Beside the car, under the dazzling sunlight, with her throat clear, Gu Nuannuan's mouth curled up into a sweet smile, her eyes crescent-shaped like the moon. "Dad, mom, Chensan and I are back."

Jiang Chenyu went to the trunk to fetch the gifts. As he walked over, he briefly paused, seeing the expression on her face and the smile in her eyes.

A girl's smile could be so sincerely disguised.

Very sweet, very warm, a bit coquettish.

Jiang Chenyu was touched, devoid of worldly politeness and falsehood, she genuinely showed her smile to her family. For him, it was a luxury. For her, it was effortless.

When Gu Nuannuan rushed towards her mother, she opened her arms and hugged her parents tightly.

Jiang Chenyu followed, holding the gifts in his hands.

"Come inside, don't stay out in the sun," Gu's father shouted, leading everyone back into the house.

In the living room, Gu Nuannuan shared all the good things about her life at the Jiang family. "Mom, Dad, I've discovered the freedom of marriage. I can sleep until whatever time I want, and Chensan doesn't care."

Jiang Chenyu stood beside her, silent. He just smiled to confirm the truth of Gu Nuannuan's words.

In reality, he had never stayed overnight in their marital bed.

She pretended so well, returning to her chatty self.

As a son-in-law, Jiang Chenyu couldn't remain silent. He asked, "Mom, Dad, what about Xiaohan?"

Mrs. Gu replied, "His school hasn't finished yet."

Xiaohan was Gu Nuannuan's younger brother, 17 years old, studying abroad. The family kept her marriage a secret from him.

Jiang Chenyu said, "I heard from Nuannuan that Xiaohan has always wanted to return to China for university."

Gu Nuannuan turned her head, looking at Jiang Chenyu's profile, puzzled. Had she said that?

Mrs. Gu said, "That's true, but the pressure of the college entrance examination in China is too high. It's more relaxed overseas. We don't want him to come back."

Her brother wanted to return to China for university? How come she didn't know about this!

"Nuannuan, stop staring at Chensan. You stare at him at home, now at your parents' house too. Come on, go with Mom to the kitchen." Mrs. Gu smiled, pulling her daughter.

Gu Nuannuan blushed. "I'm not!"

She was dragged away.

In the living room, there were only the father-in-law and son-in-law left.

Private matters couldn't be discussed, so Jiang Chenyu took the initiative to ask about business.

Thinking of how the Gu family had turned down 15 projects in a row, Jiang Chenyu questioned, "Dad, I heard you've been rejecting projects from 15 companies in a row. Is it because of lack of funds and materials? If so, you can tell me."

Mr. Gu waved his hand. "Not really. Chensan, you and I both know where those 15 contracts came from. They just want to use the Jiang family's face to climb up the ladder and see me as a mediator. If I accepted, I'd be selling my daughter for glory, expending all efforts to send my daughter to the Jiang family just for the wealth and status of the Gu family. So, I declined. Firstly, to tell everyone that the Gu family doesn't rely on the Jiang Group. We do as much as we're capable of, and we never aspire to what doesn't belong to us. Secondly, I want to tell you all that we don't accept favors from the Jiang family, so please don't misunderstand Nuannuan, respect her, and treat her equally."

Jiang Chenyu hadn't expected things to be like this. Mr. Gu's words made him blush.

So, the Gu family worked hard to marry their daughter to him, not for wealth and status. They even avoided some projects to avoid suspicion.

"Dad, you love Nuannuan so much, why did you agree to let her marry me?" After all, the two of them had no emotional foundation, with such a large age gap and disparate social statuses. Them being together was simply absurd.

Mr. Gu was curious. "Didn't Nuannuan tell you?"

Jiang Chenyu shook his head.

Just as Mr. Gu was about to speak, Gu Nuannuan called out, "Dad, Jiang Chenyu, come and eat."

...

After dinner, Jiang Chenyu gave Gu Nuannuan and her parents some time to chat. In the afternoon, he took Gu Nuannuan and left.

As they left, Gu Nuannuan sat in the passenger seat with the window open, looking at her parents at the door through the rearview mirror.

Getting farther and farther away.

Gu Nuannuan's eyes were moist, and she frequently raised her hand to rub her eyes. Jiang Chenyu could feel it beside her.

He increased the speed and drove out of the Wangcheng Royal Scenic Area until the milky white building was out of sight. Gu Nuannuan closed the window, and Jiang Chenyu slowed down.

Jiang Chenyu asked, "Do you always talk so much at home?"

"Not entirely. It's your first visit, and it's my parents' first time meeting their son-in-law. As the wife and daughter, if I don't keep talking in between, both sides will feel awkward."

It was the first time Jiang Chenyu had heard a girl refer to herself as a "wife." Looking at her face, it was like a child calling themselves an adult, with the adult standing by.

However, she wasn't wrong in her words. Wasn't she his wife that he brought back?

"But, thank you today." It was the first calm conversation they'd had in their three days of marriage.

Gu Nuannuan knew when to give credit. She would also show her polite and courteous side. The premise was that the person she was being polite to deserved it.

Today, Jiang Chenyu deserved it.

"I thought you didn't listen to what I said last night."

"I'll check it myself."

"You should have said earlier. I would have gone to bed early last night instead of bothering you for two hours and still being kicked out by you."

Jiang Chenyu glanced at her again as he drove. Was this girl complaining that he had delayed her sleep?

Back at the old Jiang family house.

The couple were getting along relatively politely, but as soon as they entered the house, they saw someone who shouldn't be there.

Gao Ruer had come again.

Didn't she see how dark Jiang Lao's face was?

Gu Nuannuan and Jiang Chenyu stood side by side. She leaned slightly towards Jiang Chenyu and said, "I'm very righteous. You helped me so much today, don't worry, I'll help you too."

Jiang Chenyu tilted his head slightly, looking down at his petite wife.

And his petite wife was looking up at him, blinking forcefully. "Watch me."

With a smile, she went to the sofa in the living room. "Dad, we're back."

Jiang Lao pretended to yawn. "Dad is also tired. Nuannuan, you're the mistress of the house, entertain our guest."

When he mentioned "mistress of the house," Gao Ruer's face changed.

Jiang Lao was once again reminding himself not to fantasize about a future with Jiang Chenyu.

Gu Nuannuan glanced at Gao Ruer and nodded. "Okay, Dad, I'll take you to rest first."

"No need, Dad can go by himself."

With the help of the butler, Jiang Lao climbed the steps.

After confirming that Jiang Lao had left, Gu Nuannuan turned around and openly looked at Gao Ruer.

She was alright looking, but her makeup was a bit heavy, and she smelled strongly of perfume. So Jiang Chenyu liked this type.

For Gao Ruer, Gu Nuannuan's gaze was like a needle with barbs, piercing her with humiliation.

She stood up. "Gu Nuannuan, Chenyu doesn't love you."

"I know."

She pointed at Gao Ruer and said to Jiang Chenyu, "Dad's not here, take her away."

With that, she waved her hand happily and turned to climb the steps.

Wait a minute!

She suddenly turned around, and her gaze met Jiang Chenyu's dark eyes.

She didn't know that since they returned to the Jiang family's old house, Jiang Chenyu's eyes had been on her the whole time.

"Jiang Chenyu, with what happened today, you helped me, and I'll help you, so we're even, right?"

Having said everything clearly, she happily climbed the stairs step by step.

Jiang Chenyu kept watching her back until she disappeared.

Gao Ruer's gaze, on the other hand, remained on Jiang Chenyu. She witnessed that in his eyes, there were shadows of other women.

Gao Ruer gritted her teeth with jealousy.

She pretended to be weak and pulled on Jiang Chenyu's sleeve, pitifully calling out, "Chenyu, you're finally back."

"Drinking today?"

Seeing his cold expression towards her, Gao Ruer mistakenly thought that he didn't like her buying him drinks.

Gao Ruer immediately shook her head. "No, if you don't like me drinking, I swear I won't touch alcohol again."

Jiang Chenyu glanced at the empty steps and then turned around. "Let's talk outside."

Gao Ruer happily followed.

When they reached a pavilion, Jiang Chenyu brewed a pot of tea for Gao Ruer.

He politely placed the teacup in front of Gao Ruer.

Seeing Jiang Chenyu suddenly being polite, Gao Ruer felt uneasy. She asked, "Chenyu, what do you want to tell me?"

Jiang Chenyu spoke coldly, "Don't waste your time on me anymore. I only have gratitude for you. If we could be together, we would have been long ago." He didn't care about the feelings of the listener when he spoke because he didn't like her. "You're of marriageable age now, so try to get to know some decent people."

His words were clear and straightforward enough for Gao Ruer to understand.

Jiang Chenyu didn't look at the tears in the woman's eyes in front of him. He poured himself another cup of tea. "You know my situation. I'm a married man now. If you keep coming to my house in the future, it's not good for you, for me, or for her. If there's anything urgent, call the home phone."

Upon hearing the word "her," Gao Ruer clenched her hands, and her knuckles turned white. "Is it Gu Nuannuan?"

Jiang Chenyu just glanced at her and didn't reply.

Tears welled up in Gao Ruer's eyes. She reached out to grab Jiang Chenyu's hand, but he picked up the teacup in front of him and took a sip of tea at the right moment.

She shook her head as she cried, "No, Chenyu, it's not like that. You said you liked me, how could you only have gratitude for me? You saved my father's company for me, bought Serena Group for me, and left the villa in Yenan on our wedding night for me."

"I've never told you that I like you. All of this is your self-deception." Jiang Chenyu looked at her crying face. He said, "Saving your father's company was to thank him for his past kindness to me; buying Serena was a plan made a year ago, and I didn't even know what happened between you and Serena; leaving on our wedding night was not because of you."

"No, Chenyu, that night you clearly admitted that you liked me, you love me."

"I never talk much to someone who's drunk."

Because she was drunk that day, Jiang Chenyu didn't indulge her or silently admit that he liked her. Instead... he was tired of talking to drunk people.

Gao Ruer's eye makeup was ruined, Jiang Chenyu finished his tea, stood up, and indirectly sent Gao Ruer away. "It's hot outside, go back early."

Jiang Chenyu returned to the living room. As he went upstairs, he looked through the window and saw the woman still crying on the cool terrace.