Yu Ruohuan saw the young man stepping out of the car in the distance and reached up to lower her sunglasses.
"Interesting."
Gu Bichen was not someone easily controlled. The fact that he showed up today greatly surprised Yu Ruohuan.
She wondered what method Yao Huia had used to make him bow his head.
Yu Ruohuan touched up her makeup in the mirror before finally pushing open the car door and stepping out.
"Gu Bichen."
The young man’s back stiffened slightly before he turned around slowly.
Yu Ruohuan glanced over his outfit and chuckled lightly, "We’re going to watch a formal opera, and yet you’re dressed in casual wear. What is it—your way of expressing discontent?"
In the past, Gu Bichen’s attire and demeanor always exuded the elegance of a refined gentleman, leaving no room for criticism. For today’s opera, he should have been in a suit. Instead, he wore casual clothes, his hair unkempt, and his face haggard as if he hadn’t slept for three nights.
Despite this, with his striking looks, he still appeared breathtakingly handsome.
Was it because he had to meet her that he didn’t even bother to put on a facade?
Gu Bichen’s expression was cold. "I forgot."
Yu Ruohuan sneered, "Forgot? You didn’t even bother to come up with an excuse, did you?"
She walked up to him, reaching out to jab a finger at his chest. "Gu Bichen, the fact that you’re here means you’ve got something on Yao Huia. So this ship of thieves? You’re boarding it whether you like it or not."
Gu Bichen stepped back, avoiding her touch, his face betraying a subtle hint of disdain.
Yu Ruohuan quickly grabbed him by the collar, forcing him to lower his head.
"Go ahead, leave if you dare. Let’s see if you’re brave enough."
She stared up into his eyes. In his dark pupils, pain and struggle intertwined fiercely.
Ultimately, his emotions faded into numb desolation, with no light remaining.
Yu Ruohuan’s lips curved into a satisfied smile. She reached out and casually adjusted his collar. To outsiders, they appeared like an inseparable couple.
"Suddenly, I don’t feel like watching the opera. How about you accompany me for a cup of coffee?"
Silence was his only reply.
The soft melody in the café was soothing as Yu Ruohuan took a sip of coffee and glanced at the young man across from her.
He sat stiffly, like a lifeless marionette.
"How are you settling into your new class?"
Again, silence.
Yu Ruohuan smirked, setting down her coffee cup. "Perhaps I should rephrase—how are things with your new classmates? For instance..."
She deliberately dragged out her words, "Shen You’an."
Gu Bichen’s head snapped up, his sharp gaze locking onto her.
Yu Ruohuan let out a cold laugh. "What a reaction. As expected, only this name can stir your emotions."
His fists clenched tightly as he responded coolly, "What exactly do you want?"
Yu Ruohuan rested her chin on her hands, her smile innocence itself. "It’s simple—fulfill the marriage agreement between our two families."
She pointed at him with one finger, then at herself. "You and me, engaged."
Gu Bichen’s eyes turned icy in an instant, his voice unwavering. "Impossible."
"Among all the socialites in Jingzhou, who could be as perfectly matched as the two of us? Don’t be so quick to refuse—take your time to think it over."
Gu Bichen’s face remained impassive, his expression unyielding.
Yu Ruohuan leisurely sipped her coffee, her gaze drifting to the stream of pedestrians outside the window.
"Gu Bichen, do you really think that, given our statuses, we can marry for love?"
Her voice was soft as she spoke, her eyes still fixed on the scenery outside.
His eyelids lowered slightly. "That may apply to you, but not to me."
"Oh really? The Gu family, a storied lineage with strict traditions—do you truly believe Elder Mrs. Gu would ever allow your future wife to be an ordinary person?"
"It still won’t be you."
"And why not me?"
Yu Ruohuan suddenly turned her head, meeting his gaze directly.
"Instead of marrying a woman you don’t love in the future, why not get engaged to me? All I need is the title. You’re free to continue loving Shen You’an if you like—let her be the mistress, I won’t interfere. I’ll even support you two as lovers. But the condition is that you and I—the Gu family and the Yu family—must remain bound by this engagement, at least on the surface."
Yu Ruohuan pressed on relentlessly, "Don’t be foolish, Gu Bichen. Behind me stands the entire Yu family. Marrying me would bring you nothing but advantages. I want nothing but the title. Beyond that, we don’t have to be involved. It’s a sure-win deal—so what are you hesitating for?"
Her eyes narrowed as she watched him carefully, spotting the flicker of hesitation. That was it—her opening.
In the past, Gu Bichen would have rejected her without a second thought, but things were different now.
Before everything unraveled, he needed to secure more cards for himself.
It seemed Yu Ruohuan knew nothing of the truth. She wanted to use him—but why couldn’t he turn the tables and use her instead? After all, she was the one who approached him first.
"Yu Ruohuan, all you care about is the title of heir to the Gu family. What I want is genuine affection. I refuse to let my future marriage be tainted by manipulation and schemes. Besides..."
A cold sneer flickered in his youthful eyes. "I don’t like you."
Yu Ruohuan smiled faintly. "Perfect. I don’t like you either. A loveless marriage—wouldn’t you say that’s the most enduring kind?"