Chapter 2

"Is that really not allowed? We don't live far."

Gu Jingchi remained unmoved. "So?"

Having finally mustered the courage to seek a proper meeting, only to be flatly rejected, Song Yuan felt a surge of annoyance. He stammered out his complaint, "H-how can this be? Other engaged couples get to meet, but I can't. That's completely unreasonable."

He said it as if he were a child complaining that all the other kids had friends to play with, while he, a poor little thing, was left to roll around alone in the park.

Gu Jingchi's demands were truly difficult, yet Song Yuan desperately needed to terminate the agreement.

He didn't want to be so unreasonable, but his current mission was to save his own skin, so he had no other choice.

Gu Jingchi resembled an impassive examiner, openly scrutinizing Song Yuan. His gaze settled on Song Yuan's face, where a once-vibrant red mole now trembled slightly, swaying as if about to dissolve into the ice and snow.

A flicker of an unreadable light passed through his eyes before he averted his gaze: "Come inside. Dust the snow off your shoulders."

Song Yuan froze for a few seconds.

"Wait until the snow stops, then I'll have the driver take you back." With that, Gu Jingchi turned and walked away.

*Click—*

The solemn, imposing black door swung open, revealing a black-veined gold marble slab. Their eyes met across the polished stone—one cold and distant, the other round and bewildered.

After a two-second standoff, Gu Jingchi was the first to look away.

Song Yuan stood stunned for a few seconds, surprised to realize that Gu Jingchi had actually allowed him into his private domain.

So, could they meet or not?

Gu Jingchi still hadn't given him a clear answer.

Though angering Gu Jingchi was terrifying, compared to those in the original plot who sought revenge on Song Yuan, he was practically a saint.

Song Yuan decided that if he could successfully divorce, he would definitely send Gu Jingchi a commemorative plaque inscribed with four bold characters: "You Are a Good Person."

Gu Jingchi's home, much like himself, exuded an air of extreme, almost rigid, seriousness from inside out.

The decor, though minimalist, was comfortable, but its sheer size made it feel somewhat desolate.

The foyer was so vast it seemed like a waste of space; one might mistake it for the living room.

By the time Song Yuan had changed his shoes and emerged from the foyer, Gu Jingchi had already gone upstairs, leaving only a retreating, indifferent silhouette.

And a butler who had been waiting for some time.

The butler, smiling, guided Song Yuan to the dining table, then brought him a bowl of ginger soup and a basket of dim sum. "Young Master Song, please enjoy."

He informed Song Yuan that the weather forecast predicted the snow would stop in ten minutes, he could proceed to the foyer to dress and change shoes in thirteen minutes, and the driver would arrive punctually at the door in fifteen minutes. If the roads were not icy, he would be safely home in half an hour.

Precise to the minute, meticulously exact.

Song Yuan nodded obediently, then realized the butler was heading towards the entrance.

"Are you going out? The snow is quite heavy outside."

"No, I'm going back to the next villa. The nannies, bodyguards, and drivers all live in the rows of villas opposite."

...Rows?

Looking out through the floor-to-ceiling windows, Song Yuan indeed saw several smaller villas across the sheltered pathway. He had assumed they were other residents.

"He's very reclusive; he doesn't like having people in the house," the butler added. "Nor does he like unrelated outsiders nearby, so this entire area is occupied by his own people."

Song Yuan: "..."

His boundaries were so strong that there was no way an outsider like him could possibly intrude.

The butler bid farewell with a smile, leaving Song Yuan alone in the empty house.

Once it was quiet, Song Yuan began to ponder how to bring up the divorce with Gu Jingchi.

He certainly couldn't initiate it, as he had no right to break the engagement. If it failed, he would be branded a "contract rogue," which would only add insult to injury.

While contemplating, he gently propped up a small flower that had drooped outside its vase. Watching the little flower lift its head again, Song Yuan unconsciously smiled.

Gu Jingchi had just finished showering and opened his computer when he saw Song Yuan smiling foolishly on the screen.

The surveillance feed popped up simultaneously with his computer's startup screen; he had forgotten to turn it off during the last system upgrade.

In the footage, the young man held a small bowl, quietly drinking soup. He seemed to be in a good mood, even able to straighten a fallen flower.

Just drinking soup; he wondered what was so amusing about it.

The young man leaned slightly forward, revealing a long, fair neck that looked so soft, one instinctively wanted to support it with a hand.

Gu Jingchi's fingers twitched.

"..."

A few seconds later, he expressionlessly closed the surveillance window.

Compared to the previous generations' family feuds and intricate schemes, the current Gu family could be considered harmonious. The direct descendants were all spoiled brats who had spent their teenage and early adult years knowing nothing but pleasure—utterly lacking ambition. Among the elders, apart from a few who no longer wished to associate with him, the others had voluntarily retreated, leaving the 26-year-old Gu Jingchi in full control of the Gu family's affairs.

The idle Gu family members, however, were not content to do nothing; they loved introducing potential marriage partners to him daily. But Gu Jingchi had rejected them all, remaining single to this day.

Not long ago, the Song family went bankrupt. The head of the Song family produced an old engagement contract, hoping the Gu family would honor the one-year engagement promise. After three rounds of verification, the legal team confirmed the contract was indeed valid.

Gu Jingchi was not one to renege on a contract either. He added three clauses to the agreement and declared it effective on the spot.

Family alliances were not uncommon, especially for just one year. Even after the agreement expired, he would compensate Song Yuan.

So, it wasn't too much trouble.

From the very beginning, he knew he didn't like Song Yuan. The best outcome would be for them to pass the contract period like strangers, coexisting peacefully.

As Song Yuan was putting on his coat in the foyer, Gu Jingchi happened to come downstairs.

Song Yuan looked up. "I should get going. Thank you very much for today."

Gu Jingchi gave a faint nod.

Silence followed the nod.

Song Yuan desperately wanted to ask questions, like, "Can we meet again?" But he had already asked once, and Gu Jingchi hadn't answered. Asking again would make his intentions too obvious.

After some thought, he rephrased it, "Will you be attending the banquet?"

Since Song Yuan's engagement to Gu Jingchi, the bankrupt Song family had miraculously revived, like a carp leaping over the dragon gate.

The entire family desperately needed an opportunity to create a buzz, hence the banquet.

Gu Jingchi remained silent.

This was a tacit refusal.

Song Yuan lowered his head. "Alright."

Gu Jingchi had seen many similar invitations—their predictable motives made him too lazy to investigate. But tonight, whether possessed or not, he actually spoke, "Are you disappointed?"

"A little," Song Yuan nodded.

"If you went too, I could see you," Song Yuan said very earnestly.

Although he hadn't yet figured out how to divorce Gu Jingchi, he had to meet him first.

Only by meeting would he have a chance.

But Gu Jingchi was unaware of Song Yuan's intricate thoughts; he simply believed Song Yuan genuinely wanted to see him.

Gu Jingchi: "..."

"I'm very busy."

Song Yuan's eyes sparkled; he sensed Gu Jingchi's stance softening. "Then, if you have time, will you go?"

Gu Jingchi stared at Song Yuan for two seconds before looking away.

He neither agreed nor refused.

"If you don't say anything, I'll take it as a default!" Song Yuan couldn't resist, doing the most audacious thing he had done since meeting Gu Jingchi.

—He lowered his head, let his sleeve brush against Gu Jingchi's hand, and slowly extended his pinky finger, hooking it around Gu Jingchi's. He whispered softly, "No backing out, okay?"

Having done this, Song Yuan, utterly lacking courage, chickened out. He snatched his hand back like lightning, not daring to look at Gu Jingchi's expression, and turned to flee.

*

Song Yuan immediately took a shower after returning home, only calming down by bedtime.

Even now, it still felt incredible—he had actually done *that* to Gu Jingchi.

He would only do such a thing with friends.

He had been purely too excited and completely forgotten the fact that Gu Jingchi was not his friend.

The phone rang, startling Song Yuan.

He glanced at the caller ID: Song Shenyu.

Song Shenyu was the eldest son of the Song family, the current head, and Song Yuan's adoptive brother in name.

In the book, Song Yuan was adopted by the Song family at age seven. Over the years, as an adopted son, Song Yuan had endured cold shoulders and mockery within the Song family, while Song Shenyu, as the family head, stood by and never intervened.

Song Yuan suspected that their purpose in adopting him might have been to use him as a pawn, to be pushed forward and exchanged for benefits when needed.

Although he didn't entirely agree with some of the original character's actions, anyone would shake their head at this treatment.

Answer?

Or not.

Song Yuan seriously considered it and ultimately chose not to answer the call.

He was a perennial silent-mode user; unless it was an emergency that could be communicated via text, he would never choose to talk on the phone.

Moreover, this was Song Shenyu—a cold-faced, cold-blooded egoist.

A call from him never meant anything good.

After the call ended, Song Yuan slowly procrastinated for a long time before finally opening his phone and sending a message to Song Shenyu.

[Brother?]

The reply came quickly.

[Song Shenyu: Did you meet Gu Jingchi?]

Song Yuan replied that he had.

[Song Shenyu: Is Gu Jingchi really not coming to tomorrow's banquet?]

[He's very busy with work. He probably won't have time.]

Song Yuan added, [Do I still have to go?]

Song Yuan had no interest in the banquet; he would rather sleep at home.

[You must come.]

Song Shenyu mercilessly refused him.

[Even if he's not coming, people from his circle will be there. As long as you attend, there will be more discussion about you and the Gu family. Being infamous is still a form of fame; the more buzz you generate, the better it is for the Song family.]

[I'll send you an email later. Follow it closely and cater to President Gu's preferences.]

Song Yuan: ?

He was angry.

Even a doormat has its limits; he refused to endure this humiliation any longer. He was an independent individual, not a pawn to be arbitrarily placed.

Before he could react, a video suddenly popped up in the chat box.

It seemed to be an unreleased interview segment from a financial magazine, titled "[Gu Jingchi's Ideal Type]."

Song Yuan had no desire to watch it.

He absolutely did not want to be Gu Jingchi's ideal type. What he wanted to be was Gu Jingchi's *avoid-at-all-costs* type.

In the footage, the interviewer asked Gu Jingchi about his ideal type. Gu Jingchi maintained his usual cold detachment, making it impossible to guess his thoughts, but off-camera, Pei Han eagerly jumped in to answer.

"His ideal type? That's obvious! Someone rational, independent, and not clingy!"

Rational and independent—these traits indeed seemed well-suited to Gu Jingchi.

Suddenly, a somewhat daring thought flashed through Song Yuan's mind.

To become an unsuitable marriage partner, wouldn't the opposite work?

Like being irrational, dependent, and *super clingy*!

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