ever mentioned that.

“Not sure if the stories are true, but either way, you’d better not cross him lightly. Still, don’t worry. You’re Zhou Yanjin’s sister—he wouldn’t dare bully you!”

Jiang Yehui chuckled. “So you called just to tell me this?”

“Ah—almost forgot! My flight back to Beigang is at 7 a.m. tomorrow. Just letting you know.”

“Okay. See you back home.”

After hanging up, Jiang Yehui opened Weibo and scrolled for a bit—only to find her feed flooded with wedding news about Gu Jingcheng.

Turned out two hours ago—at exactly 8 a.m. China time—Mingji Media’s official Weibo posted a message: “Happy Wedding!” along with a photo from the ceremony, showing the groom kissing the bride on the cheek.

The groom, of course, was Gu Jingcheng. The bride’s face was mostly hidden by him, with only her forehead and one ear exposed. From what little could be seen, she appeared to be of medium height, with a slender and elegant figure.

And the entire internet exploded.

No one could believe it—the man who held half of the entertainment industry in his palm, the ultimate dream guy for countless women, had gotten married without a word.

And more importantly!!! Who exactly is this woman—her face hidden—who must’ve saved the galaxy in her past life to marry Gu Jingcheng?

For the past two hours, the entire internet had united in one mission: to uncover the identity of the bride.

Everyone turned into Sherlock Holmes, filtering through female celebrities and heiresses from Beigang around 165 cm tall, pulling side-profile photos and comparing ear shapes one by one.

Some media outlets, ever eager to stir up trouble, compiled lists of women who fit the criteria and opened polls for netizens to vote.

In the end, the top two most suspected were Mingji Media’s leading actresses: Yu Jiayun and Lu Mingming. The third was the heiress of Beichen Electronics.

Some mourned. Some gossiped. Countless people stayed up all night.

Right now, trending topic #1 was:
Who is Gu Jingcheng’s wife?

Jiang Yehui clicked in. The discussion was lively and passionate.

“It has to be Yu Jiayun—her height and figure match perfectly, and the ear shape is identical. At Mingji’s 30th anniversary red carpet event, she walked in with CEO Gu. In that photo where he’s surrounded by stars, she stood on his left, looking soft and sweet—totally like a woman in love.”

“Yu Jiayun? Please. What about Lu Mingming, who stood on CEO Gu’s right? From body language alone, it’s obvious he leaned toward her. They looked much closer. And recently, Mingji has been heavily promoting her. She’s got a big lead role coming up—strong presence, great acting!”

“Yu Jiayun is too petty to fit into that kind of elite family. Lu Mingming and CEO Gu have real chemistry.”

…

The comments mainly centered on the two female celebrities. The two fanbases had always been at odds, and now they were reigniting old feuds and clashing all over again.

Jiang Yehui watched for a while, then pulled up the original group photo to study. Honestly, it really did look like the netizens had a point. One on the left was sweet, the other cool—did Gu Jingcheng really have something going on with either of them?

She got up, slowly took another shower, and dried her hair. By the time she finished, it was already midnight.

She walked to the door and listened. Not a sound.

Had he already gone to bed?

She quietly opened the door and walked a few steps out, only to see him sitting casually on the living room sofa sipping coffee, wearing the same hotel bathrobe as her. His hair was slightly damp—he had clearly showered too.

She muttered internally, Midnight coffee on your wedding night? Could it be… he really intended to do something tonight?

It was too late to run back to the bathroom. Bracing herself, she walked past the sofa, planning to go straight to the bedroom.

Just as she thought she had made it safely, Gu Jingcheng’s voice came.

“Jiang… Yehui.”

His voice was low and rich, laced with the warmth of coffee.

Jiang Yehui froze. It was the first time he had said her full name aloud. It felt strange.

He probably meant to say “Miss Jiang,” but changed at the last second—after all, they were now married and living under one roof.

She turned to him with a polite smile. “Jingcheng.”

“…”

Gu Jingcheng took another sip of coffee.

When he looked up again, there was an unreadable smile on his lips, his eyes fixed playfully on a certain spot.

Following his gaze downward, Jiang Yehui’s heart jumped—her bathrobe belt had somehow come loose, and her chest was exposed.

Fortunately, a real lady never panics. She calmly cinched the robe shut, tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear, and casually changed the topic. “I want to ask you something.”

Gu Jingcheng leaned lazily against the back of the sofa, raising his cup. The amused smile still lingered.

Jiang Yehui grinned slyly. “Between Lu Mingming and Yu Jiayun, which one has a thing with you?”

A sharp gleam flashed in his eyes. He raised an eyebrow. “What do you think?”

She pretended to think for a moment, then replied, “Yu Jiayun.”

“Why?”

“Bigger… chest.”

She said it with absolute seriousness.

“…”

Gu Jingcheng’s face twitched. He gave her a complicated look, then turned and walked into the office.

“Tch,” Jiang Yehui shook her head. She must’ve hit the mark.

Okay then. Yu Jiayun would be her number one person of interest. Who knows? Maybe someday she’d catch them in the act.

Meanwhile, in the office, as Gu Jingcheng reviewed an email from Assistant Jin, for some reason the image of his newlywed wife—robe slipping open—flashed across his mind. In that split second, he realized… she actually didn’t seem that small.

Had he misjudged her earlier?