《Mr. CEO Has a Crush on Me》 Chapter 1 - Mr. CEO Has a Crush on Me Chapter 1: Chapter 1: When there¡¯s a villain, the hero saves the day At 8 pm, the bar¡¯s Midsummer Night event had just begun. The deafening remix dance music drove an explosive atmosphere, mingled with countless cheers and laughter. Lu Wanwan stumbled and ran through the swaying, crowded mass of people, desperately trying to shake off the person following her from behind. Her jaws were clenched in determination, yet her steps were weak and unsteady, and there was an indescribable feeling spreading through her body. Without a doubt, she had been drugged¡ªwith some sleazy substance, no less! On reaching the second floor, she found herself in a quiet, straight corridor with almost nowhere to hide. Without time to think, she darted into the nearby restroom. The second floor was the VIP area, and the restroom was decorated lavishly. Lu Wanwan rushed inside with a burning urgency, her steps faltering as she ran. The door of the first compartment happened to open at the same time. The hand pushing the door looked nice, slender and graceful under the pale golden light. She charged forward recklessly, accidentally colliding full-on into the man. The man was tall¡ªher head only reached his chest, causing a sharp pain. A rich masculine scent hit her, and it felt like countless tiny claws were scraping at her heart. Her face burned as if with a high fever, and she felt so uncomfortable she wanted to cry. ¡°Move aside,¡± Gu Annan said indifferently, without as much as a glance at her as he pushed the drunkard aside. Lu Wanwan had finally caught hold of a sturdy man¡ªthere was no way she would let him go. ¡°There are bad people outside, hero, save me¡­ ¡± Gu Annan, upon hearing her voice, furrowed his brows in confusion and came to a halt. Arms immediately wrapped around him from behind in a grip that wouldn¡¯t let go, ¡°Hero, can you call the police for me?¡± The moment she latched on, it was as if a current surged from the bottom of her heart, sending Wanwan into a faint shiver. Huh? This feels a bit¡­ nice! Before she could indulge in the feeling further, she was abruptly and not so gently yanked to the front. Gu Annan held her waist with one hand and pinched her chin with the other, lifting her face from the disarray of long hair. His eyes, dark and slightly luminous, swept over her from above with a piercing gaze. It was indeed that face¡ªLu Wanwan! Her porcelain-white skin was tinged with an abnormal blush, her eyes were blurry and smoldering. The T-shirt outlined an enticing figure, tightly pressed against him. ¡°Miss Lu, stop running. Where do you think you can escape to?¡± the sleazy laughter came from outside, ¡°Even if it¡¯s the King of Heaven here, I would still¡­¡± The cursing of the man with a buzz cut outside came to an abrupt stop. The man who emerged from the restroom was exceptionally tall, radiating an air of inapproachability. His innate nobility and presence made it clear he was no ordinary man. He held Lu Wanwan, not even sparing a glance at the man with a buzz cut. Intimidated by his demeanor, the buzz-cut man remained frozen until the man was almost out of the restroom, recalling the promise of money from Miss Lu. He stepped forward with a sycophantic smile, reminding him, ¡°Sir, that girl is mine¡­¡± Before he could finish, a scream like that of a pig being slaughtered came from the restroom. The buzz-cut man clutched at his crotch, seeing stars from the pain. Only when that terrifying figure had vanished did he shakily take out his phone. ¡°Miss¡­ Miss Lu, she has been taken by another man!¡± * No sooner had Gu Annan thrown the person onto the bed than two arms wrapped around him from behind. A pair of hands roamed his chest, mangling the shirt into a mess. The sounds of moaning and unconscious whimpering filled the room. Listening to those sounds, Gu Annan¡¯s eyes darkened in an instant, his lips tightened slightly. Chapter 2 - Chapter 2: Chapter 2 Move Again at Your Own Risk Chapter 2: Chapter 2 Move Again at Your Own Risk Before his breathing could become ragged, he peeled those clawing hands from his body and tossed her onto the other side of the bed. He stood up straight, straightening his clothes, and casually dialed a number. ¡°Shao Yang, there¡¯s a guy on the second floor restroom I just kicked in the crotch. Beat him up, then throw him out.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± The voice on the other end was more than surprised, ¡°Restroom, guy, crotch. Were you¡­?¡± A cold smile spread across Gu Annan¡¯s handsome face. Feeling the icy silence for a moment, the other party spoke seriously, ¡°No problem, I¡¯ll make sure you¡¯re satisfied.¡± Gu Annan hadn¡¯t hung up the phone when the persistent woman wound herself around him again. His muscles tensed up, as if a fire had ignited in his lower abdomen. ¡°It hurts¡­¡± Lu Wanwan whimpered. The sound of a fall immediately came through the phone receiver. ¡°Gu Annan, is there actually a woman beside you?!¡± Gu Annan hung up the phone with a thunderous temper, turned around, pinned her to the bed, and secured those restless hands firmly. Her clear eyes hungered for him, staring as if ready to pounce on her prey at any moment. His brow furrowed as he looked at her, reaching his limit, his voice low and hoarse, ¡°Move again and suffer the consequences!¡± * The next morning, the room was still dim. The heavy drapes were pulled tightly shut to make sure not a sliver of light could penetrate. Lu Wanwan opened her eyes, her body aching as if it were not her own. After seeing the scattered men¡¯s and women¡¯s clothing from the bed to the floor, she was instantly jolted awake from her lethargy. Did she really sleep with the man she met in the restroom yesterday? Regret washed over her, and she gingerly got out of bed with her aching body, checking the time on her phone¡ªnine in the morning?!! She was doomed, late and doomed to be fined! Lu Wanwan hurriedly got dressed, thought about the unfamiliar man still in the bathroom, and fingered the pocket of her clothes, biting her lip in dilemma. Eventually, she hesitantly pulled out a handful of change from her pocket. Even if it was her fault yesterday, she had to leave something behind after sleeping with someone. Unfamiliar with such transactions, and only having that much money on her, she feared it wouldn¡¯t even be enough to split the room fee. She tossed the money onto the cabinet by the bed without counting, scribbled a few words on the hotel¡¯s notepad and placed it beside it, then fled the scene, her head hung in shame. Before she could reach the main door, the bathroom door suddenly opened. The tall figure that emerged stood in her way, and Lu Wanwan immediately halted, her hand still covering her face, not daring to move it. He was casually wrapped in a loose robe, the sash around his waist loosely tied without a button, revealing a sensual deep V. Her heart pounded furiously, recalling this was the man she had slept with last night¡­ Her face turned beet red as she looked up. His physique was surprisingly eye-catching, droplets of water traveling down his toned muscles screamed temptation. Her gaze seemed magnetized, unable to shift away. ¡°Have you seen enough?¡± A cool, pleasant voice came from above, ¡°Now you remember to cover your face?¡± Her heart almost leapt out of her chest as the voice emerged, her back breaking out in a cold sweat. It couldn¡¯t be such a coincidence. She lifted her head. The man in front of her, his black hair still half-damp, that beautiful, icy face seemed to retain the mist from his shower. The moment their gazes collided, her frantic heartbeat seemed to stop for an instant as she took a sharp step back. ¡°How can it be you¡­¡± Chapter 3 - Chapter 3: Chapter 3: It Takes Two to Tango Chapter 3: Chapter 3: It Takes Two to Tango [The previous two chapters, as well as a small portion of subsequent chapters, are being screened and will be released once the author has made the necessary revisions and they pass the review. You should still be able to understand the continuation of the story.] Gu Annan¡¯s brows suddenly furrowed as he looked at the shock on her face, his gaze growing heavy. ¡°What, are you disappointed?¡± he asked, his eyes lowering to hers, ¡°Or do you have the courage to sleep with someone, but not the guts to admit it?¡± ¡°Who says I won¡¯t admit it!¡± Lu Wanwan straightened her spine to hide the guilt and panic in her eyes, ¡°I just didn¡¯t expect it to be you. But what¡¯s done is done, so let¡¯s just leave it at that.¡± A chilling danger emanated from Gu Annan¡¯s eyes, bearing down on her. Her wrist ached as he efficiently pressed her against the wall behind her, ¡°You mean to say, it doesn¡¯t matter to you who you sleep with?¡± ¡°Gu Annan, what does it have to do with you?¡± Lu Wanwan, unable to break free, retorted angrily. Facing his inexplicable rage, what troubled her the most was the strong scent of hormones mixed with his post-shower fragrance, which embarrassingly made her legs go weak. ¡°Sorry, I apologize.¡± Her temples throbbed; she was certain the drug from last night hadn¡¯t entirely worn off, which was why she felt so flustered, ¡°I really didn¡¯t know it was you. If I had known it was you last night, I definitely wouldn¡¯t have¡­ Ah!¡± Anyone would do, but absolutely not him? Her wrist was suddenly squeezed tighter, causing her so much pain that stars danced in her eyes. ¡°You must be disappointed,¡± Gu Annan¡¯s voice, cool and icy, rang in her ear, ¡°but Lu Wanwan, I¡¯m not someone who¡¯s easy to sleep with.¡± Her back was against the wall, and he was too close. Lu Wanwan took a deep breath and lifted her chin, trying to sound conciliatory, ¡°Look, it takes two to tango; you can¡¯t place all the blame on me. We are both adults, so let¡¯s just pretend nothing happened once we¡¯re out of this room! Okay?¡± ¡°You might regret that,¡± he warned in a low, deep voice. ¡°You agree? Goodbye then!¡± She didn¡¯t give much thought to the meaningful undertone in Gu Annan¡¯s low voice; she immediately pushed past him and ran out of the room. Gu Annan watched her hasty retreat, his lips pressed thin, his dark and deep eyes unknowingly shifting. His phone chimed. The WeChat message included a photo and a link. The photo, taken at the entrance of a bar, showed a utterly naked man clutching his head, wearing an expression of unbearable pain¡ªit was clearly the buzz-cut man from last night. His long fingers moved to the link and opened it; it was a striking headline, ¡°Man brutally sodomized in bar, flees and weeps naked in the streets.¡± As he read, heading back into the room, his eyes remained cold and indifferent. Just before closing it, his hand slipped and he tapped ¡®Like¡¯¡­ Just having set down his phone, he looked up with a slight furrow in his brow. On the nightstand by the bed, there was a crumpled pile of cash and a scribbled note, ¡°Payment for last night.¡± His face suddenly collapsed into an expression cold as millennia-old ice. Did this woman actually treat him like a male escort? Lu Wanwan, you better get back here and wait for me! * Lu Wanwan was on the verge of a breakdown, with no time to even mourn her lost virginity. It was only after she ran out of the hotel that she remembered a problem¡ªif she had known it was Gu Annan, why on earth would she leave money? Aside from their existing grievances, now that she¡¯d given him the money, what would she use for the cab? Fortunately, the hotel wasn¡¯t despairingly far from the newspaper office where she worked. After a night of physical exertion that left her legs trembling with soreness, she relied on sheer willpower to make it to the newspaper office. ¡°Lu Wanwan, do you have any concept of time? You¡¯ve just been here a short while and you dare to be an hour late! Is this your work ethic? Do you think you¡¯re some kind of princess?!¡± Editor-in-chief Li Mochou¡¯s voice echoed through the office, ¡°You¡¯re losing this month¡¯s entire bonus!¡± Thinking about the money, Lu Wanwan tentatively spoke up with a touch of pain in her voice, ¡°Editor, it¡¯s still ten minutes shy of ten¡­ there¡¯s no need to take away the entire bonus, right¡­?¡± ¡°Are you questioning my decision? Or would you prefer to get out of here instead?¡± Lu Wanwan silently lowered her head. Her father had made it clear that they were expecting an important guest at home today, and she was supposed to arrive early. She had planned to ask for the afternoon off. Chapter 4 - Chapter 4: Chapter 4 Mr. Gu waited for half an hour Chapter 4: Chapter 4 Mr. Gu waited for half an hour But compared to not having a job, going home didn¡¯t seem that important. By the time she returned to the Lu Mansion after working overtime, it was already seven in the evening. The villa was brightly lit. As soon as Lu Wanwan entered, she heard Lu Jingtian¡¯s voice, heavy with anger, ¡°Wanwan, look at the time, Mr. Gu has been waiting for half an hour!¡± On the sofa, a fresh and slender figure was sitting leisurely in a way that was somehow familiar to her, though she couldn¡¯t see his face, just a portion of his back obstructed by the sofa. This must be the Mr. Gu her father mentioned. ¡°It¡¯s only seven o¡¯clock,¡± Lu Wanwan replied indifferently, with a hint of hoarseness in her voice. She had worked tirelessly all night and been squeezed by her job all day. In order to leave work early and return home, she hadn¡¯t even had a moment to drink a sip of water. ¡°Sister, you¡¯re back,¡± Lu Kexin said, getting up and walking over in her newly purchased Chanel suit. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you come back all of last night? Do you know how anxious Dad and Mom were?¡± Stepmother Lin Yu was still sitting on the sofa with a slight smile, ¡°Mr. Gu, I¡¯m really sorry for the wait. Wanwan didn¡¯t do it on purpose, she probably¡­ just forgot.¡± ¡°Ah!!¡± exclaimed Lu Kexin, pointing at her neck, ¡°Sister, did you get hit?¡± The marks left from the previous night had been pointed out to Lu Wanwan when she arrived at the newspaper office. Later, she borrowed a coat to wear, but since the neck was the worst affected area, it couldn¡¯t be hidden. The man on the sofa turned his head slightly when he heard Lu Kexin¡¯s words. His gaze became cold when it fell on the oversized men¡¯s jacket she wore. ¡°It doesn¡¯t seem like she was hit¡­¡± Lu Kexin¡¯s tone was full of alarm and curiosity, ¡°But sister, what are those red marks on your body?¡± Lu Jingtian, who hurried over, recognized immediately what kind of marks they were. Anger was etched all over his face, and he was seething, biting his teeth. Gu Annan had come to discuss the prearranged marriage between the Gu Family and the Lu Family. Although it hadn¡¯t been decided who it would be with, for her to go fooling around at this time was utterly disgraceful! He had heard rumors before that the Gu Family was considering calling off the marriage, and Gu Annan might just be looking for an excuse to nullify the engagement! ¡°Don¡¯t be angry, Dad. Maybe sister just has an allergy,¡± Lu Kexin feigned innocence as she comforted him. Lu Wanwan knew that there was no point in saying anything now, the medicine that had caused this was unmistakably given by Lu Kexin. ¡°Anyway, I¡¯m back now. Say whatever you want to say.¡± Seeing her indifferent attitude, Lu Jingtian, in a fit of irritation, raised his hand to slap her. ¡°Mr. Lu,¡± came a voice, clear, cold, and embellished with an undeniable authority, ¡°I do not have more time to waste here.¡± That voice made Lu Jingtian¡¯s hand freeze in the air, and he immediately answered with a smile, ¡°You¡¯re right, Mr. Gu, my apologies for the inconvenience of having you wait.¡± Lu Wanwan stood stunned in her spot, unable to utter a word as she looked at that figure. This Mr. Gu, before whom her usually arrogant father kowtowed, the chief heir to the Gu Consortium, was actually¡­ Gu Annan. ¡°Aren¡¯t you coming over?¡± Lu Jingtian shot her a severe glance, gesturing for her to come and sit down quickly. Lu Wanwan stiffly walked over and sat down. In the morning, he hadn¡¯t told her that he was going to be the one coming to her house this evening! The imposing man sat expressionless, not even sparing Lu Wanwan a glance¡ªas if the person who returned after waiting for half an hour was nothing more than air to him. ¡°Now that everyone is here, let¡¯s get straight to the point,¡± Gu Annan finally lifted his eyes, his gaze coldly sweeping past her and turning to Lu Jingtian, ¡°Since the marriage between me and the Lu Family was agreed upon, I do not intend to back out for the time being. Let¡¯s consider this matter settled for now.¡± Chapter 5 - Chapter 5: Chapter 5 He Knew What Was Going to Happen Chapter 5: Chapter 5 He Knew What Was Going to Happen Lu Wanwan suddenly looked up, a marriage arrangement? Since when did Gu Annan have a marriage engagement with her family? Lu Jingtian pondered for a moment, Gu Annan said he didn¡¯t want to call off the engagement for now, which meant he might call it off at any time! He was eager to establish a marriage connection with the Gu Family and wanted everything to go his way. Before he could ask who the engagement was with, the doorbell of the villa rang. The servant asked through the intercom, then came forward, ¡°Master, it¡¯s someone looking for Miss.¡± Lu Kexin¡¯s mouth curved into an involuntary smile, finally, he came. ¡°She¡¯s not available,¡± Lu Jingtian said irritably. ¡°It¡¯s urgent, Miss left something at his place,¡± said the servant. Lu Wanwan had a bad feeling, how could someone come here looking for her? ¡°Dad, it might just be my sister¡¯s friend coming to return something. Don¡¯t get angry with her just yet.¡± Lu Kexin immediately said to the servant, ¡°Let him in.¡± Lu Jingtian couldn¡¯t be bothered with this and smiled at Gu Annan, ¡°It¡¯s quite a nuisance for Mr. Gu to make the trip in person today. I wonder who Mr. Gu thinks is more suitable between Kexin and Wanwan?¡± Before Gu Annan could express his opinion, a strange man had already entered. Thin, with a buzz cut and some bruises on his face. ¡°Wanwan, you left this behind last night. You said it was very important so I came to return it to you,¡± said the man with the buzz cut, smiling and holding a wholly green bracelet in his hand. Lu Wanwan stood up abruptly. This man was no other than the buzz cut who had been relentlessly pursuing her after she had been drugged the day before. The bracelet her mother left her, how could it be in his hands, when she hadn¡¯t taken it out at all! ¡°Who are you, and what do you have to do with my sister not coming home all night yesterday?¡± Lu Kexin asked slowly. The buzz cut knew exactly what he should say, ¡°I met Wanwan at the bar yesterday, but she forgot this when she left in the morning.¡± ¡°Wanwan!¡± Lu Jingtian felt extremely embarrassed, his daughter¡¯s hook-up had actually brought a man home, and in front of Gu Annan no less! ¡°I didn¡¯t take the bracelet out at all, I left it at home!¡± Lu Wanwan advanced to snatch back the bracelet, furiously looking at Lu Kexin, ¡°How dare you steal my stuff?¡± Lu Kexin defended herself innocently, ¡°Sister, what are you talking about? I don¡¯t understand. How would I know why your bracelet ended up in his hands?¡± Gu Annan turned around leisurely, and when he saw the buzz cut, a fierce chill flashed in his eyes. The sight of that man nearly scared the buzz cut to death; he stammered for ages without spitting out a single word. This was fucking bad, this was the guy who had kicked him in the groin yesterday and taken Lu Wanwan away! That was one thing, but then he¡¯d inexplicably been stripped naked by a few guys and thrown out to run around in the street, also because of that man. His promise to sleep with Lu Wanwan had fallen through, but Miss Lu the second still insisted he follow the original plan. She said it didn¡¯t matter, nobody would believe her anyway, and the man who took her away must have been some random guy; one was as good as another to her. Who would¡¯ve thought the world could be this fucking small! ¡°Speak up!¡± Lu Kexin kept giving the buzz cut meaningful glances, ¡°If you can¡¯t say it, then don¡¯t insult my sister¡¯s integrity for no reason!¡± Biting her lower lip, Lu Wanwan looked at Gu Annan, but he seemed to have no intention to speak. He stood there, cool and composed, one hand in his pocket, eyes watching like he was enjoying a show, and deliberately glanced at her, his lips curving into a malicious smile. In her mind, she suddenly remembered the conversation from the morning. ¡°¡­Anyway, once you leave this room, act as if nothing happened!¡± ¡°Just don¡¯t regret it.¡± Just, don¡¯t, regret, it! He must have known what was going to happen! Chapter 6 - Chapter 6: Chapter 6 Explanation? I was bitten by a dog last night! Chapter 6: Chapter 6 Explanation? I was bitten by a dog last night! ¡°I¡­this¡­¡± Inch Plate Head suddenly didn¡¯t know what to do. It was such bad luck, he had thought he could easily pocket two hundred thousand, but then this happened. Inch Plate Head, seeing that the terrifying man seemed to have no intention of speaking and was only watching the excitement, decided to take a gamble. ¡°We met at the bar, and then went to a hotel together. This morning, she left something behind when she left, and remembering she said she was the young miss of the Lu Family, I brought it to her.¡± Lu Jingtian was so angry he almost leaped up, he never expected Lu Wanwan to do something so shameful, and still dared to use the Lu Family¡¯s name! Family scandals should not be publicized, and such a shameful matter was laid bare in front of Gu Annan, how could he hold his head up? ¡°Miss Lu, do you often go to hotels?¡± Gu Annan¡¯s thin lips parted slightly, his tone incomprehensible. ¡°Mr. Gu, maybe my sister isn¡¯t that kind of person. Don¡¯t misunderstand.¡± Lu Kexin explained, ¡°Sister, won¡¯t you explain? How could you do this¡­Is he your recent boyfriend? Where were you last night?¡± Lu Wanwan looked at Gu Annan, until she confirmed that he would certainly not admit to last night¡¯s events. It was true, aside from the consensus reached this morning, he of course wouldn¡¯t admit to last night. He wasn¡¯t going to be engaged to her, and her father along with Lin Yu would surely make Lu Kexin his fianc¨¦e. ¡°Wanwan, go to your room and reflect behind closed doors!¡± Lu Jingtian said with a livid face. Lu Wanwan held the bracelet, her lips curling coldly, ¡°Explain? It¡¯s simple, I was bitten by a dog last night!¡± She threw down those words and left without looking back. Gu Annan¡¯s face suddenly darkened, and a chill seemed to emanate from his eyebrows. Very well, bitten by a dog! ¡°Mr. Gu, I¡¯m really sorry, it¡¯s my fault for not disciplining her well.¡± Lu Jingtian thought it was because Lu Wanwan walked away rudely, ¡°I will definitely discipline her properly next time!¡± Lin Yu also chimed in, ¡°It¡¯s my fault, although Wanwan isn¡¯t my daughter, I should teach her more about how to behave.¡± Gu Annan¡¯s patience finally ran out. He strutted over to Inch Plate Head, towering over him with his height, his gaze indifferent. ¡°Tell the truth, where did the bracelet come from?¡± Inch Plate Head collapsed to the ground with a snap from loss of strength. This time, he didn¡¯t dare to hide half a word, having experienced this man¡¯s means of revenge. ¡°It was the second young miss who gave it to me. She told me to say all this. I, I didn¡¯t want to¡­but I was short of money, and she said she¡¯d give me two hundred thousand if it worked out!¡± Lin Yu and Lu Kexin turned pale. Lu Kexin shrieked, ¡°You¡¯re lying! It must be Lu Wanwan framing me!¡± Inch Plate Head took out his mobile phone, tears streaming down his face, ¡°I have call records from the second young miss to prove it!¡± He didn¡¯t want to be beaten up and thrown out to run naked again! ¡°You can leave.¡± Gu Annan spoke indifferently. Inch Plate Head didn¡¯t dare stay a moment longer and bolted. ¡°Kexin!¡± Lu Jingtian¡¯s face was dark, trembling with anger, ¡°Is this true?¡± Lu Kexin shook her head tearfully, ¡°No, dad, it¡¯s not, I was framed!¡± Lin Yu also became anxious, ¡°Mr. Gu, I think there might be some misunderstanding here.¡± ¡°I saw an interesting news today, someone was running naked outside a bar in South City, and I just happened to see the photo of the person involved.¡± Gu Annan tilted his head slightly, ¡°Mr. Lu might also like to check it out. Then, whoever needs to be disciplined, should be disciplined properly.¡± Chapter 7 - Chapter 7: Chapter 7 That was for the room fee! Chapter 7: Chapter 7 That was for the room fee! Lu Wanwan was holding the bracelet and walked briskly down the empty street outside the villa. This area was Huacheng Xinguang, an expensive villa district. Forget buses, not even taxis would be around now. Besides relying on her own two legs, she had no other choice. Before long, a beam of car headlights shone from a distance, and the sound of an engine slowly approached. She turned her head and a black Bentley Mulsanne stopped beside her, the driver¡¯s window rolled down completely. ¡°There are no cars here, it would take you at least half an hour to walk out,¡± Gu Annan said from inside the car without looking at her. Lu Wanwan gave him a cold glance. His bland tone continued, ¡°I¡¯ll take you to the city center only. I don¡¯t have time to drop you off, don¡¯t think too much.¡± Lu Wanwan really wanted to turn around and leave with dignity, but if it took half an hour to walk out before hailing a taxi, the dormitory doors at school would be closed already. A wise man does not eat the loss before his eyes, so she swallowed her pride and sat in the passenger seat. ¡°I told you, don¡¯t regret it,¡± Gu Annan drove off, his gaze fixed on the windshield ahead. ¡°Mr. Gu, you¡¯re thinking too much, I don¡¯t regret it,¡± Lu Wanwan explained. ¡°After all, you can¡¯t tell the truth. Otherwise, everyone would know you¡¯ve slept with my sister, how would you then get engaged to the younger one?¡± She called him Mr. Gu. Gu Annan¡¯s eyebrows tensed up momentarily. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I will keep this matter secret for you,¡± she said in a feigned casual tone, ¡°It¡¯s a family marriage arrangement, after all; it wouldn¡¯t look good for anyone if it got out.¡± The silence inside the car gave her an indescribable feeling. ¡°You¡¯re engaged to her, right?¡± she wanted to confirm. Gu Annan replied coldly, ¡°The Lu family has only two daughters, my choices are limited.¡± Lu Wanwan quickly turned away, looking at the villas speeding by outside the window to hide the sudden pallor on her face. This ¡®limited choice¡¯ clearly never included her in the options. How could she have felt even a flicker of unwarranted anticipation! Suddenly feeling the air conditioning in the car was too strong, Lu Wanwan pulled at her clothes, wrapping herself tightly. Gu Annan caught a glimpse of her action, and the glaring men¡¯s attire, his gaze as cold as a frigid pool. Once they were out of Huacheng Xinguang, he abruptly stopped the car. ¡°You can get a cab here.¡± Despite hearing that emotionless voice, Lu Wanwan still felt somewhat reluctant. Would driving a bit longer kill him? Taxis are so expensive! Before she unbuckled her seat belt, suddenly a bundle was thrown onto her lap. She looked down and broke out in a cold sweat. It was the change she¡¯d tossed at the hotel that morning¡­ ¡°Lu Wanwan, you¡¯ve really grown, huh? Sleeping and then leaving with three hundred and eighty?¡± Gu Annan¡¯s frosty gaze, for the first time tonight, fixed directly on her. She desperately wanted to crawl into a crevice. She hadn¡¯t known at the time. ¡°You¡­ think it¡¯s too little?¡± The suddenly oppressive atmosphere inside the car made it hard to breathe. ¡°Not too little since you counted it so clearly¡­¡± She didn¡¯t even know how much money it was total; she couldn¡¯t imagine Gu Annan with his icy-block face counting each bill meticulously. ¡°I didn¡¯t know it was you at the time, otherwise¡­¡± He was so rich, who would go dutch with him! Gu Annan fixed his eyes on her face, ¡°If you knew it was mine, how would you have paid the whoring fee?¡± ¡°Whoring fee?¡± Lu Wanwan¡¯s eyes widened, startled, ¡°When have you¡­¡± become a gigolo¡­ She looked at Gu Annan¡¯s expression; fortunately, she didn¡¯t finish her sentence. ¡°Ahem¡­¡± she raised her hand to press her forehead, blocking the murderous gaze beside her and explained in a soft voice, ¡°That was for¡­ the room fee.¡± Chapter 8 - Chapter 8: Chapter 8 Are You Not Interested in What I Did Yesterday? Chapter 8: Chapter 8 Are You Not Interested in What I Did Yesterday? Gu Annan¡¯s face darkened as he looked at her for a long time. It wasn¡¯t until Lu Wanwan couldn¡¯t bear it and planned to get out of the car that he finally said, ¡°Take off your clothes.¡± ¡°In your dreams!¡± Lu Wanwan quickly tightened her jacket around her, clutching it in front of her chest. ¡°I am not interested in you, so don¡¯t overthink it,¡± he said coldly. ¡°But having my fianc¨¦e¡¯s sister dressed like this is embarrassing to me.¡± ¡°What does how your fianc¨¦e¡¯s sister dresses have to do with you? If you are not interested, what was yesterday all about?¡± she retorted angrily. Gu Annan was reminded of last night and immediately felt his mouth go dry. He averted his gaze and pursed his lips. ¡°Last night was initiated by you. You didn¡¯t come home at night, fooled around with someone else, and even wore a man¡¯s clothes. Your reputation is too bad, it could affect my fianc¨¦e¡¯s reputation.¡± Affect Lu Kexin¡¯s reputation? Nonsense! Lu Wanwan forcefully tugged at the car door, only to find it locked. It seemed he wouldn¡¯t let her out unless she took the clothes off. ¡°Fine! I¡¯ll take them off!¡± She immediately stripped off her jacket and threw it to the side, unbuckling her seatbelt. ¡°I wish you and your oh-so-pure fianc¨¦e a lifetime of happiness! From now on, I¡¯ll stay out all night and fool around every day, and I don¡¯t believe you can do anything about it!¡± Gu Annan pressed his lips together, and the temperature inside the car seemed to plummet to freezing point. Lu Wanwan got out of the car and slammed the door behind her with a flourish. Immediately, the clothes she had just taken off flew out of the car window, landing perfectly in a trash can as the car sped away. Watching the disappearing tail lights of the car, Lu Wanwan trembled with anger. Four years had passed, and he returned only to become her future brother-in-law, with whom she had spent one night. Life really has a sense of humor. ¡°Darn it!¡± It was only after her dramatic exit that Lu Wanwan remembered the clothes were her colleague¡¯s! She needed to return them tomorrow! She stood next to the trash can, gathering a lot of courage to fish the jacket out. The disgusting smell of hot and spicy soup on the clothes drove her insane. But she couldn¡¯t just dispose of it, as the clothes cost several hundred yuan, and she, having her bonus deducted for a month after just three days on the job, could not afford to pay for them. Finally, holding her nose, she picked up the clothes with two fingers and took them away. Drugged, slept with, docked pay, wronged, despised¡­ With such a day behind her, her only relief now was to regain the 380 yuan ¡°prostitution fee.¡± Being poor really toughens one¡¯s nerves. * The next day, Lu Wanwan received a call from her dad who said he had learned the truth. He had grounded Lu Kexin, speaking in a tone so kind that she suspected the person on the other end was an impostor. Days after she declined, no one asked her to return home. Instead, she received a bragging call from Lu Kexin, sincerely inviting her to help choose an engagement dress for a ceremony scheduled over a month later. Lu Wanwan hung up directly, and then didn¡¯t return to the Lu family for half a month. Every day, she stayed in her school dormitory, about to enter her senior year next month. Fortunately, the school was still available to live in, otherwise, with roommates going back to their provinces and her best friend Xu Yuan suddenly deciding to travel as a backpacker during the summer vacation, it would have been difficult for her to find a place to stay. On Friday, just before the end of the workday, Lu Wanwan was called into the editor-in-chief¡¯s office. ¡°Editor-in-chief, a public figure like Bai Lingyun has many bodyguards and really values privacy. Isn¡¯t it exceedingly difficult to dig up personal scandals on him?¡± she asked. Li Mochou flipped through the documents in her hands and didn¡¯t even look at her. ¡°Of course it¡¯s difficult¡ªthat¡¯s what makes it valuable!¡± Lu Wanwan held her forehead. ¡°I¡¯ve only been interning for half a month, this kind of responsibility¡­¡± ¡°Can¡¯t do it? If you can¡¯t, then leave!¡± Li Mochou snapped the documents shut, her arrogance soaring. ¡°Our newspaper won¡¯t miss one more or one less.¡± Chapter 9 - Chapter 9: Chapter 9: Looking for Someone Named Gu Annan Chapter 9: Chapter 9: Looking for Someone Named Gu Annan Lu Wanwan was torn, only she knew how hard it was to get this job. She studied media studies, but the Lu Family¡¯s Jin¡¯an Media now dominated the media circles. As long as Lin Yu and Lu Kexin were there, none of the branches under Jin¡¯an, as well as the large media companies they collaborated with, would want her. But in fact, Jin¡¯an Media was the Ye Family¡¯s enterprise, the fruit of her mother Ye Jing¡¯s labor. However, people now only knew about the media tycoon Lu Jingtian, not realizing how he gradually absorbed the Ye Family¡¯s assets over a few years, completely assimilating them into the Lu Family. Nor would they know that Lu Jingtian and Ye Jing¡¯s daughter, now stooped to working in a tabloid to earn living expenses, getting verbally abused without daring to retort, fearing dismissal. It was with difficulty that she found an internship at this notorious gossip tabloid in Manchester. ¡°One minute to think,¡± Li Mochou didn¡¯t want to waste time, ¡°Take it, get a commission. Don¡¯t take it, pack up and leave.¡± The word ¡®commission¡¯ completely shattered Lu Wanwan¡¯s hesitation, and she looked eagerly at the editor-in-chief, ¡°How¡­ how much can I get for commission?¡± Li Mochou glanced at her with disdain, ¡°Depends on sales. At least three to four hundred, or more than a thousand. For Bai Lingyun, normally it won¡¯t be less than two thousand.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll do it! Do it, do it, do it!¡± Lu Wanwan was stimulated. Had she known digging up celebrity dirt paid so well, she wouldn¡¯t have been wasting her time doing odd jobs in the office. She must have deep love and strict demands from the editor-in-chief to assign such a valuable task to a rookie like her. Having gotten Bai Lingyun¡¯s schedule information and seen the new path to wealth, Lu Wanwan left cheerfully. That very night, she began staking out at the entrance of the Dijing Clubhouse. The vague schedule had no detailed timetable; she suspected she might be waiting until the end of time before Bai Lingyun would show up. After much difficulty, on a Sunday evening, she finally saw the mysterious figure in sunglasses entering under the protection of bodyguards, and found herself completely unable to get close. It was at times like this that she sorely felt her lack of experience. ¡°Hey, editor-in-chief, I¡¯ve been waiting three days and finally saw Bai Lingyun, but he¡¯s got several bodyguards. I was stared down before I could get close, I couldn¡¯t approach at all!¡± From the other end of the phone came the editor-in-chief¡¯s usual cold voice, ¡°Are your bust and face both grown for nothing?¡± ¡°¡­¡± What, what does that mean? The call was disconnected. Lu Wanwan looked down at her 36D bundled up in an ordinary T-shirt. So, it was because of her face and chest that she was given this chunk of meat. In the struggle between integrity and money, after much hesitation, she decided to at least go in and take a look. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, non-members are not allowed inside!¡± ¡°Handsome, can I borrow the restroom for a moment?¡± ¡°Non-members are not allowed to use the clubhouse restroom!¡± Lu Wanwan learned for the first time how hard it was to enter a clubhouse. The security guards looked at her with eyes that seemed to see right through her inner thoughts, making tracking stars no easy task. ¡°Can I come in if I¡¯m a family member of a member? Everyone in my family except for me is a member here!¡± The security guard glanced at her, wearing a street-stall T-shirt and shorts, with a pair of flip-flops on her feet. Only her gaze was sincere. She immediately searched her phone for a media group photo from years ago, with her and her parents in it. ¡°We need to confirm with a member¡¯s phone,¡± the security guard said, frowning as he looked at it, ¡°Go find the manager.¡± Lu Wanwan eagerly followed inside. ¡°Who do you want to confirm with?¡± the manager asked her. Lu Wanwan thought of the people in Lu Family, ¡°Call someone named Gu Annan.¡± The manager was skeptical but made the call, going through several transfers, speaking to the person on the other end with utmost respect. ¡°Miss Lu, you may go in,¡± the manager said as he hung up the phone, a sycophantic smile plastered on his face. Chapter 10 - Chapter 10: Chapter 10 The Bosss Mind Is Always Hard to Read Chapter 10: Chapter 10 The Boss¡¯s Mind Is Always Hard to Read Lu Wanwan sighed in relief, no way around it, poverty made her ambitions short. She needed money, desperately needed it. So even if he hated her, when she could use him, she would shamelessly do so. In the Bentley Mulsanne that had just stopped at the entrance of Dijing Clubhouse, the driver Zhao Chen ended a call. ¡°Mr. Gu, I¡¯ve let Miss Lu in!¡± Gu Annan¡¯s gaze shifted towards the outside of the car, to the swiftly disappearing figure inside the gates of the clubhouse. ¡°Miss Lu is here¡­ to see you?¡± Zhao Chen mustered his courage to ask another question. The boss had clearly informed his parents and fianc¨¦e in the United States that his fianc¨¦e was Miss Lu Wanwan. Yet, he had instructed Zhao Chen just recently to tell Lu Jingtian about his engagement with Miss Lu Kexin. Even though the boss¡¯s thoughts had always been hard to guess, this time it seemed really far-fetched! ¡°It¡¯s none of your business.¡± ¡°Cough, I¡¯m speaking out of turn.¡± Gu Annan straightened his shirt and opened the car door to step out. * Lu Wanwan was wandering in the third-floor corridor of the clubhouse. When she almost reached the end of the corridor, she saw a burly man in a black suit standing outside a private room door¡ªit was Bai Lingyun¡¯s bodyguard! She couldn¡¯t go in, so she had to think of another plan. Her eyes narrowed with a cunning smile as she nonchalantly walked into a restroom not far away. She didn¡¯t believe that a celebrity could avoid using the restroom! Lu Wanwan stood at the vanity in the outer area of the restroom, where she could see outside through the mirror from this angle. In her mind, she started planning what to do once Bai Lingyun came out. The first scoop had to be a big story that would make the editor take her seriously from now on. Then these commission-based jobs would keep coming to her. Considering their newspaper¡¯s usual audacity in targeting celebrities, she should probably follow him to the restroom and then report extensively on the kidney function and size issues that Bai Lingyun¡¯s wife¡¯s group was most interested in. After all, their ¡°Zui Entertainment¡± was notorious in the entertainment industry, sued countless times. It was a publication with no limits and no integrity that stars and their fans dreaded. As she was brainstorming, a tall man wearing a casual baseball shirt and a cap walked in. Pretending to look down and wash her hands, Lu Wanwan quickly glanced and confirmed the target! Bai Lingyun had entered. Her feet stopped at the door of the men¡¯s restroom, unable to take another step. Lu Wanwan pressed her hand against her forehead, feeling cowardly at the critical moment, wishing she could pinch herself a few times. To earn a commission, acting a bit like a hooligan wouldn¡¯t cause her to grow pimples, right? She hesitated until the sound of flushing came from inside, and Plan A was completely abandoned. She had no choice but to start Plan B! Lu Wanwan lowered her head and saw the proud curves of her chest under her white T-shirt, the shorts covering only half of her thighs, and her long, straight white legs. The food she had wasn¡¯t eaten for nothing; she knew she had some substance to her figure. After quickly fixing her hair, she efficiently tied the hem of her T-shirt into a knot at her waist, revealing her waistline, then puffed out her chest¡­ Pretending to be drunk or something later would spin an interesting and valuable story. Lu Wanwan, already contemplating poses, was completely unaware of the pair of grim and furious eyes fixed on her, ready to burst into flames. Gu Annan¡¯s face darkened as he pressed his lips together. So this was the woman¡¯s virtue now, throwing herself at anyone she met in the restroom? Just as Lu Wanwan, listening to the approaching footsteps from inside the restroom, was making her final preparations, she finally sensed an uncomfortable feeling from behind. Before she could turn around, she was suddenly yanked forcefully. Her head unexpectedly hit a firm and muscular chest. Chapter 11 - Chapter 11: Chapter 11 The Cooked Duck Flew Away! Chapter 11: Chapter 11 The Cooked Duck Flew Away! The feeling of this collision was all too familiar, as though she had experienced the same thing not long ago! Before she could think more about it, her waist was quickly encircled by an arm, and a large palm pressed her head firmly against a chest at the back of her skull. Her face became hot and flushed. Under the overwhelming momentum, she was led to the men¡¯s restroom, face against chest, catching a glimpse of Bai Lingyun coming towards her out of the corner of her eye. Who was this person dragging her to the toilet, unaware that he was disrupting her chance to behave inappropriately! If he didn¡¯t let go soon, Bai Lingyun would leave, and all her efforts today would be in vain! Unless the superstar has a frequent, urgent, or incomplete urination issue, who knows how long it would be before he next goes to pee? ¡°Gu¡­ young master?¡± The other¡¯s steps halted with a puzzled voice. Gu Annan, holding the woman¡¯s head, didn¡¯t stop his stride, merely ¡°mm-hmming¡± in response and leading her in without a sidelong glance. The ¡°Out Of Order¡± sign was also kicked aside with a clang. ¡°Let, let me go!¡± Lu Wanwan cried out in protest. He held on to the struggling woman in his arms and kicked open a stall. In the upscale club¡¯s restroom, even the stall dividers were polished spotless. ¡°Gu Annan!!¡± Driven to desperation, she leaned against the wall and pushed him forcefully away, ¡°What are you doing ruining my plan!¡± The man cast a brief glance down at her hand pushing against his chest. ¡°Wanting to lecture your fianc¨¦¡¯s sister again? Do you again think I will affect your fianc¨¦¡¯s reputation?¡± Lu Wanwan was exasperated, the cooked duck was flying away! Even if she chased after him now, it would be in vain; there was no way she could get close to Bai Lingyun again anytime soon. The more she thought about it, the angrier she got, glaring with wide, furious eyes, grasping the shirt on Gu Annan¡¯s chest, trying to push him far away. On the imposing face, the immovable man arched an eyebrow, his expression still seemingly stern. He raised a finger to point at the delicate hand on his chest, ¡°Here, have you touched enough?¡± Lu Wanwan looked and realized she had unbuttoned his shirt, the mess looked quite¡­ scandalizing. What made it worse was that being so reminded, she finally focused on her hand. She could feel the heat coming through the shirt, even the heartbeat. The heartbeat was a bit fast! Not knowing what to do, she found it a bit awkward. Gu Annan suddenly furrowed his brows and pulled her hand off his body, pushing her slightly away. Lu Wanwan felt a trace of his disdain and immediately lifted her chin, ¡°I warn you Gu Annan, if you keep ruining my plans and holding on to me, be careful, or I¡¯ll let the whole world know what happened that night, bringing scandal to the Gu Family, and ruining your marriage to Lu Kexin!!¡± Gu Annan pushed her back against the wall of the stall with a countermove. His tall nose almost brushed against the tip of hers as he murmured indulgently, ¡°I¡¯m quite curious too, what would happen if the whole world knew you¡¯ve slept with me. We will see!¡± Her eyes widened in shock ¡ª she slept with him? She Lu Wanwan, slept with him Gu Annan?! If it weren¡¯t for her being drugged that day, and if Gu Annan hadn¡¯t been hesitant, could she have succeeded? ¡°What, there¡¯s a problem?¡± She glanced with her head, not intending to argue about this in the men¡¯s restroom. Especially considering that if the incident went public, she would be the one most in trouble. Her stepmother and her family would be furious. ¡°You take your Sunnie Road, I cross my log bridge. What¡¯s your intention in dragging me into the men¡¯s toilet?¡± She glared unhappily at the hand pressing her down. After that day, she didn¡¯t want to run into him in the men¡¯s toilet ever again. Chapter 12 - Chapter 12: Chapter 12 Hes Really Angry... Chapter 12: Chapter 12 He¡¯s Really Angry¡­ ¡°How did you get into the club, forgotten?¡± Gu Annan asked coldly, even clenching his teeth, ¡°Lu Wanwan, you come here to flirt and even dare to use my name. You really are bold!¡± She looked away, wishing she could cover her face. With a clear cough, ¡°Then you could have disagreed, I didn¡¯t force you to let me in.¡± Her words were so feeble, she was almost begging for mercy. Awkward, guilty, her nervous lips trembled slightly, unnaturally pursed. She dared not see the man¡¯s reaction. It was true that she used his connections to enter, she indeed had some shame left. ¡°What do you want then!¡± Lu Wanwan tried to negotiate, her tone reluctant. Gu Annan watched her lips move lightly open and close, remembering that night, uncontrollably wanting to kiss them. Within his restraint, his hands tightening around her wrist grew forceful. ¡°Ouch¡­¡± her voice carried a whimper. Lu Wanwan gasped in pain, and after making a sound, her wrist was finally released. Looking up again at the man standing very close to her, his handsome face was terrifyingly stern, and the clear contours of his face were also tense. A pair of deep, limitless eyes stared at her, the tightly furrowed brows indicating that his mood was extremely foul. He was truly angry¡­ She really shouldn¡¯t have used his name to get in. ¡°That, I¡¯ll go first, I still have things to do¡­¡± Lu Wanwan turned her face away, slightly lowering her head, her long eyelashes concealing the nervousness in her eyes. Her hand had just reached for the compartment doorknob when a large hand reached out faster than hers and briskly opened the door. Gu Annan, with a dark face, indiscreetly pulled her out, regardless of the consequences. The more she was eager to find that man, the more he wanted to take her away from here. The club¡¯s lobby manager watched, dumbfounded, as the always cold and aloof Gu Annan personally dragged the woman who had entered not long before, hurriedly walking out. Unseen, rare, unheard of! This must be a rush to get a room, right? The legend that Young Master Gu disdains women must not be true. * Lu Wanwan was dragged all the way until she was shoved into the car outside the club. ¡°Bang¡±, the car door slammed shut. Zhao Chen, sitting in the driver¡¯s seat, controlled his surprise and calmly spoke, ¡°Mr. Gu, shall we leave now?¡± ¡°If you want to leave, you go, I¡¯m not leaving! Let me out of the car!¡± Lu Wanwan struggled and pushed. Gu Annan restrained her, calmly said, ¡°Drive, back to Gu Mansion.¡± The car smoothly started, and Lu Wanwan felt like dying. And with every move, she felt as if her whole body was rubbing against him. This man, in his effort to hold her steady, wrapped his arms around her, pulling her into an embrace that made her particularly uncomfortable, her heart pounding. He had a hint of fresh mint scent on him, just like back then. The intense masculine scent mixed in made her brain dizzy, limbs weak, similar to the feeling of being drugged that day. Remembering that day, her face involuntarily heated up. She truly hated how weak she was, forgetting the lessons she had stumbled over because of this man? ¡°Try moving again and see!¡± A deliberately lowered voice, fiercely came through. Lu Wanwan instinctively stopped moving, clearly hearing his breathing quicken a bit. The throbbing from his chest was even more intense. Probably because¡­ he was angry? The car finally quieted down. As Lu Wanwan desperately tried to steady her breathing, she suddenly heard Gu Annan command in a low voice, ¡°Speed up.¡± Chapter 13 - Chapter 13: Chapter 13 President Gu Loses Composure Chapter 13: Chapter 13 President Gu Loses Composure The air conditioning in the car was cranked up, but Lu Wanwan still felt hot. The heat of her body temperature, the heat of her breath, ultimately its source was indeterminate. ¡°The car has already started, and now I can¡¯t get out even if I want to, so could you¡­ let go of me first?¡± As soon as the words fell, the arms that had been around her just released, without any dragging. Gu Annan shifted his gaze away, and his expression instantly turned icy, suppressing the brewing coldness within. That look made Lu Wanwan dare not make a sound. Her heart¡¯s racing finally began to slow, but it could never return to its usual calm. Gu Annan sat in the middle of the backseat, catching a glimpse of Lu Wanwan slowly moving towards the car window from the corner of his eye. Her movements were very light, as if she were careful not to be noticed by him. Bit by bit, she moved farther away from him. He had already been struggling to suppress the heat surging inside him, and now, seeing Lu Wanwan¡¯s actions felt like a bucket of cold water was dumped on him. It extinguished the moment that was about to erupt. * The car drove into the most expensive lakefront district in Manchester, where Gu Mansion was especially conspicuous among the buildings. ¡°Get out.¡± Gu Annan stood at the car door, frowning at the woman inside who refused to come out. Lu Wanwan shook her head, ¡°I won¡¯t get out, unless you let me go.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll say it one more time, get out!¡± At this moment, that handsome face of his looked to her exactly like a devil¡¯s. Forget staying a minute with him in the same place, even if there were a necessity, she couldn¡¯t go to his house which was far too private. She was convinced that Gu Annan was deliberately getting back at her. Life was hard enough already, and soon she would have to ask her family for tuition fees. If her stepmother and Lu Kexin found out she had gone to her future brother-in-law¡¯s house, even that slight fa?ade would probably be torn apart. ¡°Gu Annan, I don¡¯t want to go inside!¡± she protested loudly. Zhao Chen sat in the driver¡¯s seat, feeling very awkward. Miss Lu, is it really okay to talk to Mr. Gu like that? He hinted at the beginning, ¡°Miss Lu, if you don¡¯t get out of the car, I can¡¯t drive it into the garage.¡± Gu Annan lost his patience, stepped one long leg into the car, and forcefully dragged her out from the inside. Zhao Chen glanced over, choosing to pretend he hadn¡¯t seen anything. He suddenly started to understand why Mr. Gu had told the old master and madam that Miss Lu Wanwan would be his fianc¨¦e. At least from the time he started working as an assistant for Mr. Gu when he took over Gu Corporation, this was the first time he had seen him lose his composure to this extent. Though the gesture was a bit rough, in case of other women, Mr. Gu didn¡¯t even bother to look at them directly, so much so that there were rumors claiming Mr. Gu was gay¡­ Now, at least, Mr. Gu was physically grabbing a woman¡¯s hand! ¡°I can walk by myself, let go of my hand first!¡± ¡°Gu Annan, did you even hear what I said!¡± Lu Wanwan was really getting anxious, not only because of entering Gu Mansion, but also because Gu Annan¡¯s entire behavior was disconcerting. He had always been composed, distant, and cold. Since childhood, she had known him to be unflappable, making her feel that there was hardly anything in the world that could provoke his emotions. Except, that one time. Lu Wanwan frowned deeply, her lips turning white from biting them. ¡°Young Master¡­¡± As soon as they entered the gate of Gu Mansion, an elderly maid looked at Lu Wanwan in surprise and continued, ¡°The master just called, he said that the young master and Lu¡­¡± ¡°Auntie Li!¡± Gu Annan quickly interrupted her, still holding onto Lu Wanwan¡¯s wrist, his tone returning to calm, ¡°I know, I¡¯m a bit busy right now.¡± Chapter 14 - Chapter 14: Chapter 14: Heart Racing Chapter 14: Chapter 14: Heart Racing Lu Wanwan¡¯s wrist ached terribly, and she despaired upon hearing Gu Annan¡¯s words. Auntie Li tactfully nodded and stepped back, then the Gu Mansion fell silent again. ¡°If you¡¯re busy, I won¡¯t disturb you any longer,¡± she feigned ignorance immediately. Gu Annan glanced at her panicked look as if she thought she were in a dragon¡¯s den. Lu Wanwan¡¯s wrist was released, and she gently massaged it. Looking up, she asked, ¡°Why did you bring me here?¡± He shoved his hands into his pockets, ¡°To investigate everything related to my fianc¨¦e.¡± ¡°She¡¯s ungrateful and hypocritical, always pretending. Is that enough?¡± ¡°It sounds like you hate her to the bone. So, for the safety of my fianc¨¦e, from now on I forbid you from approaching her,¡± a cold voice responded, ¡°and that also means you don¡¯t need to return to the Lu Family either.¡± Lu Wanwan stared in disbelief at his stunningly handsome, cold face. After a moment, she clenched her teeth and said, ¡°I can assure you I won¡¯t touch a single hair on her head. Can I go now?¡± She didn¡¯t want to get close to Lu Kexin, nor did she want to go back to the Lu Family. But she still needed money; her current salary was far from enough. Gu Annan didn¡¯t answer whether she could leave, ¡°Continue talking about yourself, like why you had the club people find me to let you in.¡± This was the question Lu Wanwan least wanted to answer. ¡°Because I couldn¡¯t find anyone else.¡± ¡°I¡¯m asking why you wanted to go in,¡± his voice dropped a few notches, his gaze locking onto Lu Wanwan¡¯s black pupils, not shifting away for a moment. She felt it was torture, this interrogative questioning. ¡°I went there to find someone.¡± The questioning voice was cold as ice, ¡°Who and for what purpose?¡± Lu Wanwan actually did not want to answer this question, did not want him to know how hard her life was now, as it would make her feel even less dignified in front of him. ¡°Who I was looking for, didn¡¯t you see it already?¡± She glanced and saw suppressed anger in Gu Annan¡¯s dark pupils, and her heart rate accelerated. This time, it was not because she admired his looks, but entirely because of his expression. Under that stern gaze, Lu Wanwan simply decided to face the worst. To her future brother-in-law, what point was there in hiding her situation? Once he got engaged, and then married to Lu Kexin, he would understand her current plight all too well. ¡°Zui Entertainment wanted a headline for an issue; I happened to get Bai Lingyun¡¯s schedule and needed a story that would drive sales. Clearly, I was the one to do this. Yes, I am interning at Zui Entertainment, so you¡¯d better be careful. The heir of Gu Corporation is also a guarantee for sales, and I won¡¯t go easy!¡± It wasn¡¯t that she was ashamed of this job; it¡¯s just that Zui Entertainment had a rather poor reputation. Especially in the eyes of celebrities, being called a sewer rat wouldn¡¯t be an overstatement. Yet it was still a publication that people cursed while buying, always envied by its peers in sales. ¡°Is it for the money?¡± Lu Wanwan did not wait for the disdain she expected but listened to his questioning tone in a mellow voice. ¡°Can¡¯t you believe that your fianc¨¦e¡¯s sister, the eldest daughter of the Lu Family, is now willing to do anything for money?¡± she scoffed self-mockingly. Upon hearing that she would do anything for money, he recalled all her actions at the restroom doorway earlier. If he hadn¡¯t happened to come to the club then, she really could have ended up doing anything! ¡°Can I go now?¡± Lu Wanwan didn¡¯t feel like explaining so much. Just as she was about to step away, she heard his voice, ¡°How much do you need?¡± Chapter 15 - Chapter 15: Chapter 15 The Patron Lord is Difficult to Serve Chapter 15: Chapter 15 The Patron Lord is Difficult to Serve Lu Wanwan turned her head, ¡°What did you say?¡± ¡°How much money do you want.¡± This time, he spoke one word at a time, very clearly. Lu Wanwan looked at him in surprise, unable to read anything from those cool and thin eyes, only feeling that the light within them was dim and profound. Was Gu Annan offering her money? Or was he asking this question just to humiliate her? If it were before, her pride would never allow herself to bow her head. But now, her temper had long been worn down over the years. The contemptuous looks, the mocking tone, these things could no longer hurt her. ¡°Two hundred thousand¡­¡± she said cautiously. Gu Annan gazed at her, his pale face contrasting sharply with his scattering black hair. Her gaze darted away, her rosy lips pressed tight and trembling slightly, stubbornness and endurance struggling in her eyes. ¡°Even if you shoot ten times with Bai Lingyun, you won¡¯t earn two hundred thousand.¡± ¡°I know.¡± What Gu Annan said was the truth, Lu Wanwan was very clear about that. But she couldn¡¯t give up just because the hopes were slim, she couldn¡¯t. ¡°Gu Annan.¡± She bit her lower lip, ¡°If there¡¯s nothing else¡­¡± ¡°I can give you the two hundred thousand.¡± His cold voice suddenly interrupted her. She stared at him in shock, thinking she had heard wrong. ¡°Of course, there are conditions.¡± Gu Annan watched the emotions change on her face, a slight cold smile on his handsome face, ¡°Two hundred thousand, for one month of service.¡± ¡°Wha, what one month?¡± Lu Wanwan looked at him, her eyes wide, logic telling her it can¡¯t be anything good. Gu Annan spoke mockingly, ¡°I¡¯m paying the money, naturally I¡¯m the sponsor. Of course, it¡¯s for selling your body!¡± She was completely stunned. She had thought he would at most mock her a bit, but didn¡¯t expect him to propose such a condition. ¡°But, aren¡¯t you supposed to get engaged with Lu Kexin? And you said you had no interest in me, and also¡­¡± ¡°One minute to consider.¡± Gu Annan said, somewhat annoyed. Proposing this condition hadn¡¯t been in his plan at all, it was almost a reflex, feeling like an opportunity, he had spoken without even thinking about whether he had a reasonable excuse. That¡¯s why he especially didn¡¯t want to hear any of her irrational reasons. But with this woman¡¯s usual pride, accepting such humiliation was almost impossible. ¡°I agree!¡± Lu Wanwan blurted out. No matter the reason, she couldn¡¯t waste this opportunity. She needed that two hundred thousand very, very much. ¡°What did you say?¡± Gu Annan frowned tightly, not expecting her to agree so quickly. Lu Wanwan, fearing he would change his mind, ¡°I said I agree to your conditions, Gu Annan, you¡¯re not thinking of going back on your word, are you?¡± She glanced at him quickly. The cold frown on his handsome face, completely inscrutable as to what he was really planning. But that wasn¡¯t important; the important thing was that she finally saw a turning point for the two hundred thousand she needed. At least she knew, once Gu Annan agreed, he would certainly not renege on the money. Confronting his grim eyes, she spoke with difficulty, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I know what you mean. I won¡¯t mention this to anyone, and I won¡¯t let anyone from the Lu Family find any clues.¡± Gu Annan watched her submissive manner and fell silent instead. * Three hours later, Lu Wanwan began to doubt her decision, doubting whether she could really get the money this way. Because she had been following this sponsor without a moment¡¯s separation for three hours, and he had not mentioned money again. Chapter 16 - Chapter 16: Chapter 16: Shockingly Gazing at His Amazing Physique Chapter 16: Chapter 16: Shockingly Gazing at His Amazing Physique The sound of the shower in the bathroom made her even more flustered. Lu Wanwan stood in the gorgeously elegant room, hand on her forehead, unsure of what to do. Since she had agreed, Gu Annan had utterly ignored her. She even started to doubt whether his offer was just to humiliate her and to see her enraged reaction. But she hadn¡¯t anticipated being so desperate for money that she couldn¡¯t afford to be angry, only fearing that he might go back on his word. Just knew it! With Gu Annan¡¯s pride, how could he tolerate being with a woman, especially after mistaking her room fee for a solicitation fee? He wouldn¡¯t be content until he got back at her for that, so he used the deed to humiliate her on purpose. Well done, Gu Annan, you won again. Madam is not playing anymore, it¡¯s not worth standing foolishly by his side for that unobtainable 200,000 yuan, letting him relish her embarrassment at every moment. The sound of the water in the bathroom had stopped. Her heart thudded wildly, but she couldn¡¯t move her feet to just leave. She couldn¡¯t just leave like this. Since she couldn¡¯t get the money, she didn¡¯t need to endure his mockery and simmer quietly like a dumpling. Lu Wanwan straightened her back, a stark contrast to her earlier demure demeanor. She just stood at the bathroom door, in a position too conspicuous to ignore. Gu Annan paused as he opened the door, nearly bumping into her face-to-face. ¡°Gu Annan, I¡¯m telling you¡­ I¡­¡± Gu Annan was only wrapped in a towel around his lower body, revealing slightly his Adonis belt, his well-sculpted muscular contours were perfect to a fault. The light at the doorway hit him, as if enveloped in a halo, misty with steam. She suddenly found herself at a loss for words. Staring in shock at his stunning physique, she accidentally swallowed. It felt as if the heat could transfer from his closely positioned body to her face, especially since her face was barely ten centimeters away from his chest. ¡°What were you going to tell me?¡± His voice came from above, deep and a bit hoarse, as sexy as his physique. Lu Wanwan had forgotten all the emotions and words she had prepared earlier. She secretly took a deep breath, ready to speak again. ¡°If you don¡¯t have anything to say, go get my clothes.¡± Gu Annan watched her reaction, his tone calm. Lu Wanwan looked up, meeting his gaze, ¡°Why should I fetch them?¡± What a joke, did he think she was submissive? Did he think after being humiliated, she would still obediently obey? Gu Annan spoke unhurriedly, ¡°You¡¯ll do what I tell you to do. You don¡¯t actually think ¡®selling yourself¡¯ involves only one thing, do you? Two hundred thousand yuan, averaging over six thousand per night. Do you think there should be such a huge discrepancy between us?¡± Lu Wanwan stuttered, ¡°I¡¯ve already explained to you¡­ that, that 380 was for the room, not for solicitation¡­¡± ¡°Lu Wanwan, you dare bring that up!¡± She immediately lowered her head, wishing she could bite her own tongue. Remember this lesson, don¡¯t raise what shouldn¡¯t be mentioned. ¡°Get, the, clothes!¡± Gu Annan¡¯s voice grew even hoarser, like a tightly strung violin string. Her breath kept coming at him, this infuriating woman¡ªif she didn¡¯t leave soon¡­ ¡°I¡¯ll get them, I¡¯ll get them!¡± She immediately turned around and walked away as if fleeing. Her face must have been as red as a tomato, how embarrassing! She relaxed slightly only once she entered the walk-in closet. Thinking back to what he had just said, not to assume that ¡®selling yourself¡¯ entails only one thing¡­ Until now, she had been like an ostrich, not wanting to think about what selling herself might involve. He had said he wasn¡¯t interested in her. Besides, not long ago while organizing files at the newspaper, she incidentally checked up on him. There were rumors that the mysterious heir of the Gu family was gay¡­ Chapter 17 - Chapter 17: Chapter 17 Can You Be Any Ruder! Chapter 17: Chapter 17 Can You Be Any Ruder! Perhaps he did this to debunk the rumors on his own, so no one would suspect his engagement was only in name and that he still needed other women? After all, expecting Gu Annan to come out and explain that he actually wasn¡¯t gay was simply impossible. As Lu Wanwan looked at the rows of cabinets inside the closet, she couldn¡¯t help but inwardly ridicule that a straight man would need so many clothes¡ªit was truly incomprehensible. ¡°Gu Annan, what do you want to wear?¡± Without any direction, she didn¡¯t dare to rummage around, fearing that an accidental glimpse of something unspeakable would stoke the flames of his existing anger. Gu Annan, the name that had disappeared from her life for years still rang clear in her mind; this person was definitely quick to anger, haughtily aloof, with an untouchable pride. ¡°It¡¯s ten o¡¯clock at night, you tell me what to wear?¡± Lu Wanwan rolled her eyes at the voice from outside the room and casually opened a wardrobe. If that was the case, she wouldn¡¯t hold back. * Lu Wanwan didn¡¯t find any embarrassing skeletons in his closet; everything was neat and orderly, more appealing than in a high-end store. Inside were mostly suits and dress shirts for formal events, with a portion dedicated to casual wear, primarily in a palette of black, white, and grey. She opened one after another, surveying and critiquing as she went. Years had passed, and his taste remained exactly the same. In the bedroom, Gu Annan had finished a glass of ice water, calming some of the uncontrollable urge he had just felt. Lifting his gaze toward the direction of the dressing room, his brow furrowed. So much time had passed, what in the world was she doing in there? He set down the glass, his footsteps mute on the carpet. Upon entering the dressing room, he saw Lu Wanwan, who had opened almost all his wardrobes, inspecting them one by one. Ironically, his pajamas were in the one closet that remained unopened. Gu Annan glanced at the woman rummaging through his clothes with her fingers and walked over to the wardrobe that contained his sleepwear, pulling it open. Upon hearing the noise, Lu Wanwan turned around to see the closet full of pajamas that Gu Annan had opened. The disdainful look he gave her was reminiscent of the way he looked at her math test paper, many years ago. ¡°Well, it¡¯s my first time in here,¡± Lu Wanwan said, scratching her head, searching for an excuse. ¡°I didn¡¯t know where you kept your clothes. It¡¯s not strange, right? But look, I¡¯ve familiarized myself with everything now, so I¡¯ll be quick at finding anything in the future.¡± Gu Annan¡¯s eyebrows raised slightly¡ªdid this mean she intended to pick out his clothes every day? ¡°Cough,¡± Lu Wanwan felt uncomfortable under his gaze and quickly stepped forward, pulling out a silk robe at random from the wardrobe. How he embodied the spoiled master, standing right there by the closet yet unwilling to lift a hand, expecting her to hand everything to him. She resigned herself, holding the dark robe in both hands. Gu Annan watched with downcast eyes, observing Lu Wanwan as she adopted an obedient wife¡¯s demeanor. Lu Wanwan, seeing him not reaching for it, assumed he was waiting for her to help him put it on. So, swallowing her pride, she spread the robe out, extending her trembling arms towards him. Serving a man¡¯s every beck and call was a first for her. Endure! She hadn¡¯t been paid yet. Being merely compliant wasn¡¯t enough; she had to be proactive. When her fingers brushed against his arm, she retracted them as if electrocuted. She felt the muscles in that arm tense in response. Thinking that Gu Annan was annoyed by her reluctance, she instinctively reached out and grabbed his arm. She lifted his arm and deftly slid one sleeve on. ¡°Lu Wanwan, can you be any rougher!!¡± Chapter 18 - Chapter 18: Chapter 18 Lu Wanwan, Are You Too Eager? Chapter 18: Chapter 18 Lu Wanwan, Are You Too Eager? ¡°I¡¯m sorry, it wasn¡¯t intentional.¡± She wanted to cover her face, the more she tried to please him, the more likely something went wrong. Lu Wanwan deliberately avoided looking at the expression on his face, not wanting to know how dissatisfied and annoyed he was. The sleeve went on, followed by the shoulder. Gu Annan was tall, so she had to reach up. Through the thin silk fabric, her hand kept sliding over his body, feeling his arm muscles become tenser and tenser, rigid. As she draped the robe over his shoulders, her movements were extremely gentle and cautious, trying not to touch him as much as possible. But unexpectedly, as she drew close, she stepped on his foot. Before she could apologize, Gu Annan¡¯s foot jerked back sharply, retreating several steps. And she, carried by that force, tilted, reflexively reaching out to grab something to steady herself. Then, she accurately embraced Gu Annan¡¯s waist and arm. By the time she realized her actions were improper, it was obviously too late. Apparently intending to free himself, Gu Annan silently moved back once more¡­ ¡°Ah!¡± Lu Wanwan screamed, her hands covering her eyes, trying to erase the image she had just seen from her mind. Because she had leaned on him with the weight of her loss of strength, and with his step back, her hands slid down from his body, directly pulling down the towel that was already loosely wrapped around his lower body! She had¡­ stripped Gu Annan! Lu Wanwan was on the verge of tears, her face so red it could bleed. The accident came too quickly, like a tornado, and by the time she came to her senses, it was already irretrievable. The room fell into a moment of quietness, where she could clearly hear her own heartbeat. Instead of the expected explosion of anger, in the silence, she heard his low, husky voice, exceedingly suggestive, ¡°What I said was ¡®put on clothes,¡¯ not ¡®take off clothes.''¡± The words ¡°take off clothes¡± were enunciated by him particularly clearly, on purpose. But, but this isn¡¯t quite right, is it? Gu Annan had been stripped bare, in such a humiliating moment, and his first reaction wasn¡¯t to throw her out directly? Lu Wanwan spread a small gap between her fingers covering her eyes. Through the gap, as expected, she saw that handsome, flawless face looking gloomily back at her. His sexy thin lips were tightly pursed, the pale skin seemingly tinged with a faint blush. Under the immense pressure, she watched as Gu Annan calmly picked up the robe and put it on. During this process, his deep and angry eyes didn¡¯t blink away from her for a moment. Her heart felt like it could jump out of her mouth. ¡°Lu Wanwan, are you too eager?¡± Gu Annan tied the belt of the robe methodically and leisurely took a step forward. Lu Wanwan, covering her face and eyes, quickly retreated. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I really didn¡¯t mean to. I, I just now¡­ I was careless¡­¡± In his suppressed anger, there seemed to be a mocking smile, ¡°Careless? You accidentally slept with me, accidentally stripped me, you agreed so eagerly when I simply mentioned selling myself for debt, every time so perfectly on point, you are very, very careless!¡± Lu Wanwan was at a loss for words, feeling more wronged than Dou E. She retreated step by step to the corner, while the approaching tall figure easily blocked all her paths to escape. All of a sudden, her hands covering her face were forcefully pulled down, her dark eyes wide open, trembling as she looked at the extraordinarily handsome face before her. Chapter 19 - Chapter 19: Chapter 19: Cant Tell if its Straight or Bent? Chapter 19: Chapter 19: Can¡¯t Tell if it¡¯s Straight or Bent? ¡°Gu Annan!¡± she immediately warned, ¡°don¡¯t come any closer.¡± The proximity to Gu Annan inexplicably gave her a sense of extreme danger. ¡°I¡¯ve spent two hundred thousand, and you¡¯re telling me not to come over?¡± Lu Wanwan couldn¡¯t tell if that was him deliberately provoking her, or a reminder before they rolled in the sheets. But what about the supposed lack of interest? However, she bit her tongue on that remark, knowing if said out loud, it might infuriate Gu Annan and then the two hundred thousand would be gone. ¡°I can help you prove it in other ways,¡± she said, like a rabbit cornered. Gu Annan¡¯s eyebrows knitted together as he crossed his arms and looked at her, ¡°Prove what?¡± ¡°Prove¡­ prove that you¡¯re not gay¡­¡± His eyes suddenly glinted with a cold light, and he dropped his hand sharply, his voice grave, ¡°Say that again!¡± ¡°It¡¯s not what I said¡­ there are rumors that you¡¯re bent, so¡­¡± The corner of Gu Annan¡¯s mouth twitched, and he raised his eyebrows suddenly, showing a look of immense doubt about her intelligence, ¡°Can you not tell if I¡¯m straight or not? Or is the feeling not strong enough?¡± Lu Wanwan thought to herself, when had she ever gotten that impression! Besides, it¡¯s not easy to spot someone closeted, right? ¡°Right, you were so out of it, you didn¡¯t even know who you slept with,¡± Gu Annan sneered coldly, his eyes and brows icing over with a layer of frost at the mention of the incident, ¡°No matter. You have a whole month to get a clear feel again!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t!¡± she blurted out, panic-stricken within. Gu Annan¡¯s brow furrowed as he grabbed her wrist, and with their faces extremely close, his lips curved into a cold arc, ¡°For every ¡®don¡¯t¡¯, I¡¯ll deduct ten thousand!¡± ¡°What, what?¡± Lu Wanwan instantly wilted like a frosted eggplant. She knew she had said something foolish the moment the words left her mouth, waiting for his outburst. But his opening response was to deduct money, a strike that was all too precise. ¡°You¡¯re shameless! Bullying!¡± Lu Wanwan¡¯s voice wavered. Two hundred thousand for a month, and just because of one sentence, he deducted ten thousand from her. At this rate, was she going to end up owing him money after a few more days? Gu Annan lifted her chin with his hand, looking down at her from above, ¡°Lu Wanwan, this was your own agreement; I didn¡¯t force you! You can still back out now, but soon you won¡¯t have the chance to break our deal midway. Lu Wanwan disliked that look in his eyes, so superior, making her feel as if she was beneath his notice. She bit her lip, mustering a defiant smile, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Mr. Gu; as long as you don¡¯t back out, I won¡¯t regret it. If you decide to back out, that¡¯s fine too. I thank you for giving me such a great idea; I really couldn¡¯t have thought of it myself. Just let me know a bit earlier, and I can still find other¡­ gold¡­¡± A sharp pain shot through her jaw as she clenched her teeth, facing the man who, in an instant, became furiously incensed, his gaze as if he wished to tear her apart. ¡°Repeat what you just said, and you won¡¯t get a cent of the remaining one hundred and ninety thousand,¡± Gu Annan¡¯s voice was ice cold, his articulation sharp and chilling, ¡°And I¡¯d like to see who in Manchester dares to want you without my permission!¡± As soon as his words fell, her lips hurt from his fierce bite, forceful enough to take her breath away. All struggles were in vain; her head was forcefully held in place, the kiss dominant and despotic, and she could even taste a trace of sweet, metallic flavor¡­ It was unclear how long it lasted before she was finally released, her cheeks scorched by his hot breaths. Gu Annan¡¯s forehead rested against hers as he took deep breaths, his gaze lowered to her now swollen and reddened lips. Realizing he had lost control again because of this detestable woman, all because of her one sentence. Chapter 21 - Chapter 21: Chapter 21 She is Covered with the Young Masters Blanket Chapter 21: Chapter 21 She is Covered with the Young Master¡¯s Blanket The servants whispered softly, unable to make sense of it. She had chosen to sleep on the couch, yet she was covered with a blanket. She recognized that blanket, it was from the young master¡¯s bedroom. With the young master¡¯s temperament of not sharing anything with anyone, not even the second miss could touch his belongings. Yet now, the young master¡¯s blanket was on her, which was odd. So, it must be that this young lady had a peculiar habit of liking to sleep on the couch¡­ ¡°Alright, go clean and prepare two breakfasts. Be quiet, don¡¯t wake up this young lady,¡± Aunt Li whispered. By the time Gu Annan came out of the bedroom and started downstairs, he halted halfway. The several servants on the first floor were quietly busy, while the woman on the couch was still in a deep sleep. He had thought that once the servants opened the door in the morning, she would be eager to leave. ¡°Young master,¡± Aunt Li approached as Gu Annan descended, ¡°breakfast is ready, shall we wake this young lady up?¡± Gu Annan withdrew his gaze from the couch and silently headed to the dining room. Aunt Li walked over to the couch and gently tapped Lu Wanwan, ¡°Miss, could you wake up?¡± Lu Wanwan opened her eyes and immediately sat up. The curtains in the villa were all drawn open, and the bright natural light was beautifully scattered. She had always had trouble sleeping, yet she had managed to sleep until daylight on Gu Annan¡¯s couch. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I overslept,¡± she said, looking down at the thin blanket on her, soft and warm, no wonder it felt so cozy. When she had first laid down, she remembered feeling a bit cold, holding only the throw pillow from the couch for warmth. Where was the throw pillow she¡¯d been holding? Lu Wanwan looked around and saw a discarded pillow not far away on the floor. That probably wasn¡¯t thrown by her, it was tossed too far¡­ ¡°Thank you,¡± Lu Wanwan said gratefully, standing up and handing back the thin blanket to Aunt Li, ¡°I¡¯m really sorry for the trouble. You should have woken me up earlier¡­¡± She assumed Aunt Li had brought the blanket over to cover her. Aunt Li took the blanket, thought for a moment, but did not clarify, simply saying, ¡°Miss, breakfast is ready; please come have something to eat first.¡± Lu Wanwan rubbed her temples, suddenly remembering something. She checked her phone, which had automatically turned off due to a dead battery. ¡°What time is it now?¡± she asked. Aunt Li answered, ¡°It¡¯s seven-thirty in the morning now.¡± She breathed a sigh of relief, she wasn¡¯t late yet, but the time was tight since leaving from here wasn¡¯t easy and might take quite some time. ¡°I won¡¯t eat, I must be going,¡± she said, hastily standing up. Aunt Li paid no mind to her words and called a servant, ¡°Take this young lady to the washroom.¡± ¡°I¡¯m really sorry but I really don¡¯t have time, thank you for your kindness,¡± Lu Wanwan insisted. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, miss, but this is the young master¡¯s order,¡± Aunt Li replied with a smile. Hearing that, Lu Wanwan was led away by the servant in a daze. After freshening up, she was brought to the dining room. The floor-to-ceiling windows next to the dining room were open, and the morning sun slanted in. Gu Annan sat at the dining table, the morning light casting a golden glow over him, rendering him breathlessly perfect. Lu Wanwan approached him, but he did not look up. Gracefully holding a knife and fork, his cold indifference beneath his expressionless face, even the sunshine seemed a bit chilly. Lu Wanwan had resolved not to deal with him last night, and now even more so, she had the notion to turn around and leave. ¡°Sit down!¡± Gu Annan commanded in a softly cold voice, his authority palpable. Chapter 21 - Chapter 21: Chapter 21 She is Covered with the Young Masters Blanket Chapter 21: Chapter 21 She is Covered with the Young Master¡¯s Blanket The servants whispered softly, unable to make sense of it. She had chosen to sleep on the couch, yet she was covered with a blanket. She recognized that blanket, it was from the young master¡¯s bedroom. With the young master¡¯s temperament of not sharing anything with anyone, not even the second miss could touch his belongings. Yet now, the young master¡¯s blanket was on her, which was odd. So, it must be that this young lady had a peculiar habit of liking to sleep on the couch¡­ ¡°Alright, go clean and prepare two breakfasts. Be quiet, don¡¯t wake up this young lady,¡± Aunt Li whispered. By the time Gu Annan came out of the bedroom and started downstairs, he halted halfway. The several servants on the first floor were quietly busy, while the woman on the couch was still in a deep sleep. He had thought that once the servants opened the door in the morning, she would be eager to leave. ¡°Young master,¡± Aunt Li approached as Gu Annan descended, ¡°breakfast is ready, shall we wake this young lady up?¡± Gu Annan withdrew his gaze from the couch and silently headed to the dining room. Aunt Li walked over to the couch and gently tapped Lu Wanwan, ¡°Miss, could you wake up?¡± Lu Wanwan opened her eyes and immediately sat up. The curtains in the villa were all drawn open, and the bright natural light was beautifully scattered. She had always had trouble sleeping, yet she had managed to sleep until daylight on Gu Annan¡¯s couch. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I overslept,¡± she said, looking down at the thin blanket on her, soft and warm, no wonder it felt so cozy. When she had first laid down, she remembered feeling a bit cold, holding only the throw pillow from the couch for warmth. Where was the throw pillow she¡¯d been holding? Lu Wanwan looked around and saw a discarded pillow not far away on the floor. That probably wasn¡¯t thrown by her, it was tossed too far¡­ ¡°Thank you,¡± Lu Wanwan said gratefully, standing up and handing back the thin blanket to Aunt Li, ¡°I¡¯m really sorry for the trouble. You should have woken me up earlier¡­¡± She assumed Aunt Li had brought the blanket over to cover her. Aunt Li took the blanket, thought for a moment, but did not clarify, simply saying, ¡°Miss, breakfast is ready; please come have something to eat first.¡± Lu Wanwan rubbed her temples, suddenly remembering something. She checked her phone, which had automatically turned off due to a dead battery. ¡°What time is it now?¡± she asked. Aunt Li answered, ¡°It¡¯s seven-thirty in the morning now.¡± She breathed a sigh of relief, she wasn¡¯t late yet, but the time was tight since leaving from here wasn¡¯t easy and might take quite some time. ¡°I won¡¯t eat, I must be going,¡± she said, hastily standing up. Aunt Li paid no mind to her words and called a servant, ¡°Take this young lady to the washroom.¡± ¡°I¡¯m really sorry but I really don¡¯t have time, thank you for your kindness,¡± Lu Wanwan insisted. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, miss, but this is the young master¡¯s order,¡± Aunt Li replied with a smile. Hearing that, Lu Wanwan was led away by the servant in a daze. After freshening up, she was brought to the dining room. The floor-to-ceiling windows next to the dining room were open, and the morning sun slanted in. Gu Annan sat at the dining table, the morning light casting a golden glow over him, rendering him breathlessly perfect. Lu Wanwan approached him, but he did not look up. Gracefully holding a knife and fork, his cold indifference beneath his expressionless face, even the sunshine seemed a bit chilly. Lu Wanwan had resolved not to deal with him last night, and now even more so, she had the notion to turn around and leave. ¡°Sit down!¡± Gu Annan commanded in a softly cold voice, his authority palpable. Chapter 22 - Chapter 22: Chapter 22 The Heart Beep of a Dog Chapter 22: Chapter 22 The Heart ¡®Beep¡¯ of a Dog The servant stood next to Lu Wanwan, and at Gu Annan¡¯s command, unhurriedly pulled out a stool, which was right across from Gu Annan. The dining table was adorned with exquisite, lavish dishes, and there were also exceptionally fine dining utensils. Lu Wanwan sat down reluctantly, and the servant immediately withdrew to a distant spot. The dining room was quiet, and there she sat, hands on her lap, slowly clenching them into fists. She watched the man opposite, eating breakfast with impeccable manners, not making the slightest sound. As she watched, she became a bit distracted. Suddenly, a loud clang of metal. Gu Annan abruptly set down his fork, looked up with a cold gaze, and said, ¡°If you don¡¯t finish it, I¡¯ll deduct another ten thousand.¡± Lu Wanwan¡¯s original posture was one of defiance; she was driven out, not to mention locked in this room, which forced her to sleep on the couch all night. She had intended to assert herself with pride, to show that from now on, she would have nothing to do with her future brother-in-law. But the moment he said those words, her indignation dissipated like smoke. Since their relationship was still clearly that of employer and employee, she had no right to be angry with him. The hand that had been clenched in a fist immediately relaxed, and she began to eat her breakfast. But people who sell themselves usually sleep on the soft, large beds of their benefactors. She sold herself and ended up sleeping on the benefactor¡¯s couch downstairs¡­ Lu Wanwan became hungrier as she ate; she hadn¡¯t had dinner the previous night and was famished, so she devoured the breakfast in front of her like a whirlwind, yet she still wasn¡¯t full. Of course, it wasn¡¯t just because she was hungry; she also hadn¡¯t had a breakfast of this quality in many years. She glanced at the two pieces of beef still remaining on Gu Annan¡¯s plate. It seemed he had no intention of eating them anytime soon, instead watching her eat. That look almost said outright, ¡°Lu Wanwan, how many days has it been since you¡¯ve eaten?¡± But at this point of desperation, she didn¡¯t care about his looks. She was poor enough to sell herself¡ªwas it strange that she wasn¡¯t full? ¡°Um¡­ are you still going to eat that?¡± Lu Wanwan shamelessly spoke up, pursing her lips, ¡°When you said to finish, you meant everything on this table, right?¡± Gu Annan slightly tugged at the corner of his mouth, and with a light flick of his fingers, he nudged his plate forward a bit. With just that small gesture, Lu Wanwan immediately understood. She unapologetically forked over the two pieces of beef. The servant watching from afar was stunned, their mouth remaining agape for a long time. Auntie Li, composed, said quietly, ¡°Next time, remember to prepare a bit more for this young lady¡¯s breakfast.¡± * Time ticked by, and Lu Wanwan followed Gu Annan out of the villa. What if he refused to give her a ride? He was the benefactor, not a driver, after all. Did she have to walk out of this villa neighborhood to hail a cab? She would definitely be late then. Although being late wasn¡¯t much compared to nineteen thousand, she hadn¡¯t seen a cent of the nineteen thousand yet. Gu Annan didn¡¯t speak, still maintaining an attitude that kept people at a distance, as if she were invisible, so Lu Wanwan quietly followed him like a little tail. She had no idea what she had sold herself into; there was no need to accompany him in sleep or conversation, just breakfast? Gu Annan entered the garage, walked up to a black two-seater sports car, opened the door, and got in. Lu Wanwan quickly circled to the passenger side, ready to shamelessly get in, but as the engine roared to life and Gu Annan stepped on the gas, the car sped away. She stood dumbfounded at the garage entrance, watching the sports car vanish along with its exhaust. A feeling overtook her, like a dog that had been ¡®beeped.¡¯ Chapter 23 - Chapter 23: Chapter 23 Our President Gu is also Tall, Rich, and Handsome Chapter 23: Chapter 23 Our President Gu is also Tall, Rich, and Handsome ¡°Miss Lu, please get in the car.¡± Lu Wanwan walked to the entrance of Gu Mansion in despair, where she saw the Bentley Mulsanne from yesterday. The driver inside was the same one from yesterday, who immediately greeted her to get in. ¡°Step on it, big brother, 38 Seaside Road.¡± Zhao Chen smiled, ¡°I know, Miss Lu, don¡¯t worry, we won¡¯t be late.¡± The car had everything, even a charger for her phone model. As Lu Wanwan charged her phone, she exclaimed, ¡°Xiaozhao, Mr. Gu¡¯s car really has everything, even a charger for my knockoff phone.¡± Zhao Chen¡¯s smile stiffened slightly, he paused, and then responded, ¡°Yes, we usually have everything prepared, just in case a client needs it.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true, it¡¯s quite convenient.¡± Zhao Chen felt like crying. For that knockoff phone charger, he had run around the electronics market all morning¡ªwho could understand his breakdown? ¡°Do you drivers make a good salary per month?¡± Lu Wanwan casually inquired. This had become her habit over the past two years, to inquire about the financial prospects of any profession, even from people she met only briefly. It could be another way to make good money that she might be able to take advantage of. For instance, during her second and third year of university, she had run a street stall for two years. Now, during her junior year vacation, she was starting to look for internships. The job at the newspaper was too busy, which was why she had temporarily set aside that fairly lucrative late-night gig. He coughed, ¡°Well¡­it¡¯s okay.¡± Zhao Chen¡¯s hands shook slightly as he drove. Miss Lu, I¡¯m not really a driver. It just happened that I was driving for Mr. Gu yesterday. Mr. Gu was afraid that a new driver might be too unfamiliar, so he asked me to fill in again today. ¡°By the way,¡± Zhao Chen, fearing that Miss Lu might pose another heart-stopping question, took the initiative to ask, ¡°Why were you in Dijing yesterday?¡± Lu Wanwan¡¯s brow furrowed, realizing her task was incomplete, and she was about to be scolded. ¡°What else could it be for our line of work? I went to look for Bai Lingyun, the new Best Actor, hoping to dig up some private scoop.¡± Zhao Chen nodded, ¡°I know, President Bai.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Lu Wanwan looked up, surprised, ¡°President what?¡± He laughed, ¡°Miss Lu, don¡¯t you do your homework before an interview? Bai Lingyun is not only an actor but also the legitimate grandson of the chairman of Bai Group.¡± This¡­ this is big news. She really hadn¡¯t had time to look up much on Bai Lingyun. She had just taken his vague schedule and went to stake it out. Bai Lingyun, being a big shot, should have been known as a domineering CEO if he was one. She shouldn¡¯t have been unaware. ¡°¡­This is the epitome of a tall, rich, and handsome man. I should write about this when I get back.¡± Zhao Chen felt a bit gloomy, Mr. Gu is also tall, rich, and handsome. ¡°But there¡¯s not much to write about this one because Bai Lingyun¡¯s fans all know it, which is why I asked, Miss Lu, don¡¯t you do your homework?¡± Lu Wanwan, having her professionalism questioned, scratched her head, ¡°I thought since he¡¯s a celebrity, knowing a bit about him would be enough. Mainly, this trip was too rushed, I didn¡¯t have much time. Xiaozhao, you drivers for the president must know a lot of private scoop, right?¡± Zhao Chen: ¡­ Driving for the president¡­ He wiped the sweat from his forehead, ¡°That¡¯s right, I just happen to know a bit of gossip about President Bai. Are you interested?¡± Lu Wanwan was resolute, ¡°Name your price.¡± This sudden turn of events made her feel as if she was being favored by the goddess of fortune. ¡°Miss Lu, you must be joking, how could I take your money?¡± This scoop came from Mr. Gu, why don¡¯t you try giving Mr. Gu some money and see if he freezes you to death in one second? Chapter 24 - Chapter 24: Chapter 24: President Gu, Miss Lu is Very Happy Chapter 24: Chapter 24: President Gu, Miss Lu is Very Happy ¡°I¡¯m so sorry about that.¡± Lu Wanwan went to dig through her wallet. Searching through her wallet, she couldn¡¯t even find a hundred-yuan bill, which was quite embarrassing¡­ Zhao Chen waved his hand, ¡°Really, it¡¯s not necessary. I don¡¯t rely on this for a living, it¡¯s just fun to see some gossip and share it.¡± Her eyes widened, watery, ¡°Xiaozhao, can you share more of this kind of stuff with me in the future?¡± ¡°Of course, no problem. For the greater good, for the greater good,¡± he said with a dry laugh. When they arrived at the newspaper building, Zhao Chen took out his mobile phone, ¡°I told you it¡¯s still early, we¡¯ve got fifteen minutes left. Oh, I have another photo, want me to give it to you too?¡± Lu Wanwan, now completely forgetting the gloom of being ditched by Gu Annan, asked eagerly, ¡°Would that be convenient?¡± Zhao Chen nodded repeatedly, ¡°Convenient, very convenient.¡± Not giving it would mean a dock in salary, okay? ¡°Then you can send it to me via Bluetooth,¡± Lu Wanwan quickly took out her knockoff phone. Zhao Chen paused for a moment: ¡°Miss Lu, my fruit phone, it can¡¯t send stuff via Bluetooth.¡± Lu Wanwan looked enviously at his phone, then reluctantly turned on her data, ¡°Then I¡¯ll add you on WeChat.¡± Driving for the president sure is nice, fruit phones are so expensive. Go to ????????????????????.co Back when fruit phones first came out, she bought every new model as soon as it was released. But after the incident four years ago, she didn¡¯t even dare to look at them anymore. Last year, after completely wearing out the outdated fruit phone she had, she was forced to buy a knockoff. Zhao Chen hesitated for a moment, considering it would make future communications with Miss Lu convenient, and then nodded. After the transfer was complete, Lu Wanwan got out of the car and went into the building with a spring in her step. Zhao Chen watched Lu Wanwan leave and dialed President Gu¡¯s number. ¡°President Gu, I¡¯ve given the material to Miss Lu. She was very happy and said she wants to share more in the future.¡± ¡°By the way, Miss Lu has no personal interest in Mr. Bo; she hasn¡¯t even investigated Mr. Bo¡¯s background¡­ Yes, President Gu, my extra effort was unnecessary, you don¡¯t need to learn about her personal interests¡­¡± ¡°Also, President Gu, although Miss Lu uses a knockoff phone, her heart is set on fruit phones¡ªI saw how envious she was when she looked at my phone.¡± ¡°President Gu, if you give one to her directly and tell her the scoop yourself, she would be even happier¡­ President Gu, I was wrong!¡± * Entering the newspaper office, the atmosphere was a bit peculiar, with several colleagues whispering among themselves. ¡°Hey, Xiaolu is here?¡± Tang Xiao, an intern who came in with Lu Wanwan, leaned in and whispered, ¡°Did you see the car that just parked downstairs?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°What do you mean, ¡®huh¡¯? Are you so oblivious when you walk? A Bentley Mulsanne just parked downstairs at our building!¡± Tang Xiao clasped her hands to her heart, ¡°In a place like our third-rate, old building where it¡¯s a rarity to see rich folks within a hundred miles, isn¡¯t that strange?¡± Lu Wanwan massaged her temples, feeling a headache coming on, ¡°What¡¯s so strange about that? Manchester is teeming with tycoons; someone was just passing by.¡± Their newspaper¡¯s location was not in a bustling commercial district, but rather in the old town area. Being a celebrity¡¯s natural enemy comes at a cost; too much flamboyance leads to quick downfalls. In places like the old town area, they were much safer, as to the ordinary people, their publications were harmless. ¡°It wasn¡¯t just passing by, it was parked there for quite a while. Didn¡¯t you check the WeChat group? A colleague saw a woman get out of the car from a distance and saw her silhouette.¡± Lu Wanwan was taken aback, ¡°I haven¡¯t had time to check WeChat yet!¡± As she spoke, she pulled out a hair tie and quickly pulled her hair up into a ponytail to change her hairstyle. In a moment, a gasp went through the office area, ¡°They found out the license plate, it¡¯s one of Gu¡¯s cars!¡± Chapter 25 - Chapter 25: Chapter 25 His Special Mystery Chapter 25: Chapter 25 His Special Mystery Lu Wanwan had just sat down when the sound made her hands tremble. Indeed, their newspaper had an all-encompassing database that contained all known license plates of celebrities and tycoons. Colleagues would spot luxury cars, check the license plate, and could instantly switch into paparazzi mode. Sitting at her desk, her hand propped against her forehead, Gu Annan¡¯s license plate was actually in the database as well. Her colleagues had already exploded with excitement, crowding around to see. Tang Xiao, seeing the headache-inducing expression on Lu Wanwan¡¯s face, patted her shoulder. ¡°Still sitting, didn¡¯t you sleep well last night?¡± Lu Wanwan had no choice but to stand up, ¡°Yeah, I slept on the couch all night¡­¡± About a dozen people from the office gathered around the computer that had just been used to check the license plate. ¡°It¡¯s the Gu family from Manchester, that top-tier family. When this car was first registered, someone accidentally discovered that it belonged to the mysterious heir of the Gu family.¡± ¡°I heard he¡¯s a returned overseas Chinese, just came back not long ago, and has already started taking over the Gu corporation.¡± ¡°Extremely mysterious, they say only Gu¡¯s senior executives and shareholders know who he is. He keeps a low profile, but his moves are incredibly sharp. He launched several high-profile projects upon taking over, earning the respect of the Gu higher-ups, with none daring to question him.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t there a rumor that he¡¯s gay? It came from the gossip in the Manchester elite circles.¡± Go to ????????????????????.co ¡°They need to keep it mysterious, otherwise it could affect the company¡¯s stock price if it got out.¡± Lu Wanwan silently listened in. Gu Annan had been in office for quite some time yet remained out of the public eye, a remarkably well-kept secret. Even Zui Entertainment, with its ability to dig deep, had at most just caught wind of the rumor that he was gay. There was suddenly a sly chuckle from the crowd. ¡°The number one wealthy bachelor of Manchester, rumored to be gay, ends up driving a woman to our building. Who¡¯s going to dig into this scoop? There are hundreds of nondescript little companies in our building, even though we¡¯re close to the action, it¡¯s not easy.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s split up, who saw that woman? Describe her.¡± ¡°I only caught a glance of her from behind. There were a lot of people at the time, and she moved quickly. She was wearing the most common white T-shirt and shorts¡­ similar to Xiaolu here, hair nearly down to her waist.¡± Lu Wanwan suddenly saw about a dozen pairs of eyes turning to look at her. She raised both hands, ¡°I came by the number 9 tram¡­¡± ¡°Nevermind,¡± her colleague looked at her thoughtfully, ¡°just getting a general idea. You¡¯d have broken the story a long time ago if you could have gotten close to him, right?¡± Lu Wanwan quickly nodded, ¡°Of course, like the scoop I got on Bai Lingyun that I plan to release immediately.¡± The editor-in-chief was already standing at the back of the room. Upon hearing Lu Wanwan¡¯s words, his eyebrows raised, ¡°You got it?¡± Lu Wanwan nodded, holding her phone, ¡°I have pictures, Bai Lingyun and a woman.¡± The office exploded again, ¡°Damn, you actually hit jackpot on your first try. Bai Lingyun has been in the industry for so long without a single scandal!¡± ¡°And with pictures, this is going to be big!¡± The editor-in-chief coughed with righteous indignation, ¡°Get it sorted out quickly, we¡¯re freeing up the front page headline for the next issue.¡± The incident with Gu Annan¡¯s luxury car was temporarily put aside as the photos from her phone were sent out and enlarged on the computer. An Eyes of Golden Flame colleague recognized it, ¡°That¡¯s Ji Jiayi, sister of Ji Shaoyang, leader of the young masters circle. She and Bai Lingyun are a good match. Maybe it¡¯s a family-arranged marriage, maybe childhood sweethearts, maybe a fresh romance, what¡¯s a good angle to take¡­ right, Xiaolu, the pixels on your knockoff phone aren¡¯t bad.¡± Chapter 26 - Chapter 26: Chapter 26: Cant Discuss How Paparazzi Are Hated Publicly? Chapter 26: Chapter 26: Can¡¯t Discuss How Paparazzi Are Hated Publicly? Lu Wanwan stared skyward. ¡°Xiaozhao¡¯s Fruit phone does the shooting, how could it be bad?¡± * Writing articles and arranging the layout, the headline for the next issue was changed at the last minute; the entire cover was redesigned, and everything had to be finalized before going to print. For these past few days, Lu Wanwan had been as busy as a dog, eating and drinking in front of the computer while arranging the suddenly inserted articles and the editor-in-chief kept sending over Bai Lingyun¡¯s schedule and information. The editor-in-chief actually handed over this star, known for having the most blind spots and being the hardest to dig up dirt on in the entertainment industry, directly to her. Do well, and the future profits will pour in. Do poorly, and if she couldn¡¯t dig up more dirt, she would have accomplished nothing. Tang Xiao was so sympathetic; it was a do-or-die situation. Getting Bai Lingyun¡¯s scandalous photo last time must have been sheer luck; otherwise, for a star like Bai Lingyun who has such a strong wife squad, it would be impossible to debut for so long without scandals breaking out. As for the matter of the Gu¡¯s mysterious successor, a team had already been specially arranged to investigate the entire building, which had nothing to do with her. After a few days of nervous deliberation, Lu Wanwan suddenly remembered she could simply send Xiaozhao a WeChat message telling him to never drive that car near the company again, or she would ¡®die¡¯ for him to see! In front of these colleagues who were deeply immersed in gossip and supervisors who would go to any lengths for a scandal, once they found out who was in the car, they would definitely do everything they could to get Gu Annan¡¯s private information. Go to ????????????????????.co Now, even with a hundred guts, she wouldn¡¯t dare to expose him. * At a high-end golf course. Gu Annan held a golf club, looking absent-mindedly into the distance. The man playing next to him wore a crisp smile on his lips. After taking his shot, he handed the club to the caddy and got a bottle of mineral water, ¡°Oh, by the way, Jiayi has been making a fuss these past two days, insisting that I explain things to you. I said it¡¯s unnecessary; you wouldn¡¯t care, but she just doesn¡¯t believe me.¡± Gu Annan showed little reaction, seeing that he had finished, he also tossed his club aside and sat down next to him. ¡°The person in charge at Dijing personally called to apologize, saying they had no idea how the sneak photography happened at their venue.¡± Gu Annan crossed his legs lazily, ¡°Really?¡± After Ji Shaoyang finished his drink, while twisting the bottle cap, he said, ¡°Jiayi and Bai Lingyun were just accidental victims too. They aren¡¯t even close; it was just a polite greeting when they met, such a coincidence to be photographed. And now ¡®Zui Entertainment¡¯ is selling out, beyond control. How has that tabloid not been sued into oblivion, huh?¡± Gu Annan¡¯s gaze drifted elsewhere. ¡°Paparazzi are really species that get chased and beaten down the street, especially ¡®Zui Entertainment¡¯,¡± Ji Shaoyang said with some anger. That damn tabloid wrote stuff like, ¡°Ji Shaoyang is suspected of wanting to enter the entertainment circle, using his sister¡¯s and Bai Lingyun¡¯s scandal to generate buzz¡­¡± What nonsense, as if he coveted that circle? Gu Annan suddenly turned his head, casting a warning cold glance at him. ¡°What? Did I say something wrong?¡± Ji Shaoyang looked askance, ¡°How is my comment about paparazzi getting chased and beaten in the streets inaccurate? Can¡¯t say that?¡± After repeating it once, Gu Annan¡¯s expression grew even darker. ¡°Xiaozhao, what¡¯s wrong with your boss, Gu?¡± Ji Shaoyang looked baffled, ¡°Xiaozhao, what are you smiling so happily about, finally off the market? Found springtime?¡± Zhao Chen stood off to the side, watching as the message on WeChat from Lu Wanwan, accompanied by a super funny begging emoji, popped up. He couldn¡¯t help but laugh when he saw it, and Ji Shaoyang happened to catch that moment. ¡°Of course not, it¡¯s just a message from Miss Lu¡­¡± he explained. ¡°Miss Lu?¡± Ji Shaoyang echoed with a smile. Zhao Chen¡¯s smiling face suddenly froze. Chapter 27 - Chapter 27: Chapter 27 Miss Lu, I Can Only Block You Chapter 27: Chapter 27 Miss Lu, I Can Only Block You Gu Annan¡¯s brows knotted as he hadn¡¯t looked for Lu Wanwan these days, trying to see what it would be like to have her disappear from his life again. Yet just a few days in, she¡¯s messaging Zhao Chen on WeChat with such glee? When did these two get so familiar without him knowing anything? ¡°Mr. Gu,¡± Zhao Chen felt the chill in the air, ¡°Miss Lu added me on WeChat to send pictures, and now she¡¯s messaging to say that leaving her car outside her company last time caused her a lot of trouble.¡± Ji Shaoyang¡¯s handsome eyebrows rose even higher, smelling the scent of gossip. Gu Annan stood up abruptly, his voice cold with disdain, ¡°What does it have to do with me who you add on WeChat?¡± Zhao Chen saw Mr. Gu turn and leave. Does this really have nothing to do with him? Looks like I can only block you now, Miss Lu! ¡°Xiaozhao, let me take a look.¡± Ji Shaoyang tossed aside the water bottle, hands in his pockets, and came over with a smile, ¡°What WeChat message?¡± Zhao Chen clutched his phone tightly, ¡°Mr. Ji, you can¡¯t.¡± Ji Shaoyang¡¯s lips curled with a playful smile, ¡°Right, if my sister knew who secretly took photos of her¡­¡± Zhao Chen handed over the phone with both hands, ¡°Mr. Ji, please take a quick look. I¡¯m about to block Miss Lu.¡± Ji Shaoyang took the phone, murmuring under his breath, ¡°Surname Lu, huh¡­¡± He scrolled through the WeChat, finding nothing of value, unfortunately. Go to ????????????????????.co But he finally understood why the paparazzi from Zui Entertainment couldn¡¯t complain anymore. The photo taken in secret was sent to her¡ªthis woman was a paparazzo for Zui Entertainment. * Without so much as a greeting, Gu Annan left the golf course. His car raced to the old town area and stopped under the only building that looked like a business tower, directly dialing that long-unused number. ¡°Hello, who is it?¡± Gu Annan¡¯s voice was chilly, ¡°Come down.¡± The voice on the other end sank immediately, ¡°I can¡¯t, I¡¯m at work. Could you¡­¡± ¡°You only have 190,000 left to deduct. Are you sure you think the salary is more important?¡± His voice was indifferent, hand squeezing the steering wheel. ¡°Then¡­¡± Gu Annan hung up the phone. Lu Wanwan hugged her head with both hands. She wanted to ask if he could park his car further away, but Gu Annan had no patience for that. She wasn¡¯t surprised. When had the word ¡®patience¡¯ ever been in Gu Annan¡¯s dictionary? Lu Wanwan risked making an excuse to leave work, at the price of a 100 yuan deduction from her salary. Looking left and right, she saw no sign of his car. As she took out her phone to call and ask, a sudden blast of the horn rang in her ears. The black sedan beside her was immaculately clean, so bright she could clearly see her reflection on its surface. Then the passenger-side window was rolled down. The icy, handsome face inside the car came into her view, with captivating, deep eyes staring at her and a furrow in his brow showing his displeasure with her dawdling. Lu Wanwan didn¡¯t dare to hesitate any longer and immediately opened the car door to get in. As soon as she got in, the car sped off. The silence inside the car made her feel the atmosphere was too tense. After some thought, she spoke up. ¡°I¡¯m sorry I¡¯m a bit late. It¡¯s just been really busy lately.¡± ¡°I of course know my salary can¡¯t compare with that 190,000, but this is my internship, and I can¡¯t take it lightly.¡± ¡°The editor-in-chief is very demanding and particularly hates tardiness or leaving early. My normal working hours end at half past five in the afternoon. If possible¡­¡± At a red light, the car came to an abrupt stop. Lu Wanwan hadn¡¯t buckled her seatbelt, and with an ¡°Ah!¡± she lurched forward. Chapter 28 - Chapter 28: Chapter 28 Do Not Guess the BOSSs Mind Chapter 28: Chapter 28 Do Not Guess the BOSS¡¯s Mind Her forehead almost knocked against something, but fortunately, Lu Wanwan reacted quickly, stretching out her hand to block it and thus avoiding a potential bloody outcome. Just as she settled in her seat, an arm suddenly stretched over from beside her and pressed her firmly into the seat. Gu Annan leaned his whole body toward her, his delicate and indifferent face extremely close to hers at that moment. Lu Wanwan was pressed against the backrest of the seat, her heart racing. The faint scent of mint on his body made her a bit nervous, and for a moment she was too scared to move, not even sure what he intended to do. But she quickly understood. With a ¡°swoosh,¡± Gu Annan forcefully pulled the seatbelt over. His cold gaze fell as he fastened the seatbelt over her with efficient movements. It wasn¡¯t until the ¡®click¡¯ sound that Lu Wanwan came back to reality. When she looked up again, she saw Gu Annan give her a dispassionate glance, as he moved back to the driver¡¯s seat, acting as if nothing had happened. Her face, against the strong cold air within the car, for the first time felt that the chill wasn¡¯t quite enough. It was only when the green light came on and Gu Annan started the car that she murmured a few words, ¡°Thank you.¡± For a moment, she thought he would kiss her, and the sound of the seatbelt actually made her feel a little disappointed. Go to ????????????????????.co Lu Wanwan really wanted to knock on her own head¡ªwhat on earth was she thinking! Gu Annan¡¯s long fingers pinched the steering wheel, and after he accelerated, his lips moved slightly, ¡°From now on, any fines for not wearing a seatbelt will be on you, and if there¡¯s an accident, it¡¯s all on you too. Medical expenses have nothing to do with me.¡± She: ¡­ A precise bucket of cold water poured down, and Lu Wanwan felt her previously racing heart instantly return to normal. She clenched her hand into a fist, repeating to herself thirty times, wear the seatbelt, wear the seatbelt, wear the seatbelt¡­ Gu Annan drove fast, and Lu Wanwan watched the neighborhoods outside the window, gradually approaching the business district. She didn¡¯t know where the sponsor wanted to go, so she simply took out her phone again. Maybe she could get some information from Xiaozhao? Her fingers flew over the keyboard, but the knockoff phone was a bit slow, hardly keeping up with her typing speed, almost driving her to despair several times. Seeing her quiet down, Gu Annan glanced from the corner of his eye to see her constantly on her phone, reminding him of what Zhao Chen had said earlier. His brows furrowed, a clear expression of displeasure. ¡°Delete WeChat.¡± Lu Wanwan looked up, startled and confused. Had WeChat offended him? Was there a fierce competition recently with the Penguin company? She couldn¡¯t recall noticing before that Gu Annan was so inhumane to his employees. Gu Corporation wasn¡¯t in the instant messaging industry, was it? ¡°Then let me post on Moments to let everyone know first.¡± She didn¡¯t directly ask why, to avoid another reminder of how much of her 190,000 was still subject to deduction. Just as Lu Wanwan casually tried to send a message to Xiaozhao, she saw, ¡°System Prompt: The user has enabled friend verification, you are not their friend yet. Please send a friend request first; after the user approves, you can chat.¡± She was sure she had added Xiaozhao¡ªjust a few hours earlier they had exchanged a few words. How could it suddenly say they weren¡¯t friends anymore? The only possibility was that she had been¡­ blocked by Xiaozhao. This maniacal BOSS, Lu Wanwan thought, as she mentally lit a candle for Xiaozhao. ¡°Sorry, my phone has frozen,¡± she showed Gu Annan her phone screen, blinking her clear eyes gently, and spoke in a negotiating tone, ¡°Can I delete it next time?¡± Gu Annan didn¡¯t pay any attention, only frowning as if annoyed. A few minutes later, the car stopped in front of a fruit retail store. A card was thrown into her hand. Chapter 29 - Chapter 29: Chapter 29: His Signature, Familiar to the Heart Chapter 29: Chapter 29: His Signature, Familiar to the Heart Lu Wanwan recognized the card, not because she knew Gu Annan¡¯s card, but because she recognized the exclusive black card from the Holy Covenant Bank. The world¡¯s most renowned international bank, the highest-end credit card possible, only obtainable by personal invitation from the bank president and not by application from just anyone. There¡¯s no spending limit; it can even act as an entry token at some famous international galas, where it serves as an implicitly accepted invitation. Unlike the long string of numbers on ordinary cards, this one had only five. Most people would think, ¡°Are you kidding me? Can this thing with a five-digit number even handle transactions?¡± However, the usual bearers of such a card wouldn¡¯t risk misplacing it by using it at places too low-end, leading to confused stares from the clerks as if they were insane. Lu Wanwan was well aware of the card¡¯s significance because her mother once had one, too. Yet she had only seen it, never used it herself. And now Gu Annan¡¯s card was casually tossed into her hands as if it were just a coin. ¡°There¡¯s no PIN. You can fake my signature,¡± Gu Annan turned off the car engine as well, ¡°The latest model, any color.¡± So she was being sent to help buy a smartphone. Lu Wanwan nodded, carefully placed the card into her bag, and then got out of the car. The Gu Family was indeed extraordinary in its generosity¡ªtossing around the Holy Covenant black card so casually. Once Lu Wanwan entered the store, she naturally relaxed. Gu Annan wasn¡¯t picky about shopping, and his requirements were simple; she didn¡¯t even need to look twice. Go to ????????????????????.co ¡°For the color¡­ rose gold,¡± Lu Wanwan said with a playful tilt at the corner of her mouth to the salesperson. He said to choose any color he wanted, so he couldn¡¯t blame her for picking this one. Thinking about it, a person like Annan would typically loathe going back on his word; having said the color was up to her, he would have to stick to it even if it pained him. Besides, such a cold character as his needed some balance with a flashy color. ¡°Alright, miss, please come here to pay,¡± the clerk said. A phone for Annan would naturally have the highest specs and, therefore, the highest price, too. Confronted with a bill exceeding ten thousand, she didn¡¯t even blink as she reached for the card. The president of Holy Covenant Bank would probably burst into tears if he knew his black card was used to buy a phone. ¡°Miss, you¡¯ve got the wrong card, haven¡¯t you?¡± ¡°It¡¯s alright, just swipe it, there won¡¯t be any problems.¡± The frowning cashier, not wishing to waste her breath, decided to swipe the card to prove her point, but to her surprise, it worked! Lu Wanwan collected the receipt calmly, but hesitated momentarily when it came to signing it. She had practiced imitating Annan¡¯s signature for over a month. She wrote it every single day, every moment she could; she even inadvertently wrote ¡®Gu Annan¡¯ instead of her own name on her exam papers. Back then, it became a joke for the whole grade, and one of her failing math tests was even prominently pinned up on the school bulletin board. But that guy, who was always so aloof towards her, didn¡¯t join in with the laughter for the first time, nor did he criticize her for having the audacity to fail a test and still sign his name. Instead, he offered a rare compliment: ¡°Out of the whole test, these are the only three words worth looking at.¡± She hadn¡¯t written that name in four years, let alone in his handwriting. How on earth was Annan so confident that she could still forge it perfectly? ¡°Here you go, miss,¡± the cashier handed over the now-authenticated receipt and phone with a smile, ¡°We look forward to welcoming you again.¡± Chapter 30 - Chapter 30: Chapter 30 A New Phone for Her Chapter 30: Chapter 30 A New Phone for Her Lu Wanwan carried her newly purchased phone and the credit card receipt out of the retail store and got back into the car. ¡°The phone is the latest version, as you mentioned. I let them choose the color randomly, since you said the color didn¡¯t matter.¡± As she spoke about the color, there was a subtle change in Lu Wanwan¡¯s tone. ¡°The price was sixteen thousand eight hundred. I saw something about a limited edition released this month. Although I don¡¯t know exactly what the difference is, I thought you might want it. It¡¯s a few thousand more expensive than the regular version¡­¡± Gu Annan cut her off, taking it from her, ¡°As long as it¡¯s purchased, that¡¯s fine.¡± Lu Wanwan let out a sigh of relief, turned her face to the side, and carefully observed him. His expression hadn¡¯t changed much from start to finish, it seemed he had no objections to the rose gold color. He glanced at the signing area of the payment slip before casually tossing it into the compartment of the car. Then he opened the phone box, took out the phone and its accessories, and threw the box directly into the garbage bin outside the window. While holding the phone, his fingers paused. He suddenly stretched toward Lu Wanwan, ¡°Give me the phone.¡± Lu Wanwan hesitated, then handed over her knockoff phone. Her phone had crashed, but a restart would have fixed it. However, she was relying on the fact that maybe Gu Annan didn¡¯t know, planning to use WeChat for a few more hours and delete it later. Go to ????????????????????.co Now that Gu Annan was asking for her phone, she thought he wanted to delete WeChat from it. In fact, she really wanted to add that she used WeChat for legitimate things, to discuss legitimate matters, and wondered if it could not be deleted¡­ ¡°Hey, what are you doing¡­¡± Lu Wanwan looked at Gu Annan in surprise as he took the SIM card out of her phone and directly inserted it into her newly bought phone. He moved very quickly. Once the card was swapped, he turned on the phone and started typing rapidly on it. While Lu Wanwan thought he was going to use her card for something, he had already finished typing. Then her knockoff phone was thrown out¡­ ¡°Gu Annan, you¡­¡± Before she could protest, the phone she had just spent ten to twenty thousand on was handed to her face, ¡°My number is already saved in it. As we agreed during this period, I¡¯ll be at your call.¡± Lu Wanwan received it nervously, her brows furrowed as she looked up, ¡°This is fine, but my phone¡­¡± Her biggest concern was that the cost of this phone would be deducted from the remaining one hundred ninety thousand. After all, he had just as easily declared that she would pay the penalty and bear her own medical expenses. ¡°Sometimes you might need to act as my assistant briefly.¡± Gu Annan turned his head, restarting the car, his tone calm, ¡°I don¡¯t want others to think I mistreat my employees.¡± Lu Wanwan felt slightly disappointed upon hearing this explanation. If it were just a gift of a phone to her, she could have immediately resold it. A limited edition device like this could easily make up at least ten thousand of the deducted amount as a nearly new second-hand device. What she lacked was ultimately two hundred thousand, and with her current salary and time, saving another ten thousand was not easy. The ten to twenty thousand worth phone felt heavy in her hand as she carefully placed it in her bag. Before the car drove off, a pretty face suddenly appeared at the window of the driver¡¯s side, an expression of surprise on her face, ¡°Brother Annan, is it really you!¡± Lu Wanwan followed his gaze, and as soon as she saw that face, she almost broke into a sweat. Wasn¡¯t this Ji Jiayi, the one from the photos exposed by Bai Lingyun not long ago? Chapter 31 - Chapter 31: Chapter 31 The First Woman to Be His Co-pilot Chapter 31: Chapter 31 The First Woman to Be His Co-pilot Gu Annan heard that voice and stopped the foot that was about to press the gas pedal. ¡°It¡¯s you.¡± His voice was still very faint, making it hard to discern any emotion. Ji Jiayi¡¯s smile froze on her face when she saw Lu Wanwan, her eyes complex, ¡°Brother Annan, who is she?¡± She had never seen a woman on Gu Annan¡¯s passenger seat, not even herself being allowed. ¡°Assistant.¡± Lu Wanwan stepped forward, answering in a low voice with a forced smile on her face, ¡°Hello, I am the new assistant of President Gu.¡± Gu Annan¡¯s face instantly darkened, and even the air conditioning inside the car seemed suppressed by him. Because Brother Annan and Gu Annan were childhood friends, Ji Jiayi always considered herself on the same level as them. Therefore, their subordinates, in her view, naturally were subordinates as well. Disdain naturally showed on her face, her tone still slightly doubtful, ¡°A new assistant should still know the rules, right? Can you sit in Brother Annan¡¯s passenger seat?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I needed to report work to President Gu, so¡­¡± Ji Jiayi knew what Gu Annan was like when he was serious about work and thus didn¡¯t bother to argue minutely with an assistant. She turned to Gu Annan and put on a bright smile again, ¡°Brother Annan, I didn¡¯t drive out today, could you give me a ride?¡± Gu Annan coldly glanced at Lu Wanwan, whose entire face was hoping he would not agree. Go to ????????????????????.co ¡°Sure, get in.¡± Ji Jiayi was delighted; she had only been testing the water with her question, knowing his temperament he probably wouldn¡¯t agree, but today was an unexpected surprise. ¡°Thank you, Brother Annan.¡± She immediately went to the passenger door, pulled it open, looked down at Lu Wanwan, and commanded, ¡°You, get out and sit in the back.¡± Though her looks had some merit, her clothing was so plain. This new assistant must be so new she hasn¡¯t even received her first month¡¯s salary, a poor student just graduated, shabbily dressed from head to toe, nothing she wore was of any value. In fact, Lu Wanwan couldn¡¯t have been happier. Although she didn¡¯t take the photos herself, they were leaked by her, and encountering the subject made her feel somewhat guilty. ¡°Alright, I will get down right away¡­¡± She took her bag and started to get out of the car. Ji Jiayi was pleased with her submissive attitude, but the next second, she heard Gu Annan¡¯s cold, deep voice, ¡°Jiayi, you take the back seat.¡± Lu Wanwan¡¯s right leg had just stepped out, she stopped in surprise, turning her head to look at him with a pleading gaze. Gu Annan¡¯s eyes were deep and cold without a ripple, ¡°Did I ask you to get up?¡± Lu Wanwan gently bit her lip and drew her foot back in unknowingly. ¡°Brother Annan!¡± ¡°If you¡¯re not sitting, take a cab yourself.¡± With no other option, Ji Jiayi reluctantly took the back seat. Fortunately, Gu Annan didn¡¯t show any kindness to the new assistant either, confirming the rumors that he was abnormally strict at work were not unfounded. Once Ji Jiayi got into the car, it started moving. ¡°I¡¯m going to find my big brother, Brother Annan, please take me there.¡± Ji Jiayi knew that her big brother had a golf appointment with Gu Annan today, but he just refused to take her along. It didn¡¯t matter, she was going to find her brother now, and surely Gu Annan wouldn¡¯t leave immediately. ¡°By the way, Brother Annan, something terrible has happened. That notorious Zui Entertainment somehow got a photo of me and Bai Lingyun, and they completely fabricated the story. It¡¯s infuriating, not a single word is true!¡± The two people in the front were both silent, giving Ji Jiayi the strange impression that she was the extra person. Chapter 32 - Chapter 32: Chapter 32: Must Not Provoke Lu Wanwan Chapter 32: Chapter 32: Must Not Provoke Lu Wanwan The woman in the passenger seat was just Gu Annan¡¯s assistant, and one he wasn¡¯t very satisfied with at that, yet she still felt like a thorn in her side. It was clear that she should be the one extra in the car, a sensation that made her particularly uncomfortable, and she couldn¡¯t put her finger on why. ¡°Those paparazzi can make up anything for money, twisting right and wrong, black and white. Brother Annan, you know I¡¯m not close with Bai Lingyun. I swear if I find out who did it, they should be thrown into¡­ into a pig cage!¡± Ji Jiayi said fiercely, clenching her fists tightly. ¡°No, even a pig cage isn¡¯t enough for such a person¡­¡± Lu Wanwan listened awkwardly and turned her head to look out the window. Gu Annan finally couldn¡¯t bear it any longer and sped up the car, interrupting her, ¡°Say one more word, and you¡¯re out of the car!¡± Ji Jiayi knew he meant what he said, and there had never been an exception, not even for her. Only then did she quiet down and sit still in the car, watching Gu Annan¡¯s eyes through the mirror in front of the driver¡¯s seat, seeing the chill at the ends of his eyebrows, furrowed tight. They soon arrived at the golf course, and the car stopped. Ji Jiayi didn¡¯t rush to get out, grinning as she said, ¡°Brother Annan, let¡¯s go inside. I heard you had an appointment with my big brother today, right?¡± Gu Annan¡¯s eyes finally lifted, looking at her through the mirror, without any superfluous words, ¡°Get out.¡± Ji Jiayi bit her lip and could only say, ¡°Goodbye, Brother Annan.¡± Go to ????????????????????.co When she got out of the car, the door had barely closed when the car sped away, nearly knocking her over. Furious, she stomped her foot; it was all because of that assistant occupying Gu Annan¡¯s time. At a time like this, talking about business affairs, she better be fired soon! By coincidence, Ji Shaoyang came out of the golf course and saw her, saying with a headache, ¡°Why did you still come? Gu Annan left early.¡± ¡°It was Brother Annan who brought me here. If it weren¡¯t for his new assistant needing to discuss business, he definitely would have gotten out,¡± Ji Jiayi said with her hands on her hips, ¡°It must be because of that gossip that he thinks I¡¯m a loose woman, it¡¯s disgusting.¡± ¡°Assistant?¡± Ji Shaoyang didn¡¯t really want to listen to this, ¡°Since when can¡­ a new assistant get into his car?¡± Ji Jiayi said discontentedly, ¡°A new female assistant, sitting right beside him, so irritating. If she¡¯s not fired within a month, I won¡¯t keep the Ji surname!¡± ¡°Mind your own business about Gu Annan¡¯s matters,¡± Ji Shaoyang decided he needed to keep a closer watch on her lately. ¡°Brother, I want to find ¡®Zui Entertainment¡¯, I have to see who¡¯s so hateful to make him misunderstand me.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you dare!¡± If she brought trouble upon herself, it would be a disaster; everyone who had ever crossed Lu Wanwan ended up regretting it deeply. * Lu Wanwan was feeling anxious, not expecting that breaking a story would provoke such a spoiled heiress. After their agency became official, each staff had significant personal accident insurance, but she wasn¡¯t made official yet! ¡°She was just talking, she won¡¯t find your agency,¡± Gu Annan¡¯s low voice broke the silence in the car, as if seeing through her worries, ¡°¡®Zui Entertainment¡¯ isn¡¯t new to this kind of stuff.¡± Lu Wanwan turned around in surprise to look at him, was he trying to comfort her? But the comforting tone held no warmth, plunging her into doubt. Gu Annan felt dizzy from her stare, his handsome brows furrowed tightly, ¡°Of course, if anything does happen, it would be your personal accident. Just to be clear, if there¡¯s an incident within the month, I¡¯ll extend the term.¡± Lu Wanwan immediately turned her head away, realizing that those who thrived in the business field were indeed ruthless.