Chapter 2

Gu Shisheng suddenly spoke up, “Wait a moment.”

Xia Chuwei turned around, slightly surprised, and looked at Gu Shisheng with curiosity. “Brother Gu, is something the matter?” she asked.

Gu Shisheng nodded, then spoke slowly, “I… I have something I want to discuss with you. Is that alright?”

His gaze rested on Xia Chuwei’s eyes, serious and deliberate.

Xia Chuwei stared at him, curiosity stirring in her heart. She didn’t know what he wanted to talk about, but judging from his expression, it was clearly important.

After a brief hesitation, she finally nodded. “Alright, Brother Gu.”

Gu Shisheng gave a faint smile, seemingly satisfied with her answer. He gestured toward the Western restaurant across the street and suggested, “Let’s go sit over there and talk. It’s not convenient here.”

Xia Chuwei followed his gesture and glanced over. It was the city’s most famous Western restaurant—elegant, with a piano that was occasionally played, though the prices were high.

“Let’s go somewhere else. Or, if it’s something you want to say, you can just say it here,” Xia Chuwei bit her lip, hesitating.

“No need. I haven’t eaten yet. Let’s go,” Gu Shisheng said, looking at her and raising his chin to signal her to follow.

With that, Xia Chuwei had no choice but to walk over.

Gu Shisheng led her into the restaurant, glanced around, and chose a table by the window. He took the menu handed by the waiter and placed it in front of Xia Chuwei, his voice calm and cool: “Order whatever you want.”

Xia Chuwei shook her head. She had no appetite and wanted to decline.

However, at that moment, her stomach made a loud “grumble,” painfully noticeable in the quiet restaurant.

Her face flushed crimson, and she lowered her head in embarrassment, wishing she could vanish.

Gu Shisheng had obviously heard it too. A faint smile curved his lips, and he spoke with understanding: “It seems your stomach is more honest than you are.”

“Let’s eat while we talk. I haven’t had dinner yet either, so join me. Give me some face,” he added.

Xia Chuwei looked up at his smile, stunned. The man with a cold, stern face was actually smiling.

“Don’t worry, I can afford to treat you. Go ahead and order,” Gu Shisheng said.

Seated by the window, the gentle sunset streamed across him, casting a dreamlike glow around Gu Shisheng, making it hard to look away.

Xia Chuwei felt a mix of fear and fascination, unable to help stealing a glance or two.

Sensing her gaze, Gu Shisheng slightly raised one eyebrow and asked with a teasing tone, “Found something you like?”

Her momentary distraction snapped back. Flustered, she stammered, “Ah…” and quickly looked at the menu, ordering a fried pork cutlet.

Gu Shisheng smiled faintly, briefly, and ordered the same dish for himself, along with two drinks and some delicate pastries.

When the food arrived, Gu Shisheng elegantly placed a glass of milk in front of Xia Chuwei and sipped his coffee lightly.

Xia Chuwei hesitated, then took the milk and drank a small sip, watching him silently, waiting for him to speak.

Yet, even as the pork cutlets were served, Gu Shisheng made no move to start the conversation.

She opened her mouth to ask, but when her eyes met his focused gaze as he cut his pork, her courage evaporated like a popped balloon.

Helpless, she looked down gloomily at her own plate. This was her first time eating Western food, and she had no idea how to use the knife and fork. She could only watch Gu Shisheng for guidance.

Before she could try, he had already neatly cut his portion and placed it in front of her.

Xia Chuwei was astonished, staring at him, completely unprepared for such a gesture, and felt a bit lost.

“Weren’t you hungry? Eat,” he said calmly and naturally, then took her uncut pork and began slicing it with elegant precision, feeding himself slowly.

Watching him, Xia Chuwei felt a strange sensation.

“Thank you,” she whispered, her voice small yet clear in the quiet atmosphere.

Gu Shisheng glanced up briefly, their eyes meeting. His gaze was deep, inscrutable, impossible to read.

He simply nodded lightly in acknowledgment and continued eating.

His movements were quick yet composed, graceful, without a hint of rudeness. After finishing the pork, he ignored the pastries and took a sip of coffee, glancing at Xia Chuwei occasionally, his eyes seeming to hold countless unspoken words.

Xia Chuwei, flustered by his attention, hurriedly finished her meal, all the while wondering what he wanted to say.

Time passed slowly, and finally, she couldn’t hold back. She glanced at her watch and, summoning courage, asked, “Brother Gu, what is it that you want to say?”

Gu Shisheng expressionlessly pushed the pastries toward her and spoke coldly: “Xia Chuwei, how many times has this been?”

Confused, Xia Chuwei’s eyes flickered. She had no idea what he meant by “how many times.”

But Gu Shisheng didn’t give her time to think, continuing, “This is the third time I’ve seen you cry, and each time, it was because of Mu Beichen.”

“And that’s just what I’ve seen. How many times have you cried when I wasn’t around?”

He rested his chin on his hand, stirring his coffee slowly. His gaze held a mixture of frustration and… something else, hard to discern.

Xia Chuwei parted her lips, wanting to speak, but froze under his intense gaze.

Silence stretched between them, the moment feeling almost frozen in time.

After a while, she finally found her voice, softly saying, “This was a marriage arrangement set by my parents.”

Her voice was so light that if Gu Shisheng hadn’t been paying close attention, he might not have heard.

“But forcing yourself into unhappiness—is this what your parents would want?” Gu Shisheng said, helplessly.

Xia Chuwei’s eyes welled up. How could they bear to see her suffer? But they were gone. She had no choice but to obey. At least, aside from Mu Beichen, her family treated her well.

“They treat me well,” she murmured.

“So, are you marrying Mu Beichen, or are you marrying the Mu family?”

“Xia Chuwei, he’s the one you’re going to spend your life with. He’s blind to your worth, thinking of someone else. You deserve better,” Gu Shisheng said seriously.

“Didn’t you realize the truth from what I overheard outside? Mu Beichen can’t even say he likes you, and the people around him don’t value you either.”

Gu Shisheng had heard everything they said in the adjoining room. He had intended to confront them but ended up seeing her crying at the door.

“What are you afraid of? He’s close to other women, yet you, his fiancée, have to hide and cry,” Gu Shisheng said, his heart aching.

“If you’re worried about having nowhere to go… marry me,” he said earnestly.