Chapter 32 You think our relationship is something you can't accept...

When Shang Shu was nine years old, six-year-old Shang Zhiyi begged Feng Yuan to buy her a Ragdoll cat. The cat was beautiful and well-behaved, and Shang Zhiyi named it Jasmine.

Jasmine, what a beautiful name. It should represent purity and kindness.

It was a sunny afternoon. Because she missed He Landai, Shang Shu couldn't help but go to the warehouse to search for her mother's belongings that had been put away. But when she returned to her bedroom, she found that the door and windows were wide open.

She looked around but didn't see a single servant, so she had to drag her small, thin body to close the window herself. The window handle was pushed so far away that when she finally reached it, it was too heavy to pull back.

A short while later, Shang Zhiyi rushed in, sobbing, dragging Feng Yuan along. Pointing at Feng Yuan, who was swaying precariously by the window, she claimed that Feng Yuan had deliberately let the ragdoll cat go.

She still remembers the cold reply she received when she desperately tried to explain and looked pleadingly at the nanny who had been taking care of her: "The last thing I saw Jasmine did was go into the young lady's room."

At that time, she naively thought that Feng Yuan would at least give her a chance to defend herself, and that she shouldn't just believe one side of the story.

Oh, I misunderstood. It's a two-sided story.

Unfortunately, what awaited her was a stinging slap from Feng Yuan. She would never forget the sensation of those long, luscious nails slicing across her cheek.

Feng Yuan spoke in a high-sounding manner, saying things like, "How could you treat your sister's pet like that?" and "I didn't expect her to have learned to lie at such a young age."

The little girl sat helplessly and aggrievedly on the ground, looking at Shang Zhiyi's smug expression, Feng Yuan's sharp face, and the nanny's eyes that dared not be raised. She felt that everything was utterly absurd.

To this day, she still doesn't know Jasmine's whereabouts, but she has long since come to understand that people are creatures of opportunism and self-interest, and that home no longer has a place for her as a "spoiler".

She watched as Shang Zhiyi slowly sat down, holding the cat, looking at it with doting eyes, occasionally glancing at her as if she were doing it on purpose for her.

"It's time to eat, what are you doing holding it?" Shang Wei said somewhat displeasedly, thus breaking the awkward atmosphere.

Shang Zhiyi glanced at Feng Yuan, who had a furrowed brow, pursed her lips, and handed the cat to the maid beside her.

Shang Shu shifted, crossed her legs, and glanced at the cat hair scattered on the ground.

The servants laid out the dishes in an orderly fashion. Only after the last person poured wine for Shang Shu did Shang Wei speak with a slightly relaxed expression: "I called everyone here today to announce the good news that Zhiyi is about to get engaged to the Chen family."

Shang Shu knew that these words were specifically meant for her.

She raised an eyebrow in surprise, not because she was surprised by the choice of the person, as Lin Lang had already warned her beforehand, but because she was surprised by how quickly the engagement had happened.

"The engagement banquet is set for next week. All the important people in Macau will be there." As he spoke, Shang Wei gave Shang Shu a deep look. "We're family, let's not let others laugh at us."

Shang Shu knew that Shang Wei valued his reputation. He didn't care what kind of trouble was happening at home, but he had to make sure that his family was harmonious in public. A harmonious stepmother and stepdaughter were undoubtedly the best choice for him to create the image of a perfect husband and father. It was truly hypocritical.

Hearing this blatant threat, Shang Shu thought of Gu Sui again.

I wonder if the Gu family will come...

She couldn't give Shang Wei a chance to meet Gu Sui, and it was best if the Gu family members didn't meet either. This matter probably needed to be discussed with Gu Sui.

Shang Shu remained silent for a while before putting her legs down. She looked at Shang Zhiyi and said with a playful expression, "Congratulations." Then, her face turned cold as she looked at Shang Wei. "Is there anything else? If not, I'll be leaving now."

Shang Wei gritted his teeth, unable to discern Shang Shu's attitude, and could only say again, "You should listen to what I'm saying..."

“I will go.” Shang Shu stood up from her seat. “But please don’t make me go through all this trouble for such trivial matters in the future.”

After saying that, she tossed the napkin onto the chair and said, "No need to see me off. Enjoy your meal, everyone."

Shang Shu walked towards the door without looking back, followed by Shang Wei's cough and Shang Zhiyi's harsh curses.

Since she's resorting to threats, we should be prepared to be disgusted by her.

Moreover, this is already considered quite restrained.

*

Gu Sui kept staring at the shop's door, growing more and more anxious as he waited. Finally, unable to sit still any longer, he simply stood outside in the wind.

So when Shang Shu came out of the Shang family villa, she saw Gu Sui standing outside the car, leaning against the car door waiting for her.

Seeing that everyone was alright, Gu Sui finally felt relieved.

Shang Shu looked at the other person, her pace gradually quickening until she finally started jogging.

"Ah Shu, don't run away." Gu Sui saw that the little girl was still wearing high heels and felt both cute and helpless. She smiled and quickly went to meet her.

Shang Shu came to her side, breathing softly, and looked up to be met with those doting eyes.

"Aren't you cold?" she asked, looking at Gu Sui's slightly flushed cheeks.

"It's not cold, get in the car quickly." Gu Sui smiled and opened the car door for the person.

The car's heater was on the whole time, and the temperature was just right. Shang Shu sat in the car and rubbed her hands together, feeling completely enveloped in warmth.

Gu Sui walked around to the other side and sat in the driver's seat, his heart relaxing along with Shang Shu's.

"Not nervous anymore?" Gu Sui smiled at the person while fastening his seatbelt.

Shang Shu felt a little embarrassed that she had been seen through, but she still stubbornly insisted, "I wasn't nervous."

Gu Sui nodded and chuckled as he gripped the steering wheel and started the sports car.

Shang Shu was unusually not angry. For the first time, she carefully examined Gu Sui's driving posture: his clear jaw, high nose, slightly lowered eyebrows, and slender, bony hands.

Serious, good-looking, and a little...

Feeling her face gradually burning, Shang Shu quickly stopped this absurd idea and awkwardly turned her head to look out the window.

Is it pretty?

Gu Sui's voice drifted into her ears, cool yet burning.

"Wh...what's so interesting..." Shang Shu didn't turn around, her eyes following the receding street scene with a guilty look.

Gu Sui glanced at the girl's already ripe ears, a smile playing on his lips, and tapped the steering wheel with his knuckles: "I said..."

"landscape."

Shang Shu pursed her lips, looking at Gu Sui's face through the car window in the darkness. He was truly handsome, except for his mouth...

So alluring.

"It's not pretty," she replied stubbornly, biting her cheek.

Gu Sui gazed at the road ahead, a beautiful smile curving his lips.

"Oh right." Shang Shu suddenly remembered the important matter. "Shang Wei asked me to come over so that I can attend Shang Zhiyi's engagement party next week."

Gu Sui was very mindful of boundaries in these matters, neither speaking up himself nor asking the other party.

She continued, "Are you familiar with the Chen family of Jia Hua Media?"

Gu Sui pondered for a moment, then said calmly, "Jiahua is one of Guangjing's competitors in the media industry, but I'm not familiar with the Chen family behind it."

Shang Shu pressed on, "Then... what about the Gu family? I mean, besides you..."

Hearing Gu Sui's words, she was initially relieved, but then she thought that Gu Sui was someone who had spent most of his time abroad and didn't like to participate in these social events, so naturally he wasn't familiar with the network of relationships in Macau.

She was eager to confirm whether the Gu family would attend the engagement banquet between the Shang and Chen families, given their relationship.

"You don't want the Gu family to go?" Gu Sui immediately guessed Shang Shu's thoughts.

Shang Shu was speechless for a moment. How could this person be so smart? She should have just asked directly.

"Mmm." She nodded awkwardly.

"Okay," Gu Sui replied immediately.

Shang Shu tilted her head: "You...aren't you going to ask me why?"

Gu Sui brought the car to a steady stop at the traffic light, his hands resting on the steering wheel: "If you want to say something, I'm happy to listen; if you don't, then it's not important."

Shang Shu's heart was pounding.

Whether in the past or present, Gu Sui has always been like this: letting her think and do as she pleases, effortlessly solving all her troubles, and then standing behind her, ready to catch her when she falls.

"My psychologist back then was found by Shang Wei, so..." So he knew about our affair.

Shang Shu opened her mouth, but even she felt that her words were incoherent and illogical.

Upon hearing those four words, Gu Sui frowned slightly, and his heart began to ache again.

"Are you afraid he'll tell the Gu family about our relationship?" The light turned green, and Gu Sui stepped on the gas.

Shang Shu stared at the other person in astonishment, her lips moving slightly, but she couldn't utter a sound for a long time.

Seeing that she acquiesced, Gu Sui's expression gradually turned cold. She didn't say anything more and just focused on driving.

Shang Shu also tactfully turned her head to the side and gently rested her head on the pillow.

The streetlights cast long shadows of the sports car, and the two returned to Yijing Bay in silence.

"Are you... angry?" Shang Shu couldn't help but ask when she saw that Gu Sui's expression was still not very good.

"Yes," Gu Sui readily admitted. "You think our relationship is something that shouldn't be shown to others?"

Shang Shu hurriedly explained, "I was just worried that it would have a bad influence on you, after all, this isn't Aicheng."

Seeing that she didn't deny it, Gu Sui unbuckled his seatbelt somewhat forcefully and crossed his arms over his chest: "Do you think I care about these things?"

"But I do care." Shang Shu clenched her hands tightly on her lap.

She cared, she cared terribly, because Gu Sui was different from her.

She walked on thin ice from a young age, and early on she saw through the coldness and indifference of the world and the fickleness of human nature.

She had heard too much of what these old fogies in Macau said: they were selfish, hypocritical, and used their moral high ground to restrict other people's lives.

It is wrong to go against their wishes, and it is shameful, unethical, and contrary to morality to disobey them.

They say she's lying, so she is lying; they say she's cynical, so she'll show them how ridiculous she can be.

She had long lost these ephemeral things, or rather, she had never possessed them at all.

But Gu Sui was different.

In her eyes, Gu Sui was born to be noble, proud, and flawless.

She has a complete family: loving parents, a doting older sister, and an adoring niece.

She was born into a wealthy and powerful family; she was both beautiful and talented, and all the good things in the world should belong to her.

Gu Sui should be like the high and cold moon, not tainted by those meaningless worldly affairs, and should not bear the burden of unwarranted guilt like her.

Besides... they're not in that kind of relationship anymore.

"Let's not talk about this anymore, okay?" Shang Shu tugged at her collar and took a deep breath; she felt a tightness in her chest.

silence.

After a long while, Gu Sui let out a soft sigh, still hanging his head and staring at those slender fingertips.

"Ah Shu, whether in the past or now, in Aicheng or here..."

She looked up, as if trying to sink into those eyes.

"My feelings for you have always been open and aboveboard."