Chapter 233 Young Master Gu is getting anxious!

"You can't deal with this kind of person using conventional methods."

Su Yue picked up the tea that had gone cold from the table, took a sip, and looked as composed as a strategist in charge.

"We need to use some strategy to make him realize that a crisis is coming. If he doesn't take the initiative, the meat that's already in his mouth will be snatched away by other wolves."

"Strategy?" Chu Jingya was stunned.

Chen Yaru also curiously came over.

Su Yue put down her teacup, her eyes darting around, and a quirky plan had already taken shape in her mind.

"At the last wedding, the deputy battalion commander Zhang who was so attentive to you, his name was Zhang Zhen, right?"

"Hmm." Chu Jingya nodded, not understanding why her cousin suddenly brought him up.

“I heard from Yunmu that this Deputy Battalion Commander Zhang comes from a respectable family, has outstanding personal abilities, and is a young cadre that the military region is focusing on cultivating, with a promising future. Most importantly, he is of good character, has a cheerful personality, and is a good man who can be entrusted with important tasks.”

Every time Su Yue praised her, Chu Jingya's brows furrowed a little more.

What does that mean? Does her cousin want her to give up on Gu Beixiao and start a relationship with Zhang Zhen instead?

"Cousin, I..."

"Let me finish," Su Yue interrupted her, her smile deepening, like a little fox who had just stolen some cream.

“Starting tomorrow, you should casually mention this outstanding Deputy Battalion Commander Zhang to Gu Beixiao more often.”

"ah?"

“For example, you could say, ‘Deputy Battalion Commander Zhang is such a nice guy; he helped me solve a big problem for the cultural troupe today.’ Or, ‘Deputy Battalion Commander Zhang is so thoughtful; he knows I like sweets, so he specially brought me maltose from the city.’”

Su Yue patiently guided her.

"Not only should you praise him, but you should also 'reluctantly' accept a few harmless invitations from him. For example, go to the library to return a book together, or have a meal in the cafeteria. Remember, your attitude must be natural, showing that you just regard him as an excellent and warm-hearted ordinary friend."

Chu Jingya was completely dumbfounded.

This...isn't this just deliberately trying to provoke Gu Beixiao?

That's such a nasty trick!

Just imagining how dark Gu Beixiao's handsome face would turn when he found out made her feel... strangely excited.

"But... what if he doesn't care at all? Or what if he misunderstands?" Chu Jingya was still a little uneasy.

“If he didn’t care, he wouldn’t have dragged you away from the cafeteria last time,” Su Yue said bluntly.

"As for the misunderstanding..." Su Yue patted her hand and gave her a reassuring smile. "Don't worry, I'll control the heat for you. I promise I won't burn the pot dry or let you get burned. I'll just put that piece of wood that's not very good at cooking over the fire and roast it slowly."

"Keep roasting him until he can't sit still anymore and jumps down on his own."

Seeing her cousin's confident demeanor, Chu Jingya's initial unease was gradually replaced by an unprecedented sense of anticipation and nervousness.

She bit her lip and finally nodded heavily.

"Okay! Cousin, I'll listen to you!"

The plan was thus finalized.

The next afternoon, Chu Jingya's performing arts troupe had just finished rehearsing, and everyone was walking out in twos and threes.

"Comrade Jingya!"

A loud voice rang out from behind.

Chu Jingya turned around and, sure enough, saw Zhang Zhen, who was wearing a crisp military uniform.

He was carrying a net bag filled with several large, red apples.

"You've worked hard in rehearsals." Zhang Zhen walked over with a smile and handed her a net bag. "I just got it from the logistics department. It's fresh. Share it with you and your colleagues."

"This...this is too much trouble." Following Su Yue's instructions, Chu Jingya did not refuse immediately, but instead gave a perfectly timed, slightly embarrassed smile.

"What's the big deal!" Zhang Zhen waved his hand dismissively. "By the way, I was just about to go to the military library. I heard you borrowed a few books that are about to expire. Want to come along?"

Chu Jingya silently read Su Yue's script in her mind, a hint of surprise appearing on her face.

"Really? That's such a coincidence! I was just thinking it would be boring to go alone!"

Amidst the ambiguous laughter of several female colleagues in the performing arts troupe, Chu Jingya and Zhang Zhen walked side by side toward the library.

The two chatted and laughed, with Zhang Zhen telling funny stories from the army, making Chu Jingya giggle. Her bright and cheerful smile was genuine and heartfelt.

This scene happened to fall into the view of someone on the basketball court not far away.

Gu Beixiao had just made a beautiful three-step layup, which drew cheers from several young soldiers on the sidelines.

He landed, wiped the sweat from his forehead, and was about to receive the ball from his teammate when he suddenly stopped.

He turned his head and looked at the tree-lined path leading to the library.

The girl who always followed him like a little tail, sometimes shy and sometimes flustered, was now walking with a strange man.

She wore a smile on her face that he had never seen before, a smile so radiant and bright.

That smile wasn't the nervous and shy smile I gave him, nor was it the helpless smile I gave him after he made me so angry I jumped up and down.

It was a kind of... pure, unburdened happiness.

Gu Beixiao held the ball, standing still as if his body was frozen in place.

The shouts of his teammates and the sound of the basketball hitting the ground seemed to fade away from him in an instant.

He just stared fixedly in that direction, watching the two figures, one tall and one short, walk further and further away until they disappeared around the corner.

"Brother Xiao! Catch the ball!"

His teammates' shouts brought him back to reality.

He instinctively raised his hand and caught the basketball that was flying towards him.

The basketball hit his palm with a dull thud.

He looked down at the ball in his hand, remained silent for a moment, then turned around, dribbled, and jumped.

The movements were fluid and graceful, full of powerful beauty.

However, no one noticed that the brown basketball, under his long, strong fingers, was groaning softly under the strain.

The tough cowhide surface seemed to have sunk slightly inward.

Gu Beixiao's powerful dunk seemed to have slammed all his frustration and pent-up emotions into the basket.

The sound of the basketball hitting the ground did not dispel the inexplicable anger in his heart.

He felt like he was soaking in a jar of sour vinegar, and nothing he did felt right.

During the afternoon's work, he frequently drifted off into thought. He looked at a simple logistics allocation sheet five times, but the numbers just wouldn't stick in his head.

Finally, he was yelled at by the captain, which brought him back to his senses. The more he panicked, the more mistakes he made, and he got a severe scolding.

This would never have been possible before.

Who is Gu Beixiao? He's the young master Gu from Beijing, quick-witted and incredibly resourceful. When has he ever made such a basic mistake at work?

He drifted aimlessly through the day until the end of the workday, not even having the appetite for dinner. He wandered off to the staff quarters of the performing arts troupe without thinking.

As dusk approached, the orange sunset cast a gentle glow on the small building.

He had just stopped behind the sycamore tree at the corner when he saw that the man surnamed Zhang coming again.