Chapter 10

When they arrived at room 2701, Jiang Yinyin took the initiative to knock on the door.

After about twenty or thirty seconds, the door finally opened.

All three of them were momentarily stunned.

Gu Jingcheng was wearing a white bathrobe, his hair damp. He had one hand on the door and held a white towel in the other, just about to dry off.

Jiang Yinyin blinked rapidly, and her eyes couldn’t help but drift to the hint of defined chest muscles visible beneath his bathrobe collar. Half shy and half awkward, she lightly stomped her foot. “Ah—did we interrupt your shower?”

Jiang Yehui, about the same height as her cousin, stood behind her and subtly tilted her head to peek inside—only to meet Gu Jingcheng’s gaze directly. Her thoughts were full of silent complaints. He knew she was coming up, yet he deliberately chose this moment to shower. What was he playing at?

She had no idea that when Gu Jingcheng got her call, he had just finished working out and already taken off his clothes. His shower timing was already considered fast.

Gu Jingcheng’s eyes swept over Jiang Yehui in a flash. A look of amazement flickered briefly across his face.

She had changed from her daytime outfit into a shimmering black deep-V mini dress. A large expanse of fair, smooth skin at her chest caught the eye, and the hem of the dress stopped well above her knees, revealing long, slender legs. The dress hugged her curves tightly, outlining her figure perfectly.

Noticing his gaze, Jiang Yehui instinctively straightened her posture and held her head high.

Tonight’s fashion show theme was “Midnight Allure.” From the name alone, one could imagine what kind of makeup she wore—smoky eyes and bold red lips, a far cry from her usual understated elegance.

Still, dressing up like this once in a while was kind of refreshing.

Just then, Jiang Yinyin tried to grab attention again. She turned back and said, “Yehui, I’m a bit thirsty. Can I go in for a glass of water?”

Jiang Yehui couldn’t have asked for anything better. If her cousin offered to sleep over tonight, she’d be even more thrilled.

Smiling sweetly for once, she said with enthusiasm, “Of course. What would you like to drink?” As she spoke, she linked arms with Jiang Yinyin and made to walk in.

But Gu Jingcheng remained standing at the doorway, not moving aside.

He looked at their linked arms, furrowed his brow slightly, and softly called out, “Yehui.”

Jiang Yehui felt an inexplicable shiver run down her spine. She looked up and locked eyes with his deep, penetrating gaze.

“Come here.”

Gu Jingcheng tilted his chin slightly to the side, his voice low but gentle.

Damn. When someone usually so cold and distant suddenly spoke to you gently—and with such a devastatingly handsome face—who could resist?

Even though Jiang Yehui knew he was only putting on a show of affection in front of others, she still couldn’t resist the pull of those two words and unconsciously stepped toward him.

Gu Jingcheng slightly curved his lips and naturally placed a hand on her shoulder.

Jiang Yinyin tried to follow them in.

But just as she lifted her foot to step inside, the door swung shut in her face.

Gu Jingcheng’s voice was cold and emotionless: “Sorry, my wife and I need to rest.”

And just like that, Jiang Yinyin watched the door slam shut right in front of her.

Inside the room, Jiang Yehui also stared at the firmly closed door, speechless. “Wasn’t that a bit… much?”

“What was?” Gu Jingcheng withdrew his hand from her shoulder and asked calmly.

Okay, Jiang Yehui had to admit, with someone like her cousin—who thought the world revolved around her—only someone like Gu Jingcheng could keep her in check. If it weren’t for tonight’s awkward situation, she might’ve clapped in approval.

But now what?

She glanced at the man calmly drying his hair and faked a yawn. “I’m so tired today. I’ll just wash up and go to bed. Good night.”

With that, she quickly made her way toward the master bedroom.

“Jiang Yehui.”

Gu Jingcheng’s unhurried voice stopped her.

Her heart jumped to a hundred beats per minute, and she swallowed nervously. Would he really try to force himself on her if she refused?

Gu Jingcheng had sat down on the sofa by now and said in a deep voice, “Come here.”

There it was again—those two words.

This time, Jiang Yehui forced herself not to move. She casually flipped her hair and smiled. “What is it? Make it quick. It’s late, and I still need to take off my makeup.”

Gu Jingcheng glanced at her and patted the spot beside him. “Do I need to come get you?”

She rolled her eyes. Didn’t he just play the perfect gentleman earlier today at the hospital? What a dramatic shift.

She revised her judgment—maybe he really was the kind who might force things if unhappy.

She thought for a second. People like him responded better to softness than resistance. So, she obediently sat down across from him. But once seated, she realized this angle was… problematic. She found herself tugging at the hem of her dress that had ridden up.

Gu Jingcheng didn’t seem to notice. He opened a bottle of water on the table and handed it to her.

“Thanks,” Jiang Yehui said, genuinely a bit thirsty, tilting her head slightly to drink.

Gu Jingcheng leaned back, crossing his legs under the bathrobe. From his angle, his eyes naturally landed on the plunging neckline of her dress.

After two seconds, his gaze slid along her graceful figure to her smooth thighs, then back up to her enticing red lips. His expression remained neutral, but his voice deepened slightly: “When are you going back to Beigang? My flight’s tomorrow morning.”

Jiang Yehui’s heart fluttered, and her expression turned slightly conflicted. “My grandma adores me. I came here to study when I was twelve and spent more time with her than my own mom. Whenever she had something good, I was the first person she thought of. She treats me better than she treats Yinyin or anyone else.

“When I heard she was in the hospital yesterday, I couldn’t even stay at the resort—I was so worried I almost cried.”

In other words: My grandma’s still in the hospital. How could I just leave heartlessly to return with you?

Gu Jingcheng didn’t respond. He just stared at her quietly.

He had only casually asked, but she’d immediately launched into a whole monologue, clearly afraid he’d force her to return with him.

He knew she wasn’t usually this talkative.

Afraid he’d say no, she sighed and added a bit of flair: “You know what they say—’a muscle or bone injury takes a hundred days to heal.’ Grandma’s already seventy; she definitely won’t recover as fast as a young person. Let’s say… at least two hundred days?”

She cautiously glanced at him and, without pausing to breathe, continued, “With this fracture, it’ll definitely take a good while for her to walk again. Grandma’s the type who can’t stay still—she’s probably anxious already. If no one’s watching over her and the care isn’t proper, she might even be left with a lasting disability. I…”

She had always spoken slowly, with a gentle and pleasant voice. But Gu Jingcheng still couldn’t help interrupting, objectively saying, “Professional caregivers are more qualified.”

Jiang Yehui frowned slightly. “Sure, they’re professionals, but they can’t compare to family. They don’t know Grandma’s temperament or habits. It’s inevitable they’ll miss things. Having a relative around is still better, don’t you think?”

She looked at him with a hopeful expression, a bit pitiful too, wondering if she was overacting.

Gu Jingcheng’s eyes flashed with a faint smile. “Jiang Yehui, do you dislike me?”

Huh? Jiang Yehui was startled. She looked at him, surprised. “Why would I?”

With a face like that, who could dislike him? If she hated him, she wouldn’t have agreed to marry him in the first place.

She just didn’t love him, that’s all.

“Or,” Gu Jingcheng’s gaze was dark, “do you like someone else?”

“…”

Jiang Yehui opened her mouth but couldn’t find any words.

“Forget him.”

“What?”

Gu Jingcheng’s tone was cold. “I trust you’re not naïve enough to still believe in love.”

“I’m not,” Jiang Yehui said firmly.

“Good. Then do your part as Mrs. Gu properly.”

Gu Jingcheng looked into her eyes. “Will three months be enough?”

Jiang Yehui was confused, not understanding what he meant.

“Three months from now, I want to see you in our home in Beigang.”

His tone left no room for negotiation—it was practically an ultimatum.

Jiang Yehui understood. He was telling her he wouldn’t force her to do anything in these three months, but after that, she needed to recognize her role and fulfill her responsibilities.

She thought about it. Three months wasn’t too long. She could stall for now. And in that time, who knew—he might not resist temptation and sneak off to enjoy himself.

Xin Yan had said it: men were driven by the lower half of their bodies. Especially men used to delicacies—starve them for even a week, and they’d break.

Feeling reassured, she picked up the bottle of water again, took a few sips, and smiled. “Alright.”

Gu Jingcheng’s expression softened slightly. He leaned closer and sniffed lightly. “What’s that scent?”

Jiang Yehui sniffed herself. She had only sprayed a little perfume. “Midnight Sprite by T—it’s got notes of black orchid and oud.”

“That’s it,” Gu Jingcheng nodded. “It’s unique. Suits you.”

It was similar to the scent she wore the day they signed the marriage agreement.

“Thanks.” Jiang Yehui gave him a surprised glance, then tsked inwardly. One second this man was cold and ruthless, and the next he was sweet and complimentary—no wonder most women couldn’t resist.

Just as she was thinking that, Gu Jingcheng suddenly reached toward her. Jiang Yehui reflexively leaned her head back.

“There’s something shiny,” he said calmly, his hand still hovering in mid-air.

“Oh.”

It was probably a fleck of glitter from the fashion show. Jiang Yehui leaned closer, signaling for him to remove it.

Gu Jingcheng’s fingers brushed against a small gold speck in her hair—but he didn’t remove it. Instead, his knuckles trailed slowly along her hair, down her cheek, and to her chin.

Jiang Yehui held her breath and froze, unsure of what he was trying to do. Wherever he touched, it tickled slightly.

The next moment, he pinched her chin, raised a brow slightly, and said with a faint smirk:

“Fair-skinned and beautiful, huh?”

In a flash, Jiang Yehui realized—oh no!

She cursed silently in her heart. This petty, vengeful man! He hadn’t said anything in the group chat, but clearly, he’d been lurking, reading everything. Even “fair-skinned and beautiful” hadn’t slipped past him!

Eyes wide, she touched her hair and feigned ignorance. “What shiny thing? Is it gone?”

But Gu Jingcheng didn’t plan to let her off the hook so easily. He patiently asked again, “Who’s fair-skinned and beautiful?”

“…”

Jiang Yehui tried to turn her head away—his intense stare was too much—but her chin was still in his grasp.

“Hmm?” His grip tightened slightly, his eyes deep and unreadable.

“…Me.” Jiang Yehui surrendered to the situation. She cupped her face with her hands, fluttered her lashes, tilted her lips at a 45-degree angle, and made a “positive vibes” pose.

Finally satisfied, Gu Jingcheng curved his lips and gently pushed her face away. In a good mood, he reminded her, “Didn’t you say you were going to remove your makeup? This one ages you five years. Doesn’t suit you.”

Jiang Yehui’s heart sank. In that moment, she truly understood what it meant to be “emotionally stabbed.”