She did not know how long had passed when a figure stood beside her.
It was Min Xin.
"Feeling unwell?" The man’s voice bore a hint of somberness, and he draped a coat over her shoulders.
Zhou Yu gently touched the high-quality n’s coat and felt mocked. Outsiders might see Mr. Min as a gentle and considerate man to his wife, but only she knew how estranged they were as a couple.
She didn’t accept his gesture, took off the coat, and handed it back to him. "I’m not cold."
Min Xin raised an eyebrow, leaning against the wall beside her. "I’ve never considered acknowledging any child."
He leaned closer to her. "You’re my child, hmm?"
Zhou Yu felt disgusted. She glanced at him and then said calmly, "I’ve made my appearance. I want to go back now."
Min Xin nodded. "That’s right! After embracing your childhood sweetheart, you must be delighted. That should keep you happy for quite a while, enough to get through the long, empty years to co, right? Zhou Yu, does King Jingyao know about these feelings of yours?"
Zhou Yu remained calm. "Don’t project your own shalessness onto Jingyao and ."
Min Xin sneered. "You call him ’Jingyao’ so affectionately, yet you always use your own husband’s full na. Zhou Yu, do you really think you could marry him if I let you go?"
Zhou Yu didn’t want to deal with him anymore and turned to leave.
But she had barely taken a step when he grabbed her hand.
Min Xin’s expression darkened. "Zhou Yu, don’t think I wouldn’t dare to touch you."
Over the years, their marital relationship had deteriorated significantly. She generally ignored him, and they slept in separate rooms.
Min Xin had hardly ever forced himself on her, which was how she had managed to remain... untouched, like a young maiden. He had been with many won, but none could compare to Zhou Yu; and she was the only woman who looked down on him.
Perhaps provoked by this, Min Xin took Zhou Yu back with him and subjected her to his particular brand of tornt.
*A note: Zhou Yu and our ’elder brother’ were only childhood friends; there were no romantic feelings on either side.*
anwhile, the Old Lady, though advanced in age, had sharp eyes. She noticed the disturbance between Zhou Yu and Min Xin and sighed inwardly. Once, Min Xin and Zhou Yu were considered a golden couple, but now they’ve beco a resentful pair. She couldn’t understand what Min Xin was thinking. If he found other won so alluring, he should just divorce his wife. Yet, he neither let her have children nor granted her a divorce, only tornting her.
She knew she would have to ntion this to Jingyao later, but King Jingyao always put her off. Firstly, it was their private marital affair; secondly, he and Min Xin were sworn enemies; and thirdly, he didn’t want to drag Zhou Yu into it.
Now, her ’big brother’ King Jingyao was at the height of his success, won flocking to him, and clearly far happier than Min Xin. In high spirits, he took his ’precious little sister’ to play a few rounds of cards with so influential figures. It was understood that she was playing on his behalf: if she lost, it was his loss; if she won, the winnings were hers.
This blatant favoritism wasn’t lost on anyone. They knew they should send gifts to Mr. Wang’s precious sister! Consequently, they all intentionally threw the ga, losing spectacularly. The pile of checks in front of Gu Jiaxi grew into a small mountain.
After a few rounds, she knew when to quit, even distributing so of her winnings so the others wouldn’t feel too bad.
Everyone present thought, what a sensible child! She gave them a chance to curry favor without letting them lose too much. She was so experienced in navigating social situations, adorable, beautiful, and capable. No wonder Mr. Wang treasured her so dearly.
So idiot had released that photo earlier—it was just laughable. Seeing how Mr. Wang, the Old Lady, and the Old Gentleman all doted on her, sharing a car and him lending her a coat was perfectly normal... The young lady just had that kind of sway. Besides, she had saved the Old Gentleman’s life; that was a debt of gratitude no one else could claim to match.
After this round of the "national pasti," the atmosphere was lively, with music and dancing, and everyone was in high spirits—everyone except for the three mbers of the Gu family. In King Jingyao’s view, now that Min Xin, the main instigator, had left, it was ti to deal with the Gu family.
So, he summoned the Secretary-General and whispered a few instructions.
While the Secretary-General went to carry them out, King Jingyao dragged the little rascal into the study.
Gu Jiaxi was a bit puzzled. "What’s the matter? Are you giving more premium wild ginseng?"
Big Brother tapped her on the head. "Still thinking about premium wild ginseng? I do have so, but aren’t you already getting nosebleeds?"
Gu Jiaxi looked a bit embarrassed and hung her head. "Young people burn a lot of energy! You wouldn’t understand, Big Brother!"
Big Brother was furious. "Gu Jiaxi, you just love to provoke , don’t you?" Teasing about not having a wife, is she?
Gu Jiaxi quickly tried to placate him, and only then did the ’big shot’ seemingly forgive her.
Oh, never mind, he thought. She’s young; I won’t hold it against her.
He sat on the sofa and had coffee brought in—the best, of course. Partly, he wanted to show off his resources and taste in front of the little rascal.
Look at this, he thought. This flavor, you’ve never tasted anything like it, have you? Look at this, this is your big brother’s taste!
Gu Jiaxi, however, was obliging. She took a sip and comnted, "Not bad."
Big Brother was imnsely satisfied. "It is good, isn’t it! Those blond-haired, blue-eyed fellows sent it a few days ago. Said it’s sothing only the British royalty gets to drink. Besides coffee, there’s also black tea. I’ll have Jingchuan send so over to you later. And don’t forget to give so to your Daddy Bo; I hear he likes this stuff too."
Gu Jiaxi nodded obediently. If it ans being good to Daddy Bo, she was willing to be nice to King Jingyao.
A man like King Jingyao could easily guess what she was thinking. He chuckled softly, "You little minx."
Gu Jiaxi just smiled. Then she rembered sothing and asked, "Did you call here just for a cup of coffee?"
"Of course not," King Jingyao said. "I’m giving you three stalks of premium wild ginseng."
No sooner had he spoken than the ’three stalks of premium wild ginseng’ arrived—and they were none other than the three mbers of the Gu family.
Gu Jiaxi was sowhat stunned. These are the ’premium wild ginseng’?
King Jingyao composed his expression and said politely, "Please, sit down."
Gu Yuanshan sighed inwardly. This ordeal is unavoidable. He gave his wife and daughter a look, and the three of them sat down uneasily.
King Jingyao took a sip of his coffee and glanced at the Secretary-General by the door. "You may leave. Stand guard outside."
Wang Jingchuan smiled. "Certainly, Mr. Wang."
He stepped out, closing the door behind him. Mr. Wang is probably going to skin the Gu family alive, he thought.
Inside the study, the atmosphere grew sowhat tense, though this seed confined to King Jingyao and the Gu family. Gu Jiaxi, anwhile, picked up her phone and started playing a ga again. Right in front of King Jingyao, she even dared to voice chat with Chu Yan, discussing their ga.
Big Brother, his patience wearing thin, said with disgust, "Gu Jiaxi, all you do is play gas day in and day out! Can’t you do sothing productive?"
"Right now, I want to play gas. Productive things can wait until tomorrow." She wasn’t afraid of him at all, even daring to lean her head on his shoulder and drape her legs over the armrest of the sofa—a complete display of impertinence.
Actually, under normal circumstances, she wouldn’t be so intimate with King Jingyao, always maintaining a proper distance due to the proprieties between n and won. But now, she seed quite willing to be closer to her ’big brother’. Isn’t Gu Mingzhu fond of taking photos to slander ? she thought. Such a good opportunity now, why isn’t she snapping away?
Across the room, Gu Mingzhu was indeed furious. She cast a glance at Gu Yuanshan.
Gu Yuanshan also thought, Gu Jiaxi is being incredibly audacious, brazenly taking advantage of Mr. Wang’s affection to do whatever she pleases. It’s completely unseemly! What he didn’t know was that ’Big Brother’ actually enjoyed this kind of dynamic; the more she playfully ’bullied’ him, the happier he was. If everyone, including a young girl he quite liked, treated him with such solemn respect, how dull would that be? Anyway, she was practically family now. He could dote on her as if she were his little sister or daughter; a bit of closeness was fine. He’d heard that when Gu Jiaxi won a major award, Bo Nianyao would rush to hug her. Old He and Master Xunyi too... If they all could, why couldn’t he, her ’big brother’?
By now, Big Brother already considered himself the second favorite person in the little rascal’s heart. First place was Xichen; he would reluctantly settle for second. As long as he doted on the little rascal lavishly and with impeccable taste, no one else could compare.
Still, Big Brother knew he had to keep trying! This second-place position was shared, not exclusive!
He had noticed the expressions on the faces of the Gu family mbers. He offered a faint smile, continuing to act as Gu Jiaxi’s ’human cushion,’ but his words were directed at them. "Today, you’ve all seen it. Gu Jiaxi is my sister, the person my grandmother cherishes most. Mingzhu, you often accompany the Old Lady, and I always took you for a well-bred young woman, cultured and courteous. I never imagined you would stoop to such tactics behind our backs."
King Jingyao let out a cold sneer. "Ordinarily, this matter would be unforgivable, but..."
Gu Yuanshan knew this was a turning point. He breathed a sigh of relief and quickly said, "It’s my failure in raising my daughter. Please, Mr. Wang, consider her youth and forgive her this once."
King Jingyao took another sip of his tea and smiled faintly. "No need to be so formal, Yuanshan. To be honest, I was quite angry. However, Min Xin did put in a good word for Mingzhu today. I also considered her youth... and that she might be sowhat naive in all this. After thinking it over, I’ve decided to let it go. However..."
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