From his vantage point, Li Tingqin initially couldn’t see Gu Chen inside the room. But as he walked closer and finally caught sight of him, he suddenly understood why this young man in a bathrobe had fallen for Gu Chen at first glance.

Gu Chen had always been talented and intelligent. Since leaving the oppressive environments of the Cheng and Gu families, he had been able to relax and nurture his true self. This period of ease had transformed his demeanor entirely. Like an uncut gem that had been refined and polished, his true brilliance was now beginning to show. His current aura was serene and elegant, carrying a hint of detachment as if he had seen through the vicissitudes of life.

It was heartening to see Gu Chen slowly recovering from his past traumas.

“President Li is back,” Gu Chen said, glancing back at him.

Li Tingqin found himself momentarily stunned by Gu Chen’s languid and indifferent gaze but soon smiled faintly.

He could now understand why Gu Chen preferred not to appear on shows. With his looks and demeanor, it was no wonder he attracted so many admirers, which could indeed be quite bothersome.

Meanwhile, Gu Chen was also taking in the sight of the renowned President Li. After communicating through WeChat for so long, this was their first actual meeting.

Due to the drop in temperature and for the convenience of travel, Li Tingqin wasn’t in his usual suit today. Instead, he wore a long trench coat. Standing at a height of 190 cm, the slightly fitted coat accentuated his tall and well-proportioned frame, highlighting his broad shoulders and long legs.

Gu Chen had always thought that Li Tingqin, as the current head of the Li family, embodied the quintessential dominant CEO archetype. At just 28 years old, he had already taken over the reins from his grandfather and was actively expanding the family’s business empire.

Li Tingqin had married someone from the Gu family, who had remained a shadowy presence, yet Li Tingqin showed no signs of neglecting him. From the respect displayed by both Li Tingqin himself and his subordinates, it was clear he was someone who exercised control and maintained strict discipline.

Despite his rational and rigorous nature, Li Tingqin was not devoid of warmth. It was hard to say whether his decision to return from abroad was specifically to address issues related to Zhong Sheng or to see Gu Chen.

Li Tingqin turned out to be quite an interesting person, but it was evident that between them, it wasn’t a matter of love.

Yun Zhou was confused. After Li Tingqin had announced that Gu Chen was married, why did Li Tingqin and Gu Chen just stare at each other in silence? Yun Zhou, already feeling cold, was practically frozen in the awkwardness of the moment.

He decided he should break the silence himself. However, faced with these two exceptionally poised “CEOs,” he quickly became paralyzed by his indecision. Who should he speak to first?

Although Gu Chen seemed gentle and relaxed, there was an inherent distance to his regal demeanor. He showed polite respect, but it was difficult to get close to him. For instance, earlier, Gu Chen had calmly instructed him to put on his bathrobe, his expression remaining completely unchanged.

Li Tingqin, on the other hand, exuded a sense of authority and control. He was clearly an experienced leader with a decisive and potentially harsh demeanor. The way he looked at Yun Zhou was so disapproving that Yun Zhou felt weak in the knees.

Wait, what was he thinking? Gu Chen was already married! That left only Li Tingqin as a viable option. Yun Zhou felt a pang of despair.

“Sorry, Mr. Gu, I didn’t know you were married…” Yun Zhou decided to refocus on his initial target and try to salvage the situation. “Oh, President Li…”

“Do you remember me? I’m Yun Zhou. I mistook Mr. Gu for you earlier… I was a bit swayed because Mr. Gu is so attractive, but seeing you now, I am certain of my feelings! Actually, when I was younger and attended a banquet at the Li family, I saw you then and… I fell for you at first sight.”

Seeing that Yun Zhou’s attempt to flirt with Mr. Gu was about to shift to President Li, Chen, Li Tingqin’s assistant, quickly spoke up: “…Sorry, Mr. Yun, but President Li is also married. Could you tell us at which event you met President Li?”

Young Master Yun, perhaps you should reconsider what you’re saying. Is this some kind of Schrödinger’s first sight love?

Also, please don’t interrupt President Li and Mr. Gu, who are clearly in their own moment. Don’t you think it’s inappropriate to be standing between them?

When Yun Zhou learned that President Li was also married, he immediately took two steps back in shock.

“Uh…” Asked about the event where he had seen President Li, Yun Zhou hesitated and, under Chen’s scrutinizing gaze, finally said with an awkward tone, “Actually, it was when I was seven…”

Back then, the Yun family was still influential enough to attend the Li family’s banquets, so he had seen Li Tingqin once. Who knew how hard he had racked his brain trying to figure out his connection with “Brother Tingqin”!

Chen’s assistant thought, “No wonder you can’t tell Mr. Gu from President Li. That banquet must have been over a decade ago! You had a crush at seven? Impressive.”

Wearing only slippers, Yun Zhou’s nervousness was apparent as he fidgeted his toes. He forced a laugh and said, “It seems all the outstanding men in this world are married… It’s probably just that I’ve been single for too long and my thoughts have gone awry… Haha.”

Seeing how naive the young man was, Chen’s assistant couldn’t help but feel a bit sorry for him, signaling him to look around and see for himself.

Gu Chen, however, chose not to dwell on Yun Zhou’s antics. He took a moment to appraise Li Tingqin, then smiled and extended his hand. “President Li, it’s a pleasure to meet you.”

Li Tingqin also reached out to shake Gu Chen’s hand, returning the smile. “The pleasure is mine.”

Yun Zhou: “?” What’s so interesting about this? Two big shots meeting? What does it have to do with me?

He only saw that the two big shots were shaking hands, and their hands were quite good-looking—one had a bit of a vein showing, giving off a strong vibe, while the other was slender and fair, looking very distinguished.

He looked more closely and then realized… they were both wearing matching rings on their ring fingers!!!

Oh no, what a situation. Help, help, are you two lovebirds really greeting each other with a handshake and saying ‘nice to meet you’? Am I actually part of your play?

He pretended to have a sudden realization and said to Assistant Chen, “Oh, oh! So it turns out that outstanding men in the world are self-sufficient.”

He felt like his toes were about to rip through the hotel slippers!!!

Oh my god! He had just confessed to the husband in front of his husband, and then confessed to the husband in front of the husband!

Can he leave Earth for Mars tonight?

Yun Zhou decided to make a final attempt to rescue the situation and said, “President Li, President Gu, don’t worry! I’ve fallen for both of you at first sight, which only means one thing—you two are the perfect match because I’m a visual person!”

“I will not be a third party! I wish you both happiness!” He then turned around, wrapped himself tightly in his bathrobe, and ran off, his toes gripping the slippers.

Gu Chen watched him sprint away in his bathrobe and smiled, saying, “This kid is quite interesting.”

Since it wasn’t really “love at first sight,” there must be some difficulties involved.

Li Tingqin didn’t seem to have much of a reaction and said, “Come in, it’s cold outside.”

Xiao Gu might not have worn a coat since he had come out to open the door.

Assistant Chen stood at the doorway and kindly said, “President Li, if there’s nothing else, I’ll head back now. My family is waiting for me.”

Li Tingqin nodded, “Go ahead, and remember to take the gifts with you.”

“Understood.” Assistant Chen closed the door for them as he left.

Li Tingqin removed his trench coat and took off his watch in the suite’s dressing room. Wearing only a black shirt now, he unfastened the top two buttons, finally feeling a bit more comfortable after his journey.

Meanwhile, Gu Chen waited on the sofa in the living room.

Li Tingqin walked over and said, “Xiao Gu, sorry for keeping you waiting.”

Gu Chen replied, “It’s alright. But Mr. Li calling me Xiao Gu feels a bit strange.”

Although he had initially texted Li Tingqin to address him as Mr. Gu, and Li Tingqin had been respectful on the show, calling him that, in private, he still called him Xiao Gu. It was true that he was called Gu Chen, but the nickname Xiao Gu seemed a bit out of place.

Li Tingqin was aware that he hadn’t followed Gu Chen’s preference, so he said, “Sorry, I didn’t want to seem too distant. I heard everyone calling you that.”

They? Gu Chen pondered. The Gu family, including Gu Zhongmao, all share the surname Gu, so it wouldn’t make sense for them to call him Xiao Gu. However, Du Ruiqing had indeed called him Xiao Gu, suggesting that it was a commonly used nickname. Considering how Mrs. Qi hated Gu Zhongmao, it was possible that she used the nickname “Xiao Gu” frequently.

But now, given that he was relying on President Li for allowances, having him call him Mr. Gu also felt somewhat odd. So Gu Chen said, “Mr.  Li, you can just call me Ah Chen.”

He didn’t quite remember what nickname he had as a child, but it seemed like someone used to call him Ah Chen.

The original owner didn’t want to live this kind of life and left for another world. Now, he was just an extra in this world, and it was the first time he was using his real name here. Though it was still “Gu Chen,” the meaning was different.

Li Tingqin said, “Alright, Ah Chen.”

He had noticed the changes in Gu Chen recently. Although he didn’t think of him as a big shot, he felt that Gu Chen was becoming better and better.

As they sat together, the atmosphere seemed to shift subtly.

Just as Li Tingqin was about to say something, Gu Chen looked at his watch and said, “Mr. Li, it’s already 10:30. It’s getting late, and we should go to bed.

Li Tingqin replied, “10:30 isn’t too late, actually. Sometimes I work past this time.”

Gu Chen insisted, “No, going to bed before 9 is good for your heart, and before 11 is good for your kidneys. It’s actually a bit late to start washing up now.”

Li Tingqin was taken aback.

So, after spending a week at the old house, did Ah Chen get influenced by his grandfather?

How did a healthy 22-year-old end up like this?