Earth – Junhi Country – Star City.
Linson Hotel – Private Room.
Gu Zhangchen continued discussing about the marriage with Su Dingfang and Su Qingxue.
As they were discussing about the marriage alliance, Su Qingxue frowned and said, "There's something I don't understand."
Gu Zhangchen looked at her and asked, "What is it that you don't get, Miss Su? I will try my best to answer so that you can understand everything properly."
Hearing that, Su Qingxue asked Gu Zhangchen, "Does your family know about this marriage alliance?"
"No, they do not," Gu replied, shaking his head.
"Then why are you proposing this alliance while still being engaged to Xu Xialing? Since you know that her grandfather wants to break the engagement, shouldn't you break the engagement right away? Why are you not breaking the engagement and proposing this alliance in secret?" Su Qingxue asked, with a curious look on her face.
She had been quite puzzled about this whole situation. From the park to this conversation, she was curious and confused about why he was doing all this.
Hearing her questions, Gu Zhangchen put on a thoughtful expression and said, "Well, the matter is a little complicated. But there are two main reasons for not breaking the engagement and making this alliance in secret.
The first reason is my family, especially my mother. I think both of you know that my mother and Xu Xialing's mother, Li Xiaoming, are best friends?"
Hearing the question, both Su Dingfang and Su Qingxue nodded. This was also common knowledge in the upper echelon of the city.
Seeing them nod, Gu Zhangchen continued, "Because of that, my mother treats Xu Xialing as her own daughter. Currently, I don't have any proof that the old man of the Xu family wants to break the engagement—I just know that he is going to do so. So my parents are not going to agree to breaking the engagement. Especially since breaking the engagement may damage the friendship between my mother and Xu Xialing's mother.
Also, if I just break off the engagement without any reason and marry you, my mother will think that you are the reason for the breakup. She will consider you the homewrecker. She will never give permission for the marriage, and I would like both of my parents' blessing for the marriage. That's why I am trying to make Xu Xialing look bad and staging such an act."
Hearing the first reason, both nodded, understanding why he came up with such an elaborate ruse. After all, everyone would want their parents' blessing for their marriage. They felt that it was reasonable that he would go to such lengths to make his parents happy.
Su Dingfang smiled and said, "I suppose it is acceptable for you to be doing this then. It is the duty of a filial son to make his parents happy, and it seems you are one. I deeply admire that, young man."
Gu Zhangchen also smiled and said, "Thank you."
Then he smirked a little and said, "As for the second reason—"
Gu Zhangchen paused and the pressure around him increased. Both Su Dingfang and Su Qingxue felt a terrifying chill down their spine because of the pressure. This was, of course, spiritual pressure released by Gu Zhangchen.
Gu Zhangchen continued, still smirking, "I am a very vengeful person. I am the heir to the Gu family. Does that arrogant old hag from the Xu family think he can just humiliate me and get away with it? No. I will make that old hag suffer. I will make his children hate him. I will make him the laughing stock of the city. I will make sure he regrets thinking he could humiliate me and get away with it."
As soon as he finished talking, the pressure went away. Gu Zhangchen then smiled and said, "That's why I am doing this."
The Su family duo, on the other hand, were deeply shaken and very shocked, both by the terrifying pressure and his second reason.
After a moment of silence, Su Dingfang suddenly started laughing and said, "Good, good, good—young men should be decisive like you. I like you, young man."
Gu Zhangchen smiled and said, "Thank you for the compliment."
Gu Zhangchen was, of course, fucking with them. He was just acting right now. He wasn't doing all this for those reasons. He just wanted to make the protagonist suffer.
Su Dingfang, still laughing a little, stood up and said, "It's getting late. You young ones can discuss the details of the marriage alliance together at a later date. This old man will do as you both have decided." Su Qingxue also stood and nodded.
Gu Zhangchen also nodded and stood up, saying, "Very well. Let me walk you to the car."
The three then left the private room, heading for their homes.
---
Two days after the marriage deal. Around 8 a.m.
Gu Zhangchen was in his Bugatti Divo, driving somewhere. He was going to pick Su Qingxue up.
Today, they had decided that they would go out and discuss the marriage while also getting to know each other a little.
After a while, Gu Zhangchen arrived in front of the gate of a big mansion. Su Qingxue was standing there, waiting for him.
She looked fabulous as always. Su Qingxue was a very beautiful person. As a heroine, she had to be. Her beauty easily rivaled Xu Xialing's beauty.
Su Qingxue had long dark hair and the most beautiful green eyes. Her skin was fair and looked so soft, without any blemishes on it.
{Author's note: I love green eyes. I think they are the most beautiful eye colour. Comment if you think so too, and if you don't think they are the most beautiful eye colour, then fuck you!}
Stopping the car, Gu Zhangchen got out and went towards her. Reaching her, he asked with a smile on his face, "I hope I didn't keep you waiting?"
Su Qingxue also smiled a little and said, "No, I just came out. You are almost exactly on time."
Saying that, both of them started walking to the car. As a gentleman, Gu Zhangchen, of course, opened the door for her.
After they both got inside the car, Su Qingxue asked Gu Zhangchen, "So, where are we going today?"
Hearing that, Gu Zhangchen smiled and asked, "You didn't have breakfast yet, did you?"
Su Qingxue shook her head and replied, "No, you told me not to."
Gu Zhangchen nodded and said, "Good. We will discuss the marriage while having breakfast."
Su Qingxue raised an eyebrow and asked, "You want to have this important conversation while eating?"
Gu Zhangchen smiled and said, "I talk better while I am eating."
Su Qingxue also smiled and said, "Then I guess we have something in common already."
"I guess we do." Saying that, Gu Zhangchen started driving towards the place where they would be having breakfast.
---
Gu Zhangchen and Su Qingxue were ordering food while looking at the menu.
> {Author's note: If any of you are wondering, no, it's not the Linson Hotel.}
After ordering, Su Qingxue looked at Gu Zhangchen and asked, "So, I have been wondering about something."
Gu Zhangchen looked at her and asked, "What is it that you are wondering about?"
Su Qingxue then asked with a curious look on her face, "What made you choose me?"
Gu Zhangchen smiled and replied, "Well, from what I can tell, you put family interests first and you are not looking for love but something that can strengthen your position in your family.
I am the same. I couldn't care less about love anymore. Right now, I just want a marriage that can benefit my family the most."
Hearing that, Su Qingxue nodded and said, "I guess that is acceptable."
Su Qingxue was exactly as Gu Zhangchen had said. She wasn't someone that would marry for love. She would only marry for her interests.
Even in the novel, she only joined the protagonist's harem after she determined that he could help her. Her mother and father supported her younger brother more, so she had to have a strong backing from her marriage.
As for Gu Zhangchen not wanting love—that's also true. After he was betrayed by his wife in his first life, Gu Zhangchen had lost faith in love and wanted nothing to do with it.
However, Su Qingxue didn't know that. She probably thought that he was heartbroken because of Xu Xialing and didn't care about love anymore.
While they were discussing this, the food had arrived and they started eating.
While eating, Su Qingxue asked, "So, what do I have to do?"
Gu Zhangchen looked at her and said, "Nothing much really. However, we will have to follow a made-up story.
We met one and a half months ago in Yin City and became friends. We talked through the phone and became very good friends. You even started liking me a little. When I saved your grandfather, that's when you started falling in love with me."
Hearing that, Su Qingxue had a sudden realization. She said with widened eyes, "So that's why you said we were friends when you saved my grandfather."
Gu Zhangchen nodded and said, "Yes. That moment was posted on social media and it's gone viral. After all, a miracle pill that can heal people instantly would get a lot of attention.
My family has already seen it and I already told them that you are a close friend. Now you just need to act like a friend who's in love with me and swoop in when the engagement is broken and people think that I'm heartbroken. I will handle the rest."
Su Qingxue nodded, understanding what he said. Then she smiled and said, "Then the plan is already decided. What do we do now?"
Gu Zhangchen put on a thoughtful expression and said, "I was thinking maybe get to know each other better while having breakfast and then go to the movies. You know, things normal people do on a date."
"This is a date?" Su Qingxue asked with shock in her voice.
Gu Zhangchen smiled in amusement and asked, "What, did you think this was a business meeting or something?"
Hearing that, Su Qingxue nodded. Clearly, she didn't think this was going to be a date at all.
Gu Zhangchen chuckled and said, "Well, this is a date." Then he smiled and said, "You know, we are going to get married soon. There's no need to be so stiff around me."
Su Qingxue smiled and nodded. Then they started talking with each other.
---
After a few hours. At 3 p.m.
Gu Zhangchen was currently driving somewhere with Su Qingxue sitting beside him.
They had spent the last few hours getting to know each other more. They even went to the movies.
"Where are we going now?" Su Qingxue asked Gu Zhangchen, curious about where they were going this time.
Gu Zhangchen smiled and said, "It's a secret. You will know when we get there."
Hearing that, Su Qingxue groaned in annoyance and crossed her arms, pouting and looking the other way. These past few hours, Gu Zhangchen and Su Qingxue had gotten to know a lot about each other and discovered that they had a lot in common. They quickly became good friends.
After a while, Gu Zhangchen parked in front of a ten-storey building.
Su Qingxue recognized the building and asked, "Why are we here?"
The building was used by the Moonlight Antique and Auction House.
Gu Zhangchen smiled and said, "There is going to be a geode auction today. I thought it would be interesting. Besides, I'm feeling very lucky today."
Hearing that, Su Qingxue nodded. She then said, "I guess that can be a little interesting."
Then Gu Zhangchen and Su Qingxue got out, heading inside the building.
Of course, Gu Zhangchen didn't come here just for that. The main reason he came here was something else. He came here because the protagonist would come here with Xu Xialing, acting as her bodyguard.
This is where the protagonist would make his first earnings. He would get a lot of money here.
Thinking about the protagonist, Gu Zhangchen smirked. Just like the previous times, Gu Zhangchen would take Xiao Yan's opportunity again.
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That's it for this chapter. Hope you liked the chapter.
Comment if you see any mistakes.
See you on the next one. Bye.