Chapter 13: He’d Rather Suffer Himself Than Let His Girlfriend Suffer — What a Good Man

Su Nian was still preoccupied with thoughts about money when she was suddenly pulled over by Zhou Beiming.

He leaned in, lowered his head, and kissed her lips with unerring accuracy. The kiss was wild and possessive, making even the root of her tongue ache.

There was a trace of resentment in it.

Su Nian realized too late—no wonder he said she was emotionally clueless.

The kiss was long and scorching.

At some point, her pink thermos had rolled to the floor.

When the kiss finally ended, Su Nian was breathless, her chest heaving violently.

Because she was so close to Zhou Beiming, her chest bumped against him repeatedly.

Zhou Beiming’s gaze deepened. He pushed her away. “Get out.”

Su Nian’s lips tingled—definitely flushed an unnatural red.

She didn’t want to get out.

What if someone saw them? How would she explain?

She kept her head down, hearing the sound of the car lock being disengaged but didn’t move.

Zhou Beiming noticed and lazily rested his hand on the steering wheel. Tilting his head slightly, his eyes carried a mocking glint. “Gone timid again?”

Su Nian didn’t respond—pretending he didn’t exist.

The tingling on her lips still lingered.

Suddenly, someone knocked on the car window on Zhou Beiming’s side.

Honking was an unspoken taboo in this area.

One researcher had once claimed loud noises scared away inspiration.

Su Nian suddenly remembered this was a one-way street. Before she could stop him, Zhou Beiming had already rolled down the window.

“Sir, this is a one-way street. Please don’t park here too long—we’re going to be late.”

As soon as Su Nian heard the voice, her heart sank—exactly what she feared. She wanted to dig a hole and disappear.

It was Director He from the research institute.

She turned her head away, facing the opposite window.

But Director He had sharp eyes and immediately recognized the back of her head. “Su Nian? And this is…”

The air inside the car froze.

Su Nian forced herself to look at the director. “Hello, Director He.”

Director He noticed her flushed face and unnaturally red lips.

He was experienced. To save her embarrassment, he didn’t press further.

He turned to Zhou Beiming.

An incredibly handsome man, with an air of elegance—but those eyes revealed a disregard for others.

He never imagined someone as well-behaved and gentle as Su Nian would be dating this kind of man.

Director He gave an awkward chuckle. “Not bad. Your boyfriend is… pretty tall.”

Not good with words, he feared saying too much might trigger the young man to punch him for annoying the elderly.

Unexpectedly, the man opened his mouth. “Hello, Director He.”

His tone was polite but cool.

Director He froze.

Su Nian was surprised too. She hadn’t known Zhou Beiming was capable of basic manners.

Not wanting Zhou Beiming to be seen by more people, Su Nian said to him, “I’m heading in.”

Her mind was blank, and even opening the car door felt clumsy.

But Zhou Beiming acted like nothing had happened. He hooked a finger through the strap of her bag and dropped the pink thermos into her arms. “You don’t want this?”

Su Nian grabbed it and ran off faster than a rabbit.

Zhou Beiming watched her flustered figure retreat and sneered coldly.

Was he that shameful?

He spun the steering wheel with one hand and sped off.

---

In the office, Su Nian stared at her colleagues.

This was already the eighth person who had come to ask if she had a boyfriend.

It all started when someone complained about the one-way street being blocked this morning, and Director He had helped her save face by explaining: “Su Nian’s boyfriend was here for the first time—he’s not familiar with the area.”

Boom—like poking a hornet’s nest.

Su Nian nodded mechanically.

Then came the inevitable questions: how old is he, what does he do…

Su Nian kept her answers vague.

Just then, two tall men walked in from outside. The one in front wore a tailored suit and exuded elegance.

It was Gu Yincheng.

Yesterday, she had mentioned to Director He that Gu Yincheng wanted to collaborate with their institute.

Director He had said he’d consider it.

The female colleague beside her looked excited. “Nian Nian, am I dreaming? Isn’t that the most handsome campus heartthrob from A University? I heard he went abroad to study—why’s he back?”

Gu Yincheng was the only heir of the Gu family. Probably back to take over the family business.

Su Nian didn’t say much, only replied, “To serve the motherland?”

“Such a patriot.” The girl’s eyes sparkled. She clasped her cheeks, starstruck. “He’s handsome and kind. I wonder if he has a girlfriend.”

Su Nian quietly continued writing her thesis.

---

At noon, she went to the cafeteria with her classmates.

Carrying the pink thermos, her classmate teased, “Your boyfriend drops you off at work and sends a homemade lunch?”

Su Nian remembered Zhou Beiming had force-fed her that black sugar water in the morning.

She replied, “His grandpa made it.”

Her classmate was envious. “So you’re already accepted by his family, huh?”

Just as she finished speaking, Su Nian saw someone waving furiously at her from afar.

Zhou Kang?

He didn’t work at their institute.

Su Nian pretended not to see him and sat with her classmate elsewhere.

A shadow loomed over them.

Zhou Kang’s tone was filled with grievance. “Sister-in-law’s ignoring me like I’m some long-armed gibbon from the zoo.”

Thinking of Zhou Kang’s exaggerated waving earlier, Su Nian had to admit—it did resemble that.

She said offhandedly, “Sorry, didn’t see you.”

Zhou Kang calling her “sister-in-law” made the classmate even more curious. “Your boyfriend’s younger brother?”

“Mhm,” Su Nian replied quietly.

She opened the thermos and frowned a little upon seeing the top layer.

Not what she had expected.

She had imagined fragrant, homemade comfort food.

But one glance at the exquisite Buddha Jumps Over the Wall dish, and she knew this was no ordinary lunch.

Her classmate peeked too. “Damn! No wonder—new wife treatment comes with premium meals.”

She helped Su Nian open the other boxes and her eyes sparkled. “Your boyfriend’s grandpa—was he a professional chef or what?”

Zhou Beiming had driven a modest car worth a little over 100k earlier, and more than just Director He had noticed.

Zhou Kang, unaware of the full picture, muttered to himself—Grandpa cooks? Those two uncles back at the Zhou mansion probably can’t even tell a frying pan from a wok.

Thinking about the horrific breakfast he had that morning, Zhou Kang nearly gagged from the memory alone.

Su Nian’s classmate noticed Zhou Kang’s grim expression and joked, “Never had anything like this? Don’t be jealous! Learn from your brother—drives a modest car, but his girlfriend’s lunch costs more than my monthly salary. He’d rather suffer himself than let her suffer. That’s what I call a good man.”

Zhou Kang was full of question marks. Isn’t this just regular homemade food?

Wait, did she say he drove a Volkswagen worth only a hundred thousand?

Zhou Kang looked out the window. Overcast skies today—surely the sun had risen in the west.

Then he glanced at Su Nian, who had her head buried low like a hedgehog trying to hide.

Pretend I’m not here. You can’t see me, you can’t see me.

Playing poor is part of the romance now?

Zhou Kang dared not say another word and forced a laugh. “Yeah, never had any. My brother just gives me burnt sugar water—buckets of it at a time.”

Su Nian lowered her head even more, practically trying to disappear into her bowl.

This has nothing to do with me. I didn’t make him drink it.

Just then, a deep male voice spoke above her head. “Nian Nian, eating this well?”

Su Nian’s scalp tingled.

Gu Yincheng… is actually eating in their cafeteria?!