Chapter 43: Liking her was no passing whim, but a long-planned design.

Gu Jinzhou had chosen a Fasi Tulan-ya restaurant with elegant style and exquisite decor.

As the "Prince" of the Gu family, his palate had been refined by countless delicacies since childhood, so Su Ruanruan had no doubt that any restaurant he chose would be exceptional.

A pair of tall, gold-plated candles stood on the heavy black table. A single white rose rested in a delicate, transparent glass vase, and silk-textured gold napkins were held by silver rings. Two bottles of expensive red wine were placed nearby.

The young girl’s gentle, fair-skinned brow suddenly furrowed with a hint of seriousness.

"Is the food not to your liking?" Gu Jinzhou asked.

"It’s not that..." Ruanruan replied. "It’s just that this place is so romantic, I’m afraid you might suddenly propose to me."

"Baby," Gu Jinzhou said, cutting his medium-rare steak with measured ease. His white, sophisticated shirt sleeves were rolled up, revealing hands that were as refined as jade, yet possessed an underlying air of wildness. "If you are willing, I could conjure a ring and propose to you right now."

His voice was clean and warm, much like his handsome, composed face. Because he found the topic quite intriguing, his mood lifted considerably.

Ruanruan’s eyes darted away. Her smile remained sweet and charming, but her voice was weak and timid. "The foie gras is delicious."

In truth, her thoughts had drifted back to the summer of her eighteenth year.

Because she attended a private, prestigious academy, she had two months of summer vacation during her final year of high school. Ruanruan was a skilled dancer and usually kept up with her training, but the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts—her goal—had high requirements for cultural scores. Her own marks were just barely enough, so she wanted to use the summer to catch up on her studies.

Gu Jinzhou, who was far away in Country M, had called her seven or eight times a day and sent over a dozen texts urging her to join him. It wasn't until the final ten days of the break that Ruanruan finally flew out to be with him.

He had been furious, his handsome, flawless face so dark it seemed as if it could drip ink, yet he still maintained an elegant, magnetic tone as he told her that her studies were the most important thing. During those ten days, Gu Jinzhou took her with him everywhere, even to his work and classes.

There was a private gathering one night, and since it was just a group of people he knew well, he brought Ruanruan along.

The venue was also a Fasi Tulan-ya restaurant, which they had booked entirely for themselves. There were eight or nine men, and Ruanruan was one of only two women present. She recognized them—they were all from the same social circle and somewhat familiar, but she had nothing to say to them. She could only talk to Gu Jinzhou or engage in awkward small talk with the other girl, who had short hair.

After more than half an hour of forced conversation, they finally found a common topic: they both liked the same orchestra. The girl’s soft, gentle laughter caught the attention of the men, who were bursting with restless masculine energy.

"Ruanruan, you’ve really changed," one said. "If Brother Jin hadn't brought you along, I wouldn't have recognized you if I’d run into you on the street."

"You used to be so cute, and now you’ve become so beautiful. It’s no wonder Brother Jin keeps such a tight watch on you."

This was the third year since Ruanruan had lost her extra weight, and it had become a fixed topic of conversation at every gathering to comment on her changing appearance.

Gu Jinzhou, not wanting her to become the center of attention, steered the conversation toward others. As he spoke, he used his chopsticks to pile food onto her plate until it was full once again.

Ruanruan felt this Fasi Tulan-ya was exceptionally good; she was certain she would gain three pounds tonight. But that was fine—a few days of intense dance practice would take it right back off.

"Brother Jinzhou, I want to go to the restroom."

The short-haired girl spoke up, "I know where it is. I'll take you."

"Thank you," Ruanruan said.

As the two girls left, the conversation among the high-born young men broke loose like a wild horse.

"Brother Jin, a socialite from the Upper East Side took a fancy to you at our last gathering. She couldn't get your private contact info, so she came to me. That woman is notoriously arrogant and picky, yet she still bowed down before you. Heh, heh. Should I send you her contact details?"

"Not interested," Gu Jinzhou replied.

"Brother Jin, your standards are too high."

"Work-life balance is essential for higher efficiency."

"Ruanruan is still in Country M, so how are you supposed to manage that 'work-life balance'?"

"Got it, got it. We'll wait until Ruanruan leaves, then."

Gu Jinzhou sat with his long, elegant legs crossed, leaning back in his chair with a languid air. If one looked closely, his eyes, which held a faint smile, were indifferent and distant.

Five minutes passed, and the two girls had not yet returned. Gu Jinzhou stood up to find them.

The short-haired girl was standing outside playing on her phone when she suddenly saw Gu Jinzhou. Her eyes showed nervousness and confusion; she didn't know how to carry herself.

"You go back and eat," Gu Jinzhou said. "I’ll wait here for her. She gets quite slow when she’s on her period."

The girl nodded and left.

It turned out that the "Prince" wasn't just playing the part of a good brother. He truly cherished this sister, with whom he shared no blood, to the point of remembering her cycle.

If she had known that Gu Jinzhou personally hand-washed the underwear Ruanruan stained during those days, or that he held her in his arms to soothe her to sleep when she was crying from menstrual cramps... perhaps she wouldn't have suspected him of faking his kindness, but rather wondered if he was the one who had been adopted, and Ruanruan was the true princess.

The gathering didn't break up until late at night. Gu Jinzhou, the only one who hadn't been drinking, had to shove this group of troublesome drunks into their cars. The poor, dignified "Prince" had to experience the task of herding pigs into a pen. One particularly unruly drunk kept trying to scramble out of the other door every time Gu Jinzhou stuffed him in. It took two kicks to his rear for him to finally behave.

On the dreary yet bustling foreign street, Ruanruan and the short-haired girl stood together, giggling as they watched the chaos.

Suddenly, the short-haired girl asked, "Are you a child bride raised by the Gu family?"

"Huh?" Ruanruan blinked.

"The Prince's eyes are always on you," the girl said. "It’s as fixed as a nail; he can't tear them away."

"I'm not a child bride," Ruanruan replied. "I was just adopted by the Gu family."

Seeing that she didn't understand, the girl added, "I don't think he sees you as a sister."

Ruanruan hadn't understood at the time because she had never thought in that direction. It was only later, when Gu Jinzhou confessed that he loved her, that she realized his feelings hadn't been a sudden whim, but a long-held plan.

-

Su Ruanruan was washing her hands in the restroom, pulling two sheets of paper to dry the droplets from her fingers.

If Gu Jinzhou had truly proposed today, she might have just gone along with it.

Yu Feifei, dressed in a red strapless gown, walked in. Upon seeing Su Ruanruan’s face, her expression turned to one of shock, and a wave of inferiority and resentment surged within her.

That person had been right. If Su Ruanruan ever entered the entertainment industry, no one would ever see anyone else. And now, with Su Ruanruan by Gu Jinzhou’s side, Gu Jinzhou couldn't see anyone but her, either.

"The trending scandal from that day was a misunderstanding," Yu Feifei said. "I just wanted to repay Mr. Gu’s kindness. I hope you don't misunderstand."

"I was being pressured to drink and taken advantage of by a group of men, and Mr. Gu stepped in to help me. Perhaps it’s because we look somewhat alike; he felt that if I were being humiliated, it was as if you were being humiliated, which is why he helped."